Chapter 3
CHAPTER
THREE
Berlyn
My skin heats as I toss and turn for the millionth time tonight. Sweat sticks to my skin and I release a groan of frustration as I turn my pillow over and rest my cheek against the cool side.
It helps.
Barely.
With October just around the corner, I never thought my AC going out would wreak such havoc on my sleep schedule. Open a window, let a nice breeze in. It’s almost October, dammit. There should be a cool breeze to let in.
None.
Not even a whiff of a breeze to pretend it cools down my clammy skin as this night drags on.
I need to remember to call the HVAC company tomorrow.
Just another thing to add to my never ending to-do list. Frustration builds and I want to scream into my pillow, or maybe cry, but don’t have the energy for even that.
Tomorrow will be a new day. Tomorrow I can worry about the million things I’m falling behind on. Tomorrow is soon enough. My heavy eyes drift closed once more despite how uncomfortable I am. The exhaustion from this week wins and drags me back under, falling into a fitful sleep.
A cool touch slides down my bare back, following the curve of my spine. I sink deeper into my bed, a sigh of content spilling from my lips as some of my discomfort seems to fade with the touch.
My dreams are filled with cool touches, shadows lurking just beyond my vision, and cool breezes blowing across my heated skin until my alarm wakes me up far too soon.
I wake with a groan, already missing the shadows from my dreams. It’s been awhile since I’ve had a dream filled with the shadows that are always just out of my reach.
I’ve spent years pondering what the dreams could mean.
Ever since they first started in high school.
I’ve never landed on an answer that makes any sense.
No matter how long I spend thinking about it during my morning routine, I know I’ll always circle back to the fact that dreams are only ever dreams.
Despite that knowledge, I can’t help but try to recall the details residing in the back of my brain.
Attempting to bring them to the forefront of my mind and turn them over and gain some new meaning as I wash the sweat from my skin, shave my legs, and rinse the conditioner from my hair.
I can’t help but poke at the memories of the dreams and try to connect them to the day prior or the wakeful moments I had throughout the night as I brush my long hair and tie it back with a braid.
My mind is so filled with shadows and dreams that when it’s time for me to get dressed, I barely pay attention as I grab a pair of loose flowing shorts with a flower design and black bodysuit from the top of my dresser.
This heat wave is supposed to last for another few days.
I really need to remember to call someone to come fix the AC.
I don’t know how many more restless nights I can survive.
Not wanting to forget, I grab my phone and send an email to the homeowner before I begin the tedious process of trying to get someone to come out.
It would take twice as long to wait for them to sort out the repair rather than doing it myself.
Only twenty minutes later, I’m throwing my phone down on my bed in frustration as I come to the realization that no one is available for days because of the stupid heat wave.
Maybe I should have left it as the homeowner’s problem, but I already said I would take care of it.
It’s not Monday, but damn is it starting to feel like one.
I force myself to take a deep breath as I make my coffee–iced because I can’t imagine adding any more warmth to my day. At least that makes me feel a little better, and I do have time to cross off some of the things on my to-do list before I need to leave for class.
Do I start with the dishes or all the laundry I need to fold?
Neither sounds great, but I know I’ll feel better once they’re done. Then I can focus on the abundance of homework I need to get done this week. I finish my coffee and move to the kitchen sink only to find it empty.
I rinse my cup out and open the dishwasher to find all the dishes from last night. Did I do them before I went to bed? Shaking my head, I add the cup to the rack and start it. Apparently, the lack of sleep is really getting to me.
With that done, I head back into my bedroom but I don’t even make it all the way before I look down at the outfit I had chosen this morning.
When did I lay it out on my dresser? I vividly remember wearing this two weeks ago.
It should have been in the overflowing basket of laundry I’ve been actively ignoring.
In my room, I search for the basket, but very much like my sink, it is also empty.
After looking through my drawers, it’s clear the laundry has all been folded and put away in their proper places. Am I going crazy? It’s been several rough nights of sleep and last night was by far the hardest, but I’ve never heard of anyone sleep cleaning.
