Chapter 44
1214words
I leaned on the railing on the back porch, taking another drag off my cigarette, leaving Scarlett fast asleep in my bed. I couldn’t stop smiling to myself. This girl was fucking perfect, and It wasn’t even about her body or the incredible sex. She is authentically herself, never trying or pretending to be anything else, unlike all the fake girls and ‘friends’ that seem to hang around me. She was just her. I loved her stubbornness, the fire that seemed to burn inside her like she was made of starlight. Even if sometimes she could be a pain in my arse, I had huge fucking feelings for her.
It terrified me...she could do so much better than someone like me. I had slept around so much I couldn’t even remember what half the girls looked like. I needed to get a grip. I had crossed a line with Scarlett, one that I couldn’t go back from. I had never felt this way about anyone before, never thought it could be possible. For someone like me to be able to have someone like her, a dark angel among mortals, she was way out of my league. She deserved better.
Yet thinking about her with anyone else made me want to punch my fist through the wall. I couldn’t accept any other reality. I needed her to be mine. How I was going to do that I had no fucking idea. She was never going to make it easy for me, that’s for sure.
I take another drag of my cigarette. Running my fingers through my hair. Shit. My phone started buzzing in my pocket. I groan. Couldn’t I get five fucking minutes to myself? I pull my phone out of my pocket, pressing accept without bothering to read the caller ID.
“What?” I grumbled into the receiver.
“Hello Sweetheart, how was the game?” My Mum’s cheerful voice cuts through the speaker. My irritation falters, and a smile spreads across my face. Yes, I was a mummy’s boy, fuck off.
“Hey, Mumma,” I greet, my tone softer and happier than it had been before. “It was really great, we won! If you can believe it!” I declare proudly. Mum muffles her voice, repeating the information most like to my sister, who I could barely hear in the background. But she sounded pleased. I grin.
“I knew you would, my boy. You’re the fastest Running back the league has ever seen,” Mum beamed, turning her attention back to me. “We’re so proud of you!”
“Thanks Mumma. I wish you both could have been there to see it,” I sigh, taking another drag of my cigarette.
“Oh shh! You didn’t need your Mum there cramping your style. Besides, I know a certain curly-haired beauty came to watch you instead,” Mum teased; I didn’t need to see her face to know she was waggling her eyebrows at me and grinning from ear to ear.
“How’d you know about that?” I chuckle, peering back at the house. The lights were still off, and everything seemed still, quiet.
“Who do you think convinced her to go?!” she hinted, quieting my sister as she tried to butt into the conversation. “So…is she with you now? “She teased. I hesitate. Did I really want to tell my Mum she was sleeping in my bed, butt naked after I had fucked her into oblivion? It was no secret that I was a bit of a man whore, but that didn’t mean I needed to flaunt it to my own Mum. She’d probably smack me upside the head for doing that to Scarlett. I hadn’t even taken the girl on a proper date. Err, I was such an arsehole.
“She’s inside,” I reply simply, giving as little detail as possible.
“You slept with her, didn’t you?!?” she accused, her tone disappointed. Shit.
“No!” I lie, a little too quick to answer. I cringing, knowing she would see right through me.
“Loki Jake Morganstar, I know you’re lying to me right now!” Mum interrogated. I sigh, throwing the remainder of my cigarette. “How could you! Scarlett is better than any of those girls I’ve seen you with. She deserves better than this. If you hurt her, I will be very angry with you!” She rants, her voice fuming as she practically shouts through the phone.
“I’ve fallen for her, Mumma!” I exclaim before registering what I was saying. Fuck. I clamp my hand over my mouth. Admitting it out loud scared the shit out of me. There was a long pause of silence. Where I honestly questioned if she had hung up or had a heart attack. “Well, say something then?” I press, feeling like an idiot. Mum was probably thinking the same thing, I had no chance with a girl like Scarlett, and the best I could hope for was one night of weakness.
“Loki?” My sister’s voice broke the painful silence. I sigh.
“Hey Storm, how are you feeling?” I ask. Changing the subject, I didn’t need her to be mad at me too. I had enough going on in my own head.
“Don’t change the subject. Are you finally able to admit to being in love with my best friend?” Storm guested.
“I’m not in love with her...I just like her. A lot.” I admit, rubbing the back of my neck nervously. I felt terrible; Scarlett was my little sister’s best friend. It crossed a line between siblings that shouldn’t be crossed. If I fucked this up. There was a good chance Storm wouldn’t see her best friend as much anymore. Yet her voice had been calm, understanding. Like she had already know the truth and accepted it.
“Just keep telling yourself that,” She smirks.
“Shut up.”
“Look, Loki, I’m rooting for you on this. You and Scarlett would be epic together, no question. But your...well you. So we need to come up with a game plan,” Storm emphasises, sounding more like her old self than I have heard in a long time.
“Why are you helping me with this?” I question, not quite believing it. Storm and my relationship were more like the traditional brother and sister relationship. We both ripped the shit out of each other and were always first to pick the other apart. Yet, there was a deep bond between us that I couldn’t quite shake. She was my sister; I would protect her no matter how much of a bitch she could be.
“Don’t question it dickhead,” Storm bickers. I could almost see her rolling her eyes. “You want her, right?” She coaxes.
“Yes. But it’s more complicated than that. Firstly, I don’t know how to be with someone, let alone someone like Scar. Then there is the likelihood that I’m going to fuck it up. She might not even feel the same way or want me like that, and also Asher is still in the picture,” I rant, tugging at my hair in frustration.
“You are such a girl!” Storm taunts, “Unlike you, Scarlett doesn’t do things for the sheer hell of it. She already took the risk by being with you tonight. She won’t do that if she didn’t feel something for you,” She explains.
“So what’s do I need to do?” I demand.
