The Morning After

The Morning After

(Trista POV)

I woke up with my head spinning, a haze fell over me processing where I am and how I ended up there. Foggy vision displayed my room in disarray, blankets thrown everywhere and myself crooked and half off the bed. It was early morning, sharp rays coming in through my window to lighten up the dark and depressing cave which I reside in. I looked over and saw the jar on my bureau empty, Rain’s jar, he seemed to have woken up before me. I got up and put some clothes on, Last night’s drunk endeavors started to settle on me pretty fast the more I tried to wake up. Groggy would normally be the best way to put it but today it seemed to feel like a Hurricane aftermath. With tired eyes and a ringing head I decided to make my way to the kitchen. 

The kitchen glowed in a beautiful array of warm tones as a figure stood in front of the stove. The sun rays came in through the window and gave an outer glow to the figure as they happily hummed a song out of key. Pajamas and messy bed hair helped me recognize it was Rain cooking breakfast. I stood in the entryway and was suddenly hit with the smell of bacon and an overall deweyness of the morning air. It was such a subtle moment, No words, just an overall warm and loving feeling seemed to float around the two of us. I walked in and quietly sat down at the table still watching him. Such soft gentle hands were in the middle of creating. It’s insane watching his progress from before struggling to do basic tasks to now being able to create breakfast for us seamlessly. I was lost in the art before a soft yet tired voice interrupted the silence.

“Good morning” 

“Hey.” I was surprised he even noticed me since I was so quiet walking in. But I guess he also isn’t really human so his senses must be more enhanced then mine. 

“Last night surely was intense, are you doing alright?” followed by a slight chuckle. 

That sentence made last night hit me like a wave. I totally forgot. I don’t remember it all but it involved a lot of alcohol, crying, and overall a not nice time. Guilt started to set in that Rain had to deal with all of that while being sober.

“Yeah, sorry about that.” I started to feel anxious at the thought of being so vulnerable like that. I shouldn’t have been so reckless with my actions. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. 

“You shouldn’t have to say sorry for something like that. It was nice seeing you open up, and all I want to do is help you in anyways I can.” Words like that make me feel spoiled that I have someone like him around. Rain, someone who isn’t even a human. A slime that came to life and is now having to deal with me and my piles and piles of issues. He barely even knows what most things are yet he can help someone like me just by...being there. It’s still so hard to comprehend, but the more I try the more memories from last night start to appear.

Lots of panic and it was getting hard to breathe and then there was warmth. Two large arms wrapped around me in an embrace to prevent me from falling. He was so soft, so gentle, I never felt anything like it before. I was never one for physical contact but it seemed all of a sudden I didn’t want him to let go. I felt safe. This man doesn’t know his left foot from his right but all of a sudden in that moment that was all I needed, or all I've been needing for a while. I was drinking to forget. But last night all the stress I was dealing with decided to come out all at once, school, my friends, and the stress of having to deal with a slime that has entered my life unannounced. Despite him causing me a great deal of stress from trying to hide him from everybody, and trying to teach him how the world works, he has started to become such a beacon of light in my life that I have never had before. Just to have somebody there who can just listen, and not judge me for how strange I am. I never knew somebody like him was what I needed all along. Last night and now sitting in this chair watching him gleam in the morning light made me realize how grateful I am for it. 

“Anyways, I know humans don’t react well to excessive amounts of alcohol, so I woke up early to try to make it better I guess!” He walks over and sets a plate in front of me. Two sunny side up eggs and bacon in the shape of a smiley face gleamed at me. “I have been studying the recipe all morning, it was super hard but I’m proud that it came out okay. Eat up, we have a long day of adventure ahead of us.” he gave a warm smile.

That was love. My whole life I have been struggling with the idea of love, for so long I thought it was fake and love wasn’t real. But through all failed and forced dates, uncomfortable sexual tensions, and an overall feeling of never being loved, I learned that love wasn’t just that mushy stuff. Waking up in the morning and knowing at the end of the day I am still cared for and thought about even if by just one person. That’s it. It’s the little things that makes me want to keep going and improve. Rain makes me want to learn how to love again. 

“It’s called being hungover, Rain.” I chuckle softly as I start to destroy Rain’s cooking masterpiece. 

“What are you hanging over?” A face of confusion and bewilderment overcame him. 

“How much alcohol I must’ve drank last night.” 

• The End  -