Chapter 9- Breaking The Habit

Thomas sped down the wet road at an uncomfortable speed which made me nervous. From his relaxed posture, I could see he didn’t feel the same way. He must be used to this kind of driving.

The rain came down in sheets making the air think with fog. It like he was asking to get himself killed. I felt nauseous at the thought of wrecking and dying. I just wasn’t ready yet.

“If you don’t slow down I’m going to be sick,” I said clutching my stomach as he rounded one of the curves at the speed of a Disney World roller coaster.

“Not in the car,” I said loudly bring the car down to a safer speed.

“Thank you,” I mumbled.

He smiled, but kept his eyes glued to the road. At least he was focused. That comforted me some.

“You should really learn to loosen up and relax,” he said.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Excuse me?”

“You’re always so uptight and tense. Have ever let loose and just lived for the moment?”

“No. I’m not careless,” I stated.

“Not careless. Just let go and have fun,” he smirked. “You know, I could teach you if you’d let me.”

I rolled my eyes at him. Yeah, right. As if I’m going to let him teach me anything.

Oh you know you’d like him to. A little voice in the back of my mind said. However, I had to disagree with it. Nope. I don’t need him to show me anything. Nothing he could teach me would be good for me.

“Tempting offer, but no thanks,” I replied with heavy sarcasm, watching the road ahead.

He shook his head, clear amusement on his face. “I admire your restraint, but one day I’m gonna get through to you and it’s going beautiful. You’ll be coming to me before you know it.”

I crossed my arms over my chest still not looking at him when I replied. “I highly doubt that.”

“Only time will tell. You’ll see that I‘m right.”

Keep telling yourself that bad boy. Overconfident isn’t always a good thing.

Thomas's house was very ordinary, and not at all what I expected. I don't know. Maybe I expected the stereotypical bad Boy's house. Maybe it would be in a rough neighborhood or it would look rundown and old. But no. No, Thomas Cavanaugh's house was nothing like that. Not at all. It was virtually very calm and ordinary. Nothing like I had read in books or seen in movies. His house did not fit his life style. It gave me some hope that he was just a normal, rebellious teen who was just acting out and not as bad as he seemed. That maybe, just maybe, there was some part of him that was actually human.

Though, I knew better than to hope for much when it came to Thomas. What was the very popular and very true saying? Hope breeds internal misery.

Yes. Yes it did.

I examined the white house with blue shutters and a fenced in yard and stared in awe of it. It was a very cute and very quaint place. Almost like some place Shirley Temple or The Clever's would live. I could picture June Clever rushing to the door now with a fresh baked pie in her hands and then she'd welcome us in.

And yes, I know June Clever. I have TV Land.

"Are you going to stand and gawk at my house all day or are you going to go in?" Thomas asked breaking my entertaining thoughts.

"I'm going, I'm going. Jeez. Calm down."

He seemed very eager to get this visit over with and it made me curious as to why.

He grabbed my hand, enveloping mine in heavy warmth, and pulled me along beside him to the door. Once we reached it, he rapidly he turned to me with a very serious expression on his face.

"My dad is ill, just so you know, so please be polite and don't stare."

I frowned. Did he really need to tell me that? I would never openly stare at a sick person. It's rude. I do have some manners.

"Okay. I won't stare," I said with slight annoyance lacing my tone.

"And lose the attitude," he added.

Just as I opened my mouth to retort he stopped me.

"Just don't," he said shaking his head at me.

He seemed more like a grownup berating a small child rather than the carefree, cocky guy I was used to seeing. I wasn't familiar with this side of him. It was just one more piece to the Thomas Cavanaugh puzzle. If I keep on collecting all the pieces, one day I'll be able to put them together and figure him out. I craved for that day to finally arrive.

Thomas didn't even unlock the door. He just twisted the handle and walked right in. I slowly followed in after him and closed the door back behind me.

"Hey, Dad," he said to a very tired and frail looking man in his early to mid fifties sitting on the tan couch. Thomas wasn't kidding when his dad was sick. This man looked like life had definitely threw him a few curve balls. It hadn't been kind to him.

He covered the hole in his throat and rasped out a reply to his son that I could barely understand. I knew it was a greeting though. Soon thereafter his eyes wondered over to mine. He adjusted his oxygen tube under his nose and smiled kindly at me.

