Part 8, PG-13
Sean got himself a room over Kelly's. Emily had showed it to him. "I lived in this one," she said.
When he moved into it, she went over to see how he was settling in.
She looked around and sighed. "All so different. I remember Zander coming up here."
"What were you going to see him for, anyway? The night of the accident, I mean."
"I was going to ask him about his family."
"Huh?" Sean laughed. "That's worth leaving a party for?"
"I wasn't having the greatest time."
"OK."
"And Zander had never told me anything. I remember asking him once where his family was. He wouldn't say. He got very upset. I pointed out to him once that I knew nothing about him. Not even whether he had any brothers and sisters. He got really upset when I mentioned that. Brothers and sisters. He said he didn't want to talk about the past, only the future."
"But didn't that make you awfully suspicious?"
"That he wouldn't talk about them?"
"Yeah."
"No."
"Why not? Who does that? Anybody would answer that question easily! How many brothers and sisters do you have? You just answer."
"He didn't want to tell me."
"So you didn't want to know?"
"I did, but he didn't want to tell me?"
"Didn't you wonder why?"
"No."
"He could have killed them!"
"He didn't."
"I know, but for all you knew, he could have!"
"He was upset talking about them."
"Which he might have been if he'd killed them!"
"He didn't kill them, Sean! They live here now!"
"I know, I know. But didn't you wonder why he wouldn't tell you about them?"
"Of course."
"So didn't you ask again?"
"No. He said he didn't want to talk about them."
Sean felt like hitting himself in the head. "Where was I? OK. So you leave the party because he's going to tell you now?"
"Now his mother lives here. She runs Deception. Everyone seems to know."
"So you thought he'd tell you now?"
"Yes. Maybe."
"Where were you going? I mean, did you know where he lives?"
"Alexis said he lived with her. I know where she lives."
"So you are going to Alexis' place when the accident happened."
"Yeah, that's what I just told you."
"What made you think of it?"
"Think of what?"
"Of Zander! Why just then did you want to go and ask him about his family?"
"They were talking about him at the party."
"Who was?"
"Gia, and another girl. This girl said she used to go out with Zander, and he'd never told me about her, either."
"Did you and Zander ever talk?"
"Of course we did!"
"OK, just kidding. Wow, you are exhausting."
He went and put his hand to her lower back, pulling her towards him. He started kissing her.
They kissed for awhile. Then he maneuvered her over to the bed. He pushed her down across it, and got down himself, beside her, and kissed her again.
She kissed him, as he leaned over her, for a while, until he started pulling at her shirt – he pulled it out of her belt and his hand went to her bare stomach. In a second his hand was behind her back, undoing her bra.
She sat up and moved away.
"What's wrong?" he asked, automatically, prepared for another round of irrational discussion, not totally turned off by the idea, figuring he could distract her again.
"Let's not," she answered, straightening her clothes back.
"Oh, so she doesn't want to go to bed with me," Sean addressed someone up on the ceiling.
"I don't mean forever," she faltered.
"OK," he said. "Oh, does this place remind you of Zander too much?"
"No, it isn't that."
"Oh. Is it your first time?"
"No," she said, a little testily.
"Did you have a bad experience?" he asked.
She didn't answer.
"You can tell me," he said. "I understand."
She looked at him. "I don't know," she said. "It's just no big deal, that's all, and I'm tired now."
"No big deal?" he began to get interested. After all, he could see he wasn't getting laid.
"No, it's not such a big deal as everybody makes out."
"You were just with the wrong guy. You've only been with one guy."
"No."
"Who else?" he asked, conversationally.
"Vinnie."
"Oh, the guy with the kid?"
"Yes."
"So he didn't ring your chimes all that much."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you didn't find it very exciting."
"Exciting? No."
"Did you tell him?"
"Of course not."
"Well, he couldn't do anything different if you didn't tell him."
"We broke up."
"OK. You did it only once."
"Yes."
"He was unkind."
"No, he was nice. He told me to relax."
"You were nervous."
"I didn't think so, but he must have thought so."
Sean looked around for awhile. He watched her. She seemed to be far off.
"Were you with Zander more than once?"
"No."
"So he was nice, too? Told you to relax?"
"He didn't tell me anything. Didn't say anything. That was the first time for me. I felt – like he was out of control; like I couldn't stop him if I wanted to."
"You mean he raped you?"
"No! I did not say that!"
"OK, OK."
"I said I could not have stopped him if I wanted to. Since I didn't want to, that didn't matter. I'm only trying to describe it since you ask so many questions."
"OK, well he sounds passionate enough. Still, it didn't ring your chimes."
"What?"
"Never mind. Let's go and get something for dinner, shall we?"