Avery's POV
I woke up the next morning in a haze.
I didn't remember much of what happened yesterday, and I had a feeling that was a good thing.
I noticed that Dawson wasn't in his bed but I instead Mona was.
I also noticed how it wasn't morning but in fact 3:12 a.m.
Great.
I wouldn't get back to sleep. Once I wake up, I'm awake for the rest of the night.
I decide to crawl out of bed and get a snack since I had nothing better to do.
I tip toe to the kitchen and see the Tv glowing from across the open area.
I squint my eyes to see Dawson half asleep on the couch, watching some home renovation show.
I grab an apple off the counter and try to walk back to my bed before he sees me, but my clumsy ass stumbles over a chair leg.
I mumble profanities as my toe stings from me jamming that bitch into a piece of metal.
Dawson's head turns towards me and I decide to not be a total bitch for once and make my way over to the couch, quite awkwardly.
"It's all that was on, I swear." He says rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"Uh huh." I smirk. "It's cool. My guilty pleasure is Say Yes to the Dress."
"I-you know what. I don't have to explain myself to you. Now, are you just gonna stand there and tease me all night?" He asks, scooting over to make room for me on the couch.
I stay in my spot for a minute, contemplating my choices.
Deny and have this awkward tension with my roommate forever? Or stop being a pussy and just sit down?
I decide to walk to the couch and take a seat.
"So..." I mumble.
"So..." Dawson says back, and I'm pretty sure he was mocking me since he was portraying false awkwardness.
I turn my head I look at him and poke his chest. "Don't be a dick."
"Fine, fine. Sorry. Anyways, why are you up?" He pulls the blanket that was over him, over me as well.
"I don't know. Just woke and couldn't get back to bed."
He nods. "How bout you?" I ask, trying to be polite. I think it was working too.
"The couch's pretty uncomfortable to sleep on." He admits, rubbing the back of his neck.
And I kinda feel bad. "You could've put Mona in my bed or shoved her on the couch." I laugh. "That girl could sleep on the floor and wake up perfectly fine."
"I guess. Just seemed right to give her my bed though." He shrugs his shoulders as if it was no big deal, and not actually really sweet.
And without thinking I tell him exactly how sweet it was.
"That's...actually really nice of you."
But this dude apparently can't take a compliment without turning it into a joke.
"See? I'm not that bad." He bumps my shoulder with his.
"Don't push it, King." I shove his shoulder back, but harder this time.
"Fine, fine." He stays silent for a moment before asking if I wanted to watch a movie.
"Sure." I say.
I had a feeling I wasn't doing this to be polite anymore, and I didn't like that thought. Not one bit.
***
I wake up the next morning to feel my head on Dawson's shoulder. His arms were wrapped tightly around me waist and my body was nestled into his side.
He was definitely guilty of cuddling but that didn't mean I was exactly innocent.
One of my hands was resting over his thigh and my other arm was somewhere wrapped around his arm that was around my waist, which was extremely uncomfortable now that I'd moved and felt the aftermath of that position.
I was closer to him than I remembered being last night. Although I wasn't really focusing on much. Like the fact I was in nothing but one of my old sports bras which had definitely become too tight over the past few years.
Thank You puberty.
My shorts weren't much better. They were spandex and I usually wore them on hotter nights. Someone must've changed me into this. Hopefully sawyer. I was grateful for the skimpy pajamas because I had multiple blankets I was tangled in now but that was okay.
I could feel Dawson's chest under my hands and feel no material. He never slept with a shirt on but I figured he'd have put a shirt on last night, with us talking and all. Apparently not.
For a few seconds I bask in his touch. It was nice. I felt comfortable. At home even.
And then I remember.
This is my roommate. He's the guy I'm living with. He's Dawson. My annoying and sarcastic housemate Dawson. I shouldn't feel this way. I shouldn't feel this way at all. I couldn't.
I can feel the mental walls building around my heart once again.
And I'm the rash and impulsive Avery again.
I tear his hands off of my almost naked torso and scoot away from him to the other side of the couch.
Wiping the small smile off my face and making my eyes fall I look back at Dawson and to see him blinking away the sleep. His warm brown hair was messy and sticking up in random directions across his head. His lips were shaped in a confused pout and his eyebrows were scrunched together a bit.
"Why'd you" he paused and held up a finger as if telling me to hold on. He yawns and then continues. "Wake me?" He finishes
I didn't have an answer to that. Not a good one anyways.
"I...look. Can you just..forget what happened last night?" I ask with my blank face.
I could tell he was having an internal battle. Maybe he'd ask for something in return? A favor or something.
"Yeah. Sure." He says smiling slightly but I could tell it was fake.
He seemed a bit...uncomfortable.
I wasn't sure why he was embarrassed. I was the one having to deal with the aftermath of him and i cuddling and actually getting along. It was humiliating really.
"Thanks." I say genuinely but still not showing any emotion on my face. I was great at masking things. Mona said
I had a professional resting bitch face. She told me she was jealous that I didn't show every emotion I had on my face.
I saw it more as a curse. We agreed to disagree.
"See you in class?" He asks standing up and pulling on a random black v-neck t-shirt from a the chair next to him. So he did have clothes he could've worn after all.
"Sadly, yes." I say standing up as well and beginning to walk back to our room to start my makeup.
***
Sitting in psychology was pretty boring today.
I was interested in the subject and thought to pursue it as a career actually.
It was ironic really.
Me, of all people wanted to deal with people who had emotional or behavioral issues to sum it up. To read these people and find the problem deeper within and well, fix it. Work with it.
I guess it made sense in a way. I'd see myself in these patients possibly. Make them...not like me. Save them before it was too late.
But I'd never gone to a psychologist or psychiatrist for my issues so what made me want to get into a field I'd never really had experience in? I didn't know for sure. But I'd see at some point I guess.
The bell rings in what seems like forever later. I neatly organize my books in my bag, the same spot as always, and stuff it in there.
As soon as I'm done I notice the halls are thinning out and realize I should get to class soon.
I reach the edge of a row of lockers and feel my hand being tugged at. I meet glowing eyes and and before I know it, his lips are on mine.