Memories Remain

There was no worst way to wake up after a party than with a loud ringing phone right next to your ear. There couldn’t be any worse.

Grunting at the annoying sound, I pulled the covers over my head and turned to the opposite side, bumping into Brian. He absently draped his arm around my back and buried his face into my neck. His breathing tickled my skin and I chuckled despite myself, pushing him away lightly. “Babe…”

“What?” he groaned as he pulled me back to him, this time even tighter. The covers muffled the phone ring for the most part but it was still deafening due to the hangover that was scraping at every single part of my body.

Reluctantly, I rolled away from the heated chest next to me and emerged within the sheets. Groping for my phone on the nightstand, I rumbled incoherent things yet again. This was awful. I finally found the device and brought it to my eye level, reading a blurred Mom on the screen. “No fucking way.”

I silenced the phone and fell back on the bed, curling against Brian and hoping my head would stop hurting when I woke up again. No such luck. My head pounded even more furiously as I cracked my eyes open for the second time that day. I had no idea what time was, nor how long I had slept, but the bed was empty. I didn’t really like that.

With voices echoing outside the room, I forced myself out of the bed. I sat there for a couple of moments, though, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and gaining enough strength to actually get up. I checked myself to see if I was decent enough to the world. Panties and Brian’s red shirt seemed decent enough. The noise was coming from the kitchen, so I ambled in that direction, the smell of coffee reaching my nostrils in no time.

I rounded the corner and stepped in, finding Jane and Brian leaned against the counters, sharing small talk. Jane had her cute pajamas on and Brian was only clad in a pair of baseball shorts, his naked chest on full display. However, my attention quickly diverted when I spotted the coffee in his hand. “I need that!” I pointed toward the mug in Brian’s hand and he chuckled as he acknowledged me.

“Happy Birthday!” They chorused and I lazily smiled.

“Thanks, guys, but I still need coffee.”

“Go make yourself one. This one’s mine.” Brian clutched the mug to his chest for further emphasis.

“You’re mean…” I pouted.

He stepped away from the counter and padded toward me, a smug look crossing his eyes. “If you kiss me good morning, I may reconsider.” Brian stopped a few inches from me and I grimaced, filling the rest of the space so our bodies almost touched.

I raised on my tiptoes and placed a chaste kiss on his lips as I snatched the mug from his hand. Laughing, he kissed my forehead before I could veer off and turned around to go make himself more coffee. “Hey, girl,” I told Jane. We shared a quick hug and I motioned for us to sit at the small island exposed in the kitchen.

“Here’s some Advil,” Brian said as he slid two pills in my direction. I took them gladly with a sip of coffee. I really hoped they eased my headache, because it was killing me. “So what’re you gonna do today, ladies?” Brian asked while pouring sugar into his coffee. I glanced over at Jane and we both shrugged our shoulders with a skimpy laugh. “You could go for a walk or have lunch on the pier. I bet Jane would like to see a little bit of Huntington Beach.”

I groaned even though I knew he was probably right. Jane had never visited California before and Huntington Beach was a cool place to start. However, last night had pretty much killed us, so the idea of walking around didn’t sound as pleasant as it should. “I’m not very hungry, but…”

Jane giggled and nodded, “Me neither.”

“You drunk little shits,” Brian laughed, shaking his head, as he swirled his coffee with a spoon. “Well-” He licked the spoon and threw it into the sink. “You’re not staying at home. I won’t let you. It’s fucking 3 pm. You don’t have that much time.”

“But Brian,” I whined, pulling my bottom lip out. With a smile adorning his lips and the mug in hand, he moved to stand by my side. I leaned my head against his warm stomach once he was in reach and he rested his free hand on my shoulder giving it a squeeze. “I’m tired.”

“Do you remember anything from last night?”

I scoffed as if what he had said had been ludicrous and raised my head from him. “Of course I do.”

“Do you remember the drive home?” Jane queried then.

I mulled over the matter for a moment but came up empty handed. I didn’t remember getting into any car nor stepping home. How did that even happen?

“Nope,” I said at last. Brian and Jane exchanged worried looks and I froze. Oh, God. What did I do? “Will you spill it or what?”

“Your mom…” Brian started hesitantly.

“What about my mom?”

“She saw you guys kissing. Like… tongues involved and all,” Jane stammered, probably afraid of my reaction. However, the only thing I was capable of doing was blush intensely. I could not believe that had happened. But of course it had happened! I was drunk off my ass!

My mom seeing us kissing could not be good. I knew I should’ve told her that Brian and I were together again, but the opportunity never came and I was scared of what she might say. Dating Brian meant strings attached here in California and I was sure my mom wasn’t going to be pleased with the news.

“Holy fucking shit.”

“Yup.” Brian patted my back and walked away mumbling about getting toasts ready. The mug was dropped carefully onto the counter and he grabbed the bread and a knife. Why was he so calm?

“That’s all you’re gonna say?”

He peeked at me over his shoulder, an eyebrow crinkled slightly in confusion. “What am I to say?”

I rose from my seat and ambled just a little closer to him. “I don’t know!” My voice came out angrier than I originally wanted, but I couldn’t help it. “Maybe you shouldn’t have kissed me like that yesterday. You knew I was drunk.”

Brian laughed dryly and turned around to face me, crossing his arms over his chest. “So this is my fault? We kiss and it’s all my fault.”

Now he was pissed. Great.

“Yeah, I don’t know.”

“Please, Lara,” he raged, “get yourself together, okay?”

“Hey, guys, come on,” Jane cut in just as Brian turned his back on me. She stepped beside me and her hand fell on my lower back. “You’re not getting mad because of this. It was no one’s fault, really.”

I shook my head and left the kitchen without another word. I went straight to the bedroom and snatched my phone from the bedside table. Four missed calls from my mom and one message that said, Call me when you wake up. . I was in so much trouble. Sighing, I plopped down onto the bed and just stared at the screen, thinking of what to do.

My mom wasn’t that upset when we talked over Skype, I remembered. However, I did recall that she seemed a bit off after the Happy Birthday song. And although I thought it was because of my booze intoxication, now I wasn’t so sure anymore.

