Something Gained (USC Series Book #1)

chapter twenty-nine

SOMETHING GAINED
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AIDAN

"There may or may not be a dead body in our living room," I hear Tyson announce to everyone, his voice echoing from the kitchen.

"He's probably just sleeping, dumbass. Did you check for a pulse?" I hear her familiar honey-sweet voice say.

"No, because he might be dead. I don't want to touch a dead body," Tyson replies.

I am not dead. I was asleep and I kind of wish I was just so I didn't have to hear the conversation taking place right now. But I am awake and am yet to open my eyes just to get a bigger reaction out of my idiot of a roommate.

I hear Brooklynn release a groan and begrudgingly take a few steps closer to me from the kitchen. She approaches me and despite my eyes being closed, I can feel her presence. Softly, two of her fingers are placed on the side of my neck and as soon as they make contact, I open my eyes.

"Boo!" I say rather suddenly and loudly.

Brooklynn takes a step back, crouching down and placing her hand on her heart. "Dickhead," she murmurs through irregular breaths.

She regains her breath and raises her gaze to mine and slaps me lightly on the chest. I smile cheekily at her and she just crosses her arms across her chest.

"I'm not dead, you dimwit," I say, directing my attention towards Tyson. "I was asleep until you decided to announce to the dead that you thought I had joined them."

Brooklynn snorts from behind me and I can see Tyson remove his gaze from me, narrowing his eyes into tiny slits to the person who stood behind me.

"You should be flattered I was worried about you Aidan. What if you were dead and everyone thought you were just sleeping?" Tyson points.

I cross my arms over my chest. "But I wasn't."

"Well... what if you were. I could have.."

The rest of Tyson's sentence I decide to drown out. It's not worth hearing him go on and on about how he is a lifesaver and how he just saved my life.

I massage my eyes as they adjust to the light. With lazy steps, I stroll in to the kitchen, throwing the fridge open and getting myself bottled water.

Taking a large gulp, I turn to face Tyson and Brooklynn who have just settled themselves down on the kitchen stools. "You know Tyson, sometimes I worry about you but then I realise you'll be fine. You are practically immortal, after all."

His face drops as he tries to dissect what I just said. Coming up empty-handed, warily, he mutters, "Why?"

"Well... stupidity lasts forever," I tell him with a straight face.

He narrows his eyes at me and Brooklynn sputters out in laughter next to him.

With a mind of their own, my gaze is drawn to Brooklynn and a smile tugs at my lips just at the mere sight of her. Every single time I see her I find myself in awe no matter what. A wide smile shows off her gorgeous smile that sends a rush of warmth down my spine, spreading through the rest of my body.

As if feeling me staring at her, she looks at me, making eye contact. Her eyes are wrinkled in the corners and she smiles widely at me.

"How was your nap?" she asks, resting both her forearms against the kitchen bench, staring intently at me.

I shrug, turning around and brewing a cup of my coffee. "It was alright."

Typically, I'm not one to drink coffee. Normally, I go for a hot chocolate but I know that tonight is going to be one hell of a ride with my family, Thanksgiving and everyone meeting Brooklynn. And I'm hoping the coffee will give me that boost I need to get through it without gauging my eyes out before it finishes.