Underwater (a Bates Motel/Norman Bates fanfic)

Explode

I sighed, taking a hit once more before throwing it down and stomped on it with my boot. "Yeah, yeah, I've been lectured at least fifty thousand times since I started."

"When was it?" Emma coughed.

"I was like sixteen." I said. "I was stupid then."

"If you're still smoking seven years later, you aren't much smarter." (Damn her.) "Dylan, my mother smoked when she had me. Look at me now."

I groaned. "Are you really going to lecture me, or are you going to work, like you're supposed to?"

Emma scoffed. "I'm not here for work, thank you, I'm actually here to tell Norma that Norman was with that Ridley girl last night."

I grabbed her by the collar, which probably wasn't a good idea, to get the point across. "Emma, you're not doing that. Norman deserves a life, dammit. You don't want him to be happy with someone else, do you? Do you really like him that much, Emma?"

She coughed. "L-let me go."

I released her, and she stumbled. "Ridley isn't a bad person. She's the sweetest girl I've ever met."

"She's a bad influence."

"Bad influence? BAD INFLUENCE? Wow, okay. That totally makes sense. Norma's brainwashing you." I shook my head. "You guys are unbelievable. I got to know Ridley and I know she's a good person. She has a big heart. Norman needs someone like her."

And so do I....

I know that she probably only went to me because Norman was gone. But for some reason, I'm bothered by it. It wasn't supposed to turn into anything. She's seventeen. I'm twenty two. I couldn't. And I won't. Norman needs her more than I do. And Ridley's nothing like me. She's quiet, calm, reserved. I blow up immediately when I'm upset. I'd hate to do that to her. And I'm not the kind of guy she should love.

"He's better off with Bradley than with her."

I snapped. "Shut up. Just fucking shut up. Don't even talk about her!"

Norma basically ran out the door. "Don't talk to her like that, Dylan, you should be ashamed of yourself."

"Are you kidding me right now?" I was hysterical. My hands were shaking. "She just told me she wants Norman to be with Bradley!"

Norma laughed. "No she didn't. Emma hates Bradley. Dylan, you know lying doesn't do any good for you."

Emma smiled. "You know I hate her. I want Norman to be happy."

"And besides, if anyone should be with him, it's Emma." Norma smirked.

At that point, I literally had to walk away in fury. I didn't exactly want to strangle my mother and a girl who can't even breathe on her own.

I got in my truck, driving home and immediately, I went inside, pulling at my hair, just hoping I wouldn't hurt someone.

**********************************

It was when I'd finally calmed down that Norman showed up at my door. "Dylan, can we talk for a minute?"

I nodded, letting him inside, even though I was half-tempted to yell at him. "Yeah, sure, what's up?"

Norman looked around the house for a moment before he spoke. "Um, I know you know I was gone.. I'm sure Emma told you where I was, she did stop me when I turned down Irwin, on the way there. I was at Ridley's. Mom made a huge ordeal out of me being with her. I don't get why, is Ridley a bad person?"

I forced a smile, even though it was probably ugly as fuck. "Norma's just- she's overprotective." And crazy, a bitch, annoying, ruthless...

"But I'm almost eighteen. You were doing what you wanted when you were twelve."

Oh, this is more of a 'I wanna know how you get away with this shit,' talk.

"It's called second child syndrome, Norman." I sighed. "You were born second, and you're the youngest, so you're more likely to be attended to. Mom- I mean, Norma, stopped caring about me when you were born. Your dad was okay with me, but he knew I was Caleb's kid, so he didn't try with me. They were so obsessed with you being perfect that I dunno, I guess they forgot me. I would have went to my dad's, but I didn't know who the hell he was. Norman, you have to stand up, fight back. If you don't, you'll bottle it up and you'll explode."

"What if I've already exploded?"

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So, I was going for a dramatic chapter, to focus more on Dylan and Norman's relationship; I didn't really talk about it much before. I know it isn't fabulous, but I really hope you enjoyed it. I thought I'd change it up a bit. :)