The Bad Boy's Heart (Bad Boy Series #2)

Chapter Twenty-Eight: You Don't Win Wars With Morning Breath

Chapter Twenty-Eight: You Don't Win Wars With Morning Breath 

I begin the morning with a sense of renewed energy. So what if yesterday had been a disaster? I could try again today. God knows Cole tried for a lot longer just to get me to open up, to accept the fact that a guy like him loved me and that like a lot of the people I'd trusted, he wouldn't leave me when things got tough. But with Cole, it doesn't feel like I'm returning the favour, like I'm doing this simply because I owe him the effort. I'm doing this because I love, because I believe that we need to go through this in order to come out the other end stronger.

In a great mood, I find myself whistling as I attempt to make breakfast. Since I know I'd never be able to pay for the damages in case I burnt down the apartment, I stick to toast and coffee. Cami pops her head out of her door, as if summoned by the smell of coffee. She rubs her eyes as she walks out.

"Morning, late night?" I remember going to bed, leaving her and Lan out here in the living room and I don't know how long he stayed over.

"It's not what you're thinking. Yeah he stayed for a while but we were just talking." She raises her brows as if daring me to make disagree. "Anyway, you look awfully chipper for someone whose boyfriend decided to turn into an asshole overnight?"

My face doesn't fall, testament to how good of a mood I'm in. "Don't you think it's fair that he's the one who gets to act like this for once? I'm not saying it's okay because I'm not that kind of girl who'll let a guy walk all over her but Cole's always had to be the strong one in this relationship. God forbid he be the one who decides to have an off day for once. So when all the bad stuff piles on and you don't have outlet for it, you..."

"...Are more likely to not be able to deal with any more of it and something in your head automatically decides to shut down, making you retreat into yourself?"

"I forgot that I was talking to a psychology major." I laugh, "But yeah, something like that. I've let him think that he needs to be my rock for too long and haven't been able to do the same for him? Do you know he's thinking about quitting football? That's such a huge decision and we barely talk about it."

She seems surprised but doesn't comment on the subject. Instead after we're done eating, I tell her all about my plan for the day and it feel goods to know that I have a firm supporter in her. I'd been waiting for her to tell me that my idea was stupid, that I'm being too rash and impulsive but she seems to think it might actually work so who am I to question her? Especially when she's the head of the 'it's so crazy it just might work' committee.

***

Large, black garbage bag in hand I make my way to Lan's apartments. On my way I do get curious looks from the other residents of the building who seem to be trying to figure out if the management's hired a cleaning lady that they don't know about. I pass them a smile as I walk by.

"You can never have too many trash bags." I wave the stupid thing like it's a flag at an old lady wh seems to suspect that I plan to use it as a body bag.

Lan quickly ushers me in as I knock on his door. "You're actually going ahead with this." He seems slightly panicked, "God you're actually doing it."

"Calm down Landon, he's been drinking for just a week, I don't think I need to fear for my life just yet."

"Yeah but it's bad, really bad."

I square my shoulders, "Have you heard anything about my brother?"

He looks down, seemingly embarrassed. "Cole may have mentioned him once or twice."

"Then you would know that Cole's situation, however unfortunate it is, is nowhere near as serious as Travis's. He was drunk, every single day for so long that I stopped counting the days. Just when I'd start to hope that he'd stop, that he'd become my elder, responsible brother again who could hold my collapsing family together, he'd disappoint me. But you know what finally worked?"