Generation 3: Chapter 7

 

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. . . GARETH'S POV . . .

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It's been pretty calm around the house now that Gibson and I are talking again.. No more tension or angry, awkward silences when we'd cross each others paths in the living room or kitchen. It was nice not needing to tip-toe around him anymore and no more constantly trying to figure out if he's left the house yet by staying in my room in silence and waiting to hear him leave through the front door. But, some things still caught my eye about him. We acknowledged one another two days ago, yet he still isn't the same.. Well, we're back to normal for the most part, but he seems distracted. I saw him last night as I made myself some dinner and he sat on the couch with a book in his lap, but he wasn't really reading it, he was just starring at his phone but his fingers didn't do anything as if he was texting or searching the web and he never once called anyone, so what was he looking at? 

Today was no different. I sat on the couch with the television on, flipping through the channels lazily and I half paid attention to it, being too distracted by Gibson in the kitchen making lunch for both of us. When the grilled cheese didn't need to be flipped and they could be left to cook, I still noticed him looking at something on his phone and my curiosity was beginning to reach its peak. "What are you doing?" I wondered, seeing him snap out of his trance and he blackened the screen of his phone quickly before returning it to his pocket.

He looked up to me briefly, then went back to preparing more sandwiches, "Nothing, I'm making lunch," he replied simply.

"Whatcha lookin' at on your phone? Since when do you not share nudes?" I asked with a chuckle, seeing him shake his head gently in irritation.

"I don't have any nudes on my phone anymore. They were of my ex, anyways, and looking at them only reminded me of you, so I deleted them," he replied with a devilish smirk and a matter-of-fact tone.

"Fuck you, dude. Even if you say you forgive me, you still keep throwing that shit in my face," I replied and looked back to the television, continuing to flip through channels.

He let out a chuckle, "Sorry.. You just set yourself up for this stuff, it's hard to resist."

"Well, stop. It's starting to piss me off and I just got over being pissed," I replied, my thumb pressing harder into the remote.

"All right, all right.." He answered and I looked to him again and watched as he put the food onto plates for both of us, "Come get it. Stop eating in the living room, too, you get crumbs everywhere and it's disgusting," he said somewhat sternly and I scoffed.

"No I don't.." I said softly under my breath, standing up and going to the kitchen to eat with him.

After eating a pretty late lunch, we both decided to watch some television for a few hours, seeing as we hadn't spent much time together lately. There were a few shows we liked that we needed to catch up on, both of us having avoided watching TV in the living room for the long time we weren't talking, but watching shows with him now made things a little more normal. We often criticized the shows we only liked and didn't love, going back and forth during mediocre crime shows and pointing out the flaws each of the criminals did when the show explained them poorly.

"Who the hell would do it during that time of day?"

"Wow.. There's no way I'd forget that and leave it behind.. What a Jackass.."

"Of course you got caught, idiot! You left so many fingerprints behind!"

"Jesus.. You'd think with how many murders he's gotten away with, he wouldn't drop his wallet and forget to check his fucking pants for it before he left.."

It was always fun talking about something we both could relate to, at least that's what kept us so close. I liked having moments like this, it reminded me of how well we complimented one another when we were doing unspeakable things like on this show as a team, yet it also made me a little discouraged to think that he had given up on spending that kind of time together when we moved here.. I missed being partners. He didn't know this and there was no way I'd ever tell him, but when he had brought up years ago that he wanted to quit what we had grown to love doing together, I was a little lost at first. I hated that we weren't tormenting lives anymore since we did it artistically. We complimented one another and it was so much more fun combining ideas, ultimately making the most out of the gruesome situations, which made them more enticing and exciting. I'll never understand why he wanted to give up something so glorious and invigorating. 

