On His Knees by Tabatha Kiss

Chapter 10

Jenna

Swish, swish.

I shift the mouthwash to the opposite corner of my mouth a little too forcefully and a few drops escape out onto my chin. It drips down, tapping against the sink as I stare at myself in the bathroom mirror.

Fucking Seth. I can’t even brush my teeth without feeling spikes of anger. He’s here, now, just wandering around my house and I’m supposed to be okay with it? Like my feelings on the matter don’t matter? Oh, no, it’s all about Heidi and what she wants and poor helpless baby Seth needs a place to stay and—

“Ow.”

And now I've bitten my tongue.

I bend over and spit.

Fucking Seth.

I grit my teeth as I glare into the mirror again. A few dabs of a hand towel clean me up, but it does little to dispel the red-hot rage staining my cheekbones.

Just breathe, girl.

I fill my lungs to the brim, then slowly push it back out.

Just breathe.

I can do this. I can avoid my live-in enemy for a week. I’m Jenna fucking Abrams Junior. There’s nothing I can’t do. No mountain I can’t climb. I just have to strap on my gear and put one foot in front of the other until I’m over this shit.

Another quick breath and I spin around to open the door.

Ugh.

Seth stands on his side of the hallway. He leans casually against the wall with one bare foot propped back, patiently waiting for his turn to use the facilities. Usually, I’d enjoy ogling a man in a white tank and gray sweatpants, but context matters and there isn’t a single context on this earth that will make me find Seth Newbury attractive.

He uncrosses his arms and raises his hand, using his toothbrush to give me a quick salute. “Hi,” he says.

I say nothing. I just glare.

“Oh, right.” He stands up with a nod. “Rule number two. Don’t talk to you.”

I turn with a nod, putting my back to him. Please — please — keep your mouth shut and let me make it to my room in peace. I’m way too tired to fight anymore tonight. I just want to curl up in my bed and sleep.

Tension tightens in my gut with each step I take toward my room. I listen closely for movement that isn’t there. Is he just standing there watching me walk away?

What a pervert.

As I reach my door, my curiosity wins out, and I glance over my shoulder at him. We make eye contact and Seth smiles, casual and aloof.

I don’t trust it.

“What?” I ask.

He shrugs. “Nothing.”

I narrow my eyes for a moment before marching into my room and shutting the door.

What a weirdo.

My phone vibrates on my bedside table. There’s only one person I know who’d contact me at this hour… and I’m not sure I even want to talk to her right now, but…

I pick up my phone and swipe open the fresh text from Heidi in my inbox.

Good morning!Great Britain flag emoji.

I twiddle my thumbs, unsure of what to say. Thanks for dumping Seth on me? Thanks for telling him I feared being alone, leading to my humiliation?

Or I can just… grow up and be a big girl about this.

Yay! Goodnight from this side of the pond. Have lots of sex in foreign countries!

Send.

The response bubble flashes up.

Way ahead of you. Winky face.

I chuckle. At least one of us is getting some. I can’t be angry at that for too long. Also, the fact that Seth’s best friend plugs his little sister daily and nightly is something that I’m sure eats away at him.

So, I’ll allow it.

The speech bubble pops up, then quickly disappears. It pops up again. It disappears again. She must wonder exactly how to bring up Seth.

After another round of ups and downs, I type out a friendly message. Something light and fluffy, meant to quell the unease in her gut.

Well, Seth is fucking annoying.

I hit send and wait for her reaction.

A laughing emoji pops up, and I exhale with relief. If there’s one constant I can always count on, it’s Heidi’s adorable eye roll whenever I insult her brother.

Sorry,she sends next. I know I kinda dropped this on you. Is everything okay?

I bite my cheek. Yes, I reply. It’s okay.

He’ll be cool, I promise. He really had nowhere else to go and he looked like HELL. Sad face. Flame emoji.

I have a lot of school stuff to prep this week so I’ll barely be home, I say. We won’t see each other much.

It’s a lie, but a white one.

Thank you,Heidi says. It’s really important to me you two get along.

I nod. Her saying that is rapidly approaching broken record levels.

But the least I can do is try.

Don’t worry about it!I say. We’ll be fine. You have fun.

She replies with a butterfly. I send one back.

I’m heading to bed,I tap. Go get some. Eggplant emoji.

Oh, I will. Peach emoji.

I discard my phone on the bedside table, smirking with a bit of sinister delight.

Plug her well, Mr. Rose. Plug her well.

* * *

I open my bedroom door a crack, slowly sticking my head out into the hallway to look around. Heidi’s door across the hall is closed. I don’t hear movement behind it. Seth must still be asleep.

Good.

I step out, keeping a slight bounce in my step to increase my heart rate as I pace through the kitchen toward the front door. Laces tied. Tights on. The girls secured beneath a sports bra.

It’s time for my morning run.

I skipped yesterday’s run for obvious reasons, but I’m not missing out on my daily stress reliever today... for obvious reasons.

Nope. Not going there.

Boundaries,I think to myself with a hard glance at the pink duct tape in the hallway.

Fortunately, I have identified what triggers me to fight with Seth and I have established boundaries to keep me away from it. Unfortunately, it’s his smug little face and dumb golden brown eyes.

But I got this.

I shuffle outside, performing a few butt kickers to warm up. I stretch my arms over my head. I twist my torso. I touch my toes.

It’s time to run my little tushie off.

“Howdy, roomie!”

I plant my feet on the porch, my attention drawn to the man jogging up my walkway, his thick, muscled torso caked in sweat.

Are you fucking kidding me?

Seth adjusts his stride, slowly coming to a stop at the bottom of the porch stairs. “Damn fine morning for a run, eh?” he asks, bending forward to give his hamstrings a good stretch... along with those tights. “Woo! It’s good to be alive!”

He stands up tall and performs a few toe reaches.

I twitch, far too annoyed to say anything.

“You all right?” Seth asks as he hops up onto the porch and props his hands on his waist, stopping close enough that I can see the beads of sweat rolling down the Alpha Delta Xi letters along his ribs.

Don’t.

Don’t engage.

Just go.

“What? Oh.” He nods. “Rule number two. Again.”

Ignore him.

Just go.

I step down from the porch.

“You know, there’s nothing wrong with the daily exchange of pleasantries,” he says. “A quick hello and goodbye won’t kill you.”

It’s not my death you should be worried about.

I shove my earbuds into my ears and crank my music up.

Run your heart out, girl.

Just run.