Pull

Chapter Fifteen
Alyssa
The next day at work the shop was deserted, but Sundays
were always like that. Once everyone got out of church it would be
bustling with activity again. For now, it was dead, and I was
irritated. The silence left me way too much time to think about
group and Demetri.
I hated how easily I let my walls fall down when I was
around him. Something about him made me want to be vulnerable,
and it was terrifying. I picked up some of the taffy samples and
popped a few in my mouth.
It made me smile.
“What are you grinning about?” My dad came around the
corner with a few bags of mixed taffy in hand.
I shrugged. “Nothing, just happy.”
He dropped the taffy onto the counter, his eyes narrowing in
inspection. “Are you on drugs?”
I burst out laughing. “Really Dad? Have I been that
depressing to live with these past few years?”
His eyes dropped to the counter. “I’ve been worried.”
Sighing, I walked over to him and put my hand across his. I
hated this part. Where I was supposed to tell him that everything
was fine, and I was just going through a phase. I had repeated this
conversation so many times aloud over the past few years that it
was second nature.
But today was different.
I swallowed and fought the warm tears as I answered. “It’s
been really hard.”
“I know, baby.” He immediately pulled me into his arms
and kissed my hair. “I’m so sorry. I wish I could take the pain
away, make it better.”
I sighed into his shirt. “It’s not your fault.”
“It’s not yours either.”
He didn’t know it. But it was my fault. If I hadn’t been
distracting Brady, he would have never pulled over, and if he
wouldn’t have pulled over he would still be alive. He’d be playing
football at Boise State. I shrugged in an effort to brush him off. I
couldn’t talk about it, not with him.
“Shift’s almost over. Is it okay if I leave early and go to the
beach?” I patted my dad’s back and walked around him.
“Of course. Have fun, keep your cell on, okay?”
“Always.” I smiled, grabbed my purse, and quickly left the
store. Cool air met me, and I was finally able to breathe without
feeling like I was suffocating. I reached into my purse for one of my
anti-anxiety meds.
I hated having to rely on pills to get me through the day.
I played with the pill bottle and decided against taking one.
Instead, I walked the boardwalk and listened to the waves. People
walked by me, some waved, others were holding hands.
Seriously. Seaside had to be the worst place in the world to
live if you were trying to nurse a broken heart. Something about
being on a beach was a little too romantic for me to take in.
My cell phone buzzed.
COME OVR.
It was from Demetri.
After our non-date the night before, I hadn’t heard from
him. I couldn’t help the broad smile that spread across my face.
ON MY WAY.
GR8.
I shoved my phone into my pocket and walked toward his
house. It was only a mile away from city center. You could easily
walk there from the boardwalk.
Once his house came into view, I picked up the pace. I was
totally out of breath by the time I reached his door. I knocked twice
and waited.
The door flung open.
It wasn’t Demetri.
“Hey,” the guy said. My eyes bugged. Holy crap! He had
super dark hair and crystal blue eyes. He was just as big as
Demetri, and his smile was absolutely killer. I felt myself blush, so I
looked away.
“I, uh, I’m here to see Demetri.”
“Interesting,” hot guy said, crossing his arms. I assumed it
was Demetri’s brother but couldn’t be sure. I’d never seen him up
close.
“How so?” I countered.
The guy threw his head back and laughed. “You look
nothing like I thought you would.”
“Um…” I tried to think of something to say, but my mind
was completely blank. Was he making fun of me?
He laughed again.
This time I was pissed. “Look…” I braced my hand against
the screen door and glared. “I don’t know who the hell you are, but
I’m here to see my friend. Now wipe that ridiculous grin off of your
face and let me in. Otherwise, I’m going to tell Bob you hit on me.”
His grin widened. He pushed the door open revealing
Demetri. “She passed bro with flying colors.” He nodded his head
in my direction and held out his hand. “Alec Daniels.”
“Your brother’s an ass.” This I directed toward Demetri,
who looked like he was about ready to kiss me senseless and peel
my shirt from my body. What did I do? How did I pass?
“I couldn’t agree more,” Demetri said, his eyes twinkling
with amusement. “Come on in, I want you to meet someone else.”
I inched past Alec, who was at that very moment trying his
hardest to keep me from actually entering the house, and grabbed
Demetri’s outstretched hand.
“Nat!” he yelled.
I winced when he yelled for a second time.
“Hey!” Mrs. Murray’s daughter was suddenly in front of
me. Honestly, it was like watching one of those teenage soap
operas. Every player in the room was drop-dead gorgeous. I
suddenly had the urge to burn all my clothes and get a makeover.
