Chapter 6 Do I Feel Pleasure Just from Your Underwear?

Adrian

“Mrs. Carter, there are some weird people in this neighborhood. Just stay away from them.”

Finished the last sip of coffee while saying it, though the tension building inside me had nothing to do with the neighborhood.

Marcus looked between us with curiosity. “Seriously? Mom, what kind of place did you move us into? No offense, Adrian.”

A small laugh left me.

“None taken. This place really is full of weird people.”

That made Evelyn smile.

God. That smile was starting to mess with my head.

“Do you like the cake?” she asked after noticing me reaching for another piece.

My eyes lifted to hers. “Yeah. I really like your cake, Mrs. Carter.”

The way it came out sounded wrong somehow.

And judging from the way her fingers tightened around the coffee mug, she noticed it too.

“I’m glad you like it,” she said, clearing her throat.

Marcus leaned back against the couch. “Honestly, I kinda like it here already.”

Evelyn laughed softly before pulling him into a quick hug. “Sorry, my son. I know the neighborhood’s strange. I’ll make it up to you later. Maybe I’ll buy you a new phone.”

“I was joking.” Marcus laughed. “Relax. I like it here.”

Marcus kept talking, but I barely heard him after that.

The second I looked at Evelyn smiling at Marcus, my mom popped into my head again. Great.

Didn’t even know why my brain went there.

Still made my chest feel weird for a second.

Evelyn’s laugh sounded warm. Familiar too. Way too familiar.

Like her.

Like the woman who left me behind without looking back once.

My father used to call me his prince when I was little. Funny how fast everything disappeared after that. Money gone. Reputation gone.

Then my father was gone too.

The memory hit harder than expected, and my eyes drifted toward the bathroom without really seeing it.

“Adrian?”

Evelyn’s voice pulled me back.

“Why don’t you stay for dinner?”

For a second, I just looked at her.

Then smiled a little, though the heaviness inside me probably still showed.

“Thanks, Mrs. Carter, but I should head back.”

Marcus stood up too fast. “Wait, before you go… can I come with you to university tomorrow? I don’t know anyone there yet.”

“Yeah. We already agreed, didn’t we?” Grabbed my jacket from the couch. “I’ll wait for you in the morning.”

Evelyn stayed quiet beside him, though I caught the look she gave me from the corner of my eye.

Looked like she noticed something.

Maybe she just decided not to ask.

“Thanks for the coffee,” I said. “And the cake.”

“It was nothing.” Her smile returned, softer this time. “You can come over whenever you want. And thank you again for fixing the door.”

“We’re neighbors. That’s normal.”

Marcus grinned. “Honestly, I thought I’d survive my first day there alone. Guess fate decided to help me out.”

A small laugh escaped me.

“Maybe.”

“See you tomorrow, Adrian,” Marcus said.

“See you.”

Then her voice followed right after his.

“Take care of yourself, Adrian.”

Shit!

Something about the way she said my name got under my skin again.

She walked me to the door, and for one second neither of us moved.

Just looking at each other.

Too close... quiet!

“Goodnight,” I muttered before finally leaving.

The moment I stepped into my own house, the feeling came back.

Same heavy feeling again.

Damn thing wouldn’t leave me alone.

Why the hell did she remind me so much of my mother?

The voice. The laugh. Even the way she looked at Marcus.

It was messing with my head.

“Ah,hell.”

My fist slammed against the table hard enough to knock bottles onto the floor.

Another crash followed.

Then another.

Didn’t even care anymore.

The phone kept ringing somewhere nearby, but I ignored it while anger kept building inside my chest.

One of the glasses hit the wall and shattered.

Didn’t care.

Breathing hard, I walked toward the window with a bottle in my hand and stared across at Evelyn’s house.

Then my hand slipped into my pocket.

Her underwear.

The second I looked at it again, my thoughts went completely wrong.

“What the hell is wrong with me…”

The fabric stayed wrapped around my fingers while heat spread through my body all over again.

“This is insane.”

Never reacted like this before.

Stealing her underwear should’ve felt wrong enough to stop me.

It didn’t.

Couldn’t even finish the thought.

My head dropped back against the wall with a frustrated laugh.

“Why do I feel this messed up over you already?”

Her perfume was still there.

Bad idea.

Really bad idea.

My eyes closed for a second anyway.

That stupid video popped into my head again.

Evelyn ordering me around.

My hands on her waist.

Her voice.

“Ohh.. God”

The phone rang again.

Annoyed, I grabbed it off the counter and looked at the screen.

Ethan.

Of course.

“What?” I answered coldly.

“Adrian, come on, man.” Ethan sounded nervous already. “Are you still pissed at me?”

“You almost got me arrested.”

“I said I was sorry! I was high, alright? I wasn’t thinking.”

A bitter laugh left me.

“No shit.”

“Come on, you use too. Don’t act innocent now.”

That pissed me off immediately.

“The police almost locked me up because of you, idiot.”

“Okay, fine. Fine. I messed up.” His voice dropped lower. “I’ll bring girls over or something. We’ll party. Just stop being mad.”

“I don’t want girls.”

The answer came out too fast.

Silence.

Then Ethan laughed awkwardly. “Damn. You really are mad.”

“Forget this friendship, Ethan.”

“Seriously?”

“You gave them my name to save yourself.”

“The cop tricked me!”

“I don’t care.”

Then I hung up.

Didn’t wanna hear his voice anymore.

Last week still played in my head too clearly.

Drugs everywhere.

Noise.

Police at the door.

Then that damn bag on the couch.

And every single one of them throwing my name out first.

If my lawyer hadn’t fixed things, my life would’ve been over already.

Another drink burned down my throat while I stared outside again.

That’s when the light across the street turned on.

Evelyn’s room.

Fingers tightened around the bottle before I even noticed.

A shadow moved behind the curtains.

Then her figure appeared.

And just like that, every thought in my head disappeared again.

I kept staring at her window longer than I should’ve, drink still in my hand.

Ohh… this whole thing was getting weird fast.