Comfort
Chapter 8
"He can't just buy you back."
"That's not what he's doing, Dad," I said, continuing to put the flowers Owen bought me in the vase. "I was never away. You can't get something back that never left."
Dad snorted. "I just think it would have been better if you did break up."
"Mom."
She sighed. "Drew, just leave her alone, okay? Annabel has to learn to make her own decisions."
"Well, I don't like that boy."
I ignored the two of them though as they sat at the table, Mom reading a magazine, Dad eating pizza. Owen had just come over a few minutes earlier, bearing pizza and flowers. He had to get back to work, he said, but he just wanted to give me those things first. He promised to call after work and told me he loved me. He'd been buying me thing since we first made up. He'd already bought me a new chain for the rings as well as a new jacket. And he'd brought me food every single day.
"Oh, Andrew."
"What, Grace? Why should I like him?" My father shook his head. "Like you like him?"
"I do," she told him. "And you're sure eating his pizza, aren't you?"
Dad just snorted. "It was bought for us, wasn't it?"
"It was bought for Annabel."
"He bought it to say sorry. He has to apologize to us too."
"For what?"
Dad didn't answer, just continued eating his pizza. Now finished with my flowers, I went to go get my own slice of pizza.
"He always buys me stuff, Dad," I told him, taking my pizza with me into the living room. "This is nothing new."
"Hmmm."
"He just likes to."
"You don't have to defend him to me, Annabel. I won't like him either way."
"Andrew," Mom warned him. "Honestly."
It was a long night all alone. James and Kyle hadn't been talking to me, not since I chose Owen over them. When I tried to tell Owen about it though, he just told me that I didn't need them. That all I needed was him. Still, I felt kind of bad. They were my friends. And I'm almost certain Kyle felt like I had been playing him. And hadn't I?
I spent the whole night waiting around for Owen to text me. I felt pathetic for it, but it was a very deep hole we had dug and neither of us could fully claw our way out. It wasn't until around ten thirty that he got around to calling me though.
"Hey, Bella."
"Hey."
He laughed then, even though all I'd done was greet him. Giddy, Owen seemed to be a lot. For now anyways.
"What are you doing?"
"Just laying in bed. You?"
"Just got off. I'm making dinner."
"What are you making?"
"Eggs," he told me which only made me roll my eyes. "Did you like your pizza?"
"I loved it. My flowers too." It was my turn to giggle. "Thank you for them."
"You're my girlfriend. Of course I buy you things. I love you." Once again he chuckled. "You hear me?"
"Yes."
"Good." He let out a long sigh. "Are you doing anything tomorrow? I'm off."
"It'll be what? Thursday? That's fine. Let's go to a movie."
"Another movie?"
"What did you want to do then, Bear?"
"Mess around."
"Of course," I said dryly. "Well, can't we go see a movie instead?"
"And then mess around?"
"What is with you?"
"I dunno."
I groaned slightly, shifting in bed. "I should have never let this start. Now that's all you ever want to do."
"No true," he said, offended. "We spend time together without that all the time."
"Yeah. When we're at school."
"…Do you really think that I…"
Sighing, I went ahead and told him no to save an argument. I really didn't feel like getting into it over nothing. Then we had an awkward couple moments of silence in which neither Owen nor I knew how to end the conversation. Not that there was much of a conversation anyways.
"I guess I'll just talk to you tomorrow, Owen," I said finally, not sure what else there was to say.
"Okay. I love you."
"Love you too."
"G'night."
"Night."
It happened before second period. Owen and I, of course, didn't have a first, so we had just gotten to school. We were at his locker, me waiting for him to get his science book out so that he could walk me to class. He was very conscientious about that kind of stuff.
"-CD, but I dunno. You know?" Owen hardly glanced at me as he closed his locker. "I mean, it's okay, I guess, but there's just something about their new CD that seems off. It's one thing for a band to change or grow, that's good, but this seems a little much. If you listened to them, you'd get what I'm-"
"Do you know what you did? Do you know what the fuck you did?"
Frowning, I turned from Owen to face the girl who had stomped up in front of me. For a second, I couldn't place her. Then I did.
"Do you know what they did to him? Huh?"
"Who are you-"
"Will," Sophie yelled at me. "Do you know what they did to him? Huh? Do you?"
"I don't know what you're-"
"Oh, like you haven't heard." She was in my face now and I was reminded for a moment of how different she looked these days. She wasn't using as much makeup and she had dyed her hair darker. "They beat the crap out of him. Some guys in his cellblock. He's in a freaking coma."
I just stared at her before glancing at Owen. He was watching us though, not saying anything.
