;lkjasdf another update. really need to head to bed for school oops. thank you dysanic for the BEAUTIFUL cover. ignore weird mistakes and typos, enjoy the chapter :) xx
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Chapter Twenty Four: A Thousand Nights in My Arms
A light drizzle of rain had just begun to fall onto the city by the time we arrived back at my apartment. Jessica slipped off my jacket once we entered.
"Are you sure it's all right that I spend the night here, Reece? What about Mark and Rebecca?" she asked while pulling her camera off from around her neck and placing it on the coffee table. "Maybe I should just go back to the orphanage."
I rolled my eyes. "Don't be ridiculous, sunshine. Rebecca and Mark have been totally chill about our relationship, they definitely wouldn't mind if you slept over. You've done it before, remember?"
She still refused to drop her nervous questions as she opened her mouth and said, "Yeah but –"
"Hold that thought." I held up a finger and pulled open the front door again. I made the short walk across the hall to our neighbors and knocked on the door. Rebecca had left Chris at their place knowing that I was out with Jessica earlier.
Mr. Hudson answered the door and out came Chris, shining with his usual boyish happiness. He smiled and raised his fist for a fist bump. "Hey, Reece! You took so long to come get me, what were you doing out so long?" he whined as he trailed behind me.
For one thing, trying to hold back swinging my fist at a guy who dumped goddamn coffee on my girlfriend.
"Just spent a little while hanging with Jessica," I answered gruffly before clearing my throat. "Hey, you don't mind if Jessica spends the night at our place, right?"
His eyes lit up, the clear excitement evident in the stormy blue eyes he got from his mom. "Jessica's staying over tonight?" A small gasp left his lips as we walked into the apartment where Jessica remained right where I left her. "Jessica!" he exclaimed, surprising both me and Jessica as the little man ran up to Jessica and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Hi, Chris," she giggled, smiling down at the little boy clamped to her.
"Is it true? Are you going to stay over tonight?" he questioned eagerly.
"Um . . ." Jessica caught her lip between her teeth and looked up at me.
"'Course she is," I answered for her, pairing it with a stern look. "She can join us for chicken fingers and movies, doesn't that sound fun?"
Chris let out a whoop of celebration and threw his fist in the air. "Yes, this is gonna be awesome!" he cried. Jessica gave me a look as he ran off to the CD rack, probably already searching for the perfect set of movies.
"Reece," she sighed, her head falling to my shoulder as I pulled her in my arms.
"C'mon. Stay with me tonight," I urged in a whisper, squeezing her hips.
Her smile turned teasing. "And if I don't want to? Are you gonna deadbolt the door shut to make sure I don't leave?"
I grinned as my words from that night came back to me. So you're staying here whether I have to deadbolt the door shut or not. And to think I wasn't anticipating having her in my arms that first night she stayed over. I'm really looking forward to that tonight.
"If that's what it's going to take to make you stay then maybe I should get to it," I teased back in reply, leaning in to touch my lips to hers.
But then I heard it. The same dying walrus sound that sounded like it was suffering of starvation and trying to imitate a bird call all at the same time. Jessica pulled back laughing, slapping a hand over her mouth as she turned to look at Chris standing under the doorway.
Well, if someone's going to ruin a moment, I'd rather have Chris make that deranged groan than anything. At least the amusement would cover the frustration, and Jessica seemed to be getting a good laugh out of it.
I watched with a grin as she crouched down, holding her stomach as she cried with laughter. Chris' face flushed red at Jessica's continuous laughing fit, but he smiled despite his embarrassment. I wasn't sure if he's fully aware how absolutely hilarious and weird his groan sounds to a pair of foreign ears. If you haven't heard that groan live in action, I guarantee you'll be crying with laughter, too.
"W-what was that?" Jessica choked out, standing but still giggling.
"You have now been exposed to Christopher Radley's famous groan that sounds way too inhuman to be coming out of an eight year old boy's body," I said, chuckling. I walked over to the blushing boy and grabbed him by the waist, hoisting him over my shoulder like the sack of potatoes he thinks I mistake him as.
"Reece!" he yelled, slapping my back. With his body shaking with laughter, I kept a firm hold as I winked at Jessica's worried look.
"C'mon, little man. We've got to pop those chicken fingers in the oven for our dear guest."
Chris went limp, his body draping down as I walked towards the kitchen. "You suck!" he groaned.
I chuckled. "You love me."
"Yeah," he muttered, "I do."
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I had high hopes for tonight.
