The Body In The Bayou

Ch. 55 - Air

Bash's POV

[Me: Jared. Can you find out where Professor Van Doren lives?]

[Jared: Yes. I think so. Why?]

[Me: Text me the address ASAP. I'll tell you later.]

Of course, I had zero intentions in telling Jared why I wanted Van Doren's address. And I couldn't explain it without sounding like a psycho. And I don't have time to explain while I have more pressing matter's to attend to, coming in the form of Aspen's mental health.

"Who are you texting?" She asks beside me, to which I shove my phone into my pocket.

"No one."

"Liar liar pants on fire." Chy sing songs from the drivers seat. Then throws me a charged glare, "Boy if your ass is texting Holly-holy-ness ima' beat yo white ass."

"It isn't Holly." I fire back, "Cool your jets, Chy." Although, I'm not sure which is worse. Holly or Jared. Both of which will put me in hot water, that's currently boiling, with Aspen.

"Chy? What do you think your Aunt meant? Why did she kick us out?" Aspen asks quietly.

"I don't know, babes." Chy sighs and forces his attention on the road before us. She matches his exhale and her gaze finds the window where it remains unblinking.

I wish to only fix her. My arm links around her shoulders, working of it's own accord and she doesn't protest. Once Aspen has been returned to Chy's apartment I'll be sure to bring the boys with me to Van Doren's place. I will ask him some questions, then depending on his answers go straight to the police with my suspicions. Then I'll remain as far from Aspen Lewis as physically possible.

Aspen's POV

Everything has a layer of numbness draped over it. Even the sites outside the car window seem to be less vivid, less real. I know I'm spiraling. I can feel it. But I don't care to stop it. Mentally, I'm not strong enough to pretend I'm okay anymore. The distractions ran out, and now everything I successfully kept at bay since I came to Louisiana is returning with a hungry vengeance.

I pull my looking from the window and find my fingers lacing between Bash's. Like my body is searching for some sort of comfort, but I watch on like it's someone else's hand holding his. His thumb caresses the skin of my hand, the sweet gesture making my chest ache even more.

I must love to be in pain, because my broken heart swells in my chest.

How eager and easy it was to eat up every lie of his. I force a look at the liars face hoping to stop the wavering I feel within. But the dark circles and the stubble on his face brings a pain to my throat and tears to build behind my eyes. "Why did you lie to me?" The words fall from my lips before I'm able to lock them away.

His thumb stops the roaming circles on my skin and he exhales a long, tired sigh. "Penny, all I wanted was to keep you safe—."

"Spare us the bullshit—!" Chy barks and I can't help but jump at his tone.

"Chy," I answer, wanting to let Bash speak. If he wants to continue to lie, so be it. But I at least want to feed my pain with more of his lies.

"It isn't bullshit. Everything was to protect you, Penny."

And to protect himself.

"Start with your father," I say, "how did he die?"

Bash chews his lower lip and silence fills the car. But then, "You read the articles. You know what happened."

"I want to hear you explain it. I want everything and to see why you fed me bullshit from day one."

His shoulders drop and he drops my hand, "Fine. My father was a trucker in Australia since before I was born. Which means he was gone a lot and I was raised basically by my mother. Two months away, two weeks home. We had an amazing life for two months, then when that was up the bill came. In the form of my alcoholic father. My first memories were of hearing my mother begging him to stop hitting her. But those sounds were normal in our house. We endured two weeks of hell, then we were free for two months.