Page 18 of After the Storm

“Favorite horror movie?”

“Screamprobably, if I have to pick one. I love the classics, give me an old slasher film and I’ll eat it up it every time.” I hum in response.

“Favorite question I’ve ever asked you?”

Her face lights up and her perfect lips tip into the cutest smile I’ve seen in my whole life.

“Oooh, good one! Hmm… I think my favorite animal, even though my answer never changes.” Her smile impossibly widens. “I know it’s silly, I just like to be asked. I love animals and I love to talk about them.” I make a mental note to ask her about her favorite animal every single time I get her alone in this kitchen, just to see her face light up the way it just did.

Multiple times over the next half hour, I remind her it isn’t nerdy to enjoy things while she reminds me it is. I want to ask her who made her feel that way, but I force myself not to in fear of ruining the moment.

Finally, against my better judgment, I suggest she should go to bed. She listens, leaving the kitchen and walking up the stairs. As I stand alone in the empty room, all I can think about is how to get her back here the next time she spends the night with Ares.

For the rest of the night, all that’s on my mind is her perfect lips and how badly I want to kiss them. Her perfect thighs and the way they press together when she tosses herself up on the kitchen counter. Briefly, I even let my mind wander to the tiny straps of her tank top and how badly I want to slide them off her shoulders. I stop myself, because it’s nothing more than a fantasy.

As long as I can remember, I’ve had these huge feelings for Audra that I can’t quite put into words. Honestly, I don’t even remember when it started. Since the day we first met, I’ve been absolutely infatuated with her. The feelings have never been reciprocated though, so I keep them to myself.

I take my little moments in the middle of the night when the stress of a test, or a presentation, or whatever else keeps her up. And I make sure I’m always there to get her out of her own head.

* * *

Present

Audra. Audra, Audra, Audra.She’sall that runs through my head the entire night while I make a sad attempt at going to sleep.

The thought of keeping her safe keeps me up alongside the million other thoughts flying around. I think about how scared she must be. I think about her sick fuck of an ex watching her house while we were there. I think about how standing in the kitchen asking her questions to get her out of her own head felt just like high school.

Then, I was just Ares’ older brother. Now, I’m her friend. I get more than little tiny pieces of her when she can’t sleep. I get sleepovers, apology texts, and hugs in the kitchen instead of hushed conversations. It’s so much more, and it’s more than enough. Yet, there’s still a selfish piece of me wishing for more.

I don’t know if pieces of her will ever be enough. I need the whole thing. I drift off to sleep dreaming about the day that I’ll get to kiss her and take her to bed with me, instead of sending her off alone.

* * *

Sleep wasnon-existent despite trying my hardest. All I could think about was the texts between Audra and Tyler. I tossed and turned all night, getting maybe three hours of sleep before the sun rose.

Sighing, I drag myself out of the bed and down to the table for breakfast, hoping she’ll be there. Instead, she’s on her way out the door in her work clothes. I’ll text her later to check in, but for now, I’ll hope she’s somehow forgotten about the texts from Tyler and I won’t be the one to remind her. I sit down at the table alongside Ares and Ravyn. It’s just them, so Mom and Dad must be out.

“Looking for Audra?” Ravyn asks with her brow raised.Oh boy.

“Nope, just looking for breakfast.” I dismiss her, leaning over to grab a pancake from the plate in the middle of the table.

“You spent the night at her house,” Ares adds.Definitely wouldn’t have minded a heads up from Audra that she told him.But I can’t be mad, given the circumstances. I’m sure it slipped her mind when she got that message last night.

“On the couch, yes.” I sigh. I know what they’re implying and they’re wrong. It wasn’t like that.

“In her room,” Ravyn teases, wiggling her eyebrows at me.

“You sleep in Ares’ room.”

“I’m a lesbian. Anything you want to tell us?” she prods, crossing her arms.

“Hilarious.” I glare at her.

“What’s going on with you two though, seriously?” Ares speaks up.

“I’m just trying to be there for her. I didn’t know it was this big of a deal,” I say, throwing my hands up in the air.

My face is on fire and my hands might even be shaking a little. I haven’t been questioned like this since I was in my come-home-drunk phase in high school.

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