The rain had gotten heavier in the last hour, but Chris had gone to his room and retrieved the radio his grandparents got him last Christmas. He wasn't due to get a phone until next year when he hits the big o-nine, leaving the radio (and my phone when he steals it) as his only form of music entertainment. With some random pop song blasting through the speakers and a random channel also playing on the TV, the rain can barely be heard. I knew I could count on Chris to distract Jessica enough to forget about a future thunderstorm that was said to happen.
Along with Chris' bowl of mayo, I took the plate of chicken fingers to the living room. Jessica and Chris were on the floor where a mass of pillows and blankets created a comfortable sitting area as they played a game with Mark's old deck of cards. A faint grin spread across my face as I saw Jessica lying on her stomach, dressed in one of my plain white T-shirts and a pair of pajama pants from Rebecca's closet.
Jessica always made herself at home here. The way she smiled and laughed with Chris made it look like she's known him for years, though Chris has only seen Jessica a handful of times since we've met. Chris was totally at ease with Jessica; he's never been this close to any of my past girlfriends.
Man am I in deep trouble with this girl, I thought.
I didn't realize I was just standing by Jessica, holding the food and staring down at them silently until Jessica turned on her side and raised her bright turquoise eyes up to meet mine. "You okay?" she asked.
"Oh, yeah," I said, shaking my head and putting the stuff down on the floor. Just as I kneeled down, I took a peek at Jessica's cards and said to Chris, "Dude, she has an ace and a seven. Got any of those?"
Jessica gasped. "Reece!" she cried, slapping my shoulder.
"Ooo! Got any sevens?" Chris exclaimed, waving his last card in the air. Rolling her eyes, Jessica tossed the seven to him, to which Chris let out woop and slapped the pair down, doing a little happy dance.
Jessica, playfully pouting at me, swatted at my chest and said, "Traitor."
"Sorry, sunshine," I chuckled, kissing her forehead before pushing myself back up. I retrieved three cans of soda from the fridge. "Don't tell Rebecca," I said to Chris as I handed him the cold drink.
"Is he not allowed?" Jessica asked, taking a can.
"Nope," Chris replied, "but don't tell Mom."
She shook her head at us. "You sneaky boys. Do you do this often?" she asked with a pointed look my way as I settled down next to her.
"We do this every time Mom and Dad aren't in the house. It's a god-brother tradition," Chris answered for me, sipping on his drink.
"Godbrother?" Jessica asked curiously.
Chris bobbed his head, tuffs of his blonde hair moving as he did. "Since Reece isn't my real brother and he's not my step brother, I don't really know what he is. So I just call him my god-brother because he's like family but not literally family." He tilted his head. "Does that make sense?" he asked, frowning.
Jessica smiled softly. "Yeah, it does. Blood doesn't make a family, love does."
"Exactly!" Chris exclaimed, as if finally someone on this world understood him.
Her gaze turned thoughtful for a moment, and she watched Chris intently as he merrily continued watching the TV. I was already looking at her as she turned her head towards me, and she smiled widely. I smiled back and took her hand, tugging on it so she scooted close enough that I can wrap an arm around her.
It was obvious what she was thinking. The relationship between Chris and I is the same as Jessica and the girls. I'm a part of the Radley family no matter what official laws and documents say. Eight years in this household and I've been treated like one of them. I loved these guys like they were my own family and I'd take a bullet for any of them, just as Jessica does what she can for the orphanage. It's all she's ever known, and though the kids are not at all related to one another at all, they're still a family.
Jessica and I might not match up personality wise, but we have a lot more in common when we delve a little deeper. Who knew?
Jessica rested her head on my shoulder as Chris dug into his chicken fingers. "So what are we watching?" I asked, knowing that it would most likely be a princess movie. Judging by the look the two shared, I was betting a lot on that guess.
I rolled my eyes. "Right, of course. I pick next movie, though."
"That's if you don't fall asleep of boredom by then," Jessica commented, taking a chicken finger of her own.
I raised an eyebrow at her. "You don't think I can handle these kinds of movies without falling asleep? Sunshine, I've had a lot of practice over the years and I guarantee that Chris is going to fall asleep before I do."
"Nu-uh!" was Chris' reply, muffled due to the mouthful of meat. I gave him an incredulous look. Chris was always first to doze off, leaving me to tuck him into bed before I go down for the night. On a typical night, I wait for the little man to be knocked out before going to bed myself.
"All right, who wants to bet?" I asked challengingly. "Last one to doze off wins."
"What does the winner get?" Chris asked.
I shrugged. "Ice cream?"
Jessica giggled, and I pinched her waist. This contest was obviously directed towards Chris.
