The Bet

Too Fast

Ana woke up around 3 in the morning to the sound of banging at her front door. Poppy started growling at the noise, she hated being disturbed from her sleep. Ana careful grabbed the baseball bat she kept next to her bed and made her way to the door. No one in their right mind would be knocking on the door this late at night.

She nearly screamed her head off when she saw two figures in the dim porch light. She gripped the bat tighter as she swung the door open prepared to hit the unknown people.

It was only then that she recognized it was Chris and Tara. The way Chris was slumped against Tara, Ana knew he was drunk.

Ana dropped the bat and clutched her chest, "Jesus Christ! What are you doing here?" She had to whisper since Annie was asleep in the guest room.

Tara rolled her eyes, "This jackass is drunk and kept calling me to take me to you."

Chris slurred his words, "M'sorreeey, don't leave meeee." He flung himself towards Ana nearly knocking her down. She had to catch him by his armpits to keep them from toppling over.

"Ugh, you reek of beer. Come on let's get you to bed." She looked towards Tara, "are you okay to get home?"

Tara smiled at her, "yeah, I'll be fine. I know you don't want to talk about it right now but Chris drunkly explained to me what happened. I'm here if you need me."

Ana smiled, "Thank you, Tara. Drive safe and text me as soon as you get home."

"Will do. Good luck with that." She pointed at Chris who was clutching onto Ana.

Ana sighed as she had to drag Chris to bed. Something that proved to be difficult since he was a whole foot taller than her. And much heavier than her.

Chris leaned most of his body weight on Ana which only annoyed her even more. She finally got him into the bedroom and pushed him onto the bed. She took of his shoes and then his shirt. She decided to leave his pants on in case he got the idea of having sex with her.

Ana rolled Chris to his side and put a trash can next to the bed. She wasn't sure how drunk he was and if was one of those drunks that throw up. She sat next to him as he laid there. His eyes were closed but she wasn't she if he was asleep.

Sighing, Ana covered him in a blanket and moved to get up. Chris grabbed her wrist before she could leave. She looked down at him and saw he was staring at her.

"I'm sorry."

Ana shook her head, placed a kiss on his forehead and left the room. She grabbed a spare pillow and blanket from the hall closet to sleep on the couch.

As she laid on the couch she couldn't help but replay everything that happened earlier. The thought of Chris potentially having a baby with someone else. Him confessing his love for her. It was overwhelming.

Sighing, Ana pulled out her phone to call her brother Abel. Despite the time difference Abel always answered the phone if Ana called. She was the closest too him since they were only a year apart in age.

The phone rang a few times before she heard the grogginess in her brother's voice.

"Ana? You okay?"

Ana sighed, "Physically yes, I'm okay. Emotionally, not so much."

"What's going on? Do I need to fly to Boston and beat your boyfriend's ass?"

Ana chuckled, "No.  Not yet at least."

"So what's going on? As much as I love these late night phone calls I know you only call this late when you're feeling overwhelmed."

Ana sighed, "I am feeling overwhelmed. I feel like everything with Chris is moving too fast. I mean we've only been dating a month and already I was living with him for a while. We spend every moment together. And earlier today I heard him say he loved me. He didn't say it to me directly. But I know how really feels and it scares me even more that I love him too. I guess it's all moving so fast that I'm scared we're going to burn out just as fast."

Abel sighed as he heard Ana start to sniffle. He knew she was holding back her tears.

"Ana, take a deep breath for me okay?" He heard her take a breath in and release. "Are you going to tell Chris you overheard him?"

"Well, he knows I overheard him because I walked in on the conversation he was having..."

"What happened?"

Ana pinched the bridge of her nose. She so badly wanted to tell her brother what was happening but she couldn't do that to Chris. She couldn't tell his business to anyone, not even her family.

"Just some stuff was said that kind of outweighed the fact that he said he loved me." She paused before continuing, "part of me feels like this relationship is too good to be true. That one day I'll wake up and he'll decide he doesn't want me anymore. Or worse, he'll be like Erick..."

Abel sighed, "If there is one thing I know for certain is that Chris will never be like Erick. He was an addict who needed help. Just by the way you talk about Chris I know he'll never hurt you like that."

"Yeah, you're right. But do you think him and I are moving too fast?"

Abel chuckled, "Every relationship is different. To the outside world it may seem like you and him are moving too fast but all that matters is what y'all feel. If you love him then tell him. You know he loves you. Don't be scared to give someone your heart again. You deserve to be happy."

Ana and Abel continued to talk for a few more minutes before sleep was overtaking them both. Ana said goodnight to her brother and decided to move back to the bed.

She knew Chris would need her at a time like this. She crawled into the bed and hugged him from behind. She did love him and she wanted to be there for him even if there was a possibility he was going to be a father.

It didn't stop the fear that he would leave her for Tracy if he was in fact the father of her baby. All Ana could do was hope that he meant it when he said he loved her. If he really loved her then she could hopefully worry a little less that he wouldn't leave her for Tracy.

They would need to talk later in the day about everything that happened. But for now she needed sleep. Ana placed a kiss on Chris's back as the soft snores of Chris lulled her to sleep.