Dabbling in Danger

Testy

Malina

As soon as I step downstairs I hear Adeen loudly yell, fuck. Attention grabbed and eyebrows furrowed, I follow where his voice came from.

When I get to the living room on my side, I see Adeen standing at the sliding glass doors staring at his phone in hand.

"Hey, everything alright?" I ask.

Spooked just a little, his head shoots up, then quickly recollects himself as he turns to me.

"Yeah uh, yeah everything's peachy," the annoyance heavy in his tone.

I roll my eyes as I approach the sofa.

"Well, I was only asking..."

He doesn't reply, I try to pry more of a conversation out of him.

"What's up with Tiana? Thought you were staying the night."

"Yeah, yeah, well I'm not. She's angry with me so yeah here I am."

Adeen starts grumbling under his breath. Damn they must've really got into it if he's acting like this.

"I'm sorry ya'll ar-"

"Yeah, I'm not," he cuts in. "Maybe she'll learn how to be an adult for once if I'm not there to catch her," he's so worked up.

I doubt it, but if that's what he's got to tell himself, alright.

Adeen groans, puts a hand to his face and steps outside, sliding the glass door shut.

I know I should leave him be, let him breathe, but I can't help it.

I take a deep breath then join him on the deck. He's facing away from me and as I'm approaching, the white cat jumps onto the table, rubbing against Adeen's shoulder.

"Wow, I haven't seen that thing since I moved in."

Adeen goes to pet the feline, "yeah, he likes to keep a low profile."

"Much unlike my sister, right?" I halfway joke.

His face twists up and I see he's taken what I've said the wrong way.

"What did you just say?"

I scoff, "I didn't mean anything by it."

"Sure sounded like you did, watch yourself," he warns.

"Excuse me?" I'm actually shocked. I thought we were past this.

The look in his eye, the guarded posture, everything is so tense about him.

"Do I really need to repeat myself?" He asks, pissed.

"No Adeen, made yourself loud and fucking clear," I say and hurry back inside to my room.

When in my room, I slam the door and lock it. Then like a plug snatched from a bathtub drain, my tears spill.

Adeen can get so nasty towards me, so hurtful. I know it's because of Tiana, he hates me for what I said to her. But I honestly don't care. My entire life she's gotten what she wanted, fucks everything up and instantly forgiven. What do I get everytime, waved away, ignored, told to hush up.

I'm done. Tiana better be glad she's in rehab and not in jail or on the street. I don't feel bad, one fucking bit.

●●●

Hours of me pouting in bed and complaining to Sasha go by when a knock sounds against the door. I want to ignore him, but I know I can't so I get up in a huff.

I yank the door open mid the last knock with my face balled up and hand on my hip.

"What?" I demand.

Adeen looks down at me, puts his arms down by his side and tilts his head slightly.

"I owe you an apology, how I acted towards you earlier, was unfair."

"How about you go back to ignoring me like you always do."

I go to slam the door shut but he puts his foot in the doorway and the palm of his hand slaps the door on impact.

I try again, but Adeen pushes the door open with little effort and steps into my room folding his arms.

"You can quit with the attitude, especially if it's just you and I for a while. We need to get on better terms."

I scoff, "Do you hear yourself? You almost choke out my friend, push me around when you feel like it, give me the most fucked up mixed signals ever, catch an attitude whenever and you tell me we need to be on better terms? Are you serious?"

Adeen stands tall, "you're lucky I let that boy leave. You better not have seen him again," he warns.

That's all he can say.

I look him in the eyes, "I am a grown woman Adeen, and you are not my father, my brother, nor my uncle, you aren't shit to me."

Adeen's eyebrows scrunch together, "you're under my roof, that's all that matters here." Adeen points upwards, "and a parental figure is what you need, I know you haven't had much of it growing up."

I roll my eyes, voice thick with sarcasm, "oh fuck off Adeen."

Adeen groans maybe realizing how pretentious he sounds. "Look I don't mean it like that... I Just- this shit's gonna take some getting used to just being you and I here. I know our relationship is rocky, but I just..."

Adeen sighs, "I want to establish somewhat of a decent relationship with you because everything else is going so shitty. If I can have one stable, positive relationship with one person, I'm happy."

"We don't need to be friends," I reply still guarded.

"Malina, you and I's relationship is far from normal, I just... I guess what I'm trying to say is, I need you right now... Is that selfish of me, knowing our history together?"

He asks but he knows the answer is yes, so do I. But like always I can't help but want to be on his good side.
I look him over and he seems checked out, all in his head while his body remains.

I know I'm going to regret allowing myself to get close again, but I truly can't resist him. Who knows, maybe I can convince him of a few things, without interruptions this time.

"I understand," I finally answer softly. "I'm here for you."

He nods, "thank you. I'm here for you too. Clear communication, no mixed signals and no attitudes."

Neither of us say another word, we just look at each other then Adeen retires downstairs.