Red Flag

Chapter 34

(TW: mention of panic attacks and anxiety)

The brunette boy rolled onto his right side, sleeping soundly next to his girlfriend. He threw his arm over her body and, a few minutes later, she pulled her left arm from under the covers roughly, hitting him in the process of finding the right position.

Ryan's fingers were still broken and in a cast, but her hand was on the phase where it would make those two fingers fall asleep because she hadn't move them in so long. Of course they couldn't control their bodies much when they were asleep or try to be careful but still, Matt tried to move as little as possible.

Around an hour had gone by when the grey eyed girl sat up, waking up from a nightmare with a loud gasp and sweat all over her body.

"Hey...hey.." Matt whispered, rubbing her back as she ran her hands over her face "it was just a dream, you're okay" he told her "You're okay, Ry" he said

"I hate my brain" she told him.

"Was it the same as yesterday?" The blue eyed boy asked.

"Uh-huh, and the same as the day before yesterday, and Tuesday and Monday" she nodded "why am I letting this man haunt me in my dreams?" She asked her boyfriend

"Well, I'm not a psychologist but I think..stay with me here cause this one is crazy..it's cause he scares you" he told her as she shifted to sit criss-cross on the bed

"He doesn't scare me" she said as if he were wrong

"Oh, really? Let's ask your left hand, shall we?" He picked her hand up by her wrist "does Andy scare Ryan leftie? 'Yes, he does. Enough to shut a door on my two most important fingers!' See?" He said in a high pitch voice while wiggling her hand in the air

"I don't like it when you prove me wrong" she squinted her eyes at him

"And it's my favorite thing to do" he tilted his head at her

"I thought your favorite thing to do was making me laugh" she said mimicking his tone and actions

"No, that's my favorite sound you're getting it all mixed up" he said while lying back down "now, either put something on the TV or go back to sleep cause we have to fly to Nashville tomorrow and I'm not the night owl in this couple" he lied on his left side.

"Mind if I watch Sam and Colby?" She asked him

"Do what you want, I won't tell Corey" he said and then yawned "your secret is safe with me"

"Thank you sir" she patted his shoulder with her broken hand over the covers.

Even though she still felt very intimidated by her boss, Andrew didn't try anything else after that one time her first day. She didn't know why, maybe seeing her broken fingers made him feel guilty.

However, when she was given the option of working every other weekend at the shop, she took it without a single hesitation. She loved her coworkers but she hated the possibility of having to be alone with Andy late at night even being real.

And so, her boyfriend had invited her along to his Nashville and Sacramento shows. They were on the weekend and that way she could  clear her mind a little before going back to work.

Matt understood that Ryan wanted to make some money before starting with her actual work, he didn't think thwy needed it, but he knew she wanted to feel useful in some way. He would also rather having her stay at his apartment all day than having to punch a guy who thought he could treat her like a slut, but he can't tell her what to do.

To Matthew, Andy was just the type of guy he always joked about, the kind that thinks that intimidating a woman will get them what they want, a douchbag. He knew Ryan's comparison was merely because of their similar looks, cause Andrew was nothing like Cole. Of course Matt also knew about Colby's feelings towards his Ryan, he wasn't blind. But, even if he was just starting to trust her around other men again, he knew Cole wouldn't act on his crush, he was mature enough to be happy Ryan is happy with someone who isn't himself.