Page 88 of Heartless Heathens

She was Romina’s friend.

I’d be tolerant.

“You think that my parents named their only child, Sonny?” I asked her and she choked out a laugh.

“Well what’s your real name then?” She asked but I ignored her, waiting for her to reveal the real reason she was here. “Somehow it makes you less badass knowing it’snotyour real name and you just let people call you that.”

“Stop talking, Reesa.”

“Well, I just came by to drop some books off for Romina, is she around?” She extended her neck to get a better look further into the house, as If I was somehow hiding the girl from her.

“She is not,” I answered.

“Well, can I leave these in her room?” She started to walk further into the house, but I grabbed her arm to bring her to a stop.

“She doesn’t have a room. You can leave them with me, I’ll make sure she gets them.” I told her, but she frowned at me.

“She doesn’t have her own room? Every time I think you guys can’t get more fucked you top yourselves. Do you have her clean and cook for you as well? Does she carry your books to class?” She crossed her arms over her chest like we were some kind of monsters.

Well, maybe we were.

Just not that kind.

“Listen here, aside from the weird little toilet situation she had going on up in that bell tower, that we’re not even going totalkabout. I’m pretty sure Romina’s never cleaned a goddamned thing in her life.”

She swallowed a hard gulp as I loomed over her threateningly.

“What do you mean by toilet situation?” She asked nervously, it wasn’t my place or my trauma to reveal.

“Maybe it looks to you like we’re somehow the bad guys here, but let me remind you of the monster who kept her locked up there for nearly two decades.” My upper lip peeled up involuntarily. “Get out Reesa, I’ll tell her you came by when I find her.”

I pulled the door open and extended my hand for the bag of books. She looked unsure but handed it off to me anyway before walking out of the chapel. I took to my bedroom and tossed the tote bag onto the bed, raking my fingers over my face while I tried to decide what to do.

I didn’t enjoy clipping his wings, but I couldn’t let him go on doing something that might mean leaving Felix all alone in this world. I was an only child, and yet somehow I’d spent my entire life worrying about those fucking two.

They came in before Felix got back. All smiles and laughing like they were the best of friends and not two idiots making terrible decisions, encouraging each other to be the worst versions of themselves. Their laughter cut short the minute their eyes met mine.

“What were you thinking?” I asked, waiting to see who would answer first.

“That I’m an adult who enjoys making decisions for myself. What about you Romina? Are you an adult who enjoys making decisions for yourself?” He egged me on, looking at her and she shrunk back.

Her eyes darted back and forth between the two of us like she didn’t know what the right answer would be. There was a good chance there weren’t any right answers here.

“Don’t set her up. Why are you acting so self-destructive? You’re better than this.” I attempted to tone down my rage.

“Wanting to be in control of my life is self-destructive? That’s rich, coming fromyou.” He snarked. “We’re fine, nothing happened. Aren’t we fine, Romina?” He gritted out and she nodded her head like a cartoon character, overly dramatic and too eager to come to his defense.

“Because you’re lucky. How am I supposed to trust you if you’re always making risky decisions, not taking your meds or thinking about the consequences?” I raised my voice, feeling that overprotective urge to knock him out just to keep him safe.

“He took his medicine,” she mumbled quietly, but loud enough for me to hear.

“What?” I said looking at her first, then to him.

He rolled his eyes and dropped the bag he was carrying on the floor before tucking both hands into his pockets and walking away from me and through the hallway.

“You got him to take his medicine?” I asked her with my eyes narrowed and fully fixed on her. She didn’t look away and I wasn’t sure if it was because she knew it pleased me or if she was doing it to irritate me, like a challenge.

Both options made me harder than hell.