Porcelain Skin (NOW ON AMAZON KU)

19. Deal

Trailer made by the lovely @pinkforest.  Thank you! I love it! :D

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I make the forty-seven-second drive back to my dorm, park, and head up to my room. I'm about to yank the pillow off my bed so that I can wash the pee from it when a wonderfully evil idea blossoms in my innocent mind. I'm not usually one for payback, but this time Mercy really asked for it.

I tear the pillowcase off and throw it in my pile of dirty laundry, and then replace her pillow with mine. It's not the worst prank in the world. I mean, aren't hippies all about keeping it natural? What's more natural than the earthy, bodily scent of urine? She might actually like it.

I've got an hour before I have to head to the coffee shop, and I still haven't heard back from Trevor. It's possible he's ignoring me, and if so then I'm not too bothered because I'm only going for the coffee anyway. I couldn't care less about Trevor. He's an idiot. I hate him. I'm over him. He's ugly. I've totally replaced his image in my mind with that of a Blobfish. (Yes, they do exist. Google it. You'll never be the same again.)

I've come to the conclusion that I would fit right in at a psych ward as I lay flat on my bed staring up at the ceiling, where I repeatedly count the ceiling tiles. I groan aloud when I loose my spot and have to start over.

Glancing at the time on my phone again, I nearly escape my own skin with excitement when I see that it's time. Simultaneously, I shrink back into myself when I realize whom I'm meeting. Throwing on a pair of gladiator sandals, I make the dreaded journey where I will come face-to-face with my nemesis, aka. the love of my pathetic little life.

I arrive a whole minute early, which is basically an hour, as I watch the seconds tick by more and more slowly. I decide to order a coffee as I wait since it's probably gonna be awhile. If he ever shows, what's the chance he'll even arrive on...

"Hey."

"Oh, hey!" I jump as I turn to face the man who dominates my waking—and sleeping *cough*—thoughts.

We don't speak as we both order and wait for our coffees to be made. Once we pay we silently make our way over to a private booth in the very back corner of the shop. How romantic... unless he plans on mutilating my delicate feelings away from any prying ear.

We sit and proceed to sip our coffees. I'm desperately trying to find a place to settle my gaze while Trevor steadily watches me over the rim of his cup. I take sip after sip of my coffee, squirming when I nearly scorch the tasters off my buds. I'm fighting to hide my face behind my cup, and nearly panic when I realize I'm already halfway through the black liquid gold. What will I hide behind once it's gone?

"Sorry for never responding to your texts," I finally say. "I misplaced my phone."

Trevor doesn't respond, but his head bobbing slightly indicates that he understands my reason for ignoring his messages.

He finally clears his throat, and it's like pouring salt on a slug- disturbing and entertaining all at the same time. Disturbing because I know that that sound means 'let's get down to business'. Entertaining because it's such a raspy delicious sound vibrating from his chest, and I enjoy watching his Adam's apple dance with the action.

"Listen..." he says, and I'm already preparing myself for the verbal onslaught of enmity that will be spewing from his mouth. "I really am sorry for what I said."

And my theory just died along with every defensive comeback that I had formulated. My shoulders sink with defeat. I was kind of hoping for the chance to scream into his beautiful face, and now he's crushed that like a leaf under his big old foot.

"So you lied to me?" I ask, and my voice comes out sounding dangerously calm.

He cocks his head slightly to the side, looking more like someone with a broken neck than a cute puppy, and gives me a questioning look before I continue.

"You texted me the other day, after reading my messages, just to tell me that you don't hate me," I say. "So what is it? I tend to think you'd be more honest with a close buddy than the girl you barely tolerate."

The guilt that lines his features is immediate, and I don't feel bad for putting it there at all. Not one bit.

"I don't hate you," he finally says, sighing as he rubs the back of his neck. "What I said to Andy was basically the same as saying 'I hate family reunions'. I don't actually hate family reunions, I just prefer not to be a part of them."

"Hmm... well that makes me feel much better," I reply sarcastically.

He rubs a hand down his face with an annoyed groan. I'm just glad to know who Andy is now.

"I'm sorry," he mumbles around his hand with an apologetic sigh. "I just... argh. Can we just start over? Like forget the past, and maybe just try to get along for the rest of this semester?"

I didn't appreciate him adding the 'rest of the semester' part, but I was sure okay with getting along. I force my hand out across the table. He eyes it warily for a moment before sliding his rough, athletic fingers across mine.

"Deal," I say with a shake. "How 'bout we start now?"

"Huh?" He pulls his hand away hesitantly, eyeing me with suspicion.

"How 'bout a movie? At your place," I suggest with confidence.

Wow, that dream last night must have really played a number on me because I am being uncharacteristically brave.

I watch as a devilish smile nips the edge of his lips as he responds. "Deal."

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Sorry for the short chapter. Originally, the chapters were longer, but I got some complaints that they were too long, so I broke the chapters up a bit. So, if you notice some of them ending in weird places, that's why. :D 

Next chapter is bound to be entertaining with plenty of Trevor and Emma action. ;)

If you've got a sick desire to warm a person's heart, then I'll gladly let you warm mine. All ya gotta do is vote, comment, share. :D lol