Falling In Love With My Best Friend (Watty Award 2011)

Chapter 23

© Copyright Nicole Nelson, 2011

Grace's POV-

I woke up to a pounding headache, feeling as if I was ran over by a dump truck. I moaned and reached for my head only to find out I wasn't alone. My arm was tangled up with someone else's arm. Not just someone else's; Brandon's.

My mind finally processed enough of last night's fuzzy memories to remember that Paul had attacked me and most that I had invited Brandon to lay in my bed with me.

How embarassing. I thought, groaning again when my head began to throb.

There was no sunlight streaming through the curtain and I glanced to my alarm clock to check the time. It read 4:55. Apparently I had been sleeping just long enough for the feeling of dizziness and silliness to wear off and now I was left with what was feeling alarmingly like the dreaded hangovers everyone complained about.

I felt Brandon stir next to me and rolled over to face him. He looked wide awake and I squinted in pain, reaching for my head again.

"My head is killing me." I complained.

He chuckled and reached for the nighstand. I winced again at the loud noise of his laughter.

"I'm glad you find this amusing." I said sarcastically as he handed me a glass of water and two aspirin.

I struggled for clarity and a detailed account of what happened as I swallowed the pills and washed them down with large gulps of water. My mouth was feeling like sandpaper.

“When is coach getting home?” Brandon asked after I had drank the entire glass of water. I winced again before answering, my voice sounding like sandpaper as well.

“Tomorrow night...But slow down. What happened last night?”

“You don’t remember?”

“No, I do. I mean...I remember some. But not everything.”

I tried to sit up straighter and ended up sharply hissing my next breath and wincing once again. Moving around seemed to make me nauseous and as one hand flew to my mouth my other hand flew to my tummy.

"Lay back down and get some more sleep." Brandon suggested, covering me up with my blanket again and gently pushing me back toward my pillow.

I followed his instructions since he definitely had more experience with this than I did.

 “Well...What all do you remember?” He asked reluctantly after I was settled.

 “I remember….Paul brining me a beer. And then I tried a marguarita. And I remember I was feeing pretty strange and I told him it was over...And then he was kissing me and I was scared and….me and Paul didn’t…???” I trailed off questioningly.

“No.” He replied firmly.

A sense of relief washed over me. 

 “I remember him taking off my shirt and that’s the last thing I remember clearly...” I trailed off, frustrated that I couldn't remember.

"I came and brought you home."

I sat silently, thinking of the implication of his statement. He had saved me from Paul, although he wouldn't say that. I nodded to let him know I understood.

“You should go back to sleep.” He suggested as he laid back down beside me.

I snuggled up beside him and looked him straight in the eyes across the dim inches that seperated us.