Painful Pleasures

Chapter 10

"Do you mind getting drunk every night?" Trevor asks as he finishes his breakfast.

"Then you'll just make breakfast as a thank you for our help."
And April laughs, still looking down at her plate.
Somehow, she had managed to avoid my eyes the entire time we ate breakfast and I want to grab her and demand what the hell she's doing.
She had walked away with a blank stare after the kiss.
Then...she showers here, puts on my clothes, and makes breakfast?

And now she won't look at me?

"Okay. I'm stuffed. Thanks, April." Trevor says as he drops his plate in the sink and gives me a wink before he heads for his room.
Finally.
I owe him one.

Before I can speak, she looks up from where she is seated across me and beats me to it.

"Okay, you've been staring at me all morning and I know I've overstepped my boundaries here."

"April--"

"But I drunk dialed you last night and you still helped me and...I didn't just want to up and leave. Especially after kiss..."
She trails off and runs her hand through her hair.

"It just keeps looking like I want something from you and then I run and--"

I frown.
"So all this is just for a pity thank you?"

Her eyes go wide
"What? No. I'll just go." She says suddenly already standing up.

"Wait. You can't go." I say suddenly, surprising myself as I got up.
No way would I let her run now.

She stops and turns.
Think, Ethan, think.

"We're going bowling today. Trevor and I and Bianca."
Really? Because you like it doesn't mean she would.

But suddenly her eyes light up in a childlike manner.

"Bowling? Really? I haven't done that in ages!" She says and I can't help but smile in the way her eyes dance at the thought.

"You wanna come?"

"Do I?!" She squeals and I'm almost sure she is one minute from jumping up and down with the way she is staring at me.
It's almost ironic that a minute ago she was ready to leave and now here she was bursting with excitement.
April and all her sides of emotions.

"Trevor won't mind?" She says.

"Trevor never minds."

She suddenly frowns.
"Who is Bianca?" She asks and I mentally slap myself in the head.

"It's Trevor's girlfriend."
And her frown transforms into a mixture of shock and confusion.
What did I miss now?
God it's so hard to keep up with her

She suddenly gestures from herself to me,
"This isn't...we're not..."

"What? No. It's just bowling."
No. April. It's not a date.

She smiles and starts walking backward,

"Well, I better start going."

"Now?"

"You want me to go bowling in your clothes?" She asks and gestures down at my black t-shirt and baggy grey shorts that she has on.
Yes, yes, and yes.

When I don't reply, she smiles and goes upstairs.

"Smooooooooth." Trevor says as he walks in.

"I need to put a leash on you." I tell him but he just nudges me in the shoulder and April comes back down still wearing my clothes with her blue dress and phone in hand.