Fan Fiction ❯ Falling For You ❯ Cutting Lose ( Chapter 10 )

Falling For You

Chapter 10

Cutting Lose

 

 

 

“Denny's? You're taking me to Denny's on my first night of `cutting lose?' Wow, you are a rebel…” Breanna laughed with a look of vague disbelief etched into the lines of her face.

 

Devon just scowled at her and pulled the car into an empty parking space. “Shush, you. I'm hungry, and Denny's is the closest all night diner in the area. Plus, they make awesome bacon and cheese omelets.”

 

Breanna just continued to snicker as she dug around in her purse for her compact. Finding it, she quickly popped it open and stared in acute horror at the damage the rain had done to her appearance. Her hair, still caught back in a pony tail, was plastered to her head and looked like she had slicked it back with black shoe polish or something along those lines.

 

She could only thank her lucky stars that she had decided to go with the bare minimum of cosmetics that evening, because she knew from experience just what a bitch runny mascara could be. Glancing quickly down at her clothing, Breanna let out a small growl of frustration as she noticed how the wet fabric clung to her damp skin in a flattering, but probably not appropriate way. There was no way she could go into a public place full of people looking akin to a drowned rat. If her mother knew she was even considering it, Breanna was sure she would have a massive stroke.

 

“Devon, I can't go inside that restaurant,” Breanna whispered as her companion finished wringing out his sopping t-shirt and turned to her with a look of confusion in his eyes.

 

“What? Why? You don't have to get an omelet if you don't want to. Their other food is pretty good, too. You should try-“

 

“No,” Breanna chuckled despite her discomfort, “It has nothing to do with the food.”

 

Devon frowned. “Then why?”

 

“Are you kidding? Look at me! I can't let people see me like this!” Breanna paused for a moment when another equally terrifying thought crossed her mind. “Oh god… Do I smell?!” Completely missing Devon's incredulous expression, Breanna began frantically sniffing herself and was startled when he grabbed her by her shoulders and forced her to face him.

 

“Stop. You look fine.”

 

Breanna just stared at him for a moment with a look of complete incredulity on her face and again tried to reach for her purse only to be stopped once more by a pair of warm, soft, insistent lips. Completely forgetting about her wet, stringy hair and lack of makeup, Breanna gave herself up to the inevitable, earth shattering, skin tingling, toe curling effect of his kiss.

 

Pulling back slightly, Devon smoothed the pad of his thumb over her bottom lip and murmured, “Why does it matter what you look like for a bunch of complete strangers? Why do you care what they think?”

 

Still recovering a little from their brief, but passionate lip lock, Breanna took a moment to respond. “Because I don't want anyone to see,” she mumbled, averting her eyes from his piercing gaze.

 

“See what?”

 

Returning her almost frightened violet eyes back to his, she whispered, “Me.”

 

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

 

Shrugging his hands from her shoulders, Breanna sighed and turned her face away to look out the window at the still steadily falling rain. “You don't know what it's like to always have all eyes on you. It seems like everyone is forever watching me, scrutinizing every move I make, waiting for me to trip up and fall. The pressure to be perfect, to always look my best… It's sometimes overwhelming. I use my appearance as a shield, Devon, a mask. I guess you could call it a defense mechanism, a way to keep people from really seeing me. Imperfection is not something tolerated in the world I live in.”

 

Shocked into momentary silence by her heartfelt confession, Devon just sat there and reflected on her words. `If she only knew just how much her and I had in common… Would she still be confessing these things to me?'

 

“Well, maybe it's time to break away from the world you used to know, make your own rules, live life the way you want to rather than the way everyone else expects you to,” he told her gently, his voice soothing and calm, so far from his usual gruff, blunt manner that Breanna felt compelled to meet his warm amber stare with her own.

 

“I'm not here to judge you, Bre. I'm far from perfect, as I'm sure you probably know, and I'm not expecting you to be anyone but yourself. So, do me a favor, ok?”

