Caught In The Way You Got Me (Book One)

Hey Moon, Don't You Go Down

Her words ease me slightly but not enough. I guess I will just have to see...

I step out and get the car door for her. When she's out she rings the buzzer.

"Yes?" The male voice asks.

"Davey?" She coos into the intercom. He buzzes her in right away and we step inside. Where Asteria's building is artsy his is modern. I can't picture someone on the edgier side living here. Rent must be cheap. What does this guy even look like? My thoughts are answered when she steps out of the elevator and a giant grabs her by the shoulders. He lifts her off of the ground with ease and shakes her.

"WHAT DID YOU DO ASTERIA?! DID YOU WEAR THE BOOTS?! OH GOD YOU DID! IS IT MY FAULT?! WHAT HAPPENED?" he screams at her.

"David! Put me down!" She commands and the giant obeys. I pop my head through the elevator door.

"Is this a bad time?" Asteria is red with embarrassment and David quickly matches her shade.

"Sorry, I uh- I'm Davey," he holds out his hand. This guy literally looks like the Man of Steel actor and it's hard to believe there has never been anything there. He literally looks just like Superman. I try to shake as firmly as I can but he's much stronger than me.

"So...you guys thought that.. A romantic night consisted of my apartment? Asteria you have your own," he nudges her and she rolls her eyes.

"We're here for movie night you fucking dumb ass." I burst into laughter. So sweet until you hit her nerve. David shoves her and I try not to get uncomfortable with how rough he is; until she shoves him back and he actually stumbles. "Go open the damn door!"

He looks at me, shrugs, and unlocks his apartment.

"Sorry it's a mess, Brendon. I wasn't actually planning on too many visitors. Good news is I just ordered pizza?" I nod. I know I'm being awkward but she didn't say he could make the straightest of men question their sexuality.

"Um, Brendon?" She asks in a tiny voice. "Wanna come pick a movie with me?"

I'm reminded of a small child asking their parent for a toy. I follow her into the living room and she's going through Netflix. She rests her head on my shoulder.

"Any genre that you feel like watching?"

"Comedy?" She gives a small nod, her head still on my shoulder and scrolls through the list of movies. David comes in with a bean bag and I have to do a double take because I haven't seen one of those in over a decade. He streches out on the floor, giving us the couch. We all decide on Stepbrothers right when the pizza arrives. David disappears into the kitchen and returns with plates of pizza and cups filled with liquid that smells like cinnamon.

"That's fireball and angry orchard," Asteria says excitedly. "Well it's cherry soda too, but I don't know. Taste it!"

"If you don't like it I've got beer," David offers. I can't help but feel the awkardness in the air but the drink is great and it'll help the situations. A few minutes into the movie and our drinks and the dynamic changes completely.

We've bursted into an acapella version of Sweet Child Of Mine, going along with the movie and the entire time we've been quoting along with the actors. So David isn't so bad. He's ridiculously good looking but, if I'm gonna lose, I don't mind losing to him. Asteria stays next to me the whole time, which I'm very happy about. But Asteria falls asleep before the movie ends with her head in my lap and I play with her hair.

"So what happened?" David asks. Not in a challenging way. In a concerned way.

"These girls came over to the table and ruined the date. She told me that she had forgotten about movie night so I figured why end the night young? Sorry for inviting myself." He shakes his head to indicate he doesn't mind.

"That happened before or after I messed it up?" He laughs. "I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean to. I didn't realize when she said you asked her to dinner that it was the same day. I worry about her...she's... Had her problems." We both push our hair back out of stress.

"Can I ask you something?" I take a sip of my drink to finish working up the courage while he nods yes. "What's the deal with you two?"

He tries to mute his laughter, but he's unsuccessful and she stirs slightly. I pet her hair again and she seems fine.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh, man. We just constantly hear it. It's nothing like that. When we were kids, she got picked on a lot. I mean bad. And there was this one day these kids pinned her- literally pinned her down and tried to make her eat trash. And I mean I was the smallest kid in class but I just couldn't watch that. I snapped. I charged at them and tried to beat the living hell out of each one. And then I was her only friend."

"Oh God. No. That's not really how you guys know each other. You really are Superman." He laughs again.

"I'm told that a lot. That I look like the Man of Steel guy. I don't see it. But that's what really happened. That's always been how it is. I try to protect her. I guess it's a little creepy when boyfriends come into play. It's the same with girls. They see her and they get ridiculously intimidated. I mean I guess she's pretty yeah but. I don't know. I see her like...not like a little sister. But I don't see her like that." I nod while he talks and I can tell he's telling the truth. I guess it is almost like siblings.

"But let me be honest with you," he stands up, towering over me while I stay sitting on the couch and trying not to wake her up. "You hurt that girl, one silver hair on her pretty little head, or you disrespect her in any way, I don't care what band you sing in, I will make you regret it."

I nod tensely, not because my intentions are to hurt her, but because I might by accident. He waits for a second then smiles.

"She was really excited about this date with you. Sorry I fucked it up. I think she's slept enough." At first I think he's going to shake her awake, but he picks her up bridal style and pretends to drop her. "ASTERIA!"

She jumps awake and I can't help but laugh at how scared she got. I instantly feel awful but can't get myself to stop.

"David!" She punches him in the face and I've decided that I don't need to worry about David but about myself.

"Are you ready to go? Sorry I fell asleep. It's only midnight! It's the perfect time for ice cream!" She grabs my hand and pulls me out the door. Maybe not just for ice cream. Maybe on a journey I didn't realize I'd be going on.