Chapter Eleven

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Chapter Eleven

My heart dropped. The crowd went silent for a few seconds, before one man began to chant 'kiss him, kiss him' over and over, making another man chant it, and then another, and another, and before I could even understand what was happening, everyone in the audience was chanting for me to kiss Cousin Icon.

Mr. Father's eyes were lit with a fire I've never seen before. He was thrilled, I don't think the crowd has ever been this fully engaged before.  

I stood there, having difficulties keeping my grip on the chains as my hands were trembling. I can't do this, I can't kiss him. He doesn't even like it when I'm a few inches away from him, let alone actually touching him.

What do I do, what do I do, what do I do.

"The crowd is waiting, Bexley." He said through the microphone, and my body shook in fear. There's no way out of this. If I refused, Mr. Father would kick me out for sure.

I should have just made him roll over, damn it.

Hesitantly, I turned to Cousin, he was still crouched onto the floor, his eyes focused on the ground and nothing else.

I got on my knees in front of him. I could feel thousands of eyes on my back and cringed at the publicity. Cousin and I were inches apart, and he already looked tensed.

"What do I do?" I whisper to him, as if he'd give me an answer. I didn't want to force myself on him when he clearly wasn't comfortable with being touched.

He has suffered years of abuse and trauma, of course he doesn't like to be touched.

"Please," I beg him, tears in my eyes, I hadn't realized I had been crying until now, "I don't know what to do."

He his head inched up, until we were staring at each other. My heart stopped when we made eye-contact.

The chanting suddenly got louder, and louder, as if the crowd was growing impatient.

I knew it was now or never. "Please don't hate me." I breathe, as I quickly leaned forward and put my lips on his.

If I thought he was tense before, this was something entirely different. He went so still, it was as if my kiss electrocuted him. His skin was so soft, despite years of beating and for some odd reason that only broke my heart further.

He is a human being, goddamn it.

The crowd cheered so loud, I could almost feel the noise physically.

Cousin pulled away so quickly like I had burned him. My heart clenched at the sight of him trying hide himself by turning away from the crowd.

I did this to him.

"Let's hear it again for Bexley Valentino, the beauty who tamed the beast!" Mr. Father shouted, and the crowd roared once more.

I grabbed Cousin's chains, despite not being told to leave the stage yet, Cousin and I walked back behind the stage, where I dropped the chains the moment I was out of view.

Candace stared at me, wide eyed with his mouth slightly ajar. "I have no words."

I shook my head, indicating I didn't want to talk about it. I glanced over at Cousin who sat himself against the wall. Every fiber in my being was crying out to apologize to him. To go over there and explain myself. To say sorry until the word was rotten on my lips.

But I figured that would look weird in front of Candace. The last thing I wanted was him and Mr. Father getting too suspicious about my feelings for Cousin. If I pretended to disregard him, they won't bat an eye.

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