Rancorous

Chapter 9

PRESENT

Herlina

As soon as I see Brevin's car drive by, I exit onto the neighborhood road and follow him. I was parked a couple blocks away from school idly waiting for his soccer practice to be over. I expected Urvan's car to be not far behind from Brevin's, but it seemed Urvan had other places to be.

Throughout the hour that I waited, I analyzed what had happened. Urvan giving me a conceited face and Brevin acting cold and careless as he tripped me. The fact that Brevin had seen me at the store working and then Urvan denied that Brevin was there.

It was obvious that Urvan had been covering for Brevin so that I wouldn't have suspected him being there at the bookstore. What would Urvan have against me if he didn't even know me?

As I continue driving, I keep a safe distance from Brevin so as to not arise suspicion. At one point I almost lost him had I not accelerated faster when the light turned yellow. Thankfully, I didn't and never wanted to run a red light.

Through a gravel road, him and I are the only occupants. So, I stop by the side and wait a few minutes for him to disappear. Then, I proceed with a pace that would put a turtle to shame. I turn my headlights on as the sun almost completely sets.

At the end of the road is a huge mansion. It has three balconies and huge pillars that decorate the front. Expansive windows that look like it could give away too much privacy if they didn't have curtains.

Brevin's black sports car is the only vehicle parked in the driveway with a beautiful fountain in the center. It has lights illuminating the water making it look like diamonds are flowing through it.

Stepping out of my car, my mouth hangs open at the enormous house made for the wealthy. Breathing in deeply, I walk up to the steps. I don't even want to knock on the large mahogany door. It's shiny and clear of any markings or fingerprints.

Searching for a doorbell, I find a black rectangular tablet on the wall to my left with a button. Hoping that it's what I need it to be, I hesitantly push the button. Expecting to hear the sound of a personal signal of my arrival inside the house, I scrunch my eyebrows when I don't hear it.

Scratching my head, I tense when the door opens.

The porch light illuminates the strong masculine angles of his face. His brown hair is wet indicative of a shower. The black shirt he has on fits like second skin making every crevice of has abs defined. His grey sport shorts lead to long muscled legs and bare feet.

My mouth feels dry. My cheeks blush furiously when I avoid his eyes after I blatantly ogled at him.

"I'm sorry. I know it was probably wrong of me to follow you, but I had to." I confess in one breath.

Crossing his pale arms, his biceps bulge drawing my attention to them. "What part of I'm done talking to you do you not understand?"

Embarrassment flies out of my system and in its place stands annoyance. Just like I expected, his eyes are closed off. I wish he didn't lock up his emotions. I wish I had the key to open them up, but he isn't the same boy I grew up with.

"Did you put my boss's wallet in my bag? Did you make it look like I stole her wallet?"

The way he chuckles makes me feel like I was dunked in a tub of ice, but he doesn't say anything. He doesn't need to, the satisfaction crossing his features is enough.

"So it was you. Why? Why would you do that?" I pour most of my anger into my words making sure they drip in every syllable.

"Oh, I'm just getting started."

His vague response does nothing to calm the disappointment and vexation embedded under my skin. "Was Urvan in on it too?"

He shrugs a shoulder with a smirk. Running a hand through my hair, I blow out a breath.

Staring hard into his dark eyes, I can't read him so easily anymore and that pains me.

With the pain comes sadness and it makes me drop my accusatory stance.

"Brevin." I whisper staring right into his chocolate eyes. His smirk fades. I thought I almost imagined the slight raise of his eyebrows or the slight softening of his eyes. But they're so quick, anybody could've missed it if they weren't looking close enough. "Please, talk to me. I don't want this tension between us."

He takes a step out and I back away. My eyes round as he continues advancing and I continue stepping away. My back hits a large pillar and he doesn't stop until our chests are almost touching.

Brevin lowers his head. His eyes remain unreadable. His demeanor tough and callous. "Stop. Stop acting like you care."

His deep tone is quilted with venom. But lying underneath is pain. He was hurting and I want to take it away. I would do anything to carry it on my back so that he doesn't have to.

Reaching my hand up, I cup his cheek. Scruff caresses my palm and Brevin tenses. His eyes grow heavy, and he closes them. His eyebrows draw together, like he's fighting something. Battling a war internally.

"I do care Brevin. We're still friends." We always will be in my eyes.

His eyes snap open, caging my gentle gaze with his vicious one. "No, we aren't. You made that clear in your letter." He shoves my hand away and walks back to his door.

I run to him and pull his arm so he can turn back around. "No, you made that decision. I let you go and it was the hardest decision I had to do." My voice grew more passionate with every word. He's acting like we didn't just have a moment. He was about to open up to me, I sensed it. He was so close.

Brevin scoffs. "Why? Because you pitied me so much?"

I press my lips together, feeling a ball of flames igniting at my core. "Pitied you? I never once pitied you."

Rolling his neck to the side, he narrows his strong stare. "I see. Are you also going to tell me that you didn't go to the police?"

There it was. Where his resentment was stemming from. I shake my head, breaking away from his strong look. "Brevin, I—"

The door slams shut and I'm left alone on the porch. The bright colors of the sunset had darkened into the black night.

As I walk to my car, the air around me had gotten cold, dark, and empty resembling exactly how I feel inside.