She wakes with a start, and glances over to her roommates sleeping forms. "You can't be in here," she whispers.
I nod. There are separate dorms for a reason, but it's my first night out. "Can't sleep."
Slipping from her bed, she helps me up from where I was leaning against her mattress. I follow her to the door and step out into the hall with her. Her mouth is set in a grim line and she's looking me over. Finally she nods, her mind made up on something.
"Wait here a second," she says before disappearing back into her room.
Standing in the hall in sweatpants and a t-shirt, I scrub a hand over my face. I always slept better with Marie at my side. My room felt empty and after staring at the ceiling for half the night, I went in search of her.
She's gone only a moment or two before she reemerges from the room. In her hand is a backpack that I know she didn't have time to put together just now.
"A little habit left over from you." She smiles and I can't help but return it. First thing I did when I was released was stuff some essentials in a bag and leave it by the door.
In my room, she drops the bag by mine. We stand staring at each other for a long minute. I want to pull her into the bed with me, just to have the knowledge that she is near. Maybe put some sleep between the past and me.
Her mouth is set in that grim line again, eyes darting between the bed and the couch. Mind made up, she walks to the far side of the bed and flips back the covers.
"People will talk." I don't care, but I don't want it to weigh Marie down.
"Let them. People always like to talk about what they don't understand." Knowledge we both have in common. She lies down and pats the other side of the bed.
It's not as intimate as I want, but she is here only an arms length away. It is enough. I learn her patterns all over again. Almost like falling for a second time.
I can see it in her eyes sometimes. The way she smiles. Or watches me move about the room. She's falling in love too.
~*~
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