Page 94 of I'm Gonna Get You Back
My heart still his.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVEREIDTHE DAY OF LEGACY BANQUET
@haikuforyou
The world is burning
But no hotter than I do
for each inch of you
I SURFACE SLOWLY‚ SHEETStangled around my torso. Warmth all around me. My limbs are heavy, my mind, for once, is quiet.
It’s still early, but… I feelrested.
I inhale deeply and catch my favorite floral scent as if I’m still in a dream. But it’s too real, too present. My eyes slit open.
Weak predawn light nudges at the window, and it’s just enough to be able to see an empty glass on my nightstand that wasn’t there before, and the wild waves of dark hair splayed across the pillow next to me.
Clara’s hair.
She’s here. In mybed. I take in the rest in increments; her entire body curled around me like ivy, one leg tucked between mine, an arm on my chest. Our hands are linked together. Even in sleep.
That pries something in me already burning to open.
How did this happen? I squeeze my eyes tight, trying to remember. There are only pieces and flashes. We were at the show. I downed more wine than food or water orair. I tried to fight Josh? And I vaguely remember being jostled back home.
Clara standing by my bed. Asking her to stay.
But when she agreed and actually got in beside me, I was sure it was a dream.
A dull pain shoots up my other arm, which is trapped beneath her. With a wince, I do my best to free it smoothly, but I rustle her and an adorable, protesting little grumble sounds from the blankets.
When I peel the comforter back from her face, my breath gets stuck. I love that I get to see her like this. At least once. Her eye makeup is smudged and her lips a little swollen from sleep. For all that we’ve shared, we’ve never woken up together in the morning. We had a lot of firsts left.
She looks so peaceful that I try to extract myself without waking her. But just as I untangle our legs, she tightens her grip on my hand, and her eyes flutter open.
I wait for her to freeze or back away. But she doesn’t.
A small smile curls her mouth as her eyes meet mine, and the deep hurt we share longs to slip away, forgotten. But without that hurt, that distance between us, I’m not sure I’ll have the strength to leave for Stanford tomorrow.
“What time is it?” Her husky voice is raspier with sleep.
I check and it’s not even seven.
“I should probably get home,” she murmurs.
“Yeah, okay. I’ll take you.”
Only, instead of getting up, she hugs me closer. Wrapping both arms full around me until there’s no space left, she nuzzles her face in thecrook of my neck. There is no one on this planet who loves to cuddle as much as Clara Suarez. I thought I remembered how good it felt, but the reality is so much better.
What changed? I’m afraid to ask and risk ruining this moment.
I run my hand down the length of her back. “I forgot about Kolara,” I say, amused.
Her voice vibrates against my chest when she groans. “That was the worst one.”
“Oh, c’mon, it was clever. You cuddle like a koala, your name is Clara. Kolara. Perfect nickname.”
