Prompt from yeahwriters: "I love you," without saying it."
The bed had been pushed from the center of the room into the far corner against the wall. Ginger had a habit of rolling off the side and onto the floor in her sleep when she was stressed. Tonight was no exception, since she would have spent the entire day with her mother. Liam thought of the deep purple bruise on her side, the one he’d outlined in permanent marker and attempted to turn into a map. The inner lines had disappeared when the blackish-blue hues crept in a day later. He grabbed a pillow and fit it into the sweatshirt he kept over his desk chair. Despite its covering, the feathers always ended up in her disheveled morning hair, making her look like a molting baby bird as she chirped and whined for her coffee. He turned the T.V at an angle favoring her side and checked his top drawer for the cheap grocery store incense that was her favorite. A new string of lights had been hung on the wall; the ones that pulsed muted green and purple.
His bedroom door swung open, the screeching hinges making him aware of her presence before she entered the room. She threw herself onto the bed, and rolled onto her back to stare at the popcorn ceiling.
“I didn’t think it would end,” Ginger said. Her phone buzzed at her side and she shoved it under a pillow.
“At least it’s over for the month,” he said.
“She called gran. We’re having brunch next week.” She pulled the blanket over her head, and Liam snuck underneath, propping one arm up to keep it hovering over them. Ginger wrapped a loose thread around her index finger tightly; fleshy bits bulged from the pressure. She turned her head, smashed her cheek against the sheet and hung her tongue out while crossing her eyes. Liam pressed his finger to the space between her eyes in an attempt to rub away the strained wrinkles.
“I’ll go with you,” he said.
“You’d have to wear that shirt, the one with holes. It might distract them.”
“It can be done.” Liam rolled to his side and poked at where the bruise was.
“It doesn’t hurt anymore,” she said.
“Anything,” she said, and nuzzled her face into his side.