Gibson requested the remote to switch over to the news quickly before our next show started in ten minutes; the best news that you were most interested in was always the last few segments. I sat there lazily, waiting patiently until the news was over so we could start our next show, but my attention was caught immediately when a 'Breaking News' report came next. The news reporter spoke frantically with a sorrowful tone, "Breaking News! A woman in her mid twenties was found dead tonight, floating nude along the coast here in Lucky Palms. A jogger found her washed up on shore, white as a ghost with her throat slit and we still have yet to find out the identity of this young woman. She has short, platinum blonde hair and it seems that the condition of her body shows that she's been in the water for roughly a week.. There are no leads or suspects at this time, but we will have more information regarding this story about this Jane Doe within the hour, stay tuned.." I heard Gibson let out a whispered gasp and my heart began to race. The reporter described Katherine, and what I had done to her when I was with her that night on the beach.. 

I looked over to Gibson and I watched as his face went from shocked to questionable, "Wow.. Who could've done that?" He asked with slight sarcasm.

"No idea.. Sucks for her.." I voiced softly. I looked back to the television and tried to ignore him, but I noticed out of the corner of my eye him look towards me.

"Weird.. I feel like I've seen something to that extent in the past, such lack of care and brutality seems to ring a bell.. Do you know anything about this, Gareth?" He asked and my heart raced even faster.

"What!? You think I did this? I agreed to being done with that kind of shit when we moved here, Gibs.. Come on.."

"Gareth.. This points to you completely, do you really think I don't know how you work after all these years? Wha'd you do, fuck her, kill her and dump her?" Gibson questioned, his expression full of rage and so was his tone.

"Dude.. Seriously? You think I'd break my promise?!" I questioned with anger in return.

"Stop lying! I don't know why you constantly think I'm stupider than I am, but I know you, Gareth.. We talked about this! What the hell is wrong with you!?" He raised his voice and I let out a sigh of exasperation.

"We quit that shit 5 years ago and I never did the same thing twice! How the fuck could it be me?"

"Because.. You did do the same thing to the girl you met back in Bridgeport when we were 16! Or did you forget already!?" He asked with continued rage.

I was at a loss for words.. Shit, I had done the same thing before to another girl like I had to Katherine and the police were loosely on to me, but Gibson helped me and I got off scot-free because of him and how he was able to talk his way out of situations.. He convinced them that I was with him the entire night at a party; we had gone to so many parties to the point where everyone there, too, couldn't remember if I was there or not, but assumed I was because Gibson was.

But only he knew the truth.. Fuck..

Gibson stood to his feet aggressively as if wanting to take a swing at me and I stood right after him, already ready to accept his argument that I knew was coming and he stepped closer to me without hesitation, "Do you honestly think you can keep this stuff up!? We agreed to stop together because we've gotten away with so much before, it was good to quit while we were ahead.. This isn't progress, Gareth!" He voiced angrily.

"Fine! It was me, all right!? What the fuck is it going to change now? She's dead and they have no leads, it just shows that I'm still on my game!"

"It's still too early to tell!" He yelled back, "Gareth.. You do realize that I wanted to quit in the first place because I never wanted to be caught, right? The sooner you stop this, the better.. We stopped because we didn't want to end up like our Father! Why are you continuing this!?" He asked, still yelling and Jess came over towards me, whimpering whenever we fought and trying to check if I was okay.

I didn't acknowledge her, keeping up this battle with Gibson, "Like you're one to talk! Explain to me just how the girl at your work killed herself! Why did she!? Despite how much you know me, I do know you, too, Gibson! Don't think for a second that I wasn't listening to you whenever you complained about her, or told me how utterly annoying she was, or even how angry you got just from mentioning her in the first place! You manipulated her into doing it! Didn't you!?" I asked angrily in return, seeing him calm a little and his expression went resentful.

There was a short silence between us as we exchanged harsh glares, me speaking up first, "I'm done with this.. I'm done being the bad guy when you're constantly doing the wrong thing, too.. I'm done being blamed for everything! Get your head out of your ass and stop acting like all of what we've done and want to do can just be forgotten or easily ignored!" I announced, stepping passed him and hitting his shoulder with mine aggressively to get him out of my way and I walked towards the door.

"Where the hell are you going?" He asked with little patience.

"Out.." I replied with a short tone, walking towards the door and putting my shoes on before I left, hearing him call out to me before leaving.

"We're not done talking about this, Gareth!" He yelled and I slammed the sliding door to the point where it closed yet it bounced back open a little from the force I gave it.

