Page 67 of Make Me Scream
“Mold?” she screeches, and I wince, pulling the phone away from my ear.
“Shit, I’m sorry. I just?—”
“Yeah, I know. It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine. None of this is fine.”
“Elise, if you don’t mind, I really don’t want to rehash the inevitable.”
“Yeah, of course, honey. I actually called to see if you wanted to come over for Christmas, but I wasn’t sure if you had plans with…” she trails off, and I laugh, despite the sensation rolling through my stomach.
“Nah, was just gonna lie in bed all day, especially with the way I feel. So, if you don’t mind that I’m a little sick…”
“Nope. I’m a nurse, after all.” And I swear I can hear her wink.
“Cool. If you give me a bit, I can head over?—”
“Don’t be stupid!” she chastises me. “Peris is headed over to pick you up.”
“Uhhh…” I suck my bottom lip between my teeth.
“You think because I know you are boyfriends now, you can’t be together?”
I splutter, choking on the spit I sharply inhale. “What the fuck?” I hack.
“Easy, Abel. It’s fine. He’s on his way now. I’ll see you soon, okay? And dress warm, please.” With that, she hangs up, leaving me reeling at the strangest turn of events becausewhat the fuck?
I find Peris’s number and hit call. He answers immediately. “What?”
“You’re so nice to me,” I complain, and he laughs. “Your mom just called us boyfriends.” I find immense pleasure in hearing Peris splutter across the line like I just did. “Yeah, I know. I just did the same,” I say after he’s caught his breath.
I hear his car accelerate in the background, meaning he’s getting closer to me with every second that passes.
“Are you my boyfriend?” I ask hesitantly, guilt gnawing at me.
He sighs heavily, and I just know he’s raking his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know what it means to be someone’s, runt. All I know is that you’re mine.”
“Sounds like I’m your boyfriend then.”
“Whatever the fuck you want to call it, as long as you know,” he mutters, and I can hear the waver in his voice. I know how hard this must be for him.
“Do you not want me to say that?”
“Do whatever the fuck you want, Abel,” he snaps, and I sigh heavily.
“If you don’t want to be, then just say that.”
“I just don’t like the word,” is all he says, like that makes any sense, but maybe it does to him, and I just don’t get it.
“Okay,lover,” I drawl sarcastically.
I hear a tell-tale squeak and imagine his fingers tightening around the wheel like they tend to do. “I hate that.”
“I know.” My face scrunches up in distaste. “Me, too.”
We laugh together, and then, it gets quiet for a few minutes.
“I’ll be there in a few. Be ready for me.” And then, Peris hangs up. I drop my phone with a sigh and force myself to sit up and get dressed, pushing down the waves of nausea I feel every time I move a little too quickly.
