Teach Me to Please | Please Me #1 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36

Luckily, my parents slept in that morning, and so Roman was able to have soup and leave without any questions asked, but I didn't fail to notice the side eye from my mom the whole rest of day when I told her I overslept for school.
I went around to Roman's on Sunday but we didn't have sex. In all honesty, I was slightly disappointed but it was due to the fact that his parents were home and hanging about and the fact I also had tons Chemistry homework to do. However, I did stay for dinner for his mom's amazing macaroni and garlic bread, this time she brought ice cream and so we sat in the living room and ended up watching a movie.
It felt weird hanging out with Roman's parents so comfortably. It felt even weirder how they were perfectly fine with it. I didn't want them to get the wrong idea about Roman and I, we were just friends – friends with benefits more like – but there was nothing romantic about it. We both had things we needed; me – good grades, him – Emily. And that was the way it was going to go.
I didn't know why I was suddenly so cynical about it all. After I left Roman's on Sunday, I couldn't help but think that way. It all felt wrong. Something was off. Off in the sense that I didn't know what the hell I was doing. I had so much going around in my head: graduating, Spring Fling, Adam and Leah being bitches, Rya calling me up to complain about something stupid Christopher did. The last thing I needed was complications between Roman and I. Getting my shit together was what I needed to focus on.
Speaking of Christopher, however, the first thing I encountered walking into school Monday morning was Rya having a full-blown rage at him.
"You little bitch, I know you did it!" she pointed an accusing finger at Christopher.
"I didn't touch your fucking laptop, woman! You're just jealous my Psych essay is better than yours!" a smirk resided on his face as he held his hands up in defence.
"Oh, like I believe that, you piece of shit! One minute it was there, the next it was gone!" I could imagine steam puffing out of her ears at how fuming she was.
"Oh, and I'm the one to blame?!" he chuckled in annoyance, placing an offended hand on his heart. "This is probably just a set up to get me off the Valedictorian list!" he narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
"Nikki saw you go into that classroom! And Nikki sees and knows everything!"
I walked over cautiously; afraid I'd get my head cut off if I interrupted.
"Nikki said Chad Willman was also in the room, but your brain instantly goes to me! What can't get me out of your head, sweetheart?" if Rya wasn't livid before, she certainly was now.
"Chad Willman can't even tell the difference between rabbit and a baby giraffe! And don't call me 'sweetheart', dickwad!"
"Would you prefer 'kitten' again, hmm?"
"I'd prefer you to jump into an erupting volcano so admit that you delete my essay file!"
"I've told you this a million times! I didn't delete your shitty essay file!"
Rya gasped a placed a shocked hand on her heart, "My essay was not shitty!"
I stormed over as she went to lunge at Christopher, knowing I wouldn't get there in time before she clawed his eyes out. However, Taylor was there just in time and wrapped his arms around her waist to hold her back.
Christopher stagged back but I saw the amused smirk on his face.
"Can't keep your hands off me, McCoy?" he mused.
"Oh, just wait till I get my hands on your insides and rip them out, Knowles!" she struggled in Taylor grip.
"Jesus, Rya, enough!" he tried to calm her.
"It's enough when his tongue is my new bracelet!" Rya shouted, trying to break free.
"Don't you mean when my tongue is –"
"That's enough, Christopher!" Taylor bellowed, struggling to keep a grip on Rya squirming in his arms. "God, you are freakishly strong for such a stick-like person." He muttered under his breath.
Christopher remained a few more minutes to laugh before turning on his heels to walk off in victory of getting a rise out of Rya once more.
I rushed over immediately after. "Down, girl!" I exclaimed and flicked the side of her neck with my fingers. She shrieked but stopped fighting Taylor's grip before he let her go.
"He deleted my Psych essay!" she complained. "What a son of a motherfucking, dick-chopping bitch! –"
I smooshed her face between my hands she her lips puckered like a fish, "We know – the whole school practically knows!"
I let go of her face and she scowled. "I worked really hard on that essay." She then pouted sadly.
"I know, honey." I consoled. "When is it due?"
"First period!" she threw her hands in the air in frustration and panic. "And now, Miss Jennet is going to think I didn't do it and give me a fail and ruin my straight A streak plus my chances of ever getting Best Student in the yearbook and my chances being Valedictorian!" I knew why Rya wanted to be Valedictorian so bad. Everyone in her family on all sides had been Valedictorian and Rya wanted to keep that alive. She wanted to be just like them.
"Now I'm screwed." She looked down at her shoes and sighed sadly.