"Hello. I'm Olivia. I'm Thomas's....I'm Thomas's..."

I had more trouble than I thought getting out the words. I didn't know I'd be lying to a sick person. I stared at him from across the room in eternal conflict until Thomas spoke up for me. I couldn't have been more thankful.

"Olivia is my girlfriend, dad,” he said then turned to me. “Olivia. My dad, Steve.”

His eyes lit up at Thomas's confession and his smile grew even wider. "So it is true. You do have a girl. And here I thought you were just trying to make me feel better."

Thomas forced a smile on his face. "Nope, it's true, Dad. Olivia is very much a part of my life. We meet in Food1. She's my lab partner."

"I'm glad to hear it, son." His voice was laced with pride. I could see how pleased the news about us made him.

I knew for sure something bad would happen to me for even agreeing to go along with this lie. I was a terrible, terrible person now. How could I even do this? That’s the thing about guilt; it’s relentless until you rectify the situation. However in this case, that wasn’t an option. Thomas would surely kill me and dump my body in some back ally way if I called him out on this. It’s clear his dad’s happiness is important to him. So, as they say, I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place.

“Where’s Brad?” Thomas asked looking around the room.

“He and Sasha are in the Kitchen cooking something up for dinner,” he said pleasantly. “He has a future wife in that one.”

“Yeah, she’s great,” Thomas agreed.

Wait. Am I missing something here? I shot Thomas a confused look, but he didn’t respond. He kept his calm, cool façade, ignoring me.

I frowned. If he wants me to be his fake girlfriend then he needs to tell me everything. Who are Brad and Sasha?

Thomas took my hand and pulled me down to next to him on the empty couch beside his dad. I frowned at him again.

Okay, I’m not a dog. I don’t need to be led around like one. Would it be out of line if I slapped him right now?

“So, how long have you two been together?” Steve asked looking between Thomas and I.

“Two weeks.”

“A month.”

Thomas and I both looked at each other quickly when we both came out with different answers.

Crap. We didn’t discuss this.

He wrapped his arm around me and grabbed onto my waist and gave me a tight, quick squeeze. Ow! What did I do? Was I not supposed to say anything?

Steve had a look of confusion on his face.

“A month,” Thomas corrected. “Olivia here is thinking about when our first kiss was. It was two weeks ago.”

I smiled then laughed internally at him. Yeah right. Like he could wait a entire two weeks before kissing a girl. He couldn’t even go that long without sleeping with someone. His dad couldn’t possibly believe that.

“Oh,” he laughed. “I see.”

Is he serious right now? He bought Thomas’s lie…Or was he just humoring him?

When his Dad turned back to his attention back to his TV show he was watching when we came in. I pushed Thomas‘s arm off of me and nudged him in the side.

“What?” he asked defensively.

“Think someone’s getting a little too comfortable,” I whispered matter of factly.

He rolled his eyes, but didn’t try putting his arm around me again. I didn’t want him getting the wrong idea about us. I was doing his a favor…that he obtained through blackmail. Jeez. Our relationship is very dysfunctional.

I turned my attention from him and to the TV only catching less than a minute of CSI before my phone buzzed in my pocket. After contemplating if it would rude to check it, I decided to finally check it. No one was paying attention to me anyway.

We need to talk.

-Grace

Uh oh. That’s never a good sign. I tried to rake my brain, trying to come up with what I could have done to warrant such a text message, but came up empty. Then a very unwelcoming and sudden thought entered my mind.

Oh Crap! She knows about me and Thomas.

I clutched the phone nervously in my hand, feeling like it could break at any given time.

“Why are you so tense?” Thomas whispered in my ear.

I forced myself to look at him, but calming down was not an option for me right now. I was to busy freaking out over my newest revelation.

“It’s Grace. I think she knows I’ve been spending time with you,” I answered him while being thankful for the televisions loud volume.

He shrugged. “So.”

I gaped at him. “So...I don’t want her to know anything. Why are you being so cavalier about this?”

“Because I don’t care.”

His tone told me he was already bored of this conversation which caused me to frown. Did he want the whole world to know I spent an entire Saturday at his house? What will they think? We’re dating? Sleeping together?

