Inches Away - Chapter Nine

Cathryn got out of bed, placing her feet onto the carpet floor that covered the floor until you reach the bathroom or her door. She sighed, thinking about that crazy dream of hers. What was with those two kisses? How Blake’s tone was towards Bliss, how they both had something important to say to her that couldn’t wait. And what the heck was chasing her in the first place?
She wondered how at the beginning of the month the four of them were laughing with one another, enjoying their summer time on July 4th, watching the fireworks go when night came. And now…all there is are mostly just awkward moments. Now all she wanted was everything to go back to normal again. Like the spin-the-bottle accident never happened in the first place.

Cathryn walked out of her room, still in her shorts and tank top, and knocked on Bliss’ door. She heard a grunt from inside and walked in. Her eyes scanned the room and saw a lot of clothes sprawled all over the place. Her green eyes landed on asleep Bliss with a leg hanging off the bed and his pillow on top of his head. She created a muffled laugh as her hands instinctively covered her mouth. Slowly, she crept over clothes, around random objects, and finally got to the still-sleeping Bliss who soon started to snore. She peered at the digital watch on his wrist—10:32am. Hm not bad for someone who has been waking up practically noon time lately.
Cathryn let out a sigh before she started to walk out of the room. Suddenly an idea clicked in her mind. A grin came across her face as she ran out the room and towards the kitchen. She searched the kitchen and found a nice bowl and filled it up with warm water. Walking back quietly to Bliss’ room, she slowly grabbed onto Bliss’ already-hanging-off-the-bed arm and dipped it into the bowl of warm water.

Cathryn leaned against the nightstand on the left side of his bed as she waited for the signal. After about two minutes had passed Bliss stirred. She stood up and saw it on the light, single blanket that was covering the bottom half of his body. A wet spot. Cathryn tried her hardest not burst out laughing so she quickly let the room and into her own room. She leaped and landed near her pillow and laughed into it. Her head lifted up for her lungs to receive new air as she tried to calm down. Click. An idea came into her brain as she grabbed the camera and ran back into Bliss’ room. Click. A flash came and Bliss stirred once more. She removed his arm out of the bowl and dumped the water on Bliss’ head.

“Whoa shyt!” Bliss jolted up and fell onto the floor, landing near Cathryn’s feet.

What the heck just happened to him? Why the heck is he all wet? Bliss looked up and saw a laughing Cathryn with her hands wrapped around her stomach…holding a bowl that was slowly dripping left over water.

“What the heck?” Bliss’ hair was now flat, and covering his left eye
“Kodak moment!” Cathryn took another picture of Bliss with dripping wet hair, sitting Indian style with a hand scratching his head.
“Why the heck you dump water on me? And why are my boxers....” his voice trailed off as he realized it.

Bliss shot up and grabbed his sheet and wrapped it around his waist. His bare chest was still showing that had water droplet trails flowing down. Cathryn stuck her tongue out playfully and grinned while running out the door. This was something that Cathryn will never let it down.
Hmm, a Wednesday at 10:54am…what is there to watch other than Judge Judy and other Judge shows? Cathryn plopped onto the plain but comfy couch, turned on the T.V and scanned the channels.
“Your Honor, this man—You don’t have the guts—Jerry! Jerr—what are you trying to say T—” Click. Nothing on whatsoever.

Then a ringing filled the used-to-be-silent house. Her cell phone. Cathryn sighed before she walked into the hallway and entered her room. She listened to her ring tone “Hey There Delilah” and found a vibrating and flashing cell phone on her bed. Restricted number.
“Hello?”
“Cathryn Johnson?” a woman’s voice was heard from the other side of the line.
Just when she was about to reply back, something hard had tackled her onto her bed.
“Oof! Bliss! Can’t you see I’m on the phone?” Cathryn coughed a bit from the sudden impact.
“Who could be calling you now? Is it Matty? Let me talk to her,” Bliss grabbed the phone right out of her hands.
Cathryn gasped and grabbed the closest thing to her. Her teddy bear.
“No Bliss!” Cathryn smacked him in the face and got her phone back.
“Yes…this…is….she,” Cathryn replied as she whacked Bliss with her pillow with each word.
“Ah, good. This is Willow Ruken, the judge from last week’s audition.”

Of course, the competition. How could she have forgotten all about it? Heh, maybe because of those two blockheads giving her such a hard time about the kisses. Never again will she play that game again! Cathryn instantly stopped hitting Bliss with her pillow and stood there; giving an opening for Bliss.
A squeal came out of her lips as Bliss tickled her.
“Ah no! Bliss stop, this call…is…important!” Cathryn gasped for breath as she attempted to not laugh.
Then Cathryn’s leg accidentally struck upwards from a sudden reflex. A groan came from above her head as she saw Bliss fall onto her. Oof!
“Oh! Right…err I mean hello. So when is the next round?” Cathryn crawled out from under Bliss and poked his cheek, examining him.
“The second round will be at the same building but in room 307, floor 5, at 10:30am on Monday. Be there sharp. You must prepare to sing one full song. Good luck,” Willow said.
“All right, thanks again! Bye.”
“Goodbye.”

Cathryn hung up and tossed her phone onto the bed. She looked further up on her bed and saw a moaning Bliss, crutching his little friend.
“Look I’m sorry I kicked you where the sun doesn’t shine, but you have to know it wasn’t completely my fault!” Cathryn reasoned.
“Ugh….that hurt like a—” ding, dong.
“Whose here?” Cathryn asked.
“Prob…Proba…bly…Matty,” Bliss slowly started to recover as he attempted to sit up.
“Eek, ah sorry! I’ll go get some ice for you while I’m out there.”

The doorbell kept ringing until she had finally opened the door. What was supposed to be Matty turned out to be Blake, the other person Cathryn tried to ignore and stay away from since last Wednesday.
“Cathryn…hey,” Blake greeted.
“Hi. So what’s up?”
“Just wanted to come over and check up on you. Haven’t seen you in a while,” Blake spoke.
“We saw you yesterday though. Diner…night shift…job…ya know?” Cathryn could tell it was already becoming awkward.
“Well yeah I know but, we barely said any word to one another since it was so busy.”

They heard a big groan coming from Cathryn’s room, and she finally remembered.
“Oh right! I have to get Bliss some ice!”
“What’d you do to him this time?” Blake followed her into the kitchen.
“I err…kicked him in the balls by accident,” Cathryn filled up a plastic bag halfway with cold water and the rest with ice and zipped it up while grabbing a rag to wrap around it all.
Blake burst out laughing as he tried to follow her to Bliss.
“How the hell can you accidentally kick him in the nuts?” Cathryn handed Bliss ice as she turned around and put her hands on her hips and leaning mostly on one foot, causing her to look a few inches shorter compared to him.
“Basically, Bliss stole my phone, I got it back, he started tickling me and from some sudden reflexes I kneed him down there,” she looked over at Bliss and back at Blake and added, “Hard.”

Cathryn left her room with a laughing Blake on the floor and almost-unconscious Bliss holding an ice bag on her bed.