Collision

vi. Nerves

Nerves: my worst enemy.

I needed to get my freaking head together. This wasn't a date; it was just a friendly, little get together that Reese wanted me to attend because we're friends. We were just watching a terrifying movie. Besides, Drew and his boy toy were coming, too. There was absolutely no reason to freak out, but there I was, tripping over an obvious shoe on the floor.

I yelled, "Drew, what did I f'ing tell you about leaving your shoes. . ." I realized where I was stepping, "on the shoe mat, where they're supposed to be. . . Never mind!" I mumbled to myself and felt really idiotic.

Drew walked over to me and put his hands firmly on my shoulders, "Winnie, you need to calm down. Everything will turn out, okay?" he smiled and I smiled back weakly.

"Okay." I sighed and slipped my shoes on and grabbed the keys from their spot on the counter. "Come on, let's go."

* * *

About ten minutes later, we arrived to Reese's apartment complex. It was a nice building; the outside was a dark blue with white shudders.

Reese and his roommate were in room 24, so it would be on the second floor. Great, elevators. I never have liked elevators. I never enjoyed going on them when I was younger; I always wanted to take the stairs because they made me so nervous. There is always a chance that you can get stuck in one and that results in me having an anxiety attack. That wouldn't be very great.

And then there's the stairs. What if someone who'd just killed a person came through one of the doors on the floor I happened to be on? I would be murdered.

I needed to stop.

Thinking as such wouldn't help me.

Drew talked me into going in the elevator because stairs take more energy for him and Charlie. I reluctantly did as he wished. Damn his eyes.

Once we made it to the second floor, my nerves went from bad to worse. My palms were sweaty and my head hurt; this was normal when I was nervous. Drew had to practically drag me to Reese's apartment door.

24, it read.

Now, all I had to do was knock. I put my hand in a fist and moved it to the door and knocked oh-so-lightly.

"Are you kidding me?" Drew said, "I doubt anyone could hear that ever. Let me show you how to knock properly, Winnie." He smirked as he knocked loudly on Reese's door.

"Yeah, because waking up the dead is so much better. . ." I mumbled to myself. Drew shot me his glare of death and suffering.

The door opened revealing a guy that looked about the same age as Reese. This must've been his roommate.

"Hey, I'm Derek. Nice to meet you guys, especially you. Wynter right?" he winked me and motioned for us to come inside. Derek made me nervous, but what else is new. It was probably just my nerves assuming things.

Their apartment was nice. It was very guy-ish because of the small messes here and there, but other than that, it was a lovely abode.

What happened next startled me; Derek slung his oddly muscular arm around my shoulders as he called for the boy I truly wanted to see. I shrugged him off of me in an awkward manor. I don't think it was just my nerves that made me freaked out about him.

Thankfully, Reese came down the stairs with a black cut-off and skinny jeans. His tattoos were showing and I was trying my hardest not to swoon at the sight, but I kept my uncool rather well.

"Hey, guys. Wynter." Reese smiled widely as he side-hugged me. My heart felt as if it skipped a beat at his touch; I would be dead if that were true.

I stood as the guys chatted. I kept feeling a pair of eyes on me. Hoping it was Reese's eyes, I was mildly disappointed when I found that it was in fact Derek's pale green eyes staring at me. Saying he gave me the creeps was a bit of an understatement.

I didn't mean to be so judgemental the first time I met the guy, but I couldn't help but feel nervous around him. And it wasn't in the good way that Reese made me feel.

The nerves Reese caused were somewhat pleasant and I didn't mind feeling that way. He gave me wildebeests that I had no control over and I enjoyed it in a weird way that I'd never felt before. The way a simple smile could make me turn red and look down at my feet out of embarrassment was odd yet amazing. . .

The nerves Derek gave me, on the other hand, weren't so pleasant. He made me want to curl up in a bulletproof ball and never unravel. His wandering eyes made me feel as if he was undressing me with his eyes; I wouldn't be surprised if that was exactly what he had been doing at that moment. Derek was handsome, but you could tell he was no good.

Reese led me to their tan couch and sat me down so he could go get the popcorn. I sat on one of the ends so I didn't have to sit by two people. I was hoping for the one person to be Reese, but, to my dispair, Derek decided to sit next to me instead.

My once excited smile turned into an uncomfortable one. I sat back awkwardly and tried really hard to not look at him even though his stare was burning the side of my pale face. I was silently hoping he wouldn't try making conversation, but, of course, my hopes were crushed.

"So Reese tells me you're single." My heartbeat quickened at the mention of Reese talking about me.

"Oh yeah?" I humor the desperate fellow. I regreted it once he slithered his muscley arm around my shoulders.

"Yeah, he also tells me you're into art," I might've judged this seemingly bad guy too quickly. "I heard artistic chicks are kinky." And there it was. The lousy excuse for flirting.

I looked over to Drew and Charlie, begging for help. Drew was trying hard not to laugh and I wanted to kill him. Charlie gave me an apologetic look, but continued to talk to Drew. I was a lost cause.

"W-where did you hear that?" I needed away from him or I was going to vomit. I was feeling claustrophobic and that never ends well.

"Oh, just th-" Derek was cut off by Reese coming in with three huge bowls of popcorn.

"Get out of my spot, Derek." Reese spoke. I was very grateful for his confidence against this weirdo, but my gratefulness turned into shock when I heard Derek chuckle.

"Yeah, no. I'm good right here. Thanks though."

Reese looked pissed off, but shook it off when his eyes met mine. He sent an apologetic smile towards me, obviously sensing my discomfort.

He put the DVD in and played it, sitting on a recliner too far away from me for my liking.

This was going to be a long night.

* * *

About ten minutes into the movie, Derek got up, excusing himself to the bathroom. I sighed in relief. Thankfully nothing scary had really happened yet, so I didn't cling onto him out of habit.

I looked sadly to Reese who had already been looking at me. He quickly looked to the TV and smiled. I couldn't help but do the same. The next thing he did surprised me quite a bit. Reese got up from his-or Derek's-recliner and sat next to me where his clingy friend sat before.

I looked over to him, but had to look up because I had been slouching. Reese smiled down at me and I giggled like a little school girl.

"Thanks." I said without thinking.

"For what?" he asked lightly laughing.

"Well, for inviting me tonight and, you know, saving me from Derek. . ." I laughed and he joined in quietly, not wanting to wake Charlie and Drew, who were passed out in the love seat.

"It's my pleasure, love." There were those wildebeests again. Hell, who was I kidding? They never leave with him around. And I was perfectly okay with that.