“I want you to be safe. When your brother is not around, I’ll be around to protect you, so you should definitely stay with us. We can manage.”
His devilish smile makes my teeth grind. Of course I won’t get any help from Victor. Worst day ever. Nothing is going according to plan.
“Do you feel safe with… us? Here at the apartment?” Victor asks.
I only scoff. I attempt to give him my best menacing look. But deep down I know I am safe here, with them. With Victor. For now. His smile widens.
Oh, the choices I’ve made! A sharp pain runs from my heart to my back and settles at the stab wound. I’ve been marked by a crazy person. And I let it happen. I wish I didn’t get myself in trouble and involved with my mom’s shit.
I used to be so close to Alek, and look at us now. My tired mind produces images of me as a kid falling from a tree. My father scolded me, but my brother came to my room and hugged me. Exactly the medicine I needed after a silly fall from a tree.
I remember my dad would let me play outside after dark, but Alek would leave his friends to take me home. Later I realized Dad just didn’t care if anything happened to me at night. He was more concerned with his drunken arguments with my mom. I often wanted to tune out the outside world because it was noisy—glass shattering, yelling, items hitting the walls. Alek and I would hide in my room. As soon as I put my hands over my ears, Alek shared his earbuds and music with me. That was our ritual.
I chose a path that took me away from Alek. I often remind myself that the choice I made was to save him just as he used to do the same for me when we were younger. I’m glad he’s had the things I lack, and no matter how much we argue now, I recognize the warm fuzziness in my heart as my unwavering love for Alek. The love I have for Mom has been thinning out slowly over the years and almost disappeared the day she told me I belonged to Charlie.
I glance at Alek, and his eyes radiate the same warmth my blues emit for him. Maybe I can redeem myself somehow. Maybe I can find a way to fix my mistakes. Maybe I can become myself again.
I blink repeatedly, willing the moisture invading my eyes to dry out so I don’t sob in front of these people.
“I think I can find a solution so that Tia is comfortable and so is Alek.” Abi sits down on the couch. “Baby, you can’t jeopardize your football career. You’ve worked so hard for this upcoming recruitment camp.” Abi’s sweet voice pulls me out of my daze. “Alek and I were going to move in together this year anyway. So he can move in a little bit early. My roommate will clear out her stuff before the semester starts, and then Alek will move in permanently as we planned.”
Abi’s face is serious, but one look at Alek’s frown tells me a storm is brewing.
“I can’t, Abi. I’m sleeping on the couch here.”
Abi’s cheeks redden and her eyebrows crunch up together in a scowl. I’d have to guess there’re more issues between them than the timing of Alek’s move-in.
“Why?” Abi’s tone is elevated.
“He doesn’t want to leave me alone with Tia,” Victor chimes in.
Abi raises her eyebrows, mimicking my reaction.
“I’m a big girl. I know how to take care of myself. And I’ve done it for a long time,” I add.
Alek raises his hands up in defense, looking at Victor. “No offense, dude. You’re my best friend, and I trust you with my life. But the entire campus knows that you have a hot temper. And I don’t normally care if you break some idiot’s nose. You fight before you talk. But I can’t have you do this around Tia. She can’t take any more violence. So she’s off-limits.” He takes a deep breath. “I don’t mind if you protect her while I’m not around, but I promise I’ll hurt you if you get involved with her or get her involved in your shit.”
Alek’s eyes are icebergs. I’ve rarely seen this look on his face before, but I know he’s serious.
My mere presence here causes cracks in the strength of Alek and Abi’s relationship and Alek and Victor’s. But in my absence, everything will go back to normal.
I open my mouth to protest, but Alek continues.
“Twinkle, I don’t want to be a jerk, but walking in on you helplessly squirming under a guy really doesn’t convince me that you can take care of yourself.”
I gasp.
“Was this the first attack or were there others?”
Don’t answer that. It’s a trap. Remember the rule about silence. It’s the best answer.
Abi is gaping at Alek, and Victor’s lips are pressed together. The air in the room is as thick as a stone.
“That just proves my point,” Alek says and walks to the kitchen, opening the fridge and busying himself with making food.
When did Alek become such an alpha male? Easy for him to tell me what to do when it’s convenient for him. I can take care of myself. I’ve done it so far, and I’ve survived all on my own. If he thinks he can take the role of a parent, he’s mistaken.
Is Alek afraid I’ll fall for Victor? Victor is a hothead, and he’s probably one of those really aggressive drunks like my mother—throwing things. But I’m used to it. I could handle it. I think.
