Secrets & Love

Chapter 7: Avalon

Waking up felt like a dream, in the room that looked like heaven through and through, though I was just waking up from a dark night. Sitting up felt like a lifetime worth of strength leaving my body. I felt a presence close, as I looked around the room, till remembering the night that withstands my weakened morning. Beside me, Josh laid above the sheets, with nothing but pants, similar to mine, yet only blue. I looked along the torso of the man who laid beside me. A tattoo laid on his right rib, with the saying, "Beyond the stars, in front of the clouds" - Emily Hayes. Around it were the relaxed muscles of a sleeping soul, small scars laid across the tone of his abdominals. Where did those come from?

    I jumped out of bed as his body tensed from awakening. Then coming to realize the large pants around my waist barely hung on. I held them as I watched him sit up, and walked back to the bathroom.

    "Everything alright?" his voice is more raspier when waking up. How much I liked to hear it. I shook my head to erase that thought.

    "No?" he said, and realized what I did.

    "No! Yes! N-.." I couldn't finish the sentence as he chuckled, laying back down, while I hid my face from embarrassment. "Yes, I'm okay."

    "Gotcha," he laughed.

    I ran the rest of the way to the bathroom, taking a deep breath out to take back the embarrassment. I looked into the mirror, my hair a complete mess. I brushed it through with my fingers, until realizing a brush on the edge of the sink. After standing back to look at my appearance, the bruises were slightly darker than last night, though smaller ones lightened up. I looked down towards my injured foot, realizing the pain hadn't quite come for a while. Though the legs of the pants covered it. Wait. Clothes! I don't have any clothes. I appeared with my head from the door, Josh sitting on the edge of the bed. He looked over and tilted his head with a smile.

    "What are you doing?" he asked with a laugh.

    "I don't have any clothes," I told him shyly.

    "Right, right," he said, getting up, "give me a minute."

    I nodded, and watched as he went outside of the room, leaving the door open slightly. I closed the bathroom door, sitting on the closed toilet, and returning back to the injured foot. Removing the bandage, I viewed the dyed area from the cleaning solution. It looks almost like copper, especially around the pale skin from the lack of sun over the years. A knock came from the door, startling me like usual.

    "Come in," I yelled slightly, looking as the door opened. Josh came in, holding a larger pile of clothes.

    "Thought you might want to pick something out," he placed the pile on the counter, then looked towards me. "What are you doing?" he asked.

    "Looking at the wound," I tell him, looking down. I got frustrated as I tried to wrap it up again.

    "Here let me help," he suggested, walking over, kneeling in front of me. "Doesn't look too bad, hey?"

    "Thanks to you," I replied. He laughs, wrapping it back up. His hand touched above my ankle, sending a tingle up my leg.

    "All done," he said standing up.

    "How did you learn how to do all the medical stuff?" I asked, out of the blue.

    "When people get hurt, you got to know how to help" he looked away, his eyes filled with pain, but why?

    "Why look away?" I ask.

    "Why ask so many questions?" He looks back, with a smile. "Come on, get dressed, I want to take you out today."