Save Me From Myself

Chapter 8- Hurricanes

I woke up in the morning with a splitting headache and a weird taste in my mouth. With my eyes barely open I looked around. Now I knew what Dan meant by falling asleep most of the time on the couch.

I got up from the couch and jumped straight in the shower. I couldn't think straight, the whole room was spinning. After the cold shower all the things had a new perspective. A very bad one. I remembered how bad I was with hangovers and the fact that I remembered every little bit of my conversation with Dan the other night wasn't helping me either.

I decided to call Karla. She had a different perspective on things. She still didn't approve of me staying at Dan's, no matter how appealing this perspective sounded. She was free and decided to come to Dan's. I knew she was curious of where Dan lived so I agreed. In fairness I wasn't in the mood of going out either.

Karla arrived soon holding a bag of freshly baked muffins.

"Wow, you look like a train wreck. What happened to you?"
"I had a drink with Dan last night."
"But didn't we drive him to the airport? I don't get it.", she said frowning.
"Virtually. And we talked and..."
"And you started smoking again I see...", she said pointing to the full ashtray on the coffee table.
"That seriously doesn't matter...I think I like Dan."
"And it took you that long to figure it out? I could've told you that two weeks ago."
"But he is scared of me. I scare him. And he has this overprotective brotherly attitude towards me."
"You never realised another thing."
"What? What is there to realise?"
"Glen likes you. Al, Glen really likes you. And as much as you like Dan, you always had a thing for bad  boys. And you know what happened lately..."

I found it hard to process that Glen felt something for me. After a few seconds of pondering I managed to utter a couple of words.

"Glen no way...that is not possible."
"It is, I saw the way he checked you out once. And as much as I think Dan is an amazing man, he just isn't the right man for you."
"Seriously? I don't feel anything for Glen. And Dan isn't as bad as you think. He is sweet and caring."
"And he decided to talk his ex girlfriend into do a photo shooting for you? Remember that?"
"He kissed me."

That piece of information shut Karla up for about five seconds.

"He... What?! When? How?"

I started explaining to her how things happened. Her expression was of disappointment and disapproval.

"Love, not meaning to burst your bubble, but if he actually felt something for you, he would've done it a long time ago. You live in the same house, for crying out loud! And a man who has feelings for you doesn't kiss you to make his ex girlfriend jealous."

As much as I wanted not to believe that, Karla was right. He wouldn't have used me. He wouldn't have put me in the uncomfortable situation of having to take photos of his ex and her friends. No matter how much he wanted to help me.

I tried not thinking too much of the day of the photo shoot, but I couldn't. And there I was in front of the studio Dan rented, waiting for Melissa. She arrived as scheduled, carrying a clothes bag on her shoulder and a small duffle bag in her other hand. Her hair was tied up in a bun and she was dressed in a pair of white skinny pants, jacket and shirt. As usual she looked flawless.

"Hello Alexis, nice to meet you again. Shall we get some coffee first? I'm dying for one."
"Yes, sure, whenever you feel ready."
"I wanted to have a chat with you first, if that's okay with you."
"Yes sure. But why don't we grab some coffee, do the photo shoot and then chat?"

What did she wanted to talk about? I was scared. Although she seemed a nice, sweet woman, somehow her presence scared me. I felt like an idiot, underdressed and a little bit dirty comparing to her.