Patrick
After my date with Rowan, we spent more time together. My brothers, cousins, and the girls took turns walking with Rowan to worry about Robbie. And I kept the barracuda at arm's length. I'm good with emailing correspondence regarding the class.
Rowan and I hung out and worked on schoolwork when someone knocked on the door. I got up and answered it to find Kyler and Demarco standing there.
"What are you fools doing here?" I asked them.
"Our parents want us to check out the college and transfer," Kyler said.
Kyler and Demarco glanced inside to see Rowan sitting on the couch.
"Shit." Demarco turned to leave, Kyler stopped him.
"Will you relax?" Kyler asked Demarco.
"If there is a girl with Pat, I'm out. I don't need another trip to the hospital."
"I doubt you will get a second chance unless you're stupid."
Rowan got up and walked to the door. Demarco looked up at the sky and prayed. Kyler rolled his eyes.
"What are you tools doing here?" Val asked.
Our cousins whipped around to see my brothers standing behind them.
"Pops wanted me to check out the college," Kyler said.
"And you dragged the punching bag with you?" Romeo laughed. "Good luck." He walked past them, shaking his head.
"You're a dick, Romeo!" Demarco said.
"Ignore our dipshit brother. He's too busy running his mouth instead of making intelligent decisions," Rafe said.
Rowan and I stepped aside as everyone came inside. I closed the door behind them. I introduced Kyler and Demarco to Rowan. A few minutes later, Casper and Liam strolled into the house.
"Aw, shit. Who let you out of your cages?" Casper asked.
"Yo, momma did," Kyler said.
"Oh, because I'm sure yo momma needs the extra work. Isn't a street corner missing their highest client?" Casper asked.
"I don't know. We should call yo momma," Kyler said.
Rowan wrinkled her forehead and cocked her head at me. "Should I take cover?"
My lips curled upward as my cousins smirked. "No, it's normal for them to insult each other."
"Oh."
"Except certain things are off-limits with everyone. No one can joke about Casper's adoption, Pat's deafness, or our race." Demarco gestured between Kyler and himself.
"Huh?" Rowan asked.
I looked at Rowan. "Casper's mom left him on the church's doorstep, and his dads adopted him, along with his older brother, Jordin. Kyler and Demarco are biracial. Kyler is half black/half white. Demarco is half black/half mexican."
"Ah," Rowan said.
"So, what's the 411? Who's ass do we need to beat?" Kyler cracked his knuckles.
"You aren't here to check out colleges, are you?" I asked.
Demarco smacked Kyler's arm. "I told you they wouldn't buy the college deal."
"Chill. Damn, you're more uptight than an oyster hiding its pearl," Kyler told Demarco.
"Robbie DeChamp has been hanging around campus," Val mentioned.
Kyler looked at Val. "Didn't that fool learn from the last time that you kicked his ass?"
"No, because he needs a constant reminder," Rafe said.
"Well, that's a damn shame," Kyler said.
"Come on. I'll show you where you can sleep," Val told Kyler and Demarco.
They went upstairs as Rafe glanced at me.
"I need to get home." Rowan gathered her books.
"I'll walk you home," Casper said.
Rowan nodded and left with Casper. Once they left, Liam and Rafe looked at me.
"What?" I asked.
"Are you okay with Demarco staying here?" Rafe asked me.
"Demarco and I worked out our issues," I said.
"Are you sure?" Liam asked.
"Yeah, and I told Rowan about what happened. I trust Rowan," I said.
Liam and Rafe glanced at each other and knitted their brows. It's no secret that I don't trust Demarco. You can forgive someone and not trust them. I forgave Demarco, but it doesn't mean I agree with what he did. People mistake forgiveness for enabling. It's not the same thing.
******
Rowan
Casper walked me home, which I found odd.
"So, you're wondering why I'm walking you home and not St. Patty."
I glanced at Casper.
"Don't give me that look. You have it written all over your face."
"Well, it seems odd since Pat's capable of walking me home."
"Touché. But Pat needs to work out his issues with Demarco. He likes to play the game of avoidance. Oh, I forgave him. Yeah, okay." Casper rolled his eyes.
"Pat told me about what happened between Camille and Demarco."
"Sweetheart, our family has a rule. You don't mess with a family member's significant other."
"What about the other rules?"
"Those are a given. Plus, don't be a dick with race, sexuality, and disability. It's not cool."
"You have a unique way of looking at things."
"I blame my pappies. They raised me to be the sarcastic asshole that you know."
"I doubt a minister raised a sarcastic human being."
"Then you never met Uncle Nixon."
"Who?"
"He's the uncle who you will never meet because he's taking a dirt nap."
My brows raised.
"Don't be so surprised. Death is like taxes. You meet both at some point in your life."
