In Love with My Bestfriend's Brother?

Chapter Three: The Aftermath

"We have to go...you haven't heard about Ryan have you?"

I pulled away from him abrubtly, and dropped my hands, "What about Ryan?"

Chapter Three: The Aftermath*

"But, he's okay right?" I asked Chase for the hundredth time.

"He's fine, Nat. I promise you. There's not a scratch on him. He told me before he left to find you, and bring you back to our place as soon as I did. The only thing that's wrong with him right now is that he's beyond worried that we're not back yet, he's only called me 57 times, and sent me 39 texts." he assured me softly. I breathed out a sigh of relief, and wiped the tears that had fallen onto my cheeks.

"Do you know why?" I asked him. He looked pained while he debated his answer. I kept looking at him expectantly, "Chase? Why did he get into the fight?" I pressed, getting a bit upset, "Chase!"

"I don't know if I should be the one to tell you." he answered as we pulled into the familiar driveway of the Simmons household. As soon as the car stopped, I busted open the car door, flew up the porch steps and bounded into Ryan and Chase's house.

I ran through the foyer, yelling for Ryan. He bounded into me, and wrapped me tight in his arms, "Jesus God, Nat. I was so worried." he told me, his voice cracking.

"You were worried!" I yelled, pulling back and punching him directly in the chest before falling back into his embrace, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck and burying my face in the crook of his neck as he lifted me from the ground clutching his muscular arms around my waist. When he set me down, I surveyed his face. Chase was right, not a scratch on him. I traced his cheeks, nose and brows with my fingers before breathing out, "You're fine."

He beamed at me, "Of course I am, Lovebug."

"Ryan, what the fuck happened? I was so worried about you!" I scolded him, slapping him in the arm. He tensed up immediately, and dropped his grin. He pushed my hair behind my ear and focused on my toes instead of my eyes, "Ryan?"

"I...I dont' know." he stuttered.

"Don't play that with me, Ryan. I swear to God, I will walk out that door. Tell me what happened, right now. Why is it a big deal? Chase wouldn't tell me either." I complained, crossing my arms over my chest and giving him a look.

He sighed, "He said something...something, about...about you. So I...I h-hit him."

I sighed too, and dropped my arms to my side, "You didn't have to do that."

"Yes I did." he replied, looking right into my eyes. I could see in those eyes that he really did this for me, to protect me.

So, I grabbed his hand, then pulled him into a hug, and whispered, "Well...then, thank you."

"Nat?"

"Hmmm?"

"You're my best friend."

That made me smile, and I beamed at him, "And you're my best friend." We did our special handshake that we'd made up when we were six, and settled onto the couch in the living room.

~

After watching the Hangover, I stretched my neck and rolled my other joints. I looked down at my phone, it was 3:26 in the morning.

"Hey Ry, can I borrow some PJs?" I asked.

"Yeah, you know where they're at."

I made my way up the stairs and into his room. It was always weirdly clean for a guys room, no clothes on the floor, no half eaten food and no weird smell. It actually smelled good in here, like Ryan...like home. I rooted through his drawers and changed into huge black basketball shorts (I had to pull the drawstring all the way for them to stay up) and a white tee shirt that hung to my mid thighs. I took off my bracelets and rooted through my purse for the extra pair of socks that I always carried...I'm weird, I know.

I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth, and on my way, passed Chase's room. The door was shut, but the lights were on. I knocked lightly on the door. He opened it in a few seconds, and smiled when he saw it was me. I smiled back, "Hi." I greeted softly.

"Hey. It's late."

"It is... what are you doing up?" I asked as I padded into his room when he held the door open for me.

"Erm... just thinking I guess." he answered as he shifted some things on his nightstand and straighted out his sheets, then motioned to the bed for me to sit.

I plopped down on the bed, sitting with my legs crossed Indian-style and ran my hands through my hair, "Uhm...thanks for driving me back." I told him sheepishly.

He smiled, "Yeah, no problem."

"And, I...I'm sorry about...uhm, at the party...when, I..." I started, but was interupted by Chase crashing his lips onto mine.