Her long golden blond hair was streaked with honey highlights.
Her brown eyes had little makeup surrounding them, and her smile
was freakishly bright.
“Hi,” I mumbled, stepping closer to Demetri for protection.
The only experience I had with friends that were girls came from
when I was on the cheerleading squad. And every single one of
them abandoned me when Brady was out of the picture, and I was
kicked off the squad for missing so many practices. It wasn’t long
after that, that I quit school and finished my last year and a half
through online courses.
She tilted her head. “Alec’s right, you know. You’re way
prettier than I could even imagine. And you’re super short!”
“Thank you?” I offered looking between her and Demetri.
Alec walked around me and pulled Nat into a hug, kissing
the top of her head. “So…” he began. “You the chick my brother’s
been writing songs about?”
“What?” My voice shrieked. I looked at Demetri. A guilty
smile plastered across his face, and then I looked back at Alec who
seemed pleased to throw his brother under the bus. “Okay,
Edward-wannabe, explain.”
Alec laughed. “Demetri, I think your girlfriend just insulted
me.”
“I’m not his —”
“She’s good at making men feel small.” Demetri laughed.
Nat clapped her hands. “Then she’s perfect for you.”
Okay. They were all high. Or something! They even finished
each other’s sentences. What the heck kind of house did I just walk
into? Didn’t help that I felt like I had just stepped into Twilight. I
mean, who actually looks this perfect up close? Alec was beautiful.
Nat was I want to scratch your eyes out, but you’re too nice gorgeous,
and then there was Demetri. Perfect Demetri.
He cleared his throat.
Nat punched Alec. “We, uh, we were just leaving. We only
flew in for the day to grab the rest of my stuff for school, and I sorta
begged Demetri to meet you.”
“Oh.” I didn’t know what to do with that. “Well, we can,
um, hang out if you guys want to.” I looked at the three of them.
Shock registered on Demetri’s face. He opened his mouth to speak,
but Nat began pumping her fist in the air.
“No.” Demetri crossed his arms. “I will not subject her to
you guys. Not now, possibly not ever.”
“Why?” everyone asked in unison, totally cornering
Demetri.
“You ashamed of me?” I teased.
Alec snickered. “More like he’s afraid we’ll tell you all his
secrets, and you’ll realize how lame he is and drop his sorry ass.”
“Thanks, man.” Demetri glared. “But I kind of thought
Alyssa and I could…”
“Make out?” This from Nat.
“No.” Demetri groaned. “Go on a real date. We haven’t
actually done any of that yet, and I’m still trying to convince her
that I’m worthy of at least a dinner and a movie.”
“He’s worth it,” Alec confirmed.
“Yes, because she’s going to blindly take your word for it. A
man who, not five minutes ago, she called an ass. Awesome.”
Demetri cursed and ran his fingers through his hair. “Sorry, Lyss.
Really, don’t let them pressure you. They don’t have to stay. In fact,
they can leave. Don’t you guys have a plane to catch in like six
hours?”
“Seven,” Nat answered.
I touched Demetri’s arm. He was shaking. Odd. He seemed
totally in control and at ease. Subconsciously, I wondered if he was
angry, but he seemed more alert than anything.
“Here.” I gave him three pieces of taffy and smiled.
His face relaxed. “How’d you know?”
“Maybe my thing is being on taffy patrol?” Oh my gosh, that
sounded so lame. I wanted to run out of the house right then, but
everyone was grinning at me like I’d just cured world hunger by
giving Demetri taffy.
“She cares,” Alec said.
“I like her,” Nat added.
Demetri rolled his eyes and popped a piece of taffy into his
mouth. “What the heck kind of flavor is this, it tastes like…”
I shifted nervously. It was a new flavor. One I had my
parents make especially for him. I hadn’t meant for it to be a big
deal, or for him to discover it in front of his brother and Nat, but oh
well. No going back now. Plus, I’d already embarrassed myself
thirty times over.
“It’s, um, Jack Daniels taffy.”
The room fell silent.
Oh crap. What did I do?
Without any sort of warning Demetri pulled me into his
arms and kissed me firmly across the mouth. He tasted like sugar
and whiskey. Like heat and passion. I sucked on his tongue. I
couldn’t really help it.
He pulled back and kissed my cheek. “That was really sweet
of you. Alec used to buy me the alcohol flavored ones to help me
get over the addiction.”
“Oh.” I felt myself blush. “It was nothing. I just thought…” I
shrugged lamely.
“You thought,” Nat said. “About him. I say you’re a keeper.
Now can we please put you guys in some freaky disguises, so we
can go to dinner and a movie?”