I thought long and hard about what I could do. What could I do? It wasn't like Miss Jennet – or any teacher for that matter – was going to believe me. In fact, me coming to Rya's defence would ruin her case further based on my reputation.
Then something came to mind.
"Rya, you're going to hate me but just bear with." I said and Rya cocked her head to the side quizzically.
"I don't get what you – ah, Jesus!" she gasped as I stomped on her foot. "What was that – ouch!" I slapped her straight across the face. I saw Taylor about to intervene as I grabbed her shoulder and kneed her in the gut.
"You toad-faced bitch!" she gasped for air and I took step back frowning.
"You think I look like a toad?"
"It... a matter of.... expression..." she knelt on the floor gasping for her as I winded her.
"Oh. Okay." I answered and brushed my hands together.
Rya coughed on the floor, "What... was... your... fucking... point?!" oh shit, yeah.
"Oh shit. Um... Help! Rya's been attacked and can't go to class! Taylor, help her!" my acting skills were better than Rya's that time she pretended there was a snake in the library, but it certainly wasn't Oscar-Award-Winning worthy.
"Taylor!" I hissed as he stood there like a confused buffoon. He suddenly sprung to life after worrying about Rya coughing on the floor, wrapping his arms around her fragile body, and picked her up in bridal style.
"If anyone asks you, they were small, fast and oh-so gorgeous." I winked and she rolled her eyes.
"I fucking hate you." She groaned as Taylor started to walk them away.
"I fucking hate you too!" I responded happily, laughing as she gave me the finger.
The things you do for friends, am I right?
❦❤︎❦
It was safe to say that the rest of the day was boring. Without my number one girl, I felt lonely and uninterested in everything. That was until Roman caught me by my locker after school and told me he could get me in to see Skye. I almost jumped in joy when he said we could go right away.
I wasn't an idiot to notice that Roman himself had gotten himself quite the following as now tons of girls gawked and flirtatiously smiled 'hello' at him as he strode past. They all looked ridiculously as he gave them no time of day, sometimes scoffing, obviously uncomfortable by their behaviours as he kept close to me, stalking to his car.
The car ride was mainly quiet apart from small talk, I was just excited I would finally get to see Skye. She didn't tell me I could see her this morning over text. Maybe she didn't know either? Maybe it was a surprise? All the more to be excited.
When we arrived, Roman and I walked straight up to the front desk. That redhead bitch was there and unenthusiastically looked me up and down before Roman muttered something in her ear and she nodded, telling us to go upstairs.
"What did you say to her?" I asked as we got into the elevator.
He shrugged, "I told her you were the one who saved my sisters life."
I stilled and looked up at him, mouth slightly gawked.
"What? You did. If you hadn't of called the ambulance, I don't even want to think about Skye's outcome." I had saved Skye's life. It hadn't crossed my mind before, but I had. It felt weird to say, that I had saved someone's life, but it didn't feel bad.
Once on the correct floor, we walked to Skye's room and Roman got out a key. I furrowed my brows.
"They don't trust Skye to stay in her room considering her previous wandering past. They think she got the drugs from someone inside the hospital and don't want to take any chances again." He explained, placing the key in the lock.
"Don't you think it's a bit... I don't know, prison-like." I reasoned. I bet Skye hated it.
"It's better than her being dead. Besides, she's not strong enough to walk for too long as it is at the moment." That made me wonder how thin she truly was.
When he opened the door, the first thing I saw was paint. Dozens and dozens of painted pictures across the walls, some stuck onto the ceiling. The colours burst across the room like hundreds of shooting stars lighting up the dimness of the sterile white walls to a radiant sky of rainbows.
"Woah." I gasped, but before I had the chance to turn to Roman, Skye caught my eye.
"Sienna?!" she beamed and jumped off her bed, running towards me. She flung her small arms around my neck and squeezed me tightly. "Oh my god! You're here!" she squealed. Try not to think about the bones, Sienna. Try not to think about the bones.
"Careful, Skye." Roman warned when she let go. Skye rolled her eyes at her brother.
"I'm not a piece of china, Rome. I'm allowed to have some spurts of energy." I noticed how she called him 'Rome' and thought it was adorable.
This time it was Roman's turn to roll his eyes. I bit back a smile and faced Skye. "How are you?"
"So much better now you're here. C'mon! My mom bought me some new paints!" she grabbed my hand and dragged me over to her bed. I didn't want to refuse as she excitedly collected the paints and paper and laid them out in front of us. Yep, the confinement was driving this poor girl insane.
