The Only One Who Needs to Know

The following morning, Cali sighed still half asleep and inhaled deeply as she turned, a small smile appearing on her lips as she smelt Brian’s intoxicating scent. It was like déjà vu but this time as she turned with a satisfactory moan she was pulled into Brian’s warm, safe embrace.

“Morning beautiful.” He murmured quietly as he placed a soft kiss into her hair, taking a deep breath.

“Morning.” She replied with a small yawn, a smile plastered across her face as he gently tightened his arms around her.

“I think that’s the best night sleep I’ve had in a long time.” He said quietly as his hand ran through her hair.

“Yeah me too.” she replied lifting her head to meet his gaze, their lips brushing softly together.

“I love you.” Brian whispered their lips just millimetres apart.

“I love you too.” she replied before their lips meet once again, gently at first before progressing into a heated and passionate battle of lips and tongues.
Brian rolled them over so that Cali was led on her back, his hand slowly inching its way up the underside of her top before her hands slid up his well defined chest, applying pressure to push him away from her.

“Wait Brian. I want to do this right.” she said quietly as he stared back at her with confusion clouding his beautiful face.

“Was I doing it wrong?” he asked.

“No, that’s not what I meant.” She began with a small smile tugging at her lips. “There’s nothing wrong about the way you do these things.” She added with a suggestive tone.

“So what did you mean?” he asked still confused with his ego raised.

“This might not make much sense considering what we’ve been doing for the past couple of months, but I want you to tell Michelle, for our relationship to be out in the open before we do….anything.” she replied slowly.

“That’s fair enough I guess.” He replied with a small smile before he leant down to place his lips softly against hers.

“You don’t think it’s a bit strange?” she asked as quietly as he fell back onto the bed, pulling her into his embrace once again.

“Maybe a bit. But I can kind of understand where you’re coming from.” He replied.

“There’s something else I want us to do once you’ve told Michelle.” She said quietly.

“And that would be?” he asked, turning on his side, propping himself up on his elbow as his other hand reached over and started drawing circles over her stomach through the material of her top.

“I want us to go on a date, like a normal couple would.” She began staring up into his brown eyes.

“We can do that. So when would be good for you?” he asked.

“I have a late start Thursday, so how about Wednesday night?” she asked.

“Sounds good to me. I’ll book us a table somewhere, and maybe we could catch a movie somewhere too, like a proper date.” He replied.

“Sounds perfect to me.” she replied with a wide smile. “Now, how about some breakfast before you go?”

“You sound in a hurry to get rid of me all of a sudden.” He replied with a pouty lip.

“I do have work to get to Bri.” She stated with a smile.

“Oh yeah.” He replied with a small pout. “Join me in the shower first though?” With a giggle she allowed Brian to pull her out of the bed and lead her through to the bathroom.

There was no shaking the large smile that crossed Cali’s lips as she sat eating breakfast with Brian sat next to her, his hand slowly running up and down her leg. For the first time in a long time she was truly happy. She’d been trying to kid herself for months that what she had had going with Brian, ever since London, was just a bit of fun. No strings attached sex. Well, apart from the fact that for the most part they were both in a relationship. She still felt guilty for hurting Andy, and she felt guilty that Brian was about to quite possibly break Michelle’s heart as well. She tried to fight that guilt though; with the thought that both she and Brian were almost certain that she’d been cheating on him for a lot longer than he’d been cheating on her.

“Do you have any idea what you’re going to say to her?” Johnny asked from across the table.

“Not really.” Brian began as he took a sip of his coffee. “Guess I’ve just got to be honest with her.” he added.

“Rather you than me dude. And I wouldn’t want to be you either.” He replied turning to face Cali.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“Well, she’s probably not going to be too happy to find out that you two have been fucking. She may want blood.” Johnny explained.

“Thanks JC! Cal really didn’t need to know that.” Brian replied with a hardened gaze in Johnny’s direction.

“Sorry, but you know as well as I do that she’s not going to take it well. Cali could do with being prepared just in case.” He replied shrugging his shoulders.

“It’s okay Bri, I can handle myself, and lets be honest, she’s got the right to have a go at the woman who’s been fucking her boyfriend.” Cali replied, placing her hand on his knee.

“She’s been in the wrong too remember?” he replied “I’m not hunting down the guy she’s been fucking all this time and kicking the shit out of him. If she hurts you I will never forgive her.” he stated coldly.

“It won’t come to that, I promise. As I said, I can hold my own.” she replied with a wink.

“Yeah, she can. Trust me, I’ve seen her in a fight.” Rachel piped in.

“You’ve been in a fight before?” Brian asked with raised eyebrows.

“Just one or two. Nothing major. They started it, I just finished it.” She replied feeling herself blush. “I’m not proud of it.”

