Dreaming Up A Secret

“Hm?” I replied quietly, not looking up.
“Go ahead, take Ronan home, let him sleep, you can stay with him, don’t worry about Alice, she’ll be out tomorrow… got chemo in the morning…”
I shook my head slowly, “he’ll be pissed.”
“He’ll get over it,” he returned, tossing me his keys, which I only caught sight of out of the corner of my eye, just in time for me to catch them and avoid hitting my face.
Kind of worried about what would happen when he woke up, I scooped Ronan up in my hand and brought him out to Tom’s car, strapping him in shotgun. I got behind the wheel illegally for the first time since we stole Tom’s mother’s car in third grade and pushed the key into the ignition. I’ve got to say, once you get the hang of it, driving is pretty easy.
I guess I was a fairly good driver because a.) we lived, b.) we didn’t die, and 3.) Ronan didn’t wake up, so, my conclusion remains to be that my driving can’t be that bad. Momentarily, I wondered if the next time I drove would be legal or not before getting out and, using the mat key, walked into Ronan’s room and set him on the bed. I bit my lip as I decided whether or not to pace and think or crawl into bed with him and allow his lullaby breath to bring me to sleep. With a glance at Ronan, my decision was made easily. His arm resting against my back comfortingly made me flatten, the exhaustion build up of the last few days catching up with me.
As my eyes were closing, I heard a small mumble from behind me. Afraid that I had awaken him, I so slightly turned my head to towards him; His lips were slightly parted, moving to form almost silent, breathy words. I smiled it myself, turning my head back, and focusing my ears to try and catch some of what he was saying. For a few seconds I couldn’t make out anything, so I quickly gave into the sleepiness that encroached me.
“Ronan,” there was something, maybe I’m imagining it, but something a lot like love leaking through his unconscious voice.
My eyes shot open and I moved my head slightly again to see him. A smile graced his sweet lips as they moved again to mouth my name with the same inflection. I grinned wildly at him, though he was completely unaware, and fought against the urge to kiss him, knowing if there wasn’t a great chance it would wake him up, I would’ve. Trying to distract myself from the suddenly winning idea, I moved my head back, taking deep breaths, and reminded myself that tomorrow this little sleeping figure would be ready to kill me. I only had time to hear him mutter a few more things before I drifted away.
The next time my eyes opened, there was a slightly pissed off boy glaring down at me as I yawned.
“What?” I asked innocently sitting in the glow of his accusing eyes.
“You know what.” His tone was tinted with irritation.
“What?” I repeated with the same innocence.
“Why aren’t we with Alice? You could’ve come home alone, left me there with her. I was fine,” he stated, his annoyance growing by the word.
“You fell asleep, babe,” I caressed his face, “Tom told me to bring you home.”
“How’d you get Tom to leave anyhow?” His face was suddenly curious, Tom’s mention reminding him.
I laughed at the way it seemed impossible for him to wait to know his answer, “I didn’t.”
“Then how’d we get here?” I realized he must of just woken up, his mind still clouded with sleep.
“I drove,” I told him.
He nodded in comprehension and got back to his main point, “why couldn’t you have just come home? You should of left me.”
I snorted, “Ronan, you didn’t even wake up when I drove.”
He crossed his arms and pouted in defeat. Reminded of the urge I had not been able to satisfy last night, I leaned over and kissed his lips out of the pout.
“You’re cute when you pout,” I informed him when we released for air.
He smiled and rolled closer, wrapping his arms tightly around me in a hug.
“You know you talk in your sleep?” I said when he pulled back.
The color drained from his face.
“Oh god,” taking a deep breath, he asked, “when?”
“When we got home,” I smiled at him.
Half relief, half upset sat on his face as he asked, “what did you hear?”
“You said my name,” I smirked smugly.
“Oh god,” he hid his head down in his arms.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, suddenly worried about him.
“You were not supposed to listen to me.”
I enveloped him in a hug, “it was cute, baby.”
He looked up shyly at me, his hair flopping in his eyes.
“You were so quiet, so sweet,” I murmured in his ear.
He blushed a bright pink color in his cheeks.
My cell phone started to vibrate on the table behind us; I turned back to pick it up. As soon as I read the text, I could feel my face draining of color; Everything felt cold on my body, my mind started to go numb.
“Aiden?” He asked, a sudden worry in his voice.
I couldn’t find the nerve in my head that was to make my mouth move, as hard as I searched.
“Aiden?” He repeated, his voice growing more anxious by the second. “What’s wrong?”
I simply moved my pale, shaking hand over so he could take the phone. Once it was in his hand, I let mine drop, let my head fall back on the pillows, trying to keep the room in its place. Stay below me floor! Stay on the fucking ground!