Lost Minds

25

"Why do you know all the lyrics to 'Baby'?" I ask, Daxon as we park in my driveway.

"It just happened. I can't help singing the song now, or else it'll get stuck in my head and you'll have to deal with it for the rest of the night." He smirks at me and the radio shuts off as he removes the key from the engine. A shiver goes down my back.

Off key notes from that song should be considered torture.

"Good you got that out of your system." I unlock my lock as he laughs.

"Yeah you're lucky." We exit the car, walking towards the house.

Am I sure I want to let him in?

We stop at the door, as I search for my keys in the back pocket of my jeans.

He did you a favor so do him one too.

Yeah it's ok. It should be fine.

"Do you need help opening your own door? Did you stay stuck in there too long?" He mocks me. Glancing over my shoulder, I roll my eyes.

Can't he just shut up for once?

"Get off my back." I say, popping the door open and walking inside with Daxon right behind me. I slip off my shoes and turn towards the kitchen immediately. Daxon doesn't stop as he saunters beside me. I look down to see his shoes on my floor.

Did he ever learn manners?

"Take off your shoes." He stops and looks down at his feet as if he didn't notice they were still on. I almost laugh, brushing past him as he sucks his teeth and kneels down to untie his shoelaces.

What a dumbass.

I reach the cool tile floor, it's bite going through to my toes. Summer nights are so cold.

"So what are we making?" Daxon says, coming up from behind me to the counter. He opens up the white cabinets as his body leans against the black marble counter top.

"Go ahead and go through all my food, of course you can." I sigh, turning towards the fridge.

"Ok then." He says, his light tone making me chuckle.

"You're a dumbass." I look at the surface of the fridge.

This is where they left that sorry excuse for a goodbye letter. My eyes trail down.

And that's where I passed out because of it. Now they're gone.

"Hey Naomi, do you guys have any vegetables?" Daxon's voice cuts clear through my thoughts. I shake my head.

I don't care about that. I'm fine.

"No?" He asks, as I turn towards him. In one of his hands, a jar of spaghetti and in the other, a box of spaghetti.

"We probably do. We're making pasta then?" I ask, opening the fridge and looking through the shelves of food.

"Yup, where are your pots?"

"In the oven."

We get the ingredients from Daxon's apparent secret recipe and set it down before us on the counter.

"So how does this work?" I ask. I only ever make sandwiches and hot pockets for dinner. The rest I stole from my parents leftovers. The stove's never really been my place.

Daxon scoffs at me. I narrow my eyes at him.

"This is easy, even you should be able to get it." He sets pan on the stove and heats it up. My eyes watch carefully as he takes my oil and pours a thin layer of it into the pan.

"What's that for?" Does the spaghetti fry in oil before you boil it or something? Is that his secret recipe?

"No, this is for the sauce. You'll be doing the spaghetti because it seems like the most simple thing you could actually do." He raises his eyebrows as he puts the water filled pot on to the fire next to his.

"I'm learning, ok? Don't be an ass when I need a chef." I say, as he hands me the opened box of spaghetti. He chuckles.

"Yes mam." He smirks down at me as I grin.

This could be bad.

"Just put the spaghetti in like this." He guides my hands as the spaghetti spills out of its box, covering the edge of the pot all around. My chest clenches almost as his warmth covers my hand.

This is really gross.

"Is this all?" I say, quickly retracting my hand from his as the box knocks to the ground. Daxon tilts his head at me as he bends down to pick it up.

"Yes. Have you really not cooked once?" He asks, throwing the box into recycling.

"Yeah, but not anything to difficult." I explain. He sighs, staring at me.

"Your parents were shit." He says, his eyes piercing deep into mine. I hate this.

It's like he can see through me.

I look to the floor.

"Yup, they kinda are." I say, glancing over at him. Daxon takes a step towards me.

"You didn't deserve that. You don't." His dead eyes bore into me and I can't help but look back.

Just turn away, Naomi. He's getting closer.

I swallow as he stops in front of me.

"What do you want?" I ask, looking up at him. He breathes out.

"No wonder you turned out like this." He says, still staring at me.

Good, I can work with this.

"What the fuck do you mean-"

My breath catches as Daxon wraps his arms around me and squeezes hard. The pounding in my heart doubles.

He keeps pushing past my guard. I hate it. I don't need his pity.

His warmth cuddles into the crook of my neck as he tucks his chin there. My arms wiggle against him as I struggle to get lose.

Why should I like this? Why doesn't this feel horrible?

"You always put up such a strong front when you don't have to." He whispers into my ear. I shiver as my protest against his arms stop.

I can't do this.

"Why are you doing this to me?" I sigh.

I'm tried of lies and hurting because of stupid bonds with people. I don't want it anymore. I don't want it with anyone. Especially Daxon.

"Didn't I say we were going to be friends? Friends help each other out with stuff like this." He laughs lightly against my skin. I shake my head.

This is going to hurt so bad.