The Boyfriend Project

Chapter 57

I woke up with my head pounding in a room I didn't recognize at first. I blinked a couple of times, placing my hands on the sides of my head as I raised up to look around. I knew I wasn't anywhere at home; then, I felt a foot brush against mine under the covers. I flinched to the far right of the bed, almost falling out. I looked over to the left and saw Easton's disheveled hair facing me. I didn't know whether to panic or be happy that I was in bed with Easton. As I lay there, staring at the back of his head, I couldn't help but wonder what had happened last night because I couldn't remember anything. I had so many questions; the main one was how I got in bed with Easton. Then, without a second thought, my hands grabbed the covers, and I peeked underneath in fear that I was lying there naked, but I had on a t-shirt and shorts. I breathed a sigh of relief and lowered the covers slowly, hoping not to wake Easton. Right as I was about to lay my head back down on the pillow, panic swept over me; I couldn't let Easton see me like this. I could scare the Boogeyman with how I looked first thing in the morning. I slid out from under the comforter and sheet, letting my feet sink on the plush rug. I stood there for a few seconds to make sure he didn't wake up when I slid out of bed; I looked around the room again to see if I could make out where I was exactly. I knew I was still at Avery's house; I just wanted to know where in her house. I saw Avery's book bag from the corner of my eye, hanging across the room on the back of her desk chair. Then, it hit me that we were in Avery's room, and her bathroom door was off to my side. I turned around slowly and went into the bathroom to brush my hair and see if Avery had some mouthwash in the cabinet.

"Chelsi, are you in there?" Easton asked through the bathroom door. 

"Yeah, I'll be out in a minute." I took the wide-tooth comb through my hair one last time before opening the door. 

"You doing okay?" Easton asked, walking over and sitting on the edge of the bed. 

"Uh...Yeah." I looked around the room, then back at Easton, who had on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. "What happened last night?" I mumbled, messing with my hair and halfway pointing to the bed. 

Easton's eyes got big as they shifted from me to the bed. "No, that didn't happen. Not that I didn't want it to, but you were out cold last night. And I wouldn't want it to happen like that." 

"How did I get into this?" I motioned to the T-shirt and shorts. 

"Blakely and Avery helped you get changed once you were done throwing up. Then, Blakely texted your mom and told her that the two of you were staying here last night. They got you into bed, and you asked me to stay with you until you fell asleep last night." 

"You stayed because I asked you to?" I looked over at the bed and couldn't help but smile slightly. 

"Yeah, I wanted to make sure you were okay." 

"Thank you." I smiled. "What time is it?" I looked down at my smartwatch. "It's almost ten." 

"I'm sure Blakely and Avery are still sleeping. After you passed out, the party lasted a couple more hours." 

"You missed the party for me?" 

"Why wouldn't I?" 

"What about Natalie?" I blurted out before I had a chance to stop myself. 

"What about her?" He got up off the bed, walking over closer to me. 

"I saw the two of you arrive at the party together." I sat down on the bed as my head started to pound. 

"I got it now...You thought we were together, and you started drinking. Am I right?" He sat down beside me on the bed. "I'm right, aren't I?" 

"Yes! I got jealous! Are you happy now?" I got up and stormed out of the bedroom. I went to the spare bedroom down the hall, hoping Blakely was in there. I knocked on the door, then eased it open enough to see into the room. Blakely was curled up under the comforter on the far side of the bed, facing the window. I opened the door wider, closed it behind me, and tiptoed over to the bed. 

"Blakely, are you awake? Blakely..." 

"Chelsi?" She mumbled with her eyes barely open. "What time is it?" She rolled over onto her back. 

"Almost ten." 

"Everything okay?" She yawned. 

"No. Easton was playing five thousand questions, and I took out of the bedroom. Then, before I could stop myself, I admitted that I got jealous of seeing him with Natalie, and that's why I was drinking." I flopped down on the bed, burying my face in the pillow. 

"Oh, Chelsi. What did he say?" 

"I ran out of the room before he could respond." I turned my head to the right to face Blakely. 

"What is it with you and him? You both like each other, yet you can't admit it." 

"Thank you for taking care of me last night." 

"You're welcome. I knew you were upset over Easton. Where is Easton, by the way?" 

"Still in Avery's room. I came down here after I confessed to being jealous like an idiot. I can't believe I did that. What was I thinking?" I covered my eyes with my hands. 

"You were jealous because you like him. You two need to stop being stubborn and admit that you love each other." She yawned, sitting up in the bed. I let her finish waking up, and I went back to Avery's room, where I hoped Easton was still waiting for me to come back. 

I walked into Avery's room, and Easton was nowhere in there. "No!" I turned and ran back out of her room, down the stairs, flung the front right door open, and ran outside. Easton was walking down the drive to where he left his car last night. The Californian sun beating down on the driveway was already making it hot. I apologized to my poor bare feet and ran down the driveway, screaming for Easton to stop before getting to his car. My heart was pounding the whole way as I was running and screaming. Finally, he got to his car, and I thought for a split second he was going to get in it and drive away without stopping to see what I wanted. But, when he unlocked his car with his key fab and reached for the handle, something in me snapped. I couldn't let him leave; I screamed at the top of my lungs for him to stop. He slowly turned his head in my direction, and within seconds, he was waiting for me at the front of his car. 

"What are you doing  out here, Chelsi?" He asked when I got closer to him. 

"I...I...I couldn't let you leave." I managed to get out in between gasps of air. 

"I have to leave, though. I need to be at Lilli's soon. Was there something you wanted to tell me?" He moved closer to me, his grey eyes holding my gaze.

"I just didn't want you to leave mad at me." I wanted to run my hands through his hair as I kissed him in the middle of the driveway. But I knew my breath would've killed a dragon after last night, so I didn't even dare try to kiss him. 

"I'm not mad at you. Why don't you and Blakely come for coffee? Maybe we can go out after I close up if you aren't busy later?" He moved closer to me. 

"Okay." I smiled. 

"I need to get going. I'll see you later. Bye, Chelsi." He flashed me one of his sexy smiles. 

"Bye. What time do you want us there?" 

"Be there around four-thirty because we close at five, and then we can go get something to eat or do whatever you want. So go back inside before you burn your feet, silly." He smirked, then got in his car and drove off down the drive toward the road. 

I stood there and watched him until I couldn't see his car any longer, then ran back to the house so I wouldn't burn my feet anymore. 

Author's Notes:

Hopefully, this is it for Chelsi and Easton. What do you think? 

If you like this chapter, please consider giving it a vote. Thanks! Amber