Sequel: A Cherry Sunset ›
A Dawn I Thought We'd Never See
Text Messages + Brotherly Talks
I woke up in Oliver’s bunk for the second morning in a row. This time he was in it with me though. He was sittign up, his head in a neck breaking position with the computer still on his lap. There was no way for me to worm my way out of the bunk without waking him.
I looked at his relaxed face and found he was too peaceful to rudely shake awake. I sighed and pulled my phone out to pass the time. I had new texts from Victoria, December, and Alex. I started with Alex’s first, figuring he’d be the easiest to talk to. I was wrong.
Alexander : Emmy!
Emily : Alex!
Alexander : bout time u txtd me back whore!
Emily : I love you too sweet heart ; ) what cha doin?
Alexander : tweetin pics of Jack pukin his guts out. You?
My eyes strayed to Oliver.
Emily : nothing.
Alexander : I saw you leavin last night with Oliver : X
My cheeks burned as I forced my eyes to stay on the phone screen. How did he even italicize his name in a damn text?
Emily : I didn’t feel like partying
Alexander : what u do instead ; D
Emily : get your mind out of the gutter! We watched a movie
Alexander : and fondled!
Emily : Alexander!
Alexander : Emily!
Emily : I’m shutting my phone off now
Alexander : Emily and Oliver sitting in a tree!
Emily : I’m not talking to you anymore
Alexander : K I S S I N G
Emily : ball sucker!
I sighed and threw the phone to my lap. A conversation with Victoria or December would be less pleasantries and more drilling. And it was going to be so much worse since I hadn’t returned to the van last night, like planned.
I groaned and closed my eyes. Why was it such a big deal that Oliver and I were getting along? It’s not like we were dating. It’s not even like we were best friends. We were just two people who got off on the wrong foot and now we were making things better. I was mulling over Oliver’s sudden change in character when the bunk curtain flew open.
I bit my bottom lip hard to keep in the scream as my eyes popped open. It was just Tom. I let out the breath I’d held as I took in Tom’s bright smile.
“Thought I’d find yeh in ‘ere.” He chuckled while I blushed. “Dee an’ Toreh called teh check on yeh.”
“Nice to know they worry about me after we’ve traveled a hundred twenty miles.” I noted dryly and Tom laughed again. My eyes darted to Oliver. He was still peacefully sleeping in his weird position.
“Oleh’s a ‘ard sleepeh. Don’t worreh ‘bout wakin’ ‘im up.” Tom must have noticed my gaze and my cheeks burned more. “Why don’t yeh come out ‘ere with meh? I promise teh be more entertainin’.” He winked and I giggled a little.
“How am I supposed to get out of here?” I lowered my voice subconsciously, not paying mind to Tom’s telling me about Oliver’s hard sleeping.
“Climb o’er!” Tom held his hands out. “I’ll ‘elp yeh.”
“I don’t think that’s a good,” he’d already grabbed my hand and yanked hard. I flipped over and my heart truly felt like it stopped beating. I was straddling Oliver’s waist. My hand was by his head, supporting my upper body weight. My phone had landed on his stomach. I wasn’t breathing as I stared at his eyelids, waiting for hislovely brown eyes to open.
“’Ere, Em,” Tom chuckled and grabbed my waist, easily pulling me off of Oliver and out of the bunk. My lungs filled with air again. My feet touched the ground and stumbled some. Tom steadied me. “Told yeh ‘e sleeps like a rock.”
“Yeah,” I exhaled shakily and put a smile on.
“Come on,” he took my hand and pulled me to the back. “I got meh pictures out if yeh want teh look at ‘em.”
Nerves from Oliver disappeared as my eyes widened. “Yes! I totally forgot last night.”
“Oleh distracted yeh?” He winked and smirked. Apparently I couldn’t get away from the ‘Em + Oli’ jokes, even with his brother.
“Don’t start, please!” I groaned and plopped down on the back couch. “I get enough of this from everyone else!”
“Okay, okay.” Tom laughed and held his hands up defensively. “We’ll jus’ look at pictures.”
“Yes,” I agreed and waited while he sifted through stuff. Watching him gave me déjà vu and reminded me of his brother. He finally found an album and handed it to me as he searched for more.
The first half of the album was show photos. Some were of Oliver and the other boys, but there were also some of boys who I’d never seen. He informed me that they were underground bands back in England.
