Eliott Price Should be Dead

twenty nine - redeyes

I wake up the next morning with Ivan's head on my shoulder and Jackie's head in my lap. We all passed out on the couch after returning home from the hospital.

I rub my sleepy eyes and it takes a minute for my vision to even out, and another minute to realize where I am - sitting upright on Jackie's couch.

I stretch my neck the opposite way of Ivan's head before outstrerching my arms and legs. I yawn once and try to ignore my strong urge for a cigarette. Nobody else seems to be awake in the house and the sunlight peeking through the windows tells me it's very, very early.

I brush some of Jackie's messy hair behind her ear, leaning down to whisper quietly as I nudge her arm. "Hey, it's time to wake up."

Her eyes slowly open and I smile softly as she looks up at me, very confused.

"I'm so tired," she mumbles as she lifts her head from my lap.

"Me too," I tell her once she's sitting upright next to me.

I quickly glance over at Ivan's hand, which is just hanging in the sling from the hospital.

"Should I wake him up?" I ask Jackie while I run my fingers through my hair.

"Yeah, tell him to sleep somewhere else," she says before yawning through a small smirk.

The truth is that I really don't mind Ivan sleeping on my shoulder. In fact, he looks pretty peaceful and I really don't want to wake him up and hear him complain or something.

"It's okay, I'll move him. He's a heavy sleeper," I quickly say, noticing Jackie's face pull up in question.

"He is?" Jackie quickly reciprocates.

I feel my cheeks flush and I cover my statement with a shrug. "Is he?"

Jackie then shrugs in return and grabs a blanket from the floor to wrap around her shoulders. "I'm going back to sleep, okay? Upstairs. Come join me then if you want. It's so early."

I stay put for a few seconds while Jackie sleepily shuffles from the couch to the stairs, the distinct creaking letting me know when she is in her room.

Ivan's head is still on my shoulder and I reach to gently play with his hair, watching the strands fall back into place with every soft raking of my fingers.

"Bitch, stop touching my hair," Ivan suddenly mumbles as he adjusts his head against my shoulder.

I freeze my hand halfway through his hair and chuckle at the fact he has probably been awake this whole time.

"I'm sorry, what?" I say while dragging my fingers through one more time.

"Stop touching my hair."

"Then move so I can get up and find some cereal or something," I tell him while nudging his side with my elbow.

"Ow, dude, stop," he grimaces and sits up, giving me the most evil stare of all time.

Ignoring him, I stand up and walk into their kitchen which is connected to the living room. The dishes are piling up in the sink and the counters look like they haven't been cleaned since 1965, but regardless I find a bowl and spoon after some digging through the cupboards.

Halfway through opening the fridge, I feel an arm  wrapping around my waist from behind, and I know it isn't Jackie's arm. Lips briefly press against the back of my neck and I hear Ivan whisper, "Gonna have to shave my hair now."

I close my eyes for a moment and turn around to face him with the fridge wide open behind me. The smirk on his face, the way his eyes look like he's been awake for three days straight - I don't know why it's so unmistakably Ivan.