Caged Birds Don't Like to Sing

I fell asleep on the couch one afternoon during a day filled with lounging around the house all day. The whole day was filled with drowsy eyes and languid movements. So I sprawled out on the couch and fell asleep watching some old movie. I had to be out for a good three hours. What finally woke me up was a sudden touch to the shoulder and then my hand hitting something. Hard.

“Damn it!” I heard Jackson shout. I popped my eyes open and I looked over. My eyes widened instantly. Jackson was covering his nose. His eyes were shut tight.

“What’s going on?” I asked, startled. I rubbed my eyes quickly and sat up. He held his other hand out so I wouldn’t get up and halted me.

“You hit me in the nose!” He bellowed. He pulled his hand away and separated his fingers. Three of which were covered in blood. More blood dripped from his nose. He looked at me with a pained expression, but slightly slack-jawed that I caused that much damage.

“I’m sorry,” I immediately apologized, not really knowing what I even did. Then I actually got up from the couch and moved towards him. “I don’t even remember.”

“I just tried waking you up,” he elaborated. I helped move him to the couch and sat down beside him, feeling horrible about the situation. The whole time I’ve been here I wanted to do that. But I at least wanted to be conscious and willing when it happened.

“Yeah, that probably wasn’t a good idea.”

I remembered when Riley tried to wake me up when I stayed the night at her house on New Year’s Eve a few years ago. I had eaten too much and I was overwhelmingly tired, so I fell asleep before it hit midnight. She tried to wake me up so I could watch the ball drop and I punched her straight in the stomach. Which made her abruptly puke in up all the snacks she had consumed back into the bowl. Bad memories that she would never let me live down.

“I know that now,” he blackly mutters, still holding his nose. His fingers tried gently holding his nose closed.

“I didn’t break it, right?” I asked, concerned.

“No. I don’t think so.” His voice sounded slightly humorous with his nostrils plugged. The nasally voice sounded much different from the normal, deep Jackson tone of voice I had grown accustomed to. All I could think to do was keep apologizing.

He looked up at me for a moment. I noticed his eyes were watering a bit. “It’s okay.”

“Are you crying?”

“No,” he said, using his other hand to pinch his tear ducts quickly. “My eyes are watering a bit. Happens when you get hit in the nose.”

With that, I got up and fetched a damp towel from the kitchen/. When I got back, I dabbed around his nose to get the blood off. “Thanks.”

I smiled. “Least I could do.”

We both watched T.V. for a while in silence. Nothing was really on, only a few random things like documentaries, reality shows, and old reruns. After awhile of this, I could sense that Jackson was getting antsy. My body stiffened and I wondered if I should just head up stairs.

He was sitting lolled out on the couch. I felt the arm that was closest to me go up and around my shoulder. His hand kind of massaged my other shoulder before running down my inner arm. I looked at him through narrowed eyes with a sour expression. “I can tell your nose feels better.”

He nonchalantly responded, “Somewhat.”

“Care to explain this?” I asked, poking to his arm that was attached to the hand on my arm. He smiled devilishly.

“What?” He was acting wide eyed at my remark. “You mean this?” After he said that, he plopped his leg between mine.

“Yes, that,” I cautioned cholerically.

He smirked and began to act like he was thinking something as he recalled, “What was that thing you said last night? All is fair in love and war?” God, I’m going to have to put up with his ‘acting’ for the rest of my life. Why’d my parents pick an actor?

“This,” I contempted. I used my other hand to circle my lap where his leg was. “Is just war.”

“I beg to differ,” he purred as he slid closer to me. His mouth was dangerously close to my ear. His breath poured down my neck. “You seemed pretty lovely last night.”

“That never happened!” I crossed my arms and turned away from him. He didn’t move away.

“You seem to remember it,” he noted casually.

His lips pressed against the side of my neck and kissed it softly. “Get off,” I harped and tried to pull back. His hand kept a firm grip around my shoulder, limiting my movements as he swung his arm around me. Every time he wouldn’t let me go I felt as if it could help me win a court case against him.