"I don't-"
"You fucking did this! You lying little whore. And you and Emily. You all-"
"Back up," Owen intervened then, moving to get between the two of us.
"And who the fuck are you? Her bodyguard?"
"No, her boyfriend. Now leave her alone."
Sophie snorted at her as I looked around. We had a crowd now. God, I hated crowds. Everyone would start talking about me again. I couldn't deal with everyone talking about me again. I really couldn't. I just had to…I had to…
Shoving my books and stuff into Owen's hands, I pushed passed the still raving Sophie and my confused boyfriend, rushing through the crowd of onlookers as I headed to the bathroom. I found a stall quickly before losing my breakfast in the toilet.
It took me a minute to collect myself, silently glad that I had made it to the bathroom while also terrified of what was waiting for me back in the hall. After washing off my face and hands in the sink, I headed back out of the bathroom to find my boyfriend, diligent as ever, standing next to the bathroom door. Like right next to the door to the girl's bathroom. I think he forgets how creepy other people perceive his actions sometimes.
"I forgot that you do that," was the first thing he told me as I scanned around, trying to find Sophie. I figured it was best if I knew what I was up against from the start.
"Do what?"
"Throw up when you get nervous." He smiled then roughly. "I guess that means none of our fights have ever been major. I mean, you've never thrown up afterwards."
"We've never been in a fight that could turn physical."
He frowned then, shaking his head slightly as I took my stuff back from him. "I wouldn't have let her hit you. You know that."
"Yeah, I know."
He kissed my head then. "Are you okay?"
I looked around again before shaking my head. "I really don't want to be in school right now."
"Then let's not be," Owen said, taking my stuff back from me, apparently planning on carrying it.
"What do you mean?" I finally gave up on looking for my ex-best friend and turned to face my boyfriend. "Owen?"
"We're not really here yet anyways. Not until we get checked in on the roll, which we haven't be yet."
"So?"
"So, let's go."
"Go?"
"Let's skip today. I've already missed so many days that one more won't matter. Besides, I haven't had a fun skip day in months." Owen was walking now, swiftly moving through the crowd. "Me and you, a whole day to ourselves. Then tomorrow we can come back, see everything we missed and then have the whole weekend to make it up."
"What about my parents? They'll be mad at me."
"And? They'll get over it. I'll tell my mom exactly what happened and she'll get over it. Why won't yours?"
"I just-"
"Come on, Bell. We'll go to the movies, go to the mall, go out to eat. It'll be fun. Everything you wanted to do tonight done now."
"I guess so," I sighed, not so sure my parents would just 'get over it' like he thought they would.
Owen smiled back at me, clearly excited by the idea. "Great. Now come on."
"There's, like, no one else in here," I whispered to Owen, glancing around the empty theater. "Like at all."
"With good reason. This movie is crap."
I leaned into his arm, sighing. "At least the popcorn is fresh."
"Mmmm."
I took a sip of his soda, but Owen didn't seem to mind. He was texting on his phone.
"Mom says it's fine," he told me.
"What's fine?"
"That I'm skipping."
"Really?"
He shrugged. "I told you, she says I can just drop. Me going to school isn't really a big issue right now."
"What does your dad say?"
"Last time I checked, he's in Arizona, nowhere near me or my life."
Sighing slightly, I snuggled into him more. "This is a crappy movie though."
"We don't have to stay, Bell. We can leave if you wanted. Do something else."
"Well, I know," I said, smiling up at him. "I just had some other things in mind, is all."
"Other things?"
Nodding, I pulled him in for a quick kiss. "This is what you do, you know, when the movie sucks. Not leave."
"Oh, I-" He frowned as he stopped speaking. "Do you know about Mallory's boyfriend? That works here?"
I just stared at him for a moment. 'You're not supposed to know about him."
"So you did know." Owen shook his head at me. "You're not supposed to keep secrets from me."
"It's not a bad secret."
"Mallory having a secret, older boyfriend is bad."
"A year older is hardly older. If he was, like, twenty, yeah then I'd tell you. That's older." I kissed him. "Besides, Owen, you should let her be happy."
He shook his head. "Is that what she does at the movies then? This?"
"I think they just hangout in the arcade," I told him. "She mentioned it to me once. The last time I went to see her."
"And you didn't tell me?"
"Bear, focus on this, huh?" I kissed him again. "Or the stupid movie. Not your sister. If she was with a bad guy, I'd have said something. I really would have."
"You lied."
"I didn't lie. I just didn't tell you. Difference."
"I don't see one."
"That's because you're stupid."
"Annabel-"
"She's fine. If you're really that worried, then I'll talk to her about him again. Huh?"
He stared into my eyes. "Fine. I guess. For now anyways."
