unrequited ; t. brown + j. bradley

viii. stay

he wants me to stay
i'm cautious to stay
but i don't want to leave
i'm cautious to leave
so i think i will stay

[ lorelei's pov ]

"you should stay, we're doing a movie night. simon has been trying to get me into super hero movies but i'm not too keen on the subject at hand."

i look at josh nervously, my head in his lap as he shrugs.

"it's a good idea, just stay."

"oh no joshua bradley, don't you dare peer pressure me into staying over here."

"i'm not peer pressuring you, this isn't year 4."

"i'll think about it, i've got obligations at home."

"what obligations?"

"my bed, my bed is an obligation."

josh rolls his eyes, combing his fingers through my hair with one hand and lightly rubbing my left thigh with the other.

he makes want to stay, he's got such a light touch that makes me want to stay. he moves to my thigh and i'm strangely comfortable with it only because it's josh.

"alright, i'll stay."

"i'll text simon, he's out picking up some pizzas."

"multiple pizzas? it's just us right?"

"oh right, yeah no it's not gonna be just us. the rest of our friends are gonna be over for games and then we're going to vegas at night tomorrow."

"ok, is it just guys?"

"yeah, i hope it's not too overwhelming for you."

"no, thank god. i really wasn't up for talking with girls. i get along with guys a lot more."

"do you have any girl friends?"

"uh, no but that's also because i don't go out really. i'm 22 but i've never had a sip of an alcoholic drink in my life."

"you need to try something, wait one second!"

he moves me before jumping up, rushing around in the kitchen. i hear lots of glasses clinking and drinks being poured before he comes back with some sort of drink.

not clear but pink coloured.

"it's barefoot pink moscato with sprite in it." he says getting the hint at my eyebrow raise.

i look at him sceptically, taking the drink from him slowly.

"it's good i promise."

"you promise a lot of things josh."

"yeah and i don't break em' so i'm telling you it's good."

i take a small sip feeling my cheeks start to flame a slight red.

"yeah that happens when you're not used to alcohol. but it's just like a blush, the blood rising to your cheeks."

i nod taking another sip before setting the glass down on the table making a clink sound.

"it's good, but as of right now wine is all i think i can handle."

"i figured as much. but one day i'm gonna get you to drink the hard shit, like jägermeister."

"what the hell is that? sounds german."

"it is, but you're a long way from that."

i whip my head towards the door as it opens revealing simon + friends.

simon looks at the wine bottle then back at me and to josh.

"what's going on here? my mom and dad drinking together?" simon asks with a slight smirk on his face.

"were not your parents simon, stop saying that." josh and i say simultaneously.