✝︎ 𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝑨𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒍𝒔 𝑨𝒓𝒆 𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 ✝︎

-11-

Rin

This is the most eventful summer I've ever had. This is more memorable than that summer I spent crying over Damien, or that other summer I spent sneaking out each day to hang out with Duke because my mother didn't like him and thought we were having sex at thirteen and fourteen. That year we built a treehouse with my father's assistance and spent a lot of time in it. Duke's dad had suddenly stopped coming home, and it was hard for him. He convinced himself that he was the reason why; he just wasn't anything worth coming home to. Ever since then, Duke has been the clingy type of guy who hardly said no in the fear that he'd be abandoned again. It's how he got addicted to smoking. Though he doesn't do it as often anymore, he still does it.

In light of the night ahead, I finally washed my hair. I'm brushing through it, and unlike how I usually do, I'm not brushing through it and despising its color or texture. I'm taking my time with it, staring in the mirror.

"Think I should straighten it? You think he'd like it straight?" I ask aloud.

"I don't care what he likes. Don't straighten your hair," Duke says sternly. I roll my eyes.

"Whatever."

"You're uncharacteristically happy today. Are you that excited?"

"Shouldn't I be?" I ask softly, putting the brush down. I stare at Duke, cutting my eyes away from the mirror. "I'm worried about the fact there's a percentage higher than zero that Cherry could be telling the truth... what if as soon as we have sex, all of this is over?"

"Don't think like that, Babe. I think he really likes you."

"And then what will your supportive words be after we found out that this was all a ploy?"

"He took you shopping."

"With seven hundred dollars. That's lunch money and his company could get that and interest back in a day. Duke, let's be real."

"Rinny, if you don't want to, you don't have to. He can't force you."

"He's three times my size. He could if he wants to," I sniffle. Duke blows off and reaches for the phone.

"I'm coming over," he says before hanging up.

My bedroom door opens and Duke walks in. I look up at him with tears running down my face. He opens his arms, so I stand up and walk into him, burying my head in his chest.

"I know you're scared, Beautiful, but there isn't anything that can be done other than communicating and trusting him."

"What if I'm making a mistake?"

"What if your mistake is not trusting him?" He rubs my back and kisses my forehead. "How about you call him now and tell him how you feel?"

"He might be busy," I sniffle.

"If he's pursuing a relationship, then he knows his time isn't his own anymore." Duke picks up my phone and unlocks it, scrolling for a bit before I hear the dial sound. We wait in silence as it rings. It almost rings out before—

"Hey, Princess," Courtney says. His deep voice alone cheers me up just a bit. I'm worried that I might be getting too attached too quickly.

"Hi," I mumble.

"Are you crying? What's wrong?" I look up at Duke. Duke changes the call to a video call. It's clear Courtney's in an office of some kind. He's even wearing reading glasses.

"Duke, was it?" Courtney says. Duke nods. "What's wrong?" Courtney takes off his glasses, showing he's getting serious.

"She's having an anxiety attack. Talk to her." Duke puts the phone in my hand then ruffles my hair a bit. "I'll go get you something to drink."