brick ; rach

Colton plopped himself down on the large couch, kicking his feet up, so he could use the arm rest as a pillow. He wasn't planning to sleep since his insomnia would only allow it so he'd screw up his sleep habits even more. He envisioned a tiny man, in his brain, working at a "control center" to plot against him. Cole smiled at the thought; he liked to make light of the situation. Sleeplessness just never seemed all that serious to him. He pulled out a thin paperback back book, worn over the years: Of Mice & Men. Everyone recommended it, but Cole just saw it as a waste of trees (just like the time he read The Great Gatsby for English 10). The former was just pointless to him and the latter was a mix of pointlessness (i.e. the parties, alcohol prohibition, drama - it would never concern him) and horrible writing (first-person is just disorganized formatting and cluttered thoughts). He tugged at the sleeves of his purple hooded zipper sweatshirt (he was strongly against the use of the word 'hoodie'), pulling them over his cold hands. It didn't help that he never wore anything heavier than a zipped-up jacket and straight-legged jeans. In his life survival guidebook, you never did anything that would draw attention to yourself. Just fly under the radar (and not right under, like seven feet, probably).

When it came to reading, sure, he did struggled here and there, but the dyslexia was never the problem. He was actually quite a good reader, his eyes just jumped to the next line or paragraph or ending. Then his mind would wander off and he'd think of minor details of his life (i.e. his lunch, food, another book) and then his little sister. Sometimes all the curly-headed boy thought about was his little sister's well-being. Amberlyn never liked their new step-father as nice he was. He always meant well, but it just got on Cole's nerves. He was a step-in father his whole life for his baby sister; they were doing just fine before Ana started dating this new guy.

He blinked back to reality and shifted his position upward. He hovered over the book, knowing the crick in his neck would form overnight, and tried to indulge himself into the story.

Cole practically jumped out of his skin when a girl plopped down beside him. He gave her a good once-over, raising his right eyebrow quizzically. Her dark hair was parted to her left, in a ponytail, and she was wearing a sweater, seemingly too big for her. She didn't have long legs, but they weren't stubby. She was proportional, at the least. He guessed she was up to his shoulders, at three to four inches shorter. She began talking to him about the book in his hands, saying what a "great book it was" and how she's "read it multiple times." That put him off.

He shut her down, looking back at his book, "Thanks for the input, but I didn't ask." he scooted away, forcing himself to read, before adding a snide comment (it was just his nature), "I'd rather gouge out my eyes like Oedipus than read another word." he grimaced, then sneered when he saw the beaten and worn copy of a really poorly written book in her hands, "That book is a rip-off of several books. Collins' half-asses her work. It's written at a fifth-grade reading level." he waited to get a rise out of her, leaning into his palm as he side-glanced at her.

"I can mumble to myself too." he responded under his breath, like a sibling purposely picking a fight. Cole cocked an eyebrow at her, mumbling, "At least I'm honest..." his voice trailed off as he turned the page, but sick of the nonsense, he tossed the classic on the coffee table, scanning the room. He scanned the large room for a section, he liked and before he could stop himself, he wondered aloud: "Do you have any decent book recommendations?" Then he slumped back into the oversized couch, wishing he had a cup of a caffeinated drink right now. He felt like death, but he couldn't fall asleep.

Two seconds later, he wished he didn't say anything. A yawn erupted from the boy and he scooted further from her, "Mm, nevermind. Whatever." He was too exhausted to listen to her and her voice drove him in circles, leaving him more confused than he started. When his eyes began to close, he didn't even try to blink himself awake: he just passed out on the arm rest. Asleep. "'Night, or something."