"Good." I stroked the back of his neck. "Now, I skipped school just to spend the day with you. Are we really not going to make out at least once?"
"One track mind, Bell?"
"We could always just shop. Just as good as far as I'm concerned."
"No, no," he said, moving to press his lips to mine. "This is just as well."
"That's what I thought."
"How can you get so hungry all the time?"
Owen just kept eating the fries. "I dunno."
I sighed, staring at him. "So what do you wanna do on Saturday? For your birthday?"
"I dunno."
"Is that all you're going to say today?"
"I d-"
"Don't you start."
Owen smiled up at me finally. "Are you gonna bake me something?"
"For your birthday? Sure."
"Cake? Cookies?"
"What do you like more?"
"You should know."
I smiled at him. "You want a pie, huh?"
"If you're offering, cherry."
"I'll see what I can do, Bear."
"Not that I'm adverse to cookies also. And cake."
I looked around the restaurant, smiling. "You'll just have to wait and see, Bear."
He smiled back at me. "Have you thought any about our Halloween plans?"
"I usually just pass out candy. My parents usually go to Dad's work Halloween party."
"Yeah, the Arbors is pretty busy, huh?"
"Yeah. Everyone comes 'cause they think that we have the best candy."
"Do you?"
"I dunno. Maybe you'll have to come over and find out."
He went back to his fries. "Maybe you and I can pass out candy at your house. Just the two of us. Watch horror movies. Make out. Go further. Whatever. I'm not picky. Listen to music. Yeah, let's do that."
I just smiled at him. "You're really cute sometimes."
"Bella."
Reaching over, I stole one of his fries. Owen just stared at me though, not seeming to care.
"What do you wanna do after this?" I asked him.
"Thought you wanted to go to the mall?"
"Do you have money for the mall?" I took a sip of my drink before saying, "I only have twenty dollars."
"I've got money. I've always got money."
I shook my head. "You've been buying me a lot of things recently though. Are you sure-"
"Yeah, Annabel, because you're my girlfriend," he cut me off. "Why wouldn't I buy you things? That's what boyfriends do."
"Not as much as you buy me. Especially since we just broke up-"
"For the last time, Annabel, we did not break up."
I frowned, glancing down at his injured hand again before back at him. Deciding that changing the subject was my best bet, I asked, "Have you changed your bandage today?"
Owen slipped his right hand under the table, probably hiding it from me. "No. Not yet."
"Bear, you know that you have to do that. You'll get an-"
"Infection. Yes, I know."
"I just don't want that to happen, Owen. I worry about you."
He gave me a weird look for that. "Do you?"
"Well, yeah. You've been really…different recently. You're either really happy or really sad. And whichever you are is subject to a frequent change. It's scary, Owen." I cleared my throat, knowing that he was about to get upset with me. "You're not in the same mindset for longer than an hour. And then you told me about how in Arizona you tried
to-"
"I told you that in private. Between us."
"And it's still between us," I assured him. "It's all between us. This is about us, after all. Me and you."
Owen just shook his head, sighing slightly. "I just don't think I'm that bad."
"I know. You are though. Sometimes."
"If you say so."
"I'm not picking on you," I assured him. "I'm just trying to make sure you're okay."
Owen wouldn't speak to me now, instead focusing on finishing his food. Which was fine. I wasn't expecting to get much out of him anyways.
"Have you thought any about what Sophie was saying?"
"Hmmm?"
I shifted on Owen's bed so that I was facing him. He was laying on his side, just staring at me. Well, he had been stroking my stomach, but when I rolled over I ruined that.
"About…Will?"
"You didn't do shit to him. If he really got his ass kicked, good."
"But why would they beat him up though?"
"Who cares?" Owen kissed me then, now taking to playing with my hair. "Hope he dies in the fucking coma."
"Bear-"
"Annabel, you didn't do anything. He did. He's in there for what he did. And not even fully because of you. There were other girls too, huh?"
"Yeah."
"So why does it matter?"'
"I dunno," I said, looking off. "I just…"
"Sophie's a bitch."
"Bear-"
"She is," he said. "And I know you have to fight your own battles or whatever, but when she came up on you like that I just-"
"I know."
"It's not like I'd hit a girl or anything. I just wasn't going to let her talk to you like that." Then he smiled. "Although, I guess you could have always just puked on her."
"Mmmm." I shut my eyes at the memory. "I hate doing that. Throwing up. It makes me feel so nasty."
"Have you always done that?"
"Since I was a kid. It used to make my mother mad. I'd throw up whenever she was yelling at me. Or when I started crying really hard." I shook my head at the memory as I opened my eyes once more. "Since I got older though, it's just when I, you know, get in a confutation."
