Second Chances - Unraveling Part 24

I washed my hair and body, and was so relieved to smell like a normal person.

I dried my hair with a towel, brushed it, and pulled it back into a bun. I had already brushed my teeth, but I did it again anyway.

It was amazing how rejuvenated a shower and brus.h.i.+ng your teeth could make you feel. I felt like a whole new person.

I found Jared, stretched out on my couch, with his arm thrown across his face. He let out a little snore and a part of me melted.

No one should ever be that cute while sleeping.

I shook his boot covered foot and he sputtered awake. "Sorry," he said, rubbing his stubble covered face. "I'm really sleepy," he yawned.

"Me too," I said.

He smiled and straightened his rumpled white tee. "Ready to get out of here?"

I nodded.

He grabbed my duffel bag and tossed it over his shoulder.

I locked the door and my stomach lurched.

I was really staying at Jared's house.

Oh, G.o.d.

I don't think I could have ever agreed to it, if Karlie wasn't going to be there.

On our way to Jared's house, he stopped and picked up a pizza for Karlie and Holden.

He pulled in the driveway and told me to wait for him to help me.

He guided me down from the car, moving slowly so that my ribs weren't hurt in the process.

He grabbed my duffel bag and the pizza and said, "I'll come back for your other stuff." He nodded at the shopping bags.

Karlie opened the door and the expression on her face was half-upset, half-p.i.s.sed. I was sure she was at her wits end with Holden.

Jared handed her pizza and she scurried into the kitchen.

Grabbing some gla.s.ses from a cabinet and filling them with ice, she said, "How are you feeling, Katy?"

"Tired and sore," I sat down next to Holden on the couch.

"I bet," Karlie said. "Would you like some water?"

"That would be great," I said, adjusting a pillow so that I would be more comfortable.

"Jared?"

"Gatorade," he said, taking the chair next to the couch. He rubbed his eyes.

"What about me?" Holden asked.

Karlie scoffed. "You can get your own," she snapped.

Holden chuckled and stood. "Whatever, kiddo."

She glared at him. "I hate you."

"You know," he said, going into the small kitchen and brus.h.i.+ng against her, "hate is a very pa.s.sionate word."

"Holden!" snapped Jared. "Leave her alone, I don't feel like listening to you two, right now."

"Fine," Holden grumbled, grabbing a can of c.o.ke, and a plate.

He popped open the box of pizza and put four pieces of pizza on his plate.

Karlie gaped at him. "Pig."

"Shrimp," he grinned.

"Real original, Sharky," she rolled her eyes at him.

"One day, those eyes are going to roll right on out of your head," Holden chuckled.

"I doubt that," she smirked, stuffing a piece of pizza in her mouth. She carried a gla.s.s of water over and a bottle of Gatorade.

She handed me the gla.s.s and Jared the bottle. "Thanks," I smiled.

"No problem," she went back into the kitchen for her plate and drink. She scurried past Holden and took the empty s.p.a.ce next to me, on the couch, before Holden could.

"Real mature, Karlie," Holden said, sitting on the floor.

"You snooze you lose," she shrugged.

After that, they ate in silence. Jared dozed off, asleep in the chair, and I tried to get comfortable. The pain was starting to get unbearable and I dreaded having to take any more pain meds.

Holden and Karlie finished off the pizza and cleaned their plates.

"I'm heading out to the gym," Holden said. "If you need me, call me, even you." He pointed at Karlie.

"I wouldn't call you if I was bleeding on the side of the road."

"Angel, I'm hurt," he put a hand to his chest.

"Get out of here, I'm sick of looking at your face," she pushed his shoulder.

"I think you're sick of looking, but not being able to touch," he grinned c.o.c.kily.

Karlie paled and then looked down at her hand on his shoulder. "I'm touching you now, so your argument is invalid."

"I didn't know this was a debate," he chuckled.

"It is now," Karlie smirked.

He laughed, shaking his head. "I'll see you guys, later."

I waved as he grabbed his keys.

Jared let out a snore from the chair.

"I'm going up to my room," Karlie said. "Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm good," I pointed to my half full gla.s.s of water.

"If you need me, just yell. Jared could sleep through the apocalypse so it won't bother him," she bound up the steps.

I grabbed a green blanket off the back of the couch and draped it across my shoulders.

I hoped to fall asleep, but the pain in my ribs was not conducive to sleep, and neither was the couch. Since it was leather, my body kept sliding off of it and I had to catch myself before I fell to the floor.

Finally, I grabbed up the remote and turned the TV on to distract myself. Hopefully, a mind-numbing reality show would be able to distract me from the pain in my ribs.

An hour so later, Jared woke up.

"d.a.m.n it, I keep falling asleep," he rubbed his eyes.

"You're tired," I shrugged.

"So are you," he stood, stretching. "I wanted to get you set up in my room before I took a nap."

"Your room?" my voice spiked. "You never said anything about me staying in your room!" My need to run was kicking in and in about ten seconds I was going to be out that door.

"Relax, Katy," he bent down, hands on the arm of the couch, so that we were eye level. "There's only my room and Karlie's. We don't have a guest room for you to stay in, and I'm certainly not letting you sleep on the couch. You'll stay in my room and I'll sleep here. I knew you wouldn't be comfortable with that, Katy, and I'd never, ever, push myself on you. You know that, kitten."

"I-"

"Don't say anything," he shushed me. "No arguing."

"But-" he pressed his finger against my lips and I nearly jumped out of my skin at the shock of his touch and the heat flooding my body.

"No buts, Katy. I'll be fine on the couch. I feel much better knowing that you're here, with me, and not in that tiny condo, fending for yourself."

My cheeks colored and I looked down. His finger dropped from my lips, taking the heat with him.

He grabbed my bag and started up the steps. After about three, he turned and saw me, still sitting on the couch, stunned.

"Come on, Katy," he grinned. "My room is up here."

Like an obedient dog, I followed him.

"Karlie's room," he pointed to a closed door with a pair of ballet slippers hanging on the k.n.o.b. He walked a little bit further and pointed to a door on the opposite side of Karlie's room. "Bathroom. There's a powder room downstairs but this is the only full bath and let me tell you, it sucks sharing a bathroom with your little sister," he winked at me, over his shoulder. "And this," he opened the door at the end of the hall, "is my bedroom."

The room was surprisingly neat for a twenty-four year old guy. There were some dirty socks on the floor, but it wasn't overflowing with trash like I had thought it might.

The walls were painted a charcoal gray and the furniture was black.

The only color came from the blue-gray comforter and orange pillows.

Jared stood back, watching my face. "Not what you were expecting?"

"No, I guess not," I shrugged.

"What were you expecting?" he asked.

"I don't know," I said honestly. "I never really imagined what your room would look like."

He chuckled.

"What?" I asked.

"You are so different than other girls," he said, softly.

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked.

"No, it's a good thing. I like that you're so honest," he licked his lips.

I sat on the edge of his bed and tested the springiness.

"Well," Jared put his hands in his pockets and awkwardly swayed back and forth, "I'll uh- leave you to it."

"Okay," I smiled, finding his awkward demeanor, endearing.

"I'm just going to let you sleep, if you get hungry, feel free to raid the fridge."

"Okay," I said again, this time laughing.

He waved and then closed the door.

What the heck?

I don't think I had ever seen Jared so... unhinged. He'd only gotten weird when I sat on his bed. Did he want me to leave?

I was tempted to go running out the door and ask him, but the bed felt so good.

I could already feel my eyes growing heavy.

A little nap wouldn't hurt anything, right?