Maybe that’s why I was able to crash so hard after that last time I had gotten up tossing and turning?
I snort to myself, shutting my drawer. Maybe I should call a head doctor as well if I’m completely forgetting parts of my day. I’m too young to be losing my memory like this.
The next couple hours I get through more homework than I thought I would be able to due to my midnight adventures and my day no longer feels like a Monday as I pack up my bag and head to school.
It’s rare I’m not leaving my house in a rush as I try to get just one of the many little tasks done.
But each time I thought of something else I should probably do, I found it to be already done.
Sometime this week I really got my mental to-do list all sorts of turned around.
Summer isn’t at our usual meeting spot when I pull into the parking lot, but I’m not surprised when I check the time and see I’m ten minutes early.
I smile to myself, thinking about how surprised she’s going to be that I beat her here.
I even had the time to grab us both another iced coffee from our favorite shop near campus.
Her surprised face is priceless when she pulls up and sees me waiting for her. I can only grin and shake her iced coffee in offering as she rushes to grab her stuff and meet me halfway.
“Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?” she teases.
I shrug, turning to walk towards our class. “I was more productive than I thought last night. All the things I woke up early to finish were already done.”
She groans. “I wish I had that problem. These revisions for Richards are actually going to be the death of me.”
I nod my agreement. “At least we don’t have him today.” We talk about the semester-long project we’re working on that will make up the bulk of our grade as we walk to class. “I made decent progress in my research this morning,” I say. “Want to come over for dinner and we can go over our notes?”
She starts to nod and I turn to give her my attention only to trip, falling forward.
My hands flail and I curse knowing I’m going down when strong hands wrap around my forearms holding me up and saving my coffee from spilling over both of us.
“Oh my god, I am so sorry,” I apologize, looking up to meet the most stunningly dark eyes behind a pair of black framed glasses.
My heart stops in my chest when they sparkle with familiar amusement. “Ezra.” His name escapes me in a surprised breath and my cheeks heat in embarrassment. I never fail to make an ass out of myself in front of him.
His hands slide up my arms to rest on my shoulders as if he’s making sure I’m steady on my feet before he releases me. “Berlyn,” he greets, his dark voice as intoxicating as the slight twist of his lips. His eyes rove over my face and his lips turn down in a frown. “Are you okay?”
“I’m good,” I chuckle. “Sorry for bumping into you, but thank you for catching me.”
His smile feels genuine and makes my cheeks heat for an entirely different reason.
I swear this man has always made me feel things I’ve never understood with such a simple look.
“Anytime,” he responds. “But are you sure you’re all good?
” he presses, his eyes lingering on my eyes where I’m sure I have bags big enough to pack for a ten day vacation and a family of four.
“Just been having a little trouble sleeping lately, is all.”
I tell myself to leave it at that. To keep it simple.
No one cares about my AC problems, especially a guy from my high school that probably wouldn’t have even remembered my name if we hadn’t continued to have classes together in college.
Classes where I may or may not have always chosen to sit near him so I’d have a reason to talk to him.
“My AC unit stopped working and I tried to get someone to come out, but apparently everyone and their mother’s units went out this week and they are booked solid.
So I guess a few more days of no more sleep for me because I spent all night sweating and tossing and turning and apparently folding my laundry at some point, which I didn’t even know was a thing people did.
” I pause, making a face as I hear the words I just said.
“I mean, I knew people folded laundry. I always fold my laundry. Usually anyways. I just didn’t know sleep folding was a thing. Or sleep cleaning.”
Well, I’ve never been a good listener. Not even to myself.
I roll my lips together in an effort to get myself to shut the fuck up. I wish I could groan but that would definitely be even more embarrassing at this point. Why do I never learn?
His lips twitch and he raises his eyebrows as he tries to maintain a serious expression. It’s okay, Ezra, might as well just laugh out loud at me. I know you want to.
“Your AC broke?” he asks instead.