Phenomenal

17~ War of Change

The position Clarissa woke up in the next morning was, she admitted, not the position she expected. Anything else, she should probably have been embarrassed. Perhaps even guilty considering the man she was with wasn't her boyfriend.

But no, she felt neither.

Mainly because it wasn't a position that could be considered romantic in the slightest as her front was jammed up against the coffee table, the paper of her book was stuck to the side of her face and Damien's full weight pressed down on her back in deep sleep, completely unaware that he was turning his friend into a pancake.

"Damien," she growled, shifting, the movement hurting her chest like it had bruised. "Damien, get off!"

She shoved one shoulder back and Damien slid off her back and face-planted into the floor.

She gasped, spinning to him, grabbing his shoulders and dragging him over as he groaned, his hands coming up to already-beaten-up face.

"Why would you wake someone up like that?" he moaned.

"I'm sorry!" she cried, wincing, "I just wanted to move you! You're heavy you know!"

He just groaned and rolled onto his side before slowly pushing himself to his hands and knees and then to his feet.

Then he looked down at her. "Move me?" he copied.

"Yeah, I probably have a bruise now from being used as a damn mattress."

Damien stared at her for a moment, then laughed. "Sorry," he said, leaning down and resting a hand on her head, "Didn't mean to squash you. Like I said, you're so little."

"Are you asking for a smack?"

"I'll be good," he said, pulling back and yawning, walking towards the kitchen and filling the dog bowls, taking the second one into the bedroom as Clarissa looked at her phone and gathered up her books.

It was nine.

"Still early enough for a run!" she called as she pulled on her jumper.

"Eh, let's walk today," he said, coming back out and walking with her to the front door, opening it for her. "I'll catch you in ten?"

"Sure, I'll get changed and then we can head out," she said, stepping out.

"Should I be annoyed?"

Clarissa looked up and Damien leant out to see down the hall and Clarissa stopped.

Brett stood leaning against the door to her apartment, arms folded, looking at them.

"Brett," she said and Brett's eyes dismissed her and looked at Damien.

His eyebrow rose. "You look like shit," he said simply, pushing away from the wall and walking towards them.

"Yes, I know," Damien replied, stepping out of his apartment.

Clarissa took one step to the side, really not wanting to be directly between the pair and Brett looked down at her.

"You want to explain this to me?" he asked, pointing at Damien, "Why you're doing the Walk of Shame at nine in the morning? You could at least do it early like everyone else."

"Because it's not the Walk of Shame," Clarissa replied, walking past him so she could put her books away. Brett's hand locked around her arm, forcing her to stop. "Ow, Brett. Relax." She looked up at him, trying to wriggle her arm free. "You've just misunderstood the situation."

"Can you blame me?"

"No, I don't blame you. But you're clearly accusing me of cheating on you when you know I wouldn't, ever."