Catching Feelings | Bwwm

18 | Carsen

A constant beeping sound pierces the silence, and I blink just as my bedroom comes to view.
     Fuck. It's so bright.
     I find my phone which is where all the beeping is coming from and dismiss the alarm, but not before seeing it was a reminder about a radio interview I have to be at in two hours.
     I sigh, wishing I didn't drink as much as I did at Vanessa's party.
     Despite the massive hangover I feel, last night was the first time in what feels like forever that I didn't have to pretend like I was having a good time, and it was all because of Nala.
     I turn my head, seeing her curled up on her side against me, her lips and nose buried in my arm. Her straight hair cascades down one shoulder and she's still dressed in the white dress from last night.
     She's still the most beautiful girl I've ever seen.
     This is the first time a girl has slept in bed without anything happening. How the hell did that happen?
I just know that nothing ever felt more right than Nala in my bed and in my arms.
     I brush her hair behind her ear and off her shoulder, unable to help myself, and she groans softly before snuggling closer to me.
     I smile as I watch her slowly open her eyes. Our eyes lock and I place a kiss on the top of her head.
     "I need to pee."
     I laugh, placing another kiss on top of her head before pointing to the bathroom. "Good morning to you too."
     Nala smiles impishly before she flings the covers off and practically speeds walks into the bathroom.
I push myself up against the headboard, my white sheets falling to a pool around my waist just as the bathroom door opens and Nala stands in the doorway.
     She changed.
     Her face was now bare of makeup and her hair was now pulled back into a low ponytail.
And she looked even more beautiful than she did last night.
     Nala smiles at me as if she can read my thoughts.
     "Good morning."
     I hold out my hand for her. It's adorable to see how shy she's behaving with me now that we've kissed. "Come here Nala."
     Her eyes widen just a fraction but she steps away from the doorway and makes her way over to me. Once she's close enough, I pull her into my lap.      "Good morning." I tell her one more time before capturing her lips.
     I expect some sort of hesitation but to my surprise Nala melts into my arms, kissing me back.
     "I'm never drinking that much again." She groans, pressing a hand to her head once we pull away.
     "Sounds like you need a pill and some water."
     "Please." She pouts.
     I kiss the top of her head before shifting her off of my lap. "Anything for you Curls." I tell her before I stand up from the bed.
     I glance at the shirt I pulled off of me last night, wondering if I should put it back on, but then I change my mind, leaving it there and walk out the room shirtless.
     I head down the stairs slowly. I'm not feeling a hundred percent this morning, but I've had enough hangovers to know how to push forward enough to get through my day.
     I walk into the kitchen and open the fridge and pull out a bottle of water. A thought hits me just as I was about to walk out, and I spin around and get to work on some toast and strawberries and put it all on a serving tray before heading back upstairs.
     Nala is still sitting in the same position I left her in, only now she's wearing one of my white shirts and sweatpants and looking fucking sexy as hell.
     "I hope you don't mind," Nala rushes to explain. "I just couldn't take another second in that dress."
     "No worries," I reassured her. "You look better in them than me."
     Nala smirks. "Of course I do."
     I shake my head. There's the smart-ass mouth girl I liked. "I figured you'd want something to eat before you took the medicine." I place the tray on the bed.
"Carsen West made me breakfast in bed?" She playfully holds her chest in shock.
     "Yeah I did, and if you are good, I might even buy you a coffee when we leave here."
     "Then I guess I better be on my best behavior."    Nala jokes back before taking a bite of her toast.
Suddenly a phone rings and I don't recognize the ringtone. Nala looks for her phone and finds it inside her purse. She looks at the screen and a soft curse falls from her lips before she's pressing the phone to her ear.
     "Hey Vance," She answers and I can't help but roll my eyes. "I had a little too much to drink at the party..." She explains. I can't hear what Vance says but I doubt he's happy that Nala spent the night with me. "You're acting like you never got drunk before you were twenty one." Nala scoffs. "Last time I checked, my dad was in Florida...Okay. See you in a little bit." Then she hangs up.
     "Everything okay?" I ask.
     She places her phone down. "Yeah. Just Vance being Vance. I think he was more angry that I spent the night with you then he was that I spent the night out."
     "Your brother hates me."
     Nala shakes her head. "He doesn't know you. Everything he knows about you he's read about it online or heard about it from word of the mouth. And let's be real, most of it is bad."
     "So you Hendersons are all the same." I tease.
She pokes her tongue out at me. "What can I say, once we make an opinion about someone, it takes a lot of convincing to change our minds."
     "Has your opinion about me changed?" I wonder.
     "Definitely. You're not the huge ego maniac popstar I thought you were in the beginning."
     "And now?"
     "You're a slightly less ego maniac popstar." She says with a grin.
     "I have to be at a radio interview in about two hours but after that I'm free for the day. What about you?"
     "I'm free."
     "Good. Because we're going on a date."
     "We are?"
     "Yes, we are."
     "It sounds more like you're telling me rather than asking me."
     "Will you go out with me today Nala?" I ask, genuinely afraid of her turning me down. I never know what to expect with her.
     "Aww, you actually sound genuine," She giggles. "Yes, I will."
     I shake my head. "Are you ever going to just be straight with me?"
     "But teasing you is so much more fun."
I snatch a strawberry from the tray. "Let's get ready to go before your brother sends out an APB."

***

     After washing my face and brushing my teeth really quickly, Nala and I set out from the house.
There was paparazzi waiting of course, but I instructed Nala to keep her head down and ignore them until we're safely in my car.
     We stop at the nearest coffee shop where Nala insists she pays for before we make it to her apartment.
     We've come so far since the last time I was here. We finally kissed and today we had our first real date.
     Something begins to stir inside of me and I refuse to believe it's excitement because she agreed to go out with me.
     "Thank you for everything." Nala's voice snaps me back to the present.
     "I'll see you later." I reply.
     "Bye." She gives me a small wave before reaching for the handle to leave.
     She's cute if she thinks I'm letting her leave just like that.
     I'm afraid I'm addicted to her kisses.
     I reach out and grab her hand, stopping her. "No kiss goodbye?"
     "You gotta earn those Popstar." She tells me before kissing my cheek.
     I barely have time to react before she's climbing out of the car.
     I can't help but smile. I watch as she heads up the stairs until she's safely tucked inside her apartment before I drive away.