Picture Perfect ✔️ [Slowly Editing]

7: "WE TALKED ABOUT THIS" (4.06.20)

I wake up with a groan. My head was pounding. With eyes closed, I clutch my head, willing the pain to go away. Headaches were a nightmare.
"Good morning, Noodle," A deep voice says. My eyes burst open to see Brody Parker, looking through my dresser.
Wait.
Around me are old records on a black wall. A white dresser sat to my left, that is most definitely not mine, and on my right is a matching nightstand. Eyes widened, I look down and find myself in black sheets and blankets. Immediately, I am taken aback.
This is not my room.
Brody glances behind his shoulder at me. A sudden thought appears in my head in big bold letters.

Did we sleep in the same bed?!

"Did we- did you- uh-" I stutter, pushing the warm blankets away.
Brody's eyes widen in shock. His smirk falls quickly from his face and is replaced by sheer terror. "What - no! W-We-no. No, we did not." He stumbles over his words, nervously reaching for the back of his neck. His gaze slides from me, to the space next to me, which was perfectly made.
My cheeks flush in embarrassment.
Brody's figure was definitely not disappointing, and I find myself thinking it's all gone too soon as he slips a shirt over his head and pulls it down over his torso. I tell myself to look away, but I can't.
"You're staring," Brody smirks, crossing his arms in satisfaction.
A blush creeps up my neck and fills my cheeks with color. "Was not..." I mumble childishly. Beside me is a glass of water and two pills of Advil. I turn to Brody and glare.
"You really think you're gonna get me with that "water" trick thing, huh? Is this how you normally get unwilling girls into your bed?"

Brody rolls his eyes. "Please," he scoffs, "I know that all I'd have to do is ask and you'd come skipping into my house and jumping in my bed. Besides, you fell pretty hard last night when I yanked you out of your chair."
Offended, I get up - too quickly, might I add, considering my tailbone was aching - and find myself completely dressed in what I wore to Alex's house. How had I not noticed earlier?
"You're so narcissistic! That is so not true," I reply, unconsciously taking a step towards Brody.
"Oh yeah? Please, tell me more." He replied boredly.
"I will!" I ignore my headache. "You're a self-centered jerkwad that can't keep girls off of yourself-"
"Is someone jealous? C'mon, Noodle, all you had to do was ask for a little one-on-one time with this!" Brody points at his face, a smirk reappearing.
Ugh! That stupid smirk!
I take another step forward. "What if you're kidnapping me! Are you really a rapist?! Because I was just joking at the game! If you're really a rapist, I don't think it'd be a good idea for us to hang out anymore-"
"Gracie-"
Then I take a step back. "And if you really are a rapist, I'm sorry I called you a jerkwad and a narcissist! Please don't hurt me-"
"Gracie-"
My legs shake in fear as I take one more step back. "I'll do anything! Hey! I have an idea! If you let me go now, I won't even tell anybody! Please don't hurt me!"
"Noodle-"
"I really can't handle being friends with a rapist, you know."
"Gracie!" Brody grabs my shoulder and leans down to eye-level with me, that familiar smirk gone and worry drawn across his face. His eyes travel to my lips before he suddenly jerks back, rubs his face, and runs his hands through his hair in frustration, sighing loudly. "You're killing me," he says quietly, looking back over at me with a strained expression.
Angrily, I I spot a door and run to it, shutting it behind me. My bottom hurts, I don't know where my phone is, and I'm stuck with a guy who at the moment I can't stand.
Every girl's dream.
Here Brody was, being Brody - complicated and confusing.
A light tap was heard. "Get out here, Gracie," Brody says through the door.
I sniffle. "I don't know. If I do, will you be able to not annoy me?" I retort and get up from the floor.
Brody's bathroom pretty much matched his bedroom - black walls and white accents. Walking to the door, I see myself through a mirror.
My blonde hair had fallen out of its pretty updo, my outfit was a bit untidy and wrinkled, and my makeup was destroyed. My eyes and cheeks were tinged with red. My foundation was splotchy.
Overall, I looked like a wreck.
And that, Gracelynn, is why Brody couldn't look you in the eye.
"Can I get my bathroom back?" Brody begs. My hand reaches out for the door. My fingers brush along the cool, bronze knob.
This is his house, after all.
With a deep breath I open the door slowly and look down at the ground. Brody pushed past me and rushed into the bathroom, locking the door behind him.
With a huff, I force myself to sit back down on Brody's bed and take the Advil provided. My body was killing me and I felt that if I didn't do anything about it soon, I would just become a throbbing mess.
"Brody, I have your-" I look up in the direction of the feminine voice. Standing before me with wide eyes was an exact replica Brody, only this was and aged female version.
The laundry basket she is holding drops to the floor as she sighs loudly in frustration. "I'm gonna kill him," She says to herself, pinching the bridge of her nose and looking down in disappointment. "Come on, sweetie, lets get you out of here."
She approaches me just as the bathroom door opens. Brody was smirking, a towel over his hips, water dripping off his hair. "BRODY PARKER, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS!"
Brody's eyes go from me, to the woman, and back to me, widening even more after each transition. "Mom!-"
"Do not "Mom!" me, mister! We came to the agreement of no more girls over! And especially do not leave them crying! At least follow proper etiquette!"
I stand in complete and utter shock.
"That's not what happened!" Brody groaned, covering his face with his hands.
And it wasn't. But all I could think about was when Brody's mother said there were others. My stomach dropped painfully.
I find myself wondering if the Advil could take that pain away.
Oh, come on, Grace! How could there not have been more girls? Look at him!
My face heats up as I mumble, "I should get going,"
Brody's head snaps up in my direction, as does his mother's. As she opens her mouth, Brody rushes the words, "I'll take her home."
His mom looks at him disapprovingly before offering me a sweet smile. "I'm so sorry for the misunderstanding, dear."
I force a tight smile back at Brody's mom as he grabs clothes and quickly changes in the bathroom. I sit quietly until he finishes and watch him rushing out. I don't miss the small glares they send each other, either.
As Brody rushes me out of the front door, I hear her say, "I'm Valerie, by the way!"
Brody sighs. "I'm so sorry,"
I want to say something smart back, but I know it'll come out as how I really feel - hurt.
And I have no idea why.

---

SURPRISE!!!

Soo... You got to see a little bit of Brody's parents! Let me know how you feel about that!

And we got to see more of Grace and Brody 1-on-1. I actually had a really sappy chapter written that would've went PERFECTLY AGAINST the storyline, so ya girl had to delete it *tear* and write it this way:/

WORD COUNT - 1783

Love you guys!!

XOXO,

Unsinkablexships 💜