No! Just no! I can’t have him tainting my good reputation. I’ve probably already done irrevocable damage already. I have to limit my contact with him. In class is too much time together. I think we should just keep it at that. Well, minus the dance anyway. That one can’t really be helped.

“Thomas. Why don’t you give Olivia a tour of the house? You don’t have to sit down here with me.”

“I don’t know if she’d really want to, Dad.”

“Sure I would,” I answered giving Thomas’s cheek a light squeeze and smiling. “I’d love to see where my little honey bear grew up.”

Steve chuckled at his nickname while Thomas looked like he wanted to kill me. Perhaps being alone with him right now isn’t the best idea. His angry face frightened me just a little.

“Okay, babe. You got it. Let’s go,” he said pulling me off the couch quickly. Any rougher and he’d have pulled an arm out of place.

“I was only joking,” I said as he pulled me out of the living room. However, he didn’t stop. I yelped in surprise when he pulled me into the first door we passed by and closed it behind us. It was a bathroom.

“What are you doing?” I asked irritably.

He pushed me up against the closed door leaving no space between us and placed his hands on my arms to keep me in place.

“This isn’t funny,” I warned.

“Neither is the little nickname you gave me,” he smirked.

“What? I thought that was what couples were supposed to do,” I said innocently.

“I’m calling B.S. You were just trying to provoke me.”

I shrugged and smiled. “It’s fun.”

He returned my smile with a scarier one of his own and leaned further into me. Well, this can’t be good.

“So is this.”

Before I knew what was happening his lips were on mine. If I could have gasped I would have.

Though other times I had been weak against his charms, this time I was impervious. He wouldn’t get me again. I had to be on guard around him now. And firm.

Without giving him anything, I pushed him away and smirked. “We’ve really got to stop meeting in bathrooms like this.”

He remained unmoving in front of me. “Who says I want to?”

I rolled my eyes. “Okay. I want to see the rest of the house now.”

To my surprise he agreed moved out of my way to open the door. Wow. That was easier than I thought it would be.

“Okay. I’ll show you my room.”

I stopped in my tracks. Okay, maybe it wasn't so easy after all.

“I’d rather stick to less private areas.”

He looked at me with an amused expression. “Why don’t trust yourself?”

“More like I don’t trust you.”

His lips formed into a smirk. “Wise decision. I wouldn’t either.”

“The first step is admitting it.” I turned away from him and started in the opposite direction of the house. “Show me the Kitchen.”

Footsteps soon followed mine with his voice ringing out behind me. “You’re hot when you’re bossy.” Trying my best to ignore him I continued my way though the house.

Thomas got us safely to the kitchen with no kissing along the way. I was surprised at his restraint. I didn’t think he had it in him honestly. Maybe he could be tolerable when he wanted to.

Standing at the kitchen counter was a tall dark haired guy who Thomas favored a lot in the face. And at eh stove was a beautiful dark skinned girl with chocolate brown eyes. I knew they must have been Brad and Sasha, the ones Thomas and his dad was talking about earlier.

“And my estranged brother returns,” Brad smirked.

So they are brothers. I can see that.

They gave each other a quick man hug before Thomas introduced us.

“Brad, Sasha, this is Olivia. Olivia, this is my brother Brad and his fiancé Sasha.”

“Nice to meet you Olivia,” Sasha said warmly. However, I couldn’t take my eyes away from Thomas’s brother. And it wasn’t because he was extremely hot. No, it was because what I saw him wearing came as a bit of a surprise to me.

I mumbled an incoherent greeting back to Sasha, but kept gaping at Brad.

“Thomas didn’t tell you about his brother?” he guessed with an assumed smile playing on his lips.

I shook my head and tried not to giggle which wasn’t easy. Oh the irony. I could have so much fun with this.

Brad proudly adjusted his star shaped badge on his shirt and smiled. “A deputy and proud. I serve and protect the people of this town. And mostly from my brother.”

I smirked and turned to glance at Thomas. “So this is why you’re never in trouble for very long. You know people on the inside.”

“Yeah,” Brad stated. “And he owes me for the rest of his life. I don’t do it for him though. I do it for dad. He burst a vain if he knew half the things this one has done,” he said pointing to his brother.

