This isn't what friends do

40. Mason; attention whore

I stormed into the house slamming the door shut behind me as I be lined towards the kitchen mumbling my annoyance even as my Father moaned at me for the way I was acting. I may of seemed pretty calm before when Brandon was there with me but during my ride home I’d gotten myself worked up into the state I’m in now. I was mostly angry. Angry at Louie for what he said and obviously what he did to me. I was angry at Brandon for deciding for me it was time I left and then not even caring about me enough to come with me or stuck around long enough to even checking if I was okay. I couldn’t entirely expect he would follow after me when he was with Nora but he made it seem like I was embarrassing him, after all it was him I was sticking up for. He was partly to blame not just me and Louie. Mostly though I was angry at myself. I had let Louie’s gay jokes and old fashioned opinions bother me and now I was mad at myself for being who I am. I felt a state, like maybe I am wrong for liking men maybe his right, and my head was now all over the place for it.

Once in the kitchen I snatched free a piece of kitchen paper holding it onto my lip for about two seconds before running it over the blood I knew was on my chin, discarding the cloth into the bin. I helped myself to a glass of alcohol from the still almost empty bottle I’d been drinking from the weeks before my Dad saying I might as well keep it and finish it as I’d brought him another. I knocked it back in one filling it again I stared into the amber liquid as I played with the glass trying to sort my head out.

I knew deep down Louie was wrong and not me but it was hard to convince myself of it now it was made so clear that people still existed that had such views on who people should love. Louie was worked up over something and I had a feeling it had nothing to do with my sexuality and more like something to do with Nora and Brandon but I couldn’t be sure and I had no inkling of what it could even be. I didn’t know how long I’d been zoned out but my glass was now warm from the heat of my hands as I’d been messing with it for so long. I sipped the last bit as I still was lost in thought my temper under control now even though I knew I’d probably be in a sulking mood the rest of the evening. I just hoped Brandon would text later on or ring me tonight, maybe I’d see him in the next couple of days who knows.

He was probably still at the meal eating dessert with Nora laughing and joking as she clung onto him playfully and he touched her without me there to worry about being jealous by it. But I was here, still jealous without even seeing it happen. Louie was probably still there too, he would of walked back inside like nothing happened maybe even made another gay joke before taking a seat as Brandon left it going about his own business. I was over thinking it and thinking the worst too because I knew Brandon wasn’t like that and he would stick up for me even if I wasn’t there, I was being a little irrational but I was upset he had hardly seemed to care.

I finished the drink, leaving the glass near the bottle in case I wanted to come back to it later on. As I moved away from the table I could already feel the effect of the alcohol, my legs warm and tingling like pins and needles as I staggered slightly to the doorway to go upstairs to change out of my too tight jeans. Pushing the kitchen door open I was greeted by more complaints from my Dad only this time it wasn’t me slamming doors it was someone else, someone walking towards me... Brandon.
He pushed on my chest calling an apology to my Dad as he backed me into the kitchen my back hitting the island as his body came close to me, the warmth of him flooding around me. “Are you okay?” Was the first thing he said making me huff and look away from him knowing if I continued to stare at his face which was only inches from mine I’d back down and give into him, something I didn’t want to happen when I was still upset with him. “Let me see.”

His hand came up resting on my chin trying to turn it to look at my injury which was throbbing still.

“Why do you care.” I mumbled pulling my head back away from his hand moving my body so it would bump into his pushing on him so he took a step away as I stared off over the other side of the room.

“Don’t act like a total drama queen Mase it doesn’t suit you.” He surprised me by taking no notice to my childishness stepping back closer to me finding my chin just as easily as the last time, only this time I let him look at my cut lip, my eyes locking onto his which were checking me over, his face stern and hard. “You haven’t even cleaned up properly.” He complained taking a rough hold of my arm and leading me to the sink pushing me up against the counter again his body inches from mine. I watched his hands as they worked on folding a bit of tissue wetting it under the tap before coming even closer to me making me hold my breath. “Talk to me. Tell me.” He mumbled as he focused on gently cleaning the blood from my chin one hand holding the cloth the other tangled in my hair holding me still.

I sighed. Was I that easy to read he could see I was mad or did it go further and he could see I was wound up? He didn’t push me even as I stayed quiet for almost another entire minute thinking of where to start. “I didn’t think you were coming.” I slipped out finally with a heavy heart my words lingering as he didn’t say anything either for a long while.

“Louie better not show his face for some time.” He changed the subject as he moved the tissue to the cut dabbing it gently making me gasp at the sudden sting his eyes meeting mine with an apologetic look. “Or else I will beat the shit out of him.” He continued his eyes back to watching his hands as they much more carefully patted my lip clean.

“Just leave it.” I sighed moving one of my hands to reassuringly rest on his arm that was playing slightly with my hair.

“You really think I’m going to let him get away with hitting you? What were you even arguing about before?” He asked finding a clean bit of the cloth removing his hand from my head making my hand fall down to my side again.

