#8
Ayla's POV
It's been a week and in a couple days it is the 4th of July. All of us are going to a cabin for the week. And by all of us, I mean the Donnelly's and me. My parents aren't coming, they said they wanted some alone time so they are staying at the Donnelly's house.
We all got in the car and Mike started driving.
"How far away is it?" I ask
"About 4 1/2 hours" replies Jill
I sit next to Katie in the back of the car and Brennan and Ryan sit in the middle.
Say You Won't Let Go starts playing on the radio. I instantly start to hum to it. I love this song so much. On my wedding day, I want my first dance with my husband to be to this song.
I hum the song while looking out the window and thinking. Thinking about all the great things the future holds and thinking about all the bad things I get to leave in the past.
***
"Ayla" someone taps my shoulder.
I stretch and make an odd noise before opening my eyes and seeing Katie.
"We're here" she says.
I get out of the car, following everyone else. I grab my bag from the back of the car and walk towards the cabin. It is beautiful, the dark wood of the cabin contrasts with the bright flowers surrounding it. There is also a huge weeping willow tree that I can see towards the back of the cabin. Underneath the tree is a hammock. I can see the river behind the cabin, from where I am standing.
As we walk into the cabin Jill talks "there is only three bedrooms so Katie and Ayla will share a room, Brennan and Ryan will share a room, and Mike and I will share a room."
I fine with sharing a room with Katie for the week. We haven't gotten to spend much time together so this will be our chance to bond.
Katie showed me to the room we were staying in, there is a bunk bed pushed against a wall. On the opposite side of it there is a dresser along with a TV on top. There is other random decorations around the room. The room isn't big but it isn't super small either.
"Do you want the top bunk or bottom bunk" Katie asked.
"I'll take bottom, unless you want it"
"You can have it"
After I put my backpack on my bed, I grabbed a book and walked towards the door, "I'm going to sit on the hammock" I say to Katie.
"Okay"
The book I grabbed is The Fault In Our Stars. For some reason I love romance stories. Maybe it's because I don't have romance in my life.
I walk out the front door and over to the hammock. I tried getting on and fell right off. After a couple tries I finally managed to stay on the hammock and not fall off.
I open my book and start reading it. After about an hour I see Ryan start walking towards me. "Hey we are going to eat and then go laser tagging" he says.
"Okay" I say putting my book mark in my book and closing it. "Can you help me up, I feel like I'm just going to fall if I try"
He laughs "sure"
Ryan sticks out his hand, I grab it and he helps me up. I take my hand and ruffle his hair "thanks little bro" I say.
"Dang it, you messed up my hair"
"Oh sorry" I grab his head and try fixing his hair.
"You're only making it worse, I'll fix it myself" Ryan kinda complains.
We walk into the house and sit down at the table, spaghetti and meatballs are already on the table, along with garlic bread.
As we all eat, we talk about sports. Mostly because Mike and Brennan brought it up, not that I minded though. I actually enjoy sports.
***
I click the on button and see 11:37 flash up. I am currently laying in bed starting at the bottom of Katie's bed because I can't sleep. I turn my phone off and set it to the side. Ever since I told Brennan I wasn't ready for a relationship, he's kinda been backing off. We haven't kissed since the Farris wheel. We also didn't meet up in the middle of the night, the night after. I know he wants to accept it, but I understand that it isn't easy. I basically friend zoned him without actually saying it.
"Ayla" I hear Katie whisper.
"Yeah"
"Can we talk?"
"Yeah, just come down here"
I hear movement and Katie soon comes down the ladder, I sit up and move over so she can sit next to me.
"Um, I don't really know how to start this" she pauses "do you like my brother?"
"Yeah, Brennan's a good friend" I say, playing dumb.
"I mean as more than friends"
Do I like Brennan? I mean I did before I came here. But I didn't truly know him, just from what I saw in the videos. He's a really good person, and he definitely is cute.
"I think so" I say, unsure.
"What do you mean?"
"Before I actually met you guys I liked him, but there is only so much you guys can show in the vlogs. He is even better in person though. He has a great personality and is very attractive. But I had a boyfriend a couple years ago and he destroyed me, I just fully got over what he did, a little less than a year ago. And once I started remembering how bad a person can hurt you. I tried pushing my feelings away. But then when we kissed..."