"My poor Bella." Owen reached out, stroking my face. "You're okay now. And none of that was your fault anyways. At all. She's just hurt and is taking it out on you."
"I didn't even know they were still together," I mumbled then, not able to meet his eyes. "I thought that she-"
"It'll do you no good to think about it. Cash and that chick aren't worth thinking about. At all."
Reaching out, I pressed a hand into his chest though I still couldn't look into his green eyes. "Could you imagine if we really did break up? I wouldn't have been able to handle Sophie today."
"You can handle anything. You're one of the toughest people I know."
"Bear-"
"You are." He reached down then, moving to drag my chin up so I was looking at him. "You faced him, didn't you? You went through that whole first semester letting everyone think you were a…" He cleared his throat before whispering the word whore. "You went through all of that, alone for the most part. That took strength. A lot of it. You think that little stuck up, insecure bitch has anything on you? Can touch you? No. I'll tell you myself she can't and you know I don't lie. If I wasn't with you, you'd be just fine."
"You think so?"
He leaned down to kiss my head. "I know so."
I wanted to tell him then that I loved him, but I didn't get a chance to as my phone rang. Groaning, I moved to pull it out of my pocket.
"Crap. It's Dad," I told Owen. "Should I answer it?"
"Well, yeah."
"Should I tell him that I…skipped?"
"You know that I don't support lying."
"Shut up, Owen," I finally said, frowning at him before answering the phone. "Hello?"
"You know, Annabel, when I get home from work, the last thing I want is a call from the school saying that you were absent today."
"Dad-"
"So you did skip."
I realized that with that one word I had come off as defensive. I was caught. Why make it worse?
"Yes."
"You-"
"But Dad, I haven't been absent at all this year."
"And?"
"And I'm eighteen. Can't I make decisions for-"
"When's the last time you paid for your own gas, Annabel? Your cell phone bill? So you need to drop this adult act."
"Dad, I went to school."
"You just told me-"
"Owen and I got there and then Sophie came up to me while we were at his locker, yelling about how horrible I am."
"What are you talking about?"
I sat up, not wanting to look at Owen as I spoke on the phone with my father. I felt awkward, just knowing I was in bed with my boyfriend while speaking with him. As if my dad could know, just from the sound of my voice.
"Will Cash got beaten up in jail apparently, pretty badly. He's in a coma or something. And she was yelling at me and I just…"
I could hear even through the phone my father's anger-freeing sigh. As the breath expelled from his body, so did his annoyance with me.
"Annnabel, you can't skip school."
"I know."
"You should have called me. What happened? Did she-"
"She just started yelling at me and then I got sick."
"Sick?"
"I had to throw up or whatever," I said, blushing. "So I ran to the bathroom. And when I got out, she was gone."
"If she was gone why did you-"
"Owen thought that we should just-"
"Right. The boyfriend," he said dryly.
"Daddy-"
"Don't you 'daddy' me."
"But-"
He let out another sigh. "You're lucky I'm in such a good mood."
"I know."
"And if your mother finds out about this, she'll try to ground you."
"I know."
"She doesn't understand things like I do."
I blinked at that one. "Oh."
"And if you don't tell her, I won't."
"I don't think that's a good idea," I told him. "I don't want to lie to her."
Owen wrapped his arms around my center then, chuckling softly.
"Annabel-"
"You can tell her," I said. "I don't want you lying to her for me."
"She'll try to ground you," he warned.
"And you'll just tell her she shouldn't. Right, Daddy?"
"Annabel-"
"I didn't plan on skipping," I told him. "Honest. Sophie was just so-"
"Do I need to call the school?"
"Huh?"
"About this girl bothering you. Because I will. I'll-"
"Dad, I'm not a little kid."
"I know that, but-"
"Just…" I looked down at Owen who was staring back up at me. "I've got it, okay?"
"I'm not going to let her-"
"I've got it," I repeated. "And if I need you, I'll tell you. Besides, I have to learn to do things on my own eventually, don't I?"
"Yeah," he sighed. "I suppose you do."
After my father hung up, Owen immediately wanted to know what was said. I just told him that Dad wasn't mad and that he understood. It would just be my mother I had to explain myself to.
"You really do never get in trouble, huh?"
"Owen-"
"I'm just saying."
"You haven't been grounded either, since the beginning of the year."
"Yeah, I know."
"Record?"
"You have no idea."
I laid back down with him, planning on napping. Owen apparently liked this idea. Not that this was shocking. He had music on in the background of course and would just listen to it if he got bored.
We slept for a good two hours before his mother came home. The second he heard her enter the house, Owen left to go speak with her. I just laid there in his bed, unconcerned. I had just gotten away with skipping school. Nothing could touch me now. I was invincible.
