Yes, Sweetheart

Chapter 5

I jumped up, staring at the pool of red that was now increasingly noticeable on the light brown suede piece of furniture.

Josh, meanwhile, had whirled on me.

"That couch was a hefty investment, don't you know that?"

Of course I knew, he told me every time I was over.

"How the fuck could you let this happen?"

"Josh," I started, "I'm sorry, I didn't know. This wasn't supposed to happen for another few days, I couldn't know that - "

"Bullshit. Absolute bullshit."

I rolled my lower lip between my teeth, trying not to cry. I didn't understand what had gotten into him, and I was in pain and upset.

"Please, Josh. You aren't acting like yourself."

"You're damn skippy I'm not. I've restructured my personality for you so that I could date you. Frankly, if it wasn't for the great sex, I'd have stopped dating you months ago." He was all up in my face. "You're too chunky for me, and your only redeeming quality is your ability in the sack. That's it. That's. All. Not even that annoyingly bubbly, persistent personality of yours could make me fall for you, you worthless - " He shoved me back.

I stumbled.

"What the fuck is going on here?"

It was Levi, who had snuck down the stairs without either of us noticing.

In a rare stance, Levi looked aggressive. I cowered, and stepped forward, about to apologize for the expensive couch I just ruined.

Attention caught by the movement, Levi's eyes traveled to mine, before widening when they took in my half-exposed state.

I attempted to cover myself with my hands, and Josh sneered.

Levi unbuttoned the crisp dress shirt he had on, presumably from interning today, and threw it to me. I caught it, and met Levi's eyes, and he nodded.

"I don't want to ruin it," I muttered.

"Like you don't already ruin everything you touch," Josh jeered.

"That's enough," Levi stepped towards us both, now shirtless while I slipped the shirt over me and buttoned it. Even with my curves, the shirt fit nicely.

"You don't need to berate her for something that's obviously not her fault. She can't control it."

Levi snarled towards Josh, and stepped one final step to plant himself between us.

Josh bristled, as did Levi, in response.

Josh was much more muscular than Levi, although Levi's wiry, lanky frame exuded strength. The two would be evenly matched if they fought, despite what appeared to be a disadvantage.

At this, I began to cry in earnest, the whole situation becoming too much.

"Remember when mom did the same thing to one of the plush chairs? Maybe you don't, you obviously haven't outgrown your disgust of natural body functions," Levi shoved Josh.

In surprise, Josh stumbled and fell back onto the couch, directly onto the cushion I had been sitting on. Josh leapt up, and snarled at his brother.

"You will clean this couch, as dad taught me how to clean the stain once when it happened to mom, and I can guarantee it will come out. Aria did not ruin the couch, as you say. And you will apologize to her. She did nothing wrong," Levi instructed his brother.

He stepped aside to allow me a visible view of Josh, who showed no inclination of doing either of these things Levi told him to do.

Levi raised a smug eyebrow.