Someone Hit the Mute Button

Chapter Seventeen- Mistake Unmade

Chapter Seventeen- Mistake Unmade

Dustin stared at me for a very long while. It took everything I had in me not to look up and start crying. Every time Alec popped into my head, he hit some kind of trigger that made sure I was far too emotional to think about him for long. It was difficult to explain. Dustin was still sitting alarmingly close to me, but I couldn't find the courage to tell him to move. My head was reeling and I couldn't even muster up the energy to stand up.

I remembered what happened that night at the dock. Well, both nights at the dock. I remembered the first time I was there, when I broke down and relied solely on Dustin to bring me back. I remembered the second night I was there, breaking down but keeping my head above water, all on my own. These thoughts kept me here, in the bed, next to Dustin. They kept me out of my own head for now.

I could clearly see that this was my choice. Do I rely on myself and simply manage this, or do I allow Dustin to help?

I felt his arms slip around my waist and I knew that I was out of time. Just that simple and unobtrusive contact evened my breathing. Even if I had wanted to choose my own strength over my faith in Dustin, there was no way it would have worked faster or better than his hug had. I was stuck in reality and the memory of Alec was no longer any more than that.

"You with me, Annalise?" Dustin asked softly, and I managed to nod in response. His arms gripped just a bit tighter around my waist and that was when I knew that I couldn't continue to sit here.

I began to squirm in his grasp, doing my best to break free. He hesitated to let me go for what seemed like a long while. When I didn't stop trying to get out of the bed, his arms went limp and I slid off of the bed with very little effort.

I realized that it still looked like I was only wearing a t-shirt and that made my cheeks flush bright red. I tried to take my mind off of it, hoping that Dustin would let the subject drop so that we could end everything once and for all and move on. Of course, this was Dustin, so he couldn't let the opportunity pass him by.

"If I had known you were wearing that outfit, last night would have gone in a totally different direction," He quipped, falling onto his back and putting his hands behind his head. He had a very smug look on his face that I just wanted to slap off.

I scrambled to find my phone and typed, "Yeah, well, it didn't and it can't because our parents are prospectively getting married. Or did you forget about that already?"

Dustin's face scrunched up and he looked pretty pissed off. "Don't remind me, you're making me feel dirty for making out with you last night."

"You should," I typed, rolling my eyes. "Because, all things considered, that's kind of gross."

"Look, it's not like we're actually related or anything," He replied, rolling out of bed and standing across from me. He had nothing but his boxers on and I was thanking my lucky stars that his bed was high enough to stand at waist level.

"That may be true, but we are potential step-siblings and that is generally frowned upon."

"Who said anyone has to know?" He whispered, raising his eyebrows.

"No, this isn't happening," I replied, tossing him my phone. I quickly re-did my ponytail in the mirror next to the bed, but it didn't do much to hide the fact that my outfit consisted only of an oversized t-shirt and pair of spandex.

"C'mon, Annalise. It will be fun! Forbidden romance, Romeo and Juliet, and blah blah blah. I thought girls were into that kind of stuff."

I shook my head and held my hand out to get my phone back. "No, it won't. I don't need a relationship right now and neither do you. Both of us have a lot going on."