*Caterina*
When my eyes opened after my long dream, I could barely see through the tears. And I knew instinctively that I’d had that sa dream again, one that I had dread of every so often since I was a child.
It was a dream that was like a candle, a brightness so easily snuffed away, so easy to fade but one that continued to flicker. I could never rember what it was exactly, but I had it often enough that I could never forget the feeling I had when I woke up.
It was a happy dream, I thought, or maybe a sorrowful one. Maybe it was both.
But as I sat up in bed, my legs tangled in the sheets, I brushed the tears from my face, that candle still burning from my dream, giving a single fla of hope. For what, or why, I was never sure.
But I knew that dream ant only good things.
It was a rare morning when I woke up before my alarm, and I knew I wouldn’t go back to sleep, so I just disabled it on my phone. I got out of bed, stretching, and then glanced softly at my side. Elio was face-down in the sheets, the blankets not even covering him, still wearing the sa outfit he had last night.
One shoe had been kicked off onto the floor, but the other was still half-hanging onto his foot. I vaguely rembered that he had put to bed, but that he didn’t co back to bed until very late.
Letting him sleep, I untangled myself from the blankets and rounded the bed to his side. I pulled off his other shoe, tucking him in like he did to last night and smiling as I brushed his curls from his face.
I laid a kiss on his cheek, hoping I could spread so of the warmth left from my dream to him. He needed it a lot more than I did.
I got ready for the day, hours before I needed to, so I made my morning lazy, feeling unusually awake and bright. I took a shower, staying in the heated water a bit too long before I stepped out.
I felt like getting dressed up today, so I grabbed one of the colorful rompers that Elio had bought . It was probably a designer piece, but I didn’t really care about that. I liked the sunset colors on the white that stood out. I pulled on a necklace and left my hair long and wavy as I did my makeup.
Once I was done and happy with my appearance, I looked over at Elio, who was still fast asleep. He let out a few snores and I giggled to myself, deciding to let him sleep just a little longer. He was too precious to wake up right now.
Feeling ambitious in my free ti before school, I decided to go ahead and make breakfast to give the cook the morning off. I made a loaded ho fry mash and French toast, so eggs on the side, and with the last few bits of our fruit, which were on the verge of spoiling, I threw them in the blender with so sugar, ice, and the last of our orange juice.
I admired my work then headed back into the bedroom to wake Elio.
I glanced at my phone, wincing at the ti because if Elio had work today, he was undoubtedly late. It was a good thing he was the boss then, I thought.
I sat on the side of the bed, placing my hand on the middle of Elio’s back as I gently shook him awake.
“Ti to wake up, sleepyhead,” I whispered in his ear. “Are you planning on going to work today?”
“Yes.” His muffled voice was barely audible as he stirred beneath the blankets. I saw one eye peek open, and Elio moved to lay on his back, his arm thrown across his face from the morning rays peeking through the window. “What ti is it?”
“Just after eight,” I told him.
“I’m late.” He groaned.
“I figured,” I chuckled. “I made breakfast. Want so before you have to go?”
He yawned, head falling sideways onto his shoulder as he looked at with bleary eyes. “Yeah.”
“Ah, poor baby,” I cooed, cupping his cheeks in my hand.
There was a bit of a prickly feeling as a beard was trying to grow in, and I knew he had skipped shaving yesterday. There was a prick of sympathy in my heart as the stress from everything was already showing. “Why’re you so tired today? Didn’t get to sleep?”
He closed his eyes, leaning into my hands with a sigh. “I had to leave after you fell asleep last night. Leo and Franky found sothing. We may have found the Ghost.”
I stiffened. No wonder he looked exhausted and stressed.
“You found him?” I repeated, worry bubbling up through my good mood.
“Not exactly. We may have found his car at least,” Elio said, then he groaned as the sunlight doubled, the clouds parting out the window to hit him straight in the face with the beams. “I’ll tell you everything later. Don’t you have school?”
“Yes, don’t you have work?” I shot right back at him with a smirk.
“Touche.” He sighed, getting up.
“Food’s on the counter. I’ve got to go. Love you,” I told him, leaning forward to kiss him quickly. I made to pull back, but I saw the smirk on Elio’s lips as he whispered.
“Or....”
And he pulled in for another kiss, winding his hands around my waist and locking in place while his other curled into my hair, pressing my head down so he could get better access. Elio parted my lips with his tongue, wasting no ti as he turned a quick goodbye kiss into a make-out session.
