Since Birth

Chapter Eighteen

That was the start of an unhealthy obsession for him.
I spent that night searching through his Facebook and Instagram looking through pictures of him, seeing his family and friends. His smile, gosh his smile was addicting and there weren't enough pictures of it. I found this one that was my favorite of him. He looked younger but he was shirtless and at the beach. I had cut out the girl that was with him. Was that wrong of me?
I found out more about him on the internet than I had ever known about him before. He was twenty six years old and his birthday was in April. He had two previous girlfriends and a small family. One sister and a brother. He played sports and went to the gym often, posting selfies on Instagram after his workout. He was modelesque. Beautiful and charming. He was running through my mind the entire evening. It was bad.
"What are you doing?" I shut my laptop and turned to see Aimee standing in the doorway.
"Nothing, just homework." I sat up smiling at her and she looked over my face.
"You've been quiet recently. Too quiet." She welcomed herself in and sat on the edge of my bed. "How are things with you and Trevor?"
"They're slow." I shrugged looking down to my hands.
"Has Aidan tried anything?"
"No, we haven't talked since he saw me with Trevor."
"Ouch." She grimaced. "What do you mean saw you with Trevor?"
"After we kissed he came in the house. I'm sure he put two and two together." I shrugged not really worried. Not much had happened between me and Aidan for me to feel awful about it. It was just unnecessarily rocky and I didn't need that right now. I needed consistency. Not that anything that has happened so far was consistent..
"Well I'm throwing in a movie if you want to come down and watch." I nodded knowing she'd leave if I said yes.
"Just let me finish up this work and I'll come down."
She sighed but nodded knowing it'd take me forever to. Little did she know that I had already finished it all and was just stalking my teacher.
"Okay well I'll be back in ten minutes if you aren't already down there." She was needy. Loved to show me these movies she's been wanting to watch. I'd usually fall asleep because she loved to talk through them.
I sighed too now knowing it'd just be better to get this over with. "Fine," I laughed pushing the papers away. "I'll come watch now."
She smiled big as I got off my bed. She led the way already blabbering about the movie and the reviews.
"You'll just have to give me head scratchers in return." I hit her playfully but she didn't protest. She was prepared for me to fall asleep anyways.
Once we made it downstairs the doorbell rang. Aimee sucked her teeth and dropped her shoulders as she went to go answer it.
"Are you kidding me?" I looked up from my phone as she said that. "No, it's sister time so go away."
"I didn't see the parents so I figured there was a party." It was Trevor.
"It's a school night Trev, Em can't make out with you tonight." She put her arms over her chest as I moved behind her smiling at Trevor.
"Sorry but she's right." I agreed with Aimee and he laughed.
"Just five minutes okay?" He looked to me sadly and puppy dog like, pouting his lips and angling his head in a way that made it hard to say no.
"Five minutes but we are watching a movie." I warned him and he nodded happily and invited himself in.
"And you don't want to be here when our parents show up." Aimee also warned and it sounded like he was deflating a balloon.
"Your father likes me, we hang out." Sounded like a lie but we went along with it and all sat on the couch.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night." Aimee mumbled next to me. I was in the middle of them both. Just realizing now that I had no idea what kind of relationship they had together. I guess Mr.Hollands words were still lingering in my head.. how he does this to every girl. Flaunts his money and charm just to get in their pants. I just wanted to believe this was different but it was difficult because my sister was in that pool.
Trevor put his arm behind me at the top of the couch. I turned to look at him as Aimee pulled up the movie.
"What are you really doing here?" I asked quietly and he stared forward giving a shrug.
"I was home alone and figured you girls were too so I stopped by to see." He turned to look over my face frowning. "Did you think I came here to see you?"
"No, I was just curious, trying to make sure this wasn't just some bootycall." He snorted at my word choice and laughed trying to stay quiet.
"I know it won't be that easy with you Em, and I don't want you to think that that's all I do either. I have mad respect for boundaries and I don't do anything to girls that they don't like." He looked down to me trying to read me. "Like I know I have a history but it's all bullshit. I talk to a lot of girls but no one but myself and those girls know what's going on between us." He looked forward and sighed almost like he was disappointed. Like I had already made up my mind about him. I saw how he reacted when Aimee had left him. He couldn't have respected boundaries or women that much if he slandered her. Though I guess I had no idea what was going on between them, exactly as he said.
"I'm sorry, I'm not trying to say you're a bad guy, I'm just trying to understand you and I just don't want to feel stupid in the end."
"We don't have to get involved if you're uncomfortable, but if you want to move forward I'll gladly tell you everything you want to know." He moved his arm and leaned forward to watch the movie.
I sat back sighing and leaning on Aimee who was so into the movie. I hadn't watched a wink of it so I was not interested. Not only that but my mind was all over the place. I sorta felt like a fool.