Nixon

••• Twenty-two •••

The living room light is still on, causing me to become nervous. As I hop out and head for the front door, I see through the window my father pacing by the fireplace, stressed as I take in a deep breath. Opening the door, I expect the worse as I know he will strike up a conversation. I have no doubt he knows where I went. He knows I was not with Emily, he knows who I was with.

"Sit."

I know this will not end well as I take my seat on the couch. Father stops pacing, facing me as I know it is hard for him to talk with me. "We're you with him?"

My fingers shake. "You know the answer already," I whisper, my voice shaky as I am stiff in my seat. "You don't need to doubt your belief."

Father shares his head. "I need a lapse in my belief. I need to doubt myself and my evidence over and over because I hope that you are no with him. I want to believe that you are not, but when you don't even bother to lie anymore, it shows how far we have come down this road." I hold my head high. "Do you even like him?"

Do I? This male marked me as his long ago. This male has been with me for many nights. This male I have confided in about my sister and he listens to me. This male lets me rant and take out my anger. But this male also does the same. Do I like him? I go back to him still even with my family on the line. Do I love him? That may be a stretch at the moment.

"Yes," I reply, knowing what I say is true. It is, for I do indeed enjoy Nixon's company. But is it enough to throw away my family? My family who is fucked up as well.

"Go," he whispers, motioning to my room as I nod. Getting to my feet, I head for the main hallway, looking down the hall to where Taylor's room is. No light streams through, but I know she is not sleeping. She's in the backyard smoking, I can smell it from my window. Heading for my room, I lock the door, heading for the window as I see her, Taylor, yet she is not alone. Who is that? Who is he?

I tilt my head, getting a better look as my throat runs dry. Opening the window, I jump through, landing on the soft grass as I see she doesn't even move. She's in the back of the yard, sheltered by the trees where our parents will never look for her, thinking she is fast asleep. Smoke comes from her mouth as she exhales, the scent strong as the male besides her has his arm around her, laughing with her as they are both in no state to be around the town nor anywhere public.

"Taylor," I hiss, approaching faster only for my breath to hitch. Gavin, the male that has warned me so much stands beside her, him fine as she simply pulls herself down a path of darkness. He is with her as he allows her to lose herself. "You bastard," I snap, his eyes meeting my own as a smirk pulls at his lips.

"Lily, my, you look lovely," he greets, holding Taylor closer as my sister looks to me. "Taylor here was just expressing how much she needs to move out."

"Why are you here?" She asks, eyebrows furrowing together as I snatch the joint from her fingers, throwing it on the ground as I put it out with my shoe. "Hey!"

"What are you doing with Gavin?" I ask her, looking to his eyes as he simply has a deadly look in his eyes. "Taylor?"

"You have no right to judge," she snaps. I know what she means, how she knows I am still with Nixon so I have no right to judge her on being around Gavin. "Did he have enough of you tonight? Were you not comfortable with butt stuf-

"What are you doing with my sister, Gavin?" I ask, cutting her off as I want a realistic answer.

"She called me here," he informs, kissing my sister's forehead as his tattooed hand is placed upon her cheek. "Runs in the family, doesn't it?" I raise an eyebrow. "To destroy family relationships. You fucking Nixon and her drinking away regrets and feelings. You two are quite a handful."