Strip Tease

Chapter 39

February 24th

"Do you want to watch something on TV?" Oliver called from the kitchen where he was cleaning up from the dinner he made us. I offered to help but he told me to sit down and relax. I tried to protest but he threatened to hide the peanut butter if I didn't go.

"Sure. What did you have in mind?" I plopped onto the couch and snuggled into one of the soft pillows that surrounded me. Reaching forward, I attempted to get the remote off of the coffee table without actually getting up.

He rounded the corner into the living room just as I had succeeded and leaned against the nearest wall. He was drying his hands with a towel when he said, "I have Netflix, just pick something from that." He slung the towel over his shoulder when he was finished and watched as I browsed the many channels, occasionally stopping on something that looked interesting.

The doorbell rang and he looked at it like girl scouts were a figment of his imagination. "Just no Chick Flicks or I'll staple my eyes shut. Put on something with a lot of action scenes."

"Like getting some action? That's porn and I refuse to watch that with you." I smirked as I flipped through more movies and TV shows, stopping on chick flicks just to torture him.

He grabbed the back of the couch on either side of my head and leaned down so his lips were level with my ear. "But you would watch it when you're all alone? How naughty." He said, his voice like sex dripping from his lips. I felt goosebumps prickle my skin. I was about to turn my head to meet his burning gaze but the doorbell rang again.

He groaned and stood back up. "Stupid persistent little..." He mumbled on his way to the door. He rubbed a hand over his face and through his hair, then swung the door open with unnecessary force. "Hello- What are you doing here?" He asked shocked.

His voice caught my attention so I leaned forwards a few inches to get a better look. A slender girl with faded strawberry blonde hair stood in the door way. A large duffel bag was sitting at her feet. She was only wearing a pair of skin tight jeans and a low cut t-shirt that was putting her girls on full display. Her skin was an unnatural shade of orange like she had taken one too many trips to the tanning salon or she just ate an unhealthy amount of carrots.

"Ollie-kins! Oh god I'm so glad you're home! I was about to give up but here you are! It is so good to see you!" She went in for a hug but Oliver quickly stepped back making her stubble forward a bit. He reached out and steadied her but made no move to get closer. Her bony arms dropped to her side at his rejection.

"Patricia... What... What are you doing here?" He asked, dazed. His voice remained gentle with an undertone of sadness.

"Oh Oliver!" She buried her face in her hands like she was about to cry. "Mom and dad won't talk to me, they have completely cut me off. I lost my apartment, I lost my job, I-" She looked up to clear her eyes from tears that weren't there and saw me over his shoulder standing in the living room, eavesdropping on their conversation. "What is she doing here." She spits in my direction, venom lacing through her words and all trace of sadness gone. In the blink of an eye all of her fake tears were replaced by real hate.

"She," He started, stepping to the side to block me from her view. "lives here. What I want to know is why you are here." Oliver didn't bother lowering his voice to exclude me, yet his tone remained calm. I, on the other hand, would have launched at her just for looking at me like that. Like she is better than me and I'm the scum.

"Can we talk outside?" She half pleaded, half demanded.

"No. Whatever you have to say you can say in front of her. You are the reason she is living here. You ruined her life. You fucked up her relationship, you got her kicked out of her apartment, you made reporters come to her house and stalk her. So if you have something to say to me, you can say it in front of her too." His voice started to rise with his anger, the last shred of his easy going attitude that comes naturally with Keith falling away.