"Mom bought us food," Owen said when he came back into the room, carrying two takeout boxes. "Salads though."
"Ooh."
"Ew," he corrected as I sat up. Handing me one of the boxes, he said, "Wonder how she knew you were here."
"Where else would I be?"
Owen just smiled, sitting down next to me as he gave me a plastic fork. "Mom wants me to start eating better."
"So do I."
"You want to eat better or you-"
"I want you to eat better."
"Shut up."
"I do." I shrugged slightly. "You kinda act like a pig sometimes. You know?"
Owen made a face at me, but I just smiled at him. At least I had let him down easy, I suppose. Besides, he's the one that likes honesty so much.
"Not all of us can be as hot as you, Annabel."
"No, you can't."
Reaching over, he tapped my nose. "You're annoying."
"Only 'cause I love you so much."
We ate in silence after that. Or, well, I ate. Owen mostly just sat there, picking at his salad. I could tell he didn't like it, but I knew he wouldn't when he first came into the room. Once we were done though, I offered to take the trash to the kitchen, as I was headed to the bathroom anyways. Owen told me to put his leftovers (which were over half the meal) in the fridge; his mother would eat it later.
"Hello, Annabel."
I smiled at Owen's mother as I came into the kitchen. "Hi. Thank you for the salad."
"Of course," she said, staying seated at the kitchen table as she watched me walk over to the fridge. "I suppose my son didn't finish his?"
"He said that you could eat it later, if you wanted."
"Mmmm." She smiled at me suddenly, but it was a fake one. Those were probably the only ones she had left at this point though. "We got all the windows replaced that Owen broke. We still need a new bathroom mirror and he has to plaster that wall."
I glanced at her before going over to the trash to throw my stuff away. "Yeah, his wound was pretty nasty."
"He told me you've been bandaging it."
I blushed slightly. "Yeah. I just don't want it to get infected or anything. He had only wrapped it and gotten the glass out. He'd never poured peroxide or anything over it."
She shook her head. "I don't even know why he did it that night. He told me it just got to be too much. But what happened? Do you know?"
"Well…" I sighed, finally looking full on at her. "He and I kinda got into a fight."
For a moment, Teresa just stared at me. Then slowly, she said, "I see."
Her phone ringing saved me from anymore embarrassment. Thank God. I just knew that under her gaze I'd spill the beans on the whole 'Let's runaway together' fiasco. Maybe it's not that Owen likes to tell the truth, maybe it's just that he can't lie to her. I know I sure can't.
"You're lucky that I'm helping you. I really shouldn't be. I don't even think you and Owen should be together. At all."
"Thanks, Whitney," I said, making a face at her as I continued to roll the pie crust as instructed. "But Owen needs me. And I love him."
"I never thought you would turn into one of those girls." Then she paused. "Well, actually, yes, I did. I just thought it'd be for a better looking guy."
The two of us were in the kitchen, working on all of Owen's desserts for the next day. That's right. I was spending my Friday night baking. So yeah. Owen had work anyways. And after, he was going to spend some time with his sister. So I really had nothing better to do.
"Like Lucas?" I practically sang.
"Shut up. I will stop helping you," she said, glancing around to make sure that Mom or Dad weren't around to have overheard me. "I mean it."
I just shook my head at her. "I was only joking."
"I know." She sighed loudly. "How much does this boy eat anyways?"
"A lot."
"I can tell."
"I'm going to bring him the cookies in the morning, then we'll come over to my house for lunch. I'm making it. Then we'll eat some of the pie. Then we'll go out to dinner or over to his house, where we'll then have cake afterwards."
She sighed. "You're giving me a headache."
I just continued smiling. "After what he did for me on my birthday, I just have to do a lot, you know?"
"I guess. You're apparently both psychos anyways."
"How?"
She didn't say anything though, just continuing to mix the cake mix in the bowl. After a minute though, she asked, "What are you making him for lunch?"
"Burgers and fries."
She just stared at me. "On the grill?"
"Yes."
"You're going to grill your boyfriend burgers."
"Yeah. He'll think that's hot, right?"
"…And Dad knows that you'll be using his grill?"
I shrugged. "Can't be too hard. You put the patty on there, let it sit. Flip it. Let it sit. Done. Right?"
"Do you even know what kind of grill we have?"
"Um…a nice one?"
"I meant charcoal or propane."
"…Propane?"
"Why are you asking me for?"
"I thought you knew."
"No. That's why I was asking if you did."
I waved her off. "I'll ask Dad later. He tells me yes to everything anyways."
"Yeah, I know." Shaking her head, she said, "I heard about the whole skipping school thing."