“I’m kind of turned on by it.” Johnny stated with a lopsided grin as he gazed hazily at Cali. “Ow! Hey what was that for?” he asked both Rachel and Brian who had both slapped him across the back of the head.

“I’ll see how turned on you are with a girl fighting when I’m beating the shit out of you if you carry on.” Rachel shrieked.

“Sorry baby.” He mumbled blushing.

Cali rolled her eyes with a smile on her lips, turning her head back to Brian as he gently gave her thigh a squeeze.

“I’m going to head off, get this over and done with. I’ll call you later; maybe pick you up after work?” He said quietly.

“Yeah, that sounds good.” She replied with a nod of her head.

“I love you.”

“I love you too. Good luck.” She replied before leaning across to kiss him briefly.

“Thanks, I think I’ll need it. See you later okay.” he replied before standing up.

“Hold up Gates, I’ll walk out with you. I’ve got some things I need to do in town.” Johnny called as Brian made his way out of the kitchen. He turned to kiss Rachel on the lips before following Brian out.

“So, now that the men have gone, spill. I want details.” Rachel said as Cali stood from the table with her and Brian’s empty dishes.

“As much as I’d love to, I’ve got to get to work.” She replied with a smug smile.

“Oh come on, you can be late just this once. Pull a sicky!” she replied, calling after Cali as she walked into the living room to gather all her stuff.

“Sorry Hun, but the kids need me, I’m running late as it is. I’ll talk to you later.” She replied as she grabbed her keys and headed out of the door.

Throughout the morning, Cali found it hard to concentrate fully on her lessons. Her mind was on Brian, and what he would be telling Michelle. What her reaction would be and if she would turn up at the school. She was thankful when the lunch bell rang and made a quicker exit form the class room than most of the pupils.

When she took her cell phone out as she sat in a quiet corner of the teacher’s lounge she was shocked to see so many missed calls, and all from either Rachel or Johnny, and all within the last hour and a half.

Confused she pressed re-dial for Rachel. “About bloody time where the fuck have you been?” Rachel’s voice yelled through the phone, causing a few of Cali’s colleagues to lift their heads in her direction.

“Rach, calm down, I’ve been in classes all morning, what’s wrong?” she replied quietly.

“It’s Brian. He’s at the hospital.” She replied slightly quieter.

“He’s what?!” Cali asked in a raised voice. “Rach, tell me what’s happened.”

“He was in a car accident Cal, he’s not in a good way.” She replied.

“Shit! When? Why the fuck didn’t you ring the school?” she yelled back with tears gathering in her eyes as she gathered her stuff.

“This morning, Johnny got a call from Matt. And we did, didn’t they pass on the message?” she replied.

“Well obviously not!” she retorted pushing her way through the teacher’s lounge.

“Cal, is everything alright?” Andy’s voice tore her attention away from her phone.

“It’s Brian. He’s been in an accident, he’s at the hospital. I’ve got to get to him, can you explain to Michael’s?” she said quickly.

“Of course, I’ll sort it. Go.” He replied stepping out of her way.

“Cal, Johnny’s just pulling up outside the school, are you on you’re way?” Rachel asked.

“Yeah, I’m on my way.” She replied shutting her cell and hurrying her way through the corridor.

“What the fuck happened?” she yelled as she entered the back of Johnny’s car.

“We don’t know the details, just that he’s not in a good way. Matt knows more, he’s already at the hospital.

“Shit!” Cali yelled, thumping the back of Rachel’s head rest in frustration.

“It’s going to be okay Cal.” Johnny assured her, meeting her gaze in the rear view mirror.

“I hope so.” She replied clutching her fist, the car becoming silent apart from the faint sound of the engine.

“Cali, before you go in there you need to know, I don’t think the others know about you two yet.” Johnny said taking a gentle hold of her wrist as they made their way into the hospital.

“I don’t give a fuck about that right now Johnny, I just need to see him.” she replied calmly.

“Okay. Lets go.” He replied, dropping her wrist and proceeding into the hospital.
On entering the lobby, Johnny asked at the nurses station and the three of them were directed where to go. They made their way into the ICU, finding Matt, Val, Jimmy and Zack in the waiting room.

“How bad is it?” Johnny asked as they stood up upon seeing them enter the room.

“It’s really not good right now dude. He suffered some bad injuries, but he’s also in a coma.” Matt replied sullenly.

“No!” Cali gasped quietly, tears spilling out over her cheeks. Before anyone could say anything or do anything to stop her, she was running down the corridor in search for Brian’s room. She found it easily, coming to an abrupt halt outside the open door. Sat by his bed, her hand holding his, Michelle sobbed quietly.

With her heart breaking within her chest, Cali did the only thing she could. She walked away.