Painful Pleasures

Next To You

CHAPTER5

April'sPOV.

Heartbreak Hotel exists.

And for me, it's Splitz. Therestaurant that specializes only in anything chocolate, cream, sugar and mostlydesserts.

I am at the booth near the window, scanningover the writing in my book while I take another huge scoop of vanilla icecream on top of my fudge brownie.

Oh, God.

Its like heaven in my mouth. I savour thetaste as I try to summarize what I've read in the other book. If I can finishthis book on time, I'd probably finish my project today and face the last onethis weekend.

That has been my routine for 2 weeks now.

Read, projects and chocolate.

I can't....I just can't keep dwelling inall that drama.

From getting heartbroken.

To getting drunk.

To losing my phone.

To getting a hangover.

To shutting Gretchen out.

I needed to be alone, it had been to muchto take in that hangover morning. I'd lost my phone and my only relationshipand Gretchen had brought coffee.

Trying to help, asking what went wrong,what the voicemail said. Then I told her off, I didn't need her help but I justwanted to be alone.

I wanted to get myself back alone.

I was tired...so tired of people and thedrama they brought.

Shaking my head, I flip a page and sitback, spooning some brownie into my mouth as my eyes scanned over the letters.With the two years I'd spent in this school, I had not paid so much attentionto projects as I did now. Then my focus had been on someone...but now it wastime to build up more on school work.

Then I felt it.

Or rather...I felt him. Even before Ilooked up, I knew.

"Two weeks." He says, hands inhis pockets with his intense grey eyes not leaving mine.

Oh, God, I didn't need this now. I hadalready embarrassed myself around him at the bar...and then Gretchen said hebrought me back. I don't even remember anything...I probably threw up on himtoo. And now here he is.

"What?"

"You vanished for two completeweeks." He said and sat down across me, eyes never leaving mine.

"What, are you tracking me now?"I say trying hard to avoid his eyes, eyes that felt like he could read me.

"No."

"Or you want to save me from having asugar rush? What do you want?"

I say. I didn't need any more boy drama inmy life but here his intense eyes were already probing through my defencealready.

"Would you calm down, I just-" Hebegins but I cut him off.

"I'm not calming down. I can't havecoffee, or alcohol or ice cream without you around."

Shut up, April. He helped you....remember?

"The last thing I need is yourpresence." I say and the muscles at his jaw and temples flex.

"And the last thing I need is yourbloody arrogance." He says and gets up then tosses a white object on thetable as he storms out.

My phone.

By the time I look up, he is already outthe door, marching over to a BMW.

Ethan's POV

Women.

Somehow I knew this wouldn't work out.Every time we met all we did was bite at each other and I shouldn't haveexpected better.

I was going to give her the phone, ask herwhat exactly had happened since she had already spilled everything. By twosentences into the conversation, I could tell she didn't remember.

So much for finding out.

"Wait!" I hear her voice just asI unlock my car. When I turn around, she is already there behind me, phone inhand.

"I don't want it." She says, herhead down, gaze planted to the ground.

"What?"

She can't be serious.

"I was looking for it but I don't wantit now...just take it." She says then shoves it in my hand and then she iswalking away, fast.

"April!" I yell just as the phonestarts buzzing in my hand.

Jay. It reads.

Frowning at the phone, I debate whether topick it up or chase after her and demand what the hell is going on.

At the end, I chose none and switch off thephone. I already have to catch up on work and lectures as it is.

****

April'sPOV

Gretchen was applying mascara when I walkin and our eyes meet briefly in the mirror before she looks away.

Sighing guiltily, I drop my bag and sitdown. I had been searching for my phone for 2 weeks and when I get it, thefirst call that I receive belongs to Jay.

Just what I need.

Seeing it, I had a flashback of thevoicemail, everything I had gone through, getting drunk. I had come so far nowin letting them go, I couldn't just let one object take me back that dreadfulroad.

So I handed it back to him, the enigma of aguy that was always around even when our past had no good experiences.

"You okay?" Gretchen asks,capping her mascara as she looks at me through the window.

I bite back a smile.

Classic Gretchen. Never giving up on a sadface.

"Yeah, I just didn't have much of agood day."

"Chocolates not working out foryou?" She asks and I take a deep breath before saying,

"Not exactly." I mutter andrealize she has curled her hair. As she puts on a pair of black 4 inch heelsand a light coat of lipstick, I can't help but probe.

"Going somewhere?"

"Yeah, I just got invited to aparty..." She says then with a blush, she adds,

"I might not come back tonight."

My jaw suddenly weighed a thousand tons.

She might not come back? What had I missed?

"I can stay if you want." Shesays warily with her hand lingering on the doorknob but I shake my headfrantically.

"What? No. You go and have your fun.I'm fine Gretchen, don't worry. Geez, I'm 20 not 5." I say and shelaughs then leaves.

My smile disappears immediately. Two weeks.Wow.

I had been stuck with my routine I hadn'teven gone anywhere apart from that darned club. And I'm here on a Friday nighteating pizza and doing a project.

Which is good. Very good...right?

***

12:45 am.

Yawning, I rub my eyes and try to concludethis chapter. I'd finish the rest of the project tomorrow. Just as I clicksave,

Dum, dum, dum!

I freeze and turn to face my door. Surely,there was a shadow there.

