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When we break for air, I pull my head back and she smiles up at me lazily.
“I love you asshole,” she whispers.
“Me too,” I smirk.
“You know what else I love?”
I raise an eyebrow at her questioningly.
“Snacks and movies?” she grins with a light sniffle, and I bust into laughter.
“Yeah, me too. Be right back,” I push off the bed and jog downstairs to rummage through the kitchen. After a few minutes I find the bag of cheese puffs, a container of cookies, chips, an unopened jar of salsa, and a couple of cans of coke. Taking the steps two at a time, I jog back upstairs to my bedroom.
Spencer is sitting up against the headboard, puffing on the joint as she scrolls through the guide on my TV. I stop in the doorway and look at her, drinking in everything about her. From her Chuck Taylor All-Stars, to her baggy ripped jeans and tank top, to her adorable, slightly upturned nose, and emerald eyes, she’s so fucking perfect. She’s everything.
“Quit staring creep,” she laughs, not turning her head from the direction of the TV.
“Oh yeah?” I stride forward and drop the snacks on the bed, flopping down next to her. She hands me the joint and I take a puff as I reach for the remote.
“Fat chance,” she giggles as she pulls the remote out of my reach. “My choice tonight.”
“Fine,” I sigh. “But make it good or I’m going downstairs and playing Playstation.”
She elbows me in the side as I laugh and snatches the joint back from me, “One, you’re not going anywhere and you know it. Two, of course it’ll be good.” she hisses as she turns on Beetlejuice.
I lean into her, sliding my arm behind her head and she hands the joint over as she nuzzles against my chest turning her attention to the movie. Stoned and giggling, it doesn’t take long until she’s relaxed and I can sense she’s no longer thinking about the world beyond this room. Pressing my lips to the top of her head, I squeeze her tighter and my smile slowly fades. I want things to be this way forever, but they can’t.
See, the thing is, I lied to her twice tonight.
I didn’t just lie by omission when it came to the two weeks my father dragged me to the city.
I lied again.
I lied when I said I wasn’t going anywhere.
Because eventually I’m going to have to leave, and I can’t drag her into hell with me.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Ding! Ding! Ding!
I’m yanked from my dreams at the sounds of someone beating like a madman on the front door, ringing the doorbell between bangs. Sitting up I rub my eyes. What the fuck? Spencer is still knocked out asleep, so I slide quietly off the bed, snatch my butterfly knife from the nightstand and shove it in my pocket. Walking over to the door, I open it slowly, quietly pulling it closed behind me.
Jogging down the steps softly, I head for the front door.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Opening the door, I snap in a loud whisper, “What the fuck dude?!”
A man is standing on my step and he looks vaguely familiar but I really can’t place him.
“What the fuck do you want?”
The man clears his throat and straightens his posture, “Apologies. I’m looking for my niece she never came home last night. I thought she might be here. Travis, right?”
That’s when it hits me. Uncle Evan. Motherfucker.
“Evan?” I question.