I rested my head on my hand as I waited for any God sign or anything that would help me with the situation. In the meantime, I could hear an argument going on in the kitchen, but I paid no attention to it. I was too worried and too tired to even allow myself to listen more attentively.

Unaware of how much time it’d passed, I heard a knock on the door. I tilted my head up and saw Brian leaning his chest against the doorframe from outside, an apologetic look painted in his eyes. “May I?” he asked and I sighed, nodding. He walked in and didn’t hesitate as he sat next to me and pulled me into his arms.

I let out a languid chuckle and ran my fingertips up and down his arm. “I’m sorry. I freaked out,” I mumbled.

“You did.”

“I’m just angry,” I groaned. “I don’t know what to do.”

Though I couldn’t see Brian, I felt him nod his head. “About your mom?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t think you should ruin your day with that,” he reasoned. “Call her, let her say Happy Birthday, and then tell her to call you tomorrow because you’ll spend the day with Jane and you don’t have much time for serious stuff.”

“You think it’ll be that simple?”

“I don’t know, baby,” Brian murmured softly, his hand gently fondling my ginger hair, still wild from the party and the sleeping. “Probably not. But she didn’t seem angry yesterday.”

As much as I was enjoying Brian’s touch, I pulled back from him so I could look at his face. “She called me four times today. She never does that unless she’s either upset or worried.”

He jolted his shoulder in a shrug, lips twisting lightly. “It’s your birthday.”

A big sigh escaped from my mouth and he cupped my face, smiling now. “It’ll be okay. Just do what I said,” he said before he leaned forward to kiss me on the lips.

I grinned when he tried to pull away and kissed him again. “Thanks, Asshole.” Brian gave me one more kiss and then hugged me tightly, bringing us down onto the bed. Laughing as he rolled on top of me, I tried to veer off his kisses but failed miserably. It wasn’t until Jane came coughing loudly into Brian’s room that we stopped.

She glared at us as she placed her hands on her hips. “As much as I’m happy that you’re not fighting anymore, I don’t wanna hear you two have sex.”

“Bummer,” Brian complained with a teasing smile.

Jane tried to hide the smirk quirking at her mouth. “Don’t make me swat you in the head again, Brian.”

I pushed myself up on my elbow and flitted my eyes curiously between the two of them. “Why did she swat you in the head?” I directed my question to Brian, who was still lying on his back, and he laughed a little.

“She was defending you.”

I beamed proudly. “Of course she did!”

Brian made a face and scoffed unimpressed, “Yeah, yeah, go plotting on me.”

“We totally will.”

“What do you think we’re gonna do while we’re out having lunch?” Jane teased and Brian let a sly smile touch his thin lips.

He slipped his brown eyes close and brought his hands behind his head, making atsk tsk sound with his tongue. “We all know you girls love me.”

“Nah,” I chuckled, “I just love your dick really.”

Brian and Jane erupted with laughter as soon were the words out and I ended up cracking up as well after no more than two seconds.

***
Today was not the prettiest day outside. Though it wasn’t horribly cold, the sky was not the typical bright blue that it’d been when I got here a few months ago. November was starting to notice on the weather and the nights were getting chillier.

Still Jane and I walked along the pier, wind blowing across our hairs and making them fly all over the place. I adjusted my sunglasses as I pushed them up higher on my nose. If people asked why I was wearing sunglasses on a gray day, I’d flash them my tired, dead eyes and they’d run off scared. I looked that bad.

“What about that restaurant? It doesn’t seem too crowded,” I suggested, pointing over to a small house on our left.

Jane bobbed her head in agreement. “It’s fine by me.”

Brian had dropped us off a few minutes ago and said he’d come pick us later. The suitcase Jane had brought for me with more clothes and other necessary things was still at Zacly’s place, so while the girls caught up, Brian decided to take care of that. Might as well have a boy’s day.

“We’ve got a lot to talk about, haven’t we?” I asked as we chose a table next to the window. It had a good view to the beach. “Work, your Wedding, more Brian…”

Jane smiled. “Yes, missy. We have.”

A soft sigh escaped my lips. It was crazy to have Jane here with me. It’d been a few months since I left and I missed her terribly. We used to hang out every single day back in New York seen that we lived in the same house, and now all we were able to do was Skyping each other. It was good, but it didn’t feel the same.

“I really miss you, you know?” I voiced, smiling sadly, and Jane awed at me. “See? This time apart made me a mushy little shit. It’s ruining all my badassessness.”

Jane giggled a little. “Is that even a word?”

“It is in my head,” I laughed just as a waitress came to our table, bringing two menus in her hands. We thanked her and she asked us what we’d like to drink.

“I want a coke.”

“Two then,” Jane added. As the woman left us alone again, my best friend leaned forward on the table, a suspicious smirk curling at her lips. “I like Brian.”

I quirked an eyebrow, opening the menu as if this conversation didn’t spike my interest at all. It obviously did. “Just as long as it stays that way, you can like him. I’ll let you,” I replied.

She hit me with her own menu and I couldn’t help the chuckle that bubbled out of my lips. “You know what I mean, you idiot,” she spat with fake annoyance. My green eyes stayed glued to the menu anyway and I said nothing. I knew Jane would go on with whatever she wanted to say about Brian. “He’s awesome with you,” she said softly. “And he’s much hotter live.”

“I know, right? The bastard gets better and better with time.” I wiggled my eyebrows appreciatively to which Jane giggled.

“But there’s more to him. I mean… we kinda talked. He’s funny. And he loves you to death.” I flicked my eyes up to her for a moment and fought back a grin. It made my stomach fuzzy when we talked about Brian and feelings, but I didn’t like to show it. Now when we were being serious. “He told me some stuff about when you guys were young,” she went on, smirking now. I could only imagine what that Asshole had mentioned to her. “He told me about how you two met, which I knew already, but it was fun to get another perspective. And he said you were the coolest chick to hang out with.”

“Of course I was,” I boasted playfully. “I made him cookies and cakes.”

“And you’d call him out and restrain his ego so he wouldn’t get too cocky. He loved that.”

“Yeah,” I offered with a faint laugh, “I still do that sometimes.”

The waitress came back then with our drinks and we took another couple of minutes to choose what we wanted to eat. All the talk had drifted our attention from that important task. We eventually ordered our food, two chicken salads and a small dish with fried chips.

