Page 65 of Shifted

"Embarrassing, huh?" He nods.

"Yeah, I was going out with this girl for a long time. I still love her. She is my world." A stupid smile spread across his face as he spoke of her.

"I had this plan to propose to her. We'd go to the same beach each day for our usual walk. She loves seashells; she always picked up the biggest, most eye-catching one to take home." He sighed again. This time, I could tell he was fighting back against what was next to come.

"What happened?" I leaned against the center console in wonder

"Well, I bought a seashell, one that she'd definitely pick out. I bent down to tie my shoe, placing it down, and kept an eye on it so nobody else would pick it up." A smirk grew on my face, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"Someone picked up before she did? Didn't they? So then, someone stole your ring and ruined your proposal?" He shook his head.

"This honestly might be worse. She claimed that she could do a cartwheel and cartwheeled right past it." I bit my lip, closing off any laughter. It might’ve been cruel of me to laugh about this, his almost failed love. But at least I knew he was human with the capability to love once.

"Aw, poor Amartolós and Mrs. Amartolós." He shook his head again. I figured he wasn’t married, but now I just made fun of his failed proposal like some asshole.

"Oh, it continues."

"What happened next?" A voice from the back spoke, and this time, we turned our heads back to see Maya awake and tuning in, "Not to eavesdrop..." She added. I look at Amartolós with pleading eyes to continue, and he does.

"Well, I pointed out the seashell to her... she said it didn't look real?" I grimaced. "She thought it looked suspicious, so we left it. I felt it was a sign that I shouldn't be proposing to her." A knot formed in my stomach.

"What kind of bull shit ending is that?" He scoffed as I spoke, "You chickened out like a little bitch?" Shrugging, he now seemed more reserved. "We live different lives now?” he claims, “but it's your turn, Angel." I now felt unsettled after hearing his story of failed love.

"Fine." I settled back into my seat, "When I was about fifteen years old, I stole my dad's car to go see a boy." He glanced at me, surprised. "What didn't take me for a rebel? Look at my profession?"

"I didn't have my license. We were spending our summer at this shit shack in rural Vermont" I gagged at the thought of that hell hole we found ourselves in. The truth was, it was for my father's gambling ring.

"There's nothing to do there, not even a target. It was just a country store, and the closest Walmart was an hour away. But there was a nearby boy's camp. I'd sneak out at night, and Brayden would come out to meet me." I laughed at the thought of the chaos that night ensued.

"Well, Brayden didn't have the golf cart." I hear small chuckles released from his mouth as he tries to choke back.

"What?"

"No, no, continue, golf cart?" He urged, acting interested.

"We were fifteen! Anyway, I stole my dad's car; I had no idea how to drive. My parents weren't warm and fuzzy. They weren't taking their time trying to teach me." I lifted my feet on the dash, sinking further into the chair.

"I drove to his cabin, which was more isolated than the other boys' cabins. He had two roommates, and they were out for the night. So, I went over. I've never slept with anyone before at this point-"

"Are you telling us your virginity story?"

"Shush," I snapped at him, focusing my attention back on the road as I heard the soft giggle from Maya. "But no, I didn’t get the chance to because as we began to undress… the door burst open." I now squeeze my eyes shut in remembrance of the horrible events to follow. My father was far from protective growing up, but he hated boys more than anything.

"I'm bare, and a thin blanket is covering my body; my dad, on the other hand. He is holding a shotgun, with multiple men behind him, all looking more-scary than one can imagine. At this point, Braydon is using me as a shield, and his body is shaking." I felt ultimately humiliated and a little guilty about this story, more so for Braydon, "My dad starts yelling at me and has me cover up and go into the bathroom. I'm pleading for him not to hurt Braydon, that we didn’t do anything yet." This time, my stomach grew sour because I knew what would happen next.

"And?" Maya questions.

"His body was cleaned up by the time I exited the bathroom. Dad explained that the next time I did this, things would be worse. Braydon didn't know my real name, and neither did his roommates. I never had a crush again after that til I found the one," I was left in silence. Not a peep from the two of them. I could just hear their breathing and the wind outside.

"Holy shit," He speaks, but then he begins to laugh. Like some sick, twisted son of bitch.

"That's not funny!" Maya exclaims, "You poor girl, you have to be traumatized." I sighed as Amartolós continued to laugh.

"No wonder you're so disturbed," He mumbled.

"I would kick your ass right now if you weren't driving," I scolded him as Maya began to laugh but soon began coughing. As I turned to her, she couldn't stop.

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