Youβve been Brendon parks fellow for nine months, careful and cautiously nestled behind him. Quiet in a sea of nurses and patients.
You blend in; itβs what you do best, speak when spoken to. Exactly how Brendon broke it down on the first day you showed up at his office. Glasses and pen, face still bright with excitement.
He only sees you in a professional light, at least thatβs what he tells himself. He ignored the twice youβve shown up hungover, because you show up. You remain as youβve always been. Itβs rare he hears about your partying. The extremely occasional outing with your roommates and their boyfriends. Heβs overheard tonight will be one of those rare nights; celebrating someoneβs birthday.
You on the other hand are less excited to go drink, a group of ten people is a cheap uber but a hassle. Your head is pounding as you try and drunkenly navigate uber. But no one would take five girls to five different locations.
You know someone who would, the neighbor Brandon who lives across the hall with his wife and daughter.
Youβre leaning against David when you messily slur into Siri, βcall Brandonβ
βCalling Brendon!β
Youβre too drunk to notice the mistake, or the bone emoji that appears on your phone as you dial.
Brendonβs always been a light sleeper, but your phone number has been coded through to break any do not disturb that might happen on accident, he picks up. For some reason he does, βhi Brandon, I home- I hope.. Iβm not waking anyone.. weβreβ you hiccup, βreally- drunk and need. A couple rides home- can.. you or Sarah. Comeβ you sound out of breath now, βIβm at. Um. Judith where are we? Oh um the tipsy bisonβ
You hang up the phone.
Brendon knows itβs a message meant for someone else, youβd said Brandon. But Brandon isnβt getting this message; he is. So he gets up; pulling on a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie before getting into his car.
When you see your boss; pulled up to your location and signaling for you to gather your friends to get in you feel. Sober. And laughable, βdr park? What are you doing here?β You manage as he rolls his windows down
βIβm picking you up. You called me. Get inβ he orders, your friends head towards his car. And you donβt have a logical reason to not. So you climb in the passenger side, only fumbling with the seatbelt for a moment before it clicks into place.
You donβt remember much from after getting in his car, just how warm it felt, and how it smelled like him. How your eyes drooped at the rumble of the engine.
When you wake- youβre not in a bed you know. But itβs warm. And big enough for you to sprawl out and roll onto your side to sleep more. When rise, the pounding in your head aside you notice the lack of clothes, and the attending sitting at a chair by your bedside. Youβre dressed. In a shirt you werenβt wearing last night, and in boxers you have a horrific idea of whose they belong to, βdr park?β You murmur, speaking louder at the lack of movement from him until his eyes shoot open and dilate in on you.
He says your name softly, βgood morningβ he greets, βdo you want some Advil?β
You groan, rolling back down onto the bed and covering your face with his duvet, βwhere are my clothesβ
βIn the washβ
βDid we?β
βDid we what?β
βHave..β you bite back a giggle, βhave.. sex?β
Brendon scoffs, βwell. You made yourself at home, we didnβt have sexβ
You peek out from the covers, βhow am I in your clothes then?β
βYou went through my closet as you were stripping out of your bar clothesβ
Your eyes widen in horror, βhow much.. did.. you see?β
Brendon lies to you, smooth and stone faced, βnothing. Youβd shut the door on meβ
But truthfully, youβd stumbled through his hallway, ripping your clothes off as you went. And when he finally got you to stop- youβd turned to him naked. Eyes glassy as you then turned away to his closet, βIβm so embarrassed right nowβ you admit, βIβm so sorry- my neighborβ the wheels turn in your head, βhis name is Brandon, heβs always willing to give us a ride back from the bar- where are my friends?β
βSober enough to tell me where they livedβ He admits, βyou. Fell asleep on the ride home and then wouldnβt talk when I could get you awake. Kept saying I already knewβ
You nod, βokay.. I- I should be going now probablyβ you murmur, slowly peeling the covers back as you stumble out of his king sized bed, leaning against him for balance as he stands while you do.
βStay for breakfast at least? Shouldnβt make the trek across town on an empty stomachβ He offers; a rare moment of kindness. Of humanity you knew somewhere was inside of him.
You run your hands through your hair; nodding softly, βokay. But- Iβm not sure if I believe whatever magical hangover cure you have that isnβt pain killersβ
