CHAPTER 14: Later that Night

It's around midnight, and I'm already tired. We've watched Big-Ass Spider, Sharktopus, Mega Piranha, and Sharknado so far. We're about to put in Sand Shark, but I doubt I'll be awake by the end. Besides (SPOILER ALERT), they just end up blowtorching the sand into glass, which somehow kills all the sharks. A lot of people die violently along the way, and there's a "cliffhanger" (a term I'm using vair loosely here) that teases a sequel that will never be made. Big whoop. Don't get me wrong, though. I can't get enough of the poor acting or the low-budget effects. Or the weak plot. Or the faulty science. For some reason, I just really love bad sci-fi.

After about 45 minutes, I feel my head start to dip. Mitch notices and puts his arm around me. I relax into him, feeling myself come even closer to sleep. My last thought before I drift off is that this must be what it's like to have a big brother.

I like it.

I wake up I don't know how much later in midair. Mitch must be carrying me to my room, 'cause Lizzie sure can't lift me like this. I crack one eye open slightly, not enough so that he can tell I'm awake. He's looking down at me with a small smile on his face. I have to concentrate not to smile back and give away the fact that I'm not sleeping. He lays me gently on the bed and pulls the covers up over me. I open my eyes all the way and speak up just as he's in the doorway.

"I would've walked if you'd asked."

"You're awake?" he asks, taking a few steps back into the room.

"I'm a light sleeper."

"Lizzie and I were gonna watch one more movie. Do you wanna come back out?"

"Nah." I yawn. "It's the one about the camel spiders, right?"
"I think so."

"I'm probably just gonna sleep, then. I hate spiders and anything that looks like spiders. They freak me out," I say, reaching over to the nightstand to put my glasses down.

"But you watched Big-Ass Spider."

"Yeah, but it only freaked me out when it was small, which isn't even half the movie."

"I guess." He stalls in the doorway. I speak up to avoid an awkward moment.

"Good night, Mitch," I say, yawning again.

"Good night, J," he says. I hear him take a few steps down the hall before coming back.

"Where am I sleeping?" he asks. I can't see his face. My vision without my glasses is terrible.

"Wherever you want. You can kick Lizzie out of her room and she can come in here, or you can go on the couch. There's also a tiny air mattress in the hall closet. Or you could come in here, I really don't care. Just don't fall asleep on the kitchen counter and stab yourself in your sleep," I say.

Wait a second. Did I just invite him to share a bed with me?

I did. Oops.

Oh well, not like it means anything. We're just friends.

"I – okay," he says, turning and walking back down the hall. This time, he doesn't come back, and I drop off to sleep again. Luckily, I don't have any nightmares tonight.

-oO0Oo-

*MITCH'S POV*

Big-Ass Spider was not actually as bad as I thought it would be. The others were, though. Lily's sarcastic comments made the other three bearable. Midway through the fifth, I notice her head dipping. I put my arm over her shoulders and let her snuggle into me, making her more comfortable. She falls asleep a few minutes later, her glasses sliding to the end of her nose. She looks adorable.

In a little sister way, of course.

Lizzie and I watch the rest of the movie in silence. Once the credits are rolling, Lizzie gets up as quietly as possible and takes out the DVD. She grabs another one and pops it in.

"Another one?" I whisper, not moving.

"Yeah," Lizzie replies. "Last one. This one's about camel spiders, anyway. Lily hates spiders with a passion, so she usually sits this one out anyway."

"Oh. Okay," I say. I pick Lily up gently, bridal style, and carry her towards her room. I glance down to make sure her glasses are still in place, and I can't help but smile at her sleeping face. Once we get into her room, I lay her on the bed gently and pull the covers over her. I hear her speak when I'm almost out the door.

"I would've walked," she says, her voice a little scratchy from sleep.

"You're awake?" I ask, taking a few steps back into the room to hear her better.

"I'm a light sleeper," she replies. I let her know that we're watching one more movie and invite her back. She declines, saying that spiders freak her out. I reply that she watched Big-Ass Spider, but she reminds me that she only hated it when the spider was tiny.

Now that I think about it, she did let a few screams loose when the spider was still a somewhat realistic size, but she just laughed when the spider was ten stories tall. I stall in the doorway, not sure how to phrase my question.

"Good night, Mitch," she says, yawning.

"Good night, J," I say, automatically walking back towards the living room. I remember that I need to still ask her a question and return.

"Where am I sleeping?" I say, just going for it.

"Wherever you want. You can kick Lizzie out of her room and she can come in here, or you can go on the couch. There's also a tiny air mattress in the hall closet. Or you could come in here, I really don't care. Just don't fall asleep on the kitchen counter and stab yourself in your sleep," she replies. She mumbles slightly, delaying my comprehension of what she said by a few seconds.

Did she just ask me to sleep with her? But then she said she didn't care.

I don't think she meant in THAT way. We're just friends. Hell, we're almost like siblings.

I walk back down the hall and flop on my half of the couch. The movie's already started, but it doesn't really matter with this type of movie anyway. It's not the same without Lily, but it's still somewhat bearable because of the time and the fact that I drove six hours today. By the end of the movie, the drive is getting to me, and I'm almost nodding off.

"Hey, I'll go in with Lily and you can take my bed," Lizzie says. I yawn and nod, stretching as I get up off the couch. I walk down the hall and into Lizzie's room, barely finding the willpower to pull the comforter over me before I fall asleep.

A/N TIME! HAHA, YEAH! : Hey guys, QD here with another chapter! YAY! Not much to say, except for thank you guys for your continued support (4960 views whaaat). Shoutout to Twistedmind64 for standing up to a hater for themselves and me :) Also, just a note about Lily's Nightmares: these are poems I'd already written. Any nightmares Lily has are based on preexisting poems that I wrote up to six years ago and I'm now publishing for your reading pleasure. With that said, here are the facts!

-I have seen all movies mentioned. Yup.

-I am a super light sleeper.

-I was gonna say something about being psychic about the whole Mashley deal, but then it was a joke, and I slapped myself, and… yeah

-I don't make good judgments when I'm tired, and would probably accidentally say something like Lily does. Yay.

-I am pretty good at pretending to be asleep.

And for fictions:

-The camel spider movie is not bearable under any circumstances. Period.

-I would not have walked.

That's probably it! Keep up the reviewing, etc because that's how I find new stories to read (and review ;) ). If you want me to check out your story, don't be afraid to PM me. I will be glad to check it out and leave a review. You beautiful individuals are my inspiration and I cannot thank you enough. Much luv and internet hugs as usual!

-Quiet Defiance

PS- Did anyone else have their feels broken by the #Mashley prank? I was all like YESYESYES and then I slapped myself because it wasn't real and that's how I deal with hurt feels. Sad face.

Now I have no evidence that Mitch isn't gay to show my two friends that believe he is.

Oh well HERP DERP DERP