“Wait, I never said yes,” Demetri argued.
“You didn’t really say no either,” I pointed out and then
snapped my mouth shut as Nat burst out laughing.
“Girl’s got a point.” She looped her arm with mine and tilted
her head toward Alec. “Go get the costumes.”
“Costumes?” I repeated while Demetri stomped up the stairs
and cursed, with Alec leading the way.
Nat released my arm and looked at me. “It’s kind of a long
story, but usually when the guys go out during the day, there’s so
many people around here that they don’t really get bothered that
much. But for some reason, whenever they go to restaurants they
get hounded. It’s kinda freaky if you aren’t used to it. So I came up
with a brilliant plan.”
I really liked Nat. Her enthusiasm was contagious. Honestly,
I wish she was the type of girl I could easily hate. Then I could
forget the fact that she and Demetri briefly dated. But she was
awesome. And I hadn’t had a friend in a long time, which meant
her warmth was like food to someone starved.
She clasped her hands together. “I make both boys wear
hats, backwards, so they still look like they are in high school. They
throw on some old football sweatshirts from Seaside High and take
off the skinny jeans.”
I laughed. “Yeah, the skinny jeans are a huge indicator.
Sorry to say.”
Nat rolled her eyes. “Right? I mean what guy in Seaside
actually pulls them off that well? It’s basically like wearing a poster
that says ‘Rock star Coming Through’.”
I burst out laughing and nodded my head. “Doesn’t help
that Demetri’s gorgeous.” Whoops. I felt myself blush as Nat
smiled warmly at me.
“He is, and he seems to really like you.”
I shrugged.
“Look, I love this whole humility thing you’ve got going on,
but seriously, you’re beautiful, and I don’t know, maybe it sounds
weird, but I see this inner strength about you.” She looked away.
“Great, now I’m sounding like my mom.”
I swallowed and bit my lower lip. “Don’t worry. You’re a far
cry from sounding like Mrs. Murray.” I wasn’t ready to tell Nat that
I saw her mom on a regular basis. “Besides, I’m not really that
strong.”
Nat got really quiet. I looked up to see what she was doing,
but she was staring at me, as if I was some sort of alien or
something. She shook her head back and forth and looked toward
the stairway, then back at me. “Any girl who can handle five
minutes with Demetri is strong, Alyssa. Believe me, you hold your
own, not many girls could.”
“Did you?” Whoa, seriously someone shut me up. Put
masking tape over my mouth and send me out the door.
Nat laughed. “No. Honestly, I was terrible with Demetri. It
was like mixing water with oil. Believe me, any girl wants it to
work when a hot guy comes after her, but with Demetri it was
never easy. I love him, don’t get me wrong. I hope that doesn’t
make you uncomfortable, but he’s like a brother to me.”
“Pretty sure my feelings don’t cross into familial territory.” I
smiled as I heard Alec yell at Demetri and Demetri curse back at
Alec. “I, um, I really like him.”
Nat didn’t have a chance to answer as both guys came
bounding down the stairs looking like high school football players.
My heart clenched.
There was no way Demetri could know. I mean, how could
he? But the vision in front of me was too familiar. It transported me
back to a time I wanted to forget yet hold onto. I was so torn with
my memories of Brady.
Demetri was hot. I mean, ridiculously hot in that sweatshirt.
It said Seaside High Football, and it fit him tighter than most
sweatshirts should fit a person, making his muscles bulge beneath
the shirt. His hat was backward, but his long curly blond hair
strained beneath it, as if it didn’t want to be hidden, much like
Demetri. Always in the spotlight, always joking around. The man
was like sunshine. Which kind of sucked, when you wanted
nothing more than to live your life in a dark hole of guilt and
sadness.
“You okay?” He walked up to me and pulled me in for a
quick hug.
A muffled yes escaped my lips as he held my head against
his chest. The steady beat of his heart helped me get my breathing
under control, and then he kissed the top of my head. “I like you,
you know.”
Again, he had no idea that Brady was identical in the way he
conveyed his emotions. I wasn’t able to respond. I knew my eyes
were getting watery, because I could feel it. But I didn’t want to cry,
not in front of everyone. This was supposed to be fun. I mean, I was
hanging out with AD2 for crying out loud!
Most girls my age would murder me on the spot for even
thinking about tears at this moment.
I took a soothing breath and grabbed Demetri’s hand. “So,
where are we going to eat?”
Demetri looked to Alec and back. “Somewhere… special.”
“Why do I get the feeling there’s trickery involved?” I asked
as we walked out of the house.
“Always is,” Nat mumbled behind me. “Get used to it.”