Misjudged (9 page)

“I wish things were different, Alexis. Shit, I really wish they were, but…” His voice is raspy and he looks conflicted.

“You haven’t changed your mind,” I finish what he was about to say, and feel disappointment pushing aside the blissful feeling I was experiencing just a moment ago.

Walking back to my bed, I sit down and take a couple of breaths. I wanted him to admit that he felt it, and he did. I just thought
that once I’d heard and believed him, I would feel better about the situation, but I don’t. I like him, but he just flat out told me that we couldn’t see if our feelings would lead anywhere. 

The bed dips in as he sits beside me. I
feel him watching me, but I don’t look at him. If I do, he’ll see how upset I am, and it probably wouldn’t be fair to make him feel bad when he has so much else going on.

“You look exhausted. I should
let you get some rest.” He moves a stray piece of my hair behind my ear and when I turn to face him, I see a sorrowful smile on his face. “Good luck with your audition tomorrow.” He says, before placing a tender kiss on my cheek.

“Thanks, I’m not real
ly looking forward to it though,” I sigh, but smile back at him in reply as he makes his way over to the door.

“You’ll do
great. Just do me one favor?” He stills before opening the door, and then turns back around to face me. “Don’t think of me when you kiss James.” He winks as he says this, but his facial features remain tight, and I can feel my cheeks beginning to blush from what he just said.

“Go home, Brand
on.” I can’t keep the smile forming over my mouth when I see a slight grin appearing over his.

“Goodnight, beautiful,” he answers
, before stepping out of my room.

He said he wanted to feel normal again. This is what’s making me wonder
if he has been hurt before. Maybe that’s why he sleeps around, or at least did. I think that now we’ve had a talk, we could maybe become friends. It would be a lot easier on the other guys if we could at least try.

When I first saw him come in here, I thought I was going to end up handing out the second black
eye of the day. He didn’t answer all of my questions, but, I believe him. I do. Maybe I’ve totally lost my mind, or maybe I’ve completely misjudged him. Either way, I’m glad he stopped by.

Everything.

The vibrations from my cell phone have woken me from my surprisingly restful sleep. My bedroom is in darkness when I open my eyes and reach for my flashing cell. I see that it’s a little after midnight. I immediately sit up and switch on my table lamp. It must be something bad. I never get calls or messages during the middle of the night unless it’s an emergency, or if of course Alyssa has been drinking. I shake my head and sigh while opening up the inbox screen.

Are you still awake?

My stomach tightens when I see it’s from Brandon, and a wide smile spreads over my face.
Take a deep breath, Alexis.
I have to remind myself. He made it clear earlier that nothing can or will happen. I should try and get back to sleep since I have my audition at eleven. I need to be well rested.

Okay, well it would be rude not to
reply.

Nope.

That was immature, but it made me laugh and I’m guessing he’ll see the funny side too. It only takes around thirty seconds before my phone vibrates again.

I’m bored.

I shake my head and figure that would be the case. Why else would you text someone at just after midnight to say such a thing?

Then go and find something that will keep you entertained! X

Shit! Tell me I didn’t just put a kiss on the end of that one. Oh hell. He’ll probably stop messaging me now and think I’m coming on to him or something.

U wanna come over n watch a movie? X

Oh. Wait, what? Is he kidding? He must be kidding. It’s late and, yeah, no, he’s kidding …
I think.
After stifling a yawn, I lay back down, place my cell on the pillow next to me, and try to get back to sleep. I guess it’s kinda nice to know that he’s thinking about me too. 

I find myself drifting back off
but then hear the buzzing noise again. Is he for real? Wiping my eyes, I check it again.

I’m makin’ popcorn! ;) X

He was serious? I really shouldn’t. Tomorrow is one of the biggest days of the college year. No, I should stay here. I’m nice and snuggled in my bed. Okay, well it won’t hurt. We’re going to try and be friends after all, and friends watch movies together in the middle of the night all the time, right?

I scramble o
ut of bed, throw on a pair of jeans and a sweater, and then brush my hair before making my way out. “Hey guys!” I greet them, while making my way over to the shoe stand. Neil, Ryan, and Alyssa are all sitting on the couch and I notice Neil’s guitar laid out on the coffee table. “What are you guys doing?”

“Alyssa wan
ted to learn how to play guitar,” Ryan jokingly yawns, while trying to stop himself from laughing. “She thinks she broke a nail!”