I walked to the shore parking lot and got in our car, driving away with a squeal of the tires and already knowing I needed a drink to hopefully forget everything that happened. How the fuck could he say those things? I knew he knew how I worked, but I knew him, too! He caused that girl from his work to commit suicide, I know he did.. But, that's how we worked. He would torment them, manipulate their minds and cause them to feel such guilt and depression to the point where they wanted to die, begging him to give them that release. He would break their resolve while empowering his own.. Then I would come in, causing them the physical pain that they wanted to do to themselves in order to die, yet I'd hold off on fulfilling their pleads as I tortured their bodies so they wouldn't die like they wanted, but they would suffer without question. We'd flip a coin to see who finally got to finish them off. No one had the luxury of experiencing the taste of freedom or solace when dealing with us. We just.. We worked so well together, and it seems like we've been doing nothing but fighting ever since he proposed making that stupid fucking promise.

I drove for a while, ending up on the other side of town at a bar that I didn't often bother with simply because it was a shitty dive, but I hadn't come here often for a reason.. I needed someplace to go seldom where I knew I wouldn't come into contact with anyone I know. I wasn't in the mood at all to make idle small talk and to pretend that I care when all I could focus on was the anger inside of me that refused to cease. 

I arrived at the bar and this place was dead, just like I had both expected and hoped and I took a seat in front of the bartender. She was decent, I guess. Her face wasn't anything to rave about, but she had a pretty nice body, taking a moment to look it over a few times before she asked what I'd like to drink. I really didn't care, anything at this point would do and I told her just that, watching then as she nodded in acceptance and began making me a random drink.

I was still pissed off beyond belief at the argument I had with Gibson, but the more I tried to ignore it, the more it kept me mad. I couldn't forget it so easily when I didn't have anyone to vent to, and I wasn't one of those poor, pathetic bastards that would stoop so low as to bore the bartender if they weren't interested. But I'm sick of him treating me like a child and acting as if he constantly has to keep an eye on me or the next thing he knows, I'll break a vase or the television or some stupid shit.. He just makes me so angry sometimes with how condescending and hypocritical he is, not to mention he always, always refuses to admit defeat when we fight.

The bartender eventually gave me my drink and my first sip stung going down my throat. It was fruity, it tasted like strawberries and limes with rum and it was pretty damn strong, but I didn't complain or show any signs of a struggle while drinking it. My foot tapped in slight aggravation as I didn't waste any time trying to finish the drink I had. The sooner I had a few more, the better. "What's on your mind?" The bartender spoke up unexpectedly, "I can hear you tapping your foot as fast as a racing heartbeat," she added with a soft chuckle.

"Nothing.." I replied dryly, not comfortable discussing anything that happened between Gibson and I with a stranger, especially since we were discussing something that would make her immediately call the police.

"Doesn't seem like nothing," she answered.

"Maybe I just don't feel like talking about it," I replied, still refusing to take up her offer to listen to my troubles.

"Well, if it's about a girl, I'd be more than happy to help.. My friends tell me I give pretty good advice where it's needed," she still encouraged and I sighed softly. Maybe talking about it would help..

I finished my drink and she began making me another as I tried to think of a different yet similar scenario to tell her. "Well, my girlfriend got pissed because she caught me, uhm.. Smoking, again.. We got into this huge fight because we both agreed to quit together, and I wasn't going to say anything about me catching her smoking, too, but I did anyways because I didn't think she was being fair. She got even more pissed but didn't deny it, and I couldn't look at her anymore so I stormed out," I explained the situation somewhat and she brought my drink over to me.

"Ahh, I see.. So she's mad that she caught you smoking and she's mad because you caught her, too?"

"Yeah, pretty much." I replied, taking a few large gulps of my beverage; this one tasted like vodka, raspberries and pink lemonade, just as strong as the first one.

"Well, that's not very fair.. I'm not siding with her and I'm not siding with you, either.. But, you did both agree to quit together, so why do it again when there's even a chance of getting caught?" She wondered.

"Because I love it, and I know she loves it, too.. I don't even know why she wanted to quit in the first place.. But why get mad at me about it when she's done it as well? She's just so hypocritical sometimes, it drives me nuts.."

