Price Check On Monogamy

"I'm sorry, Tiger. I'm so sorry."

I froze for a split second at that. There was someone grabbing me, holding my arms, pulling me. Holding me. I quieted for a second wondering what had just happened. It was one of those Twilight moments when you can't help but feel out of place; like when there's a war going on, and you walk out your front-door straight into the battle field, yet you're so out of place that no one shoots you. I was so shocked that I wasn't even angry anymore; I just stood in the arms of someone who I couldn't quite remember until I smelt him cologne.

Tandem.

"It's all your fault!" I screamed, jerking away violently and trying to rip my arms away from his grip. "Don't touch me, you fucking whore! It's all your fault!"

Suddenly, he stopped fighting to grip my arms and let go, pulling me into him roughly and hugging me tight to his chest. I opened my mouth to scream at him again, still punching and kicking him as best I could, but, instead of saying anything, just screamed. Screamed with every bit of the heartbreak I felt.

Gripping the back of his shirt like a lifeline and holding on tight, I buried my face in Tandem's chest and sobbed.

"I'm sorry, Tiger... I'm so, so sorry..."

"I hate you!" I couldn't even scream anymore; my throat was too raw. All I could do was choke out words and sob. Clenching and unclenching my hands in the back of his shirt, I sobbed out again, "I hate you so much!"

And, all the while, the only thing he did was hold on to me and whisper those same words into my hair; "I'm sorry, Tiger... I'm so, so sorry..."

"No you're not!" I coughed out. "No you're not! Everything's just a game to you! This bet hasn't ruined your life! It hasn't ruined Jeremy's or Caleb's! It's just ruined mine! I hate you!"

By then, though, I didn't want to speak anymore. I'm pretty sure I couldn't speak anymore. I just sobbed into Tandem's shirt and thought about everything.

Milo. I couldn't imagine Milo completely out of my life. He'd caused my so much grief; we'd gone through so much together. He hated me. How was I supposed to face him again-- ever? Then again, knowing Milo, he'd probably just go live in the Alps with his dad for a bit then ask to transfer schools to somewhere in Zurich...

I started coughing, eyes wide and face ashen at the thought of not only never talking to Milo again, never seeing him again.

"Tiger?" Tandem tapped on my back lightly trying to get me to stop coughing, then started patting harder. "Tiger, stop it!"

"It's... all... all... ALL... your fault!" I choked out the words between coughs. When I was little, I'd forced myself to cough until I threw up when I didn't want to face a situation; I couldn't even tell if that's what was going on or if I was actually in danger of not being able to breath for all the coughing.

"Please, Tiger, you need to breath!"

The desperation in his voice made me laugh. "What do you care?" I asked bitterly, still coughing lightly, though that had mostly died down, along with my sobbing. My little crying session had apparently rushed me up to my hangover; I could already feel my headache, and I realized for the first time just how drained I really was. Slumping against Tandem, his arms holding me up, I closed my eyes and shoved him with my shoulder weakly. "I hate you."

I blacked out, but not before I heard him say softly,

"I know."

- - -

Tiger went limp in his arms, and Tandem stared down at her without the slightest idea of what to do. Picking her up and carrying her to the living room, he laid her down on the couch slowly.

"Now what?" He mumbled, kneeling down beside her. He realized for the first time just how soft her face looked when she wasn't glaring at him. Brushing her short hair out her closed eyes, Tandem rocked back to sit down and get his weight off his knees; she'd given him a few hard kicks there and, damn, she could kick.

Staring at her for a few more seconds, Tandem's eyes lit up. "I've got it."

Sprinting to the door and making sure that none of the search party was on their way back, he sprinted up the stairs to her room.

- - -

"God damn..."

I groaned and squeezed my eyes shut. I hadn't even drunk until I'd passed out last night, and this was a ridiculously huge headache. Trying to turn, I hissed when I hit my head on something.

"Morning, sunshine."

I forced my eyes open to glare at Tandem. "Where the hell am I?" I growled. Looking around, my eyes grew wider as I went. I was in his car. What the hell happened last night? "What did you do to me?!" I shouted, jolting up and doing my best to ignore the pain in the back of my head.

Tandem laughed. "I'm just taking you somewhere, alright?"

"No! It's not alright!" I panicked, twisting around roughly. I couldn't even recognize where we were going. "Where the hell are you taking me?!"

Tandem laughed. "We're almost there, just calm down. Jesus, four hours of on and off driving, and this is the thanks I get?"

