Rude

16

I changed the direction of the conversation, unsure of where this was going or where it could go. "So," I started awkwardly, "Are we going to be going to the school tonight?" I ask, cocking my head to the side.

He shakes his head with the smallest sliver of an amused expression on his face. It was so brief I almost thought I'd imagined it. "You're psycho or something, I swear." He mumbles.

Jack comes running up to the front porch, his tail wagging as he rests his head on my thighs and gazes up at me. "Hello, buddy boy. Look at you! Look how beautiful you are!" I coo, leveling my face with his. Cookie comes up next, her short legs making her take longer with her little tail wagging.

She starts jumping on my legs, stretching up onto my calves and letting me silently know that she wants to be pet. "Oh, and you! You're beautiful too. Yes, look at my beautiful girl!" I can't stop myself from talking in a soft voice, picking her up and sitting her on my lap. Jack tries to push her off of me but I tap his nose, "No, sir. That's rude." I scold him, wagging my finger.

I continue petting Jack and Cookie stays on lap until Reed suddenly reaches over, his hand brushing against my stomach as he plants his hand onto her fur. I feel Cookie shift a little, rolling onto her back and nearly falling off my lap. I gasp and steady her, pushing her into place on my thighs.

"Geez, you're an idiot." I chuckle, Reed's hand coming to rub her stomach as her head falls in between my knees. Jack licks the side of my face, trying to bring my attention back to him so I place a hand onto his head, gliding it around to his ear.

He leans his head into my touch, gazing up at me until someone walks by the fence, and his attention diverts to them. He runs off, barking loudly as he chases the person up and down the length of the fence. Cookie usually would be trying to get down, wanting to join him but she's practically dead to the world.

Reed's hand glides over her pink stomach and I glance up at him, "She really likes you." I note, "The little turd only tries to bite my hands off when I want to pet her. All I'm good for is being a chew toy." I huff, leaning back into my palms as I place my hands behind me.

The seat Reed and I were on was more of a lounge chair, or a couch, I suppose. I look down at Cookie, only to find her head turned towards where Jack is, running around the yard jumping in the air. "Are we leaving at nine again?" I ask, looking back over to Reed. "I never said we were going in the first place." He says, and I frown.

"Do you want to be suspended or something now?" I raise my brow at him, "Cause not going is how we do it. Hell, we should've just done this the first time. Why didn't you tell me that we could check deleted tapes?" I huff. He shrugs, "I didn't think to. Maybe if you'd thought of this sooner." He says patronizingly.

My mouth pops open a little, "What? Are you literally telling me that it's my fault?" I scoff, and smack his hand away from Cookie as I put her down. "I hate to break it to you, pal, but this whole thing? Your fault. If you hadn't cut the wires two years ago, there wouldn't be anything to frame you with! We wouldn't be in this situation!" I exclaim, throwing my hands in the air in frustration.

Reed points at Cookie as her small body is seen running through the grass, "I was petting that." He says, ignoring my rant. I glare at him, "Well you're not anymore! I own 'that' so if I say you don't touch it, then you don't touch her." I snap, and he leans towards me with his jaw clenched.

"Leila," He murmurs, his eyes locked with mine. I shrink back a little at the mischievous look on his face, unsure of what he's doing. "I'll touch whatever I damn well please." He breathes, placing his hand onto my thigh. I froze for a second, shocked as his hands pushed up under my skirt, fingers brushing against my inner thighs.

I gape at him in utter surprise, this side of Reed being the last I expected as I shoved his hand away from me with a heavy blush on my cheeks. "You're disgusting." I snap, standing up off my seat and grabbing Cookie before heading inside with Jack behind me.

I heard Reed groan from behind me, his eyes rolling as I glanced at him, "You're such an uptight prude." He states, and I set Cookie on the floor. "And? What's your point?" I hissed, turning around and jabbing him in the chest with my finger.

"Last I checked, we're not friends, right? All you do is call me names and try to hurt me. So fuck you. I'd rather be an uptight prude than a fucking asshole." I spat, shoving at his chest.

Reed looked both a little surprised and pissed, but also impressed. "You know what?" He muttered, clenching his jaw as he glared at me. "Considering what I just did and said, I'll let this slide." He practically had to force the words out, and while his words were relieving, his facial expression was the opposite.

He looked ready to peel my skin off with a potato peeler.

I nodded curtly, turning around to head off to my bedroom. I'd not even taken two steps away before Reed's hand was felt enclosing my wrist, his chest warm against my back. I paused, definitely not missing the threatening edge in his voice. "But you pull some shit like that again and I won't be so nice about it." He mutters into my ear.

I shove his hand off of me, "Same can be said for you." I reply, already heading off towards the stairs.