Perversion

29

Three days had passed, and all Rue did was eat noodles and stay awake. The apartment she had gotten was on the ground floor. It was cold, dark, and moldy. However, she felt she deserved all she got. She had perverted her friend's father, and it was said that the wages of lust were death, so yeah, her punishment was even less than she deserved.

It wasn't a good thing she did, yet she couldn't help herself. Over the years, she felt that was what Mr. Fox wanted too. His long hugs, his sweet words, and a peck on her cheek. He bought her what she wanted, reassured her she was beautiful. She didn't imagine it; there was a connection.

There was a knock on her door, and she stood to open it. She assumed it was someone looking for a certain apartment. It happened a lot. She was surprised to see Tony on the other end.

She looked down at her appearance; she was a mess. Her black sweatpants had a white stain from a noodle she sat on. Her light pink crop top had a brown stain from the noodle soup. It was embarrassing.

"Don't shut the door," he stopped her with his boot.

He was a contrast to the old building with his fancy suit and haircut. He couldn't be shinier.

"Wow, you are a hard person to find when you decide to hide," Tony walked in, unbothered by the dilapidated state of her home.

Rue shut the door and followed Tony. He sat on her second-hand couch, and his eyes took in the small space.

"Why haven't you answered my calls?" she looked at the corner where her broken phone lay. She had smashed it. It surprised her when all along she thought she was the least violent person in her family.

"I am sorry, I just need to be alone," she sighed defeated.

"Xana came to see me," Tony raised his head. His eyes lingered on her hands that were clasped together.

Rue panicked. Xana probably told him, and he was here to tell him to stay away from her too.

"What did she say?" Rue composed herself.

"That I should stay away from you, you can't be trusted, you are sick and delusional," Tony stated.

Rue winced at the words her friend used to describe her.

She stood and rubbed her forehead. "You should listen to her," she said, hoping Tony would leave.

She craved to be alone, not to have people look at her with pity regarding her father and disgust – Xana and Mr. Fox.

"Why should I listen to what she says while I know what I see and it is further from all the things she said?" Tony stood and walked to her.

"You don't know me, Tony," she kept her eyes away from him.

"I know you, I noticed you from the first day I saw you," he was now on her side.

"And what exactly did you notice?" Rue didn't think much of herself. Nothing was interesting that attracted people to her. She was just known for her academics; the friends she had were because of Xana. In a crowd, she wouldn't stand out, neither would she belong. She was a mere existence.

"You chose to do the right thing over doing what felt good. You had back of the people you care ab. You observed and noticed a lot, and that would determine your next action. Always comfortable in who you were over the comfort of being accepted by what people wanted you to be..."

"I..." Rue shook her head. Rue wondered if Tony was talking about two different people or if he had no idea what she did.

"I slept with her father," Rue answered. Maybe the truth would make him see who she was, not all those things he said.

"I know," he said.

"How?" she asked.

"It doesn't matter," Tony shook his head, and silence prevailed.

"Now that is out, can you come with me somewhere?" he requested. His puppy eyes did the convincing and she ended up accepting.

Rue walked side by side with Tony. He had bought her a satin cream dress with sandal heels. He stayed and ensured she bathed until she was clean. He surprised her by fixing her shower. It would occasionally release some electric current when turned to some extent. She never expected him to be so handy, and it impressed her.

Tony did not allow her to ask where they were going. She was just surprised when he drove to his parents' home. She had passed by going to school and always admired its vastness and design. It looked like a castle, and she had to wonder how it looked inside. Now her curiosity would be quenched.

"Your parents' home is so beautiful," she couldn't help but comment.

"It belonged to my great-grandparents," Tony commented.

Rue didn't understand why Tony chose to live in his apartment yet his home was a walking distance from the school.

"Why did you decide to live so far away?" she asked.

He turned to her and smiled. "You know, that is the first time you ever asked anything about me. I am always the one to ask about you,"

Rue thought back to all their interactions, and he was right. He pursued her while her thoughts were consumed by Mr. Fox, and for the first time, she had interest in knowing the boy on her arm.

A man stopped them. He had a slight resemblance to Tony, but she couldn't tell their relation.

"I thought you would bail," Tony accused as they greeted each other.

"This is Rue, and this is my Uncle Jim," Tony introduced them.

When the man's eyes fell on Rue, his brows furrowed, and he refused to take her hand. He stared down at her and then back at Tony.

His previous happy expression had quickly turned sour the moment he saw her.

"Can I talk to you?" he said, pulling Tony aside.

It was clear to Rue that Tony's uncle didn't like her. She didn't understand why. She had never met him, yet he hated her.

"She shouldn't be here," he told Tony, not even attempting to hide his disdain.