Page 39 of Make Me Scream
CHAPTER 15
PERIS
The momenthe steps through the door, I’m on him, hands gripping his slim biceps, nose nearly bumping against his.
“She didn’t fucking touch you, did she?” I pull back slightly when he sniffles, my eyes roving over every inch of him. “Why are you crying? What the fuck did she do?”
Abel huffs and tries to push me away. “Jesus, Peri. Calm down.”
“Calm down?” I balk. “Don’t fucking tell me to calm down,” I growl.
“I’mfine,” he snaps, blonde brows furrowed, ever the brat.
“You’re not. Your eyes are glassy, and the tip of your nose is red.”
“It’s cold out.”
“Not just from walking to the car. Tell me. Now.”
“Peris, seriously—" his voice grows colder— “backthe fuckoff.” I reach up and shove my finger into his chest, hammering it into his sternum, forcing him back into the door he just walked through. His breathing shortens as I close in on him, pissed the fuck off.
“Don’t start with me. I’ve been out of mymindfor hours. You can’t answer your phone?”
The widening of his eyes tells me all I need to know.
“You didn’t even think to check it, did you?”
“Peris…”
“You’re in so much trouble, runt.”
“Abel!”
We both turn at the sound of Ma’s voice. Abel springs away from me the best he can, but I don’t leave him much room to do so.
“Jesus, Peris. Let himbreathe.” Ma moves between us and pushes me back gently. I go, albeit against my will, my eyes never leaving Abel. His stray from mine as Ma envelops him into a hug—but never for long. And every time those silver orbs find their way back to mine, my own darken, making his breath hitch and my groin tighten.
“Wow, it smells so good in here,” Abel says as we make our way into the kitchen, Mom’s arm slung over his shoulders, refusing to let him go. It makes my chest ache a little too deeply.
“Thanks, honey! Everything should be done within… probably the next hour, I think. I hope you’re hungry,” she says optimistically.
“Hell yeah.”
“Awesome. So, tell me how it went.”
“Oh.” His face drops, and I turn my back, refusing to acknowledge his pain—because if I see his pain, I’m going to lose it. “Well, I don’t have to transfer.”
“Transfer?” I ask as I grab a pop out of the fridge.
“From Ardent. I get to stay, at least. Lucy lives on the other side of town, so I won’t be too far away.” His voice sounds so small, so unlike him.
“Awe, well, that’s good!” Ma says, trying to sound so fucking chipper, I wince at the volume of her voice and so does Abel. “Sorry,” she says with a half-smile. “Too much. Got it.”
“Just a little.” He laughs.
“How was the visit, though? Did it go well?” When Abel hesitates, she reaches across the table to grab one of his scarred hands. “Only if you want to talk about it.”
“No, it’s fine. It was… weird, I guess? We argued after a while. Well, I yelled, and then, it got awkward, and we left.” He rubs the back of his neck with a dry chuckle that makes my skin tingle.
