But Only In Red Ink || #Wattys2017

Chapter Thirteen

Tia

I sat on my bed panicked. I didn't know what the hell to do. I thought to call Becky and tell her but soon after I imagined living without my dad and my sister.

This was so fucked up. It was like I was living in a damn lifetime movie and in the end it all is just gonna conclude with his giant fight scene and one of us will end up dead. I am NOT about that life.

The more I sat the more my confidence came to play.

Eh, I could probably take him. I only had an orange belt in karate in kindergarten. Something might actually work, who knows?

Or maybe I just need to watch that J-Lo movie Enough. She was bad ass in that movie.

You are not Jennifer Lopez. You ain't shit.

YOU AIN'T BOUT IT, TIA. YOU. AIN'T. BOUT. IT.

My mini argument with myself was interrupted by the sound of strings being strummed. A hum seemed to echo through the house then turned into words.

"Ohh, my love
My darling
I've hungered for your touch
a long
lonely time.."

Was that.. Michael?

I got butterflies in my stomach. They lead me to the door and forced me to open it to have a peak.

"And time goes by so slowly
And time can do so much
Are you still mine?"

Oh, I couldn't help but to smile at this. This song was one of my favorites and he remembered! It warmed my heart so much, tears burned my eyes.

He leant his head back, motioning for me to come to him as he continued to sing.

"I need your love
I need your love
God speed your love to me"

I went and sat next to him on the couch.  Surely, but hesitantly, I laid my head on his shoulder, singing along.

"Lonely rivers flow to the sea, to the sea
To the open arms of the sea
Lonely rivers sigh, 'Wait for me, wait for me
I'll be coming home, wait for me'"

This romantic movie moment also scared me.

This man could get me to do anything and everything he wanted to if he knew how to push the right buttons. And baby, he knew. I was young and dumb and he knew it. He could use that at anytime. He also knew that there was nothing I could do about it.

He continued to play. "Tell me what you're thinking," he demanded in the sweet voice that I remembered from last night. The one that told me such sweet nothings while caressing my skin, making me feel like the most important person in the world.

I had no choice but to be honest. I knew he'd be angry again if I told him bullshit.

"I think you should be in prison right now."

"Respectable."

I watched his face. He was concentrating on the chords of the melody but he was also listening to everything I had to say.

"But I don't want you to. I feel like you had a reason," I said. "I don't think you did it just to do it. She was your wife for God's sake."

He nodded and continued playing. It soon became another tune.

I looked onto the small instrument with him. "Why did you do it, Michael? Please just tell me that. You I'm don't even have to tell me the whole plan. I just want to know why."

A smirk grew on his face and I won't lie, it scared me. Not because I felt like he was going to hurt me, but because he hurt someone else and was able to smile about it. Or maybe he thought of me as a child at that moment. An infant begging daddy for cotton candy at the fair.

He glanced at me. "She was cheating on me with my best friend," he shrugged. "And she was going to leave me."

He glanced at me again. My facial expression must've been a good one because he chuckled at the sight of me.

"It was one of those," he hesitated, looking for words. "'If I can't have you, nobody can' situations. I meant it."

Insecurity, I wanted to call it. Or maybe he was monophobic? The thought of being alone scared him shitless.

"I didn't like sharing either," he said. "I still don't."

We made eye contact once more, but this time we both refused to break it. His eyes seemed to ask me if I understood. I nodded.

"I don't wish to see you with anyone else."

I thought for a second then shook my head. "But Michael, we're not together. You don't own me."

"Not what you said last night." He shook his head and bit his lip. "You told me what?"

The flashbacks came back again. His hands running all about my body. He'd asked me so many questions, I had no choice but to answer with what he wanted to hear. I don't even remember what he was talking about.

"I- I don't-" he cut me off before I could get complete words out.

"You told me your body was mine," his teeth were clamped together again. "You told me all of you was mine. And all of me is yours. Did you not?"

"I was in the momen-"

"Why are you denying this?" He stopped playing and looked at me dead in the eyes. It wasn't how it normally is where we make eye contact and heaven surrounds us. It was the same kind that hurt me this morning. "Why are you trying to take this back?"

"I'm not, Michael, I'm just-" I took a deep breath before continuing to talk. "We never made this official."

Another reason was because of something Michael didn't quite know about yet. Or someone..

Ryan.

My Homecoming King.

Ryan had asked me to be his homecoming court queen candidate (or whatever you would call it) and I didn't want Michael to think anything was going on at all. I could just say that we'd already planned to run before the trip. But who knew if he would believe me?

Michael sighed and nodded in understanding. "Right. Lets make it official then. I know, it'll be hard for you because, ya know, the circumstances but I won't hurt you, I promise."

I thought for a second. It made me nervous because there was no telling what I was getting myself into.

"Okay, we're official."

**************

What it is? What's up? Two updates in one week, be proud of me. Love me.

I'll start doing this chapter questions more often so you'll interact and comment more 😂

CHAPTER QUESTIONS:
What the fuck do you think is going on in that man's head?

How much trouble do you think Tia just got herself into?

What should happen next?

Should I introduce more characters?

Okay that's all I'm asking. You don't have to answer all but at least answer one or  just comment? Lol

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~Shann