Last Summer || Damon & Brylan

Twelve || Damon

Pushing the front door open I shudder when I'm exposed to the heat. I'd taken the heater for granted and I'm so grateful to be inside again. It was cold as shit outside but I survived so it's fine.

Fixating my eyes on my mother she tilts her head. It's a fair response given the fact that I'm covered in snow because Brylan is wearing my jacket. That and her hand is in mine. Sneaking in would've been easier but that's not really possible since my window points out to the front of the house. If it was pointing to the back it would've been easier but I didn't get as lucky as Katie.

'Hey Brylan?' My mother speaks wearily.

'Hey Mrs Hart.' She weakly smiles which sparks her attention. Brylan isn't in the best shape right now so she doesn't seem to mind my mother being there whilst I'm holding her like this. She's too exhausted to care.

'On no! Hun, what's wrong?' She immediately walks over to her. Instinctively holding my arm out to block my own mother from touching her, I realize what I did and pull away out of embarrassment. 'Why did you—'

'She's tired,' I try to excuse my own reflexes. 'I'm sorry,'

'Okay.' She looks at me for way longer than I think is necessary before looking at Brylan then back at me. 

'Goodnight mom,' I smile at her. Moving past her Brylan is forced to follow since I'm latched onto her as if she'll vanish if I let go.

Directing her to my bedroom I instruct her to change into whatever she wants from my closet whilst I go to talk to Katie. Pushing her bedroom door open I poke my head inside. Looking up at me from her phone she raises her eyebrows when she reads the pleading look on my face.

'Can you lock your door and pretend Brylan is in here with you tonight?' I beg. Staring blankly at me I know she won't agree unless I explain. She does this all the time. Won't agree unless she knows what she's agreeing too.

'Brylan is sleeping in my room but mom saw her. You know, I felt extra fucking horny tonight so I—' she cuts me off to tell me to shut up before covering her ears as if I told her the secrets to the universe.

'I don't need that image in my head—oh my god—please leave. Looking at you makes it worse.' She covers her eyes which makes me laugh. 'I'll cover for you. Just get out. Bye Damon.'

Retreating back to the comfort of my own bedroom I close the door behind me. Brylan is seated on my bed with her legs up. She's wearing nothing but her own boxers and one of my shirts with drop pretty low on her. It's not the first thing I notice. The first thing I notice is the tears running down her face and I can't help but feel guilty.

I know I didn't do anything to harm her tonight but she's been going through this for god knows how long and all I've done is make things worse for her. I've been stressing her out when she was already stressed enough and she's not doing so well because of it. She looks shattered. My plane is due to go back in two days and she's in no way going to be better in even two weeks. I can't leave her alone.

'Come back with me.' I blurt out.

'What?' She looks up to me, 'I'm already here.'

'No. I mean...' I climb onto the bed with her after making sure my door is closed and locked. Grabbing my laptop from my bedside table. I click through to find available flight seats on the plane that I'll be on.

'No Damon. It's fine.' She realizes what I'm talking about. 'What would I even tell my parents.'

'Don't you have away games in other states for days on end?' I question her but she looks away because its true. I do sport and I used to be in a club so I know how those work. 'Say it's one of those.'

'I don't know.' Her voice changes from concern to worry to panic, in the span of three seconds.

'Why not?' I worry that there's more she's not telling me. 'Is there something else that's wrong?'

'No no no. I just don't want to...intrude.' Realizing what she means I brush it off because I don't care. This is what we've been disputing over and I'd almost forgotten. Maybe this will be a chance for me to show her that it's okay. If she's with me then I know I can comfortably go about my regular day without stressing over Jordan.

I already know how I'm going to deal with him but I can't do anything yet.

'Okay so I can get you a ticket for free if I just...' I pull out my phone. Shooting coach a text I send him a stupid story on how my plane ticket glitched out so I need another. We've been winning back to back seasons and god does it feel good to say that. As an award we got let out early to spend an extra week with our families.

Technically we're supposed to be let out a bit from now for Christmas but coach gave us extra time, alongside the Christmas week. Coach spoke to some people who work in higher departments than him and he got the school to fund our tickets as a treat just to add onto it. We've been winning like fucking lunatics and it's only made the UCLA's sport system look fucking amazing.

'Coach will get me a replacement ticket and it'll get approved because we're doing pretty good right now. The sporting district has never looked fucking better. They love us.' I'm starting to excite myself. 'I'll pay for your ticket back so it's fine.'

'I don't know.' She seems reluctant, 'If I'm not actually going to play volleyball then my parents will be disappointed if I come home empty handed.'

'We'll buy a volleyball trophy from a pawn shop or something.' I find an easy solution but she still seems worried. 'You're not intruding if I want you there. Are your parents that big of an issue?'

'They'll barely notice I left.' She mumbles before suddenly looking over to me. 'Are you sure? I really don't know.'

'Come here.' I shut my laptop and gently put it onto the ground before frantically pulling her onto my lap. Laughing at my efforts I smile.

It's the first time I've seen her smile today which is a start. Things will be okay. I can feel it.