Status: Requested by Carolane. One shot.
Why Are You My Clarity?
One
I wiped my eyes before more tears could come out.
“He’s just being weird. He likes you, I know he does.” Anna spoke as she rubbed my shoulder.
“Then why is he acting like this? This isn’t fair! Ignoring me one day then being all affectionate the other; I can’t be put through this every goddamn day…” Before I could go on, there was a knock on Anna’s door. She patted my back softly before going over to the apartment door. As she opened it, I saw Alex’s short, spiky hair. Fuck. I quickly wiped my face with my hands, hoping to erase the hours of crying.
“Can I come in?” his voice was prominent over hers, as if he was asking me and not her.
“No, Alex. You’ve hurt her enough.”
“If he wants to come in, he can come in. He is your brother, Anna.” I spoke solemnly. I should go home. I should go home and walk my dog. Before I could see Alex walk in, I walked to the bathroom that was right down the hallway from the living room. I heard their murmuring voices but I didn’t dare listen to what they were saying. As I reached the bathroom, I shut the door quietly and locked it. I looked at myself in the mirror. My eyes were red and swollen. My face was blotchy and tear-stained. My hair draped over my shoulders, pathetically against Brendan’s hoodie.
“Why is she wearing my best friend’s hoodie?!” his voice was booming over Anna’s.
“Because YOU ditched HER on her BIRTHDAY!” Anna’s voice sounded like she was right next to me, but she wasn’t. She was in the living room fighting with her brother because of me. “Brendan went to her apartment to take her a birthday present and she was bawling her eyes out because you ditched her. She was outside with a bottle of wine in a fucking tank top Alex. She was freezing! He gave her his hoodie then brought her here.” I sniffled at her words. “Do you want to know what she did for your birthday? She was there at your game and she was there when they gave you your birthday cake. She fucking called off of work that night because it was your fucking birthday and you had the balls to ditch her on hers?!” I grabbed the hair tie of my wrist and gathered my hair into a top knot. I pushed the sleeves of the hoodie up to my elbows and turned the sink on. I gently tossed warm water against my skin. I turned the water off then softly dabbed my face with a hand towel. My face didn’t look as bad as before. I opened the door and walked out while pulling the sleeves back down and past my fingers. As I got into the living room Anna and Alex were standing side by side staring at me.
“I’m sorry Jessica,” his voice was sad and rough and perfect. I ignored it… just like he’s ignored me.
“I’m gonna go home and walk Kaya. I’ll see you later Anna,” I grabbed my keys and phone off the kitchen counter then walked out the door. I walked down to the parking lot to where Brendan parked my car and slid into it. I waited longer than usual, hoping I would see Alex running down those stairs to stop me. But he didn’t.
***
There was a knock at the door. A firm, pleading knock. I watched Kaya’s head lift up to the door. I walked over to the door with my baby husky trailing my feet. I opened the door without looking at it, assuming it was Brendan. It wasn’t Brendan, it was Alex. He was standing there with roses, a box of chocolates, and birthday bag.
“Can I come in?” he asked. I nodded. He walked in and I shut the door. Kaya stared at him for a moment before rubbing her head against his leg. I walked with Alex and Kaya following me over to the couch where I was sitting. “I’m sorry Jess. I’m so sorry for ditching you on your birthday. I wanted to make it up to you so I brought you roses and your favorite box of chocolates then I have what I bought you for your birthday, if you still want it.”
“You’ve been so back and forth with me...” I murmured. I glanced at the bag and reluctantly grabbed it. I took the tissue paper out of it.
“I’m sorry,” his voice was quiet. I pulled out a Galchenyuk jersey. It wasn’t a Canadiens one though. “It’s my jersey from juniors. I want you to have it,” I gasped at his words. I set the jersey and bag on the floor and flung myself at Alex. My lips touched his roughly. Our lips worked together in synch until we were out of breath. “I really like you and I don’t want to mess this up even more than I already have,” his fingers found their place at the nape of my neck.
