Aftertaste (Sin #2)

LI.

I've never really thought about it that way. "I thought I was a bad influence."

She chuckles. "Maybe," she agrees. "But maybe not. You come from a good family. Your behaviour is a learned behaviour and it's influenced. You're not a bad person, not like you think you are. But people in our lives influence us a lot, even though we can't always see it. In my opinion, dropping racing and not going to that place anymore is the first step at saving your relationship and I think you know that, too."

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Having an overprotective girlfriend and overprotective mother sounds cool until they're on your ass all the time. It's always something. "Don't lift that, maybe you should sit down, why aren't you resting?" Fucking hell, I literally don't do anything but rest and taking it easy and these two women in my life (and sometimes Rosanna joins them) want to put me in a baby crib and call it a day.

Don't take me wrong, I loved it at first, especially when Gabrielle was dancing around me twenty-four hours a day and gave me all her attention. I love getting babied by her. But now she's not at home to baby me anymore, she's babying me from her classes and it's starting to become annoying.

Especially when she's worrying too much about me and completely unnecessarily. She got scared. I get it. I got fucked up, too, when I knew that fucker had her upstairs and didn't know what he was doing with her or to her.

But she's okay. And I'm okay. Well, she's not truly okay. She has nightmares sometimes. They're more rare now, but they happen. She doesn't always remember them in the morning but she wakes me up during the night because it's hard not to wake up. I don't mention it to her, though, because I don't want to remind her. If she doesn't remember it, then what's the point in pushing her to talk about it?

I think about it a lot, though. I don't have anything else to do when I'm at home because I'm at home all the time. All day. All alone, all by myself. I'm literally going crazy. Especially when I'm not supposed to do anything but fucking rest. The doctor said to take it easy for two weeks after coming from the hospital. The wound wasn't so deep or serious and he said it would heal fast, but it's still on a part of my body I use a lot.

My girlfriend, though, thinks I'm crippled and won't be able to function normally for months. I don't know what's up with that. She was there when the doctor gave me instructions, but she obviously thinks she knows better. She doesn't even want me to go out for a walk.

When my mother calls me with an invitation to lunch on Sunday (but only if I'm feeling well and alright to go somewhere), I confirm without needing to think about it. I text Gabrielle immediately after I confirm with my mum. I thought she'd go and give me shit about it, but she doesn't. She only says Ok in return and ... that's it.

I sigh, looking at the clock again. I decide I've had enough and get up from the couch. I've done enough resting, the wound is already healed and I don't feel any pain anymore. I'm good enough to go for a walk and maybe later hit the gym if I'll be up for it. I'll be home before Gabrielle, anyway. She doesn't even need to know.

But my plan goes to hell when I'm on the way to the gym. Gabrielle calls me and, at first, I don't think anything about it because she often calls me when she's on a break. I take my headphones off. "Hey," I say when I answer her call.

"Hey, Alex. I'm just wondering where you are? I came home and you're not here."

Shit. I pause, closing my eyes. I can't lie to her. I don't want to lie to her. "You're not going to like this," I say.

"What?" She sounds suspicious.

"I'm on my way to the gym."

There's a long silence. "Alexander ... You really shouldn't do that."