Norma Jean - By Amanda Heath Page 0,12

when I hear a knock on the door. Since Stacy didn’t call to let me know she was coming home early I assume its Chance. Great just what I need. It even hurts that he left after that intense kiss. Which just gives me more incentive to fuck him over.

“Come in.” I call out softly.

I try to hold in my breath so I don’t gasp at his face. The once flawless pale skin is black and blue around his left eye. His lip is busted but he looks even better than before. It throws off his good boy vibe and leaves an “I’m a bad mother fucker” look to him. It’s only egged on by the glare in his eyes, which is directed right at me. Shit.

“What happened to your face?” I question.

“Marley.” he rasps out. Which is what I thought. Marley wasn’t too happy with hearing Chance kissed me…twice.

“Oh.” is all I have to say to him. I’m not going to apologize for it. I can’t really lie to my cousin, and I really needed cigarettes.

He looks at me sharply and I cringe deeper into the bed. He stalks his body over to the bed and sits down. He doesn’t touch me but I can feel his heat on my legs where his back almost touches them.

“Why?” he asks very softly that I almost don’t catch it.

I pretend I don’t know what he is talking about. “He asked me why I had sex hair and swollen lips. I can’t lie to him. I didn’t think he would beat you up.”

He rests his head in his hands with his arms resting on this thighs. He lets out a whoosh and shakes his head slowly. I feel like complete shit about it to be honest. I knew Marley would beat him up. I’m pretty sure when we were younger he threatened Chance within an inch of his life if he ever talked to me again.

“Why?” he asks again, this time with anger in his voice. Which I’ll admit makes me shiver.

I ponder on this question for a few tense silent minutes before I give him what he wants. “I don’t know why you’re asking me. You’re the one who kissed me last night. For some reason I won’t even begin to wonder about, I liked it. I wanted more. It’s the most fucked up thing that has ever happened, but there you go.”

He turns those hazel eyes my way and something stirs in my belly. Something I don’t want to feel, yet I never want it to go away. A smile plays about his lips and I involuntary bite my lip. Then he speaks, and I wished he hadn’t. “It’s like opening my eyes for the first time ever. I’ve never wanted someone as much as I want you. I can’t figure it out. You’re the only person I should stay away from. Everything I ever said to you before this weekend was wrong. I could see what it was doing to you, but I couldn’t stop myself. Maybe I just want to make up for all that. I want you to be happy.”

At this point I’m very pissed off. If he wanted me to be happy and normal then he shouldn’t have been the reason I’m not. “You can take that shit and get out. I don’t need you to make me happy. You’ve done enough in my life.” I’m breathing heavy and I really want to punch him in the other eye. I truly think I might cry and I promised myself this asshole would never make me cry again.

“I’m not going to leave, Norma. I want to make all that stuff up to you. You deserve to be treated with respect, like a human being. I have to do that.” His big warm hand smooths over mine and tingles shoot up my arm. I clinch my eyes shut to beat back those tears that want to spill.

“You want to be able to live with yourself, is what you really want. It’s actually really selfish if you ask me.” He squeezes my hand and I pretend I don’t like the way it feels. I pretend I don’t like the way he touches me.

“Look at me.” he softly commands. I keep my eyes shut. I will not look at him. We sit in silence again before I feel him shift around on the bed. I was hoping he was getting up to leave but I feel his heat above me.