J A R E D  W I N S T I N  P. O. V.

I checked my phone to see the time. 3:03AM. I couldn't sleep, and the hard floor hurt my back. But I offered Valerie my bed. After the game, she seemed tired and restless. She asked me to take her home, but I had a beer and I didn't want to risk it. But honestly, I just didn't want to take her home; mostly because, I didn't want my night with her to end. But I couldn't let her sleep on the floor, and I didn't want to impose by squishing into a twin size bed with her.

The rain gently fell outside, which would normally put me to sleep. I loved the rain, and I loved thunder. For some reason, thunder calmed me. When it thundered, everything around me  felt chaotic; but something within me felt at peace. 

I couldn't stop thinking about her. The beautiful woman just across the room from me. I saw her light reflection: her eyes shut, her body slumped to her left side, her mouth open -- and she was probably drooling on my pillow, but I didn't even care. Something about her made me laugh, internally. She just made me feel; something I haven't done in a long time. 

I could feel the rain getting louder as the drops made heavier splashes on the house. The wind was also prominent, making the trees outside whistle. A storm was coming.

I tried to focus on the calmness of the rain. But I couldn' get Valerie out of my head. She was so spontaneous today. I was completely joking about flashing me; well, sort of. I wanted her to, but I didn't think she would. Fuck, she was so hot. Her olive complexion shined as she took her shirt off. I wanted to traiI my lips down her body, kissing every inch of her. I wanted to take her. To have her. 

If she haven't asked me a question, I would have been seconds away from grabbing her face and kissing her. I felt every bone of my body fill with desire for this woman. This woman I barely even know, but feel such a heavy attraction for. 

And normally, I would had gone for it. When I want something, I take it. 

But I'm trying to change. She's not mine to have. No one is. There's not much I remember about my father as a child, but I remember the pain he caused my mother because of his possessive manner. I can't have that same possessive and intolerable attitude that my father had; I'm better than that. 

It doesn't help though that I can't stop thinking about her. I turned again to stare at her. She was still sleeping on her left side, but now she let out a deep breath. I stood up and went towards her to gaze at her face. Her eyes were puffy and her cheeks were squished into the pillow; I lightly touched the side of her cheek with my hand. Her body flinched at my touch, but she continued to sleep. I went back across the room and attempted to sleep.

****

I'm startled by a screech. My eyes opened to see the dark room, and my heart pounded loudly. I hastily took my phone to check the time: 5:20AM. I looked around to see what was going on. 

"Valerie?" I whispered. Waiting to hear from her, I am instead greeted with the sound of loud thunder. The room light up from the thunder, and I quickly saw Valerie sitting up in the bed with a terrified expression. I ran up to the light switch, turned it on, and look around to see what's happening.

"Valerie, what's wrong?" I muttered, walking up to her, sitting on the bed, and placing my hand on her shoulder.

She struggled to breath, attempting to take a deep breath but instead she was taking rapid, short breaths. It seemed as though she was trying to tell me what was wrong, but she struggled to open her eyes or even talk.

"Valerie, please. What's wrong?" I asked her again. Another light of thunder goes off; three seconds later, a loud crash is heard. The thunder is close because I could feel the ground shaking. Valerie screamed louder this time and covered her eyes, pulling her knees to her chest. Is she scared of the thunder?

"Valerie, look at me. Look at me." I said, pulling her hands away from her eyes. She opened her eyes to look at me.

"Hey, shush. It's okay. Focus on me, okay? Look into my eyes." I said, while gesturing to my chest.

"Take a deep breath. In and out." I held onto my chest as I demonstrated how she should breath. She was struggling, but her gaze softened, letting me know she was beginning to calm down. 

"Good. It's okay, Valerie. I'm right here. It's just a bit of thunder." I've never seen anyone scared, let alone terrified, of thunder. 

Valerie was beginning to regain her breath, but then another thunder bolt came crashing down. Her body shook as it became startled. I lightly grabbed a hold on her shoulders, as I saw her tense up. 

"Valerie. Valerie. Look at me. Nothing is going to happen to you. Everything is okay. I will not let anything happen to you." This was obviously a lie. I couldn't control the weather, but I would do everything I could to save her. She lightly nodded her head, and I could see that she looked nauseous. 

