Bad Blood #2
“Oh my god,” Mateo appeared in the room, “what is wrong with you two?”
“They never finished preschool,” Dennis said.
“I’m going to shower.” Ari cautiously emerged from behind the couch. “Stay away from me. I will use this.” She held up the hairbrush as she passed.
“I will.” I waited until she was gone before adding, “For now.” I laughed maniacally.
“I heard that!” She slammed the bathroom door.
“Alright, I’m going back to Mateo’s room to change.
” I grabbed my suitcase and swung it around.
“This thing is so light now. You’re a liar, by the way.
” I swung it toward Dennis instead of pointing.
“Ari turned the light on earlier and I swear I almost melted. I could literally feel my skin sliding off.”
“Indoor light takes some getting used to, but it won’t hurt. It’s not like sunlight.”
“You could’ve at least warned me. I’m gonna go change, but we have much to discuss when I come back,” I told all three of them. I held onto my towel and headed to Mateo’s room.
Doing makeup took longer than usual due to not having a reflection, but I eventually got it done through my phone’s camera and slipped into boots, a skirt, and an off-the-shoulder bustier.
It laced in front but the back needed zipping, which was a job for Ari.
I wandered to the living room, hoping she’d be nearby.
“Does anyone know where Ari is?” I asked, keeping a hand across my chest to hold the bustier in place until it could be zipped.
“Yeah,” Mateo started, then glanced at me and stopped talking.
I kept the hand on my bustier and set my bag down, waiting for him to continue. “Are you gonna finish that?”
“She’s doing girl stuff or something in the bathroom,” Dennis said, not bothering to look up from the game he and Sean were playing. “She said to tell you to stay away from her.”
“Ugh, really?”
“Yeah.” Sean laughed and glanced over. “Whoa. You look, uh,” he faltered, causing Dennis to follow his gaze.
“Can somebody zip this?” I gestured to my top.
“That thing is nice. Whatever it is.” Dennis paused the game and motioned for me to turn around.
“It’s part of my super villain costume. Probably.
I haven’t figured out the rest yet.” I dropped my hands and turned around.
The second he touched me, I felt a pang of emotion that wasn’t mine.
I tilted my head while he zipped. “Is this too low cut?” I adjusted my cleavage, then turned and stepped back to look at him.
“Too low?” he echoed.
I smirked when the feeling got stronger. It was time to test my theory. “Yeah. I can’t tell.” I cupped my chest and eyed it in fake contemplation.
“No.” His eyes ran across me.
“Or maybe my stomach’s out too much,” I ran a hand across it, “or too much leg. Is my skirt too short?” I lifted the bottom the tiniest bit. “Can you check?” I turned around, peering over my shoulder at him. “Should I bend over to test it? I think—”
“You’re fine.”
On the outside he looked like his usual indifferent self, but on the inside was a whole different thing. For once, I could feel his excitement the way he always did mine.
“Thanks.” I smiled as he sat back down. “Do you guys have a minute to talk?” I asked, perching on the couch beside Sean.
“About yesterday?” Sean asked.
“Yeah. I feel better now and um… I dunno how to say this.” I shifted, trying to think of the best way to say it without getting emotional.
“You guys were all really sweet yesterday. Especially you,” I gestured toward Dennis without looking at him, “it really means a lot. Ari is used to this stuff so it’s not a big deal for her.
But you guys just met me like a week and a half ago, and I don’t even know why you were so nice to me.
Especially you, Mateo, ‘cause we’ve barely hung out and you still let us use your bed.
And Sean, you drugged everyone for me and went out of your way to find evil people like I asked.
And when I had an anxiety attack and started dying of a breakdown, you guys didn’t even make fun of me, or—”
“Why would we make fun of you?” Sean seemed surprised by the very idea.
“I dunno.” I shrugged, still avoiding everyone’s eyes.
“Some people do. Or did, before I broke her nose. And another one stopped after I tried to castrate him. Don’t worry, it didn’t work.
” I stopped when a thought hit that I would’ve been fun to go to high school with.
I stared at Dennis. His eyes were on me, but his mind was on my temper and violence.
Apparently, he liked them a lot. I had no idea.
“You tried to castrate someone?” Mateo asked.
“Yeah. Some guy started a rumor that I slept with him when I didn’t. I hate rumors. They’re one of my pet peeves.”
“So you tried to castrate him?”
“Yes. It was the only solution. I was gonna offer to suck him off and then wham!” I sliced with my hand, laughing when Mateo cringed.
“I mean I did offer, but my plan didn’t work.
He freaked when he saw the knife and ran away.