Now that the menus were out of the way, I had nothing but my hands to hide from Jane. I knew I’d been avoiding important matters, still related to Brian, and my best friend would not let that pass today. I just knew it. So when her face hardened slightly and her eyes became more earnest, I sighed.

“What’re you gonna do, Lara?” she asked gently. “You can’t leave Brian now.”

“I don’t know, Jane. I… I feel like I’m living two different lives.”

She nodded with her head, knowing where I was coming from. “But you’re happy here. Back in New York you’re never this relaxed, this calm, this… this happy, you know? I never saw you like this. And I’ve known you for five years already.”

“But my dream is in New York.”

Jane smiled sympathetically. “Is it really?”

I grabbed my can of coke and opened it with a click, before pouring the liquid into the empty cup with ice and lemon the waitress had placed on the table. “I want to be an actress,” I said firmly. “I don’t want to give that up.”

“The Company is a mess, Lara!” Jane countered. “They’re firing people. I’ve already started to look for other places because it’s only a matter of time before they send me away.”

“They’d never fire you, they love you! They’d probably fire me first.”

Oh God.

I dropped the can onto the table almost knocking the drink out. “They’re gonna fire me!” I realized in shock.

Jane looked sternly at me and shook her head. “They might not.”

“After what I did?! I won’t last long, Jane! They hate me. They always have, and now that they’re getting rid of people, I’ll be the first on their list. That’s why you’re telling me this, isn’t it? You want me to stay here because you know I won’t have a job by the time I come back!”

“It’s not that.” Her voice was still cool and collected and Jane tried to keep it down for the restaurant’s sake, but I couldn’t. Not when my dream was hanging by a thread.

“Yes, it is. I’m fucking screwed.”

“You’re not screwed! They’re still trying to save the Company, okay? I’ve heard rumors about a new movie. It’s their last shot. And they don’t have many actors. They can’t fire you. With that being said, I still think you shouldn’t leave this here. I don’t think you can handle it.”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course I can handle it. That’s not even the point right now.”

When I first went to New York I never thought I could find something to hold on to. I had lost so much. My father, Brian, all of my friends. It was hard and tough and it made me grow up fast. Sometimes I liked to blame my Mom for forcing me to leave everything behind, because somehow it eased the guilt that consumed my heart more often than not. But it didn’t help as much as I’d like.

It took me about a year to get used to the new life. College was a good distraction when my thoughts wandered about and soon I had my degree. Finding a job was oddly easy. My grades had been good and what I thought it was a great Company took an interest in me. I didn’t hesitate. I signed a contract with them and shortly after I met Jane.

I’ve always had small roles in movies, but it was something. The Company was small and the Directors, I found out within weeks of work, weren’t the best of people. Arrogant, selfish men that only cared about making profit. However, they were my salvation and they paid me good money. And even though I knew I deserved more consideration, if I gave up now I would never step higher and prove myself to them.

I loved acting. It was my dream. And I was willing to do whatever it took to fulfill that wish.

Jane’s voice woke me up from my thoughts. “You have other options, Lara,” she informed. “There are other places closer to Huntington Beach where you can live the dream. Los Angeles,Hollywood. It’s still in California and there’s no better place, right?”

I sighed and looked out of the window, seeing the wild ocean. She was probably right. Feeling a bit uneasy with the conversation, I decided it was better if we changed the subject. “I’m kinda running low on money now. They didn’t give me anything from the last occurrence.” The one I’d walked out on them. I spared Jane a glance when her silence remained and saw that she was worried. “I haven’t spent much money since I came,” I continued, “but the rent in New York is not cheap.”

“You need help?”

“My mom paid the last rent. I can’t keep letting her do that, though. I think I need to get a part-time job here or something.”

Jane took a sip of her coke and I did the same. “Maybe Brian can help you.”

“Yeah,” I smiled, even if a little forced. “I’m gonna talk to him. We don’t really talk about this stuff and I think now is the right time to start. I don’t want him to feel pushed away.”

Our meals were finally placed in front of us, and as we ate, I could see that the mood was picking up. Jane’s Wedding was brought into the conversation and she showed me many pictures of her in beautiful white dresses. She laid them on the table and I told her what my favorites were.

There was one that had a big bow tied behind her back that really accentuated the silhouette of her body. She looked absolutely stunning in it. My second favorite was a strapless one that widened from the waist down and was full of flourishes. “Jane, you’re going to be the most beautiful bride ever. Awn…”

“Thanks, girl. I’m so excited. You think Mark is going to like to see me in a white dress?”

“He better cry!” I prompted as I pointed a finger at my best friend. “I’ll kick his balls if he doesn’t.” She laughed, turning her attention back to the pictures scattered all over the table. “Do you have your invitations done?”

“Yeah, almost,” she replied quickly. “We’ll start sending them after New Year’s Eve when we set an actual date.”

“Summer, right?”

“Oh yeah!” I beamed, feeling happy for my friend. Jane deserved the very best. “You think I should invite the guys? I know I just met them yesterday, but I don’t want them to think I’m an asshole.”

I laughed whole-heartedly at the panic etching at her face. She clearly didn’t know them well enough. “Of course they won’t think that. But Jimmy would be crushed if he watched you marry another man.”

Jane’s cheeks flooded with a light pink blush. “Oh, come on…” She held her cup and took a swig to hide the embarrassment, but it was useless.

“It’s totally true,” I chuckled. “I think he fell in love last night.”

“Lara!” she scolded, only half serious. “Stop being silly.”

“He was so heartbroken when I told him you were taken. You should’ve seen his face. He looked sadder than a cute little puppy doing that thing with the eyes.”

Jane shook her head as I kept laughing to myself. Poor Jimmy, though. That man wasn’t lucky in the love department. Last girlfriend cheated on him and the other before that stole from his money. “He’ll be alright, though, right?” Jane queried with honest concern.

“Yeah, girl, don’t worry. I’ll feed him with love these next weeks.”

“I’m not sure Brian will like that very much,” she teased and I shrugged my shoulders. He could kiss my ass all he wanted.

“What’s the worst than can happen? Angry sex?” Jane’s eyes almost balled out of her face at the mention of sex and I pulled back a little from the table. “What?” I uttered slowly, confused.

