Chapter 4.

It was Friday and the gang had gathered up in the boys' room for a movie night. The girls had been in charge of bringing popcorn, chocolate and, overall, all other kinds of junk food and the guys had picked out the movies (all of them action, of course, they were boys after all).

It was almost half past three in the morning already and they were somewhere in the middle of watching the fourth movie for the night. Well, watching was an overstatement – Carlos was snoring lightly on the floor with his back pressed to the foot of his bed, Dude curled up between his legs. Mal was sprawled out on Carlos's bed also floating in dream land – she had dozed off somewhere between the second and third movie. Jay and Evie were lying next to each other on Jay's bed, propped up on some pillows to watch the film more comfortably, almost asleep as well but not quite yet.

Evie's eyelids were getting heavier every time she blinked and she had to fight harder and harder to open her eyes every time she closed them. Jay's gaze was fixed on the screen, although he was getting sleepy too. His eyes shifted to look at the bluenette by his side when he felt her head droop and fall on his shoulder.

„Alright." He sighed tiredly, reaching carefully around Evie for the remote control. Taking it in his hand, he clicked the off button, switching the TV off, and then put the remote back on the night stand by his bed. He slowly and gently lifted Evie up a little, so he could remove the extra pillows beneath them and throw them on the floor, which wasn't hard at all since she was pretty light compared to him, and her leaning on him helped too.

In her half-asleep state Evie felt the slight movement but everything was hazy to her since the sleep clouded her mind. Who was moving her? Where was she? She felt a strong arm circle around her and hummed sleepily. Must be Jay's. He was strong. She had wanted to tell him something when she was awake but… What was it? She couldn't remember. Oh, wait…

„Jay?" Evie mumbled, sleep almost overcoming her but she fought to stay awake just for a few more seconds until she could tell him what she wanted to.

„Mhm?" Jay hummed, looking down at the girl beside him whose head of indigo curls was resting lightly on his right shoulder.

„You look good with your hair tied up but I like it better when it's down. It's more… Jay." Evie sighed, sleep lacing her voice. She was fast asleep before she could await his answer.

Jay's eyes softened as he let out a breath of surprise. He couldn't find the words and maybe it was a good thing that the girl in his arms was already asleep, as it was very uncharacteristic of him to be speechless. He felt an enormous rush of affection for the petite princess (because to him she was every bit a princess) and smiled softly at her sleeping form, as he wove his hand into her dark locks. They smelled of honey and cinnamon.

He sighed deeply, breathing in her scent, and stared up at the ceiling. Did he really need to change to make Audrey happy? It wasn't making him happy and if Audrey really cared about him she wouldn't ask this of him. Wasn't love all about accepting each other as you are? Maybe they were doing it wrong, this relationship thing. It seemed to him that a loving, trusting relationship was far from what they had and if they had to push it so much maybe it wasn't right. He'd have to break things off with Audrey, Jay realised. It wasn't what he wanted, not anymore.

Feeling better after he had made up his mind, Jay closed his eyes and tightened his grip on Evie, feeling her warm breath brush against his neck. It felt so incredibly natural, her being in his arms, that he didn't even think about it. It was like an instinct. He felt her arm move from its place where it rested on his chest and wrap around his waist. He let himself drift off, feeling nothing but the light weight on his stomach and the soft curls spilling over his shoulder.

That night he dreamt of himself and Audrey having a picnic in the field. He was sitting behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist, her hands resting on his own. He couldn't see her face from behind, naturally, though he knew it was her (you know that sleep certainty you get during a dream when you know something is what it is, even though you've got no proof?). But for some odd reason Audrey's hair wasn't its natural light brown colour.

It was a deep blue.