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Authors: D. Breeze

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BOOK: Fake
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After her pathetic attempt at sucking up to Ruben, she turned on her heel and scurried off.

“Bitch.” I muttered.

 

Chapter Eleven

Ruben

 

Three weeks later, the whole ‘Lydia’s fake birthday day’ was still stuck at the forefront of my mind. When I’d planned to give Lydia a day she’d never forget, it wasn’t exactly for
that
reason.

I’d take it though.

The entire drive home, she’d had a huge smile on her face and kept randomly chuckling underneath her breath so I knew she was reliving it. It made her smile, so it made me smile.

That was all I’d wanted.

The ‘massage table make-out session’ was just an added bonus as far as I was concerned. I hadn’t lied though, the second I thought about some strange guy putting his hands all over her naked body - I freaked. I couldn’t cope with the thought of it.

Strange. But true.

And then I stewed on it.

The feelings.

I wasn’t avoiding her as such, because I still saw Lydia most days and we were texting constantly - but I knew, and she knew, that I was holding her at arm’s length. It wasn’t even a conscious decision. I loved her, maybe I was
in
love with her - but I was subconsciously guarding my heart from the pain of losing her, of her walking away.

Because I knew she would.

I didn’t doubt my ability to win her back, I was fairly certain I could. But the way my stomach clenched when I thought about watching her walk away from me.

No. Not acceptable.

So I was trying to keep myself from getting too deep with her.

It was an impossible task.

Which is why I found myself sitting on a bus full of old women and a few teenagers - on my way to meet Lydia from work. She didn’t know I was going to be there and I wanted it that way. I liked that I could surprise her - I hoped it would always be that way.

My phone started blaring in my pocket, making me shoot an apologetic glance at the lady sitting next to me when she jumped half a foot in the air. I didn’t recognise the number, but answered anyway.

“Hello?”

“I can’t believe you did it!” The hushed voice on the other end of the phone replied.

I frowned at the screen again, not sure if I was hearing right.

“Lucas?”

“Of course it’s me! Idiot. I can’t believe you did it!”

“Did um...what?”


Did what?!
Are you mad?

Completely not understanding why he was phoning me, or what he was talking about, I chose not to respond. The sigh that followed said he was already losing patience with me.

Tough shit.

He made a noise of annoyance. “For a smart guy, you can be so stupid. Freddy! He’s in jail!”

“Huh?”

“Err yeah! I don’t know all the details, but I know they arrested him a few days ago - something about possession with intent to supply. It’s not a life-sentence he’s looking at, but it’s something. Never thought Lydia might actually be on to something when she shopped him to the police.”

How did I not know this?

“How do you even know that?” I asked, or more, I demanded.

“I’m locked up. Not blind or deaf or stupid. That cunt is, was, after my baby sister. I make it my business to know what’s going on. You should too. Is she ok? She hasn’t answered my letter.”

“She’s...well, she’s fine. I’m guessing she didn’t answer any letter because she hasn’t spoken to your mum since…” I broke off, not wanting to think too much about that day. “And she lives in London now.”

“With you?” He questioned.

“Um, no. She has a little place of her own. That’s how she wanted it. She’s happier, she’s still got that shit job at Wildlands but it pays the bills…” I went on to tell him everything that was going on with her and about our day out,
without
mentioning the broken table and
those
details.

He was silent for so long that I wasn’t sure if I lost him.

Then he spoke again and I panicked.

“What’s going on with you two?” He asked.

“Nothing.” I denied, too quickly.

“You better not be taking advantage of her, Ruben. Because I swear to God, regardless of whether you
saved
her or not. I’m still pissed at you anyway, and my six years inside will feel like five fucking minutes for you if you’ve been near her.”

“You know what, Luc? Fuck you. Fuck you for thinking I’d ever take advantage of
anyone
, let alone Lydia. Fuck you for thinking that you’re in any sort of position for making threats.
And
fuck you for getting Lydia in that position in the first place. My life was fucked from the second I was born. You on the other hand, you
chose
to get involved. You
chose
to keep doing it and you God damn
chose
to drag your sister down with you.”

As much as I knew that he wouldn’t be happy about anything between me and Lydia, it was just too damn bad.

“Fuck me? Fuck
you
, Ruben. You deserted us and now that you’re...wherever the fuck you are - you get to come back and play knight in shining armour, while I’m stuck in this shit hole for six years.”

“You know what? I’m done with this conversation. Maybe when you’ve had, oh I don’t know...six
years
to think about it - you’ll grow up and stop being a…” I was interrupted by a voice in the background.

“Time’s up, Romero. Back to the block.”

I laughed. “That’s it,
Romero.
It’s bed time.”

I hung-up the phone and cringed. On one hand, he had every reason to be angry, at me, at life, at the injustice of it all. But on the other, it was his own damn fault that he was inside at all. His mum and dad might be shit parents, but they didn’t force him to be involved in any of their crap.

In fact, the one thing they ever did
right
, was to try and keep their kids away from Freddy. Not that it worked out well for them, clearly.

I could obviously understand him being pissed that his childhood best friend hooked-up with his sister, but to accuse me of taking advantage? No.

Still, joking about him being stuck inside for six years was a bit too far. If he could get inside information on what was happening with Freddy, which clearly he could, I needed him on side.

