Page 68 of Make Me Scream
By the time I’m ready to go, backpack slung over my shoulder, Lucy starts questioning me. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“Out.”
“Out where? It’s Christmas, and we have plans.” She gestures between her, her newboyfriend,and me. I roll my eyes.
“You mean you do. I don’t have shit with you. I’ll see you later.” And I slam the door behind me to enunciate my point. I speed walk down the dimly lit hall, heart racing in my throat.
Three… two…
“Abel!”
“Bye!”
I yank open the door to the staircase and race inside, trying not to vomit as I watch my feet, forever clad in my stained pink Converse, stomp down the steps at blinding speed, putting as much distance between us as possible.
By the time I reach the bottom, I’m out of breath and dizzy, but Lucy didn’t bother to follow me, which is a win. I push open the front door and find Peris waiting for me.
Keeping my face neutral, I jump in the passenger seat and hook my seatbelt in.
“Hey, boyfriend,” I say nonchalantly.
“Fuck you,” he snaps before reaching over and grabbing the back of my neck and yanking me towards him. I yelp as he slams our mouths together. Our teeth clack, pinching our lips between them. The kiss is brutal and uncomfortable and pretty much just painful, but the connection of our bodies touching sets my soul alive for the first time in days.
I sigh against him as he tightens his grip, and my forehead falls against his.
“I miss you,” I tell him honestly. There’s no point in lying to Peris. Ever.
“I miss you, puppy. Let’s go.” He releases me with a kiss to my forehead, which I’ll fucking cherish forever, and we set off toward home…
Or to whatusedto be home but is now just the only place that ever felt that way to me, lost to a sea I’ll never explore again.
“Abel,honey, it’s so good to see you,” Elise gushes the moment I walk into the house and drop my bag onto the floor by the couch. “Oh, gosh, you do look ill. Do you want some medicine? Here, let me go get you some.” And then, she’s disappearing into the bathroom.
I look over at Peris, and he shrugs, rolling his eyes. “Nurses,” is all he says, and I laugh lightly.
Must be nice to be so loved,I want to say, but I don’t.
“Here. Why don’t you take this, and I’ll make you some soup. It’s just some Tylenol.” I take the medicine from her and swallow it easily, ignoring the cup of water in her hand.
“Ma, it’s ten in the morning,” Peris says, his brows raised.
“So? Sick means soup, Peris. Shut up.”
“Jeez, it’s supposed to be Christmas…” he mutters to himself as he drops onto the sofa, grumbling and complaining silently. I laugh quietly to myself as I watch him, but I stop when I find Elise watchingme.
“Sorry,” I murmur, dropping my head in shame.
“Don’t be, Abel. We’ll talk about it all later. Right now, you just lie down and try to feel better, okay?”
“Okay, thank you,” I tell her earnestly, and she reaches over and wraps me in her arms—arms I never thought I’d feel wrapped around me again. I could cry from how good it feels.
“Always, Abel. Always.”
When she heads into the kitchen, I drop onto the couch with a sigh and curl up on my side. Peris reaches over and drags a blanket over me. I glance up at him with a small, warm smile. “Thanks, baby boy.”
His eyes widen. “Stop that,” he hisses, eyes darting behind us.
“Oh calm down, it’s fine.” I yawn, my eyes closing of their own volition. I’m so tired, I just want to sleep forever.
