‘Sleep top and tail? You know, have my head this end and your head the other end,’ I reply, pointing at either side to demonstrate. It would be a relief to have his face as far away from my face as possible.
‘Oh,’ he says, with a nod of understanding. ‘I mean this with respect, but no.’
I push down a laugh. ‘Why not? It works, I’ve done it.’
True. When I was nine.
‘Well, princess, I hate to break it to you… but you kick vigorously in your sleep and I’d prefer to keep my face as un-maimed as possible.’
‘What?’ I pin him with a glare. ‘Nobody has ever accused me of kicking in my sleep before.’
‘I must get special treatment in bed with you then.’
I nearly wheeze.
‘No sign of that sleep talking, though,’ he points out with a knowing look.
‘Well, maybe tonight will be the night,’ I say mildly as I stuff my jeans and a t-shirt into a spare jumper before handing it to him.
‘Oh, thanks.’
He throws it down before turning back to me and sadly colliding with my hanging lamp. He yelps and gives it a quick glare before reaching out to steady it.
‘Christ, does this lamp have a setting that won’t permanently damage my retinas? No one needs to witness me in this much detail.’
‘Agreed,’ I mutter under my breath.
‘What was that?’ he asks, leaning toward me with the tiniest smile.
‘Relax, I’ll save your retinas and turn it off.’
I switch it off and immediately plunge the tent into darkness. Picking up on my mistake, I realise that we now face the mammoth task of settling ourselves into the tiniest bed of all mankind… in the dark.
Without touching each other. Lest I risk going insane.
There are a few awkward fumbles and quiet apologies as I navigate my body onto my sleeping mat and draw the sleeping bag over us.
For a moment we both just lie together facing upwards, listening to the distant hum of chaos surrounding us. Our only point of contact is our arms brushing which, for now, I feel I can cope with.
I can’t resist breaking the odd silence that has fallen.
‘You were right,’ I murmur.
I feel him stiffen.
‘About what?’
‘Purple isn’t your colour.’
I shriek with horror when Elliot rolls over and takes the entirety of the sleeping bag with him, leaving my body exposed to the cold air.
‘That’sillegal,’ I snap, trying to wrestle it back from him. ‘I could have you killed, you know.’
I barely hear the muffled wheeze of laughter escape him.
27
‘I’m falling off the mat, princess.’