For the next hour, Skye and I sat on her bed painting pictures. My flowers, once again, looked like butchered mushrooms whereas she painted a stunning landscape of an ocean at sunset with dolphins and humpback wales, little starfishes framing the corners of the page.
She was insanely skilled, and I wondered if her family realised it as much as I did.
Roman sat in the armchair painting too. I didn't know what of exactly but from the shadow behind the paper, it seemed like a brain. Typical, I laughed in my head.
It was mostly silent as Skye blasted a Selena Gomez album and hummed along to the lyrics, casually explaining how if she could live anywhere, it would be a beach. She told me how she loved the water, that the ocean made her feel calm, that the salty sea breeze was her favourite scent, and my thoughts drifted to that sadness framing her pretty thoughts. She might never get to go to the beach again. She might never get to experience that again. All those wonders and dreams would be lost.
I tried not to let it show for her sake and smiled along.
"What about you?" she then asked.
"Hmm?" I looked up, not paying too much attention.
"If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?" she elaborated. I thought long and hard about it. I didn't really think about that too much, I always believed I'd be stuck in the same town until I died. That was what always happened to the popular girl in the movies; she always ended up living some miserable, vain little life whilst those around her thrived. I never let those thoughts bother me before yet the closer and closer we got to graduation; I couldn't help but think about it too often.
"I don't know." I replied with a small shrug.
"Oh, c'mon! There has to be somewhere." Skye pried. Where would I want to live? Somewhere I could be myself and not worry about what other people thought of me.
"I don't think it matters where you go, I think it matters who with." I finally decided. Roman gazed up from his painting.
"How so?" Skye asked.
I took a deep breath and explained, "You could go to the most amazing place but be surrounded by horrible people, making it ugly. Or you could go to the ugliest place but be surrounded by the most amazing people, making it beautiful." I learnt that from my parents. We didn't have a huge house with a swimming pool in the backyard and a grand dining room, but we had each other and that made it more than enough. I was happy to come home, that was something I knew some kids with lavish lifestyles and tons of riches didn't always feel. My mom made me laugh all the time with her constant teasing and jokes, and my dad made me feel the most cared for in the world with his nurturing and kind nature. I was lucky to have them. I was lucky they chose me to give the most loving life to.
"Wow, that's... insightful." Skye eventually broke the short silence, bringing me out of me thoughts. "Rome wants to move to a big city." She then said.
"Really?" I glanced back at him.
"He hates it hear." She laughed, cutting in before he could talk. I didn't blame him. This was a small town where your reputation was known by everyone. I could see why he wanted to get away.
"There's no lie there." he chuckled softly. The only thing Roman had told me about his dream future was becoming a neurologist. I didn't know how he was planning to get there, the places he wanted to go.
"I haven't asked you yet, where are you planning to go to college?" I found myself curiously questioning.
"University of Pennsylvania." He answered. Damn, that was pretty far from Wisconsin the say the least, but it was Ivy League and I expected nothing less from someone as insanely smart as Roman.
"Damn." I let out a breath. "That's great."
"That's if I get in." a subtle uncertainty spread across his face. It was crazy to me that a guy like Roman was even worried about getting into college when he could literally be capable of taking over NASA or something.
"You'll get in." Skye assured proudly. "If you don't get in, no one stands a chance." That was very true.
Roman chuckled slightly but I still noticed the worry lingering there. Sometimes I forgot Roman was human. Everything about him seemed so put together and collected, I forgot he had worries – other than his sister for obvious reasons. Although, Roman was still a teenage boy and had many things running about in his mind I was sure of.
"I'm going to get some coffee. D'you want anything?" he turned to me.
"Chai Tea Latte if they have it." I answered thankfully. "If not, just a latte." He nodded before turning to his sister hopefully.
"I'm good thanks." I pretend not to see the disappointment on his face as he nodded and turned to walk away so Skye and I were left alone.
"I hate when he does that." She finally spoke, bitterly dipping her brush into a pastel blue paint blob.
"Does what?" I focused on my painting, attempting to fix the splodge of green paint that I accidentally drew outside of the stem with white paint to try and cover up. It hadn't dried properly and was turning it a mint green colour.
"The sad look he gives, it makes me feel so guilty." I saw what she meant but I knew Roman just wanted her to get better.
I bit my lip, painting one of the flower petals purple, trying to make sure I stayed within the lines. "You know he only wants you to get better." I reasoned. Roman didn't mean it illy. Skye was his little sister, he had older brother instincts to try and help her no matter what.
"Yeah, but I'm not getting any better." She emphasised. Just take it, Sienna. Don't try to convince. You said you'd be there for her and so you will be.