Chris gasped in awe, his eyes going wide. Taking a determined bite of his chicken finger, Chris muffled a, "I'm going to win."
"Fine then, little man. Wanna make it more official?" I grinned mischievously at his frown and held out my pinky finger.
The ultimate gamble, the hard-core promise. This is the same as giving your soul, people. Jessica snickered and pressed a hand to her lips, looking away as she giggled.
"You want to pinky promise on it, bad boy?" she asked between her laughs.
Chris gaped at her. "This is serious buisness, Jessica!" he said seriously.
"Oh." Jessica bit her lip to control her laughter, but she pressed her face into my neck so that her grin was out of his vision.
"Do you accept?" I asked, waving my hand. "Can't back out."
"No backsies," Jessica teased.
I waved my hand again. "Whatd'you say, little man? My arm's getting tired, yes or no?"
Chris was fully determined as he held out his crumb-covered hand and wrapped his pinky around mine. I patted Jessica's waist and held my other pinky out for her, too. "C'mon, sunshine, you're in this with us. Give us your pinkies."
Jessica smiled as she wrapped her pinkies around ours. "Wow. Three-way pinky promise, this really is serious business."
"It's a Radley-Bremer tradition," I told her.
"You guys are so cute," Jessica commented softly, cupping my face and leaning into kiss me. But then Chris let loose his deranged groan again, purposely making it sound even more wild and abnormal that Jessica pulled away with instant laughter.
I narrowed my eyes at him. "You're too old to think cooties exist, let me kiss my girlfriend in peace."
"Gross!" Chris yelled, making a face.
I picked up a pillow and threw it at him. "Don't look," I said before before cutting Jessica's giggles short as I slipped my fingers through her hair and crashed our lips together.
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As predicted, Chris fell asleep first. We were all able to make it through the first movie with no problem; however, that might have been because I was practically commenting on the movie every five minutes.
I would not be that energetic at eight in the morning. Do you notice that her hair length keeps changing? How did they not die falling off that cliff? They made her look way more hotter in that shot. That dude is literally the only person questions random singing here. That dude is so drunk! He was stabbed but there was no blood on that knife, what the hell?
Chris' energy was draining by the time the time we finished a second movie and he was officially down for the count by the time we found an old recorded movie on the DVR. I could tell that Jessica won't be far behind. One arm bent back behind my head and the other around Jessica's waist, her eyes were droopy as she snuggled up on my side. I traced mindless shapes on her hip with my thumb as I watched the scene of toys trying to open the automatic door together.
"They're kinda smart for a bunch of toys, don't you think?" she asked, her voice soft with drowsiness.
"Yeah, they are, sunshine," I replied quietly and casted a sideway glance at Chris. "He definitely lost this."
Jessica smiled. "He was so determined, though."
"Mmm."
And that's how the night went. Lying in the dark with Jessica in my arms, Chris snoring softly beside us, and the rain still faintly audible over the sound of a children's movie. It was well past two o'clock when Jessica closed her eyes during a commercial break and never opened them again. I smiled tiredly as I reached for the remote and shut the TV off. Jessica shifted as I pulled the covers over us before settling back against my chest.
"I win," I whispered, tracing the curve of her neck with my nose, nuzzling gently and closing my eyes with a contented sigh.
I should probably carry Chris to his room and take Jessica to mine, but I was way too comfortable to move from this position. There was no sound of thunder so far this night, and I was really hoping to end this night on a good note.
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"Reece! Reece, wake up," urged a whispering voice. I groaned as someone shook me continuously and threw an arm across my eyes. The person huffed and, annoyingly, began poking me on the cheek. Groaning louder, I threw my arm to the side and pried my eyes open, blinking the sleep away until Chris' hovering figure became somewhat clear.
"What?" I rasped. "What's going on?"
He was frowning deeply, and the concerned look on his face made his eyebrows furrow down. "There's something wrong with Jessica. She's making noises in the bathroom, I think she's crying or something."
My reaction to his words were instant. I quickly pushed myself onto my elbows as I finally realized where I was, and the rumble of thunder rung loudly outside the apartment. "Crap," I muttered, glancing at the empty spot beside me before I jogged to the bathroom. The knob didn't move as I turned it.
"Jess," I called, knocking rapidly on the door. When she made no move to open the door, I braced myself against the doorframe, knocking again as I said in a much calmer voice, "C'mon, baby, open the door for me."
A moment later, the locked clicked and the door swung open. Jessica, pale-faced and teary eyed, walked into my arms and released a small whimper as another strike of thunder clapped vigorously. I wrapped my arms around her tightly, stroking her back as she breathed deeply.
