Acceptance | ✓

Chapter 16

[ANDREW]

From: Christopher Johnson.

Topic: You're useless.

You think you're so special, don't you? I saw the Q&A you did up online yesterday. You're disgusting, you're an ugly piece of shit walking the planet because everyone has so much pity that they can't just do away with you. You're a cunt, a desperate slut, and a self-made sicklier just looking for attention. You are scum. I just wanted you to know that.

I'm not sure why I was tearing up, but I was. I stared down at my phone, not knowing what to do or what to think. I tried to remind myself that Christopher was a bastard, and there was no reason his views on me should matter, but I couldn't help myself. I couldn't hold the tears that had started to threaten their movement down my cheeks.

"Is something wrong?" Ethan asked as I walked into the living room and up to the dining table, my Gmail still open on the phone in my hand.

"It looks like something's wrong," Ethan said plainly as he drew up the chair next to me on the dining table to sit down.

"Well, nothing's wrong..." I trailed, avoiding his gaze as I quickly left his mail. Ethan's gaze moved to my phone with a suspicious look but he let me be.

"Good morning." Devein's voice resounded in the living room as she walked in. She had Roxanne on her tail. She paused dramatically in the middle of the room to give a dog yawn.

"Morning," I replied as Ethan nodded in her direction. She came up to us before pulling out a seat for herself.

Devein had been with us for the past week and had become more open to me and Ethan. I was trying to see if I could get her registered at a local middle school in the meantime. She was kin to learn and had already invaded my library in her short stay.

"You look good," Ethan said, complimenting her, and making her lips break out into a big ass grin as she fiddled with the collar of her pink nightgown. Ethan had gone out with her yesterday to shop for some clothes. My shirt and the one dress she came in weren't practical.

"Thanks," she said finally, taking a mug from the center tray on the table before attempting to make herself a cup of tea.

I tried to get the email off my mind as we had breakfast. Ethan squeezed my hand encouragingly from time to time, showing to me that even though I'd lied to his face he was still going to provide a comfort of some sort.

"Are you guys getting married?" Devein asked all of a sudden, making me pull my hand from under Ethan's before indulging in a nervous cough.

"No, what makes you think that?" I asked, trying hard not to get up and retreat. I wasn't so good at handling direct inquisition and the feelings the question gave me at that moment was between running and dying.

"Two guys under the same roof, sharing the same room, and occasionally eating each other's faces off. Come on, I'm young, not stupid," Devein said with a shrug.

I shut my eyes in disbelief. Sometimes I wished Devein was a lot more like people her age. You know, a lot less knowledgeable.

"It's not like that..." Ethan trailed, speaking up. "Maybe just a little bit, but not the way you think."

I sighed brushing my hair back from my forehead. I just wanted the floor to open up and swallow me up right now.

She'd caught us sharing an innocent kiss before. I'd just prayed that she actually didn't see us and it had all been in my mind. I guess that's not the case.