Then came the skate boarding photos. These were all of his friends, caught in mid-air, doing some strange things with boards. He finally found what he was looking for and came to sit beside me.
“Now this ‘s more recent stuff.” He patted the album in his lap just as I closed the first one. “I developed these on our last day off.” Tom opened the album and my mouth dropped. The first picture was of me.
“Oh my.” Technically the picture was of Victoria and I. There were big smiles on both of our faces as she was about to push me. I brought my eyes up to his baby blue ones. “Are you my secret stalker?” Tom busted out laughing.
“I guess I should ‘ave warned yeh.” He shook his head while I turned the page. Me again. This time my stomach sank as I recognized the picture. I was holding a rose with my whole attention on it while Oliver stood across from me, his whole attention on me. “Yeh got a real pretteh face, Em.” Tom shrugged when I cut my eyes at him. “I guess I like teh photograph it.”
It got quiet after that. I flipped through pictures and Tom mostly watched my reactions. There was something bugging me as I looked at the random candid and scenery photos.
“Hey Tom?” I couldn’t look at him. I kept my stare on a pretty picture of the desert.
“Yeah?”
I hesitated but then threw myself over the cliff. “Did you like me when we first met?” Tom snorts.
“Course I liked yeh.” I sighed and brought my brown eyes up to his face. He furrowed his eyebrows at my serious face.
“I mean like like.” I clarified in lamest terms and watched his pretty blues widen.
“Oh,” he shifted uncomfortably and looked down at his hands. I felt my own cheeks burn as I kept my gaze glued to him.
“I was just curious because it kind of seemed like you did.” I shrugged and bit my bottom lip. Now I really wished I hadn’t brought it up.
“Well that’s probly because I did.” Tom gave me a sheepish smile and my jaw almost fell to the floor.
“You did?”
Tom laughed. “Why yeh say it like it’s something impossible?”
“I guess I just figured I imagined it.”
“Nope, I liked yeh alright.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Yeh’re a unique person, Em. And damn interestin’ too.” This just confused me more.
“Then, if you don’t mind me asking, what happened?” Tom got that uncomfortable look again and fidgeted. “Did I turn out to be a bitchy prude?”
“No,” he smiled at me and then returned his eyes to the floor. “Yeh’re still the amazin’ Emileh. It’s jus’,” he glanced at me, “Don’t get mad.” That sounds promising. “But I jus’ thought yeh fit betteh with Oleh.” He winced and so did I.
“You stopped liking me because I looked cuter with Oliver?” I had been hoping for a better answer than that. This was something I expected from Victoria or December, not Tom.
“’S not quite like that.” Tom sighed and sat back. “Oleh’s different when yeh’re ‘round.” Where had I heard that from? “’E’s been through some stuff that left ‘im a bit off.”
“I know.” I muttered as the story and sympathy came back to me. Tom’s head snapped to me with his eyes wide.
“Yeh know?”
“Yes,” I stare at him just as confused until it clicks. “December told me.”
“Figures she’d tell yeh.” Tom has a faint smile as he nods. “But the point I was makin’ was that yeh’ve changed ‘im. ‘E ‘asn’t even touched a single drop of alcohol since yeh’ve come along, an’ we all thought that was impossible for ‘im.”
“So Oliver and I being friends is a good thing. I get it.” I just wish I didn’t. There was no way I’d break Oliver and I’s friendship now, knowing how happy I made him and how miserable he was before. I guess I’d just have to get used to people avoiding me because I hung out with Oliver.
I just barely caught Tom making a face like he was struggling with something. “Yeah, ‘s great.” I was positive those weren’t the words he had planned on saying, but he put a determined front on to say no more.
I went back to looking at his photos since there wasn’t much more to say. I stopped on a picture of Oliver’s back. He was shirtless and seemed to not know that Tom was snatching a shot. His tattoos caught my attention. They were so enticing. I wanted to trace them with my fingers but I managed to refrain.
“I want a tattoo.” However, since I was trying so hard to contain my random impulse, I couldn’t’ control my mouth.
“Anything in specific?” Tom asked as he looked at the picture over my shoulder.
“Yeah, I’ve had my first tattoo planned for years now.” I smiled as the mental picture popped up. “I just haven’t had the guts to sit down and get it done.”
“Yeh should ‘ave Oleh go with yeh.” Tom suggested and my heart skipped a beat. “’E’s plenty practiced at tattoos. ‘E’ll walk yeh through it like ‘s a piece of cake.”