“Douchebag!” I watc
h as Alyssa throws a cushion at, and laugh when she manages to hit him right in the face. “Hey, how did your chat with Brandon go earlier?”

Throwing her a scowl, I
notice Neil and Ryan immediately turn around and narrow their eyes on me. “You two talked?” Neil asks, with a curious tone to his voice.

“Yeah,” I answer. “We agreed
that friends is the best thing.” I throw them a small smile while grabbing my jacket from the coat hook.

“Great!” Ryan replies with what appears to be
joy. “Because, now we can all hang out together and it won’t be weird!”

Neil nods and winks, before turning back around and picking up his guitar.

“Where are you going?” Alyssa asks, while knitting her eyebrows together in what appears to be confusion. “Can’t you sleep?”

“I’m just going to go and get some fresh air,” I say as I
turn away. Alyssa knows me too well and she can always see when I’m not being completely honest. I’m not usually dishonest, but I think that’s because I’m really crap at lying. “Nervous for tomorrow, I think.”

“Have you got your cell with you?” Neil
inquires. Bless him, he’s so protective. That’s one of the things I love about him. Both he and Ryan are like mine and Alyssa’s protectors or something. I say my goodbyes and then head out of the dorm.

***

If twelve hours ago someone had told me I’d be here, and about to knock on Brandon’s door, I wouldn’t have even entertained the idea. It’s twenty to one in the freaking morning, and I feel like I’ve just snuck out of my bedroom window or something.

We can be friends. Friends are
good. After composing myself, I knock lightly on the door, so as not to wake up any of his roommates. I can hear movement from the other side and start to feel nervous.

The
way he left my room earlier was nice, considering the serious discussion we’d had while he was there. I like that he made light of the situation when he left. It made me feel more comfortable, and I guess that’s why I’m standing here right now.

Hearing footsteps approaching the door
, I swallow and stand a little straighter, just before the door swings gently open. “Hey,” he smiles, and damn if he doesn’t look hot in just a pair of pajama bottoms. Oh hell, did he really have to not be wearing a shirt?

“Someone said there was popcorn?” I smile
, and watch as his turns into an all-white, teeth glowing grin. He steps to the side, ushers me in, and I already see the bowl full of goodies on the breakfast bar.

“You only came over for my popcorn?” He acts offended as he helps me out of my jacket.
No, Alex. Don’t be getting all hot and fuzzy. Friends. Just … friends.

“Well, there’s that, and the fact that some guy woke me up with pestering messages in the middle of the night,” I
answer teasingly as I remove my boots. “Will your roommates not get pissed with you for having someone over so late?”

He hangs my jacket on the coat stand
and shakes his head. “There’s nobody else here,” he shrugs. “James went to babysit for his kid sister and the other guys stay over at their girlfriend’s most of the time.”

Just the two of us? I really shouldn’t be feeling happy about this, but I am.
“So, what are we watching?” I inquire, while following him over to the couch. The black, leather three-seated couch is in the middle of the room, and opposite to the widescreen that’s hanging in the center of the wall.

He motions for me to take a seat
, before heading into the kitchen that’s just behind us. I sit myself down on the right side and then feel my cell vibrating in my jean’s pocket. Upon taking it out, I see that it’s Alyssa calling me. I glance around, and since Brandon is currently searching through the refrigerator, I go ahead and answer it.

“Hi, is everything okay?” I whisper. She knows. I know she does. “Listen I
can’t—”

“I want details tomorrow!” S
he says before cutting the call off. I love my best friend. She’s not happy unless she knows everything. No matter how big or how small it is, she wants details, and she’s damn good at getting them out of you when she’s desperate to know something.

I didn’t hear him come back in the room, but I
sense his presence at my side and turn to face him. “Wine for one,” he hands me a glass of white wine, while holding a bottle of beer in his other hand.

“Thanks,” I answer,
and take a small sip before placing it down on the coffee table in front of me.

He walks around the back of the couch
, and dims the lights before sitting down beside me. His leg brushes with mine, and I feel the very same electricity running through me that I did at the ball. He leans forward, and passes me my glass while holding his beer up in front of him with his other hand. “Friends?”

“Friends,
” I clink my glass with his bottle in reply. Since he’s shirtless and so close, my eyes wander over the tattoos on his biceps. There’s one on each and they look to be Chinese symbols. “What do they mean?” I ask him while tilting my head towards them.

