CHAPTER SIX: “NOT EVEN ROWAN.”
2008 Words
My hands felt heavy. Maybe it was the fact that I was holding unto a cup with all my life or, the fact that I had just buried my dignity.
I took a sip of the cold juice and let it cool my nerves.
We were all seated at the kitchen counter. Rowan was at my right while Rhea sat beside him .
I glanced awkwardly to the right, and stared briefly at Rowan.
As if he could feel my gaze, his eyes turned to mine.
I faced front, embarrassed to be caught staring. But that wasn’t the only thing I was embarrassed about. Few minutes ago, I was straddling him butt naked in his sister’s room! Talk about a sadistic turn of events.
“Isn’t this weird?” Amber said, breaking the silence. “I didn’t expect all this to happen.”
Neither did I.
Frankly speaking, I’d never have come if I knew they were siblings. Hell, I’d rather eaten dog s**t! But as fate could have it, the last person I wanted to meet saw me in the worst situation ever.
Fate is a bastard!
“I didn’t see anything.” Rowan spoke up for the first time.
I sucked in a breathe. That voice—deep, throaty, familiar—cut right through me. How many years has it been since we’d been in a space together?
Amber rolled her eyes at his comment. “What a great way to break the ice, Row.”
“What? It’s obvious that she’s uncomfortable.”
“You’re absolutely right so, make her aware that her nudity got exposed. The worst part is that she was on you, she must be traumatized. Heaven knows what she felt.”
Rowan ran his hands through his hair in frustration and waved his hand. “Excuse you but, I don’t think any sane person would get tuned on when a scissors is pointed to their throat. It doesn’t matter if Rhea is extremely hot— she’s also extremely crazy.”.
I blushed at him calling me—hot. He still thought I was hot?
Oh you slut! This wasn’t the situation to fantasize about the s****l glorification of your body!
I cleared my throat to get their attention. “In case you guys aren’t aware, I’m still here.” Unfortunately.
“Of course we know darling, I’m trying to preserve your dignity from my perverted brother.”
I’m pretty sure there was nothing to preserve anymore. Amber’s first impression of me would forever be that of a weird girl that got herself naked in front of her rich brother.
Ughh! What a perfect way to ruin my college life.
What else did I need to do? Maybe if I were to take candid photos, the tag would be completed— “Crestwood’s Biggest w***e of the Year.”
I could just imagine the topic headlining the student blog. I might as well kiss my non-existent social life goodbye.
My skin itched in embarrassment at my reality.
I leaned closer to the kitchen counter, hoping that it would open and swallow me up.
“I’m pretty sure your idea to help Rhea is scaring her even more.”
I placed down the cup on the counter and hand. “I would have been absolutely fine had you not shown up.”
“How was I to know that my sister kidnapped you?”
Amber gasped in horror. “What do mean kidnap? I was trying to right my wrong, I didn’t realize you’d he home by this time. Why are you even home?”
“Maybe because it’s my house and I can choose to come back whenever I feel like it? Besides, I was trying to talk to a certain person but they were adamant on ignoring me.
I could feel him giving me a smug look. Cocky little bastard! How the hell was I supposed to know that he was brother of this sweet angel?
“Someone ignored you?” Amber chuckled in excitement. “Now that’s a first.”
“Not really, she’s good at turning me down and getting me all excited.”
I choked on my drink and coughed loudly to draw their attention but, they ignored me.
“it’s a female?! I need to meet her.”
“Meet her? You already have. In fact—"
“This is your house so that means Amber is your sister?” I say, interrupting him before he cause more damage.
He smirked knowingly, amused at my obvious irritation. “Yes she is. Isn’t it obvious from the looks?”
“No it isn’t, you have different colors of hair and eyes.” I point out.
“Oh that?” Amber smiled and twirled a strand of her hair in her hand. “It’s not real.”
“What do you mean by that?” I ask.
“What my sister is trying to say is that she’s fake. Her eyes are actually gray and not blue. Her hair is blonde because of our mother while I got my dark hair from my father.”
I was taken aback at their confession but the more I looked, the more I realized that they were actually right. They looked quite similar to each other.
“Why the change in eye color?” I ask her. “You don’t have to say anything if you’re uncomfortable. I’ll totally understand.” I quickly add the last part, playing safe. The last thing I wanted for either of them to think was— that I was being snoopy.
“You might not be aware but this i***t of mine is quite famous. He’s currently doing a reality show in your college. I was curious as to how college life actually is so I decided to tag along but the last thing I want is to draw attention to myself.” Amber pinched her cheek and giggled. “I’m pretty sure I was sleek?”
