Brewed to Perfection

Part 26

I stumbled back from the bathroom, only to find the living room deserted. I guess everyone had decided it was bedtime.

As I made my way upstairs to Bev's spare room I thought about everything I had admitted and said so far tonight. I knew I would wake up tomorrow hating myself but for some mad reason, it felt freeing.

It was also bizarre to talk to Benjamin normally. Something I had never been able to do. I guess alcohol made me see him for who he was being today, rather than the asshole I dealt with for years.

I felt unsure about whether my past self would be happy or disappointed in me. I had promised myself I would never talk to him, but when I saw him tonight lying on the floor yelling about shit x factor auditions it didn't feel like the same person.

Yeah he was still an ass, and he probably was just as cruel as i remember however tonight i just saw him as a drunk, pathetic guy.

It felt odd to be angry at someone who laid with a pillow on their face for basically two hours.

As I wandered down the hallway, I tried to listen to any noise from any of the bedrooms. Not that I was trying to snoop, I just had no clue what room I was supposed to be sleeping in.

I heard whispering coming from the furthest door down the hallway so I decided that was my best bet.

Walking quietly, trying not to disturb Start who had basically locked himself in his bedroom the moment we arrived back.

Deciding it was best to knock before just waltzing into a random room, I pressed my knuckles lightly against the door, waiting for a response.

When no one responded or called out for me to 'come in' I pressed my ear against the door hoping to find out who was in there.

I could make out Benjamin's quiet voice, only as loud as a whisper. "Bev? Are you awake?... Bev?"

Was Benjamin trying to wake up Bev?

I opened the door, not bothering to wait for either of them to respond.

That was when I found Benjamin crouched over a single bed, where Bev was currently sprawled like a starfish, deep in sleep.

I tried to keep my voice low. "What the hell are you doing you creep?" I questioned.

Benjamin slowly rose from his crouched position by Bev's ear, turning in my direction by the door.

"She came up here to put a sheet on my bed, and the next thing i know she's fallen asleep" Benjamin replied sounding irritated.

"Why do you always think I'm up to something weird?" He probed.

I scoffed quietly. "Can you blame me?"

Benjamin didn't bother to respond, merely sent me a dismissive hand gesture.

"Well just leave her then, she looks like she's deep in sleep. Stop disturbing her." I ordered, gesturing for him to leave the room.

Benjamin sneered, "Thanks genius. The slight problem is this is supposed to be where I'm sleeping" he replied sarcastically.

I looked at him confused. "I've tried waking her but she's not budging. Stuart told me earlier that she's basically the heaviest sleeper and also the loudest snorer"

Just on cue, Bev snored rather loudly.

I shrugged my shoulders, "Well sucks to be you. See ya" I whispered, walking out of the room.

I decided to try the door across the one Bev and Benjamin were in and luckily it opened.

Thankful that i hadn't just walked into Stuart sleeping, i sighed a breath of relief as i took in the room. It was a small room with two single beds. Both with dark blue bedding, mosaic lamps and a funky floral wallpaper.

Definitely a guest bedroom.

I didn't have a toothbrush or my skincare regime with me so I decided I might as well head straight to bed. I quickly checked my phone, with a text from my Mum popping up on my lockscreen.

'K' was all it said. Great.

The issue with not knowing you would sleep over, is having to rely on someone else's generosity, i had nothing with me to change into. And I definitely wasn't going to ask to wear Stuart's spare pyjamas.

Fuck it, the room was a nice temperature, no bottoms would have to do.

As I started to pull my jeans down, the door handle of the room made a noise and Benjamin walked through the door.

I quickly pulled my trousers all the way back up, luckily they had only reached the top of my thighs anyway.

"What the hell? Get out of my room" I whisper shouted.

Benjamin squinted his eyes. "Your room? I don't think so. This will be our shared bedroom for the night Storm-"

He had managed almost a full day without letting my old highschool nickname slip. Only to fall at the last hurdle. How disappointing.

I laughed insincerely. "Oh- don't stop on my account. I actually prefer that name. Hearing my actual name from your mouth makes me feel violently ill" I retorted.

Benjamin just stood in silence, his hand moving towards his chin.

"Well, we will be sharing this room tonight Maeve. I have nowhere else to sleep sadly"

"Sleep on the couch," I demanded.

"You sleep on the couch," he replied.

"No you!" I sneered.

"No you!"

"Oh for christ sake. Fine. But if I hear you, see you or smell you. I'm literally going to grab you by the ankles and throw you down the stairs." I warned, feeling too tired to argue with the devil.

I knew I was going to pass out the minute my head touched the pillow anyways.