Outlaw

Chapter 17

His P.O.V

"Alright well before I tell you know I don't need you to pity me" I said sternly.

I hated pity more then anything in the world. More then Yankees, more then bible thumpers, more then the fake version of my mother, more then Steven and more then Kennedy when she is being a crazy bitch.

"Never" she reassured squeezing my hand again gently. Clearly she could sense I was avoiding talking about it.

"Okay well I wasn't always like this bad image everyone see's. When I was thirteen I was still living in Gray Georgia with my mom and my real father. My father was probably the best man east of the Mississippi. Well he ran this little restaurant and my friends and I sometimes worked on weekends when it got super busy. So my friends and I were on break as he was just cooking before the big rush. Suddenly there was this scream that didn't sound human. We all ran inside and there was my father in a pile of his own vomit. Poor bastard died of a blood clot that shot to his heart and killed him instantly." I sighed when I finished.

"Cole I'm sorry I feel so ridiculous for being bothered what Olivia did" She apologized.

"It's alright. " I gave a soft smile in her direction.

"That's why you say you have no one to care about!" She half screeched as if she had the solution to cure cancer

I nodded "yep that's exactly why"

"Why don't you care about your mother?" She asked tilting her head.

"Because she did the worst thing possible and married the douchebag lawyer that had defended the doctor who misdiagnosed my fathers chesty pain as acid reflux and heartburn" I scowled

"Cole I'm so sorry" She spoke softly before reaching over and wrapping her arms around me.

This was the first time in God knows how long I let someone touch me like that. And probably also the first time I hugged back.

It felt kind of good per say to have someone to care about me. Not that I cared but it was reassuring to know not all hope was lost just because Dad was gone.

She pulled away and grabbed her laptop, scrolling before picking something.

"What are we watching" I asked her as she set the laptop so both of us could see.

"Anchor man" she smiled at me chewing on a gummy worm.

"I love that movie" I responded smiling back at her.

We sat in comfortable silence while watching the movie. Occasionally one of us would laugh. It was a lot to process for two people who were basically strangers. We had told each other what had affected us so deeply that made us the way we were.

The movie had ended and she looked over at me. Our eyes locked for a brief moment before we looked away.

" why did you go along with it back in the parking garage?" She suddenly spoke

" I have no idea honestly" I replied truthfully

" that's the second time you have saved me and not just thrown me under the bus" she started matter of factly.

"I have no idea I just can see the panic you get in and nobody expects anything of me. People expect things of you, so I guess that's why" I answered.

The truth was that but also something inside of me felt propelled to protect her. I could always see the panic as her eyes dilated. How her muscles would tense up and her jaw would lock. I felt like she needed someone to have her back.

"Clearly people expect things of you since your mother sent you here to get help" She corrected.

"Yeah only so I can be some preppy school boy that's all American and whatever" I scoffed at her statement.

"God your so stubborn" she grumbled looking down at her hands.

"Okay I'm sorry you are right she does care no matter what the motive" I apologized.

"Maybe you should try and start forgiving her" she suggested looking up with a triumphant smile.

"Hey! I let you win let's take it step by step" I joked with a chuckle.

"Alright baby steps" She giggled in response.

"Maybe one of those steps could be us being friends" she questioned.

"You want to be friends" I asked with a smile.

"Yeah why not. I could use a new friend and you could use one for the summer" She said.

"So friends" I stated raising a brow.

"Friends" she smiled at me causing me to smile in return.

"Okay then. What's next?" I asked referring to the screen.

"How about we go get food then go home and swim?" She questioned.

"Sounds good, maybe try going into town tomorrow?" I asked "I really would like to see what there is to do around here".

"Yeah sorry about that earlier you didn't need to see that" She apologized hoping out of the back.

"No it was great I had no idea it would get that physical. You're a tough little thing I give you that" I chuckled helping her as she started to clean up.

"Thanks, although now that you mention it my face fucking hurts" She mumbled holding her cheek. "And my arm for some reason" she said.

"Let me see" I said opening my hand for me to look at her arm.

Boy was the sight I saw not pretty at all, a large set of nail marks that appeared pretty deep. However it also looked like it had been pushed against the pavement. Man that couldn't have felt good.

"Jeez, that bitch had a set of actual claws on her didn't she" I said and she nodded as we piled everything in the backseat.

I stood and held the keys "who's driving me or you?" I asked dangling them.

"Me I'm taking you to the best place in town" she smirked hoping in the drivers seat.

I got in my side and watched as she struggled to adjust the car features to her short stature.

"Ready?" She asked and I nodded.

Maybe I was ready to start over too.