Jackson’s lips trailed down to my collar bone then back up to my earlobe. His lips were soft and sweet, feeling better than ever before. Was I giving in? I tried to resist, but it began to feel impossible. His hand caressed my cheek and his fingers twirled around my hair. I stroked his back with just my fingertips. He started to lean over closer.

“Hmm,” Jackson murmured through his busy lips that reached my jawbone.

“What?” I tiredly questioned.

He pulled his lips away. “My game is working,” he mischievously purred with a long grin.

“What game?” I recoiled and sat across the couch from him.

“If I could seduce you.” His facial expression was playfully cheeky. No one could be as conceited as he pretended to be. He just had to be hiding something. Anything that would make him act like this. No one is born this arrogant. Deep down, he was vulnerable. And I think I got a glimpse of that the night he made me spend the night at Ben’s.

What kind of game is that?” This whole thing was getting old. This constant toying back and forth. Can’t we just hate each other in peace? No, it has to be difficult. Thanks mom, thanks dad. And a big, fat thanks to Jackson here. I shoved him away once more as he tried to inch over.

“A game that worked.”

I opened my mouth to say something back. But then I reconsidered my words. Maybe I could turn this game around in my favor. “When is it my turn?” If I could lure him in with seduction, I could change this game of tag into him just chasing after me. This could be fun if I play my cards right.

He shot me a puzzled look. “You want a turn?”

I got on all fours and started to crawl up and over his body. “Of course,” I enticed, my eyes leering over him.

He started to lay back as I grew closer and closer. My finger trailed up his leg and abdomen until I was hovering over him. It then grabbed the collar of his shirt and tugged on it gently.

He shut his eyes and bit his lips. When he opened his eyes, he seemed to be refocused and ready to beat me at this game. “Let’s set some ground rules here.”

“Do I look like I follow the rules,” I alluringly whispered as a wry grin grew on my lips. I could tell that got him.

He drew a breath to attempt to refocus himself like last time. Oh man, was this entertaining. Why didn’t I think of teasing him sooner? It’s the ultimate dominance over him. My problems could have been solved awhile ago.

Before he had a chance to say anything, I pressed my lips aggressively against his. He tried to mutter something, but eventually gave up. I dropped my body onto his and grabbed his hand. I placed it on the small of my back. To which he immediately started to trail down my side and to my legs. I pressed my hips against his. He put his head back over the arm of the couch as my lips trailed down his neck.

When I started to balance myself back on all fours, I put my lips back on his. Both of his hands held onto my shoulders at this point. One of my hands stayed in his hair as the other started to travel down his body.

I started to get bored with this tedious game. I could barely stand being this close to Jackson for this long. I knew what I had to now to win this. This would be my victory. I knew he couldn’t resist a good temptation. All of this just to end the game of tag.

Once my fingers reached the belt, I hung onto it and pulled it around a bit. I trailed down even lower as my plans fell into action. I smirked into the kiss as I grabbed the front of his jeans.

He pulled his face away and held his breath. His eyes were closed. I knew I already had him before, I just wanted to finish with a grand finale. Through clenched teeth, he said, “That should have been a foul.”

I was practically twitching with the joy that it gave me to see his discomfort. I hopped back off of him and snapped back into my normal mood. I smiled widely. “I won.” I leaned back onto the couch in all of my glory. He seemed in shock how quickly I went back to being myself.

Jackson raised his hand and was about to say something. Then stopped. I saw him cross his legs sharply and pull the blankets over his lower body. He leaned his head down to his arm, bent at the elbow, resting on his Indian-style knees. He cupped with his hand and covered his mouth.

I started cackle loudly. This was too much. He raised his middle finger. That made me laugh more. I grabbed my abdomen, and howled with laughter.

“I definitely won. And now there’s proof since you’re now aroused,” I sang and flipped my hair around. Then acted as confidently as he does.

He must have picked up on it. “I don’t act like that. At least I’m humble deep down.”

“Humble-schmumble,” I spat. He reached out to grab for me, but I stood up quicker. He then launched for the falling blanket and repositioned himself.

I cleared my throat and talked in a deep, Texan accent. “All is fair in love and war, darlin’,” I mimicked. Then I started to walk away, laughing to myself. Oh this day couldn’t have gone better.