Jessica
"How can you hate sleeping?" Ava asked.
"You're one to talk!" Jessica replied. "You have this weird pet peeve where you get angry any time you read a story where somebody puts their chin on their knees!"
"Well, it's super uncomfortable, and I don't understand why someone would choose to put themselves in that position," Ava replied. "But hating sleep? That's super weird!"
"It's a waste of my time!"
"But you can have all of these amazing dreams!"
"Last night I literally dreamed I was living in a world where giant pet spiders are taken for walks on leashes and all of them hated me and tried to gnaw off my legs."
Ava cringed. "Yikes."
"What the hell are you guys talking about?"
They looked up to find Carter standing in the kitchen doorway. His hair stood up in every direction, and his feet were bare, showing off one sparkly blue-painted toenail.
"Why is only one of your nails painted?" Ava asked.
"Ask Jess."
Ava turned to look at Jessica, who shrugged. "I wanted to try out my new nail polish."
Carter shifted his attention in favor of making himself a mug of hot chocolate. Jessica didn't know why, but Carter never drank coffee in the morning. When she'd asked him about it once, he'd only shrugged and answered, "I don't know, either."
"Anyway," Carter started as he dumped the ingredients into his cup, "how are you this morning?"
Jessica lowered her eyes and leaned back against the small table behind her. "Better."
Carter nodded without looking at her.
"I…" She took a deep breath and folded her arms over her chest. "I've thought about it a lot, and realized that despite how much I believed I was free of her, she still had a hold on me. There was still this part of me that tried to please her and win her approval."
"And that part is gone now?"
Jessica shook her head. "I don't know. I hope so."
Silence fell as Jessica drifted off into thought to the sound of Carter boiling his water and Ava drumming her fingers arithmetically against the counter.
"Where's Zyan?" Ava asked as Carter filled his mug. The steam lapped his fingers as he poured.
"He's still sleeping."
The words brought a small smile to Jessica's face. "Did you two share a bed last night?"
"Yes."
"And?" Ava asked.
"And nothing," Carter replied.
"Did you…make out?" Jessica inquired.
"No."
"Kiss?" Ava prodded.
Carter paused. "No."
Jessica smirked. "Oh, I think someone's lying," she singsonged.
Carter sighed. "We kissed, all right? But that was before you guys even got here."
Ava hopped down from the counter she'd been sitting on and walked over to Carter's other side. She propped her elbows on the counter and cocked her head at him. "Does that mean you guys are back together now?"
Carter shrugged. "I'm not sure. We agreed to it, but…everything still feels a little…off and awkward. It'll take some time before we get this thing figured out."
Jessica waved the concern aside. "Doesn't matter. I'm just glad you've finally taken a step in the right direction."
"How do you feel about it?" Ava asked.
"I don't know. Hopeful?" Carter stirred his mug and took a step back from them and the counter. "It's…nice."
"Just nice?" Jessica asked.
Carter rolled his eyes. "Fine." He paused. "It's pretty amazing. I forgot how nice it feels to wake up to his face squished into a pillow." He waited another beat. "The spark's definitely still there."
Jessica felt a smile spread over her face. "That's so adorable."
Ava moved closer to Jessica and leaned against her shoulder. "How would you feel about going out together? And I'm talking double-date, not just friends hanging out."
"I doubt Zyan would like that idea," Carter said.
Ava dismissed it. "We'll talk him into it."
"If you say so."
"Say what?"
Carter glanced over his shoulder while Jessica turned to find Zyan stand in the doorway, his clothes and hair sleep-mussed and eyes drooping.
"Hey, Zyan," Ava greeted him. "Sleep well?"
Zyan huffed a breath. "No."
He walked up beside Carter and took out a mug, which he dumped the ingredients Carter had left out on the counter into. Something in Jessica's head clicked and made her look at Carter, who ducked his head.
"Carter stole the covers every few minutes, and I think he bruised my shin when he kicked me at 3 a.m.," Zyan complained.
Carter grimaced behind his mug. "Sorry."
"It's fine," Zyan said dismissively. "I'm used to it, but sometimes I wonder if getting back together is worth the bruises." Carter seemed to freeze at the words. Zyan picked up his drink before he faced Carter. "I'm obviously kidding." He reached up to pat Carter's cheek. "You can relax. If it bothered me, I'd make you sleep on the floor." He stepped back and headed off into the living room.
Carter sighed. "That man is gonna be the death of me."
"If he wanted you dead, he could've killed you a century ago," Jessica said.
Carter shot her a look. "Not funny."
"That's subjective."
"Has anyone seen the remote?" Zyan called.
"Check on the TV stand!" Carter replied.
"You still do that? Why?"
"So I know where it is!"
"That defies the purpose of what it's there for!"
"Just shut up!"
Zyan grumbled something unintelligible, but a moment later, the low sound of commercials reached Jessica's ears.
"So…do you want us to leave?" Ava asked. "You know, have some alone time with your boo?"
Carter shook his head. "No. Feel free to hang around as long as you want. Mi casa es tu casa and all that."
"Great! Then I better go steal the remote from Zyan."
Jessica watched Ava rush off with a smile.
A second later, Zyan's panicked shouts cut through the air. "Wait! Watch the hot chocolate!"