Surviving Stirling

Chapter Thirty Three

Out of the window, fields and valleys nestled between towering mountains, just shadows of green on an already dark night.

We hadn't spoken much on the way home. I still felt a little 'off,' my limbs had a sensation of being detached and languid, whatever he gave me was strong and somewhat still in my system.

I was still wearing nothing, only his long zip up hoodie and panties that Lu purchased for me. I hated wearing anything she had bought. It sickened me.

If I had the confidence, and if it wasn't morally wrong, I would pull them down right, right now and discard of them.

Instead, I brought the sleeve cuff up my nose and breathed in deeply, trying to comfort myself with his scent and it worked like an invisible caress stroking me.

Greenery flourished in every direction and the closer we got, a gently flowing marsh stream followed our journey.

He pulled up in his parking bay and I only realised how truly quiet the space between us was when the rumbling engine came to a stop.

"I hate asking you to lie to your best friend, but you understand he can't ever know the truth, right?"

I nodded, "yes I understand it's dangerous and I won't tell him anything."

His body instantly relaxed.

"But only on one condition," his body automatically tensed, not expecting me to bargain with him. "You be nicer to your mom."

"She's not–" he stopped himself, swallowing down his own words, "Anderson I can't just magic up a bond that doesn't exist."

"No but you can extend your trust in order to help form one. I'm not asking to go in there, give her hug and call her mommy dearest. I'm just asking you to be a little nicer to her."

"Fine." He huffed.

"I'm serious Stirling, I think you know the way you treat her is like torture for her. You treat her like you treat those girls."

"I do not! Jesus Anderson!"

"No hear me out, you know you have this power over her and you're utilising it for your own enjoyment. Making people feel powerless doesn't make you powerful, it just makes you a dick."

"Damn Anderson," he chuckled, "I offload all of that shit to you in confidence don't go psycho-analysing me on everything now."

"Just be nicer to her."

"I will try."

We walked through the door just as Kingsley was shuffling through the hallway with a big bowl of tumbling-over-the-sides popcorn.

He stopped still instantly and twisted up his features in disgust, "ewww did you two come back together after staying out all night?"

"No." Stirling complained and then whacked the bowl from underneath so the popcorn shot up and went everywhere.

"What the fuck!" Kingsley yelled, "dickhead!"

I dropped to the floor to help Kingsley pick it up, "where have you been? What are you wearing? You come back home with him after staying out all night, I thought you were busy hooking up with that barista."