Chapter 264: Dilemma
Brad grabbed my left hand and planted a kiss on it, his eyes burning with passion. But in the end, he just kissed my hand, looking totally wiped out.
"You're beat, man. Go home and catch some Z's. You don't gotta stick around."
"It's not convenient."
Not convenient? I shot him a confused look.
He patted my cheek and didn't say much, just gave me this bittersweet smile.
Took me a minute to get it. Luna was out, Yancy had school stuff, and Mia was home alone. Yeah, not exactly convenient.
Mia's gonna have her own life eventually. If we want her and Yancy to get closer, we gotta give them some space.
Brad and I had been together for a while, but something always got in the way. We barely had any time for just us.
I couldn't help but think about the day Brad mentioned finding another place. Back then, I thought it was overkill. But now, for everyone's sake, it really made sense.
"When Mia's better, let's find another place. We'll leave this one for Mia. What do you think, Brad?"
"Sounds perfect to me." He yawned, rubbing his temples, and it broke my heart a little.
To let Brad get some rest, I told him to head back to the dorm. He refused and just stayed by my side.
No other choice, so I wrapped up work early, grabbed some takeout, and headed home.
Brad was seriously exhausted. He tried to stay awake and insisted on having lunch with me before crashing. But I practically shoved him onto the bed, and he was out cold in five minutes.
I lay next to Brad for a bit, but my mind kept drifting to my painting. I tried to sneak out to Crystal House, but he woke up and pulled me back, insisting I stay. After a bit of back-and-forth, I caved to his "I'll take care of you" threat and stayed.
Turns out, I was just as wiped. I promised to stay with him, but I knocked out pretty quick. When I woke up, it was already dark.
Brad was still asleep. I moved a bit, and his hand that was holding me finally let go. I got up quietly.
The living room was dark, no lights on. Only the kitchen had this warm yellow glow, giving off a cozy vibe.
Mia and Yancy were in the kitchen, working together like a well-oiled machine.
I snuck closer, planning to spook them, but I overheard their serious convo while they cooked.
I squatted down, eavesdropping until my legs went numb.
Mia said she wasn't ready to jump into a new relationship. She'd had a miscarriage and was three years older than Yancy. She thought they weren't a good match and told Yancy not to waste his time on her.
Yancy was straight-up sincere and laid out his feelings.
He said he could wait until she was ready. He brushed off her reasons about the miscarriage and age. He said those things only made him care more and wouldn't change how he felt. He didn't care about her past; he wanted her future.
Mia threw out more reasons to push him away, but Yancy ignored them all. He told her no matter what she said, he'd keep pursuing her until she agreed to be his girlfriend.
I squatted by the kitchen door for over ten minutes, my ankles feeling like they were getting stabbed by needles. Mia, with her strong sense of self-respect, didn't back down and kept trying to convince Yancy to look for someone better. She was basically saying she wasn't good enough for him.
I never thought Mia would feel so low because she'd been in a relationship and had a kid. Her strong rejection had to be because she was scared of rich families.
From what I knew, Benjamin, who came from money, had hurt her bad. Yancy's family was even more high-profile than the Davis Family. A girl like her didn't think she could fit into that world.
She just didn't see a future with Yancy. She had a rough time with Benjamin for five years, so what chance did she have with Yancy, who was younger and from an even fancier family?
Mia might seem gentle and soft, but she was tough as nails. Since breaking up with Benjamin, she'd locked her heart away.
She just didn't want to get hurt again, so she was scared to let anyone in.
Yancy ruffled her hair, smiling lovingly, and told her not to worry. Chasing her was his business; she just needed to enjoy it. As for the future, Yancy told her to wait and see. He wouldn't let her down.
This was the second time I heard a guy use the word "letdown." The first was Brad.
The kitchen convo wrapped up. To avoid interrupting Yancy and Mia's heart-to-heart, I gritted my teeth and endured the pain in my calves as I snuck away.
That night was a little reunion for Brad and me. Maybe he was just too tired, softer a shower, Brad kissed my forehead and held me as he fell asleep.
The temperature dropped in the middle of the night, and I woke up cold. I reached out for the blanket but found no one beside me.
I went out barefoot to look for Brad and saw light coming from the bathroom door.
I walked over and found Brad sitting on the toilet lid, eyes closed, with a half-burned cigarette between his fingers. The light was too dim to tell if he was lonely or annoyed.
I accidentally touched the doorknob, and the bathroom door creaked open. I stood there in my camisole nightgown, barefoot in the dim light.
Brad saw me and paused for a moment. He quickly hid his emotions, put out the cigarette, and in two steps, picked me up and carried me back to bed.
He held my feet with his big hands and asked, annoyed, "Why aren't you wearing shoes? Be careful not to catch a cold or you'll get a stomachache."
When it gets cold, I have severe pain during my period. Brad knew this and always made sure I stayed warm.
But my mind wasn't on my feet; it was on his heart.
"Is something bothering you?" I tugged at his sleeve and asked.
His hands paused for a moment, then continued warming up my feet. "No, I just wanted a smoke, so I hid to have one."
"Okay, Brad, you should smoke less. It's bad for your health."
"I know. Be good and sleep. You have class tomorrow morning."
"If you have any problems, tell me. No matter what, we're in this together."
"Okay, I know."
Brad lay down with me again, his hand caressing my cheek, and coaxed me to sleep.
I breathed in the faint smell of tobacco lingering on his fingers. Even after Brad fell asleep, I couldn't fall asleep.
Something must be bugging Brad.
What could it be?
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