Chapter 19
ZOE
He thought he was funny. He thought he was so fucking hilarious. Truthfully, it was, but I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of seeing me laugh. With the opening credits running, Spencer tugged at my hair and I couldn’t help it. Grabbing a handful of popcorn from the bowl in my lap, I launched it in his direction.
“You’ll be cleaning that up,” he growled, trying to look menacing, but failing pathetically.
“Make me,” I dared, popping a buttery piece in my mouth.
We spent the afternoon wrapped in each other watching movies. After his attempt at hilarity I knew I had to get my pay back, and boy was revenge sweet. It was almost as if Jenna knew what sort of crap Spencer would pull and when she’d done the drive by delivery earlier, she tossed in a couple of chick flicks for good measure. They were the ones guys didn’t want to watch. After I endured the endless torment ofPippi Longstocking, I made Spencer watchMamma Miafollowed byMy Girl. I cried, but then again, I’m a big, fat cry baby. I always cry at movies. And TV shows. And the occasional ad. When I looked over at Spencer, just after Thomas J dies inMy Girlto see tears streaming undisturbed down his face, I felt guilty. Maybe I’d pushed him too far.
I tried to climb off him, but he held me tighter, squishing me to his side. The pain burned through my body, I didn’t want to make him feel worse, so I just gritted my teeth and breathed through it. I felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, still Spencer didn’t budge.
“Want to grab that?” I asked, wiggling out of the way so he could get to it.
“No,” he stated firmly, intertwining his fingers with mine.
“Okay,” I whispered, slinking down into the lounge and pulling the blanket up even higher to shield me.
The rest of the movie was spent in silence. Neither of us spoke or moved a muscle. I was aching all over and all I could think about was getting out of the house. Just for a minute. I wasn’t going to push my luck. I’d had my fun. I’d watched Spencer squirm. As fun as it had been to torture him, I think he was quickly approaching breaking point. It was time for me to back off and behave. Or at least try.
As the credits rolled, Spencer wiped at his face roughly. I think he didn’t want me to see him cry and I didn’t have the heart to tell him that I’d felt the vibrations of his sobbing throughout the movie. He slipped out from under me, and then I watched as he made a mad dash towards the bathroom. Poor guy. It was just a few bee stings that got Thomas J.
With a moment to myself, I stood up and stretched, regretting it instantly. Shooting pain consumed my whole body, and with every twist and turn I made, something else creaked and cracked. Once the pain subsided, it felt better. Much better. Feeling the need to move, I started cleaning up our mess…picking up errant pieces of popcorn, empty chocolate wrappers, and cans before straightening the lounge. It felt good to be doing something constructive for a minute. I wasn’t used to being wrapped in cotton wool, and as it turned out, it didn’t suit me. Not at all.
“You don’t have to do that,” Spencer’s smooth steady voice rolled over me, scaring the living shit out of me.
“Shit, Spencer!” I growled, clutching at my chest where my heart was threatening to burst through my already broken ribs.
“What?” he taunted with a mischievous grin and a wicked gleam in his eye.
“Hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s not nice to sneak up on people?”
“Yeah, you’re not people…you’re my Pippi!” He winked as he sauntered towards me. Gone was the sad, crying boy and standing in his place was the cocky, arrogant guy I’d always known.
Dropping his phone on the coffee table, Spencer helped me finish straightening up and packed away the DVDs. When we finished without words, we found ourselves migrating out the back to the patio table and chairs.
It was already late but in the yard we had the protection of the trees to guard from the wind, leaving it beautifully warm. I lifted my legs up onto the table, tipped my head back, and closed my eyes. The silence was bliss. It was so different than home. Home was noisy. And fast. And crazy. And I loved it. Part of me wanted to stay here forever. I just wasn’t sure how big that part was. As the sun beat down it warmed my skin and made everything feel better. In the distance a dog barked intermittently and I could hear birds, but that was it. No cars. No people. No life. Nothing beyond my own breathing. It was hard to comprehend that I was sitting in a backyard in the centre of town.
I don’t know how long I sat there, I can’t even say if I was awake the whole time. More than likely at some point, I drifted off and enjoyed a nap in the sun, when the sun dipped behind the trees and the temperature fell with it, I was wide awake and chilled.
Opening my eyes reluctantly, I glanced around, noticing I was on my own. There was no sign of Spencer, but I was okay. I wasn’t afraid. I knew he wouldn’t be far, and even more than that I knew he’d never leave me in danger. Clambering to my feet, I went inside in search of my companion.
I could hear the shower running, so I stumbled into the lounge room. When Spencer’s phone went off on the coffee table, I couldn’t help myself. I know it was wrong and I know I shouldn’t have. I just couldn’t stop myself. Grabbing the phone, I read the text message.
Kane: OK. U still coming tho???
I was more confused than anything. Then the guilt weighed on me. Heavily. Still that didn’t put my nosy nature back in the box.
Spencer: Hey, it’s Zoe–where we going?
I felt better at least admitting it was me. I could have gone and found my own phone but I didn’t have Kane’s number and that would just be all sorts of weird. I’d just borrow Spencer’s.
Kane: Gorgeous! Coming to watch me kick ass tonight?
Spencer: WTF?
Kane: Football Pippi. Game starts at 7.