"Oh my gosh you guys kissed?" She says kinda loud.
"Yeah twice. Shhh, you're going to wake someone up" I pause "when we kissed I felt more. But the feeling of being hurt keep coming back, even though it wasn't from him. And when he asked me out..."
"He asked you out? How come no one tells me anything?"
I laugh slightly.
"When he asked me out I told him that I'm not ready to be in a relationship, which is true. But it's because I'm so scared of being hurt again, because if I do get hurt again, I don't think I'll come back as good." I sigh.
"Brennan really likes you, and trust me I know. I have never seen him act this way before. I think you should give him a chance. He's different from your last boyfriend, and I can guarantee, Brennan would never intentionally hurt you. Please give him a shot" Katie practically begs.
"I'll think about it"
***
I didn't sleep much last night because all I could do was think. And I don't know what to do yet.
It's currently the afternoon and I am laying in the hammock and just watching the clouds.
Brennan walks towards me, wrapping his arm around my waist. He raises his hand and caresses my cheek. "I love you Ayla, and I promise to love you forever and never hurt you" he says.
"I love you too"
He leans in planting a kiss to my lips.
I think I know what my decision is.
Next thing I know I'm being shaken.
"Ayla, wake up. It's time to order dinner"
I open my eyes and look up at Katie.
"Dinner? Isn't it like noon?"
Katie laughs "no it's actually... 5:29, you've been sleeping since noon. Didn't sleep well last night?" She questions.
"No I was too busy thinking about what you said"
"Did you decide you're going to give him a chance?"
"I think I'm going to"
"Oh my gosh" she squeals, pulling me up and hugging her.
"Just don't say anything to him" I warn.
She pretends to zip her lips and lock it, before pretending to throw the key.
We walk into the house "what do you guys want for dinner?" Mike asks.
I start thinking, but Brennan instantly yells "pizza".
Pizza sounds really good right now.
"Yeah, pizza" I say
" you good with that?" Jill asks Katie and Ryan.
"Yep" Katie says.
"Yeah that's fine" Ryan also replies.
" what kind of pizza?" Jill asks.
" I'm good with anything" I say "just please don't put pineapple on it"
"I couldn't agree more" Katie says with a disgusted face.
***
About 20 minutes later, the door bell rings.
"I got it" I say getting up and walking to the door. I open the door and realize I forgot the money. "Oh shoot, sorry I forgot the money, one sec" I turn away from the door "Brennan, can you bring the money?"
"Yeah" he says.
I turn back to the pizza guy. He doesn't have the pizza in his hands anymore and he starts walking towards me. "Along with the money can I get a kiss" he steps really close to me and grabs my waist. "No" I say, as I place my hands on his chest and start trying to push away, but he holds me tight against him.
He grabs the back of head and crashes his lips on mine. I keep trying to get away but he holds on to me, moving one hand to my butt.
And just like that, he's gone. I look straight ahead and see him holding his jaw.
I hear a groan beside me and look to see Brennan bent over holding his... arm? Or wrist?
He hands me a 20 dollar bill, "give it to him and shut the door".
I grab the money, I shove it into the pizza guys hand. I quickly grab the pizza before shutting the door and locking it.
"Brennan, are you okay?" I ask.
"I should be asking you that, you're the one that just got sexually assaulted"
As I remember what just happened, a tear slips down my cheek. He quickly lifts his left hand and wipes my cheek, soon letting his hand drop.
I wrap my arms around his waist and pull him closer, he returns the hug. I silently let more tears fall. I don't like to cry in front of people. It makes me feel vulnerable.
I let go of him and step back, I notice him grab his wrist and wince.
"Let me see" I say
He holds out his arm, I look at his wrist and it's all puffy, I see a bone all purple and blue. Along with some of the top of his hand.
"Oh my gosh, what did you do?" I ask.
"I punched the douche that kissed you"
My decision was made.
"Brennan..."
***
A/N I really wanted to write a long chapter to make up for the last chapter, so here it is. It isn't as long as I wanted it to be, but I wanted it to end on a cliff hanger.