The Barren Thorns: I Know You ✔️

Chapter 3: Dreams

Author's Note: Just a reminder, The Barren Thorns has a Spotify playlist that I suggest. For each chapter published, there are 3-5 songs that set the aesthetic, somewhat. Really it's just a great playlist of rock songs. Each chapter's playlist starts with the chapter title song. Find it here: https://open.spotify.com/user/lilyfedorko/playlist/0CQIXOMPlBEiYe6Wa6xGzM?si=pzkoHmUJTIKNuoI7xW4p5Q - it's titled The Barren Thorns if you are to search it.

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Let's rock and roll...

"Shhhh!" She admonished to whoever was behind her. In a moment, the mystery was revealed as Leo's head poked in above Ellen's and they both grinned goofily as they looked back at us. I shook my head and looked at Desmond who, it appeared, had never really stopped smiling over at me. I rolled my eyes playfully. And looked back at our obviously drunk friends.

"You do know we can see you, right?" I teased. Leo snickered and Ellen must have rear kicked him because he bent over and let out a string of curses while Ellen came barging in.

"I told him to be quiet but did he listen?" She scolded as Leo came in behind her.

"You two are the worst spies in history, quite possibly worse at spying than I am at staying mad at this woman." Desmond gestured to me with a flirtatious smile.

"Why would you be mad at her? She's the greatest thing since tequila." Ellen insisted setting herself on the armrest behind me so that my head lay in her lap.

"Tequila makes you sick," I corrected looking up at her.

"No," she put up a finger, "tequila and an entire Domino's pizza makes me sick." I heard Leo laugh and watched as Ellen sent him a bone chilling glare.

"Good to know. But to answer your question, I was trying to be mad at her for not knowing how enchanting she is." He smiled sweetly at me as my cheeks were set aflame yet again. No wonder I kept acting without thought, all the blood was in my cheeks.

I tried to hide my face but Ellen's hands were on my head and she was tilting it up to look at her. "He loves you," Her drunken voice murmured plenty loud enough for everyone to hear.

"She's probably not wrong," Leo's voice was slow and slightly slurred as he spoke to me. He'd sat himself on the chair that Desmond had originally been in. Ellen released my head to hold herself up while she giggled uncontrollably. I looked over to Desmond expecting to see him in some form of embarrassment or anger but what greeted me was the opposite. He was grinning like a child with an ice cream cone. I instinctively grabbed a pillow from the floor and chucked it at his head. It bounced off him and he continued grinning at me. Clearly aware that my face was redder than ever because he wasn't telling them 'no'. "I mean he did come to a party for you," Leo added as he got up and headed for the mini bar.

I looked from him to Desmond in confusion. "That wasn't just a line?" I couldn't stop myself from saying.

Leo began to laugh, hands on his knees and tears in his eyes by the time he was done. I was looking shocked at Desmond who was incredulously glaring at his band mate. "No, Boneen, that wasn't a line," Desmond replied as he turned his attention back to me and began massaging my feet again.

"It is so adorable that you think Desi boy has game like that." Leo teased opening a Stella and handing it to Ellen before reaching for another for himself.

I peered at Desmond, now he was blushing ever so slightly as he concentrated intently on massaging my feet. I was about to say something when he ran his thumb along the arch of my foot and instead of words, an audible moan came out. Ellen choked on her drink, Leo chuckled into his beer, and Desmond tensed before grinning at me. Just when the embarrassment had left my cheeks, it was back again. "Sorry, his hands are like magic." I squeaked and laughter erupted from Ellen and Leo as Desmond's dimples were coated in a slight red.