-Arie-
"Pitiful," Bryce mumbles as he scans the rack of shorts.
"Stop it. Do you think I wanted that to happen?"
"What kind of southern belle are you? Isn't there some proverb about not giving the milk away for free?"
I frown as I pull a pair of dark denim shorts.
"You're just lucky you share a wall with the guest bedroom and not your little sister's room no need to tarnish her innocence."
I stop and turn abruptly to face him, "Was I that loud?"
"More, More. Fuck me harder Tee," he mimics in a breathy moaning tone.
My entire face gets hot.
"That is so fucking embarrassing!"
"Aren't you glad your parent's bedroom is downstairs? Breakfast would have been unbearably awkward."
"I couldn't help it. It's been more than a year since I was fucked." I pout.
"I can't complain too much it got me so hot that Dean and I had some pretty decent phone sex."
"Eww."
"Eww yourself Porn star. I mean really Arie who moans like that?"
"You say that 'cause you have never seen Tee's dick, and he just stuck it in hardly prepped me or anything at first."
"Why did you do it? It took you over a year to heal enough to face him again."
"He was suddenly touching and kissing me. I didn't have time to think. I hadn't realized just how much my body yearned for him until I was in his arms."
"Hmm, Romantic." He says sardonically.
"But that's just it Bryce. He was romantic. More romantic than he ever was before. He literally kissed the bottoms of my feet and pampered me in a way that he never has."
"Of course he did. You took yourself away and he missed you. That's how guys are, but when you give yourself away too easily you take away the opportunity for him to really earn you."
"What do you mean?"
"Which do you cherish more an object just handed freely or something you work for with blood, sweat, and tears?"
"Something earned the hard way."
"Exactly. Let him earn you, let him woo you. Don't just run back in to his arms. I promise he will get complacent and forget that he ever lost you."
"Really?"
"Yes really. He really hurt you, Arie, broke you to pieces. Give yourself time to heal completely. Go to school, date, and enjoy your life. There is no rush. I promise if it's meant to be it will be. Like a chess game, both of you will move into the position you're meant to. Healed and ready to accept each other's love."
I let Bryce's words sink in as I walk slowly between the full racks of clothes.
Bryce tosses another spring dress into the cart and I frown.
"Stop filling the cart with only girls clothes. I need boys clothes for school too."
"Ugh, Why?" He sneers.
"Because I rather not be the victim of a hate crime. I'm barely 18."
I snap as I pull some dresses from the cart and put them back on the rack.
"Seriously? You're gonna let these hillbilly hicks run your life?"
"Definitely. Yours too. Stop swishing your hips so much when you walk."
He frowns, "Fuck them. I'll walk how I want. And for fucksake Arie be who you want."
"You don't think I want to? Look around Bryce. You see those sweet faced church ladies? Don't let them deceive you. Those are the same bitches that run home heavy with gossip. They sprout their homophobic backward rhetoric to their sons and daughters. The same sons and daughters I'll be going to school with, who in turn make my life hell."
"That's bullshit. Did you pack the brass knuckles I gave you?"
"It's in my purse."
"How about the pepper spray?"
"On my keychain."
"The taser?"
"Also in my purse."
He glares at me and flares his nostrils.
"But you don't carry the purse so how can any of that protect you?"
"If I act straight I don't need protection."
"You think you act straight?! When Arie? When do you act straight?"
"I'm dressed head to toe in Nike. I tied my hair up and I'm wearing a sweatband like I just finished doing something involving sports."
Bryce shakes his head. "I'm gonna pray for you. Like literally every day."
"I'll need prayers. Tee begged me not to cut my hair."
"I'll agree with him there. I was sad when you said you would have to cut it. So what did you decide?"
"He offered to take me to his mom's shop and pay for my hair to get styled."
"Do it. You should dye it too."
"What color?"
"Definitely a deep reddish auburn. It will look so gorgeous against your skin and eyes."
I pout then, "What the hell am I going to do without you? You haven't even left and I already miss you too much." I admit as we head to the register.
"I'll visit as much as I can. Definitely around vacation time. I'll miss you too lovebug." He says as he starts loading our clothes onto the counter.
I try to help but he waves me off.
"Be a doll and grab us two sweet teas from the cooler. How are we inside and I can still feel the sun berating me?"
"Global warming," I mutter as I turn towards the cooler and grab the teas. I set them on the counter.
The cashier eyes me with a strange look on her face. Peering down at me over the ugliest reading glasses I have ever seen. She squints her eyes and lifts the corner of her lip in apparent disgust.
Bryce clears his throat, "Is everything alright?" He asks obviously taking offense to the way she is looking at me.
She squints her beady eyes at me.
"Darling, are you a boy or a girl?" She asks finally and I cringe inside.
But I'm wearing all Nike!
I take a deep breath and try not to pout as I answer her question.
I open my mouth but Bryce cuts me off.
"I was wondering something similar myself. Ma'me are you a heifer or a bull?" Bryce asks.
