Here Comes the Sun: Chapter 16

I wake up, still wrapped in her arms. I can feel her pressed into my back, with her right arm slung across my hip, holding me close. Judging by the deep breaths she’s taking, I’m pretty sure she’s still asleep. I gently and quietly turn around in her arms to face her. My suspicions are correct; she’s got her mouth open slightly, and a small amount of drool is trickling out of the corner of her mouth. If it was anyone else, I’d probably think it was disgusting. With her, it’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. I brush a few strands of hair out of her face, and I think about how far I’ve come.

Two years ago, I had just gotten out of a disastrous relationship with Rachel. The first six months were great. It was after that that I noticed a change in her. She became more distant; hardly spending any time with me, and going out until all hours of the morning, sometimes not even coming home at all. We had an apartment together before I moved in with Morgan. That went on for the next six months, before I found her in bed with another woman. I didn’t bother to find out if there were any others. I couldn’t deal with the love of my life cheating on me like that.

That’s what scares me now.

I’m falling for Ashley. Hard. I know it’s only been like a week, but the feelings I have for her are more than anything I’ve ever felt for Rachel. I haven’t been in a relationship since her. Hell, I haven’t even gone on hardly any dates. When I do, I try to look for something wrong. Whether it be the way the girl chews, or if she swings her arms too much when she walks. Very trivial things, but I just can’t help it. I look for those things to tell myself that I can’t date them any longer; to keep myself from getting too involved and getting hurt again.

And then Ashley came along, and all that went right out the window.

I want to tell myself that I jumped into the relationship with her too fast, but everything about her seems so…perfect. The way she makes me laugh, the way she holds my hand, the way the simplest touch from her sends shivers up and down my spine. The way she does that thing with her tongue…