Times running out (a Bret Von Dehl love story)

Chapter 18

At about 2 o'clock that afternoon, I was still wrapped in Bret's arms on that couch.

I had long since stopped crying, now I was just hugging Bret, my face buried in his shoulder.

"It'll all be okay. I promise."
That was what Bret cooed repeatedly, as if it was some sort of mantra.

Although, eventually we got hungry.

So Bret ordered Chinese food and made sure there was enough for us and all the guys.

Everybody returned home and it was decided that we would all watch scary movies and eat Chinese food together.

We say on the living room floor, huddled in blankets of every size shape an colour imaginable.

I did my best to smile through the nice time everybody else seemed to be having, even though I just kinda felt like crying again.

I wanted it all to be done so I could go to my room and just grieve a little longer.

I hugged Bret a lot and ate my food.

Then I curled up in a little ball on the couch and we all finished the movie.

I loved how much it felt like home in that house. So safe. It really honestly did feel like they were my family... family... why did I feel like I was forgetting something related to family?

SHIT!

I had never mentioned moving in with Bret to my parents!

Did they even know I had a boyfriend? I wasn't sure.

I had to call at the very least.

I would organize something with them so that they could meet Bret, but after this whole Naomi thing blew over.

The possibility of my mom and dad not liking Bret was unbearable right now.

It wasn't like I was ever going to leave Bret,
Besides, Im a grown woman. I don't need my parents approval on anything really, much less who I can and can't be in love with.

It was a mystery, I thought as I looked at Bret, how anybody could feel any emotion towards him that wasn't positive.

As he sat on the couch next to me, with his alcohol in hand and a sweet little smile on his face, I got this weird tingly feeling, the same feeling I used to get whenever I looked at him before he was mine.

I just grinned, because I knew that nothing could hurt me now.

I was safe here, and that was all that mattered.

I didn't need anything in my life that I didn't wholeheartedly want there, and that was a lot of power to have, but it was a good power.

After a good long while of jokes, whiskey, and really good old horror movies, it was a unanimous decision that we should all go somewhere fun.

Ideas were thrown out.

"We could explore downtown..."
Said Alex

"Or we could just hang out at the mall." Shrugged Ray.

"We could find a roof to hang out on."
Suggested JC,

"Ooooh! That sounds fun!" I grinned at JC's plan.

And so we ran through the door, ready for a nice day.

We piled into the truck and Alex got into the drivers seat.

"Ready?" he smirked.

"READY!" We chorused back.

He started the car, and off we went.