Looking Beyond

Chapter 6: Sleepovers

     Brea turned on her heel and raced back up to Jacob's room. "Eeww! Eeww! Eeww!"

     Jacob looked up from the beer he was finishing. "Hello again. What's wrong?"

     "I hate to ask you this, but is there any way I can stay here tonight? I'm locked out of my room."

     "Is Savannah 'entertaining' a guest too?" Brea nodded her head and made a disgusted face. "I don't have a problem."

     "Thanks. I'll take the couch."

     "You're not going to want that. It's fine for sitting on for short periods of time, but it's murder on your back."

     "I'll sleep on the floor."

     Jacob shook his head. "You don't need to do that either." He looked over at his bed. "It's not much, but it's big enough for the two of us to sleep comfortably."

     Before Brea could think the offer over, she heard herself respond with, "Okay. That sounds like a plan. Thanks."

     Jacob went to his closet, removed his shirt and put a clean one on to replace it. "Your shirt is covered in hair. Do you need to borrow a shirt?"

     "I didn't even think of that."

     "Here." He tossed her one of his graphic t-shirts. She didn't care what was printed on it, she just wanted to get some sleep. "I'll turn myself this way so you can change." Jacob turned to face his closet and shut his eyes.

     Brea quickly shed her hair covered shirt and out of habit removed her bra. She was thankful that Jacob preferred to wear mostly black. The shirt stretched across her chest. "Ooh boy." She whispered to herself. "Uh, Jake? What size is this shirt?"

     Jacob turned back around. "It's a large. It's the biggest one I have." He noticed how tight it was on Brea. "I'm sorry."

     "It's fine. It'll work for tonight."

     Jacob turned around to the closet again. "You know what? I forgot something." He reached back into the closet and pulled out a pair of basketball shorts.

     Brea turned herself around and shut her eyes, much like he had done for her. "I really appreciate you letting me stay the night. I don't want to know what Sav and Erik are doing right now...my bed's in there too! I might have to burn the bedding as a precaution."

     "You can turn around now." Jacob then slowly registered what it was that Brea had just told him. "Savannah and Erik?"

     "Uh-oh! You can't tell anyone! I don't even think I'm supposed to know." Brea begged. "From what I can figure out, they have a friends with benefits thing going on. Sav's told me about a few things while I dragged her drunk ass home from a night out. You can't say anything!"

     "I won't tell a soul." Jacob looked amused. "I guess Erik will take 'friends with benefits' over 'nothing'."

     "What are you talking about?"

     "I think Erik's sweet on her. I don't know for sure, but watch him around her sometime."

     "That would be weird. Savannah talks to the both of us about Dan. All of the time. It's mostly about how he doesn't notice her flirting with him."

     "Ouch! Erik's been friend-zoned from the start, then. This should be interesting."

     "It should." She stifled a yawn.

     "It's been a long day. Why don't we get some sleep?"

     Brea walked over to the side of the bed opposite of Jacob. "Thank you for making my birthday a little less sucky."