Truth or Dare?

Wrong Time

My eyes dash across the landscape, frantically searching for the unknown man who took his time loitering by my car. I take steadying breaths and wrap my hand around Marcus's front door key in my pocket, ready to jam it into wherever I can on anyone who dares test me right now.

I know it's not Jackson but what if he's sent someone to threaten me. After all, he was leaving threatening messages for Marcus.

A big part of me was starting to feel completely and utterly ridiculous right now. I knew that I was massively overreacting and I blame Marcus and Roman for being so bloody paranoid that they pushed their paranoia onto me, the level headed one!

I hear rustling coming from across the street and my eyes catch sight of the man strolling leisurely along the edge of the pavement. He doesn't look this way but I can see he's waiting for something.

Just then I spot another figure emerge from the top of the street that I had been mere minutes before. Squinting my eyes did nothing to help me see who it was but the two men clearly knew each other. 

When they got closer I watched as they embraced and the penny suddenly dropped that it was Paul and his boyfriend, Justin. My heart rate started to calm instantly and I felt like a complete and utter fool. Roman was going to have a field day with how dangerous it is to be out at night and I clearly fed into his obsession with keeping me safe.

I slowly pulled my phone from my bra as I twisted my way around the pillar and walked silently to my car as to not pull the attention of the men who seemed to be having a moment of their own.

"Hey Roman, it's fine. It was just a colleagues' boyfriend waiting for them." I could hear the sigh of relief leave his mouth and then the rant that I knew was to come started.

"This is exactly why..." I completely tuned him out as I got into my car and locked the doors. I started the engine and enjoyed the few seconds of silence as the car searched for my phone and then I had the pleasure of my brothers booming voice coming through my speakers.

"...Fliss are you even listening to me right now?"

"Yes and no. Look I massively overreacted and I'm sorry. I won't do it again. I don't know why I got so freaked out about the guy. If Jackson was planning on upsetting me he would do it in person and I know that." I droned on.

"You think you overreacted? Really? How many times do I have to tell you to be more alert? The one time you have the sense to call me and tell me you're scared and you think you did something wrong?! Fliss for the love of God! I can't have anything happening to you alright. I'm glad you did what you did and you acted sensibly. I WANT you to call me when you need me." This was heartbreaking. I miss my funny silly brother.

"I'm sorry. Can we just have a film night and move on. I promise I won't hesitate to call you again in future but right now movie night with my best friend and my brother sounds like a dream come true." I put on my most pleading voice and curse that he can't see the puppy dog eyes and quivering lip that I'm putting on.

"Fine! But it's your turn to buy the food!" He hung up just as I was about to thank him but I know he's just trying to real in his temper.

When I get home the first thing I do is run to the bathroom to shower. I let the hot water wash over my skin and ease my tense muscles before I massage the shampoo into my hair, easing my headache a little. After a longer than necessary shower, I throw on some of my warm pjs. Just as I finish putting on my fluffy socks the door bell rings.

I run down the stairs and look through the peephole to see Roman and Alice standing there with smiles on their faces, only Romans looks like he's forcing it.

"Hey lovely lady!" Alice squeals as I let them both in. With the dead lock put back into place we all head into the living room where Roman is already quickly setting up Netflix and flicking through.

"How you feeling now? Rome told me about the guy by your car thing. Would've freaked me out too and I don't even have a crazy ex, not going to lie!" I loved how she was trying to make me feel better but I could see how her talking about it was making the muscle in Romans jaw tense more than it should be.

"I'm good! Moving on and wanting to just enjoy some fatty foods and a horrible film with people I care about." I smile as sweetly as I can at both of them and Alice clicks on immediately.

She pulls out her phone and starts to reorder our last pizza order on the dominos app with my card. Roman set up a film that I've never heard of before but it doesn't look too bad. And just like that I was happy and carefree once again.

It didn't take long for the pizza to arrive and we shared between the two boxes while watching some action film that I found really hard to follow. Maybe because my mind kept drifting off to how Marcus was at this very moment and whether he was ok.

I didn't realise how much I'd miss him and it's hitting me hard just how much he means to me. I've always had a little love for that crazy possessive man when I was younger but now it seemed uncontrollable. I couldn't wait to hold him again and feel his lips on mine...

"Hey! Are you even watching the film or are you too busy day dreaming about a certain sexy man God over there?!" Alice shouted from the other side of the sofa. My cheeks flamed and my eyes darted to Romans before I settled back on the screen once again.

"You know I'm sitting right here?" Roman said in a somewhat humoured voice.

"Yes, I'm well aware. You'd be a fool to think that man isn't beautiful Rome." She giggled and I couldn't help the little laugh that escaped my lips at her winding him up even further.

"Great! So my sister and my girlfriend think my best friend is hot!" He started to sulk like a child not getting his own way before me and Alice bust into fits of hysterical laughter at his expense. I knew he wasn't mad by the way he fought to keep his lips from twitching into the smile he was holding back.

The night seemed to go on similarly and I felt my eyes start to drift before feeling a blanket being placed over me and two kisses being pressed to my head. You'd think they were my parents. I heard the dead bolt on the door as they locked up before leaving and let myself drift back off in my comfortable spot on the sofa. Far too tired to drag myself to bed.

"Well I thought they'd never fucking leave!"

My eyes flew open at the sound of his voice and my heart pulsed inside my chest. Was I dreaming? Please be dreaming!

My eyes adjusted to the light and landed straight on the figure sitting on the edge of the sofa my brother sat just moments ago.

"How did you get in?" It came out as a whisper but I knew he could hear me. I felt like I'd already gone through my scare for the day and now I was faced with the real deal.

"Aww come on now Flissy. You know I can't stay away from you. We're meant to be together and I'm here to remind you of that."