“That’s not a bad idea.” My smile widens as I turn the page.
I looked at his relaxed face and found he was too peaceful to rudely shake awake. I sighed and pulled my phone out to pass the time. I had new texts from Victoria, December, and Alex. I started with Alex’s first, figuring he’d be the easiest to talk to. I was wrong.
Alexander : Emmy!
Emily : Alex!
Alexander : bout time u txtd me back whore!
Emily : I love you too sweet heart ; ) what cha doin?
Alexander : tweetin pics of Jack pukin his guts out. You?
My eyes strayed to Oliver.
Emily : nothing.
Alexander : I saw you leavin last night with Oliver : X
My cheeks burned as I forced my eyes to stay on the phone screen. How did he even italicize his name in a damn text?
Emily : I didn’t feel like partying
Alexander : what u do instead ; D
Emily : get your mind out of the gutter! We watched a movie
Alexander : and fondled!
Emily : Alexander!
Alexander : Emily!
Emily : I’m shutting my phone off now
Alexander : Emily and Oliver sitting in a tree!
Emily : I’m not talking to you anymore
Alexander : K I S S I N G
Emily : ball sucker!
I sighed and threw the phone to my lap. A conversation with Victoria or December would be less pleasantries and more drilling. And it was going to be so much worse since I hadn’t returned to the van last night, like planned.
I groaned and closed my eyes. Why was it such a big deal that Oliver and I were getting along? It’s not like we were dating. It’s not even like we were best friends. We were just two people who got off on the wrong foot and now we were making things better. I was mulling over Oliver’s sudden change in character when the bunk curtain flew open.
I bit my bottom lip hard to keep in the scream as my eyes popped open. It was just Tom. I let out the breath I’d held as I took in Tom’s bright smile.
“Thought I’d find yeh in ‘ere.” He chuckled while I blushed. “Dee an’ Toreh called teh check on yeh.”
“Nice to know they worry about me after we’ve traveled a hundred twenty miles.” I noted dryly and Tom laughed again. My eyes darted to Oliver. He was still peacefully sleeping in his weird position.
“Oleh’s a ‘ard sleepeh. Don’t worreh ‘bout wakin’ ‘im up.” Tom must have noticed my gaze and my cheeks burned more. “Why don’t yeh come out ‘ere with meh? I promise teh be more entertainin’.” He winked and I giggled a little.
“How am I supposed to get out of here?” I lowered my voice subconsciously, not paying mind to Tom’s telling me about Oliver’s hard sleeping.
“Climb o’er!” Tom held his hands out. “I’ll ‘elp yeh.”
“I don’t think that’s a good,” he’d already grabbed my hand and yanked hard. I flipped over and my heart truly felt like it stopped beating. I was straddling Oliver’s waist. My hand was by his head, supporting my upper body weight. My phone had landed on his stomach. I wasn’t breathing as I stared at his eyelids, waiting for hislovely brown eyes to open.
“’Ere, Em,” Tom chuckled and grabbed my waist, easily pulling me off of Oliver and out of the bunk. My lungs filled with air again. My feet touched the ground and stumbled some. Tom steadied me. “Told yeh ‘e sleeps like a rock.”
“Yeah,” I exhaled shakily and put a smile on.
“Come on,” he took my hand and pulled me to the back. “I got meh pictures out if yeh want teh look at ‘em.”
Nerves from Oliver disappeared as my eyes widened. “Yes! I totally forgot last night.”
“Oleh distracted yeh?” He winked and smirked. Apparently I couldn’t get away from the ‘Em + Oli’ jokes, even with his brother.
“Don’t start, please!” I groaned and plopped down on the back couch. “I get enough of this from everyone else!”
“Okay, okay.” Tom laughed and held his hands up defensively. “We’ll jus’ look at pictures.”
“Yes,” I agreed and waited while he sifted through stuff. Watching him gave me déjà vu and reminded me of his brother. He finally found an album and handed it to me as he searched for more.
The first half of the album was show photos. Some were of Oliver and the other boys, but there were also some of boys who I’d never seen. He informed me that they were underground bands back in England.
Then came the skate boarding photos. These were all of his friends, caught in mid-air, doing some strange things with boards. He finally found what he was looking for and came to sit beside me.
