Love on the Brain

Jade brought the grey Thrasher-hoodie over her head and felt the loose article on her body. The smell of Brian’s cologne mixed with cigarettes instantly caught her attention, before she glanced over at the clock. The redhead had told her parents an hour ago that she would be going to bed, giving them the chance to check upon her, before she would sneak out with Brian.

She stuffed a fair amount of clothes under her sheets, making it look like someone was actually sleeping in her bed, meanwhile she tugged Fluffy underneath the covers, as she would always sleep with her stuffed animal close to her chest. She then glanced at the clock, before a message showed on her phone.

'Waiting 4 u xx'

A smile crept unto her lips. Jade had no idea what had gotten into her during the last days. She had been conscientious all of her life, not even her cousin could beat her. She had never felt the urge to use or even try drugs, she disliked alcohol and she had barely gone to a party throughout her teenage years. Now, however, something inside of her had changed. She was genuinely thrilled by the idea of going behind her parents’ back and going against what Olivia told her to do.

She didn’t want to be obeying and as conscientious as she had been earlier. She wanted to explore – make mistakes, be childish and do something for herself and not for the people around her.

She wanted to let loose, and Brian helped her achieve that goal.

Jade soon noticed how the lights in the hall had been switched off, assuming that her parents had gone to bed as well, as they always went to bed early. She tugged her phone into the pocket of her hoodie and looked out of her window, soon noticing the dark-haired guitarist who had his lips twisted into a cheeky grin. Jade was once again caught by the thrilling sensation that went through her body, as she slowly opened the window, just enough to stick her leg over the sill and slowly make her way towards the tree. She made sure to leave it half-open, as she all but climbed down from the tree and was soon greeted into Brian’s arms.

“I like seeing you in my clothes,” Brian snickered, his strong arms moving firmly around her waist.

“And I like wearing them as well,” she giggled, bringing her lips against his in one brief moment, before they were cut off by Jimmy.

“Motherfuckers!” the drummer hissed, making Jade jump, as she hushed the drummer.

“Jimmy, don’t be so loud!” the redhead sneered, not wanting him to expose her.

“Come on!” the raven-haired guy said, waving his hand at them, before the couple, hand-in-hand, went to follow their friend.

Jade listened to the sound of her new vans drumming against the pavement. Her mother had been quite sceptical when she saw the new shoes her daughter had gotten from the twins for her birthday, but had chosen not to make further comments about it. Jade was dressed in a dark blue denim skirt and Brian’s hoodie, and her face was completely stripped off all makeup and her red hair was tied into her signature ponytail.

“Where exactly are we going?” Jade whimpered, glancing over at her boyfriend, meanwhile the three teenagers explored the nearly empty streets of Huntington.

“You’ll see,” Jimmy sniggered before Brian got to answer, leaving the redheaded girl even more puzzled.

The three of them kept walking for quite some time, and Jade could feel the patience disappear by each step she made. At some point she was almost tempted to ask Jimmy if actually knew where they were, but decided to keep her mouth shut. Her decision seemed right when the three of them emerged in front of the house, probably fifteen minutes away from her own.

“Where are we?” she asked, moving closer to Brian, who soon planted a quick kiss against her forehead.

“This is Matt’s place,” he told her, brushing a stray of hair out of her face and letting his thumb dance all the way down her temple.

“You guys are soon even worse than you and Maddie,” Jimmy told the couple, as his best friend rolled his eyes. “No offense, Jade. I do like you way more than Maddie,” he added.

“Thank you,” Jade chuckled.

The three of them walked through the patio, as Jimmy guided them towards the backyard where they met the rest of the guys. Valary was sitting by the pool, her feet dipping into the cool water, meanwhile she was sipping a mojito and holding unto a new cigarette. Her twin was already in the water, talking to Johnny, with her hands resting on the surface. Jade soon also noticed the Berry’s, who were also swimming around in the pool.

“You didn’t tell me to bring a bikini!” Jade looked over at her boyfriend, who soon took off his shirt, leaving him in only his shorts.

“I got you covered!” Val announced, as she had swung her legs over the pool and was now getting up on her feet again.

The raven-haired girl was dressed in a dark purple bikini, the top tied together around her neck.

“You’re an angel,” Jade told the girl, who only smiled cheekily.

“Watch and learn, Haner,” Valary snickered, slapping his shoulder, before she took a swig from her mojito. “Come on!” she said, taking Jade’s hand in her own and guiding her towards the house.

The inside of Matt’s house was cosy. It looked like he too came from a family that enjoyed decorating their walls with family pictures, and Jade soon noticed that Matt came from a family with long traditions in the army. The resemblance between the boys also amused her, as she could see men who also had the same adorable dimples as the younger Sander.

