Don't make the same mistakes again

Taking a whole turn

Dylan

Recently, I have been hanging out with Brayleigh's gang and had started feeling the ease of acting like I still had no nightmares. I had started using their nicknames and I could even sense the lightness of being near Bray and could see the change in her, I thought it was my presence making her feel at ease, but today I found out I had been wrong.

As I was working on a school project, Bray had called in saying, "Hey pal, you up for surfing today, we're all almost at the beach, mind if you hit the beach too?" I was bursting with excitement and almost fell off the chair when I received her call.

The past phone calls were all from the others inviting me out with them. This was the first time she calls me. 

"Are you kidding? Of course I'm coming!" She hung up. 

I ditched my science papers and changed into my wetsuit, grabbed my board and car keys waved dad and Mel goodbye and left, before I closed the door, I heard dad saying, "He sure changed a lot, I think he's back to normal, maybe what he actually needed were companions." 

Mel replied, "Maybe counseling wouldn't be necessary after all, we should probably inform his counselor and call off his upcoming meetings." I closed the door and leaped with joy.

In a blink of an eye, I was at the beach. 

I spotted them at the juice bar, Brayleigh's dark blonde curls were almost impossible not to recognize. Their backs were facing the juice bar so none of them noticed me, as I crept up to them. I could almost hear them talking, it seemed like a hot topic because every time someone spoke everyone looked over, they were smiling so wide, I was so sure it was something funny.

As I walked nearer I heard Emily complain, "Oh, come on how could you not have told us, tell me how many times have you two have slept together?" Everyone's eyes were fixated on Mark and Bray, I wondered why. I back off a little and hid behind a wall so I was less visible. 

Bray protested, "I swear it was only that night in his damn cocked up and stuffy hospital room, but it was nothing, just actual sleeping." Holy shit, did she and Mark sleep together? Did they...? I wanted to run but it was too late, Paul had spotted me and waved for me to come over. I plastered a fake smile and pretended to pick something up before jogging over. "Hey guys!" They smiled, I wasn't sure if it was just me, but I noticed that Mark seemed to have set up straighter his smirk was the least bit friendly. I looked away from him to focus on Brayleigh only to notice that Mark's hands were draped over her shoulders. What the actual f*k?

Luckily, Theresa interrupted, "We were just discussing about Mark and Bray's relationship." which only made things worse. I pretended to feel happy for them and sound as interested as I could, as I asked, "Wow, how come?"

As they were explaining, TCN reporters hitched in. What the f*k? How are they here? I've seen this before, last time Brayleigh had been stalked by these stupid assholes. I wonder if they inserted a tracker into Brayleigh or something. They were running over kicking sand as they pushed their way through the crowd which had somehow formed, mics pressed towards Brayleigh and Mark. 

Questions from everywhere barreled in, "Are you two dating?" 

"Did I just see you put your hands around the famous model?" 

"When did you two start dating?" 

"Are you planning a long term relationship?" 

"How did you two get to know each other?" I could tell from behind Mark and Brayleigh's faces, that they were distressed. The others started to surround them pushing the nosy reporters away.