Marrying my high school bully

Lorraine

The realisation that I still loved him scared me. My stomach sank into a pit of hollowness as my mind kept processing the discovery. I didn’t even know that I’d zoned out until he shook me hard.

“Are you alright, baby? Did I hurt you?”He asked softly, producing a wipe from the cup holder by the side of the car.

I couldn’t let him know what I was thinking about, so I shook my head and flashed him a sweet smile. “How wouldn’t I be alright after what you did this evening?” I said shyly, my cheeks heating up as he helped to clean me up.

Then I noticed something, the car wasn’t moving any more. “Where’s the driver? Is he still here?” I probed, looking around.

Dexter roared in laughter before he could give me an appropriate laughter, while pointing towards my face. “Do you… Do you think I’m going to hurt you?” He questioned amidst laughter.

I rolled my eyes and leaned on the head rest. “You won’t, but I’m just worried.” I knew that I was worried for nothing but I couldn’t help it.

When the laughter had died down, he wore his squeezed shirt and buckled his belt. “I dismissed him for the day so we could have some time to ourselves. We’ve never really enjoyed this thing called marriage.”

“That’s right. I thought you didn’t have a heart.” I muttered then stared at my naked body. “We can’t stay all evening in this car and my clothes aren’t here.”

“I know that. That’s why I asked the driver to stop at a cloth store so that I can get you something for the evening.” He opened the car and left abruptly without waiting for me to say another word.

My lips stretched into a more genuine smile as my body reacted to his thoughtfulness. Even though he behaved like he didn’t care, he still noticed the little details.

His quick disappearance to the store gave me time to meditate on the new sprouting feelings that shook me to the core. I didn’t want to love him. I just wanted this marriage to be over so that I can leave, but now it looked like it would be harder to leave.

There were just a few months and a year left, if I wanted time to go slower or faster I couldn’t tell.

I didn’t have extra time to ponder on my feelings as the car door flung open and he jumped in with two shopping bags. I furrowed my brows as I snatched the bags from them in curiosity.

“What are these?” I brought out an ash T-shirt that had the inscription ‘Don’t give up’ and a pair of joggers from the first bag.Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

“Do you like them?” He asked as I kept scrutinising the clothes.

They looked really beautiful, but I wondered how he knew my size. “It seems you have every detail of my body etched in your perverted brain.” I giggled as I tossed on the shirt.

“I’d take that as a compliment.” He helped to bring out a box with a Nike inscription from the other bag.

I opened it and gasped at the beautiful pair of snickers that was in front of me. I couldn’t hold back my excitement as I dragged his face closer for a kiss. “This is so sweet of you. Are you trying to apologise for something?”

“Can’t I just be nice?”

“Well, a lot of people saw me as vulnerable so they made me feel that I didn’t deserve anything good in my life.” I inclined my head as I tried the sneakers on. “You also did the same at some point.” I confessed.

His harsh intake of breath sounded in my ears but I did nothing about it. “I’m sorry. I guess I was neck deep in my resentment for you that I failed to filter the lies from the truth.”

I moved closer to him. “What are you talking about?”

“Let’s forget about it for now. I’ll tell you all about it at the right time.” He pushed the conversation aside.

Several questions were at the tip of my tongue, waiting to be asked but seeing how reclined he was, I decided to listen to him. “Are we going back to the house?”

“Nope.” He popped the ‘p’. “We are going wherever you want to go. So make your choice and tell me what you want.”

I tapped my chin like I was engrossed in a deep thought then cleared my throat. “I’ve not had ice-cream in a while. We can have it together with some burgers. Then I’ll take you to a good noodle shop I discovered. They make the best soupy noodles around.” I chirped, my voice blaring with happiness.

For the first time since childhood, I’d get to eat all I’ve been denied because of financial instability and just do whatever I want.

I could already envisage how fun filled tonight would be.

“Let’s switch positions then. I’ll take over the driving.”

We moved to the front and he hit the gas. I enjoyed having him drive like a man without control. It was so crazy that sirens began to blare behind us.

“I think we’ve gotten ourselves into trouble,” I laughed, enjoying the ride.

He shrugged and overtook a car while I held onto the seat belt to keep me balanced. Soon, we lost the police van but I couldn’t help but keep looking behind me, in case he decided to take off his uniform.

We pulled over at an ice-cream parlor which was just beside the road, then he held my hand firmly and swung our arms so that everyone would see that we came together.

“What are you doing, Dexter?” A giggle erupted from my lips as I saw that his showoff was attracting some attention to ourselves.

“Letting everyone know that you are mine. Is that a problem?” He whispered in my ear.

I bit my inner cheeks as he pushed the glass door open. “I think I’m ready to have that ice-cream.”