Playing Rough

Chapter IX

Chapter IX ─ Turmoil

[ B R Y A N   C L A Y ]

Shit.

Fuck.

What the fuck?

What the fuck was Michael Griffin doing right outside my front door?

More importantly, why did I panic this hard and shut the door right in his face?

I rested my forehead against the wooden door, silently praying to whoever was listening in that godforsaken moment that Michael would simply vanish and this wouldn't be spoken of ever again.

"Am I that hideous or something?" I heard Michael silently mumble at the other side of the door and the corner of my lips involuntarily propped up.

I scrutinized Michael for saying such foul words in my head, Griff was probably one of the most attractive people I have ever met. The worst part, he was completely oblivious to his drop-dead gorgeous, effortless appearance. His messy ginger hair and piercing green eyes made one hell of a combo. The freckles littered on his face gave him an adorable vibe, however, his muscular body gave off an entirely different one, a silent groan escaped my lips.

I shook my head, this was not the time to daydream about my former best friend. He was quite literally outside, for god's sake.

I suddenly grew very self-conscious. I still had purple bags under my eyes, a few days worth of scruff rested on my jawline and I had yet to shower. I probably looked like a pile of shit and that didn't help with my anxiety whatsoever. 

"So... are you going to let me in, or what?" I heard Michael drawl from the other side of the hardwood door.

I thought about leaving him hanging there and just ignoring his existence, but I had a hard enough time doing that without him physically being here to wreak havoc in my head. I braced myself, telling myself that I would be alright, that he just dropped by for something and he'd soon be on his way.

I stood up straight, morphed the scowl on my face into the usual emotionless, disinterested look I had mastered over endless years of practice. I stretched my hand out towards the doorknob and twisted it, my muscles going rigid as soon as the northern California sun peered through the door.