He lets out a breath
, and I notice his eyes losing the sparkle that was present just a moment ago. “This one,” he places his bottle down and points to his right arm, “this means loyalty.” He turns his body around and then points to the one on his left arm. “This one, um … this one means faithful.”

Eyeing me warily, he stands
up and adds, “Listen, if you’re just gonna be checking me out through the movie, I think I’ll go grab a shirt.” He smirks at me as he takes a swig of his beer, before disappearing through the doorway on the opposite side of the room.

Well I have to admit, his toned abs were kind of distracting. Loyalty and faithful. They must mean something, or why else have them permanently inked to your body? He looked withdrawn when he
told me their meanings.

He comes back into the room wearing a black tank that makes him look delicious, grabs the bowl of popcorn on his way back to the couch, and takes his seat beside me again. “What’s the movie?” I ask
, when I see him grabbing the remote from the arm of the couch.

“Fast Five,” h
e raises his brow a few times with a glint of amusement showing in his eyes. “You do like those movies, right?” His face drops slightly as I keep my face expressionless. “Shit.”

I burst out laughing and steal the bowl
of popcorn from him. “Love them,” I throw him an amused smile as I place some popcorn into my mouth, before curling my legs up so I can get more comfortable.

“You think you’re funny?” He asks playfully, with his eyes now shining again. “We’ll see about that.” He presses play on the
remote and rests himself against the back of the couch. From the corner of my eye, I catch him smiling, though he keeps his focus on the screen.

About half way through the movie, I
feel my eyes getting heavy and then feel something hitting me on my head. I snap my head up and bust Brandon laughing as he throws popcorn at me. Really? He wants to start something?

Shaking my head at him, I
stand up and reach out to grab the bowl from the table. Once I have a firm hold on it and know that he’s standing behind me, I turn around. He’s shaking his head at me, with wide eyes, and he knows exactly what’s coming next. Before he has a chance to block me, I dump the remainder of the popcorn over his head, and giggle uncontrollably at how he just stood there and let me.

“Not cool, Alexis.” He shakes off the popcorn and lets out a breath, before grabbing me by the shoulders and pushing me down onto the couch. He begins tickling my ribs as he climbs on top of me
, and I squirm underneath him. I’m probably the most ticklish person alive, so I start squealing when he moves his hands to my hips. A few pieces of popcorn fall out of his hair and onto my chest, and we both let out a laugh until our eyes lock, and it doesn’t feel so innocent anymore. The fire in his eyes makes me still my movements and I see his face turning serious.

My heart begins to
pound as we continue to gaze at one another. Our legs are tangled around each other, and for now, the laughter has stopped. His eyes are searching mine as his hands remain on my hips. There’s a flash of something in his eyes as he slowly leans down, and then I feel his lips brush over my bare skin, just below my neckline. A delicious sensation swarms through me when I smell the freshness of his hair, before he slowly lifts his head back up.

“Tastes good,” he mutters, and that’s when I
notice the piece of popcorn in between his teeth that he must have just found on me. I thought he was going to kiss me. Stupid, stupid me. His face falls when he notices the disappointment on mine, and he gives me a small awkward smile as he moves off of me.

Sitting
myself upright, I take another sip of my wine and turn back towards the TV.

“Alexis, come here,” he
says softly. I turn to face him and see him putting his right arm out. “Come and rest your head on me.” He gives me a small smile as I move over and rest my head on his chest, while curling my legs back up. I feel his arm wrapping around my shoulder and hear his heart beating just as fast as mine.

He’s nice and warm, and as I inhale, I can smell the same spicy cologne on him that I did last Friday. His fingers begin brushing my waist
lightly as he rests his chin on top of my head. Listening to his breaths becoming more even, I soon feel myself drifting off to sleep.

“Alexis
…” For a moment, there I thought I heard Brandon’s voice. “Alexis …”

“Mmm
…” I’m too comfortable to move.

“It’s
almost daylight,” I can hear his soft voice, and feel his breath breezing lightly over my ear. When I open my eyes, I see bright, blue sparkling ones gazing back at me. “You snore,” he tells me with a smirk.

Rubbing my eyes, I
sit up. I’m not in the same room I remember falling asleep in. I’m in his bedroom. Holy hell! I’m in his bed! Okay calm down, he must have carried me in here.