DID I… DID WE?

SIMON’S POV

My head felt like someone had taken a hammer and was hitting my head continuously without stopping.

It kept on banging over and over again the longer I tried to keep my eyes closed.

What had I done that made me have such a horrible headache? No to be dramatic but my head was aching me so much that it even hurt to breathe.

I groaned and shifted slightly on the bed, trying to ignore the pounding in my skull.

That was when I realized two things.

First… I was half naked.

Second… someone was lying on my chest.

My eyes snapped open immediately.

For a moment everything was blurry, the room spinning slightly and my mouth had a bitter aftertaste of alcohol.

Then my vision cleared.

And my stomach dropped.

Bree.

She was sleeping peacefully on my chest, her hair spread across my shoulder, one arm draped over my stomach like she had every right to be there.

My eyes widened.

What the hell?

I looked down at myself again just to be sure.

I was just in boxers.

Then at her.

The blanket barely covered her body and from what I could see…

She was also half naked.

My brain stalled for a moment trying to recall.

“Did I…” I muttered under my breath.

The movement must have woken her because Bree stirred slightly before opening her eyes.

She blinked up at me slowly.

Then she smiled.

“Good morning.”

Her voice was soft.

I sat up slightly which made her slide down against the pillow.

My heart was suddenly beating faster than it should have.

I pointed between the both of us.

“Did I… did we?”

The words felt strange leaving my mouth.

Bree’s expression changed instantly.

Her smile faded.

Slowly… she nodded.

And then she began to cry.

My eyes widened again.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered between shaky breaths. “We were both drunk and—”

Her voice started breaking apart.

“I didn’t mean to— I swear I didn’t mean for it to happen—”

Her breathing suddenly became uneven.

Short.

She looked like she was having a panic attack

My chest tightened immediately.

“Hey, hey,” I said quickly, grabbing her shoulders gently.

“No you did nothing wrong.”

She shook her head violently.

“I should have stopped you— I should have—”

“You did nothing wrong,” I repeated firmly.

“I should have had more control.”

Her breathing was getting worse now, little gasps leaving her lips as tears kept falling down her cheeks.

I cursed under my breath.

Bree had always had a weak heart.

Everyone knew that.

It was one of the major reasons why everyone was always doting on her.

Even Anika used to be protective over her little sister once upon a time, until she let jealousy get the better of her.

“Relax,” I said quickly, brushing her hair away from her face.

“Take a breath Bree, you’re going to make yourself sick.”

She tried to steady herself but her chest was still rising and falling too fast.

“Breathe slowly,” I told her.

“Like this.”

I took a deep breath and exaggerated the motion so she could copy it.

It took a moment but eventually her breathing slowed down.

Her fingers were still clutching the sheets tightly though.

And while she calmed down, my own mind started filling with pieces of last night.

Broken flashes.

The taste of alcohol.

The sound of music in the living room.

Laughter.

A bottle of Hennessy sitting on the table.

Then another one.

Then another.

Bree sitting next to me.

Too close.

Her cheeks flushed.

Her voice softer than usual.

“You’re not happy,” she had said.

I remembered that part clearly.

I had laughed it off.

But the alcohol had already made my thoughts loose.

“Anika is just being ridiculous,” I had muttered.

“She’s talking a whole lot of nonsense, asking for a divorce.”

Bree’s eyes had widened.

“No way,” she whispered.

“She wouldn’t do that.”

I remembered pouring another drink.

“She’s just being dramatic,” I said. “She’ll get over it.”

Bree had stayed quiet for a long moment after that.

Then she said something else.

Something I didn’t quite remember.

But I remembered how close she had been sitting.

Her leaning into me, so close that I could literally taste her breath.

My hand on her waist.

The taste of alcohol on her lips.

My eyes widened as the realization finally settled in.

“Fuck!”

The word burst out of my mouth before I could stop it.

I ran a hand through my hair, the headache in my skull suddenly getting worse.

“Simon?” Bree asked softly.

I looked down at her.

Her eyes were still red from crying.

“Do you hate me?” she asked.

I shook my head “No Bree, none of this is your fault”

“Anika will hate me,” she wailed.

Her voice cracked again and she buried her face in her hands.

I sighed and pulled her into my arms.

“Relax,” I said.

My thoughts drifted back to Anika.

I want a divorce.

The words echoed in my head again. It was less of what she said and more of how she said it that bothered me, the conviction in her eyes like she actually meant it.

Then she had slapped me.

She was just acting all jealous and childish, probably wanting my attention.

I did nothing wrong, besides she was the one that told me to go back to Bree… we could have been together in bed by now but she made her choice.

She was childish and irrational, and now here we were.

I looked down at Bree again.

She was trembling slightly against me.

I tightened my arms around Bree reassuringly.

“You don’t need to cry,” I said calmly.

“But Anika—” Bree whispered.

“Anika will never leave me,” I said firmly “she’ll be mad for some time but I’ll get her a gift and all will be well again”.

Bree looked up at me uncertainly, biting her lip.

“You really think so?”

“I know so.”