Bridging The Gap

↣ Tyler ↢

The truth. Something that most people can't handle so they desperately cling on to what's fiction, because if they were to learn the truth then they'd all be disgusted. I don't blame this girl, she's just played in to the lies that society has projected about me, but what good is there in denying it? To everyone who have the guts to talk, I'm the kid of a gang. To those who don't know better, I ran off after my parents split. Neither version, to be honest, is true but no one cares to know.

The way she's staring at me, disgust and fear in her eyes, only furthers my point. Her hand is small and feeble, I notice, as I wrap the last piece of bandage around it. No wonder it's so bruised.

"What's your name?" I ask, startling both her and me.

Her eyes, a golden brown, meet mine. "Does it matter," she retorts.

I chuckle, examining her hand, and allow it to drop with a small smack on her jeans. Pain visibly shoots through her and I can't help but feel a little bit of satisfaction. You sick bastard. I open my mouth, as if to apologize, and think better of it. She pokes at her hand, apparently realizing that now it's almost useless, and glances at me. "Thanks."

    I open my mouth but before words come out, I hear shuffling behind me. "Move," a disgruntled voice comes from the corner. I turn and meet the sight of my drunken father, holding himself through his pants. I rise, motioning for the girl to do the same, and she does. Dad steps around us, pulling up the seat of the toilet and unzipping himself.

    She stands there, as if she's mesmerized by the sight of a grown man taking a leak. "If you want to watch my dad take a piss," I say, "then you can stand here and stare."

Her head snaps to look at me. It was such a quick, sudden movement that I'm surprised nothing popped. She steps around me, "excuse me," and walks back into the living area, as if she owns the place. Funny how she can still be so damn untitled, yet be stained with puke.

Speaking of which, "pants?" I ask.

She looks down at herself, as if she's forgotten the whole reason that she's here. I go to the sofa, digging through the pile of discarded items there, and find a decently smelling pair of sweat pants. I fling them towards her, but she doesn't even make an attempt to catch them. "What? They're better than the ones you have on," I state matter of factly.

She mulls it over, her sensibility once again shining through. She stoops down, picking up the pants and holding them in one hand. "How long is he going to be in the bathroom?"

The laugh that escapes me is a powerful one. One that makes me double over, holding my stomach tightly. When I regain my ability to breathe properly, I glance at her. She's cradling her bruised hand in the other, eyes wide and irritation apparent all over her face.

Does she want me to fuck her right now?

I quickly brush away the thought, "look sunshine, daddy dearest is gonna be in there for a long while."

"Sunshine?" She scoffs, "since when did we give each other pet names?"

"Pet names are affectionate. I'm calling you sunshine because your forehead is fucking huge. The sun reflects off of it."

Her eyes narrow, "you're the biggest dick I have ever met in my entire life."

I look down in the general direction of my pants, "you hear that pal?" I pat my crotch affectionately, "she says we're the biggest she's ever seen."

    "Fuck you," she spats.

    I close the space between us, placing my hands on her waist. "You tell me the time and place, sunshine, and I'll be there."

    To my surprise, she doesn't back away. Quite the opposite, actually. She puts her hands on my chest, and leaves them there for a moment. "Hm," she says, "you do actually have a heart."

    I let her go, "don't tell anyone."

    "Sure thing."

    We stand there for a few moments, her still in her dirty pants and me silently cursing myself.  "If I take my pants off, will you turn around?" She asks.

    I furrow my eyebrows together, "what?"

    She rolls her eyes, the annoyance coming back. "You heard me, Tyler, turn around while I change."

    I put my arms up in defense, chuckling to myself as I turn my back to her. I hear the zipper of her pants after a few seconds, and then some awkward sounding grunts. "Sexy," I comment.

    "Shut up."

    "So, Sunshine." I start, back still towards her, "never had a guy see you naked?"

    "Wouldn't you like to know." She taps my shoulder, signaling me to turn around as she folds the top part of the pants over her small waist. 

    "I would, actually."

    Another eye roll, "I'm not a virgin."

    "Ooh, who was the lucky guy that got to rip into that virgin p--"

    "--shut up!" She says, cutting me off. Her face has turned a crimson red, and her good hand looks as if it's going to connect with me.

     I gift her with a smirk, "Careful, you don't wanna fuck up the other one."