Skarlet Parker: The Twisted Snakes

Their night had been fun, by the next afternoon they were back in Oregon. They walked back to their flat and sat outside waiting was Mike's number one fan Eva. Skarlet sighed and opened the oor as Eva greeted Mike with a kiss on the cheek, her eyes turned to the merry two she felt fury at the fact that last night had been so fun, so social and then he had ruined it by meeting up with Eva, who she suspected he had text when they were nearly home. Eva followed Mike and Skarlet into the flat before saying hello to Skarlet, the words fell on ignorant ears. In the kitchen she made herself a drink and listened to through the paper thin walls after Mike's door closed. After a few minutes she heard laughter, then between gasps “Mike you're so funny.” Skarlet herself almost started laughing, he wasn't that funny. Her mind made a massive circle as she recalled that it was on many occasion that Mike made her laugh. She gulped the drink and sat on the sofa trying to push her subconscious thoughts aside, jealousy she knew did not suit her. Especially not jealousy over something that would never happen, Mike and her love lives were completely separate, she'd be stupid to hope for a difference. An hour or so later Mike and Eva emerged, Skarlet silently observed that Eva's blouse was buttoned wrong, that she kissed hiss cheek and that he leaned in to accept it before she said “That was fun, same time tomorrow?”
“Sure thing.”
Gross, they had made a time for casual sex. She waited patiently until Mike sat next to her. “Have fun?”
“Yeah.” Non committal. A surprise. She looked over, her green eyes fixated on his handsome features which seemed not sharp but to blend into each other with simple perfection. His hair returning to its natural brown as the hair colour leaked out with each wash. He seemed off, the colour in his cheeks more absent than it had been earlier, a strange cool anger sat deep in his eyes. She was tempted to question, then realised she probably didn't want to know. Her eyes shifted to his arm, the burn was covered. She sighed and stood.
“I'm off to bed.”
“Night.”
“Yeah, night.” She closed her door behind her.

The next morning, after some extensive thought Skarlet dressed in a black t-shirt which mocked those, including herself, with dyslexia (a t shirt Mike had complained about so many times) ontop a pink hoodie and black skinny jeans and Doc Martins. She fished the leather jacket she'd hijacked from Mike out of her wardrobe and handed it to him when she went into the livingroom. “This is yours.”
“No you keep-”
“It's yours, your parents spent money on it.”
“Fine.” He sat on the sofa, tired eyes focused on the tv, small fingers working away on an xbox controller, occasionally switching to his BlackBerry where he text away quickly, she presumed texting Eva about tonight. She looked toward him as he spoke. “Want a game marathon today?”
“No, I'm going out.”
“Oh oka-” She'd left before he'd finished the sentence. She was on a bus and heading toward the city, tall buildings shadowed crowded roads, cars beeped and people cursed at each other. Skarlet sighed, she hated being here, it was no wonder she hated people when this is what you could expect from them. By lunch time she was tired, by four p.m she had tried everywhere asking if they needed staff, Wal-Mart; no. McDonalds; no. She had the choice of going back to Hollister and begging for er job back. She wouldn't do that, no even if she had to. Stressed and upset she stepped into Starbucks surprised when a young man approached her and hugged her from behind. Realising she knew the creature with pink and blue hair they caught up quickly and by 6pm she was back at the flat.
“Mike!” She called with no response. “Mike!”
She heard Eva giggling, tired and annoyed she stormed to Mike's room opening the door shocked when she saw Eva sat on his bed, her blouse undone, Mike opposite her, his eyes fixed on her clean skin. Eva screamed and quickly fastened the buttons, he turned quickly. “What the hell? Skarlet!”
Eva blushed and put her jacket over her shoulders. “I'll call you later.”
“Eva-” She left quickly, neither roommate spoke until the flat door was shut and they were sure she was gone.
“You're screwing her aren’t you?”
“No.” fast asd defensive, he raised his voice when he continued. “Besides, that's none of your damn business.”
“You mean yes.”
“No.”
“You cant even tell me the truth can you Michael?” He looked shocked, it had been the first time she'd called him that since they'd met.
