The Six Month Contract

The Truth Is So Much Better Than The Lie

I'm leaning against a bricked wall. How I got here, I have no idea. My hands are wet, my hair is wet and the corner of my dress is wet.

"Almost done," Rocky whispers beside me.

I turn to face him. I hadn't realised he was beside me. Rocky wraps his arm around my hip as the door beside us opens. A security guard standing near the door watches me for a second before Rocky glares at him.

Rocky helps me in past the door. This must be the back entrance to his place. I rub my eyes but things are still blurry. "Sorry," I say quietly.

Rocky sighs and stops me against the kitchen bench.

"Want to explain what tonight was all about?" He asks me genuinely.

I shake my head. "I was angry," I tell him barely keeping it together. My head spins and I grab the bench beside me for support.

Rocky is in front of me in a second, both his hands resting on either side of my body. "You need to rest."

I shake my head and rest it against his shoulder. "Back in high school, I loved you."

Rocky blinks and suddenly it dawns on me how bad of an idea this must be. He pulls me back to look me in the eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

I stare down at my fingers which are now fidgeting. "Because you were sleeping with a brand new girl everyday."

"What?!" Rocky reacts in shock.

I frown. "Don't play games. You were with a new girl everyday. Everyone knew it."

Rocky grabs me by the shoulders and shakes me. I can see anger boiling up in him. "Look at me, dammit," he says. "I haven't slept with a girl since I slept with you. Heck I even got you in this damn six month contract so you'd fall in love with me because I for sure know that I cannot live without you."

I watch him lost for words.

"When you moved away from town, I spent six months looking for you. I got in touch with Elena who told me where you moved," he says in frustration. "Two years...two years I watched your every move. Heck, I've saved you more than once when your family business was about to drown and you had no idea. When this last one with Systematics Corp took place, I realised I needed you. Hence this damn contract. It was my only way to you. I knew after that one night you hated my guts, but I loved you."

I watch him, my hands no longer fidgeting. His words surprise me and I know he's being honest.

Year two, he paired up with me in sports when no one else wanted to. Year three, he gave me a pencil when I forgot to bring mine. Year five, that was the scariest of them all. I had come to class unaware of a test. I had the flu for a few weeks and missed out on most classes. He let me copy off him in the test.

All the memories of him flood my mind. The good, the bad, all of it. I close my eyes and tears spill. "This is messed up," I tell him through tears as I fall to the floor.

Rocky leans down with me and grabs my hand in his face. "Just tell me you love me."

I wipe my tears. "What difference does it make?" I ask. "We've practically ruined this relationship since high school."

Rocky frowns and fists his hand. "We can make it work."

I shake my head. "No," I say. "No, we can't."