Exposed (#wattys2016)

chapter fourteen

Casp and Liv showed up at my door, except Casp was standing on the sidewalk smoking a cigarette in the other direction, away from my house.

Liv smiled at me when I opened the door.

"Hey, thanks again for being here," she said.

I smiled and stepped into the cold air, the sky turning a darker color as the sun quickly set. I glanced at Casp, his back still turned to me. I didn't say hi to him.

Liv started walking and Caspian knew when to follow. I smelled the smoke from his cigarette, the cold stench surrounding me.

"I'm nervous," Liv shakily spoke.

She interrupted my thoughts, and I wrapped my arm around her shoulder to comfort her.

"I know, things will be okay though," I said, pulling her closer into my side.

Caspian abruptly pushed between the two of us, looking at me and then his sister.

"Keep walking," he said sharply like we were taking up the whole sidewalk.

I placed my hand down at my side, and I felt his jacket rustle against mine as he walked past me, turning the corner to where the jail was located.

Liv was rolling her eyes.
"He always thinks we're gonna just start making out or something."

I could see her breath when she talked. We turned the corner together after a few more minutes, and by the time we reached the jail, Caspian was walking out ahead of his father.

"Dad!" Liv exclaimed nervously, running over to her father.

They hugged momentarily, no emotion on his side but a mute, pale face.

Caspian stood next to me, hands tucked in his pockets. He didn't look at me, or anyone really.

"Who's this?" Casp's dad pointed to me with his tattoed fingers, stepping closer after Liv moved away.

I picked up on the anger in his eyes, his fingers just like Caspian's.

Casp stepped in front of me, "Nobody dad, just a friend."

His dad raised his eyebrows, peeking over his son's shoulder to get a better view of me, "I can tell this ain't just a friend, why are you getting so god damn defensive? Move."

Caspian didn't move, "Leave him alone."

His dad finally backed off, anger and hatred in his body language and face as he lit a cigarette.

Liv was standing in an alleyway nearby, between two abandoned apartment buildings.

"Why is he here though? Where's your wife? He ain't your wife," his dad was raising his voice and Casp's face was getting red with anger. I laughed to myself at the thought of me being Caspian's wife, trying to find humor in the situation.

"Who the hell do you think you are, setting such stupid and unrealistic expectations for me? Why is this so damn important? It's just a wife!" Caspian flung his arms in the air as he talked, the veins on his neck sticking out.

He turned around to walk back home, forgetting he was standing directly in front of me. He stopped before running into my chest, giving me a quick look I never saw before. He was hurt.

Liv stepped out from the alley and ran her fingers through her hair, "Dad, you upset him already. Can't you just-"

"Olivia, please shut your mouth and stay outta this. I'm going to the bar, celebrate my release a little."

Just like that, he was limping down the sidewalk to the bar. I wondered why he had such an odd limp, but everything he has probably been through was a good first guess.

Liv walked over to where I was, her body collapsing into mine. She started to sob into my shoulder, her frail bones shaking with each breath. I tried my best to comfort her.

We eventually started walking away from the jail, turning the corner again.

Caspian was sitting against the wall on the sidewalk smoking. His cheeks were stained and I knew he was crying before we showed up.

I let go of Liv and crouched down next to him on the cold cement, wrapping my arms around his shoulders.

I buried my face in his neck, and to my surprise, I felt him kiss the top of my head.

His arms wrapped back around my waist, the smell of cigarettes surrounding us. I've never seen him this weak before, I felt awful I couldn't just wipe his father out of the equation right then and there.

I pulled away and used my sleeve to wipe his cheeks, glancing at Liv who had her face covered. She was still sobbing into her hands.

"I knew it," she muttered between sobs, "you two."

Her face was scrunched and read as she spoke, one frail finger pointing at us as she finally placed the puzzle pieces together.

Caspian shook his head and stood up, dropping his cigarette on the sidewalk as he walked home.

I went back over to hug Liv.
She felt weightless.

***

hey! this is super unedited and i wrote it between classes this week. comments and votes are appreciated! i know it's shorter than normal, i apologize.