Not Quite Like the Movies (Otis Milburn x OC)

Subverted Expectations

Chapter XXXI

As Eric and Abby lead Owen down the hallway to the nurse's office, he turns to Abby. "Is this really necessary," he asks, nodding to the tight grip she has on his right arm.

"I ate grass over this," she says. "And considering you're the coward who let things get to this point, I'd say it's more than necessary."

"I think coward's a bit uncalled for," Owen mutters.

"Alright," Eric snaps. "Would you prefer 'lying sack of shit' then?"

"You're lucky Maeve is busy with Miss Sands," Abby says. "Because she'd beat the living crap out of you if she hadn't just be readmitted."

As they reach the bench outside the office, they see Otis with two tampons shoved up his nostrils and a bloodstained shirt that makes Abby contemplate potentially having a second go at Gwen. Instead, she and Eric release Owen's wrists.

Eric shoves Owen forward. "Speak up," he commands. "Okay, speak from the diaphragm. Okay? Go on." He turns his head to Otis. "Owen has something he wants to tell you, don't you, Owen?"

Owen sits down next to Otis and grimaces. "What," Otis asks.

"It was me who gave Martha and Gwen chlamydia," Owen admits. "Well, I found out I had it and got treated. But didn't tell them I passed it on."

"Uh-huh," Otis grunts. "Why didn't you tell them?"

"Why didn't you tell them," asks Eric pointedly.

"They're already ashamed of sleeping with me," Owen says. "Apparently, I'm boring and uncool. Imagine if they knew I had an STI too."

Otis sighs. "It is not shameful to have chlamydia, but it's wrong to lie about it," he says.

"It was wrong to lie about it," Eric adds.

"Besides," Abby says. "In some twisted way, maybe they would have thought you were suddenly interesting and cool. If they're the kind of ninnies they seem to be, I imagine there's a small but disturbing chance they would have seen you as a 'dangerous bad boy' or some nonsense."

Owen lights up. "You think?"

"Small chance," Abby repeats. "Also, considering you're a fucking liar, I'm pretty sure we can skip past being ashamed of you and head towards rightfully hating your guts."

"We all have flaws," says Otis. "And our bodies do things we have no control over. But we can always control being truthful."

"Especially when lying leads to mass panic," Abby puts in.

"I think you deserve better than to be someone's secret, Owen," Otis finishes. "But you have to be honest."

"I mean, that's all they're asking for," Eric says.

"I will," Owen says. "And...Otis, maybe you should tell Abby what I heard you and Eric talking about. Your nerves and that. The truth will set you free."

"I didn't ask to be therapized," says Otis.

"And he'll tell me when he wants to tell me," Abby says. "Right now, the only nerves you need be worried about are mine and how you're standing on my last one."

"...I didn't ask to be therapized either, to be fair," Owen says.

"Uh, I think that we've had quite enough of you today," Eric says. "Go on." He points Owen down the hall, muttering his name one last time as the boy walks away. "Uncalled for and unnecessary."

"Twat," Abby adds, before sitting down next to Otis. "You okay," she asks. "Nothing's broken, right?"

"No," Otis says. "Just need to wait for the bleeding to stop."