With a flopping heart, I laid on my bed that felt as hard as a brick. No matter the position, I could not find comfort. It wasn't really the bed's fault or my fault. If anything, what was stopping me from entering the beautiful sleeping realms full of non-real people was the heavy weight on my subconscious.

Images of Thorin ran through my mind, feeling like chains against my brain but then again, felt like silk. Him smiling appeared and instantly made me squirm in embarrassment and confusion. His dark tattoos that signaled tattoos flashed through, making me fist a clump of my poor sheet in anger.

Was I having some tantrum? No, but my mind was trying to kill me by pulling out all of those images out of my memory file cabinet and throwing them all around like my skull was some mad house. It didn't help that somehow I somehow remembered his scent and how much I didn't hate it except for the smell of cigarettes.

That's right, Flora. Think about the cigarettes and the dumb smoking. Plus he almost killed a kid!

Okay, he didn't almost kill the kid and he did it for me. Plus, I'm not saying he didn't look hot when he did it.

I hate my brain.

LoveFighter: Hey, sorry for the late reply. What's up?

I rolled over to the vibration that buzzed on my nightstand. My eyes blinked at the blurry words until they became clear and my heart began to flutter. Now, this flutter was nothing that could take air, it was more like a baby butterfly. The one that Thorin gives me (though it feels like heartburn) felt like a bird compared to Tj's.

Me: Sorry, I was kind of panicking and I was trying to distract myself lmao.

LoveFighter: Oh shit, I'm sorry.

Me: It's all good man, it's all good.

LoveFighter: Why were you panicking?

Me: Oh you know, the usual. Bears were chasing me and I needed a hand.

LoveFighter: A hand?

Me: Well, a body to take place of my body so the bear wouldn't chase after me.

LoveFighter: But who would tell you that you're awesome?

Me: Tj, I'm sure you could fight the bear.

LoveFighter: Anything for you.

Me: Pfft, I doubt that you could fight a bear and win.

LoveFighter: That's not bear-y nice of you to say.

Me: Tj, I'm going to learn how to fight, find you like some Liam Neeson mother fucker and kick your ass for that joke.

LoveFighter: Pfft, I say bring it on, Liam Neeson.

Me: Are you sure? I can kick ass.

LoveFighter: I'm positive plus you said you're going to learn how to fight. That tells me that you don't know how to fight just quite yet.

Me: I'm going to learn.

LoveFighter: And who is going to teach you?

Me: A friend.

LoveFighter: That one guy that took you to the movies?

Me: Possibly.

LoveFighter: Seems like you guys are pretty close.

Me: Maybe, there's a small chance.

LoveFighter: What do you mean by maybe?

Me: I mean, there may be a slight chance that I may actually like spending time with him.

LoveFighter: Really?

Me: Yeah, why?

With a smile on my face, I eagerly waited for his reply. Sad, but then again, I didn't have anything else to do. It was cold and talking to Tj was somewhat helping the iciness. His pun was actually funny and made me laugh, covering the rattling of the trees outside. Now would have talking to Thorin made me laugh even more? There was the possibility but I thought maybe it was safe to keep my distance except for the fighting.

I didn't want to perv on him or have him think there was the tiniest idea that I didn't mind his company or his dimples. Plus maybe if I only spent that time with him, I would realize that I was probably drugged and that these irrational thoughts of me and him together are a side effect of some brain-eating drug.

More minutes had passed and no answer. Now, I didn't want to see clingy or that annoying bitch who texts her boyfriend a million times so my ass just laid there, waiting for Tj to answer me. Maybe he was getting ready for something or maybe he was freaked out about what I had said.

Panic began to settle in. It wasn't like the panic with the people this was the panic as in I'm a fucking dumb ass.

LoveFighter: Hey, I have to go.

He finally answered.

Me: Oh, okay.

Was I a little hurt that the conversation was suddenly cut short? A little bit.

Me: Talk tomorrow?

LoveFighter: Maybe.

What did that mean?

Ayyyeeee! Here you go, another late chapter lmao. I'll try to update this Saturday because things are starting to get juicy. Once again, I have to apologize for giving you guys late responses to your comments. I will try harder to make them quicker but shit happens lmao. Anyway, remember:

Comment; what do you think is going on with Tj? What's up with his late response? HMMMMMMMMMm.

Vote; Maybe voting will help speed up Tj's responses and not just leave Flora hanging?

Share; Have a crush? Show them this story! ;D

Thanks for reading! ALSO HOLY SHIT, THIS STORY IS AT 25K! I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD DO SOMETHING BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT. COMMENT WHAT YOU GUYS THINK I SHOULD DO TO CELEBRATE THIS HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT!!!!