"Why didn't you wake me?" I asked, stroking her hair as I felt her tremble.
"The thunder woke me up but not you and Chris. I thought I could handle it for this one night since I didn't have a bad dream, but then it was really dark and I got all anxious and started thinking and – and – "
"All right, all right," I soothed as her voice grew more panicky. Chris stood down the hall, watching us worriedly. Kissing her forehead, I lead Jessica down to my bedroom and onto the bed. She curled up on herself as the thunder continued, and I wiped the stray tears from her face. "i'm going to tuck Chris into bed and then come back, okay?" I said, stroking her cheek.
It was really hard to see how anxious she got during a thunderstorm. That night was traumatizing enough, but to have that memory linked to something as natural as a thunderstorm and make it trigger the feelings each and every time . . .
I just want to find the bastard from that night and deadbolt him inside a room for him to die. Or, even better, deadbolt him, plain and simple.
"What's wrong with Jessica?" Chris asked as I swooped him up in my arms and carried him to his own room.
"She's not a big fan of thunderstorms," I said. Well, that's an understatement.
"Isn't lightning the thing that can kill someone? Not thunder?" Chris continued to press as he climbed under the covers.
"Yeah, it is," I said, ruffling his hair. "Let's just say that she doesn't have the best memories when it comes to thunderstorms."
He still look confused, still wanted to ask more of the billions of questions buzzing in that curious little head of his, but then we heard another clap of thunder and he stayed silent. "Tell Jessica goodnight for me," he said quietly.
"I will. Night, little man," I said. I switched off his bedside lamp and put on his nightlight, and just as I was about to close the door, I grinned lightly and said, "You and Jess owe me ice cream."
"I don't have money!" he called out jokingly as I closed the door. Before heading back to my room, I went into the living room in search of my phone. I cursed when the stupid thing kept a black screen; it must have died earlier in the day and I didn't know.
Sighing, I ran my hands through my hair as I returned to the room. Jessica sat with her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms locking them in place. She rested her cheek on the top as she looked at me. "Would you like the bad news or the good news first?" I asked, climbing into bed with her.
She shrugged and brushed away a stray hair from her face. "Just tell me one."
"Okay." I blew out through my mouth and sat up against the headboard. "Bad news is that my phone is a useless piece of shit that drains its battery even when I'm not using it. This means no music," I explained and threw the thing onto my bedside table. "You know what the good news is?"
She shook her head, flinching at another thunder clap. "W-what?"
I slipped under the covers and gestured for her to do the same. She sniffled as she lied down next to me, waiting expectantly for me to give her something positive.
"The good news is that I got you." Scooting closer, her eyes widened as I pulled her flush against me and loosely draped my arm around her. "Nobody's going to hurt you, sunshine," I added.
Her eyes softened. "I know," she whispered, reaching out and burying her fingers into the back of my hair.
In the time it took for us to hear another thunder strike, the kiss Jessica and I shared had labeled itself one of the best kisses I've ever had with a girl. Because I knew within those thirty seconds of kissing her deeply, gently, desperately, that I was in deep, deep trouble with this girl. But . . . a good trouble.
It's never felt so natural to fall asleep with another girl in my arms, or to wake up feeling completely content seeing her sleeping figure next to me. It's never been so natural for Chris to like any of the girls I've gone out with, or for Rebecca to come into my room early in the morning and smile as she saw me sleeping with a girl in my arms.
It's scary, falling so fast for a girl. You can't even grab hold of your feelings and tell it to slow the hell down. It took only a few months for Jessica to squeeze her way into my life and change up all the plans I had for this year. I was going to try and make an effort in school, hang out with Kyle, figure out what I was going to do with my life. I planned to have a typical senior year and just go with whatever happens.
Now the girl who spilled her lunch on me and called me out for being an ass the first day we met was sleeping soundly in my arms, scrambling my plans with new friends, new people, new plans.
And I was completely okay with it.
I tightened my arms around Jessica as I heard the excited, muffled voice of Chris telling Rebecca all about last night and how much fun he had.
You're not the only one falling hard and fast, Bremer.
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ugh, i felt like my writing sucked near the ending. i don't think i've gotten the hang of description when it comes to feelings for reece, or for the kissing scenes at that. it'd be easier for a girl's pov, but trying to describe how reece is feeling about everything proves a bit harder for me. so sorry if that was a little rubbish near the end, it's also kinda late and i've got to head to bed for school tomorrow. hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and thanks soo much for 1.5 million views :) until next time!
-jesse xx