Destroy Me Gently:Ex-Enemy Becomes My Lover!
Chapter 20: No boyfriends!

Chapter 20: No boyfriends!

Chapter twenty

**Oliver West**

The moment I stepped into the house, I found Mom and Pumpkin sitting together while Mom ran a brush through the length of my sister’s hair. Pumpkin caught sight of me approaching and the wide smile on her face disappeared completely.

I gulped down with great difficulty as Mom’s lips formed into one of those disapproving lines I knew too well.

I tried on my best innocent expression as I ventured into the living room, but her gaze was focused on my bandaged nose.

"Mom, I..." I started to say, but the narrowed look she gave me made my words trail off.

She straightened to her feet, leaving Pumpkin to stare curiously at both of us.

"What is this I’m hearing, Oliver? You got detention? Your principal called me and he didn’t have anything good to say about your behavior in school! My son is getting into fights, take a look at your face!" She said in a sharp disappointed tone.

"Mom, please, I..." I started, but again I was cut off by her raised voice.

"No, don’t ’mom’ me! Your grades are really bad! Now you get into fights too? Is that why I sent you to school? I work hard every day so I can give you and your sister a better life! I understand you aren’t too keen on studies, which is why I never expected something great from you, but do you really have to disappoint me this way? Will I have to worry about your future forever because you can’t get a single thing done right?"

I stared at her in speechless hurt. Was this how she truly felt?

She never expected anything great from me?

I also couldn’t do anything right? Did she really mean those words?

Her words pierced my heart. My eyes stung on their own, hurt trickling into my voice.

"You came to a conclusion without even asking my side of the story! Yes, I can’t get anything right. Thanks for telling me that. Also, you don’t have to worry about my future anymore! I never asked you to anyway!" The words rushed out of my mouth before I could stop them.

I realized too late that I sounded so ungrateful, but the emotions inside me were threatening to burst if I suppressed it any longer.

I saw hurt flash across her gaze for a moment. Before I could even begin to apologize, she stood up, her features hardened with anger "So you’re grown enough to yell at me now? So I can’t scold my son when he does something wrong anymore? Your principal was right, you are becoming more notorious!" I knew immediately where this discussion was headed before she even completed her words.

I was about to get grounded.

"You’ll go upstairs to your room and get me your laptop! I’m also taking all your comics. You’ll only have them back once I see an improvement in your grades!"

"No way!" My mouth dropped to the floor, She might as well kill me. An improvement in my grades would surely take forever, no, it’s entirely impossible. No matter how I read, I could only manage a "C" Did this mean I would never get any entertainment until I was grown enough to leave her house?

"Yes way, Oliver. Now go get me your items!"Her sharp voice sliced into my dumbfounded thoughts.

Without another word, I began to stomp my way upstairs, my body rigid with despair. I was just pushing my door open when I heard her call out in a loud voice.

"And I really do have the greatest expectations for you! It’s also my duty as your mother to secure your future forever. I don’t care if you like my methods or not!"

Somehow, her words managed to make my depressed mood just a bit better, but nothing could beat the pain of losing my precious comic collection.

It felt like a break up, how could I leave all my boyfriends with her?

Ugh

This was so frustrating.

-

-

I stared at the physics textbook and the pencil clenched in my hand. Simple harmonic motions

For hours I had lain on my bed mourning over my loss. This was all Marcus’s and his friends’ fault.

And that stupid shipping letter

Why was my life getting worse and worse? Like dealing with a daily dose of Kieran’s torture wasn’t already enough.

Two weeks, with him, in the same space.

Now, it would be even more difficult to avoid him, where could I hide?

A groan escaped my mouth as I banged my face onto my books. Hopefully, he wouldn’t take principal Johnson’s word seriously. He’s the king of riverside after all. He couldn’t be serving the same punishment like an ordinary mortal like me.

Another loud groan escaped my mouth as I stabbed my pen into my textbook.

What do I do with my life now that my comic books and laptop were gone? I only just started the nerd’s project the other day, I really can’t live without it.

Were other people’s moms like this or mine is just being unreasonably cruel?

I could see myself in a coffin before I would even graduate from high school. Then Mom would cry in front of my grave and tell everyone that she was wrong in her decisions, she was wrong in seizing my favourite manhwa collection, she would sob and mention how she should have treated me better, how she should have taken me to spas, good restaurants and nice shopping malls. Too bad I would already be dead to scream "I told you so!" at her.

I’d be watching her from heaven though, and it would be very satisfying... Shit.

What am I even thinking?

Is the manhwa withdrawal syndrome already kicking in?

I turned back to the textbook which glared back at me.

"Why are you so difficult to understand?" I groaned to myself when my door pushed open.

Pumