I flinched in my dreams, something really shinny brightened my closed lids, telling me it was probably time to get up and start the day. But I didn't felt like waking up. I was strangely comfortable, cocooned in a lovely warmth that heated me all over. I snuggled closer, it felt so heavently... but then it vibrated with a low hum and someone's breath brushed my nape.
Oh shit.
My eyes snapped open in a second, immediately grimacing at the direct sunlight the slid through the blinds and tilting my head to avoid it brightness. At the movement the hold around my middle tightened and my back was pressed to someone's hard chest, stealing any remaining sleepy daze I may had left.
My heartbeat pounded on every corner of my body and my stomach did a complicated turn as what happened last night came back. I wasn't in my house. I wasn't in my room and definitely I wasn't in my bed.
Goosebumps covered the skin of my shoulder where Brett's deep breaths collided with, the feeling of his lips barely inches away was mindblowing. Brett! The comfortable warmth I been cuddling up to was actually Brett. I burned in embarrasment at my shameless reaction but the more time I remained in his arms the more my walls seemed to crumble.
Why was I even still in his arms?
Shit shit shit-
Luckily he was still asleep and hadn't witnessed my morning need of affection. So lame. Even tho last night he was the one that was all touchy...
Stop it, Alyson. He was drunk. If he wake up to you crawling over him he surely won't appreciate it.
Holding my breath to lessen the possibilities to wake him to this scenario, I analyzed the situation. It won't be easy to get away since we were tangled. One of his arms was my pillow as the other laid across my middle, in the valley of my waist since I was sideways facing away him. I was the little spoon. I blushed even harder, to the point my whole body was burning.
Very, very slowly I shifted to be able to bend the elbow under my body and carefully detatched my head from his bicep. He stirred a bit and I held my breath but his remained slow and deep.
So far so good.
I sighed and took his wrist gently to pry it off and tried to get up but his arm tightened around my waist at the attempt and I was pulled back to him, harder this time. Too shocked to immediately react, shudders shook me whole and a shaky gasp escaped my lips as his hand absently trace the side of my body, following every curve and pulling me closer; leaving a burning path behind. I let out a muffled yelp when out of the blue it slid under my shirt and grazed the bare skin of my abdomen, shocking me with both bewilderment and chills of pleassure at the sudden touch.
What the-
My cheeks flamed "Brett!" and I forgot about going unnoticed. Apparently he was also handsy in the morning and if I didn't stop this now... well it was already escalating.
That finally took Brett off the sleepy trance too since he immediately stiffened, and his head snapped up, shocked gaze as he took in my presence.
"Fuck." he mumbled untangling his limbs from me like he'd been burned. Was it too bad that I'd already missed his warmth? "Sorry."
I got into a sitting position, my body buzzing at some unknown emotion that bubbled in my chest. But I managed to send him a small, shaky smile and hoped it covered how wild my pulse was after this little cozy moment.
"G-good morning to you too."
He snorted and rubbed his tired eyes as he yawned.
"I thought it was a dream." that hoarse morning voice did funny things to my stomach.
I couldn't help but teased: "So you would dream of me?"
Immediately I wanted to face palmed myself for my extrem stupidity and need to embarass myself. Brett's been with girls like Jade! No way in hell he'll ever look at me twice in that way. But his reaction much to my bewilderment was widened his eyes and (I swear!) his cheeks tanned with a soft pink.
Oh. God.
"I..." he adverted his gaze with a grimace. "M-my head is just hurting so much." but nothing about the way he said it made it believable. I mean, yes, sure he had headache after last night but it definitely sounded like a way to diverted the topic.
Would he...
He wouldn't dream about me, right?
Gosh it felt ridiculous. Not when -again!- he'd been with girls like Jade. I had nothing on them. But he acted embarrassed when I asked and his body leguage speaks volumes.
Stop being ridiculous!
My heart kept fluttering either way.
"I need an Advil." Brett groaned, holding his skull with a wince and snapped me out my trance. "What time is it?"
"Oh, mm..." I took my phone from the bed nightstand. "Half past five."
I bit my lip. Okay, if I left now I would still had enough time to go home and take a shower before school. I really wished I could had sleep a bit more but it's not like I had a choice now. The cons of going out one school night... only that I didn't exactly go out.
