The Nice Guy {#Wattys2017}

Covering Up

The ringing of my alarm clock awoke me from my sleeping, or rather sleepless state. Today I had to drag myself to work even though I didn't feel like it. I felt like I had been run over by a truck.
As I snuck into the bathroom to get ready I knew that Cami couldn't see my face. I brushed my teeth and did my hair and quickly put on some concealor, it was lucky that I did because soon enough my lovely roommate was barreling through the bathroom door. "Have you seen my new top? I can't find it anywhere!" She said with a mouthful of toothpaste, I shook my head silently and went back to brushing my hair. "Are you okay? You seem a bit off this morning" she said wiping her face and looking at me intensely. "Im fine" I shrugged and walked away to get dressed.

I decided to wear a dark grey long sleeve shirt and some jeans. "Um Addy its like one hundred degrees outside, are you sure that you want to wear that?" Cami questioned, "Yeah I'm sure, but we need to go or we're gonna be late" I say quickly grabbing a grolanola bar from the counter and walking out. As soon as I stepped outside I felt the heat start to boil my blood, I think that it really was one hundred degrees. On the way to work we were quiet until Cami finally broke the silence, "So how did the studying go with Justin?" She said trying to be enthusiastic but it wasn't working. "We didn't end up studying" I say in a low tone and she looks at me immediately, "Why didn't you tell me? How did you get home?" She asks worriedly and her concern makes me feel a little better because I knew that at least someone around here cared about what happens to me. "Uhm I-I walked" I answered truthfully trying not to recount on my mind what happened yesterday. "You should've called Greyson! I'm sure that he would've given you a ride and I'm sure that he wouldn't want you to walk home alone" she says sternly and it took all of my energy not to let out the sad humorless laugh that is dying to come out, for crying out loud! He's the reason that I walked home in the first place Cami don't you understand??

Those were the thoughts that passed throughout my mind but all I could manage to get out was, "yea I guess so" and then we got to work and she dropped the subject, thank Jesus.

**
"Order up!" Said the enthuastic cook also known as Gary. It was 9:45 and we closed at 10; the day had gone by pretty quickly. I racked up about 80 dollars worth of tips and one guy even bought me a milkshake. I think he was flirting with me but honestly I just wanted the ice cream so I didn't care. "Time to close up I guess" I said yawning and Gary shook his head, "You got one more customer hun, he just walked in" he pointed over to a man who's back was faced away from me and I nodded. I grabbed my notepad and walked over to his table, "What can I get for you sir?" I said politely, "Just a coffee..and your number" the man said slyly "Look sir I know that you bought me a milkshake and all but I'm really not interes-" I froze in utter embarrassment when the guy turned around and faced me; it was Justin. "Hmmm, I don't remember buying you any frozen treats" he said in amusement pretending to be in deep thought before laughing. "Whatever jerk, what are you doing here?" I said rolling my eyes, "Can't a man just want something to eat? Is that a crime?" He said but I knew there was more to it so I just gave him my best 'I don't believe you' look. He sighed, "Okay fine, I heard through the grapevine that you were working today and I wanted to talk" I guess that grapevine would be Gary, that man tells everything. "What do you need to talk about?" I said and he pointed to the chair across from him, "can you sit down?" I looked around and saw that no other customers were present so I sat with him. "I'm sorry that I blew you off yesterday" he said and I tried to tell him that it was okay but he continued, "I saw you and Greyson together and it just made me so upset for some reason, I had to get away and be by myself" he looked me in the eyes and my heart melted. "Its okay, I know how you feel" I'm not sure why I said that outloud but it was the truth, it hurt me to see him with someone else. His eyes widened at my words and he turned a light pink as he put his hand on top of mine stroking it with his thumb.

You know how they say that you get butterflies in your stomache? Well mine were like giant butterflies of death.

We stayed like that until we heard someone clear their throat, it was Cami. "So are you ready to go Addy?" She said raising her eyebrow in a questioning way. We quickly released our hands. "Um actually I think I'm going to go with Justin tonight, to work on our project" I smiled ignoring his shocked face. "You're not spending the night are you?" Cami asked with attitude looming in her voice. Justin spoke up, "Actually my mom practically gave Addy her own room and said she's welcome anytime so if she wants to she can" he smiled proudly which made me smile back. Cami on the other hand was not smiling at all, "Fine, whatever I'll see you at school then" she said before storming out.

I officially felt bad. What did I look like going to sleep over at another guy's house? A cheater, that's what. "Forget about her, she has no say so over what you do" Justin says grabbing my hand and I look up at him, "But what if she tells Greyson? Then he'll get mad and-and.." I shook the bad thought out of my head but he doesn't drop the subject, "And what? Addy what do you mean by tha-" I cut him off, "And he'll break up with me, that's all" I lie. He believes what I say though because I see the light in his eyes fade and his shoulders slump slightly. "Don't worry Addy. Now let's get going, I'm kind of tired all of a sudden" he sighs and gets up. I hate making him feel this way but its not like I can tell him the truth so I nod and we head to his house. The car ride was silent but luckily didn't last long, as we pulled up the lights were still on; "Ugh mom is still up" he groans and I giggle, "I love your mom" I say smiling and we go inside.

"Justin Alexander Hughes, I told you to pick up some milk over an hour ago! Where have you been boy?" I hear Mrs. Hughes say before she smacks him over the head, it took a lot of will power and maturity for me not to double over into a fit of laughter.

Maturity, that I did not have.

Mrs.Hughes. must've heard me laughing because she snapped out of her rage immediately and engulfed me in a giant hug, "Justin you didn't tell me that Adelaide was coming over!" She smiled and he continued to rub the back of his head where she'd hit him "well I was going to tell you but then you decided to beat me to death" He said with attitude but he quickly stopped talking when she gave him the parental look. "There is some meatloaf and mashed potatoes on the kitchen counter if you're hungry dear" she said turning back to me smiling and I lit up like a Christmas tree "I would love some!" I said while running into the kitchen. I heard both of them laugh at me but I didn't care.

I had to feed my inner fat kid.

**
Justin's mom had eventually went to bed and it was just me and him.
"That's my ice cream sandwhich Addy!" Justin whined as I tore the wrapper off of the delicious frozen treat. "Finders keepers losers weepers" I said sticking my tongue out at him before I took I bite of it. "Give it back!" He whined before play tackling me onto the couch. He covered my mouth with one hand and tickled me with the other as I laughed. When I struggled to get out of his grasp my shirt started to rise up revealing my bruises on my ribs. My eyes widened and tears threatened to spill over, "who did this to you?" He whispered but it was sharp and angry. "I'm going to bed" I barely managed to say as I pushed him off of me and got up.
He sat there frozen on the couch with dull eyes and his lips parted slightly, I didn't stay long enough to figure out what was going through his mind because I left to go into the guestroom. 

I couldn't sleep. Thoughts kept running through my mind and I couldn't stop them. What would he think of me now? A helpless girl? Would he be angry with me for not telling him? Does he know that it was Greyson who did this to me? All those thoughts and more raced through my mind as I layed awake. A few moments passed in silence and then my door creaked open, it was Justin. He didn't say a word as he closed the door behind him and got into bed beside me. "What are you doing?" I whisper not wanting to wake his mother up; "I need you" he whispered and my heart raced. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close to him nuzzling his nose into the crook of my neck, it calmed me down instantly and before I knew it we were both asleep.

So how'd you guys like this chapter? What should Addy do about Greyson? Let me know in the comments!

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-RAE®