I scowled. "I didn't ask you to take my anywhere. Besides, I feel disgusting. Or maybe that's just because I've been unconscious, with you, in your car, for God knows how long."

Tandem rolled his eyes. Not taking his eyes off the empty country road in front of us, he reached back and grabbed a backpack. Tossing it into my lap, he said, "Hold on, I'll pull over and you can change behind a tree or something."

My mouth dropped as he actually did pull over and nodded toward a giant oak tree. "Are you out of your small, stupid mind?"

Tandem just laughed as I snatched the bag and got out of the car. Leaning against the oak tree on the other side, I scowled and pulled my uniform shirt up over my shoulder. Opening my bag, I raised an eyebrow cynically at what I found.

A sundress. My sundress. When the hell had he been in my room?

Sighing and pulling off my skirt and shoes at the same time, I tugged the white sundress on over my head. In all honesty, I loved this dress. It was cross strapped in the back and had a thin, willowy skirt with a fairy cut. It had been just short of forever since the last time I'd worn it, though. Deciding not to wear shoes, I was still adjusting the straps when I got back to the car, I looked up and glared at Tandem.

"Wipe the smirk off your face, asshole, I still want to know why the hell you were in my room."

The smirk just grew. Shrugging, he said nonchalantly, "I thought you'd want something to wear. Besides, it looks good on you."

I narrowed my eyes. Somehow, I doubted that he liked it for the same reasons I did; considering the fact that, instead of going down to my ankles like it used to, a cut up the side went up to around my midthigh, and the neckline had to go a bit... lower because certain things had grown. "Keep your eyes to yourself, jack ass, and stay out of my room."

Tandem shrugged again. "Hey, I could have gone through your under--"

"SHH," I groaned, my head starting to pound. "Just get me to wherever the hell you were planning to take me to and then get me back home."

Tandem laughed, but started the engine and said no more. After what seemed like an eternity of driving and staring at the same rolling yellow-green fields and trees, we finally pulled up to a stop. In front of us, there was a huge lake. "Where are we?"

Tandem smiled, something I found weird-- he never smiled. Just smirked. "Ehh, this is where I go after a rough day." Getting up and grabbing another bag from behind the seat, he vaulted over the door and started walking. Rolling my eyes and getting out of the car, I walked hesitantly over to the edge of the lake. Being alone with Tandem creeped me out, especially when I knew that he was somewhere around me, but I couldn't see him.

"Boo!" I squeaked, turning on my heel to glare at him. Tandem burst out laughing.

"You're such an ass!" I shouted.

Tandem smirked and shrugged. "Yeah, yeah. Anyway, come on, I've got food and some tea to make that headache go away." Following him hesitantly, always a few steps away, I stopped short as he sat down at a picnic he'd apparently set up. There was a bouquet of flowers on a blanket and food and drinks set up. Sandwiches, tea, and coke.

Weird.

"Are you going to sit down, or am I going to have to tackle you down?"

I narrowed my eyes at him and sat at the edge of the blanket. Taking a cup of tea and gulping it down, I couldn't help but smile. Now that my headache was down to a dull roar, it was a hell of a lot easier to enjoy the fact that the lake was beautiful. I'd never been here before, and according to Tandem, I'd probably never be here again; five hours of driving was just way too much for me. Closing my eyes and enjoying the moment, I smiled.

Now that the headache was gone, and I could really think...

The smile melted off my face and I squeezed my eyes shut violently. Milo. That's why yesterday was so terrible; Milo never wanted to see me again. Milo never wanted to talk to me again. Milo didn't want me in his life.

Milo hated me.

"What's wrong?"

I jumped and my eyes flew open to stare at Tandem. I forgot to glare at him for a second, because, apparently, he'd forgotten to smirk at me. He actually looked... concerned. He reached out for a second and I flinched as he brushed my cheek; it took me a little bit to realize that I'd started crying and he'd wiped the tear off my cheek. "Tiger?"

I jerked back. "Don't touch me!" Instead of the shout I'd wanted, though, it turned out to be more of a loud whimper. Tandem's eyes grew bigger and he pulled back a bit. I pulled my knees up and wrapped my arms around them. Burying my head in my arms, I started to bite on my wrist.

Strong arms wrapped around me and I tensed instantly. "I'm sorry..." Tandem whispered into my hair. I looked up, ready to shout at him to leave me alone. Instead, I saw that his face was literally about five centimeters away from mine.

We locked eyes; I stopped breathing. Time stood still, and still neither of us moved.