“You had sex with Brian and didn’t tell me!” she accused in a hushed tone, her eyes swimming in offense. “How could you not tell me?”I gulped and pulled the drink toward me, sipping on it. Her eyes bored into mine seeming even more angry and I groaned inwardly.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, slumping my bottom lip out. “I might have forgotten.”

“How do you forget such thing?”

“I don’t know! It was yesterday! I was meaning to tell you today,” I defended and she sighed in defeat. There was no point arguing now, right?

She raised her hands, waving off. “Okay,” Jane gave in, “Fine. I forgive you as long as you tell me all the dirty details.”

“You whore!” I guffawed. “It was kinky and wet and so good. Best shower ever.” I grinned with a satisfied sigh and Jane giggled. I told her some more details but not as much as she’d probably want. Yet, it was a funny matter to discuss.

“You lucky bitch. I don’t think Mark is that good.”

With widened eyes, I gaped at her. “You told me it was awesome,” I said, not really getting her doubts now. “Were you lying?”

“No, no! Of course it’s good, but after hearing you talk about Brian’s abilities, I’m sort of jealous.” I knew it was the meanest thing to do, but I couldn’t stop the fit of laughter from storming out. “You’re a horrible friend,” Jane pouted, bringing a hand to her chest.

“I’m sorry! But I think you’re not thinking straight. Every couple is different, right?” I laid out. “I’m sure Mark has it in him, you just have to tease him a little and push his buttons. Don’t go soft on him. They need to learn,” I smirked.

With a crushed groan, Jane nodded with her head. “Fine. I’m gonna unleash the devil in Mark.”

“You go, girl!” We both broke with laughter.

*** I can’t believe we were already at the airport dropping Jane off. My heart tightened when her flight was announced and I faked a sniffled, reaching for my best friend. We hugged each other close. “I’m gonna miss you, man,” I said, subdued.

“I’m gonna miss you too, you crazy girl.”

I pulled back and twisted my lips to the side in a languid smile. “I don’t like this. You should’ve stayed for a few days.”

“I promise I’ll try to come back soon,” she voiced weakly, before grabbing my hands. “You be happy here.” Her tone was demanding, eyes widening slightly at the mention of the word here. I knew what she meant. I gave a curt nod and my eyes fell to the floor.

Jane stepped forward and involved me in her arms again. “You have to go,” I told her even so reluctantly. “Wouldn’t want you to miss your flight.”

“Yeah right,” she snickered as she noticed the mirth that lingered in the green of my eyes. “Behave.”

“I will… most of the times.” With a chortle, she moved to hug Brian. She whispered something I could not hear and I narrowed my eyes at her. “No secrets!” However, they ignored my pleas and just smiled at me, making me feel even more intrigued. The bastards.

Jane turned her gaze back to Brian and took a deep breath. “Take care of her, okay?”

“Don’t worry,” he assured with his warmest smile as he draped one arm around my shoulders and caressed my arm. “She’ll be in good hands.”

We accompanied Jane as far as the security would let us, and with more hugs, we said goodbye to her. I watched as she walked away and Brian tightened his grip around me, dropping a kiss to my head. “You okay?” he whispered. I shook my head and sank further into his arms, seeking for his comfort. Brian compelled to my needs as he squeezed me flush against his chest, and I allowed myself to chuckle lightly. “I’ll make you forget about Jane’s departure tonight.”

I placed my hands on his chest and tilted my head up. Our eyes met in a playful gaze. “I’m holding you to that,” I murmured hoarsely before leaning up to fuse my lips to his. He slid his hands up to the sides of my neck and deepened the kiss as if it were a silent promise.

Back in the car, my head started working its knots around what I’d been talking to Jane earlier in the afternoon. Glancing over at Brian, who was lip singing to the music, I felt my heart tug at my chest. He made me happy. He deserved everything from me; my best efforts; all my secrets; all my love. But mostly… all my honesty.

“Brian?” I called and he diverted his eyes from the road to look at me, a goofy smile dancing on his lips. I almost bit back my words at the happiness radiating from him. Just almost. “I need to talk to you, okay?”

Like I knew it would happen, the grin fell from his face. “I don’t like the seriousness. Should I worry?”

I stretched my arm to rest my hand on his knee. “No, baby. Just need to tell you some stuff.”

He nodded vaguely and grabbed my hand from his leg, linking our fingers together. “I love you. You know that, don’t you?” he asked, his tone tainted with desperation. He peeked at me again as I laughed softly.

“Absolutely. And I love you just as much.” He seemed to calm a little in relief and I kept holding his hand tightly, tracing undefined paths on its back to soothe his nerves. I noticed he was still singing to himself and I smirked. “You can sing out loud, you fool. Quit the lip singing.”

“I don’t want to scare you off,” he chuckled, now that he was more relaxed. “There’s a reason I play guitar and not otherwise.”

I rolled my eyes, still smirking. “Try me.”

With a quirked eyebrow, Brian took a last glance at me, and as I nodded for encouragement he cleared his throat. The song playing in the car was some Pop hit I’d probably listened to a few times, but I was surprised to see that the man next to me, a guitar God as he claimed himself to be, knew the lyrics front to back without failing a word. My mouth opened slightly in shock as the song went on and I tried my best not to burst out laughing. Brian was not Matt when it came to having a good voice to sing, truth be told, albeit he was not so bad as I first thought.

He definitely had a cute tone attached to his voice.

When the song ended, I clapped my hands and finally let go the laugh that was clogging at my throat and eager to come out. Brian’s cheeks went just a darker shade of red and I kept laughing lightly. “I’m gonna make you sing for me from now on,” I told him excitedly, just to have him scrunch up his nose.

“Can’t I just play guitar?”

“Nope. I officially fell in love with your unique voice.”

“Unique, ” he quoted, fingers flickering in the air as he smiled. “Alright. Maybe I get lucky and you’ll forget about this soon.”

I shook my head mulishly and crossed my arms over my chest. The car stopped at a red light and Brian turned to me, running his tongue over his bottom lip as he looked me up and down. “I’ll make you forget,” he promised with a glint of mischief in his gaze. When I stuck my tongue out at him, he almost jumped from his seat to press a kiss over my lips, his hand holding the side of my neck so I had no way out of it.

