Dedication to @SleepingwithinWater, because her comments always make me smile so freaking much.

CARMELA'S PICTURE BY THE SIDE

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"So Tate, what do you plan on doing after school?" My mum spoke softly as she started to pile food on to her plate.

We were all sat around the table listening to my mother try to interrogate Tate, in the nicest possible way of course.

Cutting into his food, he looked up at my mother and pulled his eyebrows together.

"Why'd you wanna know" he snapped.

As I was sitting directly opposite him, it gave me an all access pass to kick him.

As his knee jerked up and hit the table, Kelsie spat out her food with a high pitched squeal.

Biting down on my lip, Kelsie narrowed her eyes at me and stabbed her knife in her slice of chicken.

Before dinner, she specifically said to me not to embarrass her in anyway. How was it my fault that Tate was acting like a rude tyke.

"Law, I want to study law" scoffing to myself, I noticed how it may had come out louder than I intended, as everyone's eyes had seemed to find my face the most interesting thing right now.

"Carmela.." My mother warned.

"I'm sorry, but isn't it a bit ironic how a criminal wants to study law... You don't find that a tad suspicious?" Squinting my eyes at my mom, I tilted my head as she rolled her eyes in frustration.

"Carmela Luisa Brooks, I'm warning you" my mother seethed through her teeth.

Pointing my fork in Tate's direction, I watched as my mothers face slowly turned red with anger.

"He's a criminal, and I'm in the wrong? You know you're putting your family in danger, what if he completely snaps?" Slamming her cutlery on the table, she flashed an apologetic look at Tate before pointing a finger in my face.

Didnt't she once tell me pointing was rude?

"You're hanging by a very thin thread right now Carmela" Pushing myself back a bit, I quickly glanced at a not so annoyed looking Tate.

He had that same blank non existent facial expression he always wore. Stirring the peas around his plate with his fork as I continued to stare at him in curiosity.

Why wasnt he getting annoyed, why wouldnt he react at all? The thought alone nearly made me want to rip out my hair.

"What if he's a panty sniffer, huh? Oh god mom you've let a panty sniffer stay with us for 3 weeks. You know how creepy that-" the sound of my moms hand colliding with the table made me stop my pointless explanation.

"Go to your room, now" pushing myself up, with both palms placed flatly upon the table, I leaned towards my mom and narrowed my eyes.

"My pleasure." Stepping away from the table, I marched my way out of the room and was already half way upstairs before someone decided to follow me. Sprinting my way to my room, I shut the door and slid my back down it.

Closing my eyes, I concentrated on the footsteps nearing to my room.

"Kitten.." Again with the freaking kitten card.

"No hablo ingles" I muttered while fiddling with the ends of my hair.

"usted sabe que yo hablo español también" dropping my hands, I lowered my eyebrows and pressed harder against the door.

Could he really get anymore attractive?

"Can you come back when I have a good come back" hearing his low laugh indicated he wasn't as angry as I thought he would be. Maybe I should apologise?

Why would you apologise for speaking your mind.

I guess that's a good point, but what if he felt really offended and-

"Can we talk" Tate's words immediately broke me away from my thoughts. Those were the 3 words that everyone dreaded in their life, right.  I felt my heart tighten as he tried to push my door open.

Jesus, he was strong.

Slamming my back against it, I brought my knees up to my chest and leaned my head back.

"About what?" I sighed.

"About the economy" he spoke sarcastically.

"Just things, now open the fucking door" grabbing the nearest magazine, I started to flick through the pages while Tate continued to mutter insults as I was ignoring him.

"I'm not opening my bedroom door to a panty sniffer, just speak" hearing the fabric of his shirt slide down the door, I felt as he slightly banged his head on the door.

"I have a girlfrien-

"I know" I snapped before he could finish. Why did I sound so freaking needy, I hated it.

I didn't even know Tate that well and I had already told him I liked him.

He's just some egotistical, rude, violent, stupid guy.

"She was there for me when I was in a bad place..." Closing the magazine, I crossed my legs and backed slightly away from the door.

"I got kicked out some bar because I was too drunk to even stand up.. She helped me, she helped me with everything" balling my hands into fists, I counted to 10 and stood up before swinging open the door.

"Is there a point to this bed time story." His eyes were scanning mine as he got to his feet.

"You're such a bitch" pushing past me, he dragged out my chair from up under my desk and sat it in the middle of the room.

Rude.

"Sit" looking at him with a sour face, I crossed my arms and leaned upon my door frame.

"You're not my mothe-" storming up to me, he dragged me away from my door and sat my in the chair himself.

"Just.. stay" letting go of my shoulders slowly, I glowered at him as he took a seat on my bed.

"If I'm going to have to live with you for 3 weeks, you're gonna a need to stop acting like such a fucking bitch. I mean I can deal with it at school, but here? I swear I'll have to lock you in a cupboard or something."

I was about to interject but he held his hand over my mouth so my words came out muffled.

Looking down at his veiny hand, I stared back up at his face.

