Shark Strike Survivor

Chapter 12

"I thought you were busy until tomorrow to speak with me about our situation?" Mason asks with a confused expression.

"I was busy, and coming here was a last minute decision. My brother cannot mind his own fucking business when it comes to you and me," I bluntly answer.

Mason and Chandler frown at me while I rant, and once I finish, Mason replies; "I am sorry that my working friendship with Lyric is causing him to feel and behave in this manner with you."

"He is not your problem," I reply with a shrug, my mood faltering slightly back to being angry. "He just needs to learn to not meddle in others' lives when their opinion is not asked for."

"Would you like me to speak with him about this matter?" he asks, and I immediately shake my head, and tell him no. "Then I won't, but I hope this does not affect our talk tomorrow evening?"

"It won't, I promise," I assure him with a small nod of my head.

Mason nods, seemingly content with my answer before briefly glancing at Chandler with a weird expression, and then glances back at me; "I will see you tomorrow, Larken. Have a good rest of your evening, the both of you."

"You too, Mason," I reply as does Chandler before Mason turns to leave for whatever he is going to do.

"So, that is Mason," Chandler states with a dry chuckle. "He seems a little intense, but if you are happy with him, or if you are not, whatever your choice is, I will respect."

Humming at him; "I have decided to remain friends with him with the possibility of a romantic relationship developing in the future with a few rules if we do proceed with that."

Chandler does not comment, he just nods in understanding, and we move the conversation to another topic - hobbies.

"Okay, what are your hobbies?" he asks with a bright smile.

"Um, I will admit I am really lame because I only have two hobbies. Um, reading and sleeping," I admit on a soft chuckle, and slightly tinted cheeks in embarrassment.

"There is nothing wrong with those," Chandler hums with a tilted head to the right. "Mine are rock climbing, bungee jumping, and things like that."

"Those sound awesome! Wish I was adventurous like that," I reply with a fond smile.

"You can be if you would like to be," he seriously says. "Next time I go rock climbing, do you want to come with me? We can do an indoor climb."

Thinking it over for like two seconds before eagerly nodding; "I would really like that! Thanks for inviting me, Chandler."

"Anytime, my sweet friend," he grins, causing me to laugh at his wonderful pet name.

By the time I arrive home at 10 p.m. with Chandler dropping me off at his request, I feel better than when I had left the house earlier. Quietly entering the house because I do not know if anyone is awake or not.

Entering my bedroom using the flashlight off my phone to walk to the bathroom. I use the toilet, wash my hands and face, and then brush my teeth. Leaving the bathroom, and turning the light on beside my bed before changing into a pair of loose, blue cotton shorts, and a white tank top. Focusing on my bed after plugging in my phone into the charger, I let out a startled yelp when I notice Lochlan sleeping on the opposite side of the bed. He shifts a little, and cracks his eyes open a little to look at me.

"Hi," he sleepily greets as he shifts under the covers with a lazy smile.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" I whisper with a light chuckle as my thumping heart settles back into a normal level, and I move the covers to sit, so I can remove the prosthetic and covers.

"Wanted to cuddle with you once you went to sleep," he mumbles as I lie on my back, and lift my arms up, so he can cuddle into my side.

"Thanks for cuddling with me tonight," I murmur as he settles on his side against me. "You are the best little brother a guy could ever ask for."

"You are the best big brother I could ever ask for," he mumbles, drifting back off to sleep. "Love you, Lark."

"Love you, too, Loch," I whisper as he fully slips back into dreamland as I flutter my eyes closed.

While sleeping, I have a nightmare mixed between Mason and Lyric trying to force me into a romantic relationship with Mason, and the shark attack happens again. The only good thing about the nightmare is Chandler who saves me from both events. Surging upright in bed, sweating from head to toe, and breathing heavily as my eyes dart around the darkened room. When my eyes finally convince my brain that I am home and safe with Lochlan next to me.

"Larken, what's wrong?" Lochlan mumbles through a yawn.

"Yeah, yeah, I am okay," I whisper, lying back down on my back while pulling the covers back up to cover my now shivering body. I am sorry for waking you. Go back to sleep, and I will see you in a couple of hours."

Lochlan falls back sleep almost instantly, but I cannot, so I decide to grab my crutches that are leaning against the wall by the headboard. Heading into the bathroom to wee, and shower because I am sweaty, and want the water to try and to calm down. Hobbling into the bathroom, I do my business at the toilet while the water from the shower warms up. Stripping from my damp clothes, leaving these on the floor, and get into the hot water, and let the spray wash away the sweat and stress.

When the water becomes cold sometime later, I turn off the water, carefully climb out of the shower, and towel myself off. Grabbing the extra underwear and jammies from the shelf, I get dressed before leaving the bathroom after grabbing my dirty clothes to toss these into the hamper. Hopping up the basement stairs after grabbing my phone because I am not going back to sleep. Heading into the kitchen to make myself a pot of coffee, and calm myself even further.