Hello hello hello! I'm back again :). Anyway I've been doing stuff for my Contemporary Literature class (we just finished Laramie Project) so I've been busy. Anyway, apologies again for the screwed up formatting now :).
Songs for this chapter are: Bad Intentions by: Digital Daggers- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gPf-MntlWE
And... Love Save the Empty by: Erin McCarley- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgD4dI3giAo
Hex got back to her house about four hours later. She pulled out her keys to unlock her door, but paused. The door was ever so slightly ajar. Hex rested her hand against it and pushed slightly. Her other hand was wrapped around her hunting knife she kept in her purse. She crept into her apartment and pulled out the knife. She held it like she was going to stab someone in a shower at the Bates Motel, but adjusted her thumb to add more thrust. Hex heard the thumping of her heart in her temples and she took a deep breath to calm herself. She felt eyes on her back and spun around, driving her knee upward, and straight into the intruder’s crotch. Sterling fell to the floor and rolled, gasping in pain.
“That was not the welcome I expected, Hex,” he choked out. Hex was standing there, a hand pressed to her mouth.
“Holy shit! I am so sorry! I thought you were an intruder! I could’ve killed you!” Hex cried, setting the hunting on the end table and kneeling beside Sterling and offering him her hand.
“Fucking hell, Hex, I think you broke my genitals,” Sterling groaned, accepting her assistance. “I was going to ask for your help on that kidnapping case of Georgia Landers, but if the only help you can provide is busting my balls, my dad already does that. Can I get some ice… or frozen vegetables… or just anything really?”
“I am so sorry… Just give me a second, I think I still have ice cubes in my freezer,” Hex muttered, scrambling to her feet and slipping into her kitchen. She grabbed a plastic zip bag and dumped half of the ice cube tray into the bag. She zipped it up and walked out. Sterling had managed to stagger to the armchair and fall into it.
“Here. Jesus, Sterling, I am so fucking sorry,” Hex apologized again, handing the ice to him. Sterling shook his head and set the ice gently on his crotch.
“I’ll be fine, really. I just need to know if you’ll help with the case,” he replied, biting his lip.
“Will I be working with your dad?” Hex asked. Sterling hesitated, thinking his answer through. He finally sighed and nodded. “If… if I do want to help, do you think I could talk to Chris face to face first? And I want Bo to help. He already started making connections.”
“I can call my dad. He could get here in ten minutes. And you can call Bo- Brody and ask if he wants to help. My dad will want to talk to him too, so just invite him over,” Sterling replied. He slid a hand through his dark hair and forced a grin before pulling out his phone. He was still speaking in a slightly strained voice. Hex couldn’t help but have just a tiny moment of feeling proud. She quickly shoved that feeling aside and dialed Bo’s number. He answered on the first ring.
“What’s going on now? How much money do you need for bail?” Bo said. Hex glared at the phone.
“Hello to you too, jackass. I don’t need bail. Sterling showed up at my house a little while ago and I almost killed him. I think I broke his genitals. Anyway, do you want to work professionally on that Georgia Landers kidnapping case? Come over, because Chris will want to talk to you,” Hex said in a rush, barely stopping to breathe.
“Um… okay then. What time do I need to be there?” Bo replied.
“Chris should be here in about ten minutes. Try to be there as close to that as you can,” Hex replied. “See you then.”
Sterling had finished his call with Chris and he flashed a thumbs-up at her.
“Everything is all straightened out with my dad. He’ll be here soon,” he told her she nodded.
“Brody should be here soon too,” Hex replied. “I’m surprised you came here, Sterling.”
“Come on, Hex, you know how these people think,” he said.
“These people? Are you talking about the victims or the killers?” she snapped.
“Shit, Hex that was the wrong thing to say. I’m sorry, we just need your insight. You were with someone like that for four fucking years. You know where they hide and how the manipulate people,” he said, running and hand through his hair and looking at her with a pained expression.
“Of course I know how they manipulate people. I mean, they manipulated me, right? I’m an expert when it comes to being insane,” she replied.
“Hex, look, I said I was sorry. I don’t want to fight. Can we just forget about me being an asshole and just talk?” Sterling begged. Hex sighed and sat down across from Sterling on the couch.
“I’m sorry. I am just so sick of people saying I’m crazy or feeling bad for me because I spent four years with someone that treated me like their family and taught me how to defend myself. My actual mom should be the one that they feel bad about me living with,” she said, her shoulders slumping and her head dropping into her hands. “My actual mom is probably the most controlling, self-obsessed woman to ever exist.” Hex felt an arm around her shoulders and she leaned into it. A second later, both Sterling and Hex were startled from their positions by a knock at the door. Hex jumped up and quickly opened the door.
“Bo is in the building,” Bo said, strutting into the room. Hex stood by the door and stared at him like he was a unicorn as he pranced about.
“What in the actual hell are you wearing?” she asked, staring at his shirt.
“This fabulous shirt? It’s from Firefly,” Bo replied, glancing down at it.
“But… why does it have dinosaurs saying “curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal” on it?” she asked.
“Because Wash plays with his dinosaurs. Do you have to ruin everything?” he said, flopping on the couch. Hex turned around and shut the door.
“I often do ruin things, it’s true,” she replied, shoving Bo to one side so she could sit between Sterling and him.
“Haven’t seen you in months, Bo,” Sterling said, grabbing Bo’s hand and then doing the weird back thump thing that guys always do. Hex raised an eyebrow and looked up, watching the guys and talk about the Game of Thrones season finale. Hex watched Game of Thrones as well, but the guys were talking about Cersei’s hotness, so she lost interest. Another knock on the door startled everyone into silence. Hex stood again and answered the door. Chris stood there, nervously fiddling with his pocket knife. Hex froze and stared at him.
“Um… h-hi. It’s good to see you again,” she stuttered. Chris smiled and pulled her into a hug. Hex breathed in the familiar smell and smiled to herself, tears making the hallway swim. She closed her eyes and leaned closer to him, sliding her arms around him.
“Hey, Hex,” he whispered. She let out a noise somewhere between a laugh and a sob and pulled away from Chris’s embrace. He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and squeezed her shoulder before slipping by her to get inside so she could close the door.
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