"I can understand not wanting to give up a habit that you happen to enjoy, but giving it up together is something you both need to be strong about. Even if you slip up, be honest and tell her you did, and when she slips up, too, she needs to be honest and come clean. Things will end better if you're both just truthful about it, it's a good way to avoid getting caught and fighting, too, which is what happened," she continued. As much as she was trying to help me, it just wasn't that great of advice still; he friends were fucking morons to call her a good advice giver.. There was no way I could be honest to Gibson about this stuff, and there was no way I could tell him that I've been breaking our promise and I haven't even tried to stop..

After putting in her two cents and I pretty much completely dismissed her advice, I finished my second drink and requested a third and final one before I would leave here. The strong taste of Gin and mango's poured over my palette and this was my favorite one yet. As I took my time with this drink, I tried to ponder on what I should do tonight. There was no way in hell I was going back home, but I didn't want to stay at a motel, either.. My three favorite things to do always came to mind when I was feeling this angry and wanted release. Drinking was one of them, but I was going to be done with that soon. I wasn't in the mood to take anyone's life tonight because of Gibson, so that only leaves one last thing..

I paid my tab and hung my head as I left the bar, my vision a little blurred but I wasn't nearly as drunk as I could be; I could still drive without being suspicious and without getting pulled over. I searched my glove box and found some gum, popping a piece in my mouth to help get the taste of fruit and liquor off my tongue as I drove away from the bar. I wasn't sure where to go, there was no one at the bar that I wanted to pick up and I couldn't really focus enough to be on my game and successfully bring a stranger home so I could rub it in Gibson's face and force him to listen to me getting some. I knew he hated that, and I knew he hated it more when I did it on purpose just to spite him.

I drove around until it was about 9:00 and I was sobering up now, my mind racing the entire time and I couldn't get it to stop. Gibson was on my mind and it bothered me too much to even think of anything else. How could he have the tenacity to question me when he was the cause of his coworker's death? He had broken his promise, too. Maybe the bartender had a point, what if he liked it just as much as me and wasn't able to stop, but we just haven't been honest with one another? Had he been doing it this whole time without me like I have been without him? It angered me to think about.. The thought of him leaving me out of such fun when he was the one that wanted to stop everything.. My hands balled into tight fists at the thought.

I found myself pulling into a driveway that I hadn't pulled into in a few weeks, though I was a little mad at myself now that I had decided to stoop so low. I hardly ever saw the same girl twice.. When it came to someone like me, it was almost unthinkable that I'd do this since it was boring for me if I slept with the same girl again, but I suppose I could be man enough to admit I was a little desperate and, well.. Lonely. I let out a heavy sigh and got out of the car, spitting out my gum onto the sand and walking towards the house, realizing something else that only made me more irritated.. Gibson would have a field day if he knew where and who I pathetically ran back to since I only did it because it was a sure thing.. God, this is so humiliating.

With my last shred of dignity, I slowly walked up the steps and onto the porch, remembering this place a little too well now and already I contemplated turning around and rushing back to my car, but I couldn't. My heart began to beat a little faster than normal, I hated doing shit like this and it made me a little nervous at the thought of potentially being let down.. It's never happened before.. I'd be even more pissed off if this didn't end up working in my favor. But it had to work, I don't know what I would do with myself if it didn't. The wooden floorboards sunk in a little with each step I took upon the old porch, soft creeks escaping through the cracks and I raised my hand to knock on the door, but I hesitated a moment..

Am I really about to do this? Now, even if things did end up working out, I'll never be able to forget that Gibson had the power to infuriate me enough to drive me to do something this degrading, in my opinion. I felt like a little boy running home to his Mom after scraping his knee while playing, wanting her to tend to it and kiss it to make it feel better.. I let out a defeated 'hmph', succumbing to my primal needs to be with someone and I knocked on the door lightly. 

I waited roughly a minute until finally the door opened and Nina and I made immediate eye contact. I could tell in her face that seeing me again brought up emotions that she's probably been forcing herself to forget and I felt as if she was going to start crying. Why the hell did I come here again? Pathetic, Gareth, reeeaaally pathetic.. Why did I choose her to come back to, anyways? Well, I suppose she was the one I had probably hurt the least out of all my past flings.. I guess I still saw the most potential in her to be the most forgiving.. 

