The Rude Awakening of Love

11 - Kiss and Tell

THE NEXT MORNING

EMERSON'S POV

The soft rays of the morning sun gently filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room as I slowly blinked my eyes open. As consciousness returned, I found myself wrapped in Bentley's arms, our bodies entwined in a tangle of sheets and limbs.

A soft smile played on my lips as I recalled the events of the previous night. It had been a leap of faith, a decision made in the heat of the moment, but now, as I lay here with Bentley, I knew it had been the right one.

Bentley stirred beside me, his breathing deep and steady, and I turned to gaze at him, taking in the peaceful expression on his sleeping face.

In the quiet of the morning, with the world still half-asleep outside, I felt a sense of contentment wash over me.

I reached out to brush a stray lock of hair from Bentley's forehead, my touch light and tender. He shifted slightly, his eyes fluttering open to meet mine, a smile spread across his face as he registered my presence.

"Good morning," Bentley murmured, his voice husky with sleep.

"Good morning," I replied, my heart skipping a beat at the warmth in his gaze.

As we laid here, wrapped in each other's arms, I felt a sense of anticipation for what was to come.

----

My hear raced as I stepped out of Bentley's room as I found myself face to face with Savannah. Caught off guard by the slightly unexpected encounter, I struggled to find the right words to explain myself.

"Sav, hey," I greeted, attempting to keep my tone casual despite the nerves fluttering in my stomach.

Savannah's brow furrowed in confusion as she took in my disheveled appearance. "Em, what are you doing here?" she asked, her voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and concern.

My mind raced, searching for a plausible explanation. I wanted to tell my best friend everything.

"Oh, uh, Bentley needed some help with something," I replied, the words tumbling out in a rushed stream.

Savannah's gaze flickered towards Bentley's door as he walked out, her expression skeptical. "At this hour?" her tone lace with suspicion.

I felt a flush of guilt rise to my cheeks as I struggled to maintain my composure under Savannah's scrutiny. "Yeah, it was kind of last minute," Bentley added, smirking at both us ad he walked past me into the kitchen.

Savannah's smile grew as she gave me a knowing look.

Cole soon joined us in the kitchen. I saw with Sav as the boys made us breakfast.

After we ate, Savannah offered to drive me home.

I hugged Bentley before making my way to Sav's car.

"Um spill" she spit out before even closing the car door.

I laughed at my giddy best friend, before filling her in on everything.

I explained how Dakota had multiple girls over this week and that he had Lily over last night. I then told her about my night with Bentley.

We gossiped until we arrived at my apartment.

"See you soon!" Sav called.

I played with the strings on Bentley's sweatshirt as I walked into the apartment. What is Lily is still here.

I opened the door to reveal Dakota sitting on the couch, alone. Our eyes met, his shooting a piercing gaze at me from across the room.

I could feel the weight of his stare, heavy suspicion and barely concealed anger.

"Where have you been?" his voice cut through the tension in the air, sharp and accusatory.

I swallowed hard, my mind racing for an excuse. I couldn't bring myself to lie, it wasn't like it was that big of a deal. Dakota's been bringing girls home all week.

"I... I spent the night at Bentley's," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Dakota's expression darkened, his jaw tensing visibly. "Bentley? MY Bentley?" he exclaimed, his tone laced with betrayal. I winced at the possessive tone in Dakota's voice.

Bentley wasn't his property, but I knew how close they were. Bentley had been Dakota's best friend since childhood, practically like a brother to him.

I had hoped to avoid this confrontation, but now there was no turning back. "Yes, Bentley," I confirmed, my voice steadier now, though still tinged with a slight bit of guilt. "We... we just hangout and talked."

Dakota's nostrils flared, his fist clenching at his slides. "You slept with him, didn't you?" he stated, more as a damning accusation that a question. I nodded, feeling the weight of Dakota's disappointment crashing down on her.

Dakota's eyes widen in disbelief and anger, I braced myself for the inevitable confrontation. I could feel the tension crackling in the air, heavy with Dakota's disapproval and my own mounting frustration.

"Dakota..." He cut me off, his words ringing with betrayal, "Don't even try to explain, Emerson Rose. I can't believe you'd do this."

I felt a surge of defensiveness rise within me, fueled my Dakota's judgement and the unfairness of his reaction. "And what exactly is it that you can't believe, Dakota?" I shot back, my voice tinged with frustration. "That I'm allowed to make my own choices? That Bentley and I have a connection that you don't like?"

His jaw clenched, his fists tightening at his sides as he struggled to contain his anger. "He's my best friend, Emerson," he retorted, his voice strained with emotion.

I felt a spark of anger ignite within me, fueled by Dakota's hypocrisy and the unfairness of his judgement. "Oh, spare me the lecture, Dakota," I spat, my own frustration boiling over. "Let's not pretend like you're some saint either. How many girls have you hooked up with, huh? Including Lily."

The mention of Lily's name hung heavy in the air between us.

For a moment, there was a silence as they stood locked in a battle of wills, the wright of their words hanging heavy in the air. And then, slowly, Dakota's anger seemed to dissipate, replaced with a weary resignation.

"Fine, Emerson Rose," he muttered, his voice heavy with defeat. "Do what you want. But don't expect me to just stand by and watch while you ruin everything."

With that, Dakota turned and walked into his room, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the bitter taste of our confrontation lingering in my mouth. As I watched him go, I couldn't shale the feeling of regret that settled in the pit of my stomach.