My Bad Boy’s Ego — Chapter 31

It was already about fifteen minutes since we were silently hiding in the closet, and my legs were about to give out. Even though I was leaning against the wall, I was trying to hold myself up straight in order to give Landon the space his bigger body needed to not expose our hiding spot.

The back of my neck was tired from keeping up my head for so long that I casually leaned my head forward, resting it on Landon's shoulder. I felt the warmth of his hand resting on the wall next to my waist, as we were waiting for Charles to finally leave his room.

At this point, I was already tired how everything was set up. I should've kept my mouth shut about the loans, dragging Landon into this situation only brought us into worse situations and I should've seen that since the beginning. I was standing there, slightly getting angry with my thoughts as Landon releases a sigh that only us two could hear. I wasn't enjoying how our body was pressed against each other in this tight space. The last thing I ever wanted was to be stuck in the same room with Landon, to my stupid luck that's where I am.

"Jeffery, I can not find the file," the voice, I suppose from Charles begins to speak up. Considering that the door did not open after Charles, he was probably talking on the phone with someone.

The moment we heard Charles's voice, we both jerked up. Landon quickly puts a hand over my lips, afraid of me making a sound. I hissed and pulled his hand off of my mouth before exchanging a glare towards him.

"I told you I do not have it," he spoke up again, this time there was a hint of anger in his voice, "Are you sure you put it on my desk? You had fucking job. Seriously, who the hell hired you?"

I peeked in Landon's jacket seeing the manila folder pressed between his chest and the coat. I bite the top of my lip nervously as I started to feel my body heating up from Charles's realization of the missing file. Landon however, shoots me a reassuring look initialing me to keep calm and not to freak out and rests his hand on my shoulder. I shrugged off his hand as he respectfully puts his hand back down.

"I need the file, Jeff!" Charles screams one last time before I heard a loud bang from outside the closet. After a short minute, the door opened and closed again as Landon and I sighed from relief. Landon presses his lips together as he breathes almost heavily, leaning his body against me even more, squishing me against the wall.

I clicked my tongue and pushed him off of my body. The door opened with his stumbling body almost falling backwards onto the velvet carpet.

"Shit, Aubrey," he dared to mutter as he caught his balance. He stood up straight and straightened his body before fixing the file and letters in his coat. I nearly laughed at his clumsiness the moment I pushed him, however kept my cool because I was still mad at him.

"Let's go," I blankly stated as I crossed my arms and stubbornly made my way towards the door.

Landon jogs up after me and pulls me back with the back of my t-shirt. I almost released a scream before I shut myself up as I shoved my hand against my lips. Landon makes his way in front of me as he leans his ear on the door. When he noticed that the signs were clear, he opens the door and motions me to follow him outside.

As we stepped outside, Landon closed the door quietly as we both straightened up. From this point on, if we did get caught it would've looked like we came from Landon's office. As the office across from Charles's has Landon's full name in bold on a gold plaque.

A nineteen year-old with his own office. He doesn't even do anything.

I rolled my eyes at the office located on our right, as Landon was surprised by my selfish attitude.

"What is up with you?" Landon smirks, obviously amused by all the mood swings I've given him throughout our moments together. I huffed as I kept my arms crossed, ignoring him as I walked down the hallway and towards the elevator. In the corner of my eye, I could see Landon shaking his head as he walks by my side. Honestly, it's kind of fun acting like a brat in front of someone who tries to act like a bad ass everyday in school. It shows him that he isn't only the one with the attitude that everyone has to abide by.

I pressed the down arrow on the gold button before turning back towards Landon.

"You're explaining about all of this, when we get back to the car," I said bluntly, motioning my hands at his chest area of where the file was located.

The ugly smirk swept across his face against as he takes a step towards me, "Sure thing, princess," he teased. Surprised by his sudden rise in ego, I took a step back and stumbled onto the elevator door.

"Stop it, Landon," I scolded as I hear the ding from the elevator. The door opens behind me as I smoothly stepped back and into the elevator. He steps in with a low chuckle as he presses one of the button that leads us to the lobby.

"I'm just kidding," he mumbles loud enough for me to hear.

- - -

We were sitting in his car after Landon was able to get his car keys from one of the workers. Parked in the parking garage, surrounded by thousands of sports and high-tech cars; I couldn't help but to keep my mind on just one thing: the file.

"What is my dad borrowing money for?" I asked Landon curiously, peering over his shoulder as he begins to pull out the folder.

"I don't know, Aubrey."

"What does Charles do?"

"He's the uncle I told you about," he states slowly, looking up at me knowing that I was going to explode from his answer.

"What?" I screamed, furrowing my eyebrows at him.

Landon slightly jumped from my sudden complaint, and quickly held my body down by my shoulders against the leather seats.

"Calm down," he says to me, rather calmly.

"What relation does my father have with Charles?" I asked again.

"I don't know, Aubrey."

"Do you know about all of this?"

"Obviously not."

"You probably do, you piece of shit."

"No, I don't."

"You're part of this family for god sakes."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"Well it does mean something if you're a Carthy, son of the guy who technically owns our school."

"Okay, but that doesn't mean anything about me."

"You're the kid with the 'bad boy ego'. Oh, mister popular who doesn't give a shit about girls and their privacy."

"Aubrey."

"You're a stupid jerk who loves to ruin people's days and ruin people's lives and loves to kiss girls randomly on a daily basis."

"Aubrey."

"You're friends with a soccer player who hell freaking knows that he's a lot better of a friend to you then you are to him."

"Aubrey."

"Your family is the one putting mine in possible debt right now, and possibly one of the victims to one of your stupid schemes."

"Aubrey."

"You're an asshole that's probably using me right now to get more into my family to possibly ruin my loving family. Why am I even trusting you? Why am I even in this car?"

"Jesus Christ, Aubrey!" Landon finally loses his temper and screams back at me, shaking the folder filled with paper in front of me. I jumped from his sudden anger, surprised that his voice was able to even be that loud.

"Will you please calm down?" he asks, his voice softens the moment he sees my body jerk up from the loud volume from his stupid mouth.

I sunk back down in my seat, realizing the sudden fool I've turned myself into. However, our tempers towards each other disappeared the moment Landon opens the folder to the page with all four of my family portraits on it.

My eyes widened seeing the picture of my mother.

The two top pictures were my dad and Austin, labeled below in bolded letters were the name "Keith Watson" and "Austin Watson. Directly underneath the two names were two pictures of my mother and I, "Emily Watson" and "Aubrey Watson".

My mind went blank as I looked over the old picture of my mother. She was beautiful, absolutely stunning. I never bothered to look at any pictures of her, afraid that I was going to feel some type of guiltiness for her death. Ignoring Landon's presence, I ran my fingers over the colors photo that was carelessly glued onto the paper.

She had dark curly brown hair, and hazel almost dark-brown eyes; exactly like me. While Austin had red hair, in relation to my father and dark brown eyes. My lips slightly quivered as I observed her happy smile, a smile that resembles both Austin and I. Our relatives were right when they talk about how much I looked like my mother. I swallowed my saliva as I felt my throat tightened.

Never did I think that I could feel so much sadness towards a mother that never existed in my life.

An arm sneaked across my shoulder as Landon pulls me a little closer to him, despite the arm rest and cup holders blocking us. He held me tightly as I leaned my head against his shoulder, turning my body slightly as my eyes never left the photograph. Although I was sad about my mother's absence, it wasn't so sad to the point where I wanted to bawl out and cry. It did tug my heartstrings and made me feel a little sensitive thought.

"You're beautiful," Landon spoke up from the silence, "Have I ever told you that?"