Something Worth Fighting For

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Present

BRAYLEE

"Live with Dom?" I felt myself hesitate, tension making my brows pull together and knot between my eyes. "I don't know."

"It's brilliant!" Stella said, her voice tinny through the speaker of the phone I had propped on the coffee table in front of me while I lit up a joint. I was stressed, more so than normal, and I hated the uncomfortable weight that burdened my chest with a heaviness that kept me up at night. Not that it was an excuse for me lighting one up, but it definitely helped my decision to do so. "He needs a place to stay, and he's trying to save money as well."

I gave her a doubtful look. Her face took up most of the tiny rectangle on the screen of my phone; the other half was shared by Sadie, who listened patiently. "I don't know if I want a housemate," I admitted, which was the truth.

I've managed to live by myself since leaving university. It was only recently that I encountered a string of unfortunate events that led me to live with my folks for the last eight months... but enough was enough.

I needed out.

And I had found it in the form of a perfect country bungalow in the foothills of the Magalies mountains, far out from the city. It was my ideal location and my ideal little house. The only thing is, what with my financial troubles at present, I really couldn't afford it.

Didn't stop me from signing the lease, paying the deposit, and taking the keys from the landlords a few days ago, knowing I had to move in over the weekend.

"I still don't understand why you don't just live in the apartment you bought," Sadie said, "if you're not renting it."

"It has damage that I need to repair first," I explained. "A lot of damage. Insurance won't cover it, and I can't afford it." I hoped neither of them heard the edge to my tone and pressed for more information. I wasn't ready to talk about what happened to my apartment. Thankfully, the topic was dropped.

She shrugged and settled back against the sofa she was sitting on, giving me an understanding smile. "So suck it up and stay with your folks for a few more months until you do have the money."

As if on cue, I watched my sibling through the glass sliding door of the lounge deliberately delete the show I had recorded to watch later on the TV box so that he had space to use for whatever mindless drivel he was watching.

Maybe I could have stomached living with my parents for a few more months... if Brandon didn't live at home, too. For the most part, mom and dad were pretty chilled, and mom especially adored having her kids around. But living with my younger brother was like living through high school all over again.

"I can't," I said quickly, ripping my gaze away from Brandon to focus back on my phone. Sticking the joint between my lips, I lit it quickly and inhaled. "I signed the lease last week." I expelled this on a breath, accompanied by the pungent tang of the smoke.

"Dom is the perfect solution!" Stella insisted. My eyes snagged on her. She had the top half of her head covered in a thick, branded beanie, her dark hair curling out from under it and over the sides of her face. "Do you want me to talk to him?" She moved her phone away a bit, obviously propping it up on something in front of her and giving us a view of her snowscape surroundings. I think she was in Norway currently, doing some work for the company that was sponsoring all her gear and outfits, judging by the repetitive labels on her snowsuit.

I considered my options. I could suck it up and pay the 10K each month out of my own depleting pocket for the rent, or I could get someone in to share the load. Admittedly, doing the freelance shit that I did, some months I didn't even make 10K, which made signing that lease a bit risky. And the apartment I had bought years ago, which had turned out to be a shitty investment, couldn't even be rented out at the moment, leaving me with even more bills to pay for its mortgage and rates.