"Are you studying to become a minister?"
"No, worst. I'm studying to be a relationship counselor."
"I pity those couples."
"Well, I pity many people for being morons."
We walked, and I contemplated asking Casper about Hayes. My brother thinks he's slick. He isn't smooth or intelligent.
"So, what's going on between you and my brother?"
Casper stopped and glanced at me. "Say what?"
I turned to face Casper. "Don't act like I divulged a deep, dark secret."
Casper sighed. "We didn't want to complicate things."
"Dating my brother doesn't complicate what's happening with Pat and me. Lying does."
Casper rolled his eyes. I shook my head. I don't care who Hayes dates if he's happy. I care if the guy treats him like dirt.
*******
Patrick
I packed up my stuff as Demarco came downstairs.
"Are you okay?" Demarco asked me.
"Yeah. Why?"
"It seems like you don't want me here."
I looked at Demarco.
"I thought we were cool."
"Demarco, you can forgive someone and not trust them."
"Pat, I would never make the same mistake with you. I hated what happened between us."
I rubbed my forehead. "What do you want me to say?"
Demarco knitted his brows.
"You could have told Camille no, but you didn't. We're family, and you hurt me by sleeping with Camille. Family doesn't betray family."
"It was a stupid mistake. I wasn't thinking and regretted my decision. I broke your trust, disappointed my family, and live with it every day."
I looked at Demarco. I didn't know what he wanted me to say. Did I forgive him? Yeah. But do I trust him? No.
Demarco went back upstairs and passed Kyler on his way up. Kyler stepped off the bottom step and looked at me.
"What?"
"Pat, I know Demarco hurt you because of what happened with Camille. But did anyone tell you the full story?"
"What's there to tell? I saw it with my two eyes." I shrugged.
"You saw the outcome, but you didn't see everything."
"What do you mean?"
"How did you know about Camille and Demarco?"
"Blair, text me."
"And you believed her?"
I furrowed my brows.
"Camille and her sisters set up Demarco to get even with Romeo."
"What?"
"Camille put on an act while her troll of sisters drugged Demarco after he refused Camille's advances."
I stared at Kyler.
"Uncle Jayden called my pops and told him that the hospital found drugs in Demarco's system."
My eyes shifted from Kyler as I thought about the night I caught Camille and Demarco. When I heard Demarco call my name, I beat the shit out of him. Usually, my cousins fight back. Demarco doesn't.
After my anger exploded, I shut off my hearing aids. It was the main reason for my car accident. I didn't hear the horn or tires screeching. You hear the noise before you see the lights when a vehicle approaches you on the side.
I looked at Kyler with furrowed brows.
"Uncle Jayden sought medical attention for Demarco after your beating. The doctor ran a tox screen and discovered those trolls drugged Demarco. Pat, you have a right to your anger, but Demarco suffered, too."
I walked away, headed upstairs, and tapped on Romeo's bedroom door. Demarco glanced at me.
I crept into the bedroom. "I'm sorry. I didn't know the full story."
Demarco sighed, sat down on the bed, and ran his hand through his hair. "My folks came home and found me lying on the living room floor. I didn't remember them finding me but waking up in the hospital. They told me after I woke up."
I sat down next to him.
"The only thing I remember was Camille knocking on my door and drinking pop while she cried. Afterward, I woke up in the hospital." Demarco looked at me. "It was my first time."
"What?" My forehead creased.
Demarco looked into my eyes. "I was saving myself for my wife because I wanted to share a part of myself with only her. My pops stressed how special sex is when you share it with your wife. You become one with them. I wanted the same thing."
A shiver ran down my body as my skin prickled.
"I wouldn't talk to anyone after what had happened. My dad tried to get me to see a counselor, but I didn't think anyone would believe me. Who would believe that a girl would assault a guy? Guys should be tough and fend off the woman. If you allow a woman to overpower you and didn't fight the woman off, you wanted sex." Demarco shrugged and looked away.
I furrowed my brows. I had been angry about what happened with Camille and Demarco but didn't bother to find out the truth.
"I'm sorry."
Demarco's face snapped in my direction.
"I let my anger overtake my judgment and assumed you betrayed me. I had been blinded with rage that I had made terrible choices. I thought it would be easier to blame you than Camille."
"If I could revisit the past and not answer that door, I would."
I looked at Demarco.
"Pat, I would change everything that happened that night if I could." Tears dripped down Demarco's cheeks.
Camille set out to destroy two lives that night. She obliterated my trust, making me distrustful of everyone, including myself. And she assaulted Demarco ripping his beliefs from him and traumatizing him.
I did something we both needed and comforted Demarco. He gripped the back of my shirt and cried. I don't hate my cousin, but I understand him better now that I have learned the truth.