“Here it is!” Valary said, interrupting Jade’s fascination, as she had pulled out a black bathing suit. “This one should do,”

“Excellent,” the redheaded girl smiled brightly, once again thanking her friend, before she excused herself and went to change in the bathroom Valary had pointed her towards.

“So, have you manned up and asked her to prom, yet?” Zack nudged his friend, cracking his beer and bringing a new cigarette towards the opening of his lips.

Brian shook his head, his bare feet buried under the water, meanwhile he was leaning back, supported by his palms.

“Just fucking do it, dude!” Matt told him, plumping down next to him. “She’s crazy about you. The last few days have proven that,”

“How come?” Brian asked, somewhat curious of Matt’s statement.

“Well, first of all, she hasn’t dumped you yet,” Zack pointed out, chuckling.

“And the stunt she pulled out at our venue? Fucking hell, man. She looked fine,” Matt added.

“Her hair!” Zacky followed.

“She got grounded because of it, and now she’s here with us,” the singer said. “She’s into you,”

“And none of us understand how or why, but yeah, she really is,” Zack agreed.

Brian chewed on his bottom lip. Jade had in fact changed since they first met. If someone had told him after their first chemistry class together that she would dye her hair red and show up in fishnets and Metallica merch, he’d assume the person needed serious help. Now however that was a nice memory to look back at. He admired her so much for the independence in her, and how she was determined to live a life for herself now.

He was however still scared of asking her to prom. Brian had never really thought about going to prom, as it wasn’t exactly his kinda thing. He had never really felt the urge to attend something like that, and he had definitely not felt the urge to ask someone out for prom either. With Maddie he had never really gone the extra mile in order to please her, and that was perhaps what lead to their breakup in the end. Nothing was holding him back when they fought, but this time it was different.

This time it was Jade.

He would never admit it out loud, but he was about to fall hard for this girl. Jade was so unlike all the other girls he had ever seen and had. Usually when he hooked up with girls it was just for one night, and he never really thought about it or them again. The only exception had been with Maddie, were the two hooked up a numerous of times before they got together.

However everything was just so completely different with Jade. Brian genuinely respected and cared for her like he had never done before in his life. Jade was not a girl he would just do and then throw away. Brian was convinced that he could never manage to just have her for one night. He had to have her all the time, because that was the effect she had on him, and if he had to be completely honest with himself, it scared him.

It completely freaked him out, and he had no idea how to work his way around this.

“Fuckers!” Jimmy yelled, as he jumped into the pool, the water splashing everywhere, while Matt groaned under his breath.

“Fuck you!” he hissed, bringing his beer up to his lips.

Brian glanced over at his friends. Johnny and Michelle had left the pool, and were both now engaged in a conversation with Jade, who had a towel wrapped around her shoulders. His dark eyes trailed down to her slim and toned legs, her skin almost glowing under the sky that was now turning dark.

“Jesus, you have it bad,” Zack sniggered, nudging his friend, almost causing Brian to trip into the pool.

“What?” the guitarist shifted his gaze, realizing that he had been looking at her for quite some time.

“Really fucking bad,” Jason sniggered, as he too had noticed how Brian had been completely caught up in Jade.

“I don’t,” Brian told them, but he knew he didn’t sell it off as good as he hoped.

It wasn’t that he was ashamed for falling for her. Jade was an amazing person, and all of his friends adored her and considered as a part of the group now. It was more just the fact that he was Brian Haner. He didn’t fall in love, and especially not as hard as he was about to do with this one.

“Bullshit,” Matt Berry announced. “Just admit it. She’s hot, we get it,”

“Easy there, brother. You don’t wanna get Haner all worked up,” Jason warned, a cheeky grin covering his lips.

“You guys are stupid,” Brian shook his head, before he got to his feet, bringing a cold beer along with him.

The guitarist walked over to Jade, shoving his fist and messing up Johnny’s hair on his way, before he sat down next to the redhead and linked his arm around her waist. At first Jade seemed a little uncomfortable, considering Michelle was sitting next to her, and the last thing she wanted was to rub it in her face.

When she realized that Michelle wasn’t bothered at all, Jade placed her hand on top of his bare arms, her nails tracing the surface of his skin and caressing it.

“I’m really glad you came,” Brian told her, his lips ghosting her neck, meanwhile he left a soft kiss close to her earlobe.

“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it,” Jade announced, tilting her head until she was looking at him. She then scooted closer, feeling her back resting against his broad chest.

Jade rested her forehead against his, as Michelle and Johnny had gone inside for more beer several minutes ago. She could feel his cool breath roll over her face, a smile twisting her lips, as she brought their lips together and took his tongue between her teeth, feeling the sensation of his vibrating mouth against her own.

