Midnight Visitors..

~~Indiego~~

Sleep wasn’t happening.

I’d tried closing my eyes, turning over, burying myself under the covers—nothing worked. The second I did, Slade’s voice replayed in my head. His touch. His words. The way he had walked away when he thought I was uncomfortable.

How the hell was I supposed to tell Emily?

Something like; hey, Em, remember the guy who flirts with everything that breathes? Yeah, he might’ve had me against a wall tonight and even fingered me in a public space. Haha, would you believe how everything in my life had changed in the space of a few days?

Yeah, no.

I sighed, grabbing my phone instead. Maybe scrolling would help. Or maybe it wouldn't. Because soon I was staring at old photos—me and Braxton, back when things made sense. Back when one smile from him felt like the sun.

A small smile tugged at my lips before I could stop it. God, I was pathetic.

A knock snapped me out of it and I sighed. The wedding was over. Most guests who stayed over the night were already in the rooms given to them, so who was it?. “Go away!” I yelled, rolling to my side.

The door creaked anyway and someone stepped in.

Had to be Slade. No one else would come into my room this late.

I sat up in bed mumbling. “What do youㅡ” Then I looked up and there he was.

Braxton.

My stomach dropped and I felt several emotions rush through meㅡShock, anger. Everything coiled into one fiery ball burning in my chest.

Maybe some other time, I would be excited that he had come to see me but after ghosting me for days?

I pushed my hair back with a scowl on my face. “What are you doing here?”

He stepped inside, closing the door behind him like he owned the place. “I just wanted to check on you. You left early.”

“I’m fine,” I snapped, throwing the blanket aside and standing. “Go check on your bride.”

He flinched at the word, but only for a second. “Is that what this is? You’re mad, so you’re throwing yourself at Slade?”

“What?” My brows shot up.

His arms crossed over his chest. “Saw you both really cozy at the wedding. Then you both went missing”

My throat ran dry but I tried to keep my expression the same. “It’s not really your business” I forced the words out. “I think you should leave. It doesn't exactly look decent that you came here instead of being with your bride on your wedding night” I tried to change the topic.

He didn't look like he was suspecting much but I could only feel paranoid because there was no way to explain what had happened between Slade and I.

Braxton scratched the back of his neck, a conflicted expression crossing his face. “I don't want to impose on you, it's not my place. Look… I know we've not been on the right terms lately but we're still friends and I'm still trying to look out for you”

Something in my heart caught and i felt myself start to tear up from the emotions I had been holding back. “Yeah, yeah you're trying to look out for me but you've been desperate to look for ways to bring me down lately. Every single opportunity” I jabbed a finger at him, feeling a big fat tear roll down my cheeks.

For a moment, he didn't say anything. Right. Of course he had nothing to say. My emotions bubbled within me like a dam and I had to bite back my words because once I said them, there was no going back.

“I'm sorry, Indie… I didn't mean anything. I was just…worried, you know?” He sounded remorseful, his gaze soft in the dim light of the room. “I know you're mad at me but I wanted to at least make up with my best friend before Bianca and I leave tomorrow for the honeymoon”

A bitter laugh escaped me. “Maybe if you had fucking behaved like my best friend, none of this would have happened!” I didn't even know when I snapped but his eyes widened at my outburst.

“What the hell is that even supposed to mean?”

“Are you slow?” I hissed. “Thisㅡ This whole shit! Does any of it seem normal to you?! I wanted my best friend, a real one not a fake one claiming to be the Braxton I grew up with but you couldn't fucking be there!”

Silence stretched between us. Tension pressing down on the atmosphere.

He took a step forward, his simple polo shirt creased at the collar. “Listen to me” His voice was soft and I just stood there, shaking with silent sobs as he reached a hand out to wipe a tear from my cheek and for a moment, I was reminded by the feel of Slade's thumb on my cheek.

“I'm sorry…” He whispered, swallowing hard. “I'm truly sorry for everything I said. I…I miss my best friend”

I opened my mouth to make a snarky remark when the door pushed open and a dark figure filled the doorway.

“Indigoㅡ” The person froze, just as Braxton pulled away like he had been burned by the contact.

My eyes widened. Oh god, what was he doing here?

Slade stood in the doorway, his gaze fixed on Braxton who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. “What are you doing here?” There was no form of amusement in his voice. He sounded almost pissed off.

Braxton looked between my pale face and Slade's angry one. “What are you doing here?” He turned the question back on Slade.

“Wait, it's not what it looks like…” I quickly stepped forward, unsure why I was concerned about what Slade thought.

“Right. Do I look stupid to you, Indie?” Slade hissed, his gaze darkening. “Him? Again?”

No no. God no. Jesus fucking Christ.

Braxton scoffed. “News flash, I'm her fucking best friend and I'm not sure what you're doing here, Slade. You're supposed to be in your room” He took a step forward too and I was caught in the middle, trying to stop them from moving any closer.

Oh god, this wasn't how I wanted to end this long hectic day.

“Guys…” I hissed, glaring at both of them who were towering over me while glaring at each other. “You both need to go back to your room”

Thenㅡ

“Indie?” Teresa poked her head in the room suddenly then she froze. I'm not kidding, she froze at the sight. Both her sons were in my room. In the middle of the night.

My face blanched as I stared at her while Braxton and Slade also moved away, trying to clear the air.

“What's happening here?” Teresa didn't look happy as she stepped inside, wrapping her wooly coat around her slender frame.

My heart pounded in my chest. I needed to find an excuse as to why both her sons were in my room and I had to find it fast.