Dum, dum, dum!

Please, let it be Gretchen.

Oh please let it be Gretchen. I silentlypray as I open the door and look a good 6 inches above me to the familiar greyeyes that have haunted my thoughts.

"Griffin?"

Was that whimper my voice? He was there,broad shoulders, chest, that black hair and those eyes.

"I...I shouldn't be here." Hesays, walking towards me, forcing me to move back as he shuts the door with hisfoot.

He looked unsteady, tipsy. Moving back, myhand searched frantically behind me for something--anything--to hold as aweapon.

What if he harms me?

My hand comes in contact with Gretchen'stennis ratchet and I hold it up.

"Put that thing away." He saysand walks over and before I even blink, the ratchet is flying over and hits thewall. His hand is over my mouth in a minute and my scream comes out muffles.

"Calm down." He says sternly,grey eyes piercing.

I'm trashing my hands but he uses his otherhand and holds both my hands above my hand.

"April."

He says and I'm still. I don't know why butthe way he said it, so carefully.

Like it was fragile...special.

I look up at him now and I can't help theshock I feel when I see how dilated his pupils are.

"What's wrong?"

"Please, I just..." but he trailsoff and looks down.

"What is it?"

"You...you won't like what I'm goingto ask....."

"What?" I demand, fear cloudingmy thoughts. Was he wounded? Sick?

I couldn't bear to see pain in those eyesthat had been so sharp.

"You won't understand." Hemutters.

"Tell me!"

"I need to sleep next to you!" Hesays looking at me now.

Wait...what??

Ethan'sPOV

She was going to refuse...I could see it.

"What? Why?" She asks and I moveback.

"I told you, you won'tundersta--"

"Of course I don't understand. Youneed to sleep next to me?"

She is staring at me now and defense kicksin, despite the pain.

"Okay. I get it." I say with asarcastic laugh and continue,

"You help someone when they need helpand then you ask for a freaking favour--"

"I was just a little drunk!"

"You were just a little vulnerable,April. Maybe, I should have just left you there with those guys eye humpingyou."

Just like I am...when you're in just a tshirt and panties...with all that red hair

Shut up, Ethan.

"Then why did you help?" Sheasks, feisty eyes challenging.

"Because you needed it! And all I'masking is just one in return."

"You're asking to sleep next tome!" She yells, like I asked her to jump off a roof.

"And so. f*****g. What?!" I yell,emphasizing each word loudly.

"You won't understand, April! Or whatexactly is bothering you? You've never seen two people share a bedbefore?"

Her eyes water suddenly and she staresdaggers at me while my words echo in my head.

You've never seen two people share a bed?

Dammit. I had completely forgotten abouther ex boyfriend incident.

"April,--"

"Get out." She says silently,tears running down her face.

When I don't move, her eyes spit fire asshe pushes me.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY ROOM!"

She screams as I stumble back,

"Get out!!!"She say once I'm outand slams the door in my face. Leaning my back on the door, I slide down to asitting position and bury my face in my hands as I hear her sobbing on theother side.

Great.

Now we are both in pain.

April'sPOV

I crumble to the ground as the tears rolldown uncontrollably and my heart shatters all over again.

Stupid. So stupid to cry in front of him,to let him know that those words were my greatest weakness.

Why had I even cared? Why did it bother methat he looked like that.

You won't understand.

His words echo in my head and I rememberhow pained his eyes looked. What kind of pain brings a man knocking at my door?

Wiping my tears, I can't help to notice hisshadow is still on the other side. He needed help.

A favour...according to him.

I was supposed to get over this bynow...this ache.

But who am I kidding, the first heart breakis the one that hurts the most...that stumps your hope.

And then comes a pair of grey eyes.

The way he said my name,...so muchcare...so much pain.

One favour.

A favour for a favour...and then we canboth stay away. One night is all he's asking for,...besides, if he wanted totake advantage of me, he would have done it when I was drunk.

Slipping on a pair of shorts, I wipe myeyes and open the door.

Ethan'sPOV

Creaking.

I can hear the door creaking open and sureenough when I look up, she is standing there. All that red hair down, eyespuffy, in a t shirt and shorts...most of all, her feisty green eyes.

"April."I say, getting up.

"You ask for a favour and I don't knowwhy it has to be me."

"April--"

What was I going to say? Your touch takesaway the pain I've felt for years?

"But you are in so much pain...I cansee it." She says looking directly at me.

"You helped me, and now I want tohelp. One night...and then you leave." She says, pushing the door wideopen.

"You do realize I will be sleepingnext to you?" I ask fearfully but she nods.

"I never got to thank you for helpingme." She says as she walks in and climbs into bed.

I couldn't wrap this around my head...Ijust made her cry, and she was letting me stay??

"Changed your mind?" She asks,studying me and I shake my head, still speechless as I take off my shoes andshirt while she turns away to face the wall.

One night. And I would sleep without thepain...one night next to April. I climb into bed with her and no matter howhard I try, I can still feel her, every bit of her next to me.

In her small bed, it's hard not to getclose and the moment out bodies touch, I feel her warmth radiate through me...

And there it is....the melting feeling.Slowly, and then it's gone. Accepting all she is offering me for tonight, Iclose my eyes and enjoy every moment of it.

Every moment next to April.