The horn of the car behind us broke us from our bubble and Brian quickly resumed his position at the wheel, putting the vehicle into movement at the green light. He kept driving toward the Hotel I was staying so I could get ready for our romantic dinner. I had no idea what Brian had prepared, but couldn’t deny the enthusiasm that was beginning to grow within me.

“So are you dressing sexy tonight?” he asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows, making me giggle. The car was momentarily stopped at the entrance of the Hotel, the engine still roaring.

I unfasten my seatbelt. “Is this my birthday or yours? I’m the one who wants you all dressed up and handsome for me,” I retorted with a smirk.

Brian chuckled slightly and his eyebrow rose high. “I’m always handsome, baby. But if you insist, I’ll be at my best.”

I leaned over the console and waited for Brian to fill the rest of the space so I could kiss him. He reached for my face and cradled my cheek gently, his tongue parting my lips and tangling with mine in a deep kiss. Slowing down to a few pecks, he finally pulled back. I grunted to myself, not happy that it was over, but opened the door to clamber out of the car anyway.

“Wait,” Brian called, he too following me outside. “Don’t forget your stuff on the trunk.”

“Oh.” My suitcase and a small bag with my gifts and personal items were taken from the trunk and handed to me. I grinned and placed another kiss on Brian’s lips. “Thank you.”

“I’ll come pick you up in two hours, alright?” he reminded me as he round the car to the driver’s side. With a nod and a wave goodbye, I made my way to the Hotel and my room.

I threw myself on the bed as soon as I arrived, huffing out a tired sigh. Now I had to think of what to wear for tonight’s dinner. I knew a pair of jeans and a pretty top and jacket wouldn’t do. Brian was expecting me to surprise him, and surprise him I would.

I decided to see what Jane had brought for me in that big suitcase first. I squatted down beside it and pulled on the zipper all the way, until the inside was completely revealed. The first thing my eyes caught was a wrapped up box with a smashed bow. Curious, I gently grabbed it and moved to the bed.

I tore the paper out and my heart swelled. A beautiful dark wooden frame with a picture of me and Jane with the Liberty Statue behind us rested in my hands. I turned the gift around and saw that there was a message on the back.

Happy Birthday, Lara!

You know I wish you the best of the best. Here’s a photo of our ugly asses so you won’t forget about me :)

Love you, girl! Take care!

XO

“Aw!” I cooed to no one in particular. “This is awesome.”

I stretched my arm and placed the frame on my nightstand, ogling it for a while, before I groped for my phone in my pocket. I quickly texted Jane, even though she was still in the airplane, thanking her for the present. She’d reply later, I knew.

Having a little less than two hours to get ready, I put hands to work. I rummaged through the suitcase, hoping that Jane had miraculously sent me something perfect for tonight. The only thing I found, that would eventually suit me for the occasion, was a thin, long, dark green cardigan.

Deciding to look into the wardrobe, I stepped away from the suitcase and dragged my feet to the opposite side of the room. I had many clothes hung up, so it took me a while to find anything. I threw a few things onto the bed, not really pleased, and by the time I was finished, there was a pile of messed up clothes on the mattress.

“Oh God, Lara…” I slumped in defeat as I realized that the room had been turned upside down. And I had nothing to wear. “Come on, you ought to have something!”

I searched in the suitcase again and a black item I hadn’t seen before got my attention. I pulled it out and squealed in delight when it turned out to be my favorite black dress. I didn’t even know how I hadn’t packed that when I came to California. Bless Jane!

Between straightening my usual wavy hair, applying a tad of makeup, and getting my ass in that dress time flew by faster than I expected. As I waited for Brian, who surely wouldn’t take much longer, I checked myself in the mirror. Black dress with a pair of black high heels, not so high I’d fall face first, and the green cardigan to cover my naked arms if the chilly air was too much to handle. I looked presentable enough.

I knew Brian had seldom seen me dressed up, so his reaction was something I was keen to see. A few more minutes, and my phone was vibrating in my hand, telling me Brian was already waiting for me. Grabbing my purse, I gave myself one last glance over in the mirror and darted out of the room. The lobby of the Hotel was quiet as I exited the elevator and made for the big entry doors.

The cold wind hit me in the face no sooner did I step out and I brushed my hair away from my eyes, searching for Brian. He gave me a little wave from where he stood a few feet ahead of me, leaned against the side of his car. As I approached him, I could see he was wearing black pants, a black and white striped shirt and a leather jacket on top. His hair, not very different from the usual, was just the slightest more spiked and worked.

“Oh, my God,” he appraised once I stopped in front of him. He looked me up and down shamelessly and his arms folded across his chest. “Who are you and what did you do with my girlfriend?”

My eyebrows furrowed at his words. “What does that mean? I’m always impeccable.”

Chuckling, Brian grabbed hold of my hand and lifted my arm, motioning for me to spin around. I did as he commanded, and he whistled. “Jesus Christ. I might not keep my hands to myself the entire dinner,” he hinted. “You look absolutely gorgeous, baby.”

“Thank you very much,” I smiled, bowing my head courteously.

“Come here.” Brian pulled me toward him and rested a hand on my hip as he dived his head in to kiss me, his thin lips feeling so soft against mine, and yet so restless. His tongue escaped inside my mouth, and I moaned as I fisted his opened jacket in my hands and draw him even closer. His grasp tightened on my hips, as a response, desperate fingers sinking into my sides. I retrieved my mouth from his to catch my breath and locked my lust hazed gaze with his matching one. Still breathing heavily, Brian captured my lower lip with his teeth and growled, pulling at it softly. “Shorty, Shorty…” he murmured.

I smoothed my hands up and down his clothed chest, running the tip of my tongue over the stung lip he’d bitten. “If you don’t behave we’ll never make it to the restaurant.”

“Don’t blame me. You’re the one looking smoking hot,” he smirked.

I patted his arm, struggling against a smirk of my own. “Shouldn’t have told me to dress up.”

Brian let out a small chuckle of defeat and held his hands up. “My bad. But I still find it very hard to regret those words.”

“You better not. These heels will be the death of me, so don’t complain when you’re all comfortable and still sexy.”

