Chapter 40
Wayne
I wish I woke up with her in my arms. I love the way she tries to fake being asleep just so she can mess with me. I'm going to find Beth and make sure she can't walk away.
I walked to my bathroom and turned on the shower. Before I got in, I looked in the mirror. Moon-shaped claw marks were etched into my skin. I smirked at how much they turned me on. I would want more. Preferably red stripes down my back. Cold shower it is.
The showerhead has adjustable settings and I used the hard jet on my hair. Exfoliation keeps my hair nice and fluffy. Cameron taught me that. I just wish I had his thick curls.
I can't believe I hurt her. Bethany didn't use her safeword and I filed that away to the list of things I need to talk to her about. Her eyes held so much fear. I was scared to go any further.
Maybe I should have stopped. I don't want to hurt her, that is the opposite of what I want to do with her. Well, only if she tells me otherwise.
I picked out clothes. Green hoodie, cream pants. I'm hungry. Where is Bethany?
I went to the kitchen and found my father trying to decide between two kinds of protein powders. He's wearing a black suit with a maroon tie. Haven't seen him in, what, nine days or so? That seems about right. I just want some coffee.
I grabbed a vanilla blend and added it to the Keurig. I got a coffee cup and leaned against the counter. I wonder if he was here last night. Shit.
"Hey, father." I lower my tone. He looks up as if I just came in. He nodded.
"Hey, kid." I was taller than him, but his voice was lower than I tried to make mine. Only when I am around him do I have this insecurity. Amongst many others.
I stand up straight. "Um." As I stuttered, he sighed impatiently. I rolled back my shoulders. "Where's mom?"
"She's still at the hotel." He says vaguely.
"What hotel? Are you two staying at a hotel? Where?" I blurted out a bunch of questions, but they ended as soon as my father held up a hand. I stood up straighter.
"We have one to be closer to our client." He scolded. "You wouldn't understand what our firm requires."
"I'm sorry. I just didn't know."
"Do I have to run every little thing by you?" It wasn't a little thing. You and mom left and didn't tell me.
"No." I lowered my head. "I'm sorry."
"We give you everything you need." He spread his arms and gestured to the house and all that's in it. "What else could you need from us? You are lucky we don't take it all away. You could have less, you know that?"
I looked down. "Yes, father. I'm really grateful."
"What are you going to do with your life?"
I lifted my chin and then my eyes. "I- I don't know."
I don't want to be the coward he is trying to make me.
"You're sixteen-"
"I'm seventeen."
"DON'T INTERRUPT ME." He lashed out. I hunched my shoulders and shut my eyes tight. "YOU BETTER APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW! YOU ARE GOING TO GROW UP AND NOT DO SHIT?"
"I- I don't know." I mumbled and clenched my fists.
I heard his footsteps stomp away, the front door open and close. I breathe so heavy and I don't open my eyes because I hate the tears that will come out.
I just wanted some coffee.
~
Bethany walked in front of my friends and me. I wish I could grab her and kiss her in front of all of these people. School had just got out and I want to hold Bethany so fucking bad.
She did her hair differently. She almost never wears it in a high ponytail. How convenient.
She wore the outfit. The one her mother hated. The one that her mother criticized her in. That cute little outfit I fucked her in. It shaped her body, and makes me want her all over again.
"Pull down your shorts, you don't have the body to pull that off." Gabe said to my left. Bethany slowed down and pulled down her shorts.
"What the fuck is your problem?" I turned on him. Everyone stopped walking.
"Yeah, man," Simon said behind me, "that's uncool."
"I mean her ass is fine, but her stomach..."
I dropped my backpack and grabbed Gabe by the collar. He is shorter than I am, so he was on his toes. His hazel eyes were almost covered by his ginger hair.
"You don't talk to her like that." I snarled. My glare bore into his eyes.
"Dude, what's your problem?" He furrowed his brows and raised his hands.
"Wayne, it's okay." Beth came over to me.
"No one talks about you like that." I spoke to her without moving my gaze. "I want to know why he thinks he can."
"Please, Wayne." Beth talked softly. She stood behind Gabe and got my attention. "Just put him down."
I did what she said. He stumbled back a bit and rearranged his shirt. I scrunched my fingers to release tension in them.
"Gabe." I took a deep breath. "I don't know what you were trying to do, but it wasn't funny. We," I waved a hand to the group, "don't talk about girls like that."
"Alright, I get it." He attempted to walk away, but I stepped in front of him.
"That is Simon's little sister." I put it into perspective. "You are going to apologize to her."
He rolled his eyes and turned to Bethany. "I'm sorry I was a dick."
"It's fine-" I cut her off.
"No, it's not."
Everyone walked away. Some walked with Gabe. I picked up my backpack and Simon came up to me.
"Hey, dude." He pat me on the back. I waited for him to accuse me of fucking his sister. My hands were tucked in my pockets. "Thanks."
"Thanks?" I questioned his words.
"You and I both know I could never stand up to people who bully my sister. Thanks for doing it for me."
"You're welcome." He didn't even need to thank me. I wanted to do it. I wasn't doing it for him, I was doing it for Beth. No one knew that but us.
Hours later, I was on my front lawn with my back in the wet grass. I held a bottle in my hand. I didn't even look to see what it said, I just needed something.
No one noticed that I took it out. No one noticed that I finished the bottle. No one noticed that I almost killed that asshole kid. I thought about what it would feel like to never wake up. How freeing it would be.
And no one would notice.
~
Hello, my beautiful readers! That was my first time ever writing in a male's point of view. What did you think?
I think I could get 200k reads by the end of the year. I don't want to get too confident, but you got me up 10k in less than a day. I believe in you!
What do you want for the holidays? Or what book do you want to receive?
Until I write again,
~B