I rolled my eyes. "I skipped one day."
"If Kirsten and I-"
"Kirsten skipped constantly. Especially her senior year."
"And she got punished for it."
"Kirsten also did drugs, had a lot of sex, and also snuck out." I made a face at Whitney. "So maybe you could stop comparing her to me."
We both fell silent again. I really didn't want to piss Whitney off, knowing that without her, there was no way my dessert would get made. Baking is hard work. Like seriously.
Whitney left me eventually, telling me the times everything needed to cook and what temperatures. She mocked me for writing them down, but then I told her about that casserole Dad and I burnt a few weeks back and she left me alone.
"A card."
"Hmmm?"
"I got a card for my birthday. And I helped make you."
I cringed as my father came into the kitchen. I was icing Owen's cake at that point. "Why do you always say it that way?"
He just came up behind me, laying his hand on my shoulder. "I still don't like this boy. After what he called you-"
"Dad, just stop, okay?"
He let out a long breath. "Your mother mentioned you were making lunch tomorrow?"
"I'm making Owen and my lunch, yes."
"What are you making?"
"Burgers."
"Oh."
"…So can you teach me how to use the grill?"
"Annabel-"
"Please? I want it to be perfect."
"I guess I could you," Dad gave in as I handed him the nearly empty container of frosting so that he could eat what was caught on the sides. "If you really wanted me to."
"Great! And can you also, kind of, you know, teach me how to make fries too?"
"Annabel-"
"I bought potatoes."
He just leaned down, kissing the top of my head. "You're lucky I love you so much."
I smiled up at him. "Thanks, Dad."
"So if you two are eating lunch and dinner together, what are you doing for breakfast?"
I frowned. "I forgot about that."
"I'm sure he can just-"
"I'll tell him to come over around seven. I'll make him eggs. He likes those."
"You don't think that you're putting too much into this?"
"No. Why?" I looked at him. "Do you?"
"It just seems like you're making a lot of food for someone who doesn't like to cook. Shouldn't you have just gotten him something?"
"Dad, Owen likes food. Like a lot. What better to make him than food?"
"I guess."
"You just don't know him like I do."
"And for that, I'm more than glad."
"It's good, Bell."
"They're burnt."
"N-"
"You know you can't lie."
Owen shrugged as he took another bite of his burger. "When you cover it in ketchup, you can hardly tell."
I just bit my thumbnail, staring down at my own plate. "Dad was helping me, but he got called into work."
"I know, Bell. I was here."
I shook my head slightly. "The fries are nasty too."
"Would you stop saying that stuff? It's great. Just like the eggs and sausage were this morning."
Again, I shook my head. "I just feel like I should have-"
"I'm eating it, aren't I? I'm telling you I like it, aren't I?" Owen smiled at me. "So calm down, huh?"
"I just wanted it to be perfect."
"And what hasn't been perfect so far?"
"You're eighteen now and all you've gotten right now is a crappy burger."
"For the last time, Annabel, I like the lunch you made. Thank you very much."
We were sitting at the kitchen table, both my parents out. Mom had left early in the morning, knowing that Owen and I would probably want some privacy for his birthday. Dad though had lingered around all throughout the morning until he got called away. Now it was just me, Owen, and the burnt burgers.
"Most guys go to, like, strip clubs or something when they turn eighteen."
Owen frowned. "I can get into one of those now."
I just sighed, staring down sadly at my food. "Might as well. Bet they have better food."
"Stop with the self-pity. God. It's a good freaking burger." He was starting to get annoyed with me. "Is it the best burger I've ever eaten? No. Not even close."
I just blinked, deciding to wait for him to get the point before I just went to get the noose.
"But do I like it? Yeah, Annabel, I do. I like that you made it for me. And I'm really gonna like that pie you mentioned we'd get afterwards."
"I'm sure they suck just as much."
"I doubt it. I mean, you did say that Whitney helped."
I just moaned, moving to lay my head down on the table.
"It was a joke, Annabel."
"I just wanted this to be good for you."
"It's been freaking great so far. And we still have the rest of the day together."
"More chances for me to fuck up."
"Bella, I didn't nail your birthday either. I told you I hated you and hit you with a door. That was bad. A burnt burger? Not nearly." He took another bite of it. "Sometimes you're really over dramatic."
After our burnt lunch, Owen and I headed into the living room to eat the pie I made him. I let him pick out whichever movie he wanted, which ended up being some action film that my dad liked. I checked out though, instead just snoozing against Owen's arm the whole time.
When the movie ended, I was mostly asleep. Still, I forced myself to get up and follow Owen to my bedroom, knowing it was his day. I couldn't just sleep on his birthday. Before we went to my room though, we stopped off in the bathroom to take care of his daily hand wrapping.
