Mending Wounds

Chapter Two

The ride back to Derek's house was quiet, quiet enough to allow my tiredness seduced me into sleep. When we reached the house, Derek woke me up and helped me into the house. The house was empty when we got there, everyone was out, so we just ended up going up to his room. I was laying on his bed, while he walked around the room.

"I'm sorry, I made you skip class" I told him.

"Don't worry about it" he smiled "I needed to get a head start on packing for Mic's"

I looked at him confused.

He dropped a bag on his bed, the headed to his closet "I'm staying over Mic's house, so you will have the room for yourself tonight. Jeremy is home"

Jeremy is Alex's boyfriend of one year, he worked in the military as well, that's how I met Ben. They met during one of Alex's friend's party, the minute they saw each other, it was end game for them two. Alex being the brave friend that I know, she made the first move and pretended by approaching him when he was awkwardly standing the corner then they bonded over 'Cigarettes after s*x' and spend hours talking.

I remember when Alex came home that day, the way she talked about him and the look in her eyes told me that she was hooked for life. That boy stole her heart with one glance. Not long after, they started dating. During those time, I didn't get to see Alex like I usually did, she spent most of her time at his place. It wasn't really an issue with her parents because they loved him since day one, I didn't blame them though, Jeremy was a pretty charming and nice guy.

Half a year into the relationship, Jeremy got promoted into a higher ranking, one that required him to stay on the base for weeks at a time. One day, when him and Alex were having dinner with her parents. He made a remark about him having to move back to live on post because he was paying for rent when he wasn't even at his apartment most of the time, so he was wasting money really. After desert, her parents insisted that he moves in under the condition that when he's staying over; Alex found ways around the last part. I wasn't really surprised, I saw it coming based on the way Alex's dad treated him like a son more than his daughter's boyfriend, he was really keen to him.

I usually shared a bed with Alex, but when Jeremy was around, I'd sleep in Derek's room and he'd sleep in Cole's. He didn't really complain or argue; he knew that I hated the thought of sleeping in Cole's, so he just did instead and gave up his bed every once in a while. In return, I'd make him waffles in the morning.

"Is he picking you up?" I asked.

He chuckled as he threw his cloths into the bag "Of course not. Sophia, he lives right down the street. Literarily a five-minute walk"

I picked out his cloths and started to fold his pail of cloths "What am I supposed to do during this weekend? Jeremy and Alex will just be all lovey and dovey and all that s**t. I don't want to have to sit there during that"

"You'll be fine, don't worry about it" he said "I'll be back in the morning"

"Sophiaaa" I heard Alex called "I'm home"

"Speaking of the devil" I rolled my eyes.

Not even five seconds later, my best friend walked into the room, joyful as always. Her dyed red hair was tied up in a messy bun, and her brown eyes liner with black wing liner. Dressed in light blue jeggings, white stripped t-shirt, and green opened shirt, paired with white vans. She stopped her cross-shoulder bag on the floor, then took a seat next to me and gave me a hug.

"Easy on her" Derek said "Panic attack"

Alex eyes filled with concern within a second "What happened?"

"It was nothing, don't worry about it." I told her "Where Jeremy?"

"With my dad, they're going to the car agency" she said "Dad is helping Jer pick out a car, it's about time he decided to look for one"

I chuckled "It is"

We spent most of the afternoon talking about my panic attack and my presentation. By nine, I was cuddled up in Derek's bed tired out of my mind. I almost forgot how panic attacks and Thursday make me so tired. An hour after scrolling through reading on my IPad, I was on the verge of falling asleep before the door creaked open. I lazily moved to look back at the door, the light in the background was too much for me to make-out Derek's face.

"Hey, you're here" I said as I get up "I thought you were staying at Mic's tonight"

He didn't say anything, he just moved to the couch. He dropped his bags on the floor, then sat down. I leaned back to the lamp and turned it on, then rubbed my eyes to adjusted to the new light setting. For a split second I thought that my brain and eyes were playing tricks on me when my eyes landed on a hazel hair colored boy in front of me instead the dark haired boy that I was expecting to see, but the more I steered at Cole, the more I realized that he's actually here and in the same room I was in.

"W.... What are you doing here?" I said unable to comprehend his presence.

"It's my house, at least I think it is last time I checked" he pointed out.

"But it's Derek's room last time I checked" I pointed out right back at him.

"So what... you're with Derek now?" he said.

I made a disgusted face at him "Wow" I said as I got up to sit on the edge of the bed "You're been back for 5 minutes and you're already jumping to conclusions"

I watched his eyes land on my bare thighs, making suddenly aware that I'm wearing too little of clothing articles to have this conversation.

"Oh, I'm sorry" he said sarcastically "Was I not supposed to think that you and my brother are dating because I found you half naked in his bed?"

I rolled my eyes "Don't be a d**k, Cole" I said as I reached out for my short then slipped them on "Your sister has her boyfriend over so I can't stay in her room, and I sure as hell don't want to stay in yours. It was either I sleep on the couch or here"

"Well since you took over Derek's bed, he took mine. So, guess where I'm sleeping" he said, he then sighed as he ran his hand though his hair "Listen, as much as I want to stay here and argue with you, I really don't feel like it. I had a really long flight and I just want to sleep"

I let out a breath then head to Derek's closet and takeout the extra blanket and pillow, then head to the door "Night" I said.