Blah blah, it became a whole thing, restraining order and all.
” I waved a dismissive hand. “Super annoying. I hated that guy. This isn’t a reflection of all bipolar people, by the way.
My old therapist says I’m an unusually violent person, nothing to do with the mental illness. I blame my parents.”
“And you honestly think I’m more sadistic than you?”
“Yes,” I answered Dennis. “I mean, it’s not like I did it. He escaped. And he had the nerve to call me the overdramatic one.” I rolled my eyes. “Anyway, back to my thank you.”
“Wow,” Sean muttered, scooting a tiny bit further from me.
“Don’t worry, your dick is safe. I’m not concerned with yours.
” I patted his knee. “Thank you guys for dealing with me and not running away or calling me crazy. That’s it.
” I smiled at everyone before announcing, “Hug time!” and diving on Sean.
He hugged me back until I hopped up to do the same with Mateo.
“As long as you don’t have any knives on you.” He chuckled.
“Nope, no knives here.” I beamed and hugged him before turning to Dennis, who I probably owed the biggest thank you to.
I walked back over and felt another pang of his excitement.
I couldn’t help but smirk. I was finally understanding why he always seemed so cocky.
I had no idea I had such an effect on him, but it was making me wanna act smug, too.
“Scoot over? I wanna sit next to my other half.” I shooed Sean to the side, leaving the middle space open for myself.
I sat and wrapped my arms around Dennis, making his hug more affectionate than the others.
I lifted my legs to drape across his lap.
“Thanks, Dennis. You’re a really big pain in the ass sometimes, but you were really, really perfect yesterday.
Which is really unusual. Actually, it never happens. Except yesterday.”
“I’m perfect every day.”
“And you’re sure this isn’t too low?” I asked, pulling away to draw his attention back to my cleavage.
His obnoxious response made me justified in messing with him.
I barely suppressed a giggle at his mental reaction.
“Because if it is, I’ll need help taking it off.
This zipper’s so hard to reach. It’s like it wants me to ask you for help undressing. ”
Sean laughed from my other side. “You realize she can hear you, right?”
“That’s what’s happening,” Dennis said. “I didn’t even notice.”
“I know, it’s so much fun! I focused and figured out how to block you,” I bragged.
“Really? Block me right now.”
“I will.” I crossed my arms and tried to focus. But then his lips turned up in a smirk, drawing attention to his lip ring. The one that was really fun to toy with while we were making out yesterday.
“I’m gonna have a lot more fun with the piercing you have.” His eyes drifted to my skirt.
“You have more?”
“Nope,” I cut Mateo off to keep Dennis from answering. As far as the others knew, I just had my bellybutton, nose, and a few in each ear.
“Why would I? He wasn’t asking me,” Dennis responded to my thought, just the same as always.
“Crap.” I frowned. “What happened? I’m gonna figure this out.”
“That’s not how it works. Ready?” He glanced at Sean, who nodded and unpaused the game. “Do you wanna play?” Dennis asked offhandedly, not taking his eyes off the screen. “We can add you to the next game.”
“No, I wanna figure this out. What happened?”
“Nothing. You just don’t know how to block me,” Dennis said as he shot another zombie.
“But I do,” I insisted. “I was doing it like five minutes ago. I was even able to hear you.”
“That was a fluke. I doubt it’ll happen again.”
“Oh, yeah? Watch me.” I was determined this time.
“I wanna fix that zombie’s outfit. It’s so ugly. Why would you die wearing that? Fucking shit, I’m gonna shank him if he doesn’t shut the fuck up and stop it right now—”
“Stop it! I get it, you can hear me word for word. Stop broadcasting my thoughts.”
“Sorry. I thought that’s what you wanted.” He grinned, knocking my hand away when I tried to hit him.
Sean spared me an amused glance. “Were you really thinking that?”
“Well, it’s true,” I huffed, crossing my arms. “Just because they’re zombies doesn’t mean they have to look like that. It’s disgraceful.”
“Like what?” Dennis snickered. “Zombies?”
“You know what, screw you.”
“Anytime you want.”
“I’m tired of you. Can I get some food? Do you guys have food here?”
“We have some things. Get whatever you want.” Sean nodded toward the kitchen and I happily went to the fridge.
Nothing interesting in there. I moved to the freezer and nearly died of happiness when I discovered the leftover ice cream. I searched the drawers for a spoon before retaking my seat between Dennis and Sean.
“That’s all you want?”
I nodded as Dennis examined my meal selection. “We don’t actually need food, right? Like I can just snack for the rest of my life and be fine?”