 

Breanna smiled hesitantly and fingered the sleeve of his shirt. “What?”

 

“Relax. Have fun. And most importantly… pull up your shirt because your boobs are trying to escape.”

 

Blushing furiously, Breanna pulled up her top and stuck her tongue out at a chuckling Devon. “It's not like you haven't seen them before,” she muttered with mock irritation.

 

“Yeah, but I'm hungry and we're never going to make it out of this car if you don't keep your damn clothes on, you shameless hussy.”

 

Still bickering and jabbing at one another good naturedly, Breanna and Devon climbed out of the car and made their way toward the Denny's entrance. Breanna for once not caring that the looks people were casting her were most likely not ones of admiration and envy. All fear and embarrassment had been stricken from her mind by one of the most unlikely sources of encouragement.

 

`Maybe… Maybe I can just be myself. I don't think it bothers him to be around me when I'm not hiding behind my mask of pretty words and cheerful smiles. It actually seems like he purposely brings my other self out…'

 

Reaching down between them, Breanna threaded her fingers with Devon's and flashed him a brilliant smile. `How…peculiar…'

 

 

oOoOoOoOoOo

 

 

“Augh…” Cassandra moaned pitifully from her slumped position in the front seat of Brent's father's small red sports car. Brent's father's very expensive, red sports car.

 

“Cass, please don't throw up in this car. My dad will seriously kill me,” he pleaded as he noticed her pale complexion and the way she was holding her stomach. It was a rare sight to see the beautiful, sophisticated Cassandra Prescott look anything but poised and flawless, and right now she looked anything but attractive.

 

Light blond hair matted to her face in messy tangles with mascara running from her eyes leaving sooty black trails along her cheeks, made her look remarkably similar to a very wet, very pissed off raccoon. Not to mention the tattered state of her expensive, designer outfit and matching sandals. Brent only wished he could bear witness to this extraordinary sight without the threat of her yacking all over the leather interior of his father's car.

 

“Do you need me to pull over?” Brent asked her worriedly.

 

Cassandra took a deep breath and cast him a threatening glare. “No. Thank you,” she bit out between clenched teeth.

 

Shaking his head a little, Brent sighed and continued driving. “Alright, if you say so.”

 

Unfolding herself from her previously slouched over position; Cassandra leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. Drifting on her beer induced daze, Cassie blurted out the first words that came to her mind.

 

Drunk people should never, ever talk.

 

“She doesn't love you, ya know.”

 

Startled, Brent glanced over at Cassandra curiously. “What? Who doesn't love me?”

 

“Breanna. She doesn't love you. She might say she does… But she doesn't.”

 

Brent frowned. “How do you know that? Did she tell you?”

 

Cassandra shook her head and giggled. “No, silly! She doesn't have to tell me! I've known her since we were kids; we just know these things about each other.”

 

Not wanting to believe her, and too exhausted to argue, Brent muttered, “Alright, Cassie. If you say so.”

 

Brown eyes snapping open, Cassandra sat up a little and scowled at him. “Don't patronize me! I'm drunk, not stupid!”

 

“Yes, and you're also rather belligerent at the moment, and I'd rather talk about this when you're sober,” he replied cautiously, preferring not to fight with her if he could help it.

 

“Uh-huh,” she muttered, unconvinced. “How long are you going to let her fool you into thinking you're everything to her? Are you really happy living like that?”

 

“Are you?” he shot back, beginning to get a little angry at her callous probing of issues he'd rather not discuss.

 

“This isn't about me.”

“Maybe it should be.”

 

“Why are you changing the subject, Brent? Am I hitting a little too close to home?”

 

“Why are you being such a bitch, Cassandra? What are you trying to prove?”

 

Cassandra exhaled heavily and leaned back in her seat once more. “Whatever. Answering questions with more questions is pointless and exhausting. If you don't want to listen to reason than that's your own choice, but I just want you know one thing.”

 

“And what would that be?”

