The Morning After

I stumbled through the house, trying to find Johnny. I finally found him in the kitchen, sipping a cup of coffee and staring out the window. He turned to me as I entered, a concerned look on his face. "Hey, how are you feeling?" he asked, setting his cup down. I rubbed my temples, trying to ward off the lingering headache. "I'm okay, I guess," I replied, trying to sound more awake than I felt. Johnny nodded sympathetically. "Did you sleep well?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with amusement. I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Uhh, yea, I guess," I replied, trying to stifle a yawn. Johnny raised an eyebrow. "Maybe dream about something or… someone?" he asked, a sly grin spreading across his face. I felt my cheeks flush as I thought to myself, How does he know? I quickly shook my head, trying to play it off. "N-no," I stammered. Johnny chuckled, his grin growing wider. "Yeah, well, you were saying my name," he said, his eyes glinting with mirth. My eyes widened in horror as I realized what he was implying. "WHAT NO I WASNTTTTTT," I protested, trying to defend my dignity. Johnny burst out laughing, his body shaking with mirth. "YES YOU WEREEEE HAHAHA," he teased, holding his sides. I felt my face grow hot with embarrassment as I realized that I must have been pretty out of it to have been calling out Johnny's name in my sleep. I glared at him, trying to play it cool. "Shut up," I muttered, trying to hide my smile. Johnny just laughed harder, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "I'm just teasing you," he said, still chuckling. "Don't be embarrassed." But I was already mortified. I poured myself a cup of coffee, trying to compose myself. "So, what's the plan for today?" I asked, trying to change the subject. Johnny's grin slowly faded, replaced by a more serious expression. "I was thinking we could go out and get some fresh air," he said, his eyes locked onto mine. "You look like you could use it." I nodded, feeling a little more awake now that the embarrassment had worn off. "Yeah, that sounds good," I replied, smiling slightly. Johnny smiled back, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I'll go get the car," he said, heading out of the kitchen. I watched him go, feeling a little more alive now that the morning had started. And a little more aware of Johnny's teasing gaze.