My eyes fluttered open as sunlight drifted in through the windows on the opposite side of the room. A frown etched itself onto my lips, blinking a few times befire my eyes adjusted to the stinging brightness that the room contained. I shifted my weight and niticed that Jackson was still asleep, his arms tangled around my body, inhibiting movement of any kind. Sighing, I allowed my hand to run over his broad shoulder and travel slowly down his arm, the feeling of his soft skin bringing a sigh of content to my slightly chapped lips. I peered down at his sleeping face. He looked so innocent, so untainted, so unlike Jackson. 

I took an attempt at sitting up but Jackson's arms were like a cage, keeping me pinned where I was. I prodded at his arms, attempting to get him to release me. The only reaction to my light shove was his nose twitching. I let out a puff of air. Trying not to awaken the sleeping boy, I struggled to escape from his tight grip. After a minute, his arms slackened enough for me to slip away from him. He let out a soft groan and shifted so his arms were now closet to his body. I padded across the room to the door without making a sound and slowly peeled the door open. Cringing as it squeaked, I left a gap wide enough for my body to slip through before closing the squeaky door the same way.

Relief flooded me as Jackson remained in his suspended in sleep. 

Humming softly to myself, I crept down the stairs and into the foyer as I headed towards the kitchen. As I rounded the corner, I stopped to watch Jackson's mother sigh tiredly and place her things on a small bench at the entrance to the house. 

"Good morning, " I spoke quietly. 

She jumped with a small shriek. "Minah, you scared the living daylight out of me!"

"I'm sorry, " I replied, giggling. 

"Did you stay the night last night?" She asked as she took in the oversized shirt adorning my body that belonged to her son. I gave her a nod in response. 

"Yeah he let me borrow one of his dresses since I didn't go back to my house because it was late."

Both of us stifled laugh