Chapter 13

A shuffling wakes me up but I can only bring myself to open one eye.

"Damn it." A brunette mumbles as she hops to put on her shoe.

By the time I open both eyes I note that I'm in Marc's room.

"Sorry for waking you.” She says and walks towards me, "Goodbye handsome." She pecks my forehead.

I don't respond and just lay there while my head moves in every which direction. The closing of the door sounds like a fucking bombing and it rings against the inside of my skull.

Fuck me. I'm never drinking again.

Bile rushes up my throat and I get up from the bed and have my head in a toilet in record timing. I hear a voice over the sound of my insides emptying.

"This room smells like sex and tequila." I see Marc opening his curtains and windows when I re-enter the room.

I say nothing and slump back onto the bed and curse myself for the fall because now my head is bouncing around the walls.

"Fuck off and close those damn curtains." I groan at my surprisingly perky friend.

I'm pretty sure he was just as trashed as the rest of us last night.

"How are you standing up right now? Who are you?"

"The son of an alcoholic so I'm immune to this shit.” He laughs and continues to open up another window, "The smell is gonna have you down all day and your ass needs to eat something if you wanna feel human again."

"Sure thing, dad." I remark and turn my head into the pillow so I'm not blasted by the unforgiving sun.

"I mean it you dick! Get up from my bed.” He tugs the blanket from underneath me and the motion unsettles my stomach, "Eddie's ass is already in the kitchen. Let's go." He tugs again.

In a swift motion I'm up on my feet and glaring at Marc despite the fact that I feel like shit.

He lifts up a brow and smirks at me. I feel like punching him in the throat but I just walk around him and out the door.

I see Eddie slumped over the counter with cup in his hand when I enter the kitchen. He looks up at me when I search for a mug inside of the cabinets.

"You look like shit." He laughs, passing the coffee pot.

I glare at him in response and fill my mug. Marc enters and takes a seat beside Eddie. The coffee is actually bringing me back to life.

"You're very mean for someone who got laid last night." Marc quips.

"You're very sober for someone who pissed in Mr. and Mrs Alfonso's rose bush yesterday. Did you do crack this morning before cleaning the entire house?" Eddie says and a horrified expression takes over Marc's face.

"I didn't..."

"Yes, you did." Eddie laughs into his cup.

"Fuck she's not gonna invite us over for Christmas this year." he face palms , "I'll never get to screw her hot nieces again." At Marc’s words Eddie is now alert.

"Goddamnit!" Eddie glares at Marc.

Marc leaves Eddie and I to clean up the kitchen while he's at the neighbors apologizing for watering their plants.

"I can't believe you fucked Holly when you two assholes are constantly on my ass about not fucking the bartenders." Eddie grunts while packing the dishes.

Holly? Noted.

"I did not know she was a bartender and besides I'm not planning on repeating last night for a long time so I'm good."

"You're good but we have to answer for you as always and I will not have my drinks tampered with again man!" Eddie scowls at me from across the kitchen making me chuckle.

In my defense I did not know she was a bartender just like I didn't know Rose was a bartender and a borderline psychopath.

"It's not funny. I couldn't keep anything down for 2 days." Eddie complains.

"I remember," Marc announces coming inside, "Where is that thorny rose now?"

"Probably feeding someone chained to her radiator as we speak." Eddie grumbles and shivers at the thought.

Dom Uilee Tomorrow

The words light up my phone on the counter.

Why whenever I have a raging hangover this shit pops up?

I drag my body from the stool and walk to the sofa where my jacket is draped over.

"So you're leaving me to clean this shit up by myself?" Eddie's grating voice yells from across the room.

"Got a fight tomorrow." I say over my shoulder while digging in my pocket to find my keys, "Gotta train."

I am still for the first time in two days and I wish I fucking wasn't because the image I've been trying to escape resurfaces. Her wounded expression and those big sad eyes.

She asked me if I planned that shit. I don't know which time she's talking about but the accusation and the pain in her voice when she spoke felt like a punch to the gut.

How could she think that? That I wanted to hurt her intentionally. As if that's always been my plan. As if I was my brother.

But maybe I am. I've killed like he has. My temper is just as bad and I fuck people up for a living. I am nobody worthy of Sunniva Wallace and she finally sees it.

I'm at the gym before I even know how I got here. I try to shake the memory of her brown eyes out of my head but it's not working so I'll just have to beat a bag or whoever's willing to get it done.

"Hey.” I turn around a see a man in basketball shorts, "Sorry to bother you man. I just was wondering if you could spot me some tickets to your next game."

It must be my confused expression that makes him continue, "Uhm see my name is Derek and I know I'm not like a part of the Underground or anything but I was hoping that since we have a mutual friend you'd-" My eyebrows shoot up in question and he stops to clear his throat, "Lucy, she's new in town but I heard you guys are friends so I was hoping you'd help me out. See I'm trying to impress this girl and well... you know how it is. Her name's Ella and she's a teacher and she's-"

"Let me stop you right there." I hold my hand up, "Why the fuck would I care about any of this?"

I'm confused as to how he thinks Lucy and I are friends but I don't feel like correcting him.

"Well... you wouldn't I was just hoping that since you knew Lucy that you'd... well she's going too and her friend, the redhead, Not sure know if you know her. She’s friends with Ella too and I promised them a good time since they're new in town and-"

"No!" My heart is racing and by the look of fear in his face I'm guessing his is too but for a different reason.

