'Is anything the matter? Did I say something?'
He looked worried and I had not realized I was staring at him.
'Oh no. No, you didn't say anything. I just need to take a shower. I'll join you in the living room.'
I was trying to sound mature too even though tears kept rolling down my cheeks. I couldn't control them and I did not even bother to.
'Sure.' He left.
I lifted my shirt to my nose, it smelled like him.
He smelled like raisins and cake but there was a hint of a masculine perfume and I could not recognize which one it was.
He smelled like a dream come true. I was going to spend an entire day with George Daniels.
Even though my emotions were going to get in the way, I was going to make it as memorable as possible.
After taking a shower and straightening my hair, I went to the living room.
George was texting someone and laughing. He looked so beautiful.
'Do you want some mac and cheese? My mum makes the best.' I walked to the kitchen.
'That's what Eric said too. I guess I'll have to see for myself.' He followed me.
Mum hardly ever cooked mac and cheese but whenever she did it, the taste lingered in my mouth for days.
It was so satisfying and it tasted exactly the way it smelled.
'Smells nice.' George said when I took it out of the microwave.
I dished a little for him and watched him take the first spoon.
He widened his eyes like cartoon characters. Then He began chewing rapidly and nodding.
I laughed. He had passed the message across. Eric and I had been right about mum's mac and cheese.
'You get to eat this whenever? It is so nice. My girlfriend would definitely want to try this. She loves mac and cheese.' He kept nodding as he spoke.
He had a girlfriend. As shocking as it sounded, I wasn't surprised at all.
The universe was against me after all. My father had deserted his family, my brother had embarrassed us as much as he possibly could, my best friend was lying cold in the morgue and the boy whose attention I spent years trying to get had a girlfriend.
'You have a girlfriend?' I could not help but ask.
'Yeah. Grace. Grace Geller.' He did not look up at me.
He probably heard the jealousy in my voice.
'Oh.' Even though I was not expecting it, it was not in any way unexpected.
Grace had built her reputation in school through bullying.
She knew how unseen she was when she joined us in tenth grade so to really get the attention of those other students respected or feared, she became a bully.
'It happened so fast.' He probably was not sure about her but Grace always had her way.
'I need to go to my room, probably read a book or something. I need to get my mind off everything for a while.' I took my plate of mac and cheese and started heading for my room.
'Wait.' He did not move from where he stood.
I turned back and looked at him. He was not smiling nor did he look angry.
'Yes?'
'Is your brother Nate?'
My heart sank. My head was spinning and I almost fell.
I staggered a little and rested against the wall beside me. How did George know? I was going to tell him but He already found out.
'Yes. Why?' I could not look at him.
I was too ashamed to do that and tears started rolling down my cheeks.
'Did he really rape all those girls in the guise of a kink?' He walked towards me.
I did not understand what he was doing or why.
I just wanted to disappear. I kept my fingers crossed, hoping that Nate did not touch anyone he knew. It would have been bad for me.
'Yes. But it really is his kink.' I was subconsciously defending him.
'You think he was right to do that?' He was only inches away from my face now. I could smell the cheese in his breath.
'No. Of course not. He was wrong and he is getting what he deserves in jail.'
My voice was shaky. My heart kept beating so fast, I thought I was going to die.
'Your brother really tortured so many girls. My mum told me not to come here today, in case you tried to rape me too, but heaven knows if you try anything with me, I'll break your tiny little arms.'
He sounded very different. I could barely recognize him. I just wanted to run as fast as I could.
'I would never, George. What is wrong with you?' I shouted. I needed him to believe I was not scared.
'My cousin came to spend the weekend. She screams every night. She sees that monster brother of yours in her dream every single night.'
'Therapy is not helping. Seeing your brother dead might. He raped her about five years ago but she's still suffering from it.'
'She won't even let me touch her because she thinks all of us are the same.'
I had feared this happening and it was there right in front of me, happening.
The tears became uncontrollable. I could not say anything to him.
I did not know what to say. I could only imagine his devastation when she told him not to touch her.
'My cousin is suffering every single day. It hurts to watch and what hurts most is that the monster is your brother.'
'I had no idea you were related to a pig. That makes you one too. Don't call me Kass.'
'I won't want to be friends with someone who has the potential to destroy me. It might be a family heritage afterall.' He took his coat and walked out.
I stood there, confused. I was trying to make sense of what had just happened.
He held me in my room, made me laugh and all of a sudden, he became someone else.
I deserved it. Or maybe I did not and the universe just wanted to punish me for nothing.