“He’s just being weird. He likes you, I know he does.” Anna spoke as she rubbed my shoulder.
“Then why is he acting like this? This isn’t fair! Ignoring me one day then being all affectionate the other; I can’t be put through this every goddamn day…” Before I could go on, there was a knock on Anna’s door. She patted my back softly before going over to the apartment door. As she opened it, I saw Alex’s short, spiky hair. Fuck. I quickly wiped my face with my hands, hoping to erase the hours of crying.
“Can I come in?” his voice was prominent over hers, as if he was asking me and not her.
“No, Alex. You’ve hurt her enough.”
“If he wants to come in, he can come in. He is your brother, Anna.” I spoke solemnly. I should go home. I should go home and walk my dog. Before I could see Alex walk in, I walked to the bathroom that was right down the hallway from the living room. I heard their murmuring voices but I didn’t dare listen to what they were saying. As I reached the bathroom, I shut the door quietly and locked it. I looked at myself in the mirror. My eyes were red and swollen. My face was blotchy and tear-stained. My hair draped over my shoulders, pathetically against Brendan’s hoodie.
“Why is she wearing my best friend’s hoodie?!” his voice was booming over Anna’s.
“Because YOU ditched HER on her BIRTHDAY!” Anna’s voice sounded like she was right next to me, but she wasn’t. She was in the living room fighting with her brother because of me. “Brendan went to her apartment to take her a birthday present and she was bawling her eyes out because you ditched her. She was outside with a bottle of wine in a fucking tank top Alex. She was freezing! He gave her his hoodie then brought her here.” I sniffled at her words. “Do you want to know what she did for your birthday? She was there at your game and she was there when they gave you your birthday cake. She fucking called off of work that night because it was your fucking birthday and you had the balls to ditch her on hers?!” I grabbed the hair tie of my wrist and gathered my hair into a top knot. I pushed the sleeves of the hoodie up to my elbows and turned the sink on. I gently tossed warm water against my skin. I turned the water off then softly dabbed my face with a hand towel. My face didn’t look as bad as before. I opened the door and walked out while pulling the sleeves back down and past my fingers. As I got into the living room Anna and Alex were standing side by side staring at me.
“I’m sorry Jessica,” his voice was sad and rough and perfect. I ignored it… just like he’s ignored me.
“I’m gonna go home and walk Kaya. I’ll see you later Anna,” I grabbed my keys and phone off the kitchen counter then walked out the door. I walked down to the parking lot to where Brendan parked my car and slid into it. I waited longer than usual, hoping I would see Alex running down those stairs to stop me. But he didn’t.
***
There was a knock at the door. A firm, pleading knock. I watched Kaya’s head lift up to the door. I walked over to the door with my baby husky trailing my feet. I opened the door without looking at it, assuming it was Brendan. It wasn’t Brendan, it was Alex. He was standing there with roses, a box of chocolates, and birthday bag.
“Can I come in?” he asked. I nodded. He walked in and I shut the door. Kaya stared at him for a moment before rubbing her head against his leg. I walked with Alex and Kaya following me over to the couch where I was sitting. “I’m sorry Jess. I’m so sorry for ditching you on your birthday. I wanted to make it up to you so I brought you roses and your favorite box of chocolates then I have what I bought you for your birthday, if you still want it.”
“You’ve been so back and forth with me...” I murmured. I glanced at the bag and reluctantly grabbed it. I took the tissue paper out of it.
“I’m sorry,” his voice was quiet. I pulled out a Galchenyuk jersey. It wasn’t a Canadiens one though. “It’s my jersey from juniors. I want you to have it,” I gasped at his words. I set the jersey and bag on the floor and flung myself at Alex. My lips touched his roughly. Our lips worked together in synch until we were out of breath. “I really like you and I don’t want to mess this up even more than I already have,” his fingers found their place at the nape of my neck.
♠ ♠ ♠
I hope you enjoyed this! (: