All Mine

15

"Cole."

"Who's Malcolm?" Cole barked at you, walking over with a pool cue in his hand.

"This the boy?"

You nodded.

"What's his name?"

"Brahms," You answered, scared half to death.

Cole came closer to Brahms, but you moved the doll away slightly out of Cole's reach.

He came closer again.

"This is a joke," Cole scoffed, shaking his head.

You chuckled slightly. "They paid me to look after a doll."

Slowly, you made your way over to a bench on the side of the room and placed Brahms on it, making sure you didn't do any damage to his head.

"You're serious?" Cole laughs. "All the way here, I was trying to figure out how I'd convince you to come home, but now this shit.." Cole leans over the billiard table and takes a shot. The pool balls spin on the table in almost every direction, making a clicking sound as they raced around it.

---

It's finally dinner time, and you made a carbonara for you and Cole, but you had to sit Brahms down at the table, which earned a weird stare from Cole.

The food on your plate looked unappetising now, and it had lost all its heat. You watched Cole carefully, even though you didn't even want to look at him.

He glanced at Brahms, making you flinch slightly. You wish Cole hadn't come back.

Doesn't he know he isn't welcome?

"I understand why you left," Cole clarified. You sighed, not wanting the meal to carry on. He reached into his pocket and pulled out two plane tickets, sliding them across the dinner table. "Our flight leaves tomorrow."

Bile rose up in your throat. You couldn't go back home. You didn't WANT to go back home. You had to stay and look after Brahms like the Heelshires had instructed you to do.

As well as having to stay, Brahms was a doll, which meant it would actually be easier to take care of him than a normal child, way easier.

Why couldn't Cole see you didn't want to go home with him?

The front door of the house opened, and you heard Malcolm call your name.

"Y/N?"

The door clicked closed, and you heard Malcolm's footsteps rapidly progress up the hall, to the dining room where you, Brahms and Cole were. Although earlier was awkward, you were more than grateful Malcolm had come to your rescue.

However, when you caught sight of Malcolm and he started to talk, you felt the bile crawl back up your throat again.

Malcolm stopped in the dining room doorway, his face dropping when he caught sight of Cole sitting at the table across from you. "Oh, sorry."

Taking the opportunity, you rose from your chair and briskly walked up to Malcolm. "That's okay. This is Malcolm," You said to Cole, gesturing to your apparent saviour. Cole got up too, strode over to Malcolm and shook his hand. "He brings our groceries."

"Nice to meet you," Cole politely told Malcolm.

"Nice to meet you, too," Malcolm agreed, giving you a slight side-eye glance.

You nodded, frozen and not knowing how to get out of the situation that may or may not secure your home-returning doom.

"I have that delivery if you'd like to go over the inventory list," Malcolm lied, saving the day.

"Yeah," You said, smoothing down the front of your shirt, trying to wipe away the excess sweat on the palms of your hands.

---

"What the hell is he doing here?" Malcolm asked you, concern in his voice.

"I don't know," You admitted. "He just showed up."

"Well, he has to leave."

"I'm not going to let him stay," You said quietly. "He wants me to go home with him."

Malcolm shook his head. "Well, that isn't going to happen. What if he attacks you?"

"He won't," You reassured him. "Trust me."

Something moved in the corner of your eyes; it was Cole.

"Well, sounds good," You said to Malcolm, trying to throw Cole off your scent.

Malcolm nodded at the intruder and walked past him to the front door.

Just before Malcolm closed the door, you met eyes with him, and they were filled with worry.

The door clicked shut and the feeling of dread rose in your stomach once again.

"Should I be worried?" Cole asked you.

"About Malcolm? No," You told him, shuffling past.

---

Outside, Malcolm was dawdling. He didn't want to leave you with that monster, so he got in the car, but didn't drive off.

If the time came, Malcolm would be there to save you.