“Hey, I am who I am,” he defended.

“That’s not always a good thing.”

Brad and Sasha laughed at my statement while Thomas just glared. I guess he didn’t like my sense of humor as much as others.

“Babe, I know you like it,” he smirked.

Yeah, right.

“In your dreams maybe.”

“Seriously though, stay out of trouble bro. You’re using up all my power at the station. I can’t keep bailing you out. You’re just lucky I was the one that busted up your last party. Providing alcohol to minors, not a charge we take lightly. If it was anyone besides me or Adam had been there you’d have been on your own,” Brad stated.

“Just trying to live a little before I die. Nothing wrong with that.”

I rolled my eyes at him. Thomas could be so dense sometimes. He’s lucky he has such a good brother. Everyone else has to deal with Karma. It goes with the territory. People like Thomas shouldn’t get away with things so easy. He should be home taking care of his dad instead of out wreaking havoc every chance he gets.

Dinner was good. I found myself really enjoying spending time with Thomas’s family. I wouldn’t mind doing it again. The only person that was missing from the dinner was his mom. Strangely, no one brought her up. It was almost like everyone was avoiding the topic.

On the way back to Grace’s house I finally got up the courage to ask him about her. “Your mom wasn’t at your house tonight. Where was she?”

He shifted uncomfortable in his seat and tightened his hands around the steering wheel causing his knuckles to go white. By that, I took it he didn’t want to talk about her.

“I don’t know. I stopped asking the question a long time ago,” he said making it clear the conversation would go no further. And I didn’t want to press it either so I let it go for now.

We rode the rest of the way in silence, with faint music playing in the background. The night swept around us and the rain didn’t let up. It wasn’t a very pretty and clear night like I’d hoped it would be. It was quite depressing.

When we arrived at Grace’s I was pleased to see her car was still gone. That means I wouldn’t have to answer any questions from her. And I knew she’d ask a lot of them. Tonight, I just wasn’t up for it.

The light from the living room shown bright through the windows of the house, so I knew Deacon was there. That sent my heart beating a little faster than normal and I had to coach myself to calm down.

“Well, I guess I’ll see you at school Monday,” I said breaking the silence.

I placed my hand on the door handle and started to pull it when Thomas spoke up.

“Thanks for going with me tonight.”

I shrugged. “It wasn’t like I had much of a choice.”

He nodded. “I know. But thanks. And I don’t say that very much so take it.”

I smiled. “Noted. And you’re welcome. Your family was more human then imagined them. Are you sure you weren’t adopted?”

He chuckled. “One can never be certain.”

The silence quickly settled back in again and I took that as good a time as any to take my leave. There was no need in making it weird. Plus if I stuck around here to long, Thomas might see that as me waiting for something and I didn’t need any more intimate moments with him today or ever. I was breaking the habit.

“Goodnight,” I smiled before pushing to door all the way open and stepping out of the vehicle. I breathed a sigh of relief when the cool and drizzle of air and mist hit my face. Aah…Thomas free air. I definitely need more of that.

The sound of his vehicle backing out of the drive came as I opened the front door and entered the house. I sighed again as leaned my back against the door once I closed it. What a day.

“Have fun with your Mom?” Deacon asked causing me to jump at the sound of his voice. Oh yeah. I forgot about him already.

My eyes found him sitting on the couch playing Call of Duty. He quickly glanced at me before going back to his game.

“Uh…yeah.”

“Oh and she called here about an hour ago when she couldn’t get in touch with you,” he added.

Wait. She called? Crap!

I laugh nervously and pushed myself off the door and walked slowly to the couch Deacon sat on.

“R-really? What did she say?”

“She wanted me to tell you your dad would be home tomorrow and she wanted you home in the morning. Then she asked where you were.”

My breath caught in my throat. Oh no. That’s it. I’m dead.

“Don’t worry. I covered for you.”

I furrowed my eyebrows together and stared at him. “You did?”

Why would he do that for me?

He kept his eyes on the flat screen when he answered me. “Yeah, I told her you went out with my sister and your friends to the mall today and probably had your phone off.”

I sighed in relief. “Thank you.”