Brett's train of thoughts must had follow a similar path than mine cause I saw his shoulders tense and lifted his head. "Lys?" I looked at him, getting hit by that piercing blue gaze that buried deep in me. " I'm sorry about last night." he mumbled quietly.
"Oh-"
"I didn't mean to get that shitfaced, you know?" he grimaced again, twisting the hem of the duvet. "It kinda got out of hand. And that idiot shouldn't had called you." he added quickly with a frown. "I got no idea why he did. It wasn't you responsability nor anything."
"It's fine. I... he didn't exactly called me randomly. I was trying to get a hold of you."
"You did?" his confusion perked more. "Why?"
This time it was me who couldn't handle the staring contest and lowered my gaze to my fiddling fingers. "I... I was trying to talk to you about Noel... about yesterday." he tensed at the mention of my bullying and his expression grew serious. "But you never picked it up."
"I turned it off. What happen? Did he bothered you again? I swear that-"
"No, no! Not of that. I-I just wanted to thank you. Thats all." I bit my lip. "He'd been suspended, you know."
"Thank me?" he chuckled humorlessly but his anger didn't felt directed towards me. "I didn't do anything."
His words form last night came rushing: 'I wanted to hit him, Lys. So bad...'
I shook my head, not willing to allow him to belittle what he'd done. "But you did." I gently contradicted. "You stop him, and was about to do something, we just got lucky Connor appeared."
"So lucky." he grumbled, not sounding thankful in the slightlest.
I frowned. "You didn't get expelled, now did you? Nor from school nor from the team."
His stare snapped at me and his lids fell, hooding his eyes. "You think I care about that?"
"W-well, I do." I shifted awkwardly on the mattress. Unable to helf his eye lock as I mumbled. "I don't want anyone else to be punished for me."
"I don't care." he repeated and I sucked in a breath when all of the sudden he tipped my chin up, metting out gazes again. Sweet warmth spread from the gentle contact everywhere. How? Only him could made me this weak this easily. "How do you want me to say it?"
My mind suddenly was unable to focus on anything other than him and how close he'd leaned, how deep his eyes seemed... How had I even managed to fall sleep last night? I couldn't remember! And his presence was so powerful and overpowering... "T-that you don't care?"
For a long moment, he kept searching in my eyes, looking for something but ended sighing and allowing me space again so I could breathe as he scooped to sit on the side of the bed, his legs lowered to the floor. "You're so oblivious." I blinked, snapping out my zoning out and my brows knitted together. Oblivious? Oblivious of what? Still not getting up, he gave me a careful glance sideways. "I... Last night I didn't say anything weird, did I?"
Well, you said I was pretty, then joked about liking me and cuddle me to sleep while complimenting how lovely my scent was. But I couldn't say any of that out loud. Just the memory of it got me blushing. "N-no."
Brett didn't buy it. "You suck at lying, you know?" he groaned, stressfully brushing his face and hair. "Look whatever it was... I'm sorry."
Whatever it was. Ouch. I nodded hiding the painful slap that was. Okay, maybe I'd taken his words more seriously than intended even against my better judgement. Can you blame me? For years I'd wished he'd said something so sweet to me, and apparently I wasn't as over him as I should. He still had and probably always will had this power over me. And there was little I could do about it.
He eyed me waringly, sizing my reaction but I did my best to conceal it inside.
Also, my chest was bursting in wonders. I wanted to ask him what went wrong last night, what did he and Hunter fight about and what did the last one told him to tell me. Those questions were burning in my tongue, dying to be released; but instead I cleared my throat and looked down at my phone again. Twenty minutes 'til six.
"I need to go now. Or I'll never made it in time."
To my surprise, instead of going back to sleep -which I most certainly would do if having the choice- he nodded and get up with a groan, stretching out his arms over his head.
"Alright." he yawned, the shirt he was wearing shifted upwards exposing his abs and I find myself blushing. A tingling excitement born in my stomach and spread quick. I snapped my head down, not wanting to be caught oggling. What on earth? "Give me a second to shower and we'll be on our way."
"Oh," my brows knitted together. "You're coming?"
Brett rolled his eyes and headed towards the door. "I'm gonna pretend I ain't heard that. See you in ten, Lys."
