Damaged Souls (Broken Man) - By Christopher Scott Page 0,8

alcohol.

For the last few months, she spent her days drinking in the house, not just on the weekends, but every day. No, there wasn’t any question in Greg’s mind anymore, his mother was a full blown alcoholic.

His thoughts were interrupted by the buzzing of his phone, and Greg was pleased to see one of those so called thought bubbles with Delaney’s name above it asking if he was still there. I’m glad she’s up, he thought to himself as he punched in a response.

Hey, what r u doing up

Couldn’t sleep and decided to check my phone, u ok

Yeah, I’m ok, couldn’t sleep either

What’s wrong?

Greg had to think for a second as to how to answer this question. Sure, Delaney knew a little about his Mother’s problems, but he had never burdened her with the full extent of her disease. She doesn’t need to know all that, Greg decided as he typed in a response.

Nothing’s wrong, just my mom was a little drunk when I got home.

Is she ok

Yeah, she is sleeping now, how was the rest of your night

Good, do u want to come over and talk

Wow. Greg had no idea how to answer that one. What does she mean? Of course I want to come over and talk, he thought of lying in bed with her and holding her in his arms as they shared their most intimate feelings. But that is not what she means, she’s just being a friend, he realized as he decided what to type.

I would love to, but it’s after midnight, we both need some sleep

r u sure

Yeah, I’m ok

Ok, but I’m here if u need me

Thanks, Delaney, c u tomorrow

Ok, c u then

Greg tossed his phone on the table and smiled as he thought of Delaney. She is something else, his mind again wandered as he thought of how it would feel to be with her. It would be nice he decided, not that he knew how it felt to be with any woman never mind Delaney.

Call it romantic, but Greg wanted the first time to be perfect, even if it was somewhat embarrassing to still be a virgin at eighteen. No, he didn’t want to wait for marriage like that famous quarterback, but he did want the moment to be special and he did want to have feelings for the first woman who granted him that kind of privilege. It has to Delaney, he decided as he deposited the empty bottle of beer in the trash can and closed his Trig book.

Maybe I should go see her, Greg second guessed his decision as he switched off the kitchen light and made his way to his bedroom. I can’t do that, it wouldn’t be respectful of Jack and Amanda, he decided as he stripped down to his boxers and climbed into bed. No, he would never violate their trust by sneaking into Delaney’s bedroom, not in a million years after all they had done for him, no matter how she always made him feel whenever he was with her.

It’s not like anything would happen anyway.

* * *

Delaney placed her phone back on the night table and again worried about Greg. I wonder what he thought I meant when I invited him over, she asked herself as she remembered the delay in his response. I wonder what I meant as well, Delaney rolled over onto her back and tried to figure it out.

I’ve been thinking about this ever since I moved here, Delaney wondered if living with Jack and Amanda could have anything to do with her recent feelings for him. Those two are sickening, Delaney smiled as she thought about the way they practically chased each other around the house, the way their bodies seemed to find each others’ whenever they were in the same room. God, I can’t even imagine the things they do to each other when they are finally alone.

And, they are best friends, just like me and Greg. Could it just be natural what I am feeling for him? Could we have that same chemistry like Amanda and Jack? Could he possibly feel the same way about me as I do about him?

I do want him to come over, Delaney realized as she fantasized about him climbing through her window and spending the night, just the two of them alone in her bed. I wonder what it would feel like, she closed her eyes and tried to visualize the moment with which she had no experience to speak of.