ONE YEAR Earlier:
Elle’s P.O.V
“How is your brother doing?” Ian asked as he plopped down on my bed, taking residence next to me.
I shrugged my shoulders as I turned the television to Nickelodeon in order to watch some SpongeBob. The second SpongeBob was on, I reached into the tin can I had in my lap and pulled out a handful of delicious caramel popcorn. “He is in college,” The words tasted like acid as I said them because my brother had left for college last month and I hated it. I just couldn’t wrap my brain around why he had to go to Vanderbilt, which is ten hours away. He should have turned down Father’s family tradition, like I will be doing, and gone to some college in town.
Pushing all those anger filled thoughts out of my mind, I shoved the popcorn in my mouth.
“Well, duh! I know he is college! I was just asking how he's doing. How are Misty and him? Still together?”
“Last time I checked they were,” I stated with a mouthful. After a second of gnawing on the popcorn, I swallowed and continued talking. “However, I wish he would go ahead and break up with her. She is a control freak and will not let him out of her grasp. I was surprised that she let him go to Vanderbilt, yet, you know she just had to go to a local community college in that area. The girl needs to give him some space or he will dump her, like I’ve been suggesting.”
Ian smiled and I knew it was because I was talking, which was rare for me to do in the past month since Peter’s departure. “I thought you liked Misty?”
“You spend two years around her and trust me, opinions will change.”
Ian nodded, “Alright, well, how is your friend, Kat? Is she still dating that Michael guy?”
“Nope,” I said as I popped the ‘P’. “Like I’ve told you before, she can’t keep a guy for more than three weeks. She keeps thinking they will break up or reject her. So, she dumps them before they do...”
“What about Randall?”
“He is at Lakwah, Lake with parents for the weekend ... but he is fine ... Did I tell you that he got accepted into University of Tennessee: Knoxville?”
Ian shook his head, “No, you didn’t.”
“Yep, he is thrilled ... that puts him at 15 hours away ... Kat is planning to attend a designer college in California. I have a feeling we are all going to split up.” Sadness coursed through me because it seemed like everything was coming to an end. Peter left, soon enough Kat and Randall will go to their colleges on opposite coast ... and here I will be.
“Do you know where you are going?”
I shook my head, “No, I haven’t really thought about it...” Sighing, I realized that I should probably start looking at colleges. However, I knew that in order to look for colleges, I should have some kind of idea of what I wanted to be. The idea of being a lawyer has always interested me. Yet, all growing up I knew that the idea of working as a personal lawyer for my dad, like he wanted, was not an option. I can see myself as being a public defender but at the same time I know there are so many other things I could do...
“It is okay, you’ve got time,” He explained.
“Says the one that has a full ride to an Ivy League school and is leaving next semester.”
Ian grinned at me, “We all have to grow up sometime.”
I rolled my eyes, “Yeah, but I don’t wanna!” I fake-whined with a smile on my face before shoving my mouth with more caramel popcorn.
Ian gave a chuckle as he watched me with humor dancing in his eyes. “You are getting crumbs all over your bed,” He told me.
“So?” I asked with a mouthful.
It was Ian’s turn to roll his eyes. Once he did, he began to open his mouth but stopped his attempt to speak when my door opened.
Standing in the doorway was my father; he locked eyes with me and nodded. “Elle.”
“Father,” I replied in our normal greeting.
I watched as he started to button his sleeve cuffs... “I have a charity event to go to at Windermingle Hall downtown. And as you are aware, or I presume you are aware, Ian’s mother is at her sister’s house because her sister is sick. So, this leaves you guys home ... alone. While I may not favor that thought and idea, it seems there is very little I can do about it.” Father looked at me sternly, “I expect you to behave, no drinking, no trashing the house, and no friends over.”
“Wow, the stick up your ass is really far,” I stated.
Dad gave me a heavy glare, “I will pretend I didn’t hear that.”
“Whatever makes you leave the house thinking you are Dad of the Year.”
Father released a hefty sigh, “Elle, we rarely talk. Can you please refrain from your sarcastic mouth for two minutes?”
“No can do. I speak what is on my mind.”
