Tory’s POV
” So now you’re just back to being an ass huh? What’s so important that you broke our deal! I’m not supposed to even go anywhere with you today since you haven’t apologized to those you’ve hurt!” I said feeling very infuriated as I glared at him.
” Apologize? Do you even think I know every single person I’ve hurt? What you’re asking is impossible.” He said, trying his best not to yell at me.
” Whatever!” I retorted as I folded my arms and frowned. I could see him look at me through the corner of my eye as he drove and I heard him sigh.
” Tory, I’m sorry okay. I’m just in a really bad mood.”
” Let me guess, because of my boyfriend? I mean what did he ever do to you to offend you?” I asked completely losing my shit as I threw my hands in the air and glared at him.
” You’ll never understand,” he said as his grip on the steering wheel tightened and he clenched his teeth.
” Obviously” I scoffed.
” Look, no one noticed if that’s what you’re mad about”
I sighed and tried to breathe slowly so that I would calm down. When I did, I looked out the window, looking at the people on the road, some kids eating ice cream as they walked home with their parents, some teenagers goofing around in their truck as they drove – just seemed peaceful and I sighed.
” What did you want to talk about?”
He looked at me and then licked his lips in a way that made me look at it for a split second before I looked away.
” For my therapy, I’ll be more comfortable if we have it done in my house.”
” Excuse me?”
” I just- it’s better that way.”
” What about in the -”
” – please Tory, I swear I won’t touch you in a way you don’t like” he pleaded desperately as he joined the rest of the drivers in waiting till the traffic light showed green.
” Just do it without asking any more questions.” He pleaded as he sighed yet again while driving.
” Is everything ok? Is big D -”
” -This has nothing to do with Big D” he assured then I nodded.
” Thanks, I’m gonna park right over there and wait for you while you speak with my therapist on this whole thing”
” Okay,” I said still suspicious by how serious he seemed as he finally drove past the traffic light and then took a left turn and parked his car by his therapist’s office building.
” Go on, I’ll wait for you.”
“Really?! You’re supposed to come with me, I have no idea where his office is” I said with an eye roll.
” Fine,” he said getting down from the car as I did. As I followed him in, I took in how he looked today, he looked yet he was still smoking hot. I immediately scolded myself for checking him out when I’m dating his Arch enemy.
” Ah! Nate right on time” a man said as he looked up from whatever he was scribbling on his note pad.
” Hi Mr. Banner” Nate said as he took a seat and I did the same as well, sitting down on the other free chair.
The man’s office had several paintings of nature on the wall that mostly had waterfalls, trees, and clear blue skies, even his office smelled like flowers.
” I see you brought a friend,” he said somewhat mischievously and I looked at him, there was something familiar about him, I couldn’t quite place my finger on it.
” Yeah, this is Tory. She’s gonna be helping me”
The man’s face suddenly lit up as he passed his hands through his blonde hair and smiled – he was a good looking man.
” I see, Tory it’s nice to meet you officially. Nate’s told me so much about you”
I looked at Nate and he shrugged, ” what? I don’t even know what I told him ” he said with an innocent look that in no way lessened his sexy personality.
” It’s nice to meet you too Mr. Banner”
” So, here’s ALL the questions I’m gonna need you to ask Nate for me.” He emphasized the ALL so much that I dreaded whatever he was searching for on his desk.
When he brought out a white file and handed it to me, I took it and opened it as my eyes widened in surprise.
” This is all?” I asked as I lifted the two-paged paper.
” Yep,” he replied simply as he stared at me blankly.
” Follow the instructions clearly”
” What instructions?” Nate asked as he tried to peer and I closed it.
” It’s for her to know only. Ask him these questions and Nate give her your honest answers, Tory you’ll give him the correct answers, and then after a week watch his progress and report it to me as instructed there.”
” Okay ”
” So that’s it? you’re gonna ask me pop quizzes?” Nate asked in a surprised tone as his brows furrowed and his fist tightened.
” Nate,” I said touching his fist and he immediately calmed down, almost as if he didn’t realize he was getting mad.
” Sorry, I…. I’m sorry,” he said to me and then Mr. Banner.
Someone barged into the office and I immediately removed my hand from Nate’s.
” I’m back!”
” Hey Troas, you can’t be in here son,” Mr. Banner said as he scratched his brows.
” I just want to -” Troas paused his talking as he walked to the front of Nate and I and stared at us in utter shock. Nate didn’t even need to glare at Troas before he stopped staring at both of us.
” Umm, yeah, I’m um, going home – by dad”
” Wait!” I said as I got up and prevented Troas from leaving then I looked at Nate.
” What?”
” Don’t you have something to say to him, Nate?”
” Are you fucking serious right now?” Nate said in a very irritated tone, I didn’t care, he doesn’t mean to sound that way. I know it.
” Wait, wait, what’s going on?” Mr. Banner asked and Troas was about to lie when I shushed him and glared at Nate who just slumped in his chair in defeat. I really love that I could make Nate do what he normally wouldn’t.
” Mr. Banner, this kid your son?” He asked.
” He most definitely is, he’s always getting bullied by some kid he calls Wolf for some weird reason but he’s a good kid. What about him?”
” Wolf huh? I kinda like it” Nate muttered.
” Nate!”
” Right, Mr. Banner I umm… I’m the Wolf” he confessed after what seemed to be forever to me.
Mr. Banner looked at Nate, not a single hint of surprise on his face, instead he looked pissed
” You’re the one always making my boy jittery and soft? You’re…. the one who broke his thumb?”
” Yeah, umm. You know, I was really – I’m really sorry Mr. Banner” Nate said sincerely and I felt so bad for him because of how hard it was for those words to come out of his mouth.
” Troas never deserved anything I did to him and I swear, I haven’t made him do anything against his will or anything like that”
Mr. Banner nodded while a very dangerous smile formed on his face.
” You know, I made up that whole wolf thing. He never tells me who’s roughening him up but I knew someone was bullying him!” He said as he looked at Troas who just looked down at the floor.
” I’m sorry Troas. I promise I’ll never treat you less than what you deserve. You’re a really smart kid and you shouldn’t be pushed around.” Nate said with so much difficulty, he couldn’t even look Troas in the eye.
” Come on Troas, I know I fucked up big time and no amount of apology can erase all that I’ve done but … What do you say? Forgiven or not?” Nate asked after Troas just stood there moping.
” Uh… I don’t know what to say, I… never thought that -” Troas started to say as he tried to not look so stunned by Nate’s honesty.
” – I’ll give you time,” Nate said before he got up and left.
” He’s sorry, Troas,” I said and Troas looked at me as if I said something stupid.
” He’s Never sorry,” Troas said.
” He is now, he has alexithymia.” Mr. Banner said after a sigh, I could tell he was pissed to meet the boy who bullied his son but he also understood Nate and was probably ready to forgive Nate too.
” It’s not his fault. You should forgive him” I said and Troas gulped before he said, ” as long as he doesn’t go back to being a jerk, I guess I could.”
” Thank you, Troas, Mr. Banner?”
” I’m just gonna have a moment with my son.” He said before he added ” I’m not mad at Nate.”
” Thank you so much Mr Banner. I’m gonna do as you said. Also, umm Troas you can’t tell anyone about this okay?”
” Sure, I know how this works,” he said with a nervous smile and I pat him on the shoulder before I left but Mr Banner stopped me and said, ” he’s really lucky to have you Tory”, since I didn’t really know what to say, I just smiled before I left to join Nate in the car.
” Drive, I’m hungry. Hope you have something to eat” I said as I got in and without another word, Nate turned on his car and drove off.