"It looks like it's getting better," I told him after I unwrapped the gauze. Owen just stood there, watching me.
"You're very attentive with this."
I leaned up and kissed him. "Attentive isn't a very big word, but it's a high vocabulary word."
He just smiled. "Just so long as you kiss me, I don't care."
I stroked his healing wounds gently, watching his face as he watched mine. "Do you feel eighteen?"
"I dunno."
"I didn't feel eighteen either."
He just reached up with his injured hand, wrapping it around my face right over my mouth. I wasn't sure what he was doing, but was too nervous to ask.
"Bella." He stepped up, staring down at me as he held onto my face. Was he trying to suffocate me? Or something? "I love you."
I just stared up at him, waiting for him to release me. When he did, I smiled at him.
"You do the weirdest things, you know that?"
"Just hurry and wrap my hand so we can go listen to music."
"Just listen to music?"
Owen shrugged. "Whatever you wanna do."
"It's your birthday, you know."
"And you're my girlfriend. I figure I should just let you choose what we do."
"How do you figure?"
"Well, you seem to have the day pretty planned out already, huh?" He frowned slightly as I went to get the rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide. "Do we really have to use that again?"
"Yes, Bear, we do."
"If you insist."
"I do."
When we finally made it to my bedroom, Owen immediately went to work finding the best possible CD to fit the moment. I just laid on the bed, watching him, worried about what he planned for us to do home all alone. I was even more scared of how far I was willing to let us go.
"Oh, Bell."
I smiled as he laid down on the bed, me curling up on my side next to him. "We're adults now."
"Yeah. Now you can send me naked photos."
"…I think that's a record."
"For what?"
"The fasts you've ruined a moment."
"Could be."
"Nearly one hundred percent sure."
Owen smiled at me. "I wish I could have gotten us concert tickets or something."
"You don't like my food idea?"
"Oh, no. Anytime you wanna make me large quantities of food, go ahead."
Giggling, I laid a hand on his chest. "You're a man now."
"Baby, I've been a man."
"Mmmm." I stared into his eyes. "Your mom didn't want to do something for your eighteenth birthday?"
"I told her that I wanted to spend the day with you."
"She wasn't mad?"
Owen shrugged. "You know her and I haven't been getting along well."
"Did she get you anything?"
"She got me a card and twenty bucks."
"Oh."
"So…are you gonna give me something?"
"Maybe."
"…Can I pick?"
"What do you want, Bear?"
"Naked pic-"
"Do you have to ruin everything?"
"I thought you couldn't eat cake, Ms. Armstrong?"
"Why did you think that, Annabel?"
"Well, I used eggs in the-"
She sat her plate down, frowning at me. "I didn't realize you had-"
"Well, Owen likes them so much I just thought-"
"The baby bird's dead anyway, Mom. Might as well enjoy him." Owen kept eating his piece of cake, smiling as he chewed. "Can I get my presents now, Annabel?"
It was after dinner and after stopping my house to get Owen's presents and cake, we headed to his house. Of course we ate dinner at World of Waffles, but I couldn't fault Owen after he ate my disgusting burgers. Plus, that was his favorite place to eat and it was his birthday.
"Ooh, your aunt came by today and left you a gift. And your father's present came in the mail today."
"Really?" Owen took her discarded cake as she left the room to get the aforementioned gifts. "Did Grandpa send me anything? And Grandma Jenny? And-"
"Not yet, Owen," I heard her call back, sounding annoyed. Owen just shrugged before looking at me.
"Okay, Bella. Gifts."
"Right." I went into the living room, grabbing the big box that I had put everything in. You know, as a throwback to how he gave me my gifts. "Here you go."
"Is this going to be our thing? Boxes?"
"I hope not."
"Me too."
"Hurry before your mom gets back."
"So it is a picture."
"Bear."
He just opened the box, pulling the first thing out that I figured he would. The stack of CDs.
"What kind of-"
"Some that Whitney suggested, some I found at a garage sale, and one of them is one I made you."
"Can I go listen to-"
"Finish your gifts, Owen."
Sighing, he sat his precious CDs to the side before reaching into the box again.
"You bought me new boots?"
I nodded. "I hope they're the right size. I asked your Mom before I bought them, so I'm pretty sure they are."
"They're nice."
"I know."
Owen looked back up at me, smiling. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, Bear."
Setting those next to the CDs, he pulled out the baseball cap I bought him. "The Diamondbacks?"
"That's that little team you like, right?"
He just nodded. "R and R, but yes."
I smiled at him. "So you like it."
"It's great." He pulled the shirt out as well. "I don't know this band."
