Page 28 of Forget Me Not

“What the fuck, man?” I grumble, half opening my eyes before shutting them again as soon as I see daylight.

He kicks me one more time, this time hard enough to make me jerk upright.

I just stare at him, trying to comprehend what his major malfunction is so early in the morning.

He nods at the floor beside my bed. “You got something there. Might wanna get rid of it before Mr. B makes his morning rounds to make sure we’re all up and going.”

I wrap my hand around the edge of the mattress and pull myself over the side. Shit.Cooper.

This is the third time this week alone I’ve woken up to find her curled up on the floor next to my bed. It’s not so much that I have a problem with her crashing here, but I fucking hate that sneaking into a group home for teenage boys who’ve been in and out of juvy and can’t be placed in families anymore, just to sleep on the hard floor without a pillow or blanket, is a better alternative to sleeping in her own bed. Or at least, the bed in her room at her current residence.

I reach down to grab her shoulder and squeeze it gently. “Coop. Wake up.” She stirs slightly, stretching her arms over her head just enough for me to see the sleeve of my stolen hoody move back, revealing a bruised wrist.

My every instinct is to bolt from the room and raise hell until I find the bastard who laid a hand on her, and pound him into the ground, but I can’t. Because she’d be furious with me. Not for hurting him, for getting into trouble on her account. She’d hate me for it. Besides, I can’t be stupid. Being stupid leads to being busted, and busted means she’s alone. And that I can’t allow.

So, I force air into my lungs at a steady rate until my heart races at a more manageable pace and I can hear something other than adrenaline rushing in my ears. Then, I slide down onto the ground beside her and wrap my arms around her tightly until she snuggles up against me and I know she’s waking up in a safe place. And she knows it, too.

“How many times do I have to tell you not to sleep on the floor, Cooper?” I whisper.

“It was late. I didn’t want to wake you,” she whispers back, still in a sleepy haze.

“I don’t care how late it is, next time – wake me.”

Ed clears his throat loudly from the corner of the room where he’s standing by the dressers, doing his best to pretend he can’t hear or see anything. I’ve only been here three weeks, but Ed seems like a solid enough dude. Hasn’t ratted me out once yet, and with Cooper sneaking in here every other night, he’s certainly had plenty of opportunities. He also doesn’t ask questions. Which I appreciate. Although, it’s probably time I start explaining things if this is going to continue.

“Footsteps,” he says tipping his head toward the door. “You better hurry.”

I get up to my knees and pull the covers back from my bed. “Under. Now.”

She knows the drill. One quick roll and she’s under the frame just in time for me to drop the comforter back into place, blocking her from view completely when Mr. B knocks on the door simultaneously to opening it and walking in.

“Oh good, you’re both up.” He smiles. He always smiles.

“Yes, sir.” Ed nods. He’s great at not being a rat. Not so hot at covering. Can’t hide his nerves. Or the need to stare at the ground when he’s attempting to hide them. But, Mr. B’s not exactly the type to walk in suspicious, so he just smiles at both of us some more.

“Marie’s making pancakes,” he announces with way more cheer than anyone here is comfortable with, “So make sure you hurry up and get downstairs so you can eat before the bus gets here.” Miss M’s his wife. They’re cool, both of ‘em as far as I can tell. Haven’t been here much longer than I have, and aren’t all that much older than me either. Still in their twenties, I think, maybe early thirties. Newlyweds. Miss M’s expecting from what the guys have said, but in all the flowy shit she wears it’s hard to tell if you’re looking at a baby belly or not, so no one’s officially talking about it.

“We’ll be down in a few, thanks.” I do a cheesy salute as he closes the door behind him and disappears out in the hall again, where we can hear him move on to the next room, last one on this floor. There’s two more upstairs in the built out attic. I imagine he’s headed there next.

I yank the blankets back and hang upside down over the side of my bed to stare at her. She’s wide awake now. And grinning.

“I really like pancakes.”

I shake my head trying not to laugh. “I’ll see what I can do.”

––––––––

Reed

Present Day

Now that I’m standing here, seeing her, really seeing her, and holding her, it’s not enough. I need more. Need to wrap myself around her until I can feel her warmth spread through me. Until I can physically feel that she’s real.

It’s as if she knows. Or maybe she’s feeling the exact same thing, because her arms are tangling up around my neck until she’s pressed to my chest tightly, her face never breaking away from our kiss and all of her molded to all of me. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I finally feel like myself again. Because myself is with her. It’s always been with her.

The euphoric feeling doesn’t last though. Just as I’m allowing myself to settle into the peace that comes from finding home at last, she begins to pull away.

“This is wrong,” she whispers, her fingers covering her lips in shame. Beautiful lips. Perfectly fit for mine. They should never be hidden. Never feel shame.

---