tumbling along

 "Did we do it right," Cori wanted to know. He felt he might be a student of some kind. He'd never really known someone like Megan before.

"Doubt it," but her smile was open when she said it. She looked over her shoulder and saw Caitlin and Melvin in the livingroom channel surfing with the music on. 

He watched her sway her boyish body. She looked so cute and the dancing was infectious even in the small alley kitchen.

 She said the playlist was from her friend's wedding six years ago. 

"Oh," he wouldn't know of such things. He wondered if she'd been in the wedding party. Maybe she had a boyfriend back then, but he was afraid to ask. It might ruin the moment..

He washed dishes and she dried.

"Do you think we can do this every night?" He hoped so.

"God, no," Megan laughed. She said cooking took too much out of her as well as cleaning up. She liked having alone time with a bowl of noodles and study music in her room.

Cori felt sad, almost in tears. He guessed he'd have to sleep in his room tonight, but he didn't want too.

And to think all this time, all it would have taken was a warm body next to him to let sweet dreams sink in, instead of the paranoid night terrors. He really didn't want Megan to know what scared him. She'd think he was strange and not at all normal. 

It wasn't long until Melvin said his goodbyes. Cori was certain he should have spent more time with his friend, but he knew Melvin only had Caitlin on his mind.

Caitlin helped out with what was left to do. She took out the trash and went to read on her set of Game of Throne books. She said she was rereading them for the third time and sometimes, she had to go a book of two back or forward to remember some of the characters.

"Don't get her started," Megan nudged Cori with her elbow. "She wants George to only write about characters who really aren't important to the main story."

Cori nodded.

By the end his clothes were damp, and Megan told him to go take a shower. He looked at her as if that meant something else, but she pointed in the right direction.

"Hurry up, I need to get my face mask on," she pursed her lips as if he better not let her beauty regiment wait.

He felt a little shakey even going into his room. He switched on the light and looked at the vacant bed. His underwear was in the top drawer. No one here. Thankfully. He scurried to get his things and went to shower.

If only, he could have showered longer. Honestly, he didn't feel tired at all, but he knew Megan wanted the bathroom. 

When he came back out she already had on the mask. She looked like some sort of tribal beast in wet paper in a pink top and floral pajama pants.

"Night," she waved.

Cori forced a smile. He took a deep breath, wondering if he should check under the bed or the closet. He nursed his bottom lip. He knew he shouldn't worry so because..because she didn't always show up, but she could. She very well could find him. She always did.