"Let me finish,  kitten" A small smile appeared on his lips as I nodded my head slowly.

"For every question you ask me, I get to ask you, got it?" Rolling my eyes, I removed his warming hand away from my mouth and ran a hand down my face.

"Why are you such a dick" I asked in an overly chirpy voice.

"Runs in the family" he droned.

"When's your birthday?" What? I was expecting something on lines of 'why do always act like a sack of shit'.

"October the 31st" I said in a shell shocked tone.

"On Halloween, huh." slouching further into the uncomfortable chair, i slung my head back so it was facing the ceiling.

"Yup" as a questioned popped into my mind, I snapped my head forward and looked at Tate with a smile.

"Why were you spying on me that day in the diner?" A small smile playing on his lips, he leaned backwards on the bed with his arms behind his head.

"I was blackmailed, I didn't even want to be there". My smile slowly started to fade, as his words seemed to cut deeper and deeper. Turning my face to the door, I couldn't bare to look at him.

"What's your favourite colour?" He chirped.

"Burgundy." I slightly whispered.

"You okay?" Hearing the bed squeak slightly, it meant that he had leaned closer towards me.

"Dandy" I spat out bitterly.

Grabbing my chin lightly, he turned my head around so I was now staring directly at him.

"You're lying" shifting my eyes towards my window, I slowly removed his hand.

"Can you just carry on asking me questions?" Still not making eye contact with him, I tried to make out that the shape of my window, was the most entertaining thing in the world.

"Are you sure-"

"Just ask the damn questions" You're probably thinking why I wanted him to ask me questions, right? Well I'll tell you when I find that out to.

"Favourite food?" He sounded like he was treading on egg shells, like he was trying to be careful of what he said.

"Pepperoni pizza." I answered bluntly.

"Worst fear?" He had now gotten off of the bed and was examining my room like a test. He picked up and prodded anything insight.

"Sleeping in the same house as a psycho" I said with a sickly sweet smile.

walking right infront if me, he slanted his head and cocked an eyebrow.

"I'll tell you mine, if you tell me yours?" Turning my head in the opposite direction, I secretly thought to myself. It would be pretty cool if I knew what the true badboy of our school was afraid of...

"The dark....lightning and thunder...some other things.."

I was expecting a roar of laughter to erupt from him, but all he did was resume his seat on the bed and stare at his intwined hands.

"Why're you scared of them" he chocked out.

Spinning around on my chair, I brought my knees up to my chest and huffed into them.

"No Tate, I'm not scared of them, I'm petrified. Lightening can electrocute you, thunder just makes me want to cry, is it really necessary for it to be that loud? and being left alone in the dark....I just, I don't know." Looking up at him, I hated how he looked at me like a vulnerable little girl, like a child who had just cried their eyes out over the boogie man.

"Your turn" I murmured while looking at his slightly paling face.

Breaking his eye contact, he started to stare blankly behind me, only making litre glances when he probably thought I wasn't looking.

"Everyone leaving me, everyone noticing how weak and tired i actually am. Tate the ruthless badboy, he's not scared of anything. Im pathetic" He laughed.

I could see his crystal eyes start to glass over with tears. It seemed like every ounce of hate I had gathered for him vanished in thin air.

Dropping to my knees, I placed my hands on his knees, which got him to look at me.

"I'm seventeen and terrified of the dark Tate, I think I win this one" Cracking a smile, a single tear started to stream down his face.

Running a hand down his face, he cleared his throat and placed a fake smirk on his face.

"You'll always win the pathetic contest kitten" pursing my lips, I looked up at him with a puzzled expression. How could he just hide his emotions so well?

"Kitten, you look-" covering his mouth with my hand, I slowly removed it and placed it on the side of his face.

"You don't need to hide, you know that? No one's going to leave you Tate.." Quickly shutting his eyes tightly, it was like he was trying to block my words from entering his mind.

Running my thumb over his cheek, he shot his eyes open and gazed down at me blankly.

Tangling his hands in my hair, he slowly started to lean forward while his eyes flickered to my lips.

Suddenly a knock had came from the other side of my door, making him freeze and stare into my hazel eyes.

"Tate, a girl names Honey is here to see you" my mom chirped from the other side of the door.

"Thanks Miss Brooks, I'll be right out" Tate spoke while his concentration was still on my eyes.

Hearing my mothers footsteps grow quiet, Tate and I continued to bask in the awkward silence.

Carmela! What are you doing? You're looking needy and desperate, you did perfectly fine before knowing Tate, so why put yourself through this? He has a girlfriend, don't you remember that?

Pushing myself off of my knees, I walked over to my door and held it wide open while tapping my foot.

"You should go, don't want to keep your girlfriend waiting" Not looking at him, I heard his loud sigh as he got off of the bed.

Stopping just outside my door, he turned to face me with his grey eyes.

"Carmela-" slamming the door in his face, I ran over to my bed and fell face first into it with a muffled scream.

This whole situation would be a lot easier if everything was a lot less confusing.