hypochondria // tate langdon

rollercoaster

"lydia! dinner!"

i guess things have been going better. you know, with my mom and dad's marriage. they still argue a lot, but it's calmed down for the time being at least.

i ran swiftly down the stairs and into the kitchen where my mom and dad were, bringing food into the dining room.

"hey dear, how was school?" my mom asked, with her usual, warm smile.

horrible.

"yeah, good,"

"i'm glad. we have pasta and salad stuff in the dining room," mom replied.

i nodded and walked to the other room where mom and dad soon joined me. we got the servings we wanted and began eating while lightly talking.

i sat quiet, rolling my food along with my plate with my fork.

"is something bothering you, lydia?" dad asked, concern on his face.

well, this was it, the moment that i'd been stressing over for the past hour.

"yeah...i need to come clean about something," i stated, setting down my fork.

mom and dad shared a look of confusion but gave their attention towards me.

my hands were sweating.

maybe i'm overreacting.

god, i wish tate were here.

"i'm just gonna cut straight to the point. uh, dad? you know your patient tate?" i asked, awkwardly.

"yes, i see him every tuesday and friday. why?" he asked, intrigued, trying to study my face.

"so, i know you wanted me to stay away from him, but we're friends- well we were friends... he's my boyfriend,"

silence.

okay, maybe i was overreacting. it's fine, everything's just-

dad dropped his fork, his face instantly turning tomato red. poor mom looked just as confused as ever.

"what the hell did you just say to me?" he asked slowly and sternly, pointing his finger at me in between every word.

please don't yell.

oh god, please don't yell.

"no, say it again, lydia,"

"god, can you not follow one fucking rule?" he roared, even making mom jump.

i sat frozen.

i hated being yelled at.

"dad, i-i'm sorry. i really like him and-"

"you don't know him, lydia! he's a fucking psycho! he doesn't like you, he just wants to use you,"

"no. you're wrong," i sniffed, looking up at him through glossy eyes, but not daring to let a tear slip.

"oh, you're gonna cry? i'm just telling you the goddamn truth, lydia!"

"please stop," i said through gritted teeth, my whole body trembling, in need to burst with tears.

"if anything, i'll make sure you never see that fucking freak again, you hear me?"

he pounded his fists on the table, yelled, screamed.

i needed to get out of here.

i scooted my chair back and dropped my napkin on the ground, running away.

"yeah, go cry to your little psycho boyfriend, lydia!"

i ran-no sprinted up the stairs to my room. i struggled to get my door open for a second from the tears and rushing thoughts in my brain.

i swung the door open and collapsed, my back sliding down my door. 

i forgot tate was here.

"lydia?" tate shot up, panicked.

he got on the floor and held me in his lap as rage, sadness, and panic rushed through me. 

he didn't ask any questions until after i calmed down a little. 

"what happened, baby?" he asked sweetly, wiping under my puffy eyes. 

"my dad. he yelled. h-he doesn't like you, at all. i don't know what i was expecting," i explained, playing with his fingers in my lap.

"i'm so sorry, lydie. i'll never hurt you and i'll never yell at you, baby," he wrapped his hands around my torso, pulling my back into his chest. 

i wiped under my nose and my eyes before turning to hug him.

mmm. cigarettes and men's cologne. 

"wanna smoke?" i asked, looking up at him. 

we went onto my roof and sat on a small flat platform. i liked to come out here often, as an escape from reality. 

or to smoke.

tate lit my lighter before holding it to the end of his cigarette, blowing a thick cloud of smoke. he then lit the end of mine, cupping his hand around to prevent air from blowing out the flame. 

we sat in silence for a little. i was thinking about the fight with dad. he was such a dick. after all the pain he's caused in this family, he can't let his only daughter be happy-

"lydia?"

i coughed, turning to tate with a small grin.  

"i asked if i could kiss you,"

i giggled softly before nodding my head, kissing him. i don't know what it is about tate that i feel so safe with him, i'd trust him with anything. 

his mouth tasted like cigarettes, as did mine. i pulled away, leaving him a little disappointed as i inhaled a short breath of my cigarette before reconnecting my lips with his. 

tate pulled me closer by my waist and leaned over me slightly, continuing to kiss down my neck.

he hadn't done this before to me. it was weird at first, like a burning sensation. but i liked it.

"i love you," i barely heard him whisper against my skin. 

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author's note - hi people!! this chapter is longer than my usual ones and literally such a mess so i apologize for that! i think things are about to take a really big turn and start getting sad. i am making this all up as i write it if you couldn't tell in my writing lol. i have an idea of where i want this to go but we'll see what the actual outcome is. anyways, happy wednesday! i've stayed up too late writing this. bye bye! <3

words - 831