going to drive me insane. I could move out, but the shitty part was I didn’t want to. I wanted the torture of living in hell with her more than not seeing her.
I tossed and turned a few hours then gave up to head to the kitchen. If I didn’t get over this depressed funk, or whatever it was over Lauren, I was going to end up fat as fuck. All I wanted to do was stuff my face with junk food. I vowed to run a few extra miles tomorrow.
I was heading back to my room with a can of Pringles and a drink when I saw the outline of her body in the dark, curled up on the couch. I walked towards her a few steps to get a better look and she raised up.
“Sorry, did I wake you?” I asked.
“No,” she answered quietly, sounding afraid, sad and devastated all in that one word.
“Are you okay?” What a stupid question, of course she wasn’t alright. I’d dealt with enough victims to know that.
“I couldn’t sleep.”
“Yeah, I know the feeling.”
I sighed, trying to figure out what I could do, or should do.
“Do you want some company?” I finally asked. I waited for her response, and got nothing until I heard her sniffle. Oh shit, she’s crying. Where the hell was Caleb? It was his job to comfort her, not mine. Not that I didn’t want to. Fuck .
I sat my food and drink on the coffee table then sat down beside her, wrapping my arms around her. She molded right to my chest, like she needed someone to hold her more than anything else in the world.
I rubbed up and down her back, over her long hair that smelled all sweet and fruity. A few minutes later her sniffles stopped, her breathing became more regular, and her body completely relaxed. She’d fallen asleep in my arms, and damn if it didn’t feel so fucking good. I kept holding her and at some point I fell asleep.
…
Lauren
I woke up in the dark, wrapped in Tyler’s arms. Shouldn’t I be in Caleb’s? But he was asleep, and Tyler had sat down on the couch and held me when I started crying. I was pretty sure he'd fallen asleep, but his grip on me hadn't lessened. I should slip out of his arms and head back to Caleb’s bed. He’d hold me too, but for some reason I wanted to be in Tyler’s arms. Dammit, I told myself I wasn’t going to make Saturday's mistake again, so I tried to slide free.
“You’re awake,” he said, his voice husky from sleep.
“Yeah, I was going to, ah, go on back to bed so you could too.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, his arms still around me, his hands caressing me softly and soothingly down my back. “For earlier. I don’t know what I was thinking. It was a shitty thing to say, especially after what you’d been through.”
“It’s okay. I woke you up.”
“You know it wasn’t because you woke me up. I was jealous. I am jealous that you’re with him, but I promise I won’t take it out on you again.”
“Oh.” What was I supposed to say to that? And why did I like knowing he was jealous? I was a sick woman, that’s why.
“Are you really okay? You went through hell tonight. When Cooke told me what happened … shit, I want to find the bastards that did this to you and beat the fuck out of them.”
“Yeah, I'm okay. I’m pissed they took my phone and my money. I’m angry at my mom for the shit she does that ends up always screwing me over. And I hate that I’m scared to step foot in that freaking apartment again because of those bastards.”
Tyler’s lips brushed a kiss on my forehead.
“Stay with us.”
“Tyler, I don’t think that’s a good idea. Caleb and I just met, and it’s not like we’re serious. It's just too soon.”
“Is it me?”
Was it him? I was nervous around him. I wanted him, but he didn’t or wouldn't let himself want me. I was worried I might throw myself at him and make it even more awkward. Or worse, ruin the good thing I had with Caleb.
“It is, isn’t it?”
“I, well…Tyler I know you don’t want us to ... after the other morning …I know it’s got to
I tossed and turned a few hours then gave up to head to the kitchen. If I didn’t get over this depressed funk, or whatever it was over Lauren, I was going to end up fat as fuck. All I wanted to do was stuff my face with junk food. I vowed to run a few extra miles tomorrow.
I was heading back to my room with a can of Pringles and a drink when I saw the outline of her body in the dark, curled up on the couch. I walked towards her a few steps to get a better look and she raised up.
“Sorry, did I wake you?” I asked.
“No,” she answered quietly, sounding afraid, sad and devastated all in that one word.
“Are you okay?” What a stupid question, of course she wasn’t alright. I’d dealt with enough victims to know that.
“I couldn’t sleep.”
“Yeah, I know the feeling.”
I sighed, trying to figure out what I could do, or should do.
“Do you want some company?” I finally asked. I waited for her response, and got nothing until I heard her sniffle. Oh shit, she’s crying. Where the hell was Caleb? It was his job to comfort her, not mine. Not that I didn’t want to. Fuck .
I sat my food and drink on the coffee table then sat down beside her, wrapping my arms around her. She molded right to my chest, like she needed someone to hold her more than anything else in the world.
I rubbed up and down her back, over her long hair that smelled all sweet and fruity. A few minutes later her sniffles stopped, her breathing became more regular, and her body completely relaxed. She’d fallen asleep in my arms, and damn if it didn’t feel so fucking good. I kept holding her and at some point I fell asleep.
…
Lauren
I woke up in the dark, wrapped in Tyler’s arms. Shouldn’t I be in Caleb’s? But he was asleep, and Tyler had sat down on the couch and held me when I started crying. I was pretty sure he'd fallen asleep, but his grip on me hadn't lessened. I should slip out of his arms and head back to Caleb’s bed. He’d hold me too, but for some reason I wanted to be in Tyler’s arms. Dammit, I told myself I wasn’t going to make Saturday's mistake again, so I tried to slide free.
“You’re awake,” he said, his voice husky from sleep.
“Yeah, I was going to, ah, go on back to bed so you could too.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, his arms still around me, his hands caressing me softly and soothingly down my back. “For earlier. I don’t know what I was thinking. It was a shitty thing to say, especially after what you’d been through.”
“It’s okay. I woke you up.”
“You know it wasn’t because you woke me up. I was jealous. I am jealous that you’re with him, but I promise I won’t take it out on you again.”
“Oh.” What was I supposed to say to that? And why did I like knowing he was jealous? I was a sick woman, that’s why.
“Are you really okay? You went through hell tonight. When Cooke told me what happened … shit, I want to find the bastards that did this to you and beat the fuck out of them.”
“Yeah, I'm okay. I’m pissed they took my phone and my money. I’m angry at my mom for the shit she does that ends up always screwing me over. And I hate that I’m scared to step foot in that freaking apartment again because of those bastards.”
Tyler’s lips brushed a kiss on my forehead.
“Stay with us.”
“Tyler, I don’t think that’s a good idea. Caleb and I just met, and it’s not like we’re serious. It's just too soon.”
“Is it me?”
Was it him? I was nervous around him. I wanted him, but he didn’t or wouldn't let himself want me. I was worried I might throw myself at him and make it even more awkward. Or worse, ruin the good thing I had with Caleb.
“It is, isn’t it?”
“I, well…Tyler I know you don’t want us to ... after the other morning …I know it’s got to
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