Too Much Clickbait - Sequel to Clickbait

11

     I smiled as I woke up, the feeling of puppy kisses being planted all over my face. I opened my eyes to see big, chocolate eyes matching the chocolate lab sitting next to me. I ruffled Charlie's head, kissing the top of his nose. The bed began to move, making Charlie jump over Brennen's restless body and to his side, licking his face. I giggled when Brennen  smiled in his sleep, hugging his naked torso as I curled my body around him. He brought his arms around me, kissing the top of my head as I laid on his chest. I brought my face up slightly, kissing the side of his neck. He grumbled, moving over to lay on his side. He put his left hand to m throat, pulling my  face to meet his. He kissed and I took a mental note of how shockingly well Brennen was at kissing. "Morning, beautiful."
     I smiled, kissing him again. I curled into his chest, mumbling into his collarbones as he stroked my back. I'm not going to be a little bitch.... I want to go to the party today."
     Brennen pulled me back, raising a perfectly done eyebrow at me. "Are you kidding? Last night you almost had a stroke over it."
     "I know, pretty boy." I joked, running my hands through his messy hair. I kept my hand on the side of his head, massaging the side of his head as I spoke. "I am going to go over and talk to everyone today... I'm sick of living like this. I feel like I'm completely... I need to just stop being a little bitch and talk to them."
     Brennen kissed my forehead, rolling over and grabbing his phone. He began typing away, speaking through the clicking of his thumbs. "Well, they're going to be waiting. Get a move on."

*****

     "Why the hell would Zane lie?" Kristen snapped, pushing herself off of the couch in the main entry way. I had been speaking to her, Scott, David, Liza, Todd, and Jason. "You think he has something to gain? Because you're the only one who seems to know how to fuck anyone over!"
     Brennen whom was on the opposite side of everyone stood up before I could in front of Kristen. "She isn't lying. You think I want to cover up who my girl used to fuck?" Kristen backed away, sitting back down next to Scott. "Look, I get that all of you think she's batshit and that he's totally at fault, but Zane tried to save his own ass."
     "Regardless of that, I don't want everyone to turn around and hate him." I pout an arm on Brennen's lightly as I stood up, signaling him to sit down. "I get that the entire situation is fucked up, but it's also Heath and I's mess. Not you and I," I said, pointing between Kristen and I and going through Scott, Jason, and Liza. "Not Liza and I, or Scott, or Jason... Not anyone's. Which is, like, totally impossible to be a friend of ours and expect you guys not to care. I understand that. But I need you all to at least hear me out on this."
     Silence filled the room as everyone gave soft glances towards each other. I felt my stomach turn as Liza was the first to stand up. "You... You know that if we say everything is cool, Heath and Gabbie are coming for all of us... Right?"
     "I know." I sighed, shaking my head. "Brennen and I see Gabbie tonight. Alex is having a small birthday party at his place and Bren got invited. She's going to be there, alone, so, hopefully... At the very least we can warn her."
     Scott laughed, throwing an arm around Kristen's shoulders. "Does this mean I don't have to deal with you and Liza taking me in as her replacement?"
     Kristen slapped his chest with the back of her hand, earning laughs from the group. I could feel the tension slowly dissolve, as did Brennen when he put a hand on the small of my back. I sat back next to him, continuing to feel him rubbing circles under my plain, black t-shirt. "Scott used to be really good at pretending to listen."
     "David, who?" I joked
     "Does this mean you'll come to Stagecoach with all of us for Heath's birthday?" Todd asked excitedly. I looked at Brennen for approval before I turned back to everyone. "Come on! You'll be so happy there!"
     "Bren just got me a puppy." The girls cooed in unison. "I don't want him to be alone for an entire weekend. The [poor thing will kill himself long with my house."
     "Not if I stay at your place." Brennen suggested, earning a look of pure horror from me. He moved his hand, placing it on my left thigh. "Come on! You'll have everyone... Gabbie isn't going, so you only have to deal with Heath. That's nothing."
     I looked around at everyone, a sinking feeling in my stomach but I felt as though I couldn't say no. "Alright, yeah. That's fine."