"I know." I sighed. "But he's your brother, Skye. You can't expect him to sit back." Thankfully, she saw some clarity in my words and decided to give up on the topic. It wasn't easy to hear her talk about dying. She was a fifteen-year-old girl talking about such a horrible inevitable so young. It didn't help how she was full of so much life.
After a while, she got up and walked over to the armchair where Roman sat, picking up his painting. I was correct when I assumed it was a picture of a brain and mentally chuckled.
"Typical." Skye rolled her eyes amusedly and placed it by the windowsill to dry. Roman wasn't as good as an artist as Skye but he was still good. It didn't surprise me. This boy was good at everything.
She made her way back to the bed to side cross-legged and focused back on her picture. "You know he talks about you all the time." She then mentioned.
My eyes darted up in surprise. "Really?"
"Mm hm. I mean, before when you and I didn't know each other that well, he'd always talk about some girl and it was blatantly obvious he had a huge crush on her."
"Oh." Was all I could possibly think to say. "That must be Emily, not me."
Skye furrowed her eyebrows. "Emily? As in Emily Lewis?" I nodded in response. "Hmm, her mom works for mine. She seems nice but I thought it was you."
A nervous laugh escaped my lips. "Oh no, he's been crushing on Emily since forever. It was probably her."
Skye didn't look too convinced, but I knew it had to be Emily. Who else would Roman talk about constantly? I couldn't see anything interesting in myself for him to repeatedly discuss.
"Oh, well he still talks about you. It's always Sienna likes this, Sienna likes that, Sienna, Sienna, Sienna, blah, blah, blah. No offense of course."
"None taken." I chuckled. "I mean we're friends." She gave me a look. "What?!"
"You do realise that you are the only person he's ever let in."
"That's probably because I'm the only person who's really gotten to know and understand him." I argued.
"Yes, because you two are such great friends." I shot her a glare and she teasingly smiled.
"He talks about you all the time too." I retorted.
"Yeah, because I'm sister dumbass and I'm amazing and I'd be disappointed if he didn't." a cheesy smile overcame her lips. I laughed and finished up the rest of my painting.
"Can I ask you something?" a question suddenly came to mind.
"Sure." Skye chirped.
"I thought your hair used to be red?" I remembered that time I nosily flicked through the Lawrence's photo album and saw the picture of Skye when she was younger. She looked awfully a lot like her mom.
"Ever heard of hair dye? I like to have fun, but my hair was strawberry-blonde, not red." She explained, putting emphasis on the last part. "I bleached my hair to die it pink, but the hospital took away the pink die before I could, so I'm now stuck with looking like frosty the snow-girl." She laughed.
"When you're allowed out, I'll take you to a real salon to get it done." Her face glowed as I said the words.
"Really?"
"Yep."
"OMG, you're the best!" she squealed excitedly, being careful of the paint as she leaned over to hug me.
After a few seconds, footsteps approached the door and Roman awkwardly coughed. "Am I interrupting something?" he stood in the doorway with two cups of coffee in his hands.
"Nope, just some girl-talk." Skye let go and beamed back. He shook his head with a small smile and handed me my cup.
"Chai tea latte. Carefully, it's hot." I took it between my hand and let the warmth seep into my palms.
"Thanks." I smiled and smelt the deliciousness through the lid.
"Sienna and I should get going soon." He then announced and Skye pouted.
"Five more minutes?" she widened her eyes likes puppy and pressed her hands together hopefully.
Roman sighed, "Sorry, sis, but we have school tomorrow. She can visit another time."
"Urgh, fine! But I'm taking that as a promise." She pointed a stern finger at him. Climbing off the bed, I gave Skye one last hug before collecting my things, waving a goodbye as she mouthed a 'text me!'. She hugged Roman, him having to pick her up because she was so tiny but I captured the scene in my mind as a sweet sibling moment, wondering what their life was like before all of this. Did they do things together? Did they annoy one another like other siblings did? Did they have matching pyjamas for Christmas when younger? So many questions. So many things I couldn't stop myself from thinking about.
Going down the elevator, I turned to Roman and said, "You should be a little easier on her, you know. Maybe you could talk to the hospital and see when they can let her out – with people to watch over her of course." If Skye believed she didn't have too long to live, I wanted to give her a life. I wanted her to experience everything before it was all snatched away.
He only looked back at me and smiled down at me softly, "When she gets better, she can go out as much as she wants." I didn't think a sentence could break my heart as much as that did, and I tried to force a smile on my face to give him hope. False hope. Hope that'll be gone and leave him crushed. Yet, it was still hope and I'd be a fool to not have it too.