THALIA

78. Saving

• THALIA •

The last person I was expecting to see standing on Warrens front porch at quarter past one in the morning was Dominique. But here he stands, looking all moody and like he wants to be anywhere else but where he is.

I was very willing to get the door as Warren was microwaving our popcorn, now I'd rather miss out on the popcorn than be facing this douche right now. Your girls too tired for this right now.

"Dominique," I clip.

"Thalia," he responds.

A wave of awkwardness passes between us both. We're very alike in the sense that we're extremely stubborn. Most of the time, uncomfortable silences are filled with Matteo's loud voice. But Matt isn't here right now to save me. So I'm going to have to save myself.

I look at my brother expectantly.

He mirrors my expression, "well say something." He tells me.

"No, you. You're the one who showed up looking for me, not the other way round."

He groans, "why do you have to be so difficult?"

"Why can't you just apologise?" I return the same level of snarkiness back.

He almost looks offended, "Me?" He asks, pointing his index finger at himself. "You want me to apologise? Absolutely not. You're the one that owes us all an explanation."

I sigh, "okay, maybe you deserve an explanation but you didn't need to be such a dick about it. And you certainly could have just asked me to tell you what happened instead of jumping to unnecessary conclusions. You made this mess, it's not my job to clean it up."

"Fine, then. Can I please come in because your boys soaking right now."

"See, you're getting the hang of it." I open the door wider and signal for him to step inside.

"T, where you at?" Warren shouts as he emerges from the kitchen, right at the same time he spots my brother beside me. "Hey, buddy."

Dom immediately breaks out into a grin, "bro, you'll never guess what." Then he continues to show Warren something on his phone that they both giggle about.

"Are you forgetting why you're here?" I ask Dom expectantly.

"Duty calls, bro." Dom follows me into the lounge.

"I'm just an innocent bystander." Warren yells at our backs.

Even when I'm about to scold Dom, Warren still makes me chuckle.

Me and Dom both take our seats as far away from one another as we possibly can.

"I don't have a disease, Thalia." He snarls.

"Could've fooled me with that one, bro." I smile.

Dom shakes his head, the wet flying around the room for his hair.

"You share a lot of similarities to a dog, don't you?" I offer up.

"Will you just shut up?"

"Will you?"

"I will if you will."

"Cool."

"Sick."

We spend the next five minutes in silence. Neither of us wanting to break first.

"Is everything resolved now, guys?" Warren asks, entering the noiseless room. He eyes us both up expectantly. "Oh my. How can two grown ass people make one regular daily task look so damn difficult, huh?"

I bite back I smile and I can tell my brother is too.

"Fine then," Warren huffs. He leaves the room and next thing I hear is a lock clicking.

Both me and Dom practically jump out of our seats and go straight to the door.

Dom attempts to open it but the door doesn't budge. "Warren, you open the door right now you fucker!"

"No can do!" Warren shouts bag, voice muffled.

"I'm gonna murder your ass!" Dom yells in return.

"Now you're making me want to unlock that door even less, Dominique."

"You're gonna be sorry you little shit."

I roll my eyes at Doms back, "move." I tug him out of the way and take his previous place up against the door. "Watch how it's done." I smile. "Babe, please let us out. I can't spend this long with this dick and without you. Please," I plead.

A loud chuckle erupts from the other side of the door, "absolutely not."

I bang on the door, "you open this door right now otherwise I'm breaking up with your stupid ass ass."

"What- hey! You can't do that, that's not part of the rules." Warrens voice grows clear and I know he's gotten closer to the door.

"Don't believe me...?" I smile to myself. Turning to Dom I whisper, "told you."

Just when I think I've won our escape, Warren diminishes my every hope. "Nah, don't believe ya."

I groan, "Warren, please."

Dom tugs me back and returns to his past spot that I took. "Warren, I'll break this damn door down and you know I will if I want too."

"Shiver me timbers," my man taunts. "Suck it up buttercups."

We both call after Warren but he hasn't responded in a while so we give up.

I plummet back into the sofa, sprawling my legs out. "We're going to be here a while, might as well get some sleep."

My eyes are heavy and after I while I drift of more and more. It isn't until I feel a soft blanket layed atop me that I fall into a deep slumber.