Decoding Cory Josten

Chapter 5

~Cory

I kept rubbing my head as I was driving toward the nearest McDonald's. I don't understand why I was denying my feelings toward Steph. I knew they were there. But, for some reason I didn't want to acknowledge them. When Tristian brought up going on a double date together, now that Maria and Steph had met each other, something in me just snapped. And that's what started the argument Tristian and I had. What I couldn't get out of my head though, and what hurt me the most about anything I said, was the expression change Steph had when she finally started listening in to the argument.

"Steph." I called toward the back as I pulled up the drive-through.

"mhm." She mumbled lightly.

"You're eating a burger, a big one." I said. She groaned, but I ignored it.

After I paid and was given the food, I parked in the parking lot and turned myself around in my seat to look at her.

"You look like hell." I said, as she sat up. It was a bold lie. Even when she was drunk, half asleep, and smelt like vomit.. she still looked beautiful.

"You don't look much better, sweet heart." she rolled her eyes and reached her hand out toward me.

"Sweet heart?" I questioned with a chuckle. I handed her the burger and she just smirked.

"Oh. I'm sorry is your girlfriend going to kick my ass now?" She said and looked up at me.

I moved my tongue against me cheek in the inside of my mouth. She got me there.

"You're just the queen of quick remarks when you're drunk, aren't you?" I laughed.

"Who is she?" She ignored my effort of trying to change the subject.

"Is she prettier than me? she probably is. And, it may not seem like it's important, but it's important to me. You said it's my fault for thinking I had a chance with you, but you were the one giving me that false hope. Why did you do that if you had a girlfriend?" Her words were coming out like rapid fire. I didn't know what to answer first.

"I lied, Steph." I said softly. I didn't want her to get offended.

"Just tell me if she's prettier than me Cory." Her voice cracked, and looked over at her and sighed. She didn't hear me before.

"She's prettier than you think." I said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She looked up at me confused.

"I'm not sure. I'm just as confused about myself as you are." I shrugged.

"I have you figured out, more than you know." She said. "And I know that bothers you."

"How so?" I asked.

"It bothers you because you want to hide behind this mask that you're so tough and you can't be tamed and you hate everyone. When really your feelings are quite the opposite." She explained.

"That mask is all I have come to know, it's just how I'm programmed now. I've just been so hurt that hurt is all I'm used to, so the mask I have is like a pre-set defense mechanism and I'm not sure how to get rid of it." I explained.

"Well it's stupid and it bothers me." She said strongly.

"Alright, well I'm sorry, but that's just who I am." I said sincerely.

"Well you should trust me enough to know I'm not going to be that person, If anything I'm worried about you hurting me.." She said and looked down at the floor of the truck. I sighed and looked at her.

"Steph, I would never hurt you. I know that may be hard to believe because I already hurt you tonight, but besides what happened tonight, I'm not going to hurt you." I said, still looking at her.

She finally looked back up at me, and she sighed.

"But it doesn't even matter Cory, because you already have a girlfriend." She shrugged.

"Steph. I lied about that." I admitted in a soft, nearly innocent, voice.

"I'm too drunk to be mad. But, why would you do that to me?" She asked sadly.

"I wasn't thinking, I was selfish and rude." I said.

"You know I like you right?" She rushed out in a quick slur.

"Yes." I laughed lightly. "I know."

"Do you hate me?" She asked shyly, turning red.

"I could never hate you." I smiled.

She smiled and closed her eyes. She almost instantly fell asleep, even with the burger on top of the wrapper laying in her lap.

I grabbed the burger out of her lap carefully, and finished the rest of the food I bought for myself. Once I was done I drove to the nearest hotel. I had an emergency credit card on me that's funded through my paychecks, I tend to try to not use it as much so I can save up for a place for me and my brother to live, but I felt this was an emergency situation.

"Steph, wake up." I said lightly as I shook her knee.

She looked around confused and panicked, but then calmed down and looked at me.

"A hotel? Do you have enough money for this Cory? I don't want you spending a fortune." She said worriedly.

"Don't worry about it, I have more than enough." I said arrogantly, with a smirk.

I turned my truck off, then walked to her door and helped her out.

"You good?" I asked. I wrapped my arm around her waist letting her use me as a crutch as we walked inside to the lobby.

"One room please?" I asked

"Two beds." Steph added quickly. I swallowed my laugh, and looked up at the man who was looking at a computer screen.

"We have no more one room two beds, is one room one bed ok?" He asked and looked up at us.

"Fine." Steph sighed and looked down.

I handed the guy my credit card, a few seconds later I was handed a key card and my credit card back. I held onto Steph again and led us to the elevator.

She slumps against a thin rail and looks around aimlessly. There's a gloss in her eyes and I could see now with the lighting just how drunk she is. But, what gets me going is how she still looks beautiful. Her hair isn't tangled, her light make up isn't smeared, she just looks perfect.

"It's rude to stare." She giggles in a slur.

"It's hard not to." I laugh back. She sticks her tongue out childishly, thinking I was making a playful insult. But, it was nothing but a complement.

The doors open and she instantly wraps her arms around my arm and I smile down at her as I lead us out towards our room.

"Bed!" She squeals once I open our door. She runs towards the bed and leaps onto it.

"Hey Cory?" She slurs.

"Yes?" I asked, slightly amused. I shrug off my jacket and kick off my shoes before I look at her.

"What kind of truck is your truck." She asks, then starts laughing at herself. I start laughing with her and then sit on the bed.

"A Ford F-150" I turn on the tv and start clicking through the channels.

"It's pretty. And comfy. It's very comfy." She giggles. She pulls herself up and crawls over next to me, laying her head on my stomach.

"Want me to take your shoes off before you pass out?" I ask. She looks up at me, yawns, then nods.

I smirk and then have her sit up momentarily as I unlace her sneakers, and then throw them over towards mine.

I lay back down and get under the blankets, Steph does the same and then scoots back over to me and lays her head on my chest.

"You're really warm." She murmurs while shivering.

I rub her back lightly while looking at the tv. "Go to sleep, you'll warm up."

"Goodnight." She yawns. Her breathing slows and her body starts to get slightly heavier.

I look down at her and she looks restful snuggled against my chest, still just as beautiful.