The Bad girl goes Good

Chapter 27 - There ain't no rest for the wicked

Hey guys it's Cerise. I know sorry isn't sorry if I keep doing the thing over and over again, but uni has been so hectic, first mid semester exams, then the fact that I've actually had to drop out of one of my subjects and all this chaos, has caused this massive delay in updating.

This chapter is kind of boring because there's just a lot of information I need to include as background for the next chapter (the BIG CHAPTER) and it's been so long since I've written that the style of speech I write for Ryan is slipping a little so he might sound OOC :(
Anyway I hope you enjoy guys and that you also forgive me!!!
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RYAN'S POV

When will I ever get things right?

As soon as I handed Melissa the t-shirt and she put it on, I turned to leave the room. But her hand shot out and pulled me back, pressing herself up against my arm as she prevented me from leaving.

"Do you need something else?"
I asked, confused as to what her intentions were.

"I'm so embarassed Ryan!" She whimpered.

"Ah, um, don't worry I'm sure neither of them will bring it up again."

"Are you sure?" She looked up at me with teary eyes.

"Yes I am, but I'm going to explain it to them just in case." I said, hoping to appease her so I could leave already.

"Thank you Ryan!" She gushed dramatically.

But after taking just one step away from her, she let out a shrill "Wait!"

"What's wrong?'" I was starting to feel frustrated.

"Oh nothing, I think I can find the bathroom by myself,"

"Ok, I'll be back soon." I told her. It felt like she was purposely stalling me or something, maybe it was just my imagination.

Imagination or not, by the time I got around the corner they weren't in the other room like I first thought. I checked all over the house, I even checked Brad's room upstairs but they weren't there either. (I must admit I was relieved)

Standing at the banister I heard the swish and thud of the front door being opened and shut and I raced downstairs, only to find Brad walking back inside.

I opened my mouth to speak but he just patted me on the back as he passed by.

"That's some girl you've got there." He said, exhaling audibly as his hand rested brotherly on my shoulder.

"Why did she leave?" I asked.

"I sent her home" he said briefly, blinking at me like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"What, why?!" I protested.  Once again I managed to blow my chance at making things better between Ava and I.

"What why to you too!" He tsked, "Topless girls in the sitting room with wet patches on the skirt  around the crotch when did you start thinking with your dick not your brain?"

"Are you kidding me Brad?" I said irritatedly, loosely shrugging out of his hold. I thought that as my brother he would know me better than to think I would do something like that.

But all at once a sinking feeling of fear and regret that that was the same conclusion Ava had come to, grew in the pit of my stomach.

"Is that what it looked like?" I asked Brad fearfully.

"Calm down, anyone could tell that somehow she'd spilt water or a drink on herself and you oh-so-chivalrously offered her a dry shirt to wear." He assured me as we stepped back into the kitchen.

"...it was champagne," I explained. "I accidentally bumped her at the luncheon and mom insisted I take her back here, and I just didn't expect her to have taken her top off before I even came back with the t-shirt..." I rambled, I could feel my cheeks heat up slightly at the embarrassment of the memory.

I mean, it was awkward to have seen her in that state let alone being caught by my brother and the girl I'm in love with (who were looking friendlier with each other than I liked, i'll admit...). But that was the only reason I blushed. The embarassment of the situation only. I felt no attraction towards Melissa, not even an ounce of lust.

How could I when I remember so vividly how it felt to have once had a nearly naked Ava, *cough*, grinding on my lap...

"Yeah well that's the kind of explanation you should have given us the second we walked in on your little debacle." Brad admonished, breaking me out of my reverie, "I'm guessing Ava is astute enough to figure out what really happened but in any case, for anyone it would be pretty awkward to walk in on the guy you like with your arch enemy semi-naked." He mused.

I disliked the way Brad sensationalised everything, and the way he waltzed back into my life and made it seem like he knew everything that was going on.

"Brad you've only known Ava for a couple of hours, so don't act like you know anything about her at all. Also, she's made it clear she doesn't feel the same way I do." I said bitterly.

His face scrunched up in distaste and he looked at me like he was disgusted by my apparent lack of intelligence, "What is with the two of you and all of this angsty teen drama? I swear my highschool life was never this complicated..."

"You don't need to remind me of that Brad, I'm well aware of how easily you glide through life." I said, quite put out. My manners were slipping, I hate to be rude but I always feel provoked whenever my brother is around; worse still when I know he's trying to mess with someone I care about.

"And you're right, I don't really know that much about Ava but I know enough to tell that she is a genuinely good person underneath all that sarcasm and sass." He added as he folded his arms.

It was then that I noticed how unguarded and expressive his face was.
Whenever he got in an argument with anyone he was usually the calm one, the voice of reason with an unnerving poker face. Why break that façade now? What had changed?

"And you forget that I've known YOU your whole life, so don't tell me I don't know anything about my own brother." He continued, raising an eyebrow that challenged me to go against him.
He did have a point there.

" I'm not going to interfere with your life, but –geez I can't believe I'm saying this to you of all people – just don't do anything stupid."

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

"What I mean is that you're young and confused and you think you know what's going on but you don't, you really have no clue about what some of the people in your life are actually like."

That was even more cryptic than what he previously said.
It sounded like he was simultaneously warning me not to trust some people and telling me to keep an open mind about others…

"Speaking of which, where is that redheaded viper now?“ he asked abruptly.

"Hey, watch your language,” I reprimanded him; Melissa hadn’t done anything yet that deserved being called names by Brad, “She went to the bathroom I think."

“Ok, whatever”

"And can we change the subject? I don't want to talk about this, whatever this is, anymore."

Shrugging his shoulders he diffused the tension in the room just like that.
I always liked that he had the ability to do that, I never could hide my true feelings very well and it always made situations like this…well more awkward.

“I don't know if mom told you already but the Elizabeth Weatherly society for eligible young ladies charity fete is coming up and we both know what that means.”