Behind the Scenes

Part 20

Part 20!

I woke up with the sun blaring in my eyes.

I sat up and stretched.

The TV was playing softly. Looking around the room, I watched Brice move his gaze from the TV to pierce into me. I had to force myself to breath.

"I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No," I said. My voice was hoarse. I was suddenly nervous. It felt like his eyes could rip me apart with just a glance.

My stomach roared. My face brushed red.

"Awe," Adam's voice rang. "Look at little Miss Red. She's so cute when she wakes up."

"Yeah," Brice agreed, giving me a glance. "With her bed hair, and red stained face."

I looked down, more heat flushing my face.

"Let's eat." Adam said.

I climbed out of the covers, my legs getting caught and strangled in the blankets.

I tripped and screamed. "Eke!"

I didn't hit the ground.

I looked up into Brice's eyes. Was it just me, or is it hard to breath?

He set me down. My feet were still wrapped in the blanket.

"Woops," was the only thing I muttered.

Adam came out of no where, swooped me over his shoulders, and started running. I was laughing. He ran around the apartment yelling, "I've captured the damsel in distress!"

A door slammed open. "Why are you yelling?" a new voice yelled.

Adam stopped, facing the door. I couldn't look over him to see who he was looking at.

Brice was standing behind Adam, and winked down at me.

"Hey Mikel. Joining us for breakfast?" Adam asked casually.

"Sure." Mikel's lips curved with an accent. I still had no idea what he looked like. "Who's she? I thought I heard something."

"I'm Scarlett," I yelled into Adam's back.

"She was saying her name's Red."

Mikel chuckled, deep and sensually.

Adam turned and began walking towards the kitchen. I caught a glance of Mikel. He was big, tall, and lean. His hair was brown and combed neatly to the side. His eyes were unique, and my breath caught. They were a deep purple.

He sat me down at a table chair. Brice sat down next to me, Mikel across from me, and Adam was passing dishes around.

He filled my plate with food. Afterwards, everyone else dove in.

We ate in almost silence. They seemed perfectly fine with the fact that I just appeared.

After we ate, I insisted on helping clean the dishes.

Mikel said that it was his turn to do dishes, too. He cleaned them while I dried them.

"So," he started. "You staying here a while?"

"I don't know." I confessed.

"Rough life at home." he said it so matter-of-factly that I paused.

"How did you...?"

"I see the fading bruises." He nodded. "I don't live with blood anymore."

It felt like my blood iced.

"They're not my blood," I whispered.

The splashing from the sink stopped. I could feel his gaze on me.

"It's okay." He finally said.

I looked into the dish with every emotion I had bottled up.

We finished up in silence.

When we walked back into the kitchen, my lips spoke before I knew what I was saying.

"I need to go home."