Uncharted

Des had me propped up against his side and we kept walking and walking. I never thought we’d ever sit down. I thought we were going to keep on walking for the next few days. I just want to go to sleep. I didn’t even think about Elle or how I was supposed to stay at her place tonight. So when my phone rang and I stopped walking to answer it, I sat down. Right there, right in the middle of the sidewalk.

“Hullo?” I slurred into my still ringing phone.

Des pulled the phone out of my hand and answered it. He used his free hand to try to pry me away from the filthy ground I was trying to take a nap on. “Hello?” Des pulled me up roughly but I didn’t feel the effects at the time. At the time I thought he had pulled me up gently and very gracefully at that. “Hey, whoa. Calm down. I’m her neighbor, I found her outside and I’m taking her home because she can’t even stand on her own.”

I stopped listening to the conversation that Des was having with Elle. At least I hoped it was Elle and not Dylan. If it was Dylan I would have a lot of explaining to do. As quickly as that thought hit me, it was gone. I watched the side of Desmond’s face, his jaw was moving as he talked into my phone but I couldn’t hear any words he was saying. I kept my eyes on his scruffy facial hair.

I don’t remember what made me think it was okay to reach out touch Desmond’s facial hair. Even when drunk, I typically didn’t just touch the facial hair of random men. That night I did. My fingers brushed against the course hair on his face and he instantly jumped, so engrossed with the conversation he was having on my phone that I startled him.

“Look at your little scruff.” I cooed and brushed my fingers along his jawline. “It’s so scruffley.”
Des was smiling, just a little when he turned his head to look at me. His eyes looked so confused though. Even as plastered as I was I could see the how clouded his eyes were with confusion. I didn’t know what he was confused about but I decided I should help.

“You gotta figure it out, man. “ I said simply.

“Ollie, what in the hell are you talking bout?” Des snapped.

And that was all I could remember about how I ended up in Desmond’s bed when I woke up the next morning.

&&

The scent of cigarette smoke and cologne hit me as soon as I woke up. Keeping my eyes closed I tried to remember what happened the night previous that made waking up smell like Des. I opened my eyes and instantly regretted it. I found myself tangled in a mess of bedding that didn’t belong to me. It didn’t help matters that I had a vicious hangover and the lights in this room were blinding.

I looked around wildly trying my best to figure out where the hell I was. All I knew was that I had obviously not made it home considering I woke up in a stranger’s bed.

“It’s about damn time you the hell up.” Des grumbled from the doorway. “I want to sleep in my fucking bed.”

Then everything came together, of course I was in his bed. I had left my keys at Elle’s place. There was no way Des could have left me in my own bed. Of course he could have dropped me on the couch, I didn’t need to sleep in his bed…even if it smelled glorious and felt like I was sleeping on a cloud.

“Sorry.” I managed to say getting out of his bed and adjusting my skirt that had gotten all scrunched up while I was sleeping. I was sure Des saw my ass cheeks but at that point I didn’t even care. I just needed to vacate his bedroom as soon as possible and find my keys so I could escape from the awkwardness that was my relationship with Des.

“Your friend came by and dropped your keys off.” Des added, he crawled right into his bed and settled into the spot I had been occupying previously. “They’re on the table next to your phone.”

“Thanks.” I said quietly.

“Turn the lights off and shut the door, yeah?”

I did as I was told and turned the lights off and watched Des cuddle into his bed and sigh contently. I shut the door and stumbled down the hallway toward the kitchen. I could clearly see my eyes, my bag, and my phone sitting on the table. I kept my eyes focused on my belongings, I needed to get out of there as soon as possible.

“I’m making breakfast!” Cooper announced cheerfully. He was standing at the stove cooking something. Whatever it was it smelled delicious. “Stay and eat with me?”

“I really kind of just want to go home and go to sleep.” I lied, I wanted to eat whatever Cooper was making because it smelled so damn good. I really didn’t want to hang around after I embarrassed myself by being a drunken mess last night.

“What are talking about you just slept in Des’ bed all night! How can you possibly be tired?”

“I have a hangover. I just want to sleep.” I whined “And why didn’t he just put me on the couch? Now I’m never going to hear the end of how I slept in his bed.”

“He was just being polite I guess.” Cooper shrugged, keeping his eyes on whatever was in the frying pans.

“Well in the unfortunate event that this ever happens again, please make sure you just drop me on the couch. I’ll be fine.”

“Ollie, he’d never let that happen. He’s too much of a gentleman.” Cooper slide a plate of the most delicious looking French toast onto the table. “Sit.”

I rolled my eyes. The last thing Des could be was a gentleman. I was certain the only reason he put me in his bed was so he could dangle it over my head for the rest of however long I lived in Ireland. “Gentleman. Yeah. Okay.” I scoffed.

“He actually really his…he’s just been kind of miserable since he split up with his girlfriend…which I advise you never to bring up unless you want his hell like wrath to rain upon you.” Cooper said dramatically.

“So it ended badly?” I asked, falling right back into friendly conversation with Cooper. I needed to make up my mind about Cooper. Was he a friend or not? I wasn't sure.

“That’s putting it lightly.” Cooper took a seat across from me. “I don’t think he’s ever going to be same, honestly. They were engaged and then everything got all fucked up and now he’s just…alive but not really living. She broke his fuckin’ heart, Ol.” Cooper explained with a mouthful of food.

Suddenly, I felt bad for Des. Whatever this girl did to him must have been terrible. I wanted to go into his room and hug him. That’s how badly I felt about being a bitch to him when some other girl had obviously done enough of that to leave him so broken apart and miserable.

“How long ago was that?”

“About a year ago. He hasn’t been the same since, he used to smile…genuinely smile.” Cooper smiled sadly thinking about it. “He’s been my best friend for years…I just want him to be happy. You know?”

“That’s terrible.” I said sadly. I didn’t know Des well and I didn’t particularly like him. However, once Cooper unraveled the mystery that was his bad attitude and general misery my heart ached for him. I couldn’t imagine what this girl had done to destroy him. I wanted to find this girl and punch her in the face.

“It was.” Des said suddenly, scaring the shit out of both Cooper and myself. He threw himself into an open chair and began fixing himself a plate of food.

All throughout breakfast, Des avoided eye contact with both Cooper and I as we tried to start casual conversations. I felt terrible, he had to have been standing there the entire time Cooper and I were discussing his personal life. I imagine it didn’t feel great having something like that dug up from the past.

“Let’s watch a movie.” Des said shocking both Cooper and I.

“Yeah, okay.” I agreed and Cooper looked at me wearily but agreed as well.

I figured watching a movie was safe. I figured that everything would be fine and Des just wanted to distract himself from the thoughts of his ex. Little did I know what watching a movie meant in his mind. Now I know why Cooper looked so hesitant.