"I'm not saying that I have a bad life, but if you were to write a story with me in the lead role, it would certainly be a tragedy."
When I said that there was no way that my life could possibly get any worse, I was kidding. I didn't actually expect...
"Even when I detach, I care. You can be separate from something and still care about it."
—David Levithan, The Lover's Dictionary
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The first thing that I noticed when I woke up was that I was no longer in the same room as the night before. I shielded my eyes against the sunlight filtering in through the thin blinds and rolled over, effectively blocking out the sun. I was just about to close my eyes when a knock on the door jolted me back to reality and to the realization that this was not my room.
I pushed the covers off and clumsily descended the bed. "Uh, enter," I said, stifling a yawn while checking my attire. I sighed in relief when I saw that I was fully dressed, minus my shoes. Apparently I knew how to have a good time with my clothes on. My mom would be proud.
The door opened a crack and Nathan poked his head in with a smile. "Good morning, gorgeous."
"Hi." Dressed in board shorts and a faded green t-shirt, Nathan was by far the best thing about waking up in an unfamiliar place. "What time is it?"
He checked his watch. "A little after ten. Hungry?" He placed a small mound of clothing on the edge of the bed and surprised me with a kiss that I was totally unprepared for.
I touched my lips. "What was that about?" Not that I minded. Oh no, I most certainly did not.
He stuck his hands in his pockets and graced me with a smile. "In some cultures that's considered a proper greeting."
"Sounds like an extremely happy bunch of people."
He laughed quietly. "Well, I can't speak for them but I am extremely happy right now." He placed his hands on my shoulder and drew me into him before tilting my head to his. I was smiling when our lips met for the second time that morning. "So very happy," he whispered.
I brushed my nose against his and smiled. "Thank you for sharing your happiness with me." My heart pounded as I stared at him, appreciative of the fact that his smile was enough to dismiss any trace of doubt that I may have had before.
"How does breakfast sound?"
"Sounds like I might explode with joy." I pointed at the clothes on the bed. "Are those for me?"
He nodded. "Bathroom's through there. Come find me when you're all set."
"What if I get lost in this giant-ass house?"
"You won't," he said as he was almost through the door. Smiling, he poked his head back in. "Drama queen."
I sat on the bed, examining the neatly folded clothes. I unfolded the jeans and a red and black plaid shirt with pursed lips. They appeared to have been worn before, which gave me a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach and I sincerely hoped that they belonged to his sister. Luckily, the underwear still had tags on them, a fact that brought a smile to my face. Even if the rest of it belonged to a stranger, the knowledge that those weren't worn, gave me a sense of gratitude for his thoughtfulness, but still it posed the question of whose undies I was about to wear.