“He was just asking about me and you and going on and on. I knew he weren’t going to listen to me so I was leaving because I couldn’t even get a word in.” I explained with a shrug making Brandon shake his head in annoyance it falling quiet again as he wiped my lip a few final times stepping away and binning the tissue forcing me a small smile.

“Nora is pissed at me because I dropped her home straight after you left and forgot that I wouldn’t see her now until after new years. I hardly even said bye.” He admitted coming closer to me again leaning onto the counter too beside me but on the other corner edge.

“Well you’ve seen I’m fine now. Go back spend some time with her.” It took everything in me to not sound jealous or it come across as rude. He looked over at me his smile widening as he looked amused by something making me wonder what he was finding so funny.

He raised an eyebrow at me, I couldn’t wait any longer for him to tell me so I snapped a little asking him what, his smile growing more until his eyes were even alight my own lips curling into a smile even as it hurt to do so. “I don’t think your fine. I think your bitchy and in a mood with me and need cheering up. I think your an attention  whore too.” He smirked making my mouth drop open about to protest and moan at him until he chuckled coming and wrapping his arms around my waist locking them behind my back but pulling away to grin at me. “But I love it.” He whispered dropping his head down so it bumped into mine harshly.

I slipped my hands up between us onto his chest hating that I had to, but pushing him back away from me looking over his shoulder to the partly open kitchen door. He seen where I was looking taking the hint he let go of me stepping backwards away from me.

“Wanna play PlayStation?” He asked his smile just as bright.

“Only if I can win?” I asked teasing him moving away from the counter to follow after him out the kitchen.

“We will see.” He smirked as he pushed the door open making my parents look our way. Brandon gave them a smile, my Mom returning it however it quickly slipped when she saw my face.

“What the hell happened to your lip?” She asked making me groan and hesitantly look over to my Father seeing his unimpressed glare.

“Some idiot at the pub. It wasn’t his fault I swear.” Brandon was quicker than me to answer making me look over to him from my parents his face looking so serious and convincing.

“Well don’t go there again. You better hope that goes down before Christmas too.” She warned still not happy with me but leaving it turning back to whatever she had been watching on T.v. my Dad still staring though surprisingly not saying a word. I nodded before looking to Brandon again him looking to the stairs as if asking if we could disappear already. I gave him a smile before leading the way upstairs my Dad’s voice booming up after us as another reminder about the bedroom door staying open.

I was pretty surprised at how normal we behaved that night us both doing nothing but playing games competitively of course us both winning an equal amount before calling it quits deciding it was probably best neither of us lost ‘for our friendships sake’ he had joked. We turned it off instead putting on Christmas with the Kranks, us both propping ourselves up on the headboard legs out watching the film neither of us touching each other. It wasn’t tense or weird between us and for once I didn’t ache to reach over and touch him I was just content being around him. We spoke about Christmas and if we would see each other Christmas eve like we normally do, him always spending the day here because of his Dad working, as well as laughing at the film and playing around a little.

My Dad walked by a couple of times to check up on us not that there was any reason too because we were for once being totally straight. A few minutes towards the end of the film and his phone vibrated with a text message which he wasted no time in reading and replying too. It happened a few times and I tried to act as though I wasn’t reading into it pretty sure I knew who it was he was  talking to. “I’m going to go after this.” He announced pushing his phone into his pocket. I had gotten changed pretty quickly into my joggers and a hoodie but all Brandon had done was take off his shirt from under his jumper, the only time we was upstairs that I looked at him with hungry eyes and the only time he made a joke about how much I stare at him.

I nodded to let him know I’d heard him, it was getting late anyway and I’m sure my Dad was waiting for him to leave. “I apologised to Nora but your right and I should probably go and see her so she doesn’t hate me for the next few weeks.” He confirmed for me he had been messaging with her and that she was the reason he was leaving. Again I just nodded it silent as we watched the end of the film.

Once it was over, admittedly now in a worse mood than when we had been laughing and talking before, I reached for the controller to turn the film credits off. I jumped as Brandon dropped his body on top of mine his arms wrapped around my waist squeezing me making me smile again. “What are you doing?” I asked turning as best as I could to look at him as he clung to me like a koala.

“Don’t be stroppy with me please. I hate when you get upset because or her.” He answered more serious than I thought he was about to be making me force him a smile.

“I won’t be.” I told him trying to believe my own words pushing some of his fallen hair back out of his face over his head us both looking at each other like nothing else mattered, even that anyone could walk by my room and see us like this. “Go.” I told him feeling like he needed to me assure him I was okay with him leaving me now. “I will come to yours Friday?” I asked hoping he would be okay with it, of course he was though because he gave me that why are you even asking look sitting up nodding.

“See you Friday Prince.” He poked my ribs making me smile at the feeling it tickling. He pulled himself from my bed coming around to my side to find his shirt and push his feet effortlessly into his untied boots. “Look after yourself.” He told me grabbing my chin and looking intensely at my lip with a frown. I batted his hands away finding it cute how worried he was about me.

“I will. Have a fun night.” I told him hating the way he nodded that he would knowing he’d be with her having a good time before she leaves.