"W-What are you doing here?" She asked with her soft, mousy voice, "I haven't talked to you in weeks, Gareth.. Where have you been?" She asked with a worried and wobbly tone.

I stepped into her home without being invited, causing her to take a few steps back and I shut the door behind me, "Nina, I'm so sorry.." I began, bringing my hands up and holding her arms gently.

I watched as she brought her hands up to my chest, trying to get me to back off a little, but I didn't, "I thought you were ignoring me! What happened? Where have you been this whole time?" She asked again and I quickly thought up some random lie.

"Nina, listen to me before you think of throwing me out.." I began and she stopped trying to push me away, but she avoided looking me in the eye, "I got a call from a relative in Egypt about my Step-Mom, she was getting pretty sick and we had to rush to go visit her.. It took me until I was on the plane to realize that I had packed in such a hurry that I forgot my phone and I don't have your number memorized, so I couldn't call. We stayed until she showed improvement, but I didn't think it would take so long. I came back as soon as I thought I could," I said convincingly. She knew about Bennu and her origin, but I had never gone into enough detail about her to even say she lived right here in town..

Nina finally looked up to me, "..Really..?" She asked with a hopeful shine in her eyes instead of the shine of tears and I nodded, "I'm so glad.." She hesitated a moment, her eyes turning shocked by her own words momentarily and her eyes went sorrowful once more, "Oh..I'm s-sorry.. To hear about your Step-Mom.. Is she all right?" She asked with concern and I smirked, knowing now that she believed me.

I slid my hands down her smooth arms and wrapped them around her, pulling her into me more, "Yeah.. She's doing a lot better," I replied and I saw her lips curl into a relieved smile.

Nina brought her hands up and her fingers began to play with my hair, "I'm so happy that I was wrong.. I tried calling and texting you, but now knowing you didn't have your phone.. I'm sorry, I began to think the worst and.. I-I thought I did something that made you hate me.." She added and I smirked.

"Oh, Nina.. I could never hate you. You're the most beautiful girl I know, I couldn't stop thinking about you while I was away, hoping you didn't hate me.. I never meant to make you worry so much."

"I don't care.. I'm just happy you're here now, Gareth," she replied and my smirk turned into a wide grin. Perfect.. This couldn't have gone any better, yet I was still pretty mad at myself for being here in the first place.. 

"Com'ere, babe.. I've missed those lips so much," I cooed softly and sweetly, seeing her cheeks turn a gentle pink and I pulled her to me, watching her arms drop as my lips rushed to hers and I kissed her roughly, yet with slight compassion behind it. Human contact usually always helped in these kinds of situations where I needed to forget things, if only for a little while, but for some reason this stuck in my head a lot longer than I thought it would.. If Gibson ever found out about this, he'd make fun of me for years to come and I never wanted him to have any reason to believe I could be this weak..

I'm supposed to be the big brother, the stronger one. Dad told me to protect him and not let anything come between us.. But, it's Gibson who's been doing that.. He's been protecting me since day one. He protected me back in Bridgeport countless times, he tried to protect me when we moved here by stopping our 'activities', and he tried to protect me tonight when he had found out what I had done to Katherine. Wow.. Even if he did find out about what I'm doing tonight, I don't think his view of me would change at all even despite my assumptions. I was already weak in his eyes..

I was able to flawlessly show my interest in Nina and bring her to her bedroom as I thought back on Gibson and I's argument.. Now that I had a chance to think about it, how was I supposed to know if what he did to his coworker was purposeful or not when he neither denied nor admitted to doing it..? Had I messed up big this time? Was it right for me to accuse him for what happened to her? Maybe I should've apologized instead of storming off.. I never realized until now that he's been nothing but good to me, and then I do nothing but break promises, steal his girlfriends and not care at all about the conditions of the house we live in together. How has he put up with me for so long? What sucks the most is that we've managed to remain close, but I feel like we barely know each other anymore..

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Original chapter written and posted on February 21, 2014