"It's one of those CDs."
"Oh. Can I go listen to-"
"Just finish going through the box."
Lastly, Owen pulled out the note I had written him. At that same moment though, his mother had come in, so he went ahead and tossed it onto the table, hiding it underneath his new t-shirt.
"Okay, your aunt sent these and your dad sent this." She sat some CDs in Owen's hand from Cam and a box from his dad. "I have no idea what your dad sent though. It is your eighteenth birthday though, so I highly doubt I want to know."
Owen just sat back in the chair he was in before glancing through the CDs that his aunt sent. Then he moved on to the box.
"Concert tickets, CDs, and a videogame." Owen pulled all of those things out before smiling. "And a hundred dollars."
"What?" His mother frowned. "He said that he… Owen, I would have given you more. I just don't-"
"With a note," Owen continued. "He says that he plans to see me over Christmas break."
His mother sighed. "About that-"
"Well, he's crazy, 'cause I'm gonna be here, so whatever." Owen stood then, gathering his stuff. "Help me take these things to my room, Bell."
"Actually, Owen, I'm gonna go see if Mallory wants to some cake," I said, cutting her a piece. Then I glanced at his mother. "If that's okay."
Nodding slightly, Teresa told me, "She should be awake."
Owen grunted, heading up the stairs with only the CDs.
"Owen, you can carry more than that," his mother scolded.
"I'll get the other stuff," he assured her. "Just…after I finish looking at these."
"I give up," she sighed. I just smiled at her before heading p the stairs as well, though my destination was the bedroom across from Owen's.
"Annabel!"
"Hey, Mal." I smiled as I came into her bedroom, carrying a piece of Owen's cake with me. "I was about to head home and thought I should ask you if you wanted some cake first."
She shook her head, watching me as I came closer. "I'm not hungry."
"Well, I'll just leave this here in case you get hungry later," I told her, setting the plate down on the nightstand. "There's pie too. And cookies."
She frowned. "You made him all that?"
"Mmmhmm."
"Was that all you got him? Food?"
"No." I pulled her desk chair over to her bedside before taking a seat. "I got him some CDs that he's checking out now, a new baseball cap, and a new pair of boots."
"Boots?"
"He loves those for some reason."
She nodded. "Boots are good. But not the kind Owen likes."
I just smiled at her. "Remember that thing we talked about last time?"
She glanced behind me to make sure that the door was shut. "Darien?"
"Owen knows."
"You told-"
"No. He came to me first, asking if I knew anything about him."
She groaned. "That's why he's been so weird."
"Yeah."
"I don't know why he thinks he can tell me what to do."
"He's just worried about you is all."
"I haven't even seen Darien in weeks."
"I know."
"He's stopped texting me too."
"Then he's stupid."
She just shrugged, looking off. "Some of my friends came to see me today."
"That's good."
"Yeah."
"You know, Mal, if you ever want to talk to me, you have my number."
"I know."
"And Owen's only looking out for you."
"I know." She smiled at me. "Did you make the cake?"
"Yes, I did."
"Then maybe I'll try to eat some later. I bet it'll be good."
"Thank you."
When I got back to Owen, he still had yet to bring any of the other stuff upstairs, instead stationing himself in front of his stereo to play all the CDs he had gotten.
"Are you actually going to pay attention to me or should I just go home now?"
Owen motioned me over, smiling when I sat in his lap. "I love you."
"More than your music?"
"Don't put words in my mouth now."
I giggled, wrapping an arm around his neck. "You haven't even read my note yet."
"Are you detailing why we should break up in it?"
"No."
"Then it can wait." He kissed my neck. "It won't say anything I don't already know."
"What if I told you how much I loved you in it?"
"Know that."
"How sad I was when we broke up?"
"We didn't break up, so that would be a false statement."
I just giggled, kissing his cheek. "Happy birthday, Bear."
"Thank you."
"Did you think we'd have sex today?"
"No. Not really."
"It'd have been one hell of a present."
"…Are you taunting me or-"
"Oh, Bear."
"What'd you and Mal talk about?"
"Nothing."
"Are you lying to me?"
"Would I ever lie to you?"
"Yes. Now are you?"
"You didn't even think before saying that."
"With good reason. I know you."
I shifted in his lab slightly, smiling as one of his hands found its way to my stomach. "So what are you gonna do with all that money you got?"
"Buy more CDs."
"Owen."
"Well, you asked."
"I know. My mistake."
I was sitting there, writing yet another oneshot for Maximum Ride, when I realized I hadn't updated Comfort over a week. And what better than a snow day to get that done? Well, an ice day here in Texas, but as a senior, I'll take anything to get out of school these days.
