Wake Me Up |e.s|

Six

Stumbling into the apartment, I drunkenly tossed my keys into the leaf bowl. I laughed as I missed the bowl completely and grabbed the wall. Slowly moving towards my bedroom, I thought about the last few nights.

Having been nearly three weeks since Ed had kissed me, my birthday was drawing close. But for the past few nights, the excuse that "I am celebrating for my birthday" had surfaced. Drunk, disorderly, and tired, I drank away the past few nights for the few days before my birthday this upcoming Wednesday, September 10th.

But the true reason I was sick to my stomach every night, hugging random strangers, and signing drunk autographs wasn't for my birthday. It was because I felt like shit because Ed kissed me.

But he regretted it.

• • • •

I slid my hands along the railing, my hands warming up the cold metal pole and I stopped to put my phone in my pocket.

Sighing, I walked into the apartment from the night sky and sat down on the tan sofa, sinking into it.

"You always have to fuck things up, don't you?" I whisper to myself.

I sigh and turn towards my side, pulling my hair up and closing my eyes. I could barely even get comfortable before the doorbell rings.

I groan as I stand up and walk towards the door, my heart racing in hopeful anticipation of seeing Ed. The doorbell rings again and I groan once again, "I'm coming!"

I hear the quick raps against the door and that pisses me off, my mood already going down with each minute that I had been awake.

I grab the door handle, pulling it open quickly to see the brunette hair and blue eyes of my brother.

"Ricky?" I stare at him, "What are you doing here?"

He pushes past me and mutters something.

"What?" I ask.

"You still didn't understand." He says louder, his blue eyes staring into mine.

"Understand?" I ask, confused, "Understand what exactly?"

"You didn't understand that we need you, Leighton."

"Ricky, please stop being so cryptic." I tell him as I lead him through the hall and into the living room.

"You know, this is my first time being here." He whispers as he changes the subject.

I groan and cross the floor to sit in a leather love seat, facing Ricky.

"What do you want, Ricky?"

"Can you please come home? I understand that you have a career here and your friends and your memories, but Leighton; you have friends, memories, and a career anywhere."

I stare at him, "I can't come home."

"Why? Why, huh? Are you that selfish that you can't even come home when your family is in a period of mourning and what? You're here having the time of your life, getting drunk, having parties to attend, having a life. Yet you don't have the God damn courtesy to care about your family."

"Ricky.." I murmur.

"No, you're so selfish you can't even see it." he scoffs, standing up and walks towards the door. "Have a great life, Leighton. I hope it's worth it."

He opens the door and slams it behind him, rocking the adjacent objects, my heart was stuck in my throat. I let out a quiet scream, running towards the door.

I open the door and rush to my brother, but hit a different body instead and in a different way.

I feel lips on mine, and arms wrap around my waist. "I'm sorry." the voice whispers.