I couldn't make heads or tails with anything in this house anymore. There was no way Audrey attacked Gemma. No way but somehow that redheaded harpy had convinced the old man otherwise. I argued up and down about Gemma. I beg and pleaded with Aaron just to say anything. Anything that would indicate what really happened but there was no use. Aaron refused to speak on it leaving only two sides of the story.
Defeated and exhausted, I dragged my feet towards Lin's door. I knocked and I heard a timid voice beckon me to come in. I entered and saw Lin laying in bed with her leg in a pretty decent looking cast. Aaron had done a pretty good job with the materials DJ had required.
She mustered up a small smile before returning to sulking. I sat down on the side of the bed next to her. I rubbed her thigh and bent down to kiss her, but she rebuffed my advances. She pushed me away and turned away from me looking even more annoyed.
I sighed. "Don't be like that."
"Why not?" she scoffed. "Why are you even here?"
"To keep you company. To get a dose of Lin," I cooed. I leaned down and kissed her cheek. She remained still staring blankly at her window now.
My lips then began moving down towards her neck, but she recoiled and swatted at me like I was a common housefly. She looked just as disgusted as if she had seen one. I sat back up frowning. "What now?"
"I don't want company."
I sighed again. "Don't tell me you're still mad at me?"
"I'm not mad at you. Mad about what?"
"About the junkyard."
"I'm not mad about that, you imbecile", she groaned. "That was my choice. I made the choice to go in your place. Not you. Me. I'm not mad at you. I’ve never been mad at you about that."
"Then what's the deal?"
"What you mean?"
"Every time I come to check on you, you act you like you want nothing to do with me."
"That's because I'm in pain, Nathan! You want to fuck something?! Use your hand!"
"No. I told you I'm not here for that. I know you're in pain. I know you're hurt. I'm just here to be with you."
She grimaced and I began rubbing her back trying to comfort her, but she again swatted at me. I leaned over trying to kiss her again on the lips, but she scowled and leaned away from me.
She then deflated into a pitiful expression. "Look, I appreciate what you're doing but I feel like you're getting the wrong impression about us."
"What you mean?"
"What we did. It was fun. It was a nice distraction and we blew off some steam, but that's all it was. That's all I wanted. I told you."
"Yeah, and I got that but -"
"But what? That I'm supposed to fall head over hills in love with you?"
"No. Don't be ridiculous."
"Then stop hanging around here like a stray puppy. It fucking pathetic."
"I bring you shit all day and fluff your fucking pillows, and this how you treat me?! You’re fucking insufferable!"
She gasped and started to speak but closed her mouth. She seemed to be rethinking her next words. I remained seated beside her feeling my face grow hot in anger. Too angry to speak rationally. We stayed like that for a few minutes in absolute silence.
"I regret -" she mumbled.
"Me too. I'm sorry."
"No. I regret us sleeping together."
"Are you fucking kidding me?!"
She placed her hand on mine and looked into my eyes. "Nathan, I do care about you. I really do but I don't love you. I never will. Not like you want me to. You can hang around here and play the boyfriend role all you want, but at the end of the day, you're just my friend. We're friends."
"I think we're more than just friends, Lin."
"Ok, we're friends with benefits. Well, we were friends with benefits, but that's over now. I can't do it anymore. I don't want to," she said coldly. She turned away from me. "Let's just be friends. Like how you and Madison are friends. Like how me and Wade are friends."
I laughed. "Wade? The way he looks at you? He practically hovers over you. I'm sure you're more than friends. At least he thinks so."
She rolled her eyes. "I can't control how he looks at me and he's just being protective. Like a brother or something."
"Yeah, right. I bet," I scoffed.
"Don't be an ass."
"Maybe you should ask him to be your friends with benefits, huh? I bet you wouldn't get tired of that," I growled feeling my anger rise again. "That's if you haven't al-"
"Don't you dare! Don't even say it!"
"What? I'm just stating the obvious!" I yelled as I jumped up off the bed. "Hell, at this point you might as well get married. He's practically your creepy obsessed husband anyway."
"Now you're being ridiculous!"
"Well, do you know he still blames me for you going to the junkyard and breaking your leg? Huh? Do you know that?"
"I know and I told him not to!"
"Well, he hasn't stopped. He just won't let up when it comes to you."
"If being jealous of Wade makes you feel better than you go ahead but it's not going make me love you! I will never love you!"
"You said that already! I got the message loud and clear!"
I headed towards the door. I was done. Ready to leave and never enter this room again if I could help it. She might as well had stabbed me in the heart. What she said sure made it feel like I had been. My hand was on the knob ready to turn it and run off to a dark corner of the house to mope before my nighty duties, but she called to me. Her voice like splinters to my ears right now.
"What?!" I screamed. "What now?"
"I...I was hoping to tell you something."
"What? You don't love me? You find me repulsive? I got it."
"No. I was going to ask you to check the window," she said sounding unease. "I wanted to ask before we argued, but you were just so... persistent."
"What about the window?"
"I...I saw someone. I know it sounds crazy, but I saw someone at my window.
"Huh?"
"I'm serious."
I looked at the door and back at her. What on earth was she even talking about? We were on the second floor. I doubted anyone would be at her window. Who am I to her? Her errand boy?
I glanced at the window wondering if I should look. Take a peek and put her at ease, but then I thought about how she treated me. How truly shitty I felt. She had used me and now she was looking to use me again. I laughed bitterly at her and she seemed taken aback by my reaction.
"Are you sure it's not Wade looking in? I wouldn't put it past that perv. Maybe his fat ass climbed up and took a peek."
She glared at me. "Now you're just being cruel. I'm serious. I saw someone!"
"Then get your boyfriend, Wade to look. I'm done here!"
I grabbed open the door and slammed it. Audrey jumped at the sight of me. She had been standing just outside it. She took one look at me and looked apprehensive to speak.
"Why the hell are you standing out here?" I snapped. "Ease dropping?"
"No. I was waiting for Vince."
"Out here? Outside Lin's door?"
She frowned. "It's a free country isn't it?"
"Well, have you seen Aaron? Is he in his room?"
"Actually, no. I just saw him. He went downstairs. Still really quiet. Did you get him to talk?”
“No. Not yet,” I murmured. I turn around to head for the stairs. A pit of guilt forming in my stomach for being so short with Audrey. I looked back at her over my shoulder. “Hey, Audrey.”
“What?”
“I just want you to know I believe you. I'll do what I can to get your katana back. Promise.”
She smiled and nodded. I did the same. I then descended the stairs in search of Aaron. Maybe finally I could get him to talk.
Part of 1 of 2. To Continued...
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