 

Letting out a huge yawn, Cassandra closed her eyes and mumbled, “I would never treat you like that…”

 

Sure that he'd heard her wrong; Brent looked over at her in surprise. “What? What did you say?”

 

But she was already asleep.

 

 

 

 

 

*~~~~A/N~~~~*

 

 

 

Uh-oh… Breanna's not worried about her makeup, and Cassandra's fessing up to things on her account? Whatever will happen next… :o) lol Keep reading to find out! Thanks to all my reviewers, you guys are the best. Hope you all had a great 4th of July! Tchao for now…

 

 

 

*~~Media Miner Reviewer(s)~~*

 

 

 

Darkfire Storm: Deal. lol :o) I am trying to get out chapters as quickly as possible though. For my benefit as much as for my readers, because I start getting massive withdrawal headaches from not writing for so long. lol Anyway, hope you're having a good summer, and I look forward to hearing from you soon!

 

 

 

*~~Anime Spiral Reviewers~~*

 

 

 

LT Stryffe: LOL Thank you! Is my being 20 really all that surprising? How old did you think I was? Do I seem younger or something? :o) As for my co-writer's name, you almost got it. It's actually Horse-Glass. lol I know, weird name, but he's bizarre like that. Anyway, thanks for reviewing. `Hope your holiday was good!

 

 

Rain Liqueur: Thanks! I appreciate that! :o) Hope you liked the chapter!

 

 

Dark Dreamer 13: LOL Awww, thank you! I aim to please. :o) Don't worry; no one really pressures me to update every day but myself, so you can call off the mob. lol

 

 

 

*~~Fiction Press Reviewers~~*

 

 

 

StormwolfX3: I love your rambling. It makes me happy and gushy inside. lol Thank you for the birthday wish, I appreciate it. I do hope you'll enjoy Everything You Want, but please heed this warning. It is sad. That being said, read and have fun. lol

 

 

Leia: LOL Sorry to keep you waiting. Sorry to hear about the conflict with your friends, I hope you can work it out. Good luck!!!

 

 

Lightning Storm: Thanks for the understanding. :o) -hugz- `Glad you liked the chapter, hope this one was up to par as well.

 

 

sweetone0018: My birthday was awesome! Thanks for asking. All my friends came over and we had oodles of fun. lol Isn't oodles a neat word? Anyway, thanks for reading. :o)

 

 

SweetKissOfChaos: LMAO Well, I've been meaning to tell you something… :o) You're hilarious. So, was this update quick enough for you? `Cause you know everything I do is for you… lol JK

 

 

Alex: Score! I'm talented?! YAY! lol Thanks a lot, and I hope you'll continue to read and review!

 

 

vexed: Did you get my e-mails? Let me know, and if not, I'll resend them. :o)

 

 

shmelly: lol No, you weren't the first one, but that's ok. It's special all the same. Thank you. :o) Another thing, you NEVER EVER have to apologize for long reviews. I LOVE THEM!!! lol I'm so glad you like my stories, it's really flattering to hear that and I love feedback from my readers. You guys are the ones that inspire me and force me to strive to become a better writer. So… yeah. Thank you, and please keep writing me those long reviews!!!

 

 

Alison Ashley: No turmoil? Now what kind of fun would that be? lol Thanks for the happy birthday, and I hope you liked the chapter!

 

 

Kayla: No… Not so crazy… lol :o)

 

 

Kayli: Uh-huh… Sure… :o) More action?! Good God, girl! You're such a hentai! But that's ok, so am I. Plot, sweetie. I have to work the action into the plot. Don't fret, it's coming. I promise. I might even dedicate the chapter to you. LOL Thanks for the birthday wish, and yeah, I feel old. It's so weird telling people my age without the `teen' on the end, ya know? Don't worry about offending me with your dislike of my characters. I completely understand. You're really not supposed to like them right now, as I'm sure you've realized. But, give me time. I still have a few curves to throw at you… :o)

 

Next Chapter: If Life Were a Porno…