His lips quirked up, a crooked grin suiting his proud ego. “Shall we go, before I push you up against the hood of the car?” he suggested, opening the passenger side door for me. I rolled my eyes at his antics, but couldn’t help the chuckle that came out at his words.

The place Brian had chosen for our romantic dinner was a small restaurant that stood alongside the Pacific Coast Highway. On a first sight, it didn’t seem like a very fancy house, instead looking like a cozy, warm place that served home-cooked food. Yet when we stepped our foot inside, we were welcomed with a very modern furniture and lounge music floating in the air. I glanced over my shoulder at Brian and gave him an approval nod.

A very well dressed waiter, in a fine tuxedo, came to meet us within seconds. “Goodnight,” he greeted, flashing a polite smile.

“Goodnight. We have a reservation for tonight.”

The man nodded and went behind a high counter where an older woman was too. They shared a few inaudible words before the waiter was tilting his head up again. “Under what name was the reservation made?”

Brian walked closer. “Brian Haner.”

“Alright.” Smiling once again, the tall man led us to a small round table with black cushion seats. It was a more private area, lights dimmed low, candles hung up on the wall behind us. “Have a nice meal, Mr. and Mrs. Haner,” he offered. My eyes almost popped out of my face at the addressing it was given to me.

“Woah,” I muttered as Brian played the gentleman and let me sit down first. “Mrs. Haner. Can this be any more cliché?” I was adjusting my hair and my dress when I heard a small, embarrassed cough coming from Brian. I looked to my right, seeing him scratch the back of his neck. “What?” I queried, intrigued, once he was finally settled next to me. It was a nice change from the common table for two where we’d sit front to front.

Brian’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Uh… I may have mentioned something about bringing my wife.”

“You did what?”

“Oh, come on,” he eased out. “Sometimes they offer wine bottles and stuff. I thought about saying we were newly married as well, but figured it was too much.”

I shook my head in disbelief, yet couldn’t bring myself to be mad at him. I wiggled my hand in front of his face, though, pointing at my ringless finger. “What about the ring, you fool?”

“Yeah… about that- well,” he stuttered and rubbed more of his neck. Wait. I must have masked the panic on my face pretty badly, because Brian quickly pushed himself even closer to me, chuckling. “I’m not proposing, don’t worry.”

A silent sigh of relief slipped through my lips. “Good. I would’ve said no.”

He winced slightly. “Ouch?”

“It’s true,” I said, trying not to sound too cold.

“Well, if you proposed I’d say yes. See the difference? You don’t even love me.”

I laughed as I kissed his cheek, my hand landing on his thigh for support. “I hope you don’t believe that,” I murmured against his skin.

He turned his head to meet my eyes and a smirk curled on his lips. “I won’t if you let me call you wife today.”

“Brian!” I chided, backing off lightly and diverting my gaze down to the menu.

“Come on!” Brian’s arm circled around my waist, his palm gently rubbing at my curve. His lips touched my jaw, then my cheek where they remained. “Just tonight. It’ll be fun,” he whispered, pressing feather light kisses all over that side of my face.

Damn his ways.

“Not gonna happen,” I insisted.

He dropped the matter for the time being and we discussed what we should eat. Knowing I didn’t eat red meat, Brian suggested the turkey dish that did sound delicious. We agreed upon it and closed the menus, happy with our choice. I was presented with another kiss on the cheek before a different waiter came to our table.

“May I take your orders?” He was equally nice, yet a lot younger. His blond hair was cut short and his eyes still sparkled with the enthusiasm of a boy of twenty.

It’s not like you’re much older than him, Lara.

“My wife loves turkey.”

Those words were enough to slap me back to reality and I craned my neck, glaring daggers at Brian. He pretended not to acknowledge me but I knew better. I could see the glint of mischief in his irises as he kept talking to our waiter.

“It’s a great choice.”

“Awesome!” Brian brought his hands together. “We want a dish for two then and your best wine,” he said.

Taking the two menus from the table, the young boy scooted back to the kitchens, and once he was out of sight, I elbowed Brian on his side. “I can’t believe you did that,” I scolded him in a hushed voice.

He chuckled despite what I said and leaned closer to my ear. “Are you gonna get mad, wife?”

I slunk away with a playful shove on his chest. “Stop with that. It’s not even funny.”

“Yes, it is. You’re smiling.”

“That means shit.”

“It means everything. Please call me husband- just once,” he begged over the sound of my protests and uncontrollable giggles. He had gone mad for sure. I shook my head repeatedly as he held onto my arm, eyes dancing and mouth wide in smiles. “Please, just one single time.”

“No.”

“Please.”

“Brian.” I looked him straight in the eye, but the earnest look I wanted to give him was washed away by his blinding grin. “I’ll seriously hurt you if you don’t stop with that.”

He stole a kiss from my lips, not giving me time to whine about it, and shut up about the husband thing. He was not over yet, I felt, but at least he didn’t touch the subject in the minutes to follow. He made me wonder, though. Was I really so afraid of saying the word? It wouldn’t hurt play along, would it? After all Brian was just joking around.

Without him noticing, I knocked my napkin to the floor. Lifting a finger into the air to call for the waiter, I nibbled on my bottom lip to quell the nerves eating at my stomach. The boy reached our table in no time, and I cleared my throat before grabbing the napkin at my feet.

“I’m sorry,” I started, trying to sound convincing, “my husband here thinks he’s really funny and just threw my napkin out of the table.” I felt Brian stiffening beside me but I paid him no heed. “Can you bring me another one, please? I’m really sorry.”

The guy let out an amused chuckle and accepted the napkin I handed him. “It’s no problem at all.”

Brian wrapped his arm around the back of my shoulders and his other hand trailed up my thigh, fingers slowly drawing circles on the exposed skin. Arching my back at the shiver that ran up my spine, I suppressed a moan willing to come out. “Hm,” Brian sang huskily, lips grazing my ear, “I just got the biggest boner.”

I turned my head to him and let myself be consumed by his eager lips while his hand rose just a little higher so it was hidden beneath the dress. When it finally hit me that we were in a restaurant, my first instinct was to close my legs. “We’re not alone,” I said into the kiss. Brian removed his tricky hand but continued to kiss me relentlessly.

What was wrong with him today?

I rested my hands on his chest and gave it a little push, breaking out mouths apart. “People are staring.”

