Reputation

You're Acting Weird!

Chapter 31

Rebekah lay in a tub of scolding water. She had her eyes lightly closed as she ran a razor up her leg, listening the sound of violin music coming from her fathers room. It was so soothing to her.

She smiled, so widely it seemed like it was about to fall off her face. Maybe it was a little too wide. Rebekah lay her head back and took in some deep breaths in and out her nose as she continued to relax with a grin playing on her lips.

Once she was done, she wrapped a towel around her body and on her head, and went into her bedroom. Rebekah had threw a black pencil skirt on, with a white shirt, the collars sticking up; it was very close to her old style that had faded over the months. She was smearing cream slowly into her palms, when her father entered.

" Brian has finished the bedroom," her father said, letting out a breath. "He is going to take my digitals home to see if they can be fixed."

" That's good," Rebekah quickly glanced at him with a wide smile, then continued rubbing moisturiser into her skin. " Those raccoons. I wonder how they get up there."

" I wonder too," her father said, uncertain, but saying nothing about it. Richard watched his daughter. It didn't appear like the same girl he was greeted with four days ago. Rebekah had been drunk, and practically torn apart, screaming in his face like a wild woman. He was angry, but it had broke his heart. She was all he had. He couldn't loose it.

When he arrived home from work and noticed her sat on the couch then spring up, racing towards him, sobbing.

" Please forgive me, father," she'd cried. " I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused you, I'm sorry for everything!" And Richard was just so happy to have her back, and have her realise her position. He knew she'd come around.

But despite Rebekah's overly gratified behaviour, Richard still wanted to make sure everything was okay with them; he'd never got the chance to properly apologise.

He etched towards her, fumbling with his large hands and crouching his back. He cleared his throat. " Rebekah, I.. just wanted to talk about the other day with you for a few moments."

He eyed her and she didn't even look up at him, but hummed joyfully as she still creamed.

" I am.. so sorry for the way I treated you, Rebekah. Never, I never meant to-"

" It's fine, father," Rebekah cut him off, swinging towards him, that robotic smile still playing on her lips. " Seriously, I understand."

Richard appeared taken aback. "Really?"

" Really, really." She told him with kindness and genuineness laced through her words. Richard smiled, and Rebekah's eyes didn't blink. Not even once.

Richard was compelled to stare into them for a moment. They were wide, and there was barely any colour- the black pupil just took over completely. Richard's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and he raised his eyes, ready to say something.

" Uh-

" You better get going to your meeting, father," Rebekah said, only one tone within her voice; it was as if she was being told what to say. " It's nearly 6pm now. You wouldn't want to be late." Her eyes still didn't move, and Richard had to force himself to tear his own eyes away.

" Yeah, I think you are right," he looked at his watch. " Do you think you'll be quite alright all by yourself?"

" I will be fine,"

" And you are not going to leave this house, are you?" Richard told rather than asked, looking at how she'd dressed herself. Rebekah let out a little scoff, but a polite one.

" No. I know the rules."

" Good," And with that Richard gave her a brief smile, then left her bedroom door. Rebekah stood so still, not moving until she heard the front door slam shut.

—

" Y' late," Kade slurred, after swinging his front door open into a soaking wet Rebekah, the rain slashing down onto her shoulders.

If he didn't look worse than ever before. His white vest had streaks of light brown down it, and smelt like sweat. A prickly beard coated the bottom half of his face, and the bags under his eyes were so deep you could sink into them. His eyes were rolling to the back of his head as he gave her an angry stare, which showed he'd already drank more than he could handle.

Rebekah acted like she hadn't acknowledged his appearance, and walked into his house with a smile beaming off her face, despite the fact she was drenched from the rain. " It's nice to see you counting down the hours." She headed into his living room, not looking back at Kade, who stormed after her with an irritated frown as she tucked a piece of her hair back into her pony tail.

" Don't say you're gonna be here at a time and not show." he was stumbling as he hurried after her, whacking into the walls.

Kade's drunken words fell on death ears as she peered around his living room with delighted surprise. She took her leather coat off. " Well, doesn't it look clean in here. Much better than the last time I was here."

Kade, angered by her calm and happy tone, rushed over to her and gripped her shoulder, swinging her body to face him. " Hey! What's eating you!" he demanded to know. Even drunk him knew this wasn't her usual behaviour; especially after everything that happened to her, and especially after their last encounter.

Rebekah acted completely startled by his accusations, blinking rapidly. "Nothing. It's just strange to be back here, I suppose." The robotic tone about her voice caused him to grit his teeth, and he smacked his arm into the wall he'd backed her into.

" You're acting weird!" He yelled, and Rebekah didn't even flinch from the loudness of his voice, or his physical animosity.

Rebekah let a gentle grin take over her face. "Calm down, Kayden. I was late because I had to wait for my dad to leave." Her voice was so calm, it wasn't sitting well with Kade, despite the state he was in. Rebekah was noticing this, and had to do something.

She lifted her arms up and placed them on his shoulders. " Look, I-"

Kade's body immediately jerked from her touch, and he aggressively shrugged her off so hard she went stumbling backwards. " Don't touch me." He couldn't even look at her as he said these words. Kade was still embarrassed about the rejection he'd received; that moment was engraved in his mind, and he'd never forget it.

Rebekah didn't frown at him pushing her, and just leaned back up. She went back over to her bag which she'd placed on the counter when she came in. She clutched it between her fingers before taking it over to his sofa, and rooting through it.

Kade walked over to the bar at the centre of the open kitchen, and necked back a glass of Brandy; he let out a large breath. The rustling sounds of Rebekah still fumbling with something caused his ears to twitch, and he turned back around to see her messing with the couch cushions.

" What're you doing now, Rebekah?" Kade yelled, his words barely understandable due to the alcohol he'd consumed.

" I was just looking for something," she said innocently.

" Well move your shit," he growled. " I wanna sit down."

Rebekah quickly moved her handbag without question, and Kade plonked himself down with a thud. He thought he'd seen Rebekah flinched as he did so as she stared at his couch cushion, but when he blinked again she was heading towards him with a smile on her face.

" I told you when I called by your house phone that I was sorry about what I said," she told him quietly, a soothing sound to her voice.

Kade didn't say anything, but turned away from her emerald eyes that were wide in his face. She was so close that the rain from her hair was dripping onto his knees.

He huffed, his eyes going to the back of his head before he shut them and lay back. " Just shut up, I don't want to talk about it." he explained, his mind spinning. " Go and get me a drink."

Rebekah's smirk was now so wide, Kade was surprised her red lipstick hadn't rubbed onto her ears.

" Sure," her tone was excited as she jumped up, grabbed her handbag, and rushed into the kitchen with a spring in her step.