Running on Adrenaline

I was late, frazzled and to make it worse Brian was already there when I showed up. They all looked at me ready to pounce.

“Sorry, Oli held me up” none of them were impressed with my explanation, I regretted telling the truth, I really needed to learn how to lie.

They just pushed my excuse to the side and handed me a new song. I couldn’t believe how far we had come in the competition, but no matter how far we came, I always felt like every week we went there, we were so close to having it taken away.

The band finally let me go, after pretty much shoving the song down my throat. I didn’t blame them though; my excuse pretty much just pissed everyone off.

“So, where are we going?” I smiled, Brian’s arm brushed mine ever so lightly and our shoulders bumped every now and then.

“Well were not staying here” he referenced to the school.

“Well that’s a start” I smiled.

“I’m just gonna take yeh to some place, I just like going there” he smiled and I nodded slowly.

I sat a little more comfortably in his car than before, and flicked through his CD’s he had in his glove compartment. I picked one and stuck it in the CD player in his car.

He seemed to approve as his fingers started tapping the steering wheel.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you” I started “who exactly bathed and clothed me last night?” I smirked.

He let out light laughter and replied “Yeh refused to let me touch yeh, so I just sat outside the shower to keep an eye on yeh. Yeh very capable when yeh drunk”

“Hmm” was all I could say.

“I swear, I didn’t see anything” he held his hand up in fake solute and I smiled, trusting he was telling the truth.

He suddenly stopped the car in the middle of nowhere and got out. I waited for him to come to my side and open the door. He helped me out holding my hands as he did, but much to my dismay let go when I was on the ground. He led me through darkness to what I finally saw was a park.

I smiled happily and ran over to the swings.

Whenever anything happened at home, anything I would run as fast as I could to the park near my house and just sit on the swings. Something about the wind on your face just calmed me and made me feel like I was somewhere else for just a bit.

I sat on the swing and closed my eyes like I always did. It swung high and let the air brush my cheeks. The swing suddenly stopped and I my eyes jolted open to find Brian holding it in mid air from behind me.

“You come here all the time?” I began as he finally let go and pushed me softly on the swing.

“Yeah”

“Since when?”

“I dunno, since stuff started goin’ bad”

I let my feet stop me swinging and looked back to face him.

“What do you mean?”

He stopped swinging me, looking at me with his impossibly dark eyes. They wandered his surroundings while he found an explanation.

“Heidi and I didn’t end on good terms” he began “something at a party happened and she as well as most of our year didn’t speak to meh after tha’ “

“That’s why you don’t like alcohol?” I questioned.

He nodded almost looking ashamed, he then continued swinging me lightly.

“What happened?” I further questioned him.

“Nothing I wanna share” he looked down; I jumped off the swing and joined him taking his hand in mine and leading him away from the swings.

He gripped onto my hand tightly while we travelled through the dark; I stopped and pulled him down to lay on the grass with me.

“Are you sure you don’t wanna share that little secret with me?” I asked.

“I’m pretty sure” he answered back quickly. I knew not to breach that topic again; I just hoped I wouldn’t find out exactly why he and alcohol didn’t mix.

“Yeh know, I was sure yeh were gonna go for Oli when I first meet yeh” he quietly said
I scoffed “that’s a little offensive” I laughed “Brian, why do you have to assume all girls are just gonna retreat to Oli?”

“Well that’s wha’ Heidi did” he explained.

I was speechless, just for a bit “Brian-“

He stopped me by putting his arm around my shoulders and leaning over me, his eyes grew light and without even needing to move his mouth, I could see the smile on his face. His lips approached mine slowly and when they finally met, I held my breath kissing him back.

My heart jumped a little, and my stomach churned with nervousness. He pulled back to smile and bit his lip. I reached out and pulled his face down to mine, tangling my fingers in his hair. I could feel the playful smirk on his lips while he kissed me, and bit my lip ever so slightly.

When our lips parted the second time, he placed small peck on my lips and then lay back down beside me, pulling me closer. I lay my head on his chest and regained my breath.

“This girl won’t be going to Oli anytime soon” I whispered and felt his hand move to my waist and hold me tighter.

We drove back pretty late, and I leaned my head on the window closing my eyes and just feeling the road pass under me. The music was soft and slowly faded to nothing.

Brian softly shook me and smiled when I opened my eyes.

“Need me to carry yeh? Or are yeh good with walkin’?” he proposed.

“I can walk” I sleepily said while suppressing a yawn.

He held me by the waist the whole way back to my room and when we arrived he pecked my lightly on the corner of my lips.

“Night” he said while I waved weakly.