The cuddle buddy code

8

Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles, everywhere. Around my toes, my arms, pooling around my neck and shoulders. The water around me was warm and welcoming. Vanilla wafted through the air from the candles around the bathroom. Lightly, 'Für Elise' played through my phone. I closed my eyes, sinking deeper into the water. It was once again Saturday, around 8:30pm.i had gone the whole rest of the week without seeing Nixon. It was hard, I had to stay in my room 50% of the time but I did it. Dylan's birthday was on Tuesday so I would have to celebrate with everyone and see Nixon again. June 14th, (Dylan's birthday) also happened to be the last day of my virtual high school. If I worked tomorrow I could 'get out' on Monday but no, I'm not going to, I like my weekends and would rather have a full one than an extra day of summer. 'Oh! Darling' by the Beatles began to play. I felt a ping of pain in my chest. That was the song that played at my parents wedding, for the first dance. I was already born when they were married and I never knew who my real mom was. I was told she died but I'm beginning to question that. A light knock came on the door from my side.

"Who is it?" I called, a sing-song call. The song changed to 'Butterfly Fly Away' by Miley Cyrus

"It's mom," she said lightly, "can I come in?"

"Yes." I answered, reaching for my Shea butter body wash. The door opened slowly and mom came in, new mom. She brought a few towels in and placed them on the counter, smoothening them out before clearing her throat and turning around.

"So I understand you got in a fight with Nixon the other day." She locked her fingers together in front of her.

"Yes. Why?" I pulled my gaze away to look at the flickering candles. They mesmerized me.

"You understand you will have to be friendly to him on Dylan's birthday. This is a big birthday for him and the whole family is coming." She calmly smoothed her shirt.

"Do you know what Abigail did to me?" I returned her calmness the bruising had only increased since the beating.

"What Abigail did to you?" She scoffed, "You attacked her." I was baffled at her words. Instinctively, to prove her wrong, I stood up.

"If I attacked her, how did I get this?" I asked her, pointing to my bruise along the bottom of my ribs spanning all the way down to my hips in blue, black, yellow, purple, and green swirling colors danced along my torso. I was there, totally exposed but confident and comfortable.

"Oh my god!" Mom turned around quickly before turning back slowly and cautiously stepping towards me. She soon came close and lightly touched it, I winced pulling away. She looked at it more carefully. "Nixon lied to me." She growled with an anger I've never seen from her before. "Has he seen this?" She asked, once again caring and loving.

"No." I said quietly. Stepping out of the tub, wrapping a towel around my body and turning the nob to let the water out.

"Excuse me for a minute." She smiled, so lady like and glided out of the room. Doors slammed and shouting erupted. I sighed, blowing out the candles and walking into my room. My baby blue duvet was only for show at this point in the year, I usually just sleep with my black fuzzy blanket that I kept neatly folded at the end of my bed. I dropped my towel, hanging it on the hook on the door to the bathroom. My room was basically the flipped around version of Dylan's room, the headboard of my bed pressed up against the wall to the bathroom. My desk sat in the corner on the other side of the room from the bed. I pulled on underwear and a loose teeshirt and PJ shorts.

"She's not my sister!" A loud shout echoed through the house, followed by a door slamming.

"She is and you will treat her like it!" I heard mom shout through the slammed door. I walked over to my door. The hinges squealed as I opened it. Mom was storming down the hall away from my room towards the stairs. I waited for her to leave. The wood was hard and cold under my feet. When she was gone I shuffled quietly into the hallway. I stood between the doorways of Dylan's room and Nixon's. I didn't know where to go. Dylan was my... Something. But Nixon was my anchor. That doesn't change. You can't change a ships anchor when it's already holding the ship in place. I tapped lightly on Nixon's door, hoping he would hear it. A low, muffled and frustrated sounding 'come in' indicated he did. I gripped the door handle tightly, turning it slowly and pushing it open. It swung into his room and let me see him sitting at his desk. Staring at his computer intensely.

"Nixon." I said with force I never knew I possessed. He looked over at me startled at my control over the situation and that I was actually in his room. I was getting what I wanted one way or another. "Don't try and tell me that Abigail is harmless because that's shit." A new confidence had bubbled up from somewhere inside me.

"But Bex, she wouldn't hurt a fly." He chuckled. I stepped further into his room and closed the door. That pissed me off.

"Sure, she won't hurt a fly but sure as hell with beat the shit out of me." I glared down at him.

"It wasn't even that bad Bex, you're making a big deal out of this." He chuckled standing up, "you're fine." I looked at him harshly. I lifted up my shirt just enough to show him he new colors of my skin. He grimaced when he saw it, looking away. I let my shirt hang loose once again and walked over to the door to leave. But something compelled me to say something. I had to say something. So I did.

"Yeah, I'm fine Nixon, I'm naturally black and blue and just totally forgot." I left with that. Even though mom asked, there was no way I was going to be friendly with him or his 'harmless' little Abigail. I was fuming at this point and needed comfort so I went into Dylan's room. He wasn't there and the shower was running so I figured he was in there. I crawled into his bed and tried to stay awake and wait for him to come out so we could cuddle but that didn't work and I drifted to sleep without him.

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Hey guys! Thank you all so much for reading, please let me know if you like it.
This chapter is dedicated to @i_love_tundra thank you so much for your comments❤️