new girl // brandon arreaga

22

cassie

i awake to an absence. the spot beside me is cool under my fingertips, empty of heat that brandon should be making. i sit up and quickly search the room. his clothes are gone, his scent is barely still on the pillows.

feeling my gut drop ten feet under, i wrap myself in the sheets as i suddenly get very cold. i know i'm naked. i know brandon was naked when he woke up. and he left me here, to be naked alone.

i go to find my phone and call him to ask where he went but before i get the chance i see a message from him, telling me something came up and he had to leave. what could have been so important? worry pinches my stomach as i call him anyways, regardless of the message.

"hello?" he picks up. the background noise makes it sound like he's driving.

"where did you go?" i ask. even hearing his voice hasn't calmed me down yet. i always manage to assume the worst and i feel a pang if guilt. i should trust him more than my nerves let me.

there's a small pause before he answers me. "oh. um, i went to..."

i wait for him to continue. "yes? go on."

"i went to surprise you with some hot chocolate."

i sigh and only half believe him. how could hot chocolate be so important?

"why didn't you just wait for me to wake up?" i ask.

"well," brandon says. "i wanted to surprise you. and now i can't surprise you with it because you know i'm bringing it."

i frown. i managed to ruin the surprise, but at least my anxiety is levelling out. "okay," i mumble. "thank you."

"i'll be back soon, okay?" he says. "i love you."

my whole body feels lighter after he says it, my heart leaping out of my chest as a huge grin forms on my cheeks. "i love you too."

and with that, he hangs up the phone and i'm left alone smiling, dumbfounded.

those three words make the knots in my chest and stomach release and i can feel the butterflies fluttering about in my abdomen. i don't think i could ever get tired of hearing his voice tell me such a beautiful sentence. my worries seem foolish now, all of the concern begins to be long forgotten as i dwell in the moment.

i shuffle around the blankets and find one of brandon's hoodies covered by the duvet and toss it over top of my exposed skin. i start to head downstairs and can smell a coffee pot brewing, waking me up just from inhaling the scent of caffeine. as soon as i reach the last step my head becomes foggy as i dread cleaning up the mess that's in front of me.

cups are thrown in every direction, there seems to be a few stains on the rugs which i hope i don't figure out, bottles laying half full or empty in every nook and cranny of the house, and even slices of pizza and other food.

"morning," i hear a voice from behind me. it's coming from the same direction as the coffee.

i turn to the kitchen as nick pulls out two coffee mugs, pouring some for each of us. how he isn't completely hung over is beyond my comprehension.

"good morning," i grumble in response.

i sit down on a bar stool at the island and gratefully accept the hot mug after nick passes me the cream.

"sugar?" he asks, holding up a mason jar of sweetener packets and sugar cubes.

i wrinkle my nose, opposed to the thought of something so sweet with my pounding headache. "no thank you," i say. "i don't really do sugar this early."