𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲 𝐋𝐢𝐩𝐬 ✓

53

After a long drive along the beach roads and scenic views, I finally pull up to Lexi's apartment late at night to drop her off. She's decided to have a movie night with Faye because she's missed her, and I'm taking the chance to catch up with the guys. "See you tomorrow?" She says hopefully, leaning against the open door.

"You most definitely will," I say, giving her a small peck on the lips before I turn around to leave. I can tell that she's watching me so I turn around and wink at her, causing her to flush red. So cute.

As soon as I throw open the door to the house, I'm hounded by a few of the guys, including Maddox, most of them just wanting details of my sex life that I'm not willing to give out. I don't want any of them thinking about my girl any more than they probably already are; I definitely don't need to add fuel to those fires.

Don't get me wrong, the guys we choose to live with are all pretty good guys for the most part, but they're just that, guys. Everyone finally settles down and we move to the living room to catch up and play some games that I'm not completely interested in.

Since when did I spend all my time thinking about a girl?

Since I met the girl.

We decide on ordering pizza instead of cooking and play pool and video games in the "man cave" as we wait for it to arrive. Maddox pays and I help him carry the pizzas over.

"So man, you guys are getting serious?" He asks, looking smug.

I nod. "Yeah, I mean we're official now." I smile and he looks happily surprised, slapping my back. "I realized that not only do I not think about any other girl, but if I saw her with another guy I'd lose it, so I quit fucking around." I shrug.

"Good. She's good for you man." He smiles and slings his free arm around my shoulder. "And if you weren't with her, I'd want to be." He winks and steps away before I punch him. I know he's kidding though. Maddox and Lexi have developed a close relationship and I'm the opposite of worried about it, it's nice knowing that there is someone else as protective of her as I am, or almost at least. "Kidding man, she's like my sister now. You know you can trust me around her." He holds his hand up in surrender playfully, speaking my thoughts aloud. I know that I can trust him, Maddox may seem like a heartless player, but I know he's got a soft spot for certain people, it's just not always easy for people to bring it out.

"Yeah man, I know." I smile back.

"Reece! Luke! You owe me fifty!" Maddox yells and I hear Reece curse from the other room.

"Did you bet on whether she and I would get together again?" I ask, amused.

"Nope. We bet on when you two would get together. I had faith in you, Reece would've been right if you'd have waited a month to ask her out." He snickers and I shake my head.

"Where the fuck is the food, I'm wasting away!" I hear Eric yell from the other room. Maddox and I display the pizzas on the long table in front of the couches and we all settle in, taking out slices. Some of us are talking while others watch something on tv or play pool. Just before I take a bite of my pizza my phone rings. I dig around in my pocket for it but can't find it.

"Guys help me find my phone," I say, a few guys giving a lazy glance around before giving up. I roll my eyes and finally locate it between the couch cushions beneath me and pull it up, seeing one missed call from Faye on my lock screen. Why is Faye calling? I get a chill all of a sudden and immediately think that something's gone wrong.

She calls again almost right away, and I answer it before it gets the chance to ring. My suspicions are correct when I hear Faye's panicky voice coming through the phone. "Faye, Faye calm down. Tell me what's wrong." I try to keep my voice calm but a few guys look over at me with worried glances, now interested in my conversation.

"She's screaming Chase, I don't know what to do. She's calling for you but she's hysterical, I can't even tell what she's saying. She needs you, not me." Her voice cracks, upset for her best friend.

"I'm on my way. Just don't let her leave your sight and make sure she doesn't hurt herself or you." I hurriedly say into the phone, already pulling on my shoes at the front door and grabbing the keys to my truck. She hangs up and I throw myself into the vehicle and as soon as it starts, I'm off to the apartments.

Probably breaking every traffic law two times over, I'm pulling up and practically jumping out, not bothering to lock the vehicle behind me as I run up the stairs, taking two at a time. Before I'm even at their door I hear her.

I throw open the unlocked door and follow the screams to Lexi's room. Faye is just inside the door, crying and trying to calm her down but Lexi seems to be having some kind of hysterical panic attack. I see Lexi, just wearing shorts and a sports bra, huddled in the corner of her room, on the floor with her head between her knees and her hands covering her ears. The worst part is that she's just screaming the word "No" over and over again.

"I'm here, love." I try and she slowly stops screaming but doesn't look up. She's still hyperventilating so I move over to put my hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down before she passes out. As soon as I make contact she flinches and screams again.

I gently move her hands away from her face and tilt her head up to look at me, and she just bursts into sobs. She throws her arms around my neck and wraps her legs around me, trying to bring me as close as possible. I hear Faye in the room still, sobbing at the state of Lexi.

"Faye it's okay, I got her. You go to bed." I say gently and she just nods and leaves the room, shutting the door. I can feel my shirt being soaked through by Lexi's tears and sweat but that's the least of my worries. I whisper in her ear, telling her that "everything will be okay" and that "I'm here now".

She's shaking from fear and I bring her over to the bed, laying down on it myself because I don't think she'll be letting go anytime soon. She calms down a bit, taking fewer, deeper breaths by mimicking mine.

Eventually, I hear her breathing slow enough to know that she's sleeping, and her hold around me relaxes slightly, enough for me to move us around more comfortably. I slip off the bed just to remove my jacket, jeans and shoes.

I quickly grab my phone and text Maddox and Reece, saying that she's okay and that she's sleeping. Sliding back in beside her, I wrap my arms around her so that if she wakes up, she'll immediately know that I'm here. I kiss the top of her head and close my eyes, letting sleep wash over me. My dreams are of Lexi, smiling instead of screaming, and happy instead of hurt.