Chapter 24: Liar

We fell asleep and I woke up with my arms wrapped around her. It was weird to feel her chest rise and fall. I loved it.

Still, I had to pee so I snuck out of bed and went pee.

Harper was passed out on the couch. I covered her with a blanket because she didn't have one, and now I'm in the kitchen making breakfast. It's around nine so everyone should be waking up soon. I'm digging around for the salt container because the salt shaker is empty.

When I find it and turn around, I almost jump when I see Brenda sitting on the island in nothing but Mason's shirt.

"Where are your pants?" I ask, wrinkling my nose.

She shrugs and flicks her blonde hair over her shoulders.

"Are you and Odeletta official?" She asks.

"Yes." I say, narrowing my eyes at her. "Why?"

She shrugs.

"When I told you to get a girlfriend, I didn't mean her." She pouts.

"I-" I cut off. "I really couldn't care less."

She scowls.

And then puts her hand on my bare chest.

I step back.

"What are you doing? Stop." I say, disgusted.

"Nothing." She mumbles.

I move away from her, on the other side of the kitchen, and top the plastic bottom from the salt shaker, covering the holes with my thumb, I refill it and put the cover back on.

I set it on the counter and turn to put the salt container back in the cabinet but Brenda is standing next to me.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

And then she grabs me and pulls my lips on hers.

I hear a sharp intake of breath and shove her off of me, a bit harder than I intended, and she stumbles back. I catch her hand before she can fall to the ground, letting out a sharp breath of air.

I open my mouth to cuss her out, but Mason speaks up.

"What the fuck!" He exclaims. I look up to see him and Odeletta standing there, having just woken up. And they look pissed.

"It's not what it looks like." I say.

"You fucking dick!" He shouts at me. "Your girlfriend was in the next room! We've been best friends since second grade!" Harper is awake now, practically stumbling over the blanket I put on her, walking up next to Odeletta with her eyes half open, confused.

"Mason," I begin as he advances towards me.

"He practically forced me into it!" Brenda says.

"Are you kidding-"

I'm cut off with the feeling of Mason's hand connecting to my face, and then he draws back and does it again.

My arms are shaking in rage, but I don't swing back, I just stand there, breathing hard.

"You are such a fucking dick." Mason hisses at me.

"He made me!" Brenda whines.

"I don't believe you!" He seethes. "You two assholes were probably fucking in the background all the time! You're here all the time when I'm not home! Which is why you get all giggly when he crossed the hall without a shirt! You were practically killing Odeletta with your eyes yesterday when he was asking her out! How long has this been going on?"

"It's-"

"For about six months. Maybe longer." Brenda admits, curling her talon around my bicep.

I rip my arm from her.

"Don't fucking touch me, you psycho bitch!" I seethe. Everyone is staring at me. "Mason, you're a fucking cunt for believing her over me! She came onto me. I haven't had sex with anyone but Odette. She made me kiss her! I didn't do shit! She's a lying scheming little bitch, and I told you she was no good a week after you fucking met her!"

I feel something warm on my face and I realize my lip is bleeding. I wipe the blood with the back of my hand, wincing.

"I didn't do anything wrong." I whisper.

Odeletta, Mason, and Harper watch me. Mason looks at Odeletta.

"You can make me take a fucking lie detector!" I continue. "You're almost a fucking psychologist, Mason! You should be able to tell if I'm lying or not!"

How dare Mason believe her over me! How dare Brenda for coming at me like that, and then lying about it in front of my basically-brother and my girlfriend! In my own fucking apartment!

My name is on the lease, not Mason's.

I turn to Brenda.

"Get the fuck out." I say.

"What?" She looks startled. "But baby!" She whines, putting her hands on my chest. I step back, glaring at her.

"How dare you walk into this apartment like you own the place! I've been putting up with your lying and scheming and bullshit for almost three years! I was upset before I met you, but the reason I turned into the bitter dick I was is because of you! 'You need a girlfriend Nathan' and a ton of other bullshit you put me through! You can stay dating Mason, but you're not going to do it here, so get the fuck out! You are no longer welcome in my apartment!"

"This is Mason's apartment." She hisses threateningly.

"This is my apartment. My name is on the lease! You tried to stop our friendship once, and I forgave you, but now you're not only trying to fuck up my friendship with Mason, but you're trying to ruin my relationship with my girlfriend! Get the fuck out Brenda, and if you come back, I'll call the police!"

Brenda looks at Mason, who is looking at me with an expression I rarely see.

Guilt.

"She won't come back." Mason says, and then he turns to Brenda. "We're done. You've put me through a lot, but going after Nathan? Trying to ruin my friendship and his relationship? That's a new low, even for you."

"But-but-" she stutters.

"Get out." He says. "I'll bring your shit to your house, but we are done. I'm blocking your number. Show up and I'll call the police."

She looks shocked, but she turns around and walks out.

"Give me my shirt." He says. "You can go put on your clothes, but give me my shirt."

"But Mason, this is it? This is the only reason?"

"You don't let my buy scratch offs. You say they're a waste of time. You tell me I need to work out, and the list goes off. You're toxic to me, you're toxic to Nathan and Odeletta, and Nathan needs her, so stop. You're done. We're done."

She hangs her head and goes to his room, coming back a moment later in her clothes, and she leaves. Everyone looks at me.

"I didn't kiss her." I say seriously, wincing at my lip when I move it.

Odeletta silently walks out of the room.

"Odette!" I exclaim, my heart pounding.

She comes back a moment later with the first aid kit.

"I never kissed her." I say, pleading. "Please, you have to believe me. I wouldn't do that to you. To either of you! She kissed me! I pushed her off! I swear!"

She just looks at me and pats the counters.

I sit down on it.

"Odette." I whisper. "I didn't kiss her."

"I know." She says, her eyes searching mine for a moment. She steps between my legs, opening the first aid kit.

"I didn't kiss her." I mumble, hanging my head. I feel guilty, but I didn't do anything wrong. I wouldn't do that to her, or to Mason.

She gently grabs my chin, lifting my face.

"I know, Nathan." She says softly.

I swallow.

"I didn't." I mutter. "I wouldn't. I don't want to."

I am very angry, but not at Nathan.

He was basically assaulted by Brenda, and then punched twice as if it was his fault.

"Nate, man, I'm sorry for hitting you." Mason says quietly. "I'm sorry, I just saw you kissing her and I-" he cuts off, shaking his head.

"It's okay." Nathan mumbles.

"No, no, it's not okay. She basically assaulted you."

"If I saw you kissing Odette, I'd wring your neck." He mumbles, and then he sighs, looking at me. "I didn't want to kiss her."

"I know." I say, getting out a wipe to sanitize his busted lip.

"No, I don't want that, it's going to hurt." He says, shying away from me.

"No it will not." I lie. "It is okay, Nathan. I will be gentle."

It's going to hurt, but he needs to have it or he can get an infection.

So I wipe his lip.

"Ow!" He cries out, trying to shove off the counter. I place my hands firmly on his thighs, holding him in place.

After struggling for a moment, he stops. I wipe up the rest of the blood until his chin is no longer dripping in it. I get an ice pack from the freezer and wrap it in a dish towel, placing it against his left eye gently. He winces, taking it from my hand. I wipe some blood off of his chest, sighing.

"I know you did not want to kiss her." I whisper. "I know you did not, Nathan. It is okay."

"Okay." He mutters.