“Skarl-”
“Save it.” She walked quickly toward her room.
“Babe.” Following her.
“I will break your god damn neck.” She slammed her door, emphasising her mood and emphasising the fact that she was serious.
“I'm not sleeping with her okay? She needed support.”
She opened the door quickly looking at him, a look of doubt on her face. “She needed support with what exactly? He boobs? Yes, cause you're a lingerie expert.”
“She was showing me-”
“Her boobs.”
“Oh forget it, I cant reason with you when you're like this.”
“No, you cant reason with me because I don’t even know you any more.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
She offered a sarcastic smile and nodded leaving her room walking to his taking the law books in her arms dropping each onto the floor one at a time. He sighed and closed his eyes nodding. “I didnt want to tell you.”
“You didnt want to tell me that you wanted to be a lawyer.”
“Skarlet.”
“No, I thought I could trust you, I obviously can't” She walked away, tears streaming down her face, he followed only for a moment before her door slammed and locked. He sighed and took up a glass taking a moment to pour out an amber coloured spirit into the glass and gulp it down, the sixth easier than the first. Recalling it had been the first time he had done this since his brother Jacob had, several years ago, been in an accident which had rendered him paraplegic, an accident which had almost led to his parents divorce.
“What are you doing?” Skarlets voice made him jump, he looked up and offered her a sad smile.
“I'm sorry.” She could see the tear marks on his cheek. She gulped and failed to swallow her anger, which only burst as he gulped down the seventh glass, each becoming less vile than the previous.
“Tell me, what are you sorry for? Ruining my life? Breaking my heart? Ruining you families lives?”she instantly regretted the last part of that phrase. She saw the words had hit his heart and torn it like a bullet. Regret she then knew was not enough.
He moved quickly, the table hit the floor and he was on his feet. She sighed and stepped away. "I won’t-" her words were cut off as he grabbed her hands pulling her closer, a firm grip, the circulation stopped. "Mike...” Her voice was a whisper, her eyes closed. She gulped, scared. "I'm sorry." She stuttered the words gaining time, she raised her foot slamming it hard into his groin, he hit the floor. She tried to run, his hand wrapped around her ankle she collapsed to the floor boards wincing. Rolled onto her back just in time to receive a blow to her abdomen, stunning her momentarily. Her foot collided with the side of his head, she twisted it bringing the crescent kick to its full potential, he hit the floor side first she noticed, her hand slipped under his temple before it hit the table's corner a gesture he didn't note. Instead he thanked her with another punch, this time to the solar plexus, winded, and the pain. Tears in her eyes, stinging.
She caught her breath desperately, barely able to dodge the second blow, this time aimed at her mouth. She moved as fast as she could, firm on her feet she repeated her first blow, following up with a back kick to the stomach and turned quickly, her eyes closed as her final blow, a spear finger, hit his throat. The coughing fit started, she'd known it would. Tears now in his eyes; he couldn't breathe. She ran, quickly and grabbed his inhaler, seeing the extent of her damage only when he couldn't grip the plastic case. She shook it and opened his mouth pressing down the canister, the rest he managed himself, the second and the third puff. She held him gently, his head resting against her breast, she noticed as he turned, his cheek resting on her, his eyes looking up. She noted the tears. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have done that." He just nodded, probably unable to speak, she wasn't sure. "I didn't mean to say you hurt-"
"I know."
"It’s just I thought-" he looked at her expectantly; waiting for her to continue, her pause was elongated. "I thought you loved me, you'd been hiding so much...” Her words died off.
"For your sake." She nodded, she got that. He'd been scared. She looked at her hand as she felt his enclose hers, a smile reached her face, growing as she heard him say the words. "If it helps, I do love you. I really love you, I want to-"
"You know I'll be with you, you idiot." With those words they shared their first real kiss. Suddenly after a few minutes of kissing she let go of his red lips. They retreated to his room closing the door. When she woke up in his bed, her arms wrapped around his naked skin she realised just how strange an end it had been to the most interesting night of her life so far.