When he was done buttoning his cuffs, Dad dropped his hands to his side. “Because you can’t put a muzzle on that mouth, the security alarm to the house will be on, meaning you are not to leave this house or I will know-”
“Oh, I am scared,” I stated as I gave a fake shiver.
Narrowing his eyes even more, Father spoke, “You will be if you want to keep your car.” With that said he walked out of my doorway and down the hall.
“Elle, he is your father-”
“Don’t say it,” I pleaded for I knew what was about to come out of his mouth.
“You should treat him with some respect.”
I groaned at his words, knowing he was right. “I know, I know. However, when he is around I just can’t control my mouth. Words just come spilling out at their own accord.”
Ian shook his head at me, “Well, now because of that mouth of yours we can’t leave the house.”
I rolled my eyes, “Do you do everything everyone tells you?” I questioned right before leaping off my bed and racing out of the room.
“Elle! Don’t do it!” Ian shouted as he tried catching up with me.
I walked into one of the front rooms and peered through the shades. Soon enough I watched as Father’s black Audi pulled out of the driveway. Smiling, I knew it was game time.
“Elle, I know what you are thinking, but let’s be reasonable,” Ian pleaded as he reached me.
“Don’t be such a party pooper! I am just going to have a little fun,” I smiled.
“Last time you said that, I woke up in a corn field twenty miles from here.”
I gave Ian a grin because that was a really fun night. Of course, Ian doesn’t remember that night because he was drunk as a skunk. Guess you can blame me for that...
“You don’t have to have fun,” I teased as I started to walk towards the kitchen.
The second I got in I went to the far right cupboard and opened it. The second the doors opened I was confronted by several large bottles, all practically filled to the brim showing that no one intended to drink them.
Sighing, I reached in and grabbed one of the first bottles I saw. “Shame my dad doesn’t drink a lot. He has some really yummy drinks.” I stated as I peered down at the label, on the dark (almost black looking) bottle, to see that I’d chosen “Bunnahabhain”, which was an eighteen-year-old scotch that, from what I remembered, was very tasty.
“Your dad said no drinking,” Ian told me as he walked over to me.
I rolled my eyes, “When have you ever known me to follow his rules.”
“What about your car?” Ian questioned. “You heard him. He will take it from you if you don’t behave.”
“Behave, behave, behave,” I repeated in slight anger. “I am tired of that word or words that are associated with it, especially when it is spoken to me, because it makes me feel like a dog. But, newsflash,” I told him as I twisted the unopened top to the scotch, “I am not a dog, I don’t sit when people tell me to, and I most defiantly do not listen to my father’s commands.” With that said I took a huge gulp of the scotch. My face crinkled up as the liquor slid down my throat and burned. Taking the bottle from my lips, I tilted it in Ian’s direction. “What is it gonna be partner?”
“It is going to be me sober and trailing after you, making sure you don’t do something stupid.”
I shrugged, “Whatever you say, Randall.” I proclaimed as I called Ian: Randall, which Ian knew by my constant rants that Randall is a huge worry-wart that tended to never want to live on the wild-side of life.
Inhaling and exhaling loudly Ian snatched the bottle from my hands. “If anything happens tonight, I will not hesitate to blame you.” Ian stated and then chugged down some of the scotch.
I smiled, “What a great friend you are... and plus, what is the worst that can happen tonight?”
***
“Elle, wake up,” A male’s voice said.
Cracking open my eyes I saw Ian sitting up in the bed next to me. “Ian?” I muttered in confusion before shrugging it off that he was sitting next to me on the bed. “Five more minutes,” I stated as I rolled over to only find that the sheet slid over my bare skin as I moved. It was then that I realized I was naked under the sheets. Sitting up, quickly, I clutched my bed sheets to my chest. “Oh my gosh,” I mumbled as a headache started to form in my forehead area. “Please tell me ... we didn’t...”
Ian looked down at his lap, “Honestly, I don’t remember ... but it would seem we did.”
“Shit! Shit! Shit!” I shouted as I got off my bed, not forgetting to wrap the sheets around my naked body. “I can’t believe this!" I cried at myself for being so foolish as to getting drunk and ... and having sex with my best friend.
