Around midnight I heard a knock on my bedroom door. At first I thought I had just imagined it but then it came again and for a few seconds I was flooded with thoughts of a ghost doing that because everyone was sleeping right now and it was dark and quiet around so it did spook me out.
I got out of bed and slowly twisted the door knob open, mimicking the way the actors in horror movies do because sometimes I get this sick enjoyment in imagining myself in that role, doing all the things I scream at the actors to not do.
I saw a figure right in front of me when I opened the door. In the dark I couldn’t see his face but I instantly knew it was Ethan. I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Ethan, what’re you doing here?”
He didn’t say anything and then he leaned forward, his head rested on my shoulder and I felt his weight falling on me. I instantly held him so we wouldn’t fall down.
“What’s wrong?” I asked and then I was met with the smell of alcohol. I didn’t know Ethan drank.
“Juliet!” He squealed and his arms came around me in an awkward hug.
“God, why’d you drink so much?”
“Tristan and I… we went to have a drink with each other… because I told him that I like you… so we went out… to celebrate.” He slurred.
I lost some of my hold on him and he staggered into me but I didn’t let go of him.
“Just go to your room.”
“I can’t find my… my key. I think I lost it… I went to find the key in the kitchen but I dropped it somewhere on the way… it’s so dark… I can’t see anything…” he grinned at me, “… but you.”
I sighed. I helped him to my bed.
“Just sit here. I’ll go and try to find it.”
I searched in the dark hallways and the staircase but I didn’t find it. I felt a little scared roaming about the dark mansion at midnight but kept going. I tried searching it in the kitchen and in and around it but I didn’t find the little metal which was keeping me from my sleep.
After ten minutes, I gave up and went back to my room.
“Looks like you’ll have to use the guestroom.” I said as I entered the room but saw Ethan lying on my bed, curled up in a ball. He was shivering a little.
I didn’t know what to do. If only he was not drunk, I’d have no problem in getting him to the guestroom.
I went near him and he looked deep in sleep. Not having the heart to wake him up, I decided he was going to spend the night here. So I removed his shoes so that he’d be a little comfortable and took off his tie, my fingertips brushing his neck a few times causing him to shiver involuntarily. I unbuttoned the first few buttons of his shirt, allowing me a peek at his warm and smooth chest. I then covered him in my duvet and ensured he wasn’t cold anymore by tucking it till his chin.
I watched him sleep for a few seconds, studying the slow rise and fall of his chest with his even breathing. Then I leaned closer and placed a kiss on his forehead and then on both of his eyes and I knew he wasn’t going to wake up soon so I allowed myself to press my lips to his because he was that addicting.
After I pulled away I ran my hand through his hair a few times after which I decided I needed to sleep too.
Walking around the bed, I got under the covers on the other end of the bed and turned to face him so I had a view of his sleeping form. This was a rare chance I had to examine him this close when he was sleeping, as creepy as that sounded.
I ached to be closer to him, to lie next to him with an arm around his waist and his around me. To be close enough so that I could hear his heartbeat and hear the gentle sounds of his breathing.
I fell asleep to the sight of him sleeping peacefully next to me.
***
I received such a fright when my eyes opened of their own accord the next morning.
I saw Ethan’s face very close to mine so much so that our noses were almost touching. He was staring at me. His body was still in the same position but he had angled his face towards me.
I immediately pushed myself away from him but realized I was on the edge of the bed and there was nothing behind me.
Realizing that too Ethan snaked an arm around my waist before I fell down and pulled me into his chest till my nose was pressed against his shoulder blade.
Once I was sure I wouldn’t fall off, I quickly shot out of bed and turned away from him.
“Y-you should go to your room now. Someone must have found your key.” I said as I busied myself by taking a hair tie and tying my hair into a ponytail with my back to him.
“How did I get here?” He asked. “Not that I mind.”
“You knocked on my door last night around twelve and said that you lost your keys and the keys from the kitchen too so I went to search for it but couldn’t find it so I was going to tell you to sleep in a guest bedroom but you already passed out on my bed before that happened.”
“Oh.” It was silent for a few moments before he spoke again. “Are you okay?”
“Of course. You should get out before someone sees you in my room.”
“Okay.”
He moved towards the door and I heard it unlock before he was out and I was left alone.
At breakfast I tried to act like my normal self but I didn’t think I fooled Ethan. I didn’t give him a chance to talk to me because I escaped to my room before that.
I knew I needed to let Ethan know that we couldn’t be together and there was no other way better than telling him that I still had feelings for my ex. For that I needed to be seen with Vince.
Ethan knocked on my door just before he left for work and I opened up because I didn’t want him to think I was upset about something. He’d pester me about it and I might accidentally tell him something he shouldn’t know.
“What is it? I’m busy.” I made a pitiful attempt at acting playful.
“Are you worried about something? I noticed you weren’t in a good mood from the time you woke up.” His eyes were full of concern.
“It’s nothing. Nothing that concerns you.” I said and realized I sounded a little rude.
He gave me a tight lipped smile. “It might not concern me but if you’d like to talk to me about it, I’m available. And I like you, so I don’t like it when someone I like is upset.”
“It’s really nothing major. You should go to work.”
He stared at me for a few seconds as if waiting for me to make sure that I didn’t want to talk to him about it. I stared back with a questioning gaze.
“Fine. I’ll go to work. I’ll see you at lunch.” Then he dipped his head and for a second I thought he was going to kiss me so I shut my eyes in anticipation but then I felt his lips on my forehead and then he was chuckling quietly.
I was left stunned and disappointed but told myself that it was best it didn’t happen. He ruffled my hair before walking down the hallway while I stared at his back until he disappeared.