Strangers To Lovers

Chapter 26.

I flicked the switch, and suddenly Levi's old bedroom was filled with light. I stared at Levi's empty bed, and my throat constricted. Having said that, I found it easier to think about Ella using Levi's room than it was to imagine Ella using Levi's room. Entering Levi's room was not at all simple. I wanted Levi's room to remain his personal space. I knew it would remind him he had a place to go back to, but I knew he wouldn't go back to it. I am

mind was slamming the door and pretending that room

didn't exist just like I had been doing for the past half year. Despite

my scolding myself, I clenched the handle of the phone as I reminded myself that Levi would not want that. If Levi had been here, he wouldn't have made Ella sleep on that cramped couch the first night she showed up. I now realized how horrible it must've been for her to sleep on that couch. Levi always said I was ignorant, and he was right. Now I knew how horrible it must've been for her to sleep on that couch. I wanted to keep her there, but I did not want her to leave. It was almost as if when I stepped into Levi's room that I dreaded the feeling of holding my breath for unknown reasons, as if I had to accept that Levi's room was no longer Levi's room. I just had to accept that there would be no Levi's room anymore. I couldn't trace Levi's desk with my hand. I could not see the trail wiped clean on the wood, but I could see the fine dust covering the tips of my fingers. Levi

used to stay up all night planning and researching for the

Wailea hotel, but I could still see a fine dust on the edge of my

fingers as well. There is a good chance that Levi's pens scratched the finish of the pen. Getting some fresh air in felt smothering to him. I walked over to the window, smiled at Levi's telescope. He liked the sharp ones the best. In order to stay comfortable, he needed something that would last. Levi liked the sharp ones. I smiled at his telescope. There were stacks of books in his room; some about constellations, some about mythology, some about physics, some about mythology. His books were always open, so I opened the window. The night we stayed up to identify constellations, I smiled. He always had books that were open. It was as if I was about to throw up as I stared at them. It made me realize I would need someone else to help me. Otherwise, I would get lost in my own thoughts, and I would be unable to move forward. My head was held in my hands as I exited the room as I closed the door a little too roughly. I did

not want to get sick. Not today. I had plans with Ella. I did

not want to ruin them. The first thing I did was clean my

room before ELla woke up in order to get some more sleep before she woke up. I did this in order to get some more sleep before she woke up. As I turned my head, I saw Ella standing on the stairs, a sleepy child wearing one of my long sleeve shirts. The feeling of unease was immediately washed away, replaced by one of fondness. She looked squinting and her eyes looked like she was struggling to stay awake. It was so cute how she awoke in the morning. It was a quiet night, so she hid her mouth as she yawned and asked, "Did I wake you?" "You can go back to sleep. Why don't you?" "I might as well stay awake." She grimaced and leant over like she had just proven her point. She was sick and she did not want to go back on that couch. Although she was only a small size, the couch was pretty small. I couldn't imagine what it could have been like. The couch was gonna be too hard for her to sleep on. And how many nights

had she been here? I didn't even think about her sleep

all those nights. Then I offered her my bed. Her eyes locked

on mine. "I'm going to rest on the couch," I clarified. Her head snapped shut and she said, "I'm fine-" "I insist-" "The couch really isn't that bad-" "Don't worry about me-" "Ella." She snapped shut. When I heard her padding after me, I turned back down the hall, feeling a little triumphant. She seemed a little more awake now, but I knew she'd be able to fall back asleep quickly. I opened my bedroom door and mentioned for her to enter. She stood awkwardly next to my bed, watching me. "Get in," I said. Hesitating, she pressed her lips together. The little blush on her cheeks made the sarcastic look less threatening. She slowly sat down on the bed after a long second. She gave me one of her famous sarcastic looks. She flopped down and sighed. "Okay, rest up. I'll get you up in a few hours." I started walking away when I heard something. I