Ian leaped off the bed and walked over to me. He embraced me in a tight hug, “Don't cry, please.”
Those words were easy for him to say because he lost his virginity three-years-ago with his girlfriend at the time. Yet for me, this was my first time. To think I was going to save myself for my husband ... not for a drunken night where I couldn’t remember anything...
I attempted to push Ian away but that only made him hold me tighter. “Elle, calm down.”
“Calm down! How do you expect me to ‘calm down’?”
“You can start by controlling your erratic breathing.”
For some reason, I heeded his instruction and tried to bring my heavy - panicked - breathing back to its normal pace.
“There you go,” Ian stated a few moments later.
“Are you hugging me naked?” I asked as I realized that his chest, that I was pressed against, was bare.
“I’m wearing boxers ... I think I slipped them on ... after...”
I sighed and buried my head in the middle of his chest, “What are we going to do?”
“That is up to you...”
“What do you mean?” I questioned as I removed my head from its current position and looked up at Ian.
His blue eyes stared down at me with an unreadable expression. “Elle ... I’ve liked you since the first time I met-”
“What? ... You-You like me?” I spoke in utter shock.
“...Sorry if I never made it obvious ... but ... yes...”
“I-I ... I don’t know ... what to say...”
“I like you too,” Ian said through a nervous chuckle.
My shoulders sagged, “I - I don’t know...”
Ian nodded at what I said as his icy blue eyes looked away from me. He was feeling rejected, I could see it in his eyes and while I wanted to comfort him ... I knew now was not the right time.
“Thank goodness I am on birth control,” I blurted out as I took a seat on the edge of my bed.
“...You phone was ringing this morning ... I saw it was your father. I didn’t answer but he left a voicemail saying that the charity fund raiser ran into late last night, he ended up checking into a hotel across the street from the Windermingle Hall. He stated that he was going to be home in an hour...”
I sighed for every word Ian said was dripping with sadness. I glanced up and over at him, “Ian-”
“Don’t. I know what you are going to say ... just don’t...”
A bubble of irritation felt seconds from escaping my mouth in a form of a scream. I was upset, upset that I couldn’t explain myself. Looking back at it, though, I could see where he was coming from as I remembered confessing to Randall and being rejected a year ago. However, the circumstances were much different. I didn’t really like Randall like I thought I did and was quick to get over it. Yet, it was clear that Ian really did have feelings for me and it was going to take time for him to heal. “Okay,” I stated as I decided that it was not the wisest choice to speak up just yet. “I-I am suppose to go back home today,” I admitted out-loud.
“I will leave you to get ready.” With that Ian walked out of my room.
I sat there for a few minutes thinking that this cannot be happening to me...
***
Present Time:
“Here take this,” A voice spoke the second my eyelids started to flutter open.
Looking next to me, I saw that Bryson was standing beside the bed and holding out, in one hand, a glass of water and in the other, a white pill. “What is it?” I asked in a half-asleep voice.
“It is your headache medicine. You need to take it. Now.” His voice was leaking in demand as he furthermore reached out in my direction.
“Okay, okay,” I mumbled as I sat up in my bed and took the water, along with the pill.
“You're scaring me, Elle,” Bryson told me as he took the glass from my hands once I was done.
Resting my back on the headboard, I gave him a confused look. “How so?” I asked as I wondered why he was scared.
Bryson sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. “This isn’t normal. No matter what Dr. Rose says, I don’t think your headaches and passing outs are normal...”
I cracked a smile because Bryson was truly showing that he cared about me, which made my heart warm from the inside out. “Bryson,” I softly said as I placed my hand on his, “Don't be worried about me. I am a strong woman and can face anything life throws at me. This setback ... is just as it sounds ... a setback. I will get over it and Dr. Rose is right, I’m fine and this is normal. Trust the doctor and me.” Getting up from the bed, I sighed. “I am going to get in the shower,” I told him.
Bryson nodded but didn’t say anything as he started to swim in his deep thoughts.
Walking to the bathroom I closed the door and exhaled. Closing my eyes, I tried to understand everything that I just experienced in my memory-dream. It was complicated to say the least.
One main thought start to ring through my mind:
I wasn’t a virgin.
I had sex with Ian...