"I'll stay with you, okay?" I gestured as I laid down on the bed, my head against the crappy metal of the bed frame. 

"Lay down on your stomach and take deep breaths." I said. She laid down next to me on her stomach, and I rubbed her back to sooth her. I could feel her rapid heart beat through her back.

Ten minutes later, the thunder and rain calmed down. Her breath was back to normal, but her heart beat was still quick; I felt the heart beat, because I refused to stop soothing her back.

"Thank you," she said heavily, her voice raspy. She turned her head to look at me. "Every since I was little, I've been terrified of thunder. And I think because of the cliff here, I'm a little more on edge than normally."

"Don't worry about it. My little sister used to have the same problem." I answered, still rubbing her back. I know I could stop, but I didn't want to. Soothing her was soothing me. 

Valerie prompted herself up on her elbows. "Can you just stay here, with me. For the night." She asked.

Excitement filled me. "Yeah, of course." It beats sleeping on the floor. 

****

"Jared. Jared. Jared. Jared. Hey, Jared." I felt a small push on my arm. I opened my eyes to find Valerie's waist wrapped around my arm. I had fallen asleep on the edge of the bed, but somehow I ended up on Valerie's side, hugging her waist. 

"Can you move? I have to use the bathroom," she pleaded.

I moved my arm away from her, and she moved off the bed to the bathroom. I check my phone to see the time. 12:00PM. 

"Do you have any water," she asked with a hoarse voice. 

"No." I forgot to refill the fridge with water.

"Can you take me home?" Her face was puffy, both indicating that she had been drinking and severely crying. Shit, Cleo's going to kill me when she sees Valerie in this state. 

"Of course."

Once we arrived at her house, I could see that Cleo was waiting at the window. It's clear to tell that she's pissed off.

We entered the house together, and I could see the hatred in Cleo's eyes. Cleo ran up to hug Valerie ,and she hugged her tightly. It's like Valerie had gone to war, and this is the first time Cleo's seen her in years. Cleo's so dramatic.

"Hi, you're suffocating me," Valerie stated at Cleo's sudden need to hug her. 

"I'm going to go shower," Valerie said. Before she went to the bathroom, she turned around at looked at me sincerely. "Thanks."

 I nodded back to her with a smile. Cleo turned her attention away from Valerie and towards me. 

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Cleo asked as she pushed my shoulder, hard. 

"Ow! Why'd you fucking hit me?" 

"You were suppose to hang out with her here! I didn't ask you to take her anywhere. Oh my god. Did you have sex with her?! Are you freaking kidding me?! I gave you one, one little tiny freaking, responsibility, and you freaking sleep with my best friend. And I was just beginning to trust you again. Do you have to sleep with all my best friends? I literally have known this woman for one year. Stop ruining friendships for me!"

Her words hit me like a blade. Sure, I've had a few...let's call them, indiscretions...and unfortunately, some of them were with Cleo's friends. But I never meant to hurt her or ruin her friendships. It just happened. But it's different now. I'm trying to change, but her throwing this in my face hurts.

"God! I didn't sleep with her! We just hung out and talked." I rolled my eyes at her.

"Like I'm suppose to believe that. You could've done that here!" She yelled.

"No, we couldn't have. She was too distraught. Did you even see her before? She didn't even shower! She needed a reason to get out, and I gave her one." I felt savvy in the way I defended my chose. I'm proud of my decision, to be honest.

"She's broken, Jared. Broken." She emphasized. "You can't just creep up on innocent, vulnerable woman."

What the fuck? Cleo's words punched me in the gut. I'm not some kind of sleaze, and Valerie isn't broken. She's just hurt. There's a difference. She just needed to get that douche out her system. 

I felt heat rush into my face. Filled with rage, I said: "Oh my God. You make me sound like some kind of pervert. I. DID. NOT. SLEEP. WITH.HER! Either you trust me or you don't. I don't need you making me doubt who I am." 

Cleo's eyes soften as she took a deep breath. 

Moments passed by before she answered: "I'm sorry. Yes, of course I trust you. I'm just worried about her."

"I'm sorry I hurt you before, Cleo. But I'm trying to change, and I hope that you can realize that I'm not the same person I used to be." 

Cleo nodded her head and moved in to give me a hug.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you too, sis."