Stitches

The room was lit in a fury of loud music and loud talking. Brooklyn was attached to my side, she wore a blue dress that reached her knees, her hair was pulled into a high ponytail and I have to admit, she looked almost good enough to eat. I would devour her, I thought causing a devious smile to creep onto my face.

I quietly laced my fingers with Brooklyn’s her dainty hand fit into my calloused one perfectly.

She looked away from her red plastic cup and smiled at me, but never made a move to take her hand from mine. Butterflies rose in my stomach and I gripped the bottle in my hand.

The front door swung open and my brother stepped through the door, his girlfriend in tow. Rachel’s hand was wrapped around Tom’s like usual. She hated things like this, so Tom or Lola one had made her come.

For the longest time Lola and Rachel were the only ‘girlfriends’ at things like this. They had formed a little clique, recruiting every girlfriend every guy had, it was cute. But now I suppose they were eager to meet Brooke, even though she wasn’t one of the girlfriends she was a girl who I planned on making my girlfriend. Hopefully, the thought of her rejecting me made it hard to swallow.

This girl had me tripping over myself, aching for her touch and worst of all I didn’t know how to get her. Half of me was scared that if I was too forward I would scare her off and the other half of me didn’t want to go another day without her as my own.

I let go of Brooklyn’s hand and put my arm around her shoulder. Tom smiled he knew just as much about Brooke as I did. I spent the majority of my time talking about her, for a while that is. After so long I decided it was better if I just, I don’t want to say gave up but it’s exactly what I did. The words seemed so harsh now.

“Hey, Oli.” Tom said he wore a bright green shirt, his hair straight ironed much like my own but less Oliver and more Tom.

“Hey, Tom, you remember Brooke?” I asked, leaning my head towards Brooklyn.

“Yeah I remember.” He said, smiling.

“That’s Rachel.” I said to Brooklyn, her eyes averted to the short girl who stood at Tom’s side. Rachel’s brown hair hung in loose curls on her shoulders, which it wasn’t usually, she fixed it this way for today. I knew she would get along with Brooklyn, I could just tell.

“Hey,” Brooke greeted Rachel with a small wave.

Rachel’s eyes lit up, “Thank God, another girl. Me and Lola were getting lonely.”

Brooke glanced at the floor awkwardly.

“So! Uh, yeah, Brooke, you want to come with me to find Lola? She’s got to be around here somewhere.” Rachel broke the awkward silence.

“Yeah, I think I saw her in the living room.” Brooklyn replied before she reached up and pecked my cheek then disappeared into the crowd, Rachel close beside her.

I leaned on the counter, watching Brooklyn, she was driving me insane and didn’t even know it. Had no clue.

“You’re that crazy over her, huh?” Tom said the smile on his face made me squirm.

I smiled a painful smile, “Sadly.”

His lips drew into a straight line as he nodded, “I can understand that.”

I looked around the room and spotted the three girls standing in a corner. Smiles on all three of their voices. Lola whispered something that caused Brooklyn to look over at me. Her cheeks turned red and she smiled at me. I smiled back.

“Have you found her anywhere to work yet?” Tom asked, somehow in the midst of my love struck moment he acquired a beer.

I frowned and shook my head, “No, I don’t want to ask her to work for the band or anything because then she’ll get all mad and that’s not what I’m going for.”

“She can work with me.” Tom offered, his light brown hair fell in his eyes and he quickly brushed it away.

Aha! She can work with Tom for Drop Dead and then I’ll be able to make sure she’s okay. I know, I know, I’m being over protective but it scared the piss out of me to think of Eddie and what he would do to her.

“That’s a good idea…” Another word was never spoke about it.