Discolored

Chapter 6 - Math, Mothers, and a Mistake

Author's Note: I am so, so, so sorry for not posting in so long!! School has taken over my life, so I apologize once again. I know this chapter is a bit short, but I feel like some of the actions are definitely needed to pull the following chapters along. Hope you enjoy, all! :D

- emylouwho

~.~

“I swear to God, if there’s another proof after this...” Rhys grumbled, flipping the page of his textbook, annoyed. He sat cross-legged, his knees touching Becca’s and sending a tingling sensation up her legs.

 “There are three more.” Becca laughed, amused by the annoyed look on the boy’s face.

 “Do they ever end?” He groaned, intertwining his fingers into his hair and tossing himself backward onto his bed.

 “Come on, we need to know this.” She pushed his knee, urging him to get up.

 “Oh, yeah, ten years from now everyone and their sister will be asking me what the hell the Transitive Property is.” He threw his arms into the air, spreading his fingers out for emphasis. He interlaced them and plopped his hands on his forehead. “Bec, nobody is going to give a damn about these after we leave high school.”

 “And what about college?” She queried. 

 “I refuse to do these ever again,” he replied definitively.

 Becca laughed. “I feel like this is what your own personal hell would be like. Endless Geometry homework.” She waved her fingers around, faking a ghost voice and leaning over his body slightly. “Ooh, profs for all eternity!”

 Rhys laughed, pushing her back from above him. “My personal hell is a little more scary than that, darling,” he replied, raising his eyebrows.

 Becca’s face fell, and she sat back on her heels. Way to go, idiot. You literally just stopped talking about the most painful moment of his life, and now it’s about to be brought up again. “Sorry, I...”

 Rhys smiled and sat up. “I’m joking! Relax, love.”

 She sighed in relief. “Okay, good. I just wanted to make sure.”

 “Darling, you don’t need to worry about me!” He took her face into his hands to get his point across, and Becca was positive he could feel her cheeks become warm. “I’ll be able to handle myself. Well, unless I have to do more proofs, that is.” He chuckled.

 Becca smiled, but she was too focused on his hands, and just how close him face was to hers. “Okay, I just... don’t want to see you upset.” She pulled her lips to one side for a moment, looking away.

 Rhys found her eyes again, moving one hand from her cheek to her chin so he could make direct eye contact. “Don’t worry.”

 Electricity pulsed through the space between their eyes. Becca watched as Rhys’s eyes fell to her lips, and she gulped.

 After a moment of charged silence, Rhys backed away from her and cleared his throat. “So... tell me about yourself.” He said, suddenly very interested in his math homework.

 A look of confusion fell over Becca’s face. “I’m sorry?”

 “Tell me about yourself. I mean, I just sort of revealed my deepest, darkest secret to you. I might as well learn something about you in return.”

 “I’m assuming this goes outside of my relationship status, then?” Becca questioned, laughing a little.

 “Bah, what a trivial topic relationships are! Give me something juicy, woman! What about your family life?” He looked up at her, his turquoise eyes gleaming with curiosity.

 Becca did her best not to roll her eyes. “Oh, yeah, that’s interesting, alright.”

 “Do I sense almost a tone of malice? Why, do tell, Ms. McAllister!” Rhys propped his elbows on his textbook, lacing his fingers together and resting his chin on them. He batted his eyelashes and smiled in a way that would have made Becca snort.

 “My family life is...complicated. I live with my mom, and my dad lives in Florida. They got divorced a few years ago, and I usually go see my dad on holidays.” Becca paused in case Rhys had a comment, but he simply nodded and urged her to continue. “A little while ago, my mom got laid off. So, now, her life basically consists of searching the web and drinking coffee to stay up. I have to do the cooking, the cleaning, the washing. I get myself ready for school, I make all my appointments. I make her drive me everywhere because that’s sometimes the only way for me to pull her back to reality. I swear, I sometimes think I’ve become the mother, and she’s my child!” She leaned forward, placing her head in her hands and shaking her head. “I don’t like being an adult.”

 “So, you don’t get any free time?” He asked, sitting up and crossing his arms.

 “It’s not even that. I feel like my mom wouldn’t even notice if I came home late. But I know I need to be home to make dinner. It’s more my own responsibilities than her rules.” Becca sighed.

“Well, if it matters at all,” he scooted closer to her, making their knees touch again, “I’m glad you’re spending the time you have with me.” Becca studied his face. Is he blushing again? Twice in one day? Once again, the space between their faces became impossibly small.

“Well, I-I’m glad I’m here.” She whispered back, stuttering. Her entire mind wrapped around their proximity. Before she could think clearly, Rhys closed his eyes and gently placed his lips on hers. He pulled back, looking into her eyes for a brief moment. Not giving him any sign of disapproval, he kissed her again, this time placing his hand on the side of her face. 

Becca’s head was spinning. Rhys’s chapped lips against her soft ones felt like the perfect combination; a passionate ying-and-yang. That electric feeling she felt in their English classroom returned, this time at full force. Rhys placed his other hand on the small of her back, leaning her backwards so she was flat on her back on his mattress, his body hovering over her. Becca started to become love-drunk off of his kiss, but something in the back of her head was flashing red lights. It’s been two days, she thought. What are you doing, Becca?

Passion surged within every second. Becca's heart urged her to pull the boy closer, to thread her hands through his hair. You're going to regret this, her mind taunted. You know this is a mistake. She settled for wrapping her hands around his neck, kissing him back with just as much effort as he was putting in, refusing to go over that line. Do you really want this?

Rhys pulled away, looking down at her dilated, darkened eyes. "Sorry, I just... I really needed to do that."

I thought you understood I needed some time, she thought. “I... I should go.” She wiggled out of his arms, barely catching a glimpse of his face falling. 

“Becca, I––” Rhys tried to choke out. She gathered her things off of his bed, shoving the books into her backpack hastily. “Becca, you don’t have to leave.” He grabbed her arm, a look of pain lacing his face. "Don't leave, please." Becca's heart broke, but her head urged her to move. Two days, Becca; two days.

She swung her backpack over her shoulder, biting her lip before pivoting in the opposite direction. “I just have to go." She said simply, closing her eyes at the ice in her words. "Tell Darla I say thank you for letting me cover over!” She called, grabbing her coat and running out of his room. She sincerely hoped that Rhys's grandmother didn't hear her leaving in such haste. I just need to get out of here. I need to get out of here right now. As she pushed out of the door, the weight of her actions fell onto her shoulders. The cold air hit her like a brick wall, and she laced her fingers into her hair. What the hell did you just do, you idiot?