Amber was anything but sleek. In fact, she was a walking attention magnet but that was the last thing I was going to tell someone that gave me clean clothes.
“You suck at blending in.” I say.
Damn my honest mouth!
“Really?” Amber turned to Rowan and whined. “Why didn’t you tell me this? I could have sworn I was a flawless actress.”
“The only thing you’re good at is increasing your monthly shopping bill.” Rowan rolled his eyes as she stuck out her tongue at him. “Why did you even take her?” He said as he pointed at me.
I scoffed at his tone, as though I was some commodity on sale.
“I spilled my drink on her so I brought her back to get a change of clothes.”
“I’m sure your actions made her feel uncomfortable.”
“I’m fine. Not like you actually care.” I blurted out without thinking. Who the hell did he think he was, acting like some knight in shining armor? It didn’t fit his personality.
Rowan is a d**k.
“Rhea—”
Amber raised her hand, cutting him off. “Wait, why are you guys speaking so causally to each other? Did I miss a chapter or something?”
More like a whole book but, that didn’t matter right now.
“We were dating.”
“We are acquaintances.”
Amber looked at us both, confused at whose word to believe.
I turned my head sharply to Rowan. “When did we ever date?” I asked.
“Do I have to remind you of the times we spent in that room or maybe I have to pin you to a wall to juggle your memory.”
Bastard!
“Pin to a wall?! Wait wait, you guys were together before now?!”
“He’s making it seem more flattering than it actually was. It was nothing but the youthful nonsensical desire to explore. In fact, I can barely remember anything that happened, it was just that irrelevant.”
“You were always so good at words Rhea. It’s lovely to see that you’re still the same way.”
I stood up sharply, causing the chair to fall back. I bent over to pick it up, ignoring the look of surprise on their face. At this moment, the only thing I could see was— red.
I was filled with so much rage. Who the hell did he think he was acting like he knew me so well? And what did he mean that I hadn’t changed? The pathetic girl he loved to pin on the was gone. She died when he broke his promise and I had buried her along with every memory.
“I have overstayed my welcome, I must take my leave.” I took my bag that I had dropped on the table. “I’ll dry clean your clothes I’m wearing and send them to you as early as tomorrow morning. I’ll pay for any damages. Not that it matters.”
I didn’t wait for her response but walked as fast as I could in the direction that I had come through.
As I got closer to the door, Rowan caught up to me and wrapped his hands around mine.
“Rhea.”
I flinched at the sudden physical contact and pulled my hand out. “What do you want Rowan? To say more nonsense? Unfortunately I don’t have the desire to listen to your bullshit so save it for someone who actually cares.”
He didn’t flinch at my outburst but instead inched closed. “Why are you avoiding me?”
What kind of stupid question was this? Did he lose half of his brain during the time we were apart?
“Ask yourself that and maybe you’d be able to find an answer.”
“I know you hate be Rhea—”
“No, I loath you. Hatred is bearable. I know this because I want absolutely nothing to do with you.”
He paused for a moment before he looked down. “I’m sorry Rhea, I truly am.”
All the air in my lungs left as though I had been punched in my gut. The very words that I had imagined him saying over and over, slipped through his lips.
The countless times I had stayed at night, imagining him begging me. Except this time, the pain didn’t evaporate into the air as I had imagined it would, the words didn’t sooth the scars that I had lied to myself that he didn’t create.
All I felt was rage.
At him for acting as though everything were alright and, at the part of myself that was excited to fall into his arms.
I clenched my fist and ignored the tightness in my chest.
Don’t I already know what happens if I get involved with him? Rowan Black is dangerous. Not in the way that one would get a thrill or be excited, no. I mean dangerous in the way that his mere presence in my life would lead to self destruction. Rowan Black is a poison that slowly creeps into one’s heart, having no cure.
I know all this, I’ve been through this so I’ll be damned if I let him into my life again.
“It’s too late Rowan. You’re too late.”
I opened the door and walked out without bothering to look back. This was how it was supposed to, even if it had felt good to be in his arm for the briefest moment— I am not willing to risk the one thing that I hold dear to myself.
My heart is the last treasure I have and, I’ll be damned if I let anyone make a mess of it.
Not even Rowan Black. Especially Rowan Black.
I walked into the sunlight, letting the door click shut on the boy who once held my whole world. He wasn’t getting a second chance.
- Writer
