Remember Last Knight

catch up with me

&elle

I was lying on Knight’s bed, listening to him rummage around in his closet, then his bathroom, and then in the closet again. I didn’t know what he was doing, and I didn’t ask, I just waited, listening. We’d already had breakfast, two luxurious bowls of Frosted Flakes, and now it was just kill time until we decided on something to do, if we did anything at all.

Somewhere between Knight’s scavenger hunt for God-knows-what, I found myself slowly curling under the dark blue comforter, stretching out, pulling my legs to my chest and burying my head into one of the pillows. I was tired, I couldn’t help it. I didn’t think twice about taking this quiet opportunity for a nap.

&knight

I stopped in my tracks, seeing Elle. She was sleeping on her right side, her face turned away from me, her body rising and falling with each breath. In my bed.

That was the thing that stopped me, because you see, there had never been a girl in my bed before, and certainly, not a sleeping girl. Sure, I’ve been in bed with a few girls, in a different sense, but I never brought them home. I don’t bring people home. Andy’s only ever seen the backyard and the downstairs bathroom, and I’ve never brought a girl into the house. Not that there was ever a girl that I considered my girl, or who was even remotely modest enough to bring home.

Sure, she’d been here before. She’d been in my room, and she’d sat on the mattress, and she’d even laid on it, beside me, our hands intertwined and our voices close. Of course, those times, I’d been there beside her. I’d been in close proximity, watching her, her watching me, but now, I’d been busy, cleaning a few things out before I forgot.

Now, this was a surprise. A surprise for me, maybe, or maybe just something that has happened to have happened that was a sort-of plus for me, because I liked watching Elle sleep. I’d never watched her before, but I liked how off-guard she looked, eyes closed, breathing slow.

Before she’d finally relaxed, let go, let me hold her, she’d been tense. Too tense, too vigilant, always. That had changed some, after she’d let it all be, and just let things fall where they may. She was still watchful, though, even if it wasn’t because of me, so much now as it was other aspects of her life. She could be Elle around me, completely, and nothing else had to matter, though it did. Asleep, she was completely at ease.

I found myself feeling more compelled toward her asleep, somehow. I liked the relaxed Elle, the easy going Elle. I liked the worry free Elle, and I wish I could keep things that way.

Knowing that I necessarily can’t control the chaos in her life, I do what I can to preserve this Elle in mind, so I can keep her when I’m with all of my other Elles, and I crawl close to her. Her breathing cycle stops for a moment, shifting, before falling back into place. I focus on the skin of her left cheek, nuzzling my face as close to the soft skin as I can without bothering her, watching, waiting. The smell of oranges, lemons and other citruses overwhelm me as they float from her hair and skin. I let the smell, the image, sit in my mind for later, for forever, as I too close my eyes and let my missed hours of sleep catch up with me.
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I've been churning these updates out pretty quickly. More so than any other story I've ever written. I take this as a good thing, but I need some self control in the distribution of these chapters so I don't make a mistake and regret it later. Because, though to you it may not seem like it, at this point, I have no plan. Sure, the next chapter is typed up and ready to be submitted need be, but other than that, I have no clue what is going on with Elle and Knight. I'm just as clueless as you are, though some of you might have better ideas than me when it comes to what should happen next.

So, I must say, it is a good thing that I'm going on a week long vacation/trip come Thursday the 2nd of June. Don't be offended or displeased when you realize that there isn't an update throughout the week, because I'm away to a place that doesn't have internet access (or more than three channels on the television.) I just wanted to let all of you know where we stand, as writer and readers, and where the story stands right as of this moment. Enjoy this chapter, please, comment on it, and hopefully chapter 18 will be up the Friday I get back.