Saving Laurel

26. Balanced

Wes Thompson

I'm not as nervous for Ryan to come over this time.  And I can almost pretend like everything is fine as I listen to my mom sing to herself as she makes dinner for the three of us. Maybe four, if Brett stays much longer.

But that bookshelf has been driving me crazy, ramping up my OCD all day. I'm honestly surprised Brett is still hanging out, I've only gone behind him and messed with everything he's touched. Its probably annoying, I'm annoyed.

"Are you staying for dinner Brett?" My mom calls from the kitchen just a short distance to where we're on the couch playing video games.

I wish I could say I was smoking Brett but between my tics and my inability to focus I'm losing. Hard.

Good thing I'm not that competitive.

"No I gotta go after this game, thanks though." He calls back.

Whistling, my head jerks after, muscles pulling tight in my neck and instantly I know I'll be stiff from it tomorrow.

"Where you going?" I ask.

"Uh.." he hesitates just long enough for my gears to start turning and I catch the panic that runs through him. "Nowhere just home."

My intention is to cock my eyebrow like I absolutely don't believe him but I don't get that far, instead my shoulder lurches, than my head jerks to the left, sharp inhale and touch my nose.

"In fact I should probably take off now." Brett says, dropping his controller onto the coffee table. "I mean you were gonna lose anyway."

Letting out a snort, I discard my controller too.

"Who is it?" I ask, standing with him from the couch.

"What?" He blurts. "It's no one, nothing. It's nothing."

He's flustered and it only eggs me on. "Uh huh. Should I rope Ellie into this?"

His green eyes narrow at me. "Not cool."

"Sometimes you gotta just take one for the team right Brett." I slap him on the back, momentarily distracted from myself as I deliver his words right back to him.

His jaw unhinges for the briefest of seconds before it slams shut and he smiles. "I won't tell if you won't tell."

Fair enough. Not that I have much to tell. He has way more ammunition than I do. So I just offer my hand because I'm not stupid enough to pass up a truce and we shake.

My crush and whatever he's hiding can stay our secrets for a little while longer.

"See ya tomorrow bro." He calls to me as he gives my mom a hug.

I wave my hand and settle onto a bar stool, listening to the sound of the front door swinging open and Brett's voice as he greets someone.

It must be Ryan.

I don't even have to turn around to realize I'm right as I watch my mom's face light up, beaming with happiness as she tosses the towel to the counter.

Taking a deep breath, I prepare myself to suppress most of my tics. Especially the loud, vulgar ones, ya know ease him into it slowly. Don't want to scare the poor guy off.

"Hey Wes!" Ryan's wearing an equally big smile as he hugs my mom, kissing her cheek as they part.

I wave from where I'm seated, watching as he sets down a small tool bag. Instantly I'm fixated on it and where he's placed it and I already know his shoes need to be fixed and all of that building in my head with everything else makes me tic.