BLAME IT ON THE PAIN : EPISODE 11 – 20
EPISODE 12
I instinctively reach for her hand. “Stop. First off, you didn’t ask me for the money, I gave it to you. Secondly, you’ve been drinking- you shouldn’t be driving right now. And finally, I can make my own decisions regarding the people I hang out with. So, sit down on the couch…now.”
She raises an eyebrow at me before she takes a few tentative steps toward the couch in the living room and sits.
Tyrone glances at the money on the counter and shrugs. “Maybe I misjudged you after all,” he says in Alyssa’s direction before he heads to his bedroom.
I walk out to the living room. “Anything else you want me to do?” she asks.
“Yeah, tell me a little bit about yourself, for starters.”
She smirks. “Please, like I’m sure you don’t already know.”
I have no idea what’s she talking about, but I’m getting sick of her evasive answers. “You know what? Forget it,” I huff before I stand up.
BLAME IT ON THE PAIN : EPISODE 11 – 20
A few moments later I walk back out and hand her a fresh t-shirt and a pair of boxers.
“What’s this?”
“What does it look like?”
She shakes her head. “I had like one sip of alcohol. I’m fine to drive, really. I don’t need to spend the night.”
“You live over an hour away. It’s already 2:30 in the morning. I’ll take the couch, you can take my bedroom.”
She stands up. “No, Jackson. You’ve already helped me way more than I deserve for one night. I can’t keep taking advantage of you.”
Her entire expression softens, and I can’t help but think that maybe, she’s finally going to let her guard down with me.
“It’s not taking advantage if I offer,” I insist.
With a sigh, she holds out her hand and accepts the clothes. “Why are you being so nice to me?” she whispers.
“Why not?” I counter.
Then, to my complete surprise. She stands up on her tiptoes and plants a kss on my cheek. “Thank you, Jackson.”
I watch as she closes the door to the bedroom…and I can’t help but think that maybe, Tyrone’s right after all.
This girl is trouble…but I still can’t help but want to know what her demons are.
BLAME IT ON THE PAIN : EPISODE 11 – 20
***
A few hours later, I hear the sound of the balcony door close and I’m on my feet.
I scrub a hand down my face and walk outside. The sunrise is coming up over the horizon and Alyssa’s curled up on a chair with a blanket draped over her.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you,” she says.
I take a seat on the chair next to her. “It’s fine. Are you okay?”
She twirls her hair into some kind of knot on top of her head. “Yeah, I just kind of have a thing when it comes to being at other people’s houses. I really don’t like it.”
Hmm, that’s interesting.
“I won’t hurt you, Alyssa.”
She grips the edge of the chair. “Then what do you want from me, Jackson?”
I decide to be honest with her. “That’s the thing. I don’t want anything from you.” I look at her. “Actually, that’s kind of a lie. I would really like to get to know you. Maybe even…if you let me. Be your friend.”
“My friend? Yeah, right. That’s new,” she scoffs. “Look, you already know I’ll put out…if that’s what you’re after.”
I place my hand on her shoulder. “It’s not. Please, don’t take offense to this, you’re beautiful…but something tells me that you need a real friend much more than you need another guy to fk right now.”
“I don’t even know what to say to that,” she whispers.
“Say you’ll have lunch with me today.”
“Lunch?”
“Yeah, lunch. That’s all, I swear.”
She seems to contemplate this as she stretches out in the chair. “I don’t even know your last name. Or anything else about you.”
I extend my hand out to her and grin. “I’m Jackson Reid. I turned 27 in August and I’m formerly of Boston, Ma- which gives me my wicked cool accent…but now I reside here”.
She takes my hand and smiles. “Alyssa Tanner…I’ll be 24 at the end of next month and consider yourself lucky. New York City is the best place in the whole entire world.”
“So why do you live just outside the city limits then?”
She closes her eyes. “My parent’s house is there.”
“Oh, so you still live with your parents?”
She gets up from the chair and walks over to the balcony door. “No, I don’t.”
I open my mouth to find out more about her, but she interrupts me.
“I’m going to try and get some more sleep. But, I’ll join you for lunch, Jackson.”
BLAME IT ON THE PAIN : EPISODE 11 – 20
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