He looked at me confused "Wait, where are you going?" he asked.

"To sleep on the couch" I said.

"I don't mind if you stay here on the couch" he said.

I chuckled "With you in the room? No thanks, the couch sounds perfect to me right now"

When I got downstairs, his mum was sitting on the loveseat reading a book. She looked up to me that second she heard my footsteps, I gave her a smile as I dropped the blanket and pillow on the couch. She dropped the book on the side table next to her coffee, then tapped her thighs. I smiled and walked over to her, taking a seat at her feet and letting her play with my hair.

I brought my knees to my chest "Cole is home"

"I know, I drove him here from the airport" she said.

"Oh" is the only think I was able to reply.

A couple minutes of silence passed by before she spoke up "What ever happened between you two?" she asked "I remember you guys being like cookie and cream"

"Complications" I simply said with a sigh "We should have left what we had as a friendship instead on turning it into a relationship we both knew we couldn't have"

"Things like that happen all the time though. To stop loving someone isn't something easy" she said "When I was in high school, I went through a rough phase. So many messed up things were happening around me to the point I lost sight of who I am and what I wanted back then. That same year I allowed those things to come between me and my boyfriend at the time. The day I stopped loving him was the hardest day in my life, I mean I want to love him the way he loved me, but I just couldn't anymore.

"That boy didn't give up on me though. No matter how high I built those walls around me, he managed to find his way back into my heart and make me fall in love with him all over again. 20 years later, and we're still married and falling in love with each other all over again like we did when we kids" she smiled "My point is that you shouldn't give up on what you have"

"Cole and I aren't like that though" I pointed out "It's different"

"No, it's not" she said "When I look at Cole, I see the same traits I saw in his father when he was younger, the same determination. He might not agree, but he is just like his dad. And you my love, when I look at you, it's like I'm looking at my younger-self in a mirror. It's the same love story, just different settings"

She tied my hair then patted my shoulders "If you two play your cards right, history will repeat itself and you two will right back together" she said with a smile "I hope so"

Before I could say anything, she got up and smiled at me again "I need to get to bed now, I got an early day of baking tomorrow for my book club, and prepare food for you kids for the rest of the day"

I looked at her confused.

"I'll be at the book club early tomorrow till 9" she explained "You kids will be having the house to yourself tomorrow"

I nodded then flashed her a smile "Goodnight"

"Goodnight, sweetheart" she said then left.

I moved to the couch and started to remove the cushions and placed them on the floor, then placed the pillow and blanket on the couch. I jumped under the blanket and tried to burry myself in them, trying to force myself to sleep.

I kept tossing and turning on the couch, trying to find a comfortable position. I haven't slept on this couch ever since Cole moved back here last time, which explains why I wasn't used to this familiar couch that I have spent countless night on before everything changed. It made me realize how things have changed since then.

When I heard footsteps on the stairs, I pretended to be asleep. The sounds of footsteps moved closer and closer, till they stopped right at the couch.

"You've always been a bad actor" Cole said "I know you're pretending to be asleep"

I rolled over and gave him my back "What do you want? Still have energy to jump to conclusion?"

"Would you stop being so petty for a second and listen to other people instead of your own voice" he said annoyed.

I sat up annoyed "Honestly, Cole, f**k off"

He rolled his eyes and moved to the coffee table. He ran his hand through his hair with a sigh, he leaned forward with his weighted supported by his elbows on his thighs.

"Look, I'm sorry" he said "I didn't come here to fight"

"It sure doesn't seem like it" I snapped.

He did that things he always does when he argues with his dad, taking in a deep breath to hold his s**t together.

"Just come to bed" he said "I'll stay on my side and you stay on yours"

"Are you kidding me?" I said with a raised eyebrow.

"I spent multiple nights on this couch, and I know how uncomfortable this couch is, plus your back condition" he said "I can't possibly fall asleep knowing that you're sleeping on the couch"

Knowing that I couldn't keep arguing, I got up. A small smile crossed his face and led the way to Derek's room. I followed, him upstairs, down the corridor to Derek's room but then instead of following him into his room, I took a right to his room.

"Sophia, where are you going?" he whispered called.

I gave him an innocent look "You said that I shouldn't find sleep on the couch because of my back and that you won't leave me alone till I get on to an actual bed. I'm getting one, but just not with you"

I gave him one last smirk before I walked into Cole's room. I tipped toed around Mic's body on the floor to get to Derek on the bed; when I did, I poked his shoulder a couple of time. He slightly opened his eyes, then rubbed his face with a hum.

"Can I stay in here with you?" I whispered.

He lazily pulled the blanket back with a small smile "Come here" he said.

I slipped into the blanket next to him, snuggling a pillow with my back to him. I wrapped his arm around the pillow tightly, pulling it close to my chest. Derek's scent on the pillow was overwhelming, which what I needed to cover the smell of Cole's room that I once my heart melt. Now, now that smell only brings pain and bad memories.

"You okay?" he mumbled.

I nodded.

"You sure?" he asked again, voice so low and drifting to sleep "You can talk to me if you want, I can keep a secret"

I nuzzled my faced into the pillow, giving him a nonverbal answer to his questions.