“Now this ‘s more recent stuff.” He patted the album in his lap just as I closed the first one. “I developed these on our last day off.” Tom opened the album and my mouth dropped. The first picture was of me.
“Oh my.” Technically the picture was of Victoria and I. There were big smiles on both of our faces as she was about to push me. I brought my eyes up to his baby blue ones. “Are you my secret stalker?” Tom busted out laughing.
“I guess I should ‘ave warned yeh.” He shook his head while I turned the page. Me again. This time my stomach sank as I recognized the picture. I was holding a rose with my whole attention on it while Oliver stood across from me, his whole attention on me. “Yeh got a real pretteh face, Em.” Tom shrugged when I cut my eyes at him. “I guess I like teh photograph it.”
It got quiet after that. I flipped through pictures and Tom mostly watched my reactions. There was something bugging me as I looked at the random candid and scenery photos.
“Hey Tom?” I couldn’t look at him. I kept my stare on a pretty picture of the desert.
“Yeah?”
I hesitated but then threw myself over the cliff. “Did you like me when we first met?” Tom snorts.
“Course I liked yeh.” I sighed and brought my brown eyes up to his face. He furrowed his eyebrows at my serious face.
“I mean like like.” I clarified in lamest terms and watched his pretty blues widen.
“Oh,” he shifted uncomfortably and looked down at his hands. I felt my own cheeks burn as I kept my gaze glued to him.
“I was just curious because it kind of seemed like you did.” I shrugged and bit my bottom lip. Now I really wished I hadn’t brought it up.
“Well that’s probly because I did.” Tom gave me a sheepish smile and my jaw almost fell to the floor.
“You did?”
Tom laughed. “Why yeh say it like it’s something impossible?”
“I guess I just figured I imagined it.”
“Nope, I liked yeh alright.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Yeh’re a unique person, Em. And damn interestin’ too.” This just confused me more.
“Then, if you don’t mind me asking, what happened?” Tom got that uncomfortable look again and fidgeted. “Did I turn out to be a bitchy prude?”
“No,” he smiled at me and then returned his eyes to the floor. “Yeh’re still the amazin’ Emileh. It’s jus’,” he glanced at me, “Don’t get mad.” That sounds promising. “But I jus’ thought yeh fit betteh with Oleh.” He winced and so did I.
“You stopped liking me because I looked cuter with Oliver?” I had been hoping for a better answer than that. This was something I expected from Victoria or December, not Tom.
“’S not quite like that.” Tom sighed and sat back. “Oleh’s different when yeh’re ‘round.” Where had I heard that from? “’E’s been through some stuff that left ‘im a bit off.”
“I know.” I muttered as the story and sympathy came back to me. Tom’s head snapped to me with his eyes wide.
“Yeh know?”
“Yes,” I stare at him just as confused until it clicks. “December told me.”
“Figures she’d tell yeh.” Tom has a faint smile as he nods. “But the point I was makin’ was that yeh’ve changed ‘im. ‘E ‘asn’t even touched a single drop of alcohol since yeh’ve come along, an’ we all thought that was impossible for ‘im.”
“So Oliver and I being friends is a good thing. I get it.” I just wish I didn’t. There was no way I’d break Oliver and I’s friendship now, knowing how happy I made him and how miserable he was before. I guess I’d just have to get used to people avoiding me because I hung out with Oliver.
I just barely caught Tom making a face like he was struggling with something. “Yeah, ‘s great.” I was positive those weren’t the words he had planned on saying, but he put a determined front on to say no more.
I went back to looking at his photos since there wasn’t much more to say. I stopped on a picture of Oliver’s back. He was shirtless and seemed to not know that Tom was snatching a shot. His tattoos caught my attention. They were so enticing. I wanted to trace them with my fingers but I managed to refrain.
“I want a tattoo.” However, since I was trying so hard to contain my random impulse, I couldn’t’ control my mouth.
“Anything in specific?” Tom asked as he looked at the picture over my shoulder.
“Yeah, I’ve had my first tattoo planned for years now.” I smiled as the mental picture popped up. “I just haven’t had the guts to sit down and get it done.”
“Yeh should ‘ave Oleh go with yeh.” Tom suggested and my heart skipped a beat. “’E’s plenty practiced at tattoos. ‘E’ll walk yeh through it like ‘s a piece of cake.”
“That’s not a bad idea.” My smile widens as I turn the page.