It Started With a Dare

Chapter 17

My breath was harsh as I held in my tears. I chose to believe that that was my mother who possessed my father and said those things to me. Dad wouldn't do that to me. Never.

Ring!

Ignore.

Ring! Ring!

Ignore.

Ring! Ring! Ring! Missed call.

I sighed in relief. Even if it was a call from the President trying to warn me that the Zombie Apocalypse has already started, I still wouldn't answer the phone. I was too drained to deal with people.

Ring!

Scratch that. I have to deal with this and get it over with. The ringing was getting to my head.

"What?" I snapped after checking that it was Alex.

Alex didn't say anything. I only heard some noises in the background. Then the line went dead.

I would freak out on how weird that was, but it was Idiot Alex. I decided not to ponder on it so much.

I need meat.

Meat was good for absorbing my grief. I got up and took out a piece of steak. I always had a piece of steak lying in my freezer for emergency purposes. I took out my pan grill and had it heated up on the stove.

I was in the middle of grilling the steak and shoving potatoes in the oven when there was a knock on the door. I sighed and went out to answer it.

I looked through the peephole and sighed for the second time when I saw Alex. I opened the door ready to give him an earful when he pushed himself inside my flat and engulfed me in a tight hug.

Obviously I was shocked at the moved, and he held me tighter. My head was rested against his chest, and I could hear his rapid heartbeat. He was also panting, so I guessed he was running all the way here.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked after a while.

"Nothing," I lied. I felt like crying because at least someone knows that I'm not fine. But this was Alex, and I was already on dangerous grounds with him. "I'm fine," I pushed him away and padded off to the kitchen to check on my steak.

~

My steak with baked potatoes sat on the table in front of me, but I glared at Alex from across the table.

"I hate you," I said as I intensified my glare.

Alex laughed, "You said that for the seventh time already. You can't blame me for what happened to your steak."

"It's overcooked," I growled at him.

"Slightly overcooked," Alex noted. "It's still edible. If you don't want it..." He trailed off as he reached for my plate.

I slapped at his hands and grabbed my knife and fork. "I'll eat it," I said. I cut a big piece and popped it in my mouth. I felt a smile grow on my face, followed by an unsatisfied expression.

"What? It tasted bad?"

"I need beer."

Alex blinked at me. A long pause stretched between us. "You drink?"

"Before," I shrugged.

"You're sixteen."

"So? When I lived with my grandparents, my aunt had... alcohol issues. I had occasional sessions with her." It only happened when I was upset though.

"Damn~ you're more of a bad girl than I am. When did you start drinking?"

I snickered, "You're a bad girl?"