Youssef
DISTORTION: A music production technique used to create a more full or aggressive sound
I wakeup lying on my side, blinking at the light streaming in through the gap between the curtains. It takes a second for me to remember where I am.
Paige.
I roll over and find the other side of the bed empty. She was here when we finally called it quits at two in the morning, after a few rounds of sex so incredible I feel like my head is still spinning. I remember tucking her under my arm just before I fell asleep. She pretended to hate it, but she didn’t make any effort to move. In fact, she snuggled right into me.
Isnuggledwith Paige.
I chuckle as I think of all the ways I’m going to tease her about it. We didn’t get to the whole ‘making it official’ talk, but I’m not worried. After last night, there’s no doubt in my mind that we’re meant to be together, and I can’t wait to tell her just that.
I crane my neck around to see if the bathroom door is closed, but a voice from the end of the bed makes me yelp with surprise.
“Good morning, sleeping beauty.” Paige straightens up from doing something on the floor and laughs at my shriek. “Wow, I didn’t know you could make that noise.”
“Why are you creeping around on the floor like that?” I demand.
She stands all the way up, and I notice she’s fully dressed and freshly showered. The makeup is gone, and she’s wearing leggings and a baggy long sleeve shirt.
“And how long have you been awake?” I add.
“A while. You sleep through everything, apparently. I got up and went to my room like an hour ago, but I came back because...”
She looks down in embarrassment.
“Because what?”
“I, uh, lost my bra in here.”
I smirk. She looks back up and gives me the finger.
“Don’t be a smartass about it.”
I stretch and settle my hands behind my head. “Well, well, well. The criminal always returns to the scene of the crime.”
“Isaiddon’t be a smartass about it.”
She gives me her signature death glare and goes back to searching the room. I watch her putter around and realize what the twinge in my chest is: a mildly painful combination of confusion and disappointment.
She left. She got up and left me here without saying anything, and she only came back to get her bra.
“Is everything okay?” I ask.
She looks over her shoulder at me. “Aside from the fact that my bra is MIA, yeah.”
Her tone isn’t convincing. She’s trying to play it cool, but I can hear how edged with nerves her voice is.
“Paige.” I shift myself up until I’m sitting. “Could you come sit here for a second?”
“Uh, okay.”
She sits on the very edge of the mattress, too far for me to touch her. Apprehension tugs at my stomach again.
“I know last night was a lot,” I begin, hoping we can get to the bottom of this quickly. “It was...It was fucking amazing, but I know it was a big step. If there’s anything you want to talk about—”
“Nope,” she cuts me off. “You’re right. It was a lot, and it was amazing. I’m just, uh, processing, I guess.”
