Ugly(22)
“That’s a mighty fine idea, Lily. I can set up an interview with the grocery store. I know the manager there, she’s a nice woman,” he says as he lifts his eyebrows at me.
“Thank you, I’d appreciate it.”
“Good, consider it done.” He keeps eating, and when he stands to leave, Mrs. Hackly quickly takes his plate.
“Have a good day,” he announces to all of us as he leaves. “I won’t be home for dinner.”
I turn to look at Mrs. Hackly, and I notice her shoulders drop just marginally. “Okay,” she says without questioning him.
Trent and I finish, and I go to brush my teeth. When I’m through, I meet Trent by the front door so we can walk to the bus stop together.
“Is there an occasion for the barbeque?” I ask Trent as he walks beside me, holding my hand.
“It’s Uncle John’s birthday. Every year we go to their place for lunch. Mom usually cooks a few dishes, and we just have a good day. He’s got a pool so we spend the day in it and just chill.”
“I don’t know how to swim.”
“You’ll be helping the women in the kitchen.”
“I will?”
“Yeah, that’s what the women do, and then we all eat, and the women go in and clean the kitchen and get dessert ready.”
“Oh,” I say. It sounds so backward, like things were in the 1950s. But what would I know? I’ve never been around functioning families before. Maybe this is normal. “You once said your dad came from a big family. How big is it?”
“Dad has four brothers, and two sisters. But we only talk to Uncle John and Uncle Martin. Dad fought with everyone else, so we don’t talk to them.”
“And your mom?”
“She doesn’t talk to any of her family, I don’t know why.”
“Does she have any friends?”
Trent laughs. A big belly laugh. “No way. She’s got no time for friends.”
We keep walking, hand in hand toward the bus stop. This morning’s humiliation is really prominent in my mind. “Trent, can I ask you something?”
“Yeah.”
“Why did you embarrass me this morning?”
“Embarrass you? How?”
Heat is rising through my body as I become mortified by Trent outing me like he did at breakfast. “You know, by saying what you said at breakfast?”
“My dad knows,” he says casually.
“What?” I whisper. “Please don’t say that. I’m so embarrassed.”
“He asked me if I’d had sex with you, told me to wear a rubber so I don’t get you pregnant. I told him you’re too frigid for that. He said now you’re my girlfriend and I should just take what’s mine.”
“What?” I mumble. Now I’m completely horrified.
“Well, you are my girlfriend now, and like I said, all the other girls are doing it. Some of them are even letting their boyfriends put their cocks in their asses. I haven’t asked you to do that yet, and I think I’ve been fairly patient with you. But if you don’t give it to me soon, I might just have to go to someone else to get it.”
“But…” I don’t say anything else, because I don’t understand.
“You know I love you, Lily, but I really can’t wait forever before you decide to give up your virginity.” He stops walking and pulls me to a stop too. “You are a virgin, right?” he angrily asks.
“Yeah, I am.”
“Good, because if you weren’t, I’d have to kick you out and dump your ass.” He leans in and kisses me on the cheek then starts walking again.
“Oh, um… okay.”
The bus approaches just as we reach the bus stop. Trent gives me a kiss then whispers in my ear, “I can’t wait until my cock is deep inside you.”
I pull away and get on the bus, not really saying anything. Truthfully, I feel disgusted by the entire situation. If Trent goes to another girl to get what he needs, maybe he’ll dump me. And I’m not pretty enough, or smart enough to be able to cope on my own. My dad told me I better learn how to suck a man’s penis, because I’ll never be good at anything else.
Maybe he was right.
My phone has been buzzing in my pocket all through English. But Mrs. Richards has a rule in her class, if you’re on your phone, you lose it. Up until recently, I never had to worry about that. But since Trent gave me the phone, he’s always sending me messages. And sometimes he gets angry if I don’t answer them right away.
It has not stopped vibrating against my leg and I know it must be Trent. I don’t want him angry with me, so I ask to go to the bathroom.
When I get out of the classroom, I look at the screen and see I have twenty missed calls from both Trent, and Trent’s dad. When Trent moved me in, Mr. Hackly put his number in the phone and said I can call him if I need anything.