But it wasn’t like I could just call him back.

Damn it!

I sighed and leaned my head back against the seat. I didn’t need that shit swirling around in my brain whilst I was on the way to meet Lydia. She would know something was wrong, but she wouldn’t question it. She rarely questioned anything actually, which I found really odd considering she was the world’s most inquisitive child. I assumed she just grew out of it - part of becoming an adult maybe.

I couldn’t help but miss it though.

When I saw that we were approaching the bus-stop, I pressed the buzzer and stood.

Time to get your gameface on, Ruben.

It took a good twenty minutes for me to reach the park after I got off the bus, but I grinned when I saw Lydia walking out of the gates, right on time. She had her headphones on, her head down and her blonde hair flipped forward, shielding her face.

I crept up on her and when I was within arms reach, I touched a hand to her shoulder. I thought it would be funny to see her jump out of her skin. But I underestimated her.

She swung around, flinging her handbag directly towards my nuts. I felt them contract and try to climb back inside my body as my stomach hollowed out and pain shot straight from my groin. As I groaned and leant over to cradle my balls in my hand, she let her fist fly and punched me in the cheek.

That wasn’t nearly as painful as a handbag to the nuts, but I still flinched.


Get off!
” She screeched.

I felt the urge to crawl up into a ball on the pavement, but I just took a deep breath and yelled at her to stop.

 

*~*~*

Lydia

 

“STOP!” The guy who’d tried to grab me shouted but I knew better than to let anyone gain the upper hand, so I swung my handbag out again, aiming for his crotch.

It only smacked off the back of his hand but I took the opportunity to turn and run.

I had never been mugged before and I had no intention of letting that guy be the first.

I’d managed about a hundred feet head-start when he called my name on a wheezing breath and I stumbled to a stop. Swivelling around on my feet, I glanced back, about to question him about how he knew who I was.

Froze.

Cringed.

And ran right back where I’d just come from.

“Oh my God! I’m so sorry!”

Ruben groaned again and held a hand out to stop me coming any closer.

“Just…” he wheezed. “Just give me a second.”

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! Are you ok?”

He groaned out a few seconds of incomprehensible babble, then took a deep breath and stood up straighter, squaring his shoulders.

“Surprise!” He croaked sarcastically.

Surprise? Sur-fucking-prise?

“S-surprise? Are you out of your freaking mind? You scared the crap out of me!” My voice was high-pitched and squeaky, but damn it! He’d scared me, and earned himself a blow to the balls for it.

He winced. “Yeah, about that. It didn’t exactly go the way I planned it.”

“No shit!” I joked, and because I couldn’t help it, I giggled at his discomfort. Hopefully he’d learn his lesson not to creep up on women. Idiot.

His rueful grin made me laugh more.

“What are you doing here anyway?” I asked, once I’d calmed down and my heart rate had returned to normal.

He shrugged, looking like he wasn’t even sure himself.

“I wanted to see you. Thought you’d like some company on the way home.”

I smiled at him. After the day I’d had, I could more than use the company.

“Well thank you. I love that. I’ve missed you.”

The last part slipped out before I could think it through and I held my breath, hoping I hadn’t said too much too fast. He didn’t seem to mind though, he just threw his arm across my shoulders and squeezed me into his side.

He started heading towards the bus-stop and I vaguely wondered where his car was.

But I didn’t ask.

I never did.

It was actually frustrating because there was
so much
that I was dying to know.

But here’s the thing.

I physically couldn’t do it.

My brain was telling me to ask questions but my mouth wouldn’t cooperate. I wanted to know where he lived, where he worked, who his friends were.

I didn’t know any of those things.

Part of me was too scared to ask, and the other part was just too happy to be with him - that I didn’t even
care
about who he was when he was away from me. Realistically, I knew it was irrational, even a little irresponsible of me. I just...didn’t...care.

I wanted the Ruben that was
with
me. The fear of the unknown, just kept me from questioning him about anything.

Plus, I figured anything that he wanted me know, or anything that I needed to know - he would tell me himself.

“The car’s in the garage.” He muttered moments later.

“Oh I don’t mind. I’m used to the journey anyway. It’s just nice to have you with me.” I shot him a shy smile.

 

*~*~*

 

“Well, we have...drum roll...noodles and bread?” I suggested later when we were back at my flat.

He rolled his eyes.

“Noodles again, huh? Yeah, sure that’s fine.”

I put the food on, whilst he sat on the sofa, with his feet on the coffee table and watched some football game on the TV. I’d pay more attention if I cared at all about football. I just didn’t.

I also loved that he was clearly comfortable enough with me, to come back, throw himself down on the sofa and make himself at home! There was something very ‘cave woman’ about my love of it - but it was there all the same.

“You want butter on your bread?” I called through to the lounge.

He didn’t respond with words.

I felt the heat of his body behind me before his arms wrapped around my waist and he pulled me back into him. A shiver ran through me, right from my head to my toes. I tilted my head back and to the side to look at him.

Before I could ask him what he was doing, he pressed his mouth to mine in a chaste kiss and I melted back into him.

“Leave the food.” He demanded and I nodded.

He grabbed my hand and lead me back through the lounge and the curtain, before lying down across my bed and dragging me on top of him. I yelped as I fell, but he caught me and held my hips tight to his, causing me to groan.

BOOK: Fake
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