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1433 Words
I fell into the car seat, my mind wandering off to my family –they were the happiest, and the best thing that ever happened to me. They loved me and I loved them too, up until he came—Shane came for a visit at our house.
Shane was 6 '1 feet, with brown hazel, wavy hair which he always packed behind his head, his green, almond eyes and muscular body. He had that olive complexion that made him even more captivating. I felt my cheeks heat up, imagining him in a swimsuit.
“He rejected you, remember? You kissed him and he pushed you away.” The memory flashed in my mind—my eighteenth birthday, the boldest move I had ever made: kissing my dad's best friend.
Shane was my first kiss, but he shoved me away. Now, it was a bitter twist to realize my mother was with him—the same man I had given my heart to that night. How could I now face calling him my stepfather? The cold breeze snapped me out of my daze and the cab driver announced he was already at Greenwood Villa.
I came down and paid the fare, stepping through the gates. It had been years since I’d been here, and everything had changed in just two. I stumbled to his porch and pressed the doorbell, leaning against the wall for support.
The door creaked open with him standing in front of me only in towels, his hair dripping wet depicting he had come out from the showers. I gulped in, watching as the water droplets trickled down from his wet hair to his shoulders down to his navel. I swallowed hard, feeling unsettled, and instinctively turned away.
“Hi..”
“I didn’t expect you to come so soon,” He gasped at me, scrutinizing me from head to toe. “When did you start keeping secrets? You should have told me you were back; I would have picked you up.”
“Shameless as ever, Shane! And don’t call me ‘dear’ again! Just tell me—why choose my mother of all women in the world who will fling themselves at you?” I calmly asked, pushing away any nasty thoughts from my mind.
He shook his head, biting his lip, gripping the towel tighter around his waist. “You figured it out faster than I expected. Your mother and I... it was a mistake.” He made way for me but I didn't bulge, as I stared at him in the rain.
My gown clung to me, soaked and barely resembling a wedding dress, while he stood there, unfazed—such an asshole.
“Uhm, Lauren, you rather stand in the rain than come in? You are going to catch a fever and fall ill. You don't have a strong immune system like other kids and…”
“Shut it, Shane Shepherd! Just shut the hell up! Do you know why I’m drenched? I just came from the hospital, running like someone insane from my wedding. You should really be proud of yourself. I hate you.”
“Calm down, Lauren…what happened? And why are you in a wedding dress?”
“I was getting married to the love of my life when a stranger called my line telling me my parents had been involved in a ghastly accident. I ran straight to the hospital, to end it, my dad is dead. He didn't survive the hit because he protected that son of a b***h of a mother.”
“Your mother? Didn't she say she was going out of town to look for you?”
“What the hell are you talking about? She’s in the hospital, clinging to life! She had a miscarriage that nearly killed her, and I’m pretty sure it was your child! If anything happens to her, I swear I’ll drag you down with her! You’re the jerk who ruined my family!”
“I am sorry…”
“Don’t be sorry, in fact, be sorry because you ruined everything! You ruined my whole family!”
He stepped aside, taking my mom's purse from my shoulder. “Why do I get the feeling you hate me now? I came back, didn't I? I came back for you…Never mind, Lauren. You’ve really grown up. The last time I saw you, you kissed me and ran off.”
“Don’t you dare bring that up! My dad is somewhere cursing your name right now! You’re such an asshole!” I screamed, my face frowning in fury as memories of that awkward moment flooded back. Suddenly, I snapped out of my rage and thrust my mom's hospital results into his hands.
“She said something about you being there for her when she needed someone to talk to. Maybe after all you're not a jerk. Whatever happened between you and my mother, I want you to know that when she wakes up from this coma, you better take care of her. Don’t let her cry, and don’t ever hurt her again!”
He laughed, his chuckles sending shivers down my spines. “Your mother and I were never a thing. She needed money, and I needed s*x. It was a trade, plain and simple.”
“Asshole!” That was all that I could murmur out and turn around to leave.
“Wait, Lauren! Don’t you want to know how I felt about your kiss after seven years? I could use some company right now. You know it’s considered bad luck where I come from to be alone after your wife dies.”
“My mother is not dead! She’s in a coma, and if she dies, I swear I’ll come after you! I don’t care if I end up in prison—just know I will make you pay!” I retorted, a mix of anger and confusion swirling inside me, and next minute, he laughed like what I said was nothing. “What? You think this is a joke? I don’t want anything to do with you!”
“Really? Because it seems like you’ve thought about it more than you’d like to admit,” he shot back, stepping closer. “Don’t you remember how you kissed me? Or has that memory faded along with your feelings for me?”
I returned my gaze to him, my heart pounding fast as I understood what he meant but every part of me wanted to run away from him. I stood frozen contemplating on what to do.
“I just need some company, I get it—you’re not the little girl who hovered around me anymore. You’ve grown, and I respect that. But I thought we could catch up, reminisce about the good times…”
I shook my head at him avoiding his intense stares. I wanted to leave right now but didn't find a good excuse.
“Lauren.” He called out my name, resting on the door frame. This time around, I saw every single curve and line of his body. His hair was still dripping and his towel damp from the whole water. “Come in, okay? There's no one with me, only an empty house and I made some tea for myself. You can be my company.”
“What possibly could I want from a jerk like you?” Weakly, I held up my body against the wall. After much contemplation, I entered, forcing a smile. “I will stay for thirty minutes and I will be gone.” I made sure to state my standing point and he didn't seem to be annoyed or consider it rude.
Shane closed the door, locking it by the key and came to the living room. He sat down on the couch, spreading his legs wide open, his hands lazily roaming round the couch for the remote.
“You know you could have stayed back after your birthday party to know my response.” I didn't know where these questions came from but I was damn nervous answering him. “You don't have to say anything, just stay with me.” He sensed my discomfort and stopped asking, reaching out for the remote and turning on the television.
I stiffened, my eyes retracting from the porn playing on the television. My face burned red as his towel fell on the ground, sitting fully naked on the couch, with his hands on his crotch.
“You’r
e drooling Lauren. I bet you have never seen a c**k as big as mine.”
- Writer
