𝐑𝐀𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐄 -JEY USO

26

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
OUT HER SHELL

         Leanne watched as the group played a variety of card games, drinking games, trivia and charades. She didn't participate in much, but she did help out Stacy and Jesse with trivia questions. Besides that, she often found herself in the kitchen helping out Gloria with snacks and food.  Since the older woman was dealing with barbequing, Leanne stuck to putting together the sides and such. Unsurprisingly she stayed in the shadows, only ever so often having conversations with Becky or Bianca. 

As the evening turned to night, she grew more and more tired, her social battery was draining and instead being replaced with anxiety and dissociation. From the yelling of Gloria for her daughters to get her something for the barbeque and the yelling of the guests playing games she began to feel overwhelmed. Taking a drink, she slipped out through the French doors to the back patio, quietly.  

She sat down on the bench swing, leaning back into the cool cushions. She took a few deep breathes trying to erase the heaviness of her heart and the anxious nerves surging through her body. Leanne always hated moments like these because it was these reactions that would cause her to stick to herself. She hated that she couldn't be as bold or outgoing as her best friends without feeling like she was faking or being a fraud but every time she tried, she just found herself tired both mentally and physically. She wished she wasn't in her head so damn much, but it became so frequent since she was a child that she usually just overthink it until she got so tired, she'd just sleep it off. So, she sat by herself drinking from her cup and looking out up at the stars.

          Jey laughed at Randy playing 'Just Dance' with Stacy. She was hitting every single move to a tea, even singing the songs word for word. Drinking the last of his beer he got up walking to the kitchen by the back door to throw it. 

As he did he saw that the door was open slightly and the swing outside rocking back and forth. Just to check, he looked out seeing Leanne leaning back on the swing looking up at the night's sky. 

"Leanne?" He calls out to her. 

She tilted her head looking at him with hooded eyes, "Hey." 

 "What chu doin out here by yourself?" He asks walking over to her and sitting beside her. 

"Nothing, just needed some fresh air." She replies drying. 

The first thing he noticed about her was that her voice was in the monotone it was when she told him not to get to know her. Secondly was the stiffness of her body and third and most obvious to him: she was playing with the rings on her finger. She avoided eye contact with him looking forward distantly. 

 "Come ere'." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, simultaneously she propped her legs onto the swing leaning over, laying on his chest, she took a sip of her drink, offering Jey who also took a sip of it. 

His body was warm, contrasting to hers as she was outside for a while longer than him. she took a deep breath again, taking in his comforting scent and basking in the warmth of his aura. Oddly she felt herself feel emotional at the relief that his small gesture brought to her. 

Jey stretched over placing the drink on the table beside them, he rocked the swing slowly as they stayed in silence basking in each other's presence feeling a sense of peace with it. 

"You wanna talk about what's bothering you." He asks, the vibrations of his rippling through his body as she heard it in his chest. 

"Not yet." She replies, "That ok?" She asks in reference to her response. 

"Take your time, mama." He answers softly.

Snuggling closer to him. She lifted her head, looking at him lazily and leaving a few kisses on his jaw as a way of saying thank you before reverting back to her previous position.