Rory and Kyle's House

[Kyle Stockholm]

It was late. Trista hadn't been here long, but he'd invited her kind of late and he'd had a long day. So of course, he was getting tired. He fought for maybe the first half hour of the movie to stay awake, head bobbing here and there as he trailed in and out of consciousness. Only when he looked to Trista and found her asleep did Kyle finally give in. Within seconds, his head had dropped to the couch cushion and he was out like a light. Even when his phone buzzed once, twice and then three times, he didn't budge to answer the texts. He hadn't even been aware of how tired he'd been.

Sleep was something Kyle didn't get much of. Usually, he stayed up late into the night, early into the morning. His usual bedtime was near four in the morning, if he slept at night at all. IF he slept, he got no more than four hours, sure to wake up at eight every morning when Rory awoke to go for his workout. If Kyle didn't sleep the night, he'd probably be caught napping a good three times out of the day on the couch with a bowl of some sort of snack rested on his stomach. Sleep didn't happen much, you see. So when Kyle found the chance and actually wanted to drift off, he let himself.

Within time, the movie ended, and Kyle stay asleep. During the first cycle, he'd pulled his feet onto the couch and pushed his hands beneath his head. He probably looked quite like a child, definitely not a seventeen year old boy the way he was curled up.

[Trista Kline]

Trista didn’t even remember closing her eyes. She just felt so drained, mentally. But she knew the second she was alone with her journal things were just going to go downhill. Even in her asleep state she was distressed. Her brow was furrowed as though still in thought as her mind wondered on the topics of the night. This was the first time she’d let herself fall asleep anymore. She always had her guard up wherever she was. She normally wasn’t over at other people’s houses either. Even after all she’d just been through in the last hour or so, she still felt safe in his presence.

Deep down Trista knew she was still in love with the boy who just told her he was seeing someone else. Her mind tried to find the answers to the millions of questions going through her mind. In short, she simply wasn’t good enough for him. He deserved better though, someone who was all there. She couldn’t even remember her whole childhood for crying out loud. Rachel would treat him right and make him happy. His happiness was all that mattered to her.

Something seemed to stir the bleach blonde from her sleep and she sat up in a daze. Panic struck her for a moment as green eyes widened in an attempt to take in her surroundings. She’d forgotten where she was for a moment until eyes spotted Kyle curled up on the couch. The room was dark save for the menu screen up on the TV. The sound wasn’t on and she figured it had to do was an auto set that the newer technology had. Her muscles ached slightly as though she’d been holding herself during her nap. She pulled her phone out to glance at the time. It was just a little after three AM.

She thought about just lying back down on the couch and shutting out the world when the glow by Kyle caught her eye. She grabbed the device, squinting at the bright screen. There were various text messages, three in a row from the same person- Rachel. There was an ache in her chest and she couldn’t stop herself from reading them. Pained eyes read the text about plans for tomorrow, picnics, and glitter. The last message really hit home though. She couldn’t stay the night, she didn’t want to be there in the morning when he’d read the messages. Yes, it was would be for the best if she left.

She stood quietly, placing each foot carefully on the floor. Kyle looked so innocent like a child. She simply wanted to hold him, but she knew she couldn’t. She found a discarded blanket across the room and discreetly placed it over him. She crouched in front of him taking the time to memorize the features one last time. She’d never be able to look upon him like this again, not with Rachel around. She wasn’t going to stand between their happiness. Tonight, tonight she’d walk away with a silent goodbye. With a shaking hand she ran her fingers through his hair and her mind drifted back to the night in the woods. His hair was so soft under his fingertips and she didn’t want to leave.

She leaned in a kissed his forehead softly, and mentally prepared herself to leave. But she couldn’t, not now that she could smell him and he was surrounding him. He was just everything she had ever needed, but he wasn’t hers. With a sigh she stood slowly over him, looking down at the most important person in her life. Her feet felt like lead and she couldn’t move. She leaned down once more and placed a kiss on his lips, her last kiss to him. This kiss was soft like a ghost. “Goodbye, Kyle,” she whispered softly,” sweet dreams.” With that she turned painfully toward the door and slipped out silently. She’d have to walk home from here, but the silence of the night was the only comfort to her now.