“We didn’t get a lot of sleep at our sleepovers after that.” Brooke felt her cheeks heat up.“I don’t mean that we jumped straight into… fornicating, but just that our sleepovers became a lot less about sleeping and a lot more about exploring.” Brooke inhaled shakily.“It was less than a month after that kiss that my mom walked into my room one night when Holly had stayed over and caught us very underdressed and very much on top of one another. She called Holly’s mom and the next day I was shipped off to boarding school and I’ve just never slept well in a bed with anyone else ever again.”
Brooke almost jumped when Anna’s fingers brushed through her hair. Anna moved slowly and steadily, combing through tangles and damp waves. Surprisingly, Brooke relaxed into the gentle touch after Anna’s third pass.
“What happened to Holly?” Anna asked, her voice softer than her touch.
“We both ended up at Oxford, actually.”
Anna sat up behind her.“What?”
Brooke just nodded and squeezed her eyes shut even tighter.
“What happened?” Anna asked.
“She was my first girlfriend. We dated for two years. Though, I think because of the trauma, neither of us were that comfortable with actual spend the night type of sleepovers. I think we were both scared that our parents might show up at any moment. I knew that she hadn’t told hers that I was even at Oxford and obviously, I still wasn’t communicating with mine.” Brooke sighed.“And in the end, she ripped my heart out. I asked if she wanted to move in with me and she told me that it could never be real, that what we were doing, it couldn’t last.”
“Oh, Brooke.” Anna pulled Brooke backwards into a tight hug.“I’m sorry that happened, Honey.”
Brooke just let herself be wrapped in the warmth that Anna seemed to radiate throughout her body. They stayed like that for a long time before Anna started running her fingers through Brooke's hair.
“Is this okay?” Anna whispered. Brooke was still pulled so tightly back into Anna that she could feel Anna’s breath on her cheek.
Brooke nodded. She didn’t let herself say it, or even ruminate over it, but in Anna’s arms like this, Brooke felt safe. For the first time in a long time, Brooke felt home.
It had been a long time since Brooke had slept that soundly. Part of her wanted to chalk it up to being fully emotionally and physically drained from their trip, but she knew there was more to it than that. She knew that part of it—most of it—had to do with the fact that Brooke had confessed the pain of her heartbreak and Anna had done nothing but comfort her.
It was a soft knock on their bedroom door that had pulled her from sleep.
“You can come in,” Anna said, just loud enough for the other person to hear on the other side of the door.
Brooke heard the sound of the door’s hinges, squeaking ever so slightly.
“Did you get some rest?” It was Nate’s voice who asked the question.
Brooke felt Anna’s response in the form of a nod. They hadn’t moved at all since Brooke had fallen asleep. She was still curled tightly up in Anna’s arms. She wondered if Anna had fallen asleep, too.
“Good, I’m glad.” Nate’s voice was still soft. The steady rumble of his deep voice was surprisingly soothing and somehow already achingly familiar.“Do you want to wake that one up? I promised her three hours and gave her three and half.”
Anna chuckled. Brooke could feel the vibrations of Anna’s chest against her back.“Yeah, I’ll coax her up.”
“You think she’ll be up for going to get some food? Or should we order in?”
“I’m not too sure, honestly. But I’ll get an answer out of her.” There was a pause in which Brooke felt certain that Anna had filled with a smile.“I can be very persuasive.”
Nate let out a laugh.“Brilliant. No rush. Just wanted to let you know it’s been three hours.”
“Thanks, Nate,” Anna said, the words chasing after Nate as he shut the door.
Brooke felt Anna’s fingers sweep back through her now dry hair.“Hey, Honey,” Anna said, her voice soft and close in Brooke's ear.
Brooke wiggled a little in response.
“Did you hear your brother?”
Brooke nodded, but she didn’t open her eyes.
“Did you sleep okay?” Anna asked, her fingers lightly scratching Brooke's scalp.
Brooke nodded again and hummed softly as Anna’s fingers moved through her hair.
