Maybe It'll Come Tomorrow

I got to school late. I couldn’t sleep all night. Every time I closed my eyes, his motionless body being pulverized over my safety played on my eyelids. It would cause hundreds of questions to run through my mind. Is he ok? was a bold one.

“Brandy, are you alright?” My English teacher’s voice snapped me out of my dark daydreams of screams and betrayal.

I nodded. She nodded. We had a mutual agreement, so she went back to teaching and leaving me to myself.

I have to make sure he’s okay. I need to apologize for leaving him. Why the hell did I leave him? What if he can’t walk? What if he’s got a brain injury? What if they mugged him, and left him there to die? I also have to thank him. I have to make it up to him.

Buzz. My phone vibrating took me out of my head again. I snuck my phone into my lap, and opened it up without checking, already knowing who it was. What the hell is wrong with you? Turning around, Gray met my shrug with a raised eyebrow.

You’re acting weirder than usual. Do you want to meet up tonight? The second text from him caught me by surprise. I would love to have one on one time alone with Gray... Even if it only entails the two of us getting high, or hooking up. At least I get to be near him. I got to smell his light smoky scent, and listen to his raspy but silky voice.

I shook my head and typed back that I had work tonight and couldn’t go. Which then brought my brain back to the beating that my boss got yesterday. All for me. He could have ignored my cries, went home and been okay. Instead he risked his life for me, and is probably injured beyond belief.

How about after work? I heard I’m good at distressing people ;] My breathing hitched as I thought about his lips against mine as I grinded my hips against his as I sat on his lap. I quickly agreed that meeting him after my shift sounded amazing.

I turned around and nodded. Hopefully Liam would be okay, and then Gray can take the edge off my life, one way or another.
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My mind raced as I walked towards the CVS. What if he isn’t here? What if he wasn’t okay like I was hoping? What if I caused the death of my new boss? Would that get me fired? Is that really what I should be worried about right now?

Snow started to fall onto the city as I was walking to the store, causing white specks to quickly soak my hair as they turned into water. My feet felt like they were trudging through freshly poured cement as I entered the store. The guy who ran the counter before me bolted as soon as he heard the door close behind me.

Walking across the store, I got to the employee area and took of my thick sweatshirt, and what I saw took away my breath. “Holy shit.” That thought escaped.

Looking up from his perch on the metal chair, my new boss looked up. “Why the fuck are you here?” I asked. He looked like he’d be run over by a bus and then crushed by a falling tree. At least that’s what I’d assume someone would look... like if their eye was blackened, faced was scratched, arm was in a sling and bruised across the neck.

“Working my first day.” His voice was quieter than it had been yesterday. When the words left his mouth he grasped his rib cage as his face contorted in pain. This is all my fault. His pain and his scars are all my fault. Fuck.

I rushed the few feet over to him. The room was small and all it had was a microwave, a small fridge and an old aluminum table. Leaning down I traced his bruised eye. He flinched. The apologizing started. “I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have left you there. It’s all my fault you’re like this. If I hadn’t walked home that way you would be fine. Oh my god.” A tear slipped down my face at the mercy of this man, of whom I didn’t even have a name for.

“Listen,” He hushed, “It’s not your fault. You did what I told you too, and I’m glad one of us got out of there unscathed.” I nodded, still feeling awful about myself.

I chuckled. I only knew him as ‘the boss’. And ‘the new guy’. He tilted his head in curiosity. “I don’t even know your name but I still owe you my life.” He smiled at me.

“Liam.” Liam? I liked it. It was normal but uncommon. Liam described him perfectly in a way.

“Well Liam,” I liked the feel of it on my tongue. I gave him my left hand, seeing as his right one was against his side in a sling, “I’m Brandy. And I would like to thank you for saving me last night.” There was a twinkle in his light eyes when he smiled.

“You are very much welcome Ms. Brandy.”

Letting go of his hand after a few seconds of just looking at each other I stepped away and looked down at my uniform and fidgeted with the pants. “Starting pretty soon aren’t you? Not much warning.” I tried to make small talk to the wounded man, when I should be kissing his feet and getting him ice. His red polo was perfectly sized for him. He had a lot of lean muscle causing my stomach to drop once I traced his non-injured bicep with my eyes.

I threw my messy brown hair into a bun to distract myself from his really hot physique. Instead, my eyes followed a cut that started from the inside of his left eye near his nose, to the bottom of his cheek. It was deep enough to look like a knife wound. I shuttered.

He nodded and fiddled with the sling with his fingers, “Yeah, I was a quick replacement.” He agreed. The conversation was over. I thanked him, and officially introduced myself. I found out he was alright, and that I hadn’t caused his murder. So… why do I still feel the need to be here and talk to him?

“Listen.” I started without thought. What the fuck am I doing? Brandy. Shut up. “I still feel really bad. Let me at least make dinner for you or something.” I begged while slowly backing up towards the door to start my shift.

Liam let out a small smile. It lit up his face, past the scrapes and bruises. “That sounds awesome. You make the date, and I’ll be there with an empty stomach.”

I nodded, and replied, “How about tonight. My mom is going out, and I have to feed my little brother anyway.” My mother was going on another date, because she’s just so good at holding onto guys.

Looking up he showed his teeth in a grin, “That sounds awesome. How about I give you a ride home?”

I agreed.

“Is pasta okay? Because Mikey only eats pasta and chicken… or pizza, but I can’t make pizza, and we don’t have any chicken at home, so I was going to order a pizza, but now I promised to make you dinner and pizza would be cheating it… so…”

He chuckled at my rant.

“Pasta is fine. Easy and homemade food sounds fantastic after living by myself off of hot pockets, and frozen dinners.”

“Well, I have to… work now… so, I’m going to-uh- do that…” I stumbled over my words as I hit the door with my shoulder, and made my way out.