I could feel his intentions, wanting to drag into bed. But I knew if I gave in here, I wouldn’t be going to school today.
My head went dizzy as he swallowed all my complaints, any attempts to get away thwarted by his masterful tongue, distracting from the ticking clock until the need to breathe finally caught up with us both. He parted, proud of himself by the smirk on his face, but before he could go back for seconds, I ducked out of his grip, pouting at him.
“That was dirty.”
He shrugged. “Had to try.”
“Goodbye,” I said firmly, shouldering my bag as I left.
“We’ll continue when you get ho, right?” He called out after and I rolled my eyes.
I humd to myself, hoping Elio hadn’t ruined my makeup as I left the house and headed for my car.
I took a minute to check myself in the mirror and despite a bit of a smudge to the gloss on my lips, nothing was out of place.
I fixed it up and then started up my beautiful car. I grinned, rolling down the windows and hooking my phone up to the radio before I was off.
It was ten before nine that I pulled into the parking lot, relatively close to the main entrance much to my surprise, and I gathered my things. I texted Anna to let her know I was at the entrance.
She had told she didn’t need a ride this morning and would just et there, so I was a little surprised when she wasn’t where we’d agreed to et. She lived relatively close, but she wouldn’t be caught dead walking to school.
She’d rather pluck out all of her eyebrows one by one.
Yet I was barely standing there for five minutes before I spotted a beat-up old Mustang, ruby red in color, pull into the parking lot. It circled around before taking the spot next to mine and though it had rust on every surface, the paint was peeling, and the engine sounded like an old man drowning in a lake, I was still quite impressed by the car, even more so when instead of a stranger, out from the passenger door ca my best friend.
My mouth dropped to the floor as Elijah rounded from the other side, escorting her toward with a small grin.
By the look in his eyes, he was enamored with her. I crossed my arms, a smirk playing at my lips as she ca bounding up with Elijah by her side.
“Hey, Cat!” she bead, her cheeks rosy and glowing like a woman in love. She paused, glancing over her shoulder suspiciously, and then turned back to smugly, winking as she gestured her head to the parking lot.
I raised an eyebrow, looking at where she pointed, and sure enough, across the parking lot were two familiar n trying to look inconspicuous—my guards.
“I’ve got a class starting soon, so I’ll pick you up after, okay?” Elijah told Anna with a grin, and he leaned over to peck her on the lips.
There was a sense of irony as I watched Anna fist his collar and pull him down into a full French-style kiss, no sha whatsoever as Elijah’s cheeks turned bright pink.
I playfully coughed into my hand, getting their attention, and Anna pouted at as Elijah blushed bright red. He avoided my eyes as he rushed off to class, and Anna folded her arms over her chest, giving the stink eye.
“No fair,” she complained.
“I happen to know which class he’s going to, and he’ll fail if he’s late,” I told her matter-of-factly. Thankfully, I had dropped that class. “Plus, it’s against school rules to fuck him outside the entrance.”
“I wasn’t!” she huffed.
“You totally were about to if I didn’t stop you,” I laughed into my hand. “Is this why you wanted to et so early? You don’t have class for another hour or two.”
“I wanted to be supportive, plus I stayed the night, so I figured, why not?” Anna said, raising her chin. “It’s only an hour. I can wait. “
“You must really like him,” I smiled, happy for her.
“I do! He’s so nice and thoughtful and can you believe he’s the first boyfriend I’ve had that I actually enjoy talking to? He doesn’t think about getting in my pants at all!” She said this like it was the most shocking thing she’d ever heard. “I an that’s all the last asshole wanted to do! Elijah is practically a saint! And did you see his blush? God, he’s so cute.”
“Aw, you’re smitten with him. I’ve never seen you fall for a guy so fast. He’s got you good,” I cooed, teasing her a bit as I pinched her rosy cheek.
She batted away, giving a harsh look that quickly lted into a teasing one.
“So, how’s your work going? Hint, hint.” She winked, not being conspicuous at all.
I rolled my eyes. “Bye, Anna.”
I headed to class, which went quickly. I was busy taking notes the whole ti, so when the clock rang, I was pretty surprised by how quickly it had gone. I t up with Anna and Elijah in the courtyard and was on my way to get lunch when I felt my phone rumble in my pocket.
The cotton romper was very thin, and the vibration had jumping a foot in the air in sheer surprise. But the text was even more alarming.
‘Call .’
It was Elio.
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