I'm shook. My eyes bulge and my mouth drops open.
The woman glares at Bryce as she quickens her pace in outrage. Haphazardly flinging our things into bags.
Bryce just smiles as he fills up the cart.
Honestly, I couldn't pay fast enough. I didn't bother to split up our stuff. I quickly swipe my parent's credit card as the cashier and Bryce stare daggers at each other.
She flings our receipt at us and I quickly catch it before it hits the floor.
Bryce puts his hand on his hip and rolls his neck.
Oh Fuck.
"If you didn't get my meaning. I meant you're ridiculously fat. Lose some fucking weight before poking your nose into other people's business. One day you'll catch a bitch like me who will pierce it for you. You're as big as a bull, and I'll make you look like one too."
Bryce snaps and I literally have to drag him out while still pushing the cart.
The moment we are inside his rented Lexus I take the breath I didn't realize I was holding.
"What the fuck Bryce? I have to live here!"
"That bitch had no right to look down her nose at you. She's lucky I didn't stick my fingers up that greasy bell pepper she calls a nose and drag her outside for a good old-fashioned curb stomping. How dare she go around looking that ugly and judge you! Not while I'm around! She is just jealous because you are so gorgeous! Never let a hillbilly like that push you around Arie. I swear to god if you do I'll be back here in a second to kick your ass. You have nothing to be ashamed of. I better never see you cowering in front of trash like that! You cannot tolerate even a moment of these inbred hill Gremlins disrespect or they will think you are weak and do worse. The world does not belong to them it belongs to us all and if you want to wear pretty dresses and wear makeup do not let them stop you. You have to lead by example Arie for the little queers who come after you. Queer kind doesn't have to change, it's dickheads like her who are still in the fucking dark ages!"
He is fuming as he tries and fails to start the car. He is so chaotic he barely can get the key in the ignition.
I know better than to interject when he is outraged. I slip my seatbelt on and listen as he calls her every name in the book except blessed.
I direct Bryce to my favorite ice cream shop on our way home hoping it will change his mood. Thankfully it does as he gulps down his strawberry milkshake.
After he is calm I can't help but smile at him while he focuses on the road. I'm going to miss him like crazy.
Not so much that I'll ask him to stay though he definitely has to go before he lands us in jail.
We pull into my driveway and I sigh in relief to be home and far away from town.
We carry the bags towards the house I'm surprised to find Aunt Aubrey waiting.
"My mom isn't here Auntie. She took Demi for some last-minute back-to-school shopping."
She smiles at me as she places her hand against my face.
"I'm here for you babe. Do you mind if we have a chat?"
I return her smile. " I have been dying to catch up."
I open the door and Bryce heads straight up the stairs with our bags.
"Are you ok?" I ask her as I take a seat on the couch.
"I actually wanted to ask you that. Are you really moving in with Tee?"
I take a deep breath.
"Yeah. I am."
"Why?"
"It's pathetic."
"You are never pathetic my love. Tell me."
"I think I want to give him an opportunity to make it up to me. Even if it's just as friends. I don't want to think of the past and be heartbroken."
"He might hurt you again." The pity is very evident on her face.
"I'm stronger than I was and I see our situation clearer than before. I used to think he loved me deep down. That I just had to wait for him to get it. I thought I was safe with him. That my heart was safe with him. He proved me wrong. I won't make that mistake again. I was so stupid to convince myself every day he was in love with me too. I broke to pieces when I realized I was Unrequited. I might always be when it comes to him."
Aunt Aubrey considers my words before sliding closer to me and pulling me into a hug.
"I wasn't even half as tough as you when I was 18. I'm in awe of you sometimes."
"Really? You don't hate me for being with Tee?"
She pulls back to glare at me.
"Of course not. My son is better for knowing you. But I won't mince words if you end up together find a way to bring me grandkids or I won't forgive you."
I smile at her as she pulls me into another hug. She fingers a curl that broke loose at the nape of my neck.
"Why didn't you let me bleach your hair? It's totally fried."
"Tee said he would pay for me to get an appointment at your salon so you could fix it. I was gonna cut it all off."
She leans back to take a closer look as she gently fingers my hair.
"It's not that bad at least you moisturize. I would never charge you but if my son offered to pay make him. It's the least he can do. I don't work for cheap."
"Family discount?"
"I'm charging him full price for making my Arie cry."
"Can we dye it?"
She considers it a moment as she tilts her head to study me.
"What color?"
"Like a reddish auburn."
"Red or copper?"
"Copper."
She smiles brightly.
"Definitely. You will look so beautiful in that color. After, visit my closet I have been collecting some stuff for you to take."
"Really?"
"Your uncle has been nagging. He demands I free up space. I got a lot of designer stuff you will like."
I nearly hop off the couch in excitement.
She laughs at me.
"Look how easy it is to make you happy."
"Thank you, Auntie." I beam as I throw my arms around her neck for another hug.
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