The Hook-up

Chapter 42

"What?" he asked confused. He could hear her crying on the phone. He didn't know what to say. "Lauren? Where are you?"

"I'm still at the doctor." She told him.

"Where is the doctor, baby?" he asked her. "I'm going to come and get you. You can't drive right now."

"It's too far away. It would take too long to get here. I'm just going to go home. I just want to be alone." She told him. "I'm sorry I called you." She pulled the phone away from her face nearing the red button to end the call.

"Lauren?" he asked hearing the phone call end. He jumped up from the couch getting into his car. He drove to the grocery store grabbing her favorite cookies and a movie from red box. He looked down at his phone texting Caitlin.

Are you home tonight?

No. Why are you guys gonna have make-up, make-up sex?

Maybe.

Ewww.

He pulled up next to the parking spot that Lauren always took in the parking lot seeing that she wasn't home yet. He pulled out all the things he bought and walked up to her apartment grabbing the door knowing that it was unlocked. He put the food away and the DVD on the table.

"Bruno?" he heard Lauren coming into the house. "I saw your ca....what are you doing?" she questioned seeing a giant bowl of ice cream covered in gummy bears, chocolate and whipped cream on the table. She burst out laughing sniffing away the tears she was crying. "Why?"

"You need it." He said handing her the giant bowl and a spoon. "And so do I." he took the other bowl sitting down next to her getting whipped cream on his face.

"Hey..." she turned seeing his messy face. "You have something on your face...." She moved her finger to his cheek wiping off the whipped cream licking it.

"I left it there for you." He laughed.

"No you didn't." she smiled waiting for him to say something to her. He just looked at her intently looking over her face. "What?"

"You don't need to cry, Elle." He said to her leaning close to her.

"I do it every time. She tells me the same thing, every time." She told him looking down trying not to cry. "I just want the answer to change, every single time."

"Lauren...I don't care..." he responded lifting up her chin.

"Don't tell me that. Justin said that too." She said stopping before he could get upset or she remembered the conversations they had when she was younger.

"How many times have you done this?" he wondered.

"Every six months since I was 17....so...18 times." She answered. "And every time I'm an idiot and ask if I'll be able to have kids...."

"I don't even know what you're talking about, Lauren." He looked at her confused.

"I have these things...that mess up my ovaries. Remember last night when I couldn't walk after?"

"Yeah." He laughed a little. "I was good."

She raised her eyebrow shrugging her shoulders a little. "Well...yeah...but...the cramps. You hit something that caused the cysts to come close to bursting."

"Oh my...." He said scratching a piece of hair under his hat.

"What happens if it does?" he asked.

"I don't want to find out." She answered him trying not to cry. He pulled her in closer to him hugging her tightly.Ugh. I love the way he smells. She breathed in the slight hint of smoke and cologne he was wearing. "I just want to be normal."

"Lauren...you're perfect. Just stop." He pleaded with her as she started to cry. "Please." He started to hum something trying to calm down her rushed breathing. She closed her eyes forgetting about everything that was happening and the things that they had been through recently.

"I'm not hurting you, am I?" she asked pulling away a little forgetting about his bruised ribs.

"No." he said running his fingers through her long hair holding onto the moment. She opened her eyes after a few minutes seeing the DVD on the table.

"Oh!" she jumped up from the couch picking up the DVD. She looked down at the DVD giving him a perplexed look. "Incidious? What are you trying to do? Kill me?"

"Maybe." He smiled taking the DVD from her hand. "Sit down." He took the empty bowls of ice cream walking to the kitchen.

"But I don't have any popcorn..." she turned around looking at him in the kitchen.

"I gotchu." He said waving a box of popcorn. She sighed laying her head on the couch. She closed her eyes hearing the DVD start to play.

"Are we going to watch the previews?" he asked wrapping his arms around her bringing her close to her.

"If you want to." She answered. "No..yes. I still have to prepare myself for this. You know I don't like scary movies."

After several screams and Lauren jumping on top of Bruno the movie ended. She lifted her head up from his shoulder yawning and stretching. "I'm tired."

"It's not even late, Lauren." He told her pointing at the tv that said 10:42.

"I don't care. I'm tired." She said getting up. "Come to bed with me."

"Did you even have to ask?" he responded with a smile standing up hugging her.

"Laur..." he stopped looking at her.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Move in with me. Then we can do this every single night." He replied.