“Ugh. I don’t really care.”

I stopped him with my palm, as he went forward again, and chuckled. “Brian, later,” I promised, smirking lightly at his desperate actions.

“I chose this table for a reason,” he stated, not backing off completely. “And that reason is so I can touch you and kiss you and hug you whenever I want to.” My chin was held between his fingers as he stared me in the eyes, his own orbs sparkling under the candle lights. “You’re too close for me to ignore your presence and my body has a mind of its own. I can’t control what’s happening in my pants.”

Laughing as I closed my fingers around his wrist, I lunged forward and shut any possible sound that might leave his lips again with a long kiss. “You’ve gotta hold on until we’re out of here.”

“Yeah, we’ll see about that.”

By the time we were finished and Brian insisted to pay for everything, I was fidgeting in my seat. I announced my trip to the toilets as we stood up from the table and he nodded. I hurried to the bathroom and did my thing, stopping just briefly to wash my hands and check on my makeup. With all the kisses I wouldn’t be surprised if my face was smudged. Luckily, It wasn’t.

I took my leave and opened the door only to be thrown back by somebody’s hands. The door was abruptly kicked shut and I realized Brian had been the one entering. Gasping in horror, I tried to rush him back outside, but he grabbed me by the arms and pushed me up against the wall. One single finger was laid upon my lips and Brian hushed me almost softly.

“What’re you doing here?” I asked in a quiet tone, worried sick that someone would appear.

“Shut up,” he smirked, leading me to one of the bathroom stalls by the hand.

He waited no more as his lips came crashing down on mine as soon we were hidden inside the cabin. Rough hands lifted the ends of my dress and squeezed my butt. Supporting my weight on Brian’s shoulders, I jumped, just enough so he could pick me up, and threw my legs around his waist.

He held me close to him as he sucked on my bottom lip, already breathing heavily. Our foreheads rested together for a moment and he rubbed his palms up and down my outer thighs, clutching onto them as he pressed against my front. “I told you I couldn’t wait any longer,” he breathed out, and I knew he was serious. I could feel his excitement through his pants.

I brushed my hand over his bulge, searching for the zipper. “Wanna take care of that?”

“No. I want you to take care of it.”

I smiled and unzipped his pants before popping the button out. With one hand keeping me up, he pulled the pants down with his free one along with his boxers. My heart sped up at the sight that rolled before my eyes and my stomach tightened in anticipation. Catching my lips in a heated kiss, Brian cleared my mind from any thoughts, forcing me to focus on us and us only.

I buried my hands into his gelled hair, messing up his spikes a little as I pulled at them. Moans strangled my throat but I knew I had to keep them locked if I didn’t want the entire restaurant to notice our adventurous escape. Soft pecks and bites were laid all over my neck and I leaned my head to the opposite side as to give Brian more access.

His freed member poked at my belly and I wrapped my hand around it, giving it a few slow strokes, making Brian lose his composure and bit on his lips to stop his own moans. “God, Lara.” I eventually let him go, not wanting to ruin our purpose, and reached for his shirt, sneaking my hands inside. His muscles welcomed my touch with eager spasms and I allowed a smile to tug at my lips.

“I love your weakness for tickles.”

“Yeah, I know you do. You make sure to remind me every single time.”

I giggled. My fingers whispered against his back and I placed one gentle kiss to his cheek. “Of course.”

“Don’t forget that I know some of your weaknesses too,” he whispered, a smug grin painted on his lips. “My voice and my words make you tingle all over.”

They did. “Is that so?”

“I feel your squirming, baby. I feel you squirming right now. And when my breath ghosts over your neck, your pretty little hairs rise, your mouth parts for me, and you give me the most sensual and hottest moan ever,” he teased, his tone of voice enough to leave me wheezing.

I gripped at his hair and fought back the said moan he’d just mentioned, making him erupt with a low laughter. “You’re such an asshole,” I said but couldn’t help the chuckle that trolled behind.

Lost in a bundle of kisses and touches, our longing for one another only grew more. Brian rubbed his member against my core, the friction between my panties and my sensitive nub driving me crazy. “Fuck me, Goddammit,” I cursed as Brian kept teasing me through the material. I was drenched, pulsing, aching for some release, and I wanted him to stop the torture and just go on with it.

He chuckled darkly and his finger moved aside the only barrier separating me from him. I panted, my chest heaving up and down, as he positioned his throbbing member at my entrance. “You keeping it quiet or do I have to cover your mouth?”

A delicious trail of electricity shot through my body at his words and I lost my voice. Not waiting for my answer, Brian thrust his hips into me and filled me only partially. The motion was enough to make a groan push past my lips and he grinned yet again, placing his palm in front of my mouth, his other arm tensing up under the effort of carrying me.

Dark brown eyes stayed locked with my green ones as he buried the rest of his hard-on inside of me, and I moaned loudly behind his hand. My fingers dug into his arms as he pulled out and shoved back in slowly, giving me my time to adjust. But it felt so good, so fulfilling. I circled one arm around his neck and removed his hand from my mouth so I could kiss him just as hard as he was pushing into me.

He responded quickly to the kiss, his tongue massaging mine no sooner did I let it in. With two strong, free arms now, he had no problems holding me up, so he focused his attention entirely on our pleasure, throwing my efforts of keeping it silent out of the window. His hips rolled against mine ever so skillfully, my legs going numb with each one of his thrusts.

“Brian…” I moaned into his lips and he hushed me with another melting kiss, mouths ravaging each other, swallowing groans and sounds of pure ecstasy that inevitably crawled up our throats. We were driven into a blissful haze, where nothing mattered but the ripples of pleasure surging through us. We starved for that sweet, sweet end that was so near.

Feeling the familiar tightening of at the pit of my stomach, I pulled back from Brian’s kisses and threw my head back against the cabin’s wall behind me. The adrenaline of the situation itself only made it all the more erotic. He seemed to understand what was happening and quickened up his pace, adding an extra trick with his thumb, making me jolt with the unexpected touch.

I let out a higher moan, not able to control it, and Brian groaned too, as we both found ourselves reaching the peak. His movements became sloppier and I helped him with his last strokes, seeking for my own release. With a last thrust, I felt his seed filling me up and that was enough to unroll my own climax. We grunted a bunch of incoherent words and a few curses as we enjoyed our highlight together, tangled in each others arms.

