The Chance

19 || Rule Number One

Billie Bossa Nova - Billie Eilish

𓆩♡𓆪
Alexander

Sharing.

It was something I always did with my sisters.

Whether it was food, money, homework answers, clothes, a bed.

It didn't really matter what I shared with them because at the end of the day, I was their brother and we shared basically everything we owned with each other.

Clothes were on a rare occasion. Eden and Jasmine usually shared between themselves when it came to that.

But a bed was a common occurrence when we were younger. I remember a time way too long ago when we were huddled up in a bed at our cousins' house during the summer. A fight broke out between Jackson and this other guy who I can't remember the name of.

I'm not even sure I knew who he was, moreover why he was there.

That night was pretty traumatizing for the three of us. We had never seen our parents argue, but it didn't help that the one time we were around family, that happened.

The only reason I'm able to semi-remember that day is because it seemed to trigger the frequency of my sleep paralysis. I never knew why I had it in the first place, but after that night it continuously got worse.

But that's not why I find myself up at four in the morning.

I'm up at four in the morning because I feel like the space around me has deteriorated into practically nothing, and if I roll over I'll fall off.

Yet I'm staring at the edge of the mattress so I know that's not possible. So as carefully as I can, I slightly push myself up and spin around.

That's when I witnessed my reason for feeling so cramped all of the sudden.

Evie has her arm thrown above her head, her other laid over her chest, and if I move my leg an inch to the left I can feel her knee poking my shin. And even though her hair is frizzy and completely in her face, she looks as calm as I've ever seen her.

It's weird to me that I'm seeing her in such a state, not worried or stressed about something. Her head is slumped against the pillow, her guard is completely down, and her lips are faintly parted.

Everything about her is relaxed.

And it might just be the thing in my chest talking but she looks good relaxed. In fact, she should relax more often.

Though she's in for a rude awakening if she decides to roll over one more time because then she'll be laying on top of me. A place I'm sure she'll want to deny being for the rest of eternity.

I quietly laugh to myself as the scene runs through my head.

But rule number one I learned from my cousins down in Georgia: Respect a woman's space.

So before the sun starts to shine through the blinds, I nudge her back over, careful not to disrupt the slumber she's in.

Even if she's disrupted mine.

• • • • •

Rule number one in hockey: Never touch the goalie.

It's a simple rule that whether you're told or not, you know about it. Especially when you play the game.

So when Northeastern waltzed into our rink this afternoon thinking they could just shit talk and rough up our goalie, man were they not ready for the consequences.