I step closer to the now trembling man.

"Outsiders don't get entry into the underground.” I remind him though I'm sure he already knows otherwise why would he approach a fighter about tickets, "And you and your little friends need to stay the fuck away from it. If I find out that you or any of them tried to wiggle your way in I will find you and snap your neck."

"Yes of-of course. I'm sorry man... I-I" He rushes off before finishing his sentence.

I'm alone in the parking lot and breathing heavily, trying to calm down my racing pulse.

How the fuck am I supposed to keep Sunny in the dark if her friends are insistent on putting her near danger? What if he asked someone instead and got tickets? What would've happened then?

Maybe Eddie was right and the only way I can keep her safe would be at a close distance. I'll be aware of the shit she's getting mixed up in if she tells me about it before I find out for myself.

Okay... but how would I even get a way into her life if she hates me right now? Does she hate me? Sunny doesn't hold darkness inside of her so I doubt she hates me but would she even let me get close enough to her? Be her friend? Do I even know how to be her fucking friend. I've failed at it before.

I jump back into my Jeep and am on my way to Sunny's place without a second thought again.

"So what's the plan Woo?"

My voice sounds worse than I thought. But what is the plan?

No doubt Lucy won't let me in the apartment after the last time I left Sunniva with a solemn expression but maybe she's not home. Why would it matter anyway? I am not scared of Sunny's pint sized friend.

There's nobody on the elevator on my way up.

4D right?

I knock without second guessing and I'm frozen when it's Sunny that opens the door.

"Leo?"

My dumb ass can't think of anything to say so I'm just standing in front of the doorway looking down at Sunny's confused expression.

"Sunny who is it?" I hear her friend's voice from inside.

Urgency kicks in and I'm pulling Sunny outside.

Her shock is now fear so I remove my hands from her arms and take a step back to give her breathing room.

"I- " I start but I can't bring myself to look at her, "I just-" I feel a small hand grasp mine and I look up to see her eyes that hold no judgment.

"Are you okay Leo?" She whispers into the space between us.

No, I'm fucking up again. I am definitely not okay.

"Yeah... I just wanted to see you." I admit to myself and Sunny.

"Oh okay." Her eyebrows lift in question.

"I don't want you to be mad at me." I say again, surprising myself.

"Leo, I'm not mad at you." She removes her hand from mine and laces her fingers together, "I shouldn't have kissed you. I'm s-"

"Don't." I corner her back into the wall, "It wasn't your fault. Never was." My eyes don't leave hers and I don't think they want to.

My heart is racing just standing here so close to her. I never thought I'd get the chance again.

"Leo... maybe we should just start over.” She sighs, "We were friends once before maybe we can try it again."

My chest fills with hope for the first time in the longest time.

"What do you say?" She reaches for my hand again and my fingers tighten around hers.

"Yes." I answer without a second thought.

"That's great. Well do you want to come out with us tomorrow night? I know it's a week day but a friend of mine got tickets to this thing and I'm sure I can ask him to get another."

Oh yes, parking lot asshole. I should just say yes even though their plans will fall through but before I can respond the door is pulled open and a green faced girl makes her way out.

"Sunny I n-" Sunniva's friend stops and looks between us then just at me and I'm guessing she's frowning at me below the green gunk she has on her face.

Sunniva let's go of my hand and I step back allowing her space to move.

"You bothering my friend, snitch?"

I would be less scared if she didn't look like the monster that hides under the beds of children.

"No, Lucy he's not." Sunny walks towards her friend slowly as if approaching a wild animal, "So put down the loofah stick." She giggles, lowering Lucy's left hand.

"Okay but I'm inside if you need me." Lucy’s words are for Sunny but the scowl is all mine.

Sunny turns to me when the door closes.

"Sorry about that. Lucy's pretty dramatic but she means well." She smiles in loving thought of her friend.

God we're so different.

"Do you want to join? We're doing face masks and watching musicals but you don't have to do the mask if you don't want to."

"I-"

My phone vibrates in my pocket and I reach to turn it off until I see its a text from Marc asking where I'm at.

Shit.

"I have to get to get back to the gym..." I say.

"Oh yeah that's okay. I'll just see you tomorrow night then?" She asks.

"Yeah, tomorrow."

"Great." She beams up at me and moves closer.

I'm confused until her arms are around me and her head is placed on my chest. I bet she can hear my heart racing but I'm not nervous. In fact this is the most comfortable I've ever been.

I'm so confused that I don't even get to wrap my arms around her before she pulls away.

It's the most ridiculous thing but I haven't hugged anyone since my mom and I forgot how to respond so acting impulsively I pull Sunniva towards me again and wrap my arms around her shoulders. She puts her arms around me again and when she rubs her head against my chest she sighs.

Her hair dancing beneath my nose smells like...

"Lavender," I say out loud, "Your hair smells like lavender." I lean down and push my face into her curls and inhale more of the scent.

She giggles below me and pushes to free herself and I let her.

"It's this conditioner." She explains, patting her hair.

I smile at her awkwardness and the slight red I can see beneath her brown skin.

"Well... I'll see you." She whispers as if telling a secret.

I wave her off and wait until she's inside before I take off.

What just happened here? I am now a friend of Sunniva Wallace.

I need to dim down the excitement this brings me because it's just for the sake of her protection. This is a one year plan, after she's done teaching she's getting the hell out of this town even if I have to chase her out myself.