crocodile (BWWM)

4

Reneé

"Talk to me," I said, making my way into his dorm room. This was my first time in his room. His walls were littered with album covers and small fairy lights, making his single appear homier. As I walked him to his bed, he sat next to me, before placing his head on my lap.

"Can we stay like this for a minute, please?" He whimpered, shaking slightly on my lap. What is going on? To say I'm slightly scared would be an understatement. I was really scared. Zach was never one to show his emotions. About a month ago his grandmother died, and the whole group accompanied him to the funeral. While we all had cried, he did not shed a single tear.

Stroking his hair lightly, I noticed he had stopped shaking, and his breathing became even. Careful not to wake him, I place his head on his pillow and throw a blanket onto his body.

I started to pick up the pieces of clothing and empty food boxes on the floor, putting them in the correct places. After cleaning up and noticing Zach was still asleep I took his keycard which was on his dresser, running to my room to grab my computer in hopes I could get some work done.

It was nighttime now, and Zach was still sleeping. Wrapping up the last of my paper for my chemistry lab, I closed my computer sighing deeply. He had been asleep for at least 9 hours now, not that I'm complaining, he probably needed that rest.

I wanted to be there when he woke up, but I didn't want to invade his space. Quietly walking up towards him, I kneel in front of his bed before sighing deeply. I wanted to be there for him, watching him like this made me emotional. Getting up I quietly phone Imani, letting her I would be coming back just in case she and James decided to spend some time together by getting freaky, I was NOT walking into that.

"Nae," I hear Zach moan faintly, a nickname I was used to being called, but it felt different coming from him. Turning around, I see him sitting on the edge of the bed, his dark blond hair falling messily over his eyes.                                                                                                                               

"Zach," I breathed walking over to him slowly. "How are you?"

"How long have I been sleeping?" he asks, grabbing his phone from his nightstand, completely ignoring my question. It was 1 AM now and I had been with him since 3 PM. God bless him I wish I could nap that long, if you would even consider that a nap.

"You've been knocked for a long time buddy, have you been sleeping?" I ask, crouching slightly to make eye contact with him very curious as to whether or not he was taking care of himself, which by the looks of it I already knew the answer. 

"It's late," he says, before standing up. He walks over to his bathroom before shutting the door on me, ignoring my question for the second time. 

I honestly wanted to pay no mind to that and be there for him, but there's a level of respect someone should have for another. Not even a "thank you Reneé for being here for me" or a simple reply to my questions. Shaking my head confusion drawn on my face, I grab my things making sure to slam his room door on my way out. 

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"It's important to remember that this project is a majority of your grade in this class. I don't have any time to grade any other assignments so put your all into this," my Biology professor emphasizes. To be honest, I was half asleep throughout the class and did not know what project she was talking about. But before I could even get down to her to ask, she was out the door just like she always was every time after class. Great. I'm paying how much never to have had a conversation with the teacher?