My Pace

Chapter 36

                              Anabelle's POV
Then we watched a few shows.

"Oooo. I like that name."

"You like "Raven"?"

"Yeah."

"I'll keep that in mind then."

His phone pinged. He picked it up. I looked up at him.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah. It's nothing."

"Lies. I see it on your face."

He handed me his phone.

"My uncle texted me."

I read the text.

Uncle Larry: Merry Christmas, go date someone your age.

"O-oh. I'm sorry, I'm causing issues."

"Don't be. He's a prick anyway."

He kissed my forehead.

"I hate him."

"Does your entire family, hate that, I'm younger?"

"No. Only him and Holy."

"Oh."

He put his phone down.

"Don't worry about him."

"He's gonna make you pick, right?"

"Don't...don't think about that. That's an easy choice for me anyway. I'd choose you."

"H-huh?"

"Yeah, yeah. You think, I'm crazy now."

"I just...I wasn't expecting you to say that."

He started massaging my head.

"Don't think about it."

I yawned.

"I'm glad, you made it."

"Me too. Go to sleep."

"No. I wanna talk to you."

"You're starting to sound like me Ani."

"But I wanna watch this. I'm into the whole, superhero thing."

"I'll put something else on."

"Okay. Fine. I'll kill you if, you watch without me."

He rolled his eyes.

"Hey!"

"Shut up and go to sleep.

I gasped.

"How rude?!"

He covered my eyes.

"Go to sleep dummy."

"No shithead."

"Moron."

"Dumbass."

"Asshole."

We chuckled.

"Didn't you miss the bickering?"

"Yeah. I did. I ALSO missed your laugh."

"Oh no. No no. Don't even."

He started ticking me.

"STOP! I HATE YOU!"

"LIES!"

"AHHHHHH! STOP! YOU SON OF A FUCKING BITCH! STOP!"

"Nice to see, you both together."

"HI CARMEN!"

"HER FACE IS RED! SHE LOOKS LIKE A TOMATO!"

"FUCK YOUUUUUU!"

"Are you still, going to your cousin's tomorrow?"

"Do I have to? Larry's gonna be there."

"You can't avoid him forever."

"I can try."

She started staring at him.

"Curran Holt Akers..."

"Oh no. Not the full name. I don't want to go. I literally would like, to just stay in and hang with Ana. I haven't seen her in weeks."

"Curran you should go."

"Mom please. I would like, to stay out of cuffs this time."

"You seriously think, you'll fight him?"

"Oh yeah. I'm sure."

"Why would, you fight with your uncle?"

"Oh yeah. I will. If he even looks at you the wrong way, I'm decking him."

"Y-you don't have to do that."

"Uh yes, I do. I love you. If he does something, he's gonna regret it. It's simple as that."

"You should go."

"Mom I'm not."

"I-I can stay home so, you can go."

"No no no. I wanna spend Christmas with you. I literally got on a train for you. Unless Larry's not there, I'm not going."

"You don't have to talk to him."

"We could do the night light drive if it doesn't go well."

"It's not gonna go well. I'm telling you that. Why won't you both listen to me?"

"I-I'm listening. I'm just...I'm just saying, what I think."

He clenched his jaw.

"Please just fucking drop this. Please just fucking leave it. I am begging you. Please."

"Ok-okay. I-I'll stop."

"You should at least see your family."

"Carmen, he doesn't wanna talk about it."

"Christmas is tomorrow."

"Okay so? I told you what I wanna do."

"You were with her family today. You should be with yours tomorrow."

She's not wrong.

"No."

He stormed away. I ran after him.

"Wait!"

We walked into his room. He slammed the door.

"What's going on?"

"I told you, what's going on. I'm no joke, gonna knock his ass out if, he does something to you."

"That's what this is about? You worried, he'll do something?"

"Yes! I already almost lost you!"

"Oh. I understand now. You're trying to protect me."

He started crying.

Oh god.

He's serious.

He never cries.

I ran out of his room. I ran around until, I found Carmen.

"Okay. This is bad."

"What?"

"H-he's crying."