Page 54 of Make Me Scream
“That’s the spirit,” I drawl sarcastically and chuck the ball at him. He catches it and jumps up, shooting a three-pointer with ease. Itsk.“It’s gonna be like that?”
“You wanted a distraction, didn’t you? Get ready for some real competition then, Baxter. Since you’re making me freeze my ass off out here,” he mutters the last part.
I take the ball from him with a chuckle, feeling lighter than I have in a while, but my runt is still heavy on my mind and the way he sat in my lap today, like it was as easy as breathing to beseen like that with me. Like it wouldn’t completely fuck me up inside…
Fuck it all. I’m utterly and irrevocably destroyed over this boy.
My runt, my puppy.
My dangerous obsession.
CHAPTER 19
ABEL
I stareout the front window in a daze. I just can’t fucking believe it.
The day is here… it’s actually here.
I’m… moving into Lucy’s apartment. I’m never coming back here.
“Do…” Elise clears her throat, and I hear the tears clogging it. I clench my molars and close my eyes swiftly. “Do you have all of your things?”
“They forever fit inside the bag, Elise,” I mutter, kicking my ratty backpack with the tip of my Converse, refusing to look at her.
“I know you have more than that, Abel. Please take it all. I want you to have everything you need there.” She walks over to me at the kitchen table and pulls up a chair, but she keeps her distance like she’s afraid to come any closer.
I almost laugh at her reservation.
“It’s fine.”
“I’ve got it all right here, Ma.” Peris strides into the room and drops a big, black duffle back onto the floor with a jarring thud. I jolt in my seat and whip around with wide eyes to stare at the bag he dropped at my feet, a haughty smile on his full lips.
It’s one of his. One that he uses for basketball practice.
“What’s that?” I deadpan.
“Your shit.” He crosses his arms over his chest.
I grit my teeth.He doesn’t fucking get it.“I don’t want it.”
“You don’t have a choice, runt.”
“Peris,” Elise hisses.
I laugh loudly. “You’re telling me.” This makes him wince, and I almost feel bad.Almost.But then, I catch sight of Lucy’s piece of shit Honda pulling up beside the curb, and I suddenly don’t care about much of anything anymore.
“Abel…” Elise starts to cry, and I can’t stand it. This is why I wanted to do this alone—tobealone in this.
“Please don’t,” I beg, on the verge myself. I can’t fuckingdo this.
Without warning, she pushes to her feet and pulls me into her arms, squeezing tight. I struggle to stand, but as she envelops me in her hold, her scent overwhelms me, and I feel so fucking loved, I can’t help the tears that escape.
“I love you, Abel,” she breathes into me. “So,somuch. You will always have a home here, and the door is always open, okay? Come every day if you can—if… if you want to. We will always be here for you.” She rubs her hands up and down my back over and over, trying to get some warmth back into my body, but I’m so cold, I’m terribly numb. To the bone.
To the core. I can’t feel a damn thing other than bleak, all-consuming despair.
I can’t believe I let myself get so deep in this family.
