Banging rings throughout the entirety of the house. I’m scared awake by a followed drilling sound. I rush downstairs to see a man drilling in new cabinet doors. He wipes the sweat off his chin with the back of his hand. Lina spots me at the stairs and motions over.
“Who’s that?”
“Will.” She exclaims.
“Will?”
“My boyfriend.” Right, that’s boyfriend number..???
“Okay. You picked a real handy one this time.” I say looking back at him as he hammers in a nail. “Yes I did, now run along, mind your business.”
“Alright miss bossy.” She snarls at me from behind.
“Wait, we need groceries. I haven’t had a chance to get them yet today.” My phone chimes. “I sent you the list. Do you think you can manage to pick out the right items?”
“What am I, four?” She gives me a devilish grin. “Do you really want me to answer that?” I give it some thought and decide my pride is already hurt enough for one day. No reason to add to it.
When I get the the stairs a low rough voice calls out to me. “Well, look what we have here, you weren’t going to bother saying hello?”
I turn back to see Will looking over his shoulder at me from the kitchen. “No, no I wasn’t.”
“Aw really? I was hoping we’d get along real well. Become best buddies and all that.”
He clicks his tongue at me after I let out a chuckle. “Doubt that.” I wave him off and head up stares to get dressed.
Carson is usually up around this time right? I wonder what he’s doing right now. He hasn’t texted me all day today. He never goes this long without a word. He usually loves being clingy to a fault.
10:00 pm
CARSON
(Hey Carson what’s up?)
Read
(Searching for horror movies to watch, hbu?)
(Just got done picking up groceries for Lina, and her new boyfriend apparently.)
Read
(Oooo spicy)
(More like uncomfortable, can I come over and tell you about it?)
Read
(I’ll order pizza ;D)
“Man, that dude sounds super weird.” We’re down half a pizza box and 5 sodas deep before I even realize the weird horror movie Carson’s been playing for the past hour.
“What kind of dog shit movie is this? Why do they wear those goofy looking masks? They look more funny than scary if you ask me.”
Carson glares at me from behind his pizza before angrily taking a bite. “Nobody asked you.”
My eyes lazily roll as I prop myself up to get another soda. “Hey grab me one”, he calls. “Mk.” I throw him another soda from the fridge, as per usual, his reflexes are as sad as ever and somehow he manages to fumble it to the ground.
“I said grab not throw.”
“Aw but I wanted to see your amazing catching skills.” Or lack there of.
“You know I’m a clutz.”
“Eh you’re no too bad.” At least not compared to some people. Now he’s the one rolling his eyes at me. I plop back down beside him on the floor.
Now that I’m looking closely, he looks more tired today than usual. Huge dark circles line the underneath of his eyes. “Carson are you getting enough sleep lately?”
“You already know the answer to that.” The movies credits roll and he clicks off the tv. I help put away what’s left of the pizza. I can’t believe I failed to register his yawning all of this time.
“How long have you been awake for?” A pained expression takes place across Carson’s face. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked. He mumbles something under his breath but I can’t quite make out what he’s saying.
“Huh?”
“Four….days..”
“FOUR DAYS?!?!? Carse how are you still alive right now? What have you even been doing for the past four days?”
“Editing photos.” Of course, photographers are so predictable.
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
“God, do I have to be your mother right now. Sigh, come on Carse.” I gesture towards the stairs, he hesitates for a moment before hanging his head in defeat and dragging himself upstairs.
His room is filled with various types of stuffed animals on display. The shelves look like they’re about to burst. “Did you manage to accumulate more to your already cluttered collection?”
“They were gifts.”
“Gifts? From who?”
“From me..”
I shove him onto the bed and violently tuck him in, almost considering suffocating him with the stuffed elephant oh his nightstand.
“Alright, call me when you wake up five days from now.” Trying to make my way out of the door, a hand grabs my wrist. I turn back around to see Carson’s sleepy pouting face.
He always does this, it’s nothing new. Ever since high school he’s been afraid to sleep on his own. Always calling me every night, holding me hostage on the phone till he falls asleep.
He’s like a kid scared of monsters under his bed. I give in and crawl into bed next to him. He turns towards me and smiles while fluttering his eyes closed.
“I forgot to give back your hat. It’s rotting on my bedroom floor.” Carson adjusts the covers trying to make himself comfortable.
“I think it looks better on you than me though. Keep it.” Blanket hog, he’s taking it all for himself. My pulling meets resistance until we eventually both give up.
“Yeah, you have too many anyway. Maybe I’ll steel some.” His chuckles are low and soft. “Carson?”
“Yeah?”
“You could have told me sooner, I would have come.”
“I didn’t want to bother you. I feel like I’m always burdening you.”
I search the blanket for his hand, when I find it, my fingers interlock with his. Carse slightly opens his eyes. “You weren’t a burden then and you aren’t one now.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Unconsciously, a smile takes form across my face. His eyes have already closed. His breathings slows down and his cat like snores are starting to roll in. I don’t recall being tired, not one bit.
Somehow Carson’s calm energy makes me sleepier and sleepier, until I eventually end up falling soundly asleep right beside him, right after kicking that annoying stuffed caterpillar off the bed.
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