Beautiful Dichotomy

chapter 48

Samuel grew nervous as Rae didn't look up yet and was only making small "hm" noises. He wasn't sure how she was reacting by what he did to her. It felt like years before her big brown eyes shifted up until they met his in the mirror reflection. His searching hers meanwhile hers were full of lust.

"I- think I like them," she replied in a small voice, making Samuel's expression change into that of shock. Putting her leg down, she turned, still barely in his hold as she looked up at him, "don't you?" Her whisper pulling him from whatever dimension he found himself in.

"I've created a monster," he joked trying to lighten the mood before he quite literally bent her over the sink they stood in front of.

Rae laughed before twisting to pull him in for an embrace. Both of them enveloped fully in it before she gently pushed him out of the bathroom. While in the shower, the crinkling of her shower cap helped to ground her while she convinced herself this wasn't just some dream.

This, and everything that's happened with Samuel so far has been very real.

Her feelings for him, their comfort with one another and even her boldness all pointed towards her reality. Whether or not she believed she deserved him, it was happening. Giggling like a girl gushing over a crush, she turned in the shower and was reminded of the ache.

Same as before, she was sore from the waist down.

The smile she wore faltering as she quickly finished up to go sit back down. Only wearing underwear and a bigger t-shirt that went down mid thigh, she opened the door to see Samuel nowhere in her room. Her freshly oiled hair now somewhat tamed as it flowed with her head snapping in different directions to find him.

Heading into the hallway, she called his name only to be greeted by Samuel joking and laughing with Dahlia and Jarrod. Both of them still wearing their clothes from their short trip and Dahlia setting a bag down near her bedroom door.

All of their eyes now on her as she waved. Barely registering what was happening as Jarrod awkwardly turned away at the sight of her, Dahlia stifling a laugh and Samuel's face falling. When her eyes landed on him, his glare making her nervous as she looked down only to be reminded of what she had on.

Better yet, what she didn't have on which included a bra and pants.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry!" She yelled already in her room only to slam her door behind her.

"Hi Rae!" Dahlia laughed still as she yelled for her.

"Hey.... and hi Jarrod," she solemnly yelled through her closed door. His small greeting back making her heart fall into her stomach at the embarrassment she felt.

Samuel was barely able to push on her door as she still leaned on it. Rae buried her face in her hands, "I didn't know they'd be back just then, I just wanted to tell you that you could get in," she mumbled. His light laugh making her peek through her fingers at him, "I figured, you look good."

Feeling the air shift again, she slowly opened her fingers to look up at him from the floor. "thanks," she responded, still embarrassed. She moved just enough for him to get into the room, now helping her stand.

Placing a quick kiss on her forehead, he headed straight into her bathroom. Rae threw herself onto her mattress, with her face stuffed into her pillow. She froze realizing her blanket and sheets were off her bed. Looking around, they were balled up in the corner. Confused, she finally registered the sound of the shower from her bathroom.

Sitting up with a deep breath, she looked only to see him in the middle of shamelessly undressing. The way his slid his shirt off should be illegal. The nerve of him to leave the door open. Yet all her eyes focused on was the red scratches.

Down and across his back.

Did she do that?

She continued to watch his muscles flex with each movement as his cool-toned ivory skin was now marred. Trying to remember when she did that exactly, she couldn't without being overwhelmed by the vivid images of how indescribably good he is.

Samuel was already in the shower, not aware of his one person audience who was slowly making their way to the bathroom. Rae didn't say a word as she just stood there, thankful of her somewhat sheer shower curtain as she saw his shadow.

It wasn't fair how beautiful his physique was, even his shadow seemed flawless.

Her trance being interrupted by Samuel half drawing back the curtain to expose her. Quickly Rae fought the soreness as she ran from the bathroom, closing the door. Hearing him laugh from the bathroom as she allowed herself to smile. Realizing he left the door open on purpose. Now lying back in the bed, she laid on her side and gently rubbed the side of her leg and hip, soothing it. Facing away from everything as she unknowingly drifted off to sleep.

"Hey," Samuel's soft voice waking her up as she smiled and kept her eyes closed, "Rae?"

Before she could respond, her eyes opened to see his serious expression. His hair was fully dried and he was dressed, "you fell asleep for an hour, I didn't wanna wake you," he confessed before continuing, "but your phone has been ringing non-stop. I think it's your brother and sisters calling."

Rae immediately shot upright, the lightly blanket he must've put on her fell down her body as his hands falling from her completely as she looked panicked.

Ignoring his presence completely, she scrambled to grab her phone from Samuel's loose hold as she noticed all of the missed calls. Most of them coming from Penelope. Not sure if this was an actual emergency or if they were doing this just to hear from her, Rae didn't realize when her hands began shaking.

"Don't stress too much, just call one of them back to see why they're calling..." Samuel offered, trying to console her as all Rae did was nod. "Can you get me some water?" She asked him, trying her best to conceal her simmering rage.

As he nodded to grab it, Rae shot up and went into the bathroom, locking the door. Calling her sister back, she held it to her ear, her leg tapping non stop. "So all it takes to get ahold of you is for three fucking people to call you nonstop?! Are you kidding me?"

"Is something wrong?" Rae gritted, "if not, I'm hanging up."

"Dad's in the hospital, he had an accident at work."

Rae's heart sank. All of her anger and rage faltering at the sound of her words.

"He's okay for the most part, like you'd even care either way-"

"Why would you say something like that? Of course I'd care." Penelope always knowing exactly what to say to get Rae mad.

"Then are you coming to visit?" She asked pointedly, "where are you even at now?"

Rae anxiously tucked hair behind her ear as she sighed, "He doesn't want me there anyways. He's made that pretty clear," memories flooding back of the hateful things he's said to her, tears welling up in her eyes, "he hasn't even tried to reach out or anything."

"Oh shut up... what about you?! Have you tried? Shit you haven't even tried with any of us, like we're already fucking dead to you." Her voice raising making Rae immediately hang up.

Her breaths grew deeper as she now heaved in air. Fighting the urge to full on sob, definitely not wanting to have a conversation with Samuel or even talk about it anymore.

Everyone in her family, knew exactly what to do to make her feel the worst about herself and even worse about any decision she's ever made. Holding anything she's ever done or said over her head even after she's apologized for it.

Rae sat on the toilet, her leg still tapping anxiously as she debated what to do. If she went, he'd definitely kick her out: that's how spiteful he is. Penelope doesn't care to acknowledge how their father blocked Rae so she couldn't contact him, hasn't spoken a word to her in years and is completely unbothered by it.

Like she meant nothing to him.