That thought made my stomach turn and flip because it sickened me that I gave up my V-card in a drunken state.
Slumping down to the floor, I tried not to cry at the mere thought that my life wobbled so much off balance in the past five years. In that short time I had screwed up my relationship with my father and did a thousand and one things I swore I was never going to do.
My memories also brought a million questions surrounding Bryson Wyatt.
It was clear in my most recent memories that the two of us were in no way close.
Yet, here I was engaged to Bryson and about to be married in two days.
For the first time ever, I laughed, “You're marrying a bastard that can’t tell his right hand from his left.” My lips clamped shut as I realized the words that just poured out of my mouth.
I can’t believe I said that, I thought with wide eyes.
Well, it is true. He is such a dick, another part of my mind thought.
I placed my hands over my ears as if someone was whispering those words to me.
Shut up, he is not a dick! I mean, he can be but-
Elle, wake up, he is our enemy. The guy used to pour Coca Cola on us for fun and make our high school lives a living Hell. He is a jerk and we don’t like him. Face it, this is all a lie. You know it! You hate him! Can’t you feel it? In the pit of your stomach every time you look at him? That is hate and loathing for him. He is nothing to us. He is our natural born enemy...
I squeezed my eyes shut, “I love him,” I muttered.
Love? You are not in love with him, Elle.
“I might not be but the eighteen-year-old me is...”
Really? Do you honestly believe that the eighteen-year-old you has changed her hatred towards him?
Sitting there on the cool tile floor, I knew the answer, yet I wouldn’t admit it out loud. “Go away.”
Not until you remember ... remember everything.
“Well, you might be waiting a while...” I whispered to the voice in my mind.
I have all the time in the world but we know that soon you are getting all your memories back. It is only a matter of time until you see that bastard’s true colors and when you do, well, that is when the fun begins...
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A/N:
I would ask how you guys like this chapter but I am afraid I am going to get a lot of angry people with pitchforks and torches.
I am aware that this chapter, with what happened to Elle and Ian, was ... unexpected. However, I’ve been planning this chapter out ever since the middle of Chapter 7 when Elle got done talking with her brother, Peter (when he called her and demanded that she leave Bryson’s house), and she had a thought of “Little does he know I don’t have an innocent bone in my body.”
It was then that I knew she had a sexual encounter with someone. Honestly, I wanted her to have some experience and not let her be some “walking virgin cliché”. Elle is more dynamic than that, she has brass and need a little experience. Whether you agree or not, that is how I felt. : P
Anywhoo, even if you hate my story and are not going to comment or vote, please SMILE! I love when people smile! So, for the love of rainbows and sunshine, SMILE!
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TheFirstWinterSnow's (Maddy's) Comment:
Alright, this time I'll get straight to the point...
First and foremost, I liked this chapter a lot. I thought it was extremely good, and - as usual - very well written.
Now, that being said. I need to be honest about my feelings towards it...
There was a lot to be taken in with this chapter. I don't think I need to explain all the reasons why I think that. But, I will, however, point out what got to me the most...
Although I like Elle (and I really, truly do, by the way) and do completely understand why she is towards her father the way she is, and, honestly do not blame her for acting so disrespectful like that ... I gotta admit that ... for a split second towards the beginning of the chapter, the way she was talking to him ... It ticked me off a little. Just a little. But I won't elaborate on that.
And then the part about her having sex with that Ian guy ... that was a shocker. I did feel a little bad for him after it happened though. Getting rejected like that ... and after sleeping together too ... man ... that really must suck. But, in a strange kind of way, I did feel a little bad for the guy.
I am still unaware of what I think about Ian ... he's made me a bit suspicious from the get-go. I do understand a little more 'why' now, but, not 'fully' quite yet. I don't dislike him though. I don't have any reasons to. Not yet, anyway...
I never know what the hell is going through that mind of yours ... I also don't always know what you're planning ... It should scare me ... luckily, I don't scare easily (And, no, that's not a challenge. Don't go getting any ideas ...).
I do get irritated easily though. And, though I really did like this chapter - as stated above -, it did irritate me quite a bit at times.
I do hope you update soon. I wanna know what happens next! :)