Sick Little Games

Alex Gaskarth could not stand this anticipation. He couldn’t sleep that night, especially not after lying next to Katherine, and he didn’t understand it. All the stories state that sleeping next to that one person you like lulls you to sleep. He was supposed to have the best sleep of his life lying in that messy room, just because he was next to Katherine. He didn’t. He barely got a wink of sleep at all. He was mesmerized by her next to him, and still beyond curious of her secret, too.

“Katherine,” he shook her awake, when he saw the bright light starting to break through the clouds in the window.

“What?” she whined, burying her head further in Alex’s chest, using it as a pillow.

“Wake up!” he exclaimed, laughing lightly and shaking her a little.

“Why? What time is it?”

Alex looked over at the clock across from where they were laying. “6:15.”

“You woke me up at 6:15?” she groaned in exhaustion.

“You fell asleep at like, 8:00!” Alex retorted. Katherine just shrugged and sat up, knowing he was right.

“I’m so hungry,” she grumbled, “They can’t just let us starve, can they? They’re going to bring us something sometime, right?”

“Maybe you should just tell me!” Alex exclaimed. He was so sleep-deprived, hungry, curious, and just plain moody to an extent that he couldn’t take.

“Fine!” Katherine huffed loudly, almost hypnotizing Alex into staring at her mouth.

“Wait, seriously?” he asked, excitement suddenly coating his voice and portraying through his features. It was kind of cute how excited he got, really.

“Shut up before I change my mind,” she stated tiredly, and Alex shut his mouth completely, sitting back on the couch and waiting for the story to begin as if it was story time in kindergarten.

“Back in High School,” she said, taking a deep breath. “I knew you.”

Alex nodded, aware of the fact.

“We…” she started, stumbling over her words, “We, um, saw each other at this party when we were sixteen, well, I guess you were seventeen,” she continued, tears threatening to spill from her stain glass eyes. “Oh God, we were so drunk.”

Alex’s mouth automatically turned into an “O” shape, knowing exactly where she was going with this story.

“I guess you know what happens next,” she laughed bitterly. “I was so head over heels in love with you,” she shook her head, “But you don’t even remember that night, do you?”

Alex shook his head ‘no’, as much as he wished he could say yes. “Well shit,” he muttered, “I’m such a jackass.” Alex Gaskarth hurt so many girls in his past. He never cared. Not until Katherine, at least. He couldn’t stand to see all the hurt floating out of her pores in the first place; he felt worse when he was the cause of it all.

“It’s not your fault, I guess,” she choked out, “I mean, you were that hotshot musician that everyone would die to get with. I should have known what I was getting myself into.” She shook her head, running her fingers through her hair. She paused for a minute or so, the silence telling Alex she wasn’t quite done yet. What else could there possibly be?

“Don’t worry,” Alex shook his head, “Honestly, I feel like such an asshole that I don’t think I could get mad at you right now if you killed someone.”

Katherine nodded her head shakily, sighing softly and preparing herself to speak again. “I did the opposite,” she replied, and Alex cocked his head to the side.

“So you… created life?” he asked confused, but it completely clicked once it came out of his mouth.