Chapter 16
"How did you find this?" I asked, taking another spoonful from the container.
"I was starving and found it in my search for food."
"I know why they never fed us this at the hospital. It's too good to share."
Brayden laughed. "Yes."
I took another bite of the ice cream then set my spoon on the bedside table. "This did cheer me up."
Brayden patted my knee. "I'm glad. That's all I wanted to do."
"Are you feeling any better?"
He sighed. "I don't know. But I do like it here. No rules, no doctors, no group sessions."
"I never had to go to any, honestly. I always talked my way out of them."
He elbowed my side. "Lucky you."
I laid back on the bed. "I don't know if that'd be better than this."
Brayden laid back beside me. "Julia, you have a good place to live, great food, and a mother. You've never been able to say that. Try and be grateful."
"I hope this isn't a guilt thing."
He smiled. "Oh, it is. I just want you to see that what you have is a good thing. Or it'll turn out to be that way."
I shook my head. "I hate you."
He laughed. "You know what we need now?"
"What?"
"More food."
I laughed and pushed him. "That sounds like a good plan. But can you cook?"
"No."
I sat up. "Then we have a problem."
He pulled me back down. "Maybe there's a cookbook or something."
"Then what are we still doing here?"
When Brayden was silent, I looked over at him, my eyebrows raised.
"What are you thinking?"
Brayden held my gaze for a few seconds before he leaned close and pressed his lips against mine. He slid his hand into my hair, holding our faces close.
I pushed against his chest. "I thought you were gay."
"I shouldn't have done that." He said, moving away from me.
"Brayden-" I watched him leave the room, his eyes cast toward the floor.
------------------------------------------------------
"Leave me alone." I said, my arms crossed tightly over my chest.
"I can go away if you want. Just leave the dream." Lucy said, walking up the steps onto the porch.
"I can't keep doing this."
"Julia-"
"I've spent my whole life thinking my parents were dead or abandoned be or something. I never planned on any of this happening. Excuse me for being a little upset."
Lucy walked over to me and stood behind me. I knew she wanted to get closer but she held back. For me. "I knew there was no right way to tell you. But you needed to know."
"What, so I could hate you for leaving me? Why would you... put yourself through that?"
"I want you to know that you can trust me."
I sighed and sat in one of the chairs. "I don't know who to trust anymore."
Lucy sat down beside me. "You're safe here. You and Brayden both. Aryan and I won't let anything happen to you."
I groaned. "Please tell me he's not my father."
She laughed. "He's not. Kellan is."