These Bright Lights Have Always Blinded Me

Max and I were hanging out in the den watching TV while curled up in the recliner. I’m not really sure what we were watching though. All I heard was noise.
I
felt Max shift next to me. I looked over at him to see that he was asleep. I smiled and snuggled into him when mom walked into the room.

“Chelsea--” she started.

“Shhh,” I said before pointing at the sleeping Max.

“Ah,” she whispered before motioning me over to her.

I got out of the chair and walked over to her. “What is it?” I whispered.

“You have company outside,” mom replied.

I nodded and left the den. I walked to the front door and opened it to see Tom. I shook my head and started closing the door when he stopped me. “Chelsea, just give me five minutes. That’s all I’m asking,”

I glared at him and asked, “You know, you’re lucky that I give people a chance to explain themselves. Doesn’t mean I’ll change my mind about you though.”

He sighed. “I made a huge mistake. I’m in a dilemma. I care about you, but I’m too shallow to break up with Kat. It’s my nature. I can’t help it. I wish I could give up my old lifestyle, but it’s stuck with me. I just want to be able to make it up to you,” he said.

I shook my head. “Tom, you should have thought about that before you did what you did. Look, if you want to make it up to me, fine. I don’t care. Just don’t try anything on me. I have a boyfriend now and I really don’t want to be put in that kind of situation. I’ve dealt with enough to be…scheisse what’s the word I’m looking for…precautious about guys. So, if you do try, nothing past the friend level.”

He looked at me solemnly and said, “I wouldn’t do that to you.”

I nodded. “How about we hang out sometime. You can meet Max and you can invite Kat if you want. Or Ali,” I suggested.

He smiled and nodded, his head full of dreads moving with him. I just noticed he had them down. He looks different with them down. “That sounds fun,” he said.

I smiled. “Alright. When?”

“Friday?”

“Friday works.”

“Alright. Well, I’ll see you later Chelsea.”

“Later.”

He turned to walk off when he turned back. “Hey Chelsea? Would giving you a hug be exceeding the friend boundary?” he asked.

I shook my head. “I hug everyone. You know that Tom.”

He smiled before walking up to me and hugging me. I hugged him back and we stayed like that for a moment when we stopped. He smiled and said, “See you Friday.”

“See you Tom,” I said.

He turned and walked off towards his Escalade when I turned to go back inside. I walked through the door and back down to the den to see Max awake. Well, slightly anyway.

He saw me and said, “Hey baby. Where’d you go?”

I walked over to him and sat back down next to him. “Went upstairs for a little bit. Did you just wake up?”

He nodded and wrapped his arms around me. “I felt cold and woke up to see that you weren’t here.”

“I’m sorry Max. Here, go back to sleep and I’ll text Monte to let him know you’re here, kay?”

He nodded and kissed the top of my head. “I am tired. Night Chelsea.”

I snuggled up to him. “Night Max.”

We laid there when I heard him mutter, “I love you.”

I smiled and muttered, “I think I love you, too.”

His arms tightened around me before I fell asleep.