It was nearly 3 a.m. when the movie finished. Franny was still asleep on the couch, our empty glasses and decimated popcorn on the floor, our hands still entwined. One of her legs had stretched out, and I’d stared longer than I cared to admit at the curve of her calf, her smooth skin. I felt delirious, exhausted but still wide-awake. I gingerly untangled our fingers and slid up and off the couch slowly so as not to wake her. There was a gray knit blanket slung over the back of the couch, and I draped it over Franny. I grabbed our glasses and the popcorn bowl, and crept to the kitchen, sliding my socked feet along the old floors so as not to wake her with the sound of creaking wood.

Watching her sleep felt oddly personal and also quietly comforting, but then again—perhaps a little weird. Should I still be here? I looked at her front door; there was no way to lock it from the outside, so if I left now I’d be leaving her door open to the world. I pondered my plan as I rinsed out the cups and bowl, placing them on her dish rack. I felt strange staying, but leaving her here with her door unlocked just wasn’t an option.

That was it. I was staying. I took off my jacket and folded it over a chair. Then I grabbed a pillow off the couch to tuck under my head, and I lay down on my back, my body on the floor next to where Franny slept, dead to the world. I closed my eyes and thought about Moonstruck, and what it means to remember that falling in love is possible.

*  *  *

“Hayes?” There was a voice, and a warm hand, and something hard against my back. I kept my eyes shut, determined to stay asleep.

“Hayes.” The voice was firm now, the hand, too, pressing into my chest with a shake.

“Mmm.”

“Are you asleep on my living room floor?”

The voice jolted me awake. I had drifted off, forgotten that I’d decided to lie down until Franny woke up and I could leave with her safely locking the door behind me.

“Hey, yes.” I squinted my eyes open, and there was Franny’s face peering over the edge of the couch, lit up by sunlight.

“What are you doing down there?” She leaned over and tousled my hair gently, pushing it off my forehead.

I stretched my arms overhead. Shit, my back was killing me.

“You fell asleep during the movie, and I didn’t want to leave, because your door only locks with a key. I figured I’d stay until you woke up.”