My Monster

Chapter Ten: I Hate The Doorbell

Chapter 10: I Hate The Doorbell

It's 5:50 a.m., and Operation Get Shawn Henderson Out of My House has commenced.

I get up and make the guest bed, and then trudge into the bathroom and wipe down the counter and the shower, straightening out the rug and throwing out the plastic wrapper of Shawn's toothbrush.

When all is in order and the evidence gone, I march up to where Shawn is sound asleep on the sofa.

It's a loveseat and too small for him. He's lying there rolled up into a ball, completely defenseless, his dark eyelashes resting on his cheeks, and his pink lips parted in the smallest of pouts. He doesn't have that snide, self-important expression he always wears, and he looks so much better without it.

I watch him and enjoy the silence. This is the first moment in our entire acquaintanceship in which I'm not irritated in his company. Looking at him now, so innocent and childlike, makes it easy to forget how much of a douchebag he actually is.

I hate to ruin the moment, but time is short and I want him out of here.

I take a step back, shifting my weight to my left leg, and prod him in the ribs with the toes of my right foot. He squirms and tries to roll over, but he's on a sofa, not a bed, and he simply comes crashing to the floor like a sack of potatoes.

I snort as he groans, blinking up at me, and I don't give him too much time to gather his senses. "Get up now. Get your shoes. You have two minutes to get out of here."

To my relief, he acts without a word, gathering up his stuff, and as I begin climbing the stairs, he's right behind me. From the top of the stairs, I scan the basement, making sure everything is in order, and turn off the light.

I face the door of the basement and draw a deep breath, placing my hand on the doorknob. Carefully and slowly, I open it just a crack and peek through. After several seconds, I exhale and open the door wide.

I creep out with Shawn keeping close to my back. I pause to scan the living room, too, and motion for him to follow. We quietly steal into the kitchen. I slowly unlock the back door, knowing that the key tends to creak if turned too quickly.

"Go over the hedge to the neighbor's and come to the street from there. That way, my mom won't see you when she opens the curtains," I whisper to Shawn urgently. He looks at me attentively with wide blue eyes, examines the low hedge I mentioned, and nods.

I don't know what his act is now, and I don't care. As long as he gets out of here and all this will just be another bad dream, I'm fine. "See you soon, Fee," he whispers, and brushes past me to get out the door. I'm ready to close it with my hand on the doorknob.

He pauses in the doorway, turns his head to me, and then, almost nonchalantly, almost as an afterthought, plants his lips on mine.

I should've known he'd do something like this. I retreat against the door, and he takes that as an invitation to press in, deepening his kiss. His tongue parts my lips and slides over my front teeth, brushing against my own tongue. He angles his hips to mine, and I pinch his elbow, meaning to push him back.

But I sort of don't.

I allow his tongue to dart deeper into my mouth, lingering, savoring. My breath is caught in my chest and I shudder. I can't believe I'm just letting this happen.

And that it feels so good.

He pulls away to show me his grin of triumph and rushes outside. He looks back at me just before he leaps over the neighbor's hedge and winks.