Chained To You

Chapter 8: Sorted Out

On Monday I decide to wear something that shows my feelings.
Black jeans and a grey top.
When I go downstairs my parents don't notice the change of clothes, so I feel safer.
I put the usual makeup on (mascara and lipstick), then go down to the bus stop.
There I meet up with Elizabeth... and Tobias. But I ignore him.
«Ste!» Elizabeth exclaims.
«Hi» I say.
«So... I got invite to this party, it's awesome and all... do you want to come?» She asks me with a hopeful smile.
I could do with a little party, I guess.
«Yeah okay. When? Where?» I demand.
«At Jennifer's house, at 8 on Friday» She answer with a big smile on her cute face.
«Good. I'll be there» I say «Will Tobias be there too?» I ask silently.
«Yes, of course» She replies.
«Then no. I don't want to see him» I shake my head.
«Come on! Seriously! Please!» She begs.
«Fine!» I growl.
«Yey!».
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After school I ask my mom if I can go to this party. At first she seems a bit sceptic, but then she lets me.
When I'm in my room I go on Instagram.
Then comes the shock: I see a photo of a girl kissing Albert's cheek.
Anger boils in my stomach, I feel empty. Albert is cheating on me. But he seemed so kind and all...
I go to his house and this time I ring the bell.
His dad answers the door.
«Hello, Mr. Smalls... I wanted to know if Albert is at home...?» I ask impatiently.
«Oh no, hahaha, he's in town with Julie» He explains.
«Julie?» So that's that little bastard's name...
«Yes, his friend» He replies happily.
«Oh. Oh, okay... well, thanks anyway» I say.
«Wait. Do you know when he's coming home?».
«In an hour».
«Okay thanks».
In an hour I'll be at his house and I'm going to talk to him.
I am SO p*ssed at the moment.
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At 7, when Albert comes home, I'm already waiting for him in his room.
When he comes in, he remains still at door, in a stiff position.
«Stephanie» He doesn't even use my nickname any more «What are you doing here?» He asks in a cold voice.
«What are YOU doing with Julie?» I scream in tears.
He looks at me astonished «Huh?».
«Don't pretend» I say, shaking my head violently «I saw the photo on Instagram, Al».
He laughs.
What. Is. The. F*cking. Problem. With. This. F*cking. Idiot. ?.
«You think Julie is... my girlfriend... what the f*ck's gone in your f*cking mind, Stephanie?» He says laughing hysterically.
«So she's not your girlfriend?» I ask him astonished, «Then what is she?».
«My cousin!» He says.
«No. your dad said she's your friend» I growl.
«Dad was lying. I told him about our fight and he got angry, so that is what he did for revenge» He explains.
«You told your DAD?» I ask incredulously.
«Well, yeah. I was really p*ssed off» He says indifferently.
And yet when I spoke to his dad he seemed so kind.
Never trust parents.
New rule.
I get up and go out of the house. At least that's cleared.
Albert is still mine.
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The next days are boring. On Wednesday I wear jeans and a green t-shirt.
Today I'll see Albert at karate. I don't think I want to see him again though.
At school the teacher advises us to study because the next week we'll have a test. Our first test. I'm so happy.
In my class everybody's talking about Jennifer's party in Friday. Sometimes I try to get into the conversation but after a while it gets boring.
Finally school finishes for the day and I can go home and do my homework before karate.
At 6 my mon takes me to the Dojo and I start to get the nerves.
Once I'm in I walk to my group of friends: Martina, Alexia, Camille, Caroline, Mary and Alice.
We chat until it's time to enter the Dojo.
We start warm up with a bit of running, then the Sensei chooses the couples for us.
Martina goes with Andrea; Alexia with Camille; Caroline with Anita; Mary with Alexandra; Alice with Fabricius and Albert with... me.
Great.
"Maybe the teacher did that because she heard Albert and I smooching last time, so she thinks she did us a favor".
We do a few exercises without looking really at each other, even if we're supposed to.
Then that crucial exercise comes. Albert needs to kick and I get his leg and pull it so that our faces are an inch from one another, then I need to push him away so that he falls.
For a while everything goes well, then I can't resist and when I pull him close to me, I kiss him very quickly.
«That's not part of the exercise, Stephanie» He whispers trough gritted teeth.
«I wore those clothes because a boy took me to a kind of date, but I don't like him. So I wore the ugliest clothes I had» I explain.
He stops to look at me.
At the end of the lesson he brings outside and leans me on a tree behind the building, where nobody can see us.
«Why didn't you tell me before?» He demands.
«I was scared you'd get angry that I went out with a boy» I reply.
«But if you told me you didn't like him...» He reminds me.
«I don't» I agree.
«Then why?».
His hands are on either side of me on the tree.
«I don't know» I whisper «I think I was just scared and that's it, really».
He grabs my hands and pulls me closer, so I'm not leaning on the tree anymore.
«So it's all sorted out?» I ask hopefully.
«It's all sorted out» He repeats convinced.
We look at each other for a while.
«Now you're supposed to kiss me» I say.
«I'm scared you'd push me away, since I know how much you hate my kisses» He answers sarcastically.
«Ha ha» I say.
Then he kisses me for a long time, the longest we've ever kissed each other.