There could be worse fates...

Lightened mood.

“I promise.” Those words, used over and over again to protect whatever was left in the relationship.  A relationship that had taken its beatings from everything, lies, drugs, sex, if you could name something it probably had a toll on it. Now, she sat on the recliner in the tiny apartment watching another episode of Reign. She watched as Queen Marie of Scotts at odds with King Henry of France.

She liked the show because she could relate; a precious little pawn in a game of chess. Story book like almost.  She was lost in that thought until she heard a car door slam. Quickly, she shut the show off and looked outside the window to see him walking to the door. What could he possibly want now?

“Doll, come here!” He yelled as soon as he was in the house, quickly she was at his side. He gripped her firmly and kissed her. It didn’t matter if she felt uncomfortable about how he kissed her, he loves her, and there was nothing to worry about. He kissed her once more before letting go; she knew the drill it should be embedded in her brain by now.

Rushing to the kitchen she grabbed a beer as he made his way to the recliner she was sitting in earlier. He didn’t seem to waste any time grabbing the pack of menthols out of his pocket and lighting one up. Breathing in the smoke, he smiled. “Did you invite Zylund and Kate over for dinner tonight?”

“Yes, I did. And can you please not smoke that in the house?”  She answered, getting quiet near the end of her sentence. He groaned when he heard her. “Do you pay to live in this house? No, so don’t complain.” She rolled her eyes, grabbing a beer out of the fridge for the both of them and sitting in the love seat next to him.

“How was your day?” She almost knew the answer, but he would suspect something if she didn’t say anything.  “Busy, this one girl had an issue and it spent all day trying to figure out what was the matter with her.”

Sure that was the “reason”, could it had been that his dick was too far up for her to handle. She knew it happened a few times before, whenever he mentioned a girl, but then again, perks of being a doctor maybe?  “Well at least you solved it.”

He nodded. “So what for dinner doll?” That word again, he uses it instead of her name. She didn’t seem to mind at first, but at first it wasn’t always that. It was babe, bae. Baby, Alexia, her actual name. But now, all it was now was doll. It was annoying her, slowly. “I was thinking about ordering a pizza tonight actually.”

“You do that every time they come over though.” She shrugged. “It’s simple and less work.” He grunted taking another sip of his beer. “Make something.” She slammed her beer on the little coffee table. “There is nothing in the fridge or the freezer that can feed four people Steven!”

“Then go to the store and buy something!” He yelled throwing his car keys to her. She rolled her eyes and sighed leaving. He waited until he couldn’t hear the car on the street anymore and walked to the back door. Smirking he smiled to the girl who was waiting. “We have twenty minutes, maybe less.”

Alexia drove in the car, the stench of cigarettes and alcohol all over. She didn’t go to the store; no she went to Kate’s.  She didn’t have to knock, this routine was normal. Steven would yell at her that pizza wasn’t good enough for Kate and Zylund, Alexia would go to Kate’s before the store complaining on how he thinks she always has to cook.  Hell, the stove was still broken; he stated they didn’t have enough money to fix it. Yet, he was a doctor and she worked at the little diner down the street occasionally.

“Let me guess?” Kate asked as Alexia stormed in. “What do you want for dinner?” She replied rolling her eyes, leaning up against the kitchen island. Kate rolled her eyes, handing her friend an iced tea.

“Why do you even stay with him?” She asked even though she knew the answer. “He loves me.”

“He loves you? If someone loves you I highly doubt that you would have to wonder if you were being lied to! You wouldn’t think that he is playing mind tricks with your head. You wouldn’t have to keep telling yourself that you love him, face it Alexia.”

“Of course I love him! He supports for me and he cares for me. I don’t think he would be one of the ones to say I love you and not mean it. It just isn’t him.” There was something in her words that stung.  Her words weren’t the only one knowing she was making something up. She didn’t get a say in anything.

“If you say so, so what are you going to make for dinner?” Kate joked around. “You think I’m cooking? You’re funny. I’m going to get the pizza. I already ordered it. Let’s see him make a big fuss when you and Zylund are there.”  “Well then you’re driving me to your place.”

Steven shut the door right after the girl left. He looked at his neck and sighed. Going into the bedroom he remade the bed and went over to Alexia’s make-up drawer. Surely she should have concealer.  Scrabbling through the drawer he looked confused. There were three different colors, what does that mean? Whatever, he grabbed the one that had the most so it wouldn’t seem like he used any. He finished putting it on as the door slammed. Worried it would be Alexia he ran out of their room to see Zylund there laughing.

“What the fuck are you looking at?” He just kept on laughing.

“What?”

“You’re seriously trying to play someone with that as a cover-up?”

“Why what’s the matter with it?” Zylund dragged Steven to the bathroom to show him his creation; the concealer he had used was way too dark for his skin tone. “Come here.” He dragged him back to the kitchen. “What in the hells name are we here for?”

Zylund opened the freezer and from behind the icebox pulled out a spoon. “What the hell, what is that in there for?” He rolled his eyes. “Because I know you, put this on the hickey for ten minutes. It should go away soon after. And after that we might want to spray this place down because that whore’s smell is everywhere.” Steven just nodded.

As Alexia and Kate walked into the house with the pizza, automatically they were gagging for air from the smell of Axe everywhere. “Did a group of teenage boys come and raid this place while you were gone?” Kate remarked. “Can someone turn a fucking fan on in here? Is that too much to ask for?” Alexia cried out as the guys walked out laughing together.

“Hey there doll.” Steven smiled as he hugged her as she set down the pizza. She stiffened a little, that perfume it was there again. He hadn’t smelt like that before she had left.

The group sat in the living room turning on Netflix. “Whose turn is it to choose the show this time?” Steven raised his hand smugly. “You guys know what I want, House.”

“Don’t you have enough of all that doctory stuff at work; I mean we are trying to eat here.” “You can never have enough, and anyways it’s my turn so shut up and eat the pizza I paid for.”

“Someone is in a bitchy mood.” Kate mumbled under her breath. Steven didn’t look at her, instead he looked at Alexia, and she was her friend after all. “Doll, can I talk to you in the kitchen?” He asked taking another sip of his beer.

“I guess so.” She answered, finishing the bite of pizza that was in her mouth. In the kitchen, the way his arms were folded in front of his chest, warned her that she was in trouble somehow. “Are you seriously going to let your friend talk to me like that?”

Alexia rolled her eyes, this had to be at least the hundredth time they had had this discussion. “Oh come on, you know she’s just fooling around with you.” “The only one who should be fooling around with me is you.” Steven answered with a smug look on his face, however she rolled her eyes, was this a lie too or?

“You’re hilarious.”

“You think I’m kidding doll? Wait for tonight I’ll show you then. Make sure you’re not made of plastic, you might melt with all the heat.” With that Steven walked back into the living room where Alexia was left standing. Was she really considered a doll in his mind?