Just as Brian was about to bring his hand towards her shoulder, the two of them were pushed into the pool, the water splashing loudly, as Brian threw his head backwards, his hair flying in the air, before he looked up.

Of course it was Jimmy.

“What the fuck, man!” he yelled at his friend who only grinned back.

“Come on, Gates!” Jimmy said. “This is all a little too much,”

Brian soon looked over at his girlfriend, whose face was speechless.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” Jimmy told the redheaded girl. “You were just collateral damage,”

Jade giggled at his comment, as she swam towards the edge of the pool, ready to pull herself up, just as Michelle threw a towel at her.

“That means Jimmy really likes you,” the blonde told her. “He only pranks people he loves,”

“That’s a very special way of showing someone you like them,” Jade admitted. “But I’m delighted, Jimmy,” she told the drummer.

“Always,” Jimmy winked rather playfully at her.

“I will kill you sometime,” Brian said to his drummer, glaring at him as he sat up by the edge of the pool, his feet still in the water.

“I can’t wait!” the blue-eyed guy responded, before he took off again, this time hunting for more beer.

The guys stayed in Matt’s backyard for another good hour, as Jade saw the guys going from sober to beyond tipsy during that time. Johnny was now on his fifth beer, the guy nearly tripping over his feet on his way towards Michelle, meanwhile Jimmy was currently spying for more weed.

Jade could feel her eyes getting tired, as a light yawn left her lips. She was soon met by Brian’s arms that slided around her waist and pulled her into his embrace. The smell of his cologne drifted into her nostrils and she soon shut her eyes for a moment, melting into his broad chest.

“You can’t fall asleep on me,” Brian chuckled into her ear, his cool breath sending shivers down her spine.

“Oh, watch me, Haner,” she smiled, her eyes still shut, meanwhile she made herself comfortable.

“I’m not a fucking pillow!” he groaned, before he went to kiss her forehead.

“I think I should get home,” Jade told him, looking around the yard and realizing that so should the others.

“You guys are gonna wake up with a throbbing headache tomorrow,” Val snickered, her eyes glancing over at Zack and Jason, who had gone all out tonight.

“I can handle way more than this!” Jason insisted, meanwhile his twin rolled his eyes at him.

“No, you fucking can’t,” Matt commented.

“Berry, stop fucking drooling over my pool!” Sanders bellowed.

“I think that’s a sign,” Michelle sighed, realizing that she was not as drunk as she had wanted to get.

“Come on, Short Shit,” the blonde said, linking her arm with Johnny and helping him up on his feet.

“I think we’re gonna make sure he gets home safely,” Valary told her boyfriend, referring to their youngest member, before she kissed Matt’s lips tenderly. “See you tomorrow, babe.”

“That sounds like an excellent idea,” Matt chuckled, as Michelle was having a hard time making her friend stand straight.

“And who will make sure that we get home safely?” Jason Berry cocked his eyebrows at the twins, before someone placed his hand on his shoulder.

“Your lord and saviour, Jimmy fuckin’ Sullivan!” Jimmy announced proudly, his baby blue eyes beaming.

“Oh, fuck….” Jason shook his head. “Then it’s definitely not safe.”

“You fuckers can sleep over,” Matt told them, not wanting to think about what could happen if his friends were to lurk around the street at this hour. “Haner, are you getting her home?” he asked, looking over at Jade, who was just pulling on her skirt.

“Already on it,” Brian confirmed, bringing his hand towards Jade’s, as the couple soon said their goodbyes and started walking into the direction of Jade’s house.

Jade felt the warmth from Brian’s fingers radiate towards her skin, and she snuggled into his hoodie when the soft breeze hit her face.

“Are you seriously cold?” he cocked his eyebrows, not able to believe how one could get cold in Huntington, especially after she had lived in Scranton.

“It’s a little cold,” Jade confessed, watching as her boyfriend only shook his head.

“You really are nuts,” Brian snickered, pulling her closer and kissing the tip of her nose.

The two of them walked for another five minutes until she could see her home from behind the branches they had disappeared into at the beginning of the night.

“I guess I won’t be picking you up tomorrow?” Brian asked, both of them standing under the tree in their garden, his hand resting on the side of her face.

“You know I’d like that,” she murmured. “But Oli is driving me, it’s my parent’s orders,” she explained.

“Babe, I know,” he insured her, pressing his lips against her forehead. “Come on, get inside now,” he said, stealing one last kiss from her, before Jade made her way up the tree, and then crawled her way over her window.

Jade could feel her heart hammering against her chest. The warmth never left her cheeks, as she slipped out of his hoodie and unbuttoned her skirt, before digging into the soft covers, her arms embracing her stuffed friend and pulling it into her chest.

She was really falling for this guy.