Ten minutes?! Yep, I glanced the clock again, it's not like we could afford losing more time. I took my Taco Bell's uniform from where I left it last night and changed as quick as possible so in a couple minutes I was silently tip-toeing down the stairs. Not wanting to wake up anyone up but not wanting to be there when Brett came back from the shower. Basically because I hadn't seen him taking any clothes with him, and just the memory of him shirtless from last night... and now imagining him only in a towel, damp from the hot shower and-
Okay enough!
The house was incredibly quiet, and I stood there not wanting to do any noise that would woken up the family. We did enough las night. Poor Julia musn't had a lot of sleep and I didn't want to bother Mr Ryder neither. Looking the mirror in the lobby, I cringed at how messy my hair looked. How could Brett not had laughed at my face? I pulled it in a messy bun while waiting and true to his word, in a couple more minutes he was lowering the steps, his hair still damp but fully dressed and freshen up.
"Ready?" he smiled when he saw me, before tilting his head back and swallowing a small pill he had on his hand. The Advil, I assumed. He grimaced gulping it down dryly as he reached the floor. "Yuck"
"Mm," I shifted unsure. "Shouldn't we let you parents know we're going? Leave a note? What if they woke up and-"
"Hell no." he took my hand and pulled me to the door, only breathing reliefed when it quietly shut behind us. "I'll text mum. I'm really not in the mod for another lecture now." he shrugged pulling out his phone and doing just that while walking towards my car.
His hand still in mine.
Our plan was that I'd drove him to where he left his car last night, he'd follow me to my place for me to get ready and leave Granny her vehicle and then I'd drove us to school in his car.
"You sure you can drive?" I wondered, unsure after stopping next to where his Ford was parked -unbothered as if last night hadn't happen. I have to recognize I'd never been hangover but it didn't seemed like the best moment to drive, and getting behind the wheel was a sensitive matter since my parents' crash.
Brett rolled his eyes. "Chill, it's just a few blocks."
"Yes, but-"
"And it's like, five in the morning." he exaggerated opening his door and sliding out with a reassuring smirk. "No one's on the road now. I'll manage just fine."
Lucklily, he did. But I didn't allowed myself to relax until I saw him pulling over next to me and got out his vehicle in one piece.
We weren't that lucky with Granny, tho. Being used to sleep barely four hours, the woman was already up and trashing around in the kitchen when we made it inside. The clock pointing it was six right now. Good. I really needed a shower on my own. I hadn't clened up after the extralong shift and that heated den last night. The bathroom was yelling my name.
"Sweetie?" Granny called as soon as the door closed behind us and I saw Brett gulping, which took me aback. Was he nervous to see her?
"Morning!" I greeted entering the kitchen and kissed her cheek. The old lady was wearing an apron, getting her hands dirty over a bowl full of crude dough. "Oh, what's the occasion?"
"Mrs Hollins is celebrating a small gathering this afternoon. Which remind me, I'll out 'til late so don't wait for me. How are you? Julia called me last night. Such a lovely woman, she said his nuthead of a son-"
"Ehem," my eyes widened at Granny's bluntness and we both turned to Brett, who had cleared his throat form the door frame. "Good morning, Mrs Blythe."
"Oh." Granny's lips pressed into a thin line as she turned to look at me, every trace of playfulness gone from her face. "You brought him here?"
"Granny."
"So what? Now you've forgiven and make up just like that?" from the corner of my eyes could see Brett flinching but I couldn't find enough courage to look his way. My face was growing hot as the tension builded up. Granny shook her head. "I thought you were more clever than this."
"Brett hasn't done anything wrong-"
"That's not what I heard a month ago." she cut me narrowing her gaze, moving it towards were the auburn was and tsking her tongue. "Picking her up is one thing, but this? Haven't you done enough to have her being your drunk call or coming here like that? Are you that shameless to-"
"Granny enough." I frowned, my chest clenching at the evident dislike she now held for Brett. Guess realizing he wasn't the great friend she'd thought him to be leave a mark. Especially since what happen last month, but in the course of time I'd came to realize Brett wasn't as bad as I'd pictured him to be.
He hasn't anything to do with Jade, nor Noel. He didn't even seemed aware of their sickness. So now I was left to wonder what really was his doing over all this time.
There has to be another explanation.
A reason for our friendship to end. A reason for him now wanting it back.
I couldn't bare the crushing feeling in my chest as she acused Brett of all those awful things I once believe too. It turned into an aching pressure at the sound of his harsh intake of air behind me, knowing it hurt him.
"Enough?" Granny repeated glancing at me like I'd gone mad. Maybe I had. I didn't know anything anymore. But I was sure Brett didn't deserve this harsh treatment, not right now.
"Yes, he didn't do anything wrong. He didn't asked me to do anything. I decided to go get him on my own. So get mad at me."
"I'm not mad at him for last night, Alyson. I am for everything else, remember? For what he did to you through all this years even tho you choose to forget now."
"I-" but Brett's attempt to chip in was immediately cut.
"You better think carefully your next words." he shut his mouth, looking hurt and lowered his gaze to the floor, jaw clenched.
I really love my granmother, but right now she was putting so much pressure on someone who already felt bad enough. I couldn't blame her, tho. Since not so long ago me myself blame him for all the harrassment I got in school. Now I wasn't that sure. Not with everything that'd happened lately. Not with how mad at himself he looked about what happen with Noel.
I couldn't just stand here and saw her get more and more upset at him. It wouldn't lead any of us to any good. So shocking all the presents including myself, I took his wrist and pulled him to follow me upstairs. "We'll be up if you need anything."
She looked at me flabbergasted, as if asking 'really now?' but I just follow through my determination and tugged him towards my room. My room! Just days before I wouldn't even considered bringing him there. But it wasn't like I had much of a choice, right? The house wasn't that big and it was clear that letting him and Granny around each other wasn't an option. Brett meekly allowed me to guide him.
Not letting myself think to much into it I swiftly slid inside the small room, quickly picking up everything I would need for the shower. "I'm so sorry just... wait here, okay? I-I'll be right back."
I couldn't believe Granny was this rude! Well, I understood her motives but it was weird seeing her like that. She's always been nothing but nice, especially to Brett. I still remember how frustrating it was when she sided with him earlier this course, when all I wanted was to keep my distance. Guess now the tables had turned.
I want to be mad at her for treating him this way but I couldn't. She had every right to be harsh to the guy she believes messed with her granddaughter.
I took the shortest shower ever, slid in a fresh pair of jeans and a plain shirt. I towel dried my hair 'til it was damp and maleable and brushed it, letting it dry naturaly. The nerves creeped in my chest all the way. How would I face Brett now, after this confrontation Granny just had with him?
Dear Lord, please help me.
Hesitantly, I finally reached the knob and took a deep breath before entering my room.
Brett was sitting on the edge of my bed, his weight pulled forwards and holding his elbows on his thighs. He looked down and sad and a pang of hurt pinched in my chest. Was it because Granny?
"Brett?"
I softly close the door behind me but he didn't react, almost as if he didn't heard me. Letting the towel and stuff in the chair by my desk I decided to follow my instincts and walked towards him. Hesitant at first but more determinate the more he remaind unmoving.
What's wrong with him?
I didn't stop 'til I was directaly in front of him but Brett still acting like he didn't acknowledge my presence. I hesitantly raised one and placed it on his shoulder trying to gain his attention. As soon as I touched him I felt a sudden wrap around my waist and I gasped when he pulled me closer and his head pressed my stomach, much like last night but now he wasn't drunk. I froze, stiff in his embrace, unable to breathe as he held me against him, standing right between his legs.
"Are-" my voice got stucked in my throat so I cleared it. "A-are you okay?" Not much of an improvement but well.
"She's right. " he mumbled, so low it would had gone unoticed if I wasn't that close. "Your grandma is so right and... Fuck." his arms tightened and I notice he was slightly shaking. My chest clenched.
With the burning need to calm him I slowly allowed my shaking fingers to slid through his hair, like I been secretly wishing to do since he came back, and I sighed finding them as soft as I'd wondered. Maybe even more. I brused it gently and Brett leaned into me, I wondered if he enjoyed it as much as I do. I hoped he did. His shoulders slumped so I guess somehow it worked.
"You're not exactly making it easier." he groaned, but I couldn't tell if he as joking to ease the tension or was dead serious.
"I-"
"No no, I have to- I have to say this. Haunter was right." Hunter? I furrowed my brows. Was he talking about that fight last night? "I've been awful to you. I never know how to deal with this shit and when it hurts I hurt back and neglected things and-"
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm sorry."
This words tensed me completely.
Did he just apologize? I wasn't sure if he actually had before, but wheter he did or not I never heard him sound so... raw.
His head lifted and our gazes met. The guilt and shame I saw in them nearly stoped my heart and I felt bad. So bad. I'd always wanted him to really apologize to me, and I thought I deserved it; but at that moment all I could think about was how broken he seemed and how much I wanted to see him smile again.
"I'm so sorry, Lys, so much... I wish I'd known how to express my feelings better. I hate that I'd caused you so much pain. But I- I can do it better. I don't deserve another chance but I'm selfish enough to ask for it anyway." his eyes pleaded me and I felt my inner self twisted. I didn't know how to react with this Brett. "One last chance. Please. Let me make it up to you. Let me be there for you. That's all I want."
"I...I don't..."
His expression became even more sad and my heart broke. "Just think about it. Please? I can't stand the thought of you hating me. I know I deserve it but still-"
"No." I cut him struggling to pull together my shaky voice. His blue deep eyes buried into mine and it became harder. "I- I don't hate you, Brett."
A spark of hope crossed his eyes and made my stomach do funny things.
"No?"
I shook my head and an attempt of a smile pulled the corner of his lip. He took me by surprise when he tugged the back of my thighs and pulled me on top of him, so I was straddling his lap, one knee each side of him.
Whoa, this all was happening too fast. I fisted the shirt over his shoulder for support. We were face to face, literaly inches apart now. My lungs seemed to forget how to work.
"I've wanted you for so long..." he wispered and I blushed, unable to tore my eyes away from his mesmerizing ones. W-wanted me? "I know I had a shitty way to prove it but I was a stupid kid. I still am but if you give me the chance I'll prove to you that I can be better. That I can treat you the way you should be. I'll do anything, just forgive me. Please, Lys, I know I don't deserve it but forgive me."
"It's..." my voice sounded huskier than ever and I cleared my throat before trying again. "After everything- I just..."
"I know." his hopeless voice made me wanna scream and cry. "I'm sorry. I can't begin to explain how sorry I am, but I guess it's not enough, right? It's already too late-"
"Brett." I cut him shaking my head. He wasn't getting the point here. I cupped the side of his face so he looked at me. This ws new, usually it was me who shy away. "For so long I've been mad at you, and scared and resentful-"
"I'm so sorry." he winced.
"-but I'm tired of being like that. I- I know you've changed and I want to move on too. I want to forgive you."
Immediately his face lighted up like a christmas tree. As if someone had pulled a button. Was magical and I felt happier myself seing him like this.
"You do?"
I shyly smiled and nodded.
"I wanna try. But we have to talk about it through." I added quickly remembering how fast he was at closing whenever he wasn't comfortable with the subject. "About everything. We need to clear things out. I want to trust you but y-you have to let me."
His grin was wide and shinning like the sun.
"Really? Oh, Lys that's... Thank you! That's all I wanted. You won't regret it."
His face tilted to one side looking me dead in the eyes and then was when I realized my hand was still cupping his face. Extremly self-conscious, I started to pull away but he gently caught it and kissed my inner wrist. The sweet gesture melted me completely. His other hand was rubbing distracted patrons on my thigh, sending warm all over my body.
The closeness, the touches... This was weird, new. But I found myself liking it.
"I'll make it up to you, Giggles. I promise."
His forehead pressed against mine and I close my eyes, taking a deep breath and enjoying his nearness. His marvelous scent filled my nostrils and his heat was intoxicating. I really hoped he was for real. I didn't think I could pull myself back together if this was just some mean trick or joke. Even tho a part of me still expecting him to pull the rug at any moment.
"Just...don't let me down." I whispered weak and pitifully but I couldn't help it. "Please."
"Never." his answer came quick. "I'll earn you trust again. I wont hurt you anymore." he hesitated. "Not on purpose at least. Not when... when I-"
I nodded again when his words faltered, my eyes still close and let him gently caressing my hand and thigh, but opened them startled when he pulled me closer 'til we were chest to chest and out of instinct my free arm curled to hold on his shoulders. My heart went crazy at the sudden move, what's left of my defences being torn down piece by piece.
"Wha-"
"I like you."
And just like that the rug was pulled, but not in the slightest how I expected it.
______________________________________
Hey! Such a long chapter... And what a chaper! Brett confessed!!!! But there's still a lot of things to solve between them. What are your thoughts on what happen? How do you think Alyson will react??
Don't forget to comment, vote and share.