The next few minutes passed by like a long lived dream. My feet were back to the tiled floor but I was still trapped between Brian and the wall behind me. Raising my head from his shoulder, I nuzzled his neck before cupping his cheeks in my hands and kissing his lips lazily. “We have to go,” I told him a bit reluctantly. “This was awesome.”

“I know,” he chuckled.

“Shh.”

As silently as possible, Brian put his pants back on and we both smoothed out our clothes and hairs. He kissed my lips one last time and we got out of there like two pro ninjas. We had barely passed the entry door, though, when we finally burst out laughing. With an arm draped loosely round my shoulders, Brian led us back to his car, chuckles still filling the air alongside the faint noise of the cars speeding in the Highway.

“Jesus Christ, this was amazing,”

“I’ve always wanted to do the public thing.”

I scoffed, furrowing my eyebrows. “I bet you did it a hundred times already.”

Brian shook his head and let go of me as we reached his car. “Odd enough,” he said, unlocking the doors, “it was my first time.”

Apparently the night hadn’t still come to an end and Brian wanted to take me somewhere. It wasn’t far, he’d promised. And he was right. In less than ten minutes, after turning into some exit in the Highway, we were parking the car. This lumpy road had brought us to a beautiful place from where we could see the entire coast.

We stepped out of the car and walked to the front, leaning against the hood and staring out into the dark ocean. It wasn’t as cold as it appeared, even when the wind tickled my skin. “Wow, Brian. For an asshole you sure know some cool secret places,” I smirked.

“I’m glad you like it.”

Silenced perched upon us for a while. It wasn’t uncomfortable.

Brian’s voice sounded gentle as he spoke again. “I have something for you. It’s your birthday after all.” I peered up at him and smiled, suddenly feeling self conscious. “I meant to give you this a long time ago.”

“How long?” I was afraid to ask, truth be told, but the words were out before I could stop them.

“Eight years?” he grinned sadly. I lowered my gaze to my feet. “I started making it after the day we got together. It took me some time to have all the things I wanted, and once it was completed I found out you were gone.”

“Brian I-”

“Here.” His palm was extended before me carrying a small bracelet. I looked up expectantly and Brian nodded toward the handmade thing. I gently grabbed it and laid it in my own palm, analyzing all the small pendants and charms. “Each one means a different thing,” he explained.

He loomed over me and his finger pointed to a shaped charm with the name Dad. “This is for your father. This one here –” he pointed to a two masked pendant, “- this represents your love for acting. You have a miniature of a drumstick. A musical note. A little bottle of whisky, to remember our crazy nights. This is a surfboard because we’re in California. Recently I found this Liberty Statue and decided to add it to the bracelet as well.” I smiled at the gesture. “Peanuts, of course. And…” He backed away a little, his voice fading out into a sigh. “The heart. It’s mine.”

I lifted my gaze to his, officially speechless. He just smiled softly. I really didn’t know what to say. My head fell back to my hand and I roamed my eyes over the charms again. They were the most amazing thing ever and this bracelet was by far the best gift. “I love it,” I decided to say at last. “I can’t even-”

“Just say thank you and kiss me,” Brian chortled bumping his shoulder to mine.

Clutching the bracelet in my hand, I turned to Brian and gave him the biggest hug I could manage. I pulled back just enough to press my lips to his and then I was hugging him again, tightening my arms around his neck. “I love you, Asshole. Thank you so much for this,” I told him honestly.

He sighed into my hair and rubbed his hands up and down my back. “I love you too.”

I sat back on the hood of his car and slid the bracelet up my wrist, ogling that beautiful piece of jewelry. “I’m really thankful for everything, Brian. Yesterday was really amazing and now this. I don’t deserve half as much.”

“Don’t start with that, okay?” His tone was impatient yet not harsh. “It’s for me to decide if you deserve this or not and I decided that you do deserve it. And a lot more if I could.”

I let out a small sigh, not making eye contact. I twisted the bracelet on my wrist, searching for the right thing to say. But what was right? “I don’t know what’s gonna happen.” Brian remained in silence, but I could feel the tension within him. “I’m scared. For you.”

“Are you leaving?” he blurted out. “If given the chance, would you leave me?”

A scowl deepened in my forehead. “What do you mean?”

He pushed himself off the hood of the car and padded away, huffing in annoyance. “You know what I mean,” he said.. “If there was a job for you in New York, would you go?” When he spun to face me, my heart shook with dread, with pain, guilt.

“Yes.”

Brian gulped. I could see the turmoil dancing in his eyes even under the moonlight, and my chest tightened. It hurt me to hurt him, but what other choice did I have? I couldn’t lie to him and the truth was sharp as a knife.

“I’m sorry.”

“No,” he cut in as he sidled up to me. He pointed a shaky finger at me, his breathing noisy and brittle. “I don’t wanna hear it.”

I slapped his hand away and hopped off the hood, fighting him in his game. “You have to hear it, Brian. We can’t keep avoiding the subject. It’s killing me and it surely is killing you.” He bit back his words, so I went on, “I love you with all my heart, I do, but we have to find a way. You think I wanna leave you?” I asked, my voice not as strong as I wished it was. “I don’t. But… my mom… I… she will be hard to convince that we’re better off here.”

“Did you talk to her yet?”

“Today.” I sounded exhausted. “She was upset and sulked.”

“So you told her about us?” he queried, not hiding his curiosity.

I nodded. “She mentioned my dad. But it’s alright.” It wasn’t alright. Filling my head with haunting thoughts wasn’t okay, but it was easier to lie. “She thinks I’ll leave soon, though.”

“Will you?” The question as uttered in a small voice, so small I scarcely heard it. I walked up to Brian and our gazes met, frail and glistening. My hands were taken in his and kissed softly. “I’m so scared.”

“I won’t do the same thing, Brian. We’ll sort this out, okay?”

“I don’t wanna lose you, Lara,” he trembled.

I slumped my shoulders, struggling against tears. It was not rightful of me to cry when I was the source of all the trouble. Swallowing hard, I blinked back the tears. “I don’t wanna lose you, either.”

Notes

:D Hope you like it