It All Started With A Deal

Chapter 19.4

Chapter 19.4
***slight trigger warning****
I wanted to run after Athena but there was nothing I could say to make her understand without telling her the truth, which wasn't an option. So I stayed seated on the floor, no longer having the energy to stand.

Brandon was first to approach me, his feature light and buoyant, an unusual pep in his step. "Very good performance. Now everyone knows that you're a horrible person, congratulations. I'll be sure to give dear old Dad a good review."

He squatted in front of me, rubbing salt in my wounds as if I wasn't already aware how unfortunate this whole thing was.

If I had the energy I would have slapped him.

But I didn't even have enough eagerly to fully roll my head towards him.

"Truly a great job, little sister," he mocked.

I hated my teeth like a rabid animal, "I'm not your sister!" I spat.

I was not little either, I was five months younger than him.

He ruffled my already messy hair, "You are now, welcome to family, Ruby." He teased me.

He was the only person tonight I was thankful to see walk away.

I peeled myself off the sidewalk, heavily using the back wall to support my weight. My body felt like it was filled sand, weighing me down until it felt like I could collapse at any second. I slid back down the rough brick wall, my back getting cut up and scratched in the process but I didn't care. I didn't have the energy to care. Pulling my knees up to my chest, I moved into a more comfortable position. I didn't bother moving for a very long time.

Passerbysers gave me strange looks, but none of them bothered to ask if I was okay, most likely chalking it up to a random homeless girl. I was sure that's what I looked like and in all honesty, I might as well not have a home, it was more of a prison than a home.

A dry hand stroked my cheek and for a second I pretended it was Liams, soft and calloused and warm, but it only lasted for a second because the hand touching my face was ice cold and nothing like Liam's. "Come on, princess, let's get you home." His voice was tender, and it almost sounded like he actually cared, almost. "I got you your favorite."

He handed me a pumpkin spice latte; my favorite drink when we were dating. But I was not the same person I was back then, and I've hated pumpkin spice ever since I ate this nasty pumpkin pie that gave me food poisoning. Liam held my hair back while I threw up.

"Thank you," I whispered, taking the cup from him, the smell making me feel sick almost instantly.

He wrapped his arm around my waist, helping me to my feet before holding my hand. "I'll run you a hot bath when we get home." He smoothed back a piece of my hair.

By home I'm assuming he meant his home. I didn't have a home, I haven't since my mother died.

My hand remained stiff in his, not particularly wanting to be there, the whole walk to his car.

He was as bad as a driver as I remember him being, always speeding, barely even having one hand on the wheel, not paying attention to his surroundings, the complete opposite of Liam. Normally I would have cared, but if the car flipped right now I'm not sure I would mind.

The night's events played on repeat in my head, running around my mind, reminding me of every mistake I made. I had lost everyone, well everyone except Chase. But as long as I had Chase everything was okay, as long as I had him I had reason to keep to not give up.

I rested my head against the car window, watching as the scenery passed by, trying to concentrate on anything but my friends or Liam.

I dug around my pocket, pulling out my Sharpie. Bradley gave me an unusual look, though I guess everything with him is unusual, as I drew along my hand, sketching what my bones would look like if I had no skin.