Page 56 of Twisted Legacy

Thea

Ilower the lid on the washer and hop up on the table to wait for the load of darks to finish. I’ve taken to washing my clothes late at night to avoid people. That’s basically what my life’s become. A series of decisions that have me interacting with the least amount of people possible.

The door opens and Finn walks in, a laundry bag thrown over his shoulder. I watch him drop it in a corner and shake my head when he walks back towards the door. I guess he hasn’t learned his lesson about trusting other people to wash his shit.

He comes back in with a second bag and drops it in front of an empty machine. He reaches inside and pulls out laundry soap, bleach, and the same brand of dryer sheets I use. Maybe he learned his lesson after all.

With his back to me, he asks, “How long are you gonna stay mad at me?”

“How long are you gonna be an asshole?”

“Probably for the rest of my life.”

“Then, there’s your answer.”

“Pet-”

“Stop calling me that!”

He straightens and faces me. “Pet,I’m sorry for what I did. I’m sorry I jumped to conclusions. What else do I have to do to get you to talk to me again?”

“Talk? Gee, that’s an idea. But where was the talking that night, or any time since? Because every time I see you, you’re butting into my business. Speaking for me, telling everyone what I am and am not interested in. There is no talking with you. So I’m just gonna sit here and be the dummy while you do your ventriloquist act.”

He steps closer. “Now we’re getting somewhere. I’m happy to control your body and pose you any way I want.”

“That’s not what I said.”

“It’s what I heard, and it can be arranged.” He pushes my legs apart and steps between them.

“Back up, Finn.”

“That’s not what I want you to say.”

I scoot back and swing my legs around the table. “God, I wish I had my knife.”

He whips his out and extends it towards me, reminding me that he’s not afraid of a little blood.

One of the other washers I’m using chimes and I scurry past him to change the load and put it in the dryer. He crowds me against it from behind. “I am sorry, Pet, and I’m not going to stop apologizing until we’re friends again.”

“Were we ever friends? Because we don’t know shit about each other.”

“What would you call it?”

“An entertaining annoyance that ran its course.” I say, ducking under his arm and moving to the other side of the table.

He comes around the table towards me, slowly backing me against the wall. “Then I’ll just add that to the list of things I need to fix with us. You just decide who you’re replacing.”

“Huh?”

“LJ or Austin? I vote Austin. You’ll have me filling the roll of the guy with a dick.”

“Uh, what the hell are you babbling about?”

He yanks my hair, forcing my head back. “I’m saying you’re gonna forgive me and we’re gonna be best friends, Pet.”

He kisses the tip of my nose, then releases me and goes back over to his own machine.

I’ve been trying to figure out how the conversation Finn and I had in the laundry room went off the rails. Three days later and I’m still just as baffled as I was when he made his pronouncement about me forgiving him. Does he actually think he can force me to be friends with him? That he can snap his fingers and make me get over him being an absolute dick to me when he found my birth certificate? As ifsorry Petjust magically undoes it all?

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