Chapter 28
COSETTE
After our brief detour, Siege drove us straight home, where Nero and Dex were probably already waiting.
“It’s a bit weird that out of all the places you could’ve taken me for a car quickie, you chose a traumatic place,” I mused.
“Weird? I thought you’d find it romantic.”
I’m not even surprised anymore with how Siege’s mind works. It’s obvious we were raised in very different circumstances.
Lucky for him, I like his type of weird.
Siege turned the engine off once we were parked, and I spoke up before he could get out of the car.
“I know it’s not easy for you,” I started. “Sharing me like this. One of them being your best friend, even. I didn’t think it would be possible for me to love you more, but you being so selfless, letting me have this, just made me even more sure that you and I? We’re forever.”
The emotions danced around his face at my words, and he seemed to be grateful yet surprised that I’m acknowledging the developments in our relationship.
“It may be wishful thinking, but I like to think that I’ve changed for the better as I’ve spent more time with you. What can I say? Your goodness is rubbing off on me. So, blame yourself for this selflessness you’re speaking of.”
That drew out a disbelieving chuckle from me, but Siege wasn’t done.
“But you’re wrong about one thing, little vixen.”
My right brow arched, waiting for the joke, thinking he’s going to say something to tease me, but it never came.
“Sure, I may still get jealous. But this is easy for me. Because if I were to choose between my happiness or yours? I’d choose yours. Without a doubt. Always. Cause as long as you let me have you alone like that when I’m feeling neglected, I’m good.”
Well, damn.
How can I not melt at that?
I leaned closer to him and gave him a kiss that was the opposite of what we shared earlier. This one was sweet. Soothing, and reassuring instead of one reeking of desperation.
When I pulled away, I couldn’t erase the sheepish smile I had on, even if I tried. Siege, on the other hand, looked so smug, and he had to nod his head behind me before I figured out why.
Dex and Nero were standing there by my door, watching the two of us kiss.
“You’re so creepy,” I mumbled to the two as I got out, Nero handling the door while Dex offered his hand for me.
“And you’ve been making us wait for half an hour now while you two decided to go off-route for a little adventure,” Dex said.
“Oh, shut up. If that was you, you wouldn’t be complaining,” Siege came to the rescue, taking me from under their scrutiny as he led me to the door so I could unlock it.
Once it was open, the three piled in while I went straight to the kitchen to get some beverages.
“Hey, don’t forget to remove your shoes—“
Yet, it appears that I didn’t have to remind them as there’s already three pairs of sneakers surrounding mine by the front door.
I looked around, and all of them were doing their own thing.
Siege was sitting on the couch, scrolling through this week’s new movies that are available to stream.
Nero was putting our bags on the dining room chairs, pulling out homework and putting them on the table.
I didn’t see Dex right away, but apparently, he had followed me to the kitchen, and he was already making sandwiches.
Waiting for everyone to settle down, I sat on the couch next to Siege, where he put his arm on the backrest, and so I tucked myself to his side.
“Found this new horror movie from that director you like. Should we watch it after finishing homework?” He asked, eyes still on the screen while his fingers played with my hair.
“It’ll be better if we do the movie first so that when Dad comes home, he’ll find us doing homework instead of just lounging around. Maybe that’ll make him happier and more relaxed when I tell him the news,” I said in reply.
Siege’s fingers stilled, then he shifted backward, making me look at him on instinct. “That’s very manipulative of you, little vixen.”
“Hey, maybe I’m not the only one rubbing off on the other. Told you, I could be an honorary Azul.”
“What the hell? I was—“
Well, I bet they all know what I was really doing with the pen Dex just snatched from my hand.
Wiggling it between my fingers. Slightly nibbling on the end. Tapping it against my forehead over and over.
I was doing anything but writing with it.
We were on the dining table after watching that horror movie that Siege found, and we started doing our school assignments an hour before dad’s usual time to come home from work.
If I was being completely honest, they were doing their papers while I was just anxiously thinking of every single question that my dad might ask me when I tell him.
“You’ve got to calm down, C. We don’t have to do this tonight if you’re not ready,” Nero said, being the voice of reason, which Dex backed up immediately.
“We can schedule this for another time and plan better.”
“No. Adobo’s already cooked, and I already texted him that we needed to talk tonight. I’ll just keep on chickening out if we delay this.”
I was bouncing my knee, eyes fixed on the wall as if I was trying to see through it, wondering if dad was almost home.
And then the sound came of the little chime that our smart door lock makes when the cover is slid up. Without hesitation, I pushed my chair back as I stood, the legs scraping through the floor.
I just about ran towards the door, and my dad was barely pushing the door when I yanked it wide open, making him flinch.
I must’ve looked crazed.
“Hi,” I mumbled, not knowing a single thing about how to go about tonight.
Maybe a warning? No. A promise.
“I need you to promise me that you’ll… you’ll remember your religious and kind side. That you won’t hurt anyone or, I don’t know, make threats.”
Without a single word from my dad, I moved to the side, letting him come inside.
With my signal, Siege and Dex got up from their seat on the dining table, then they made their way to my dad to shake his hand.
“This is Siege. And this is Dex.”
Great.
Now, he’s definitely finding us suspicious.
Am I going to throw up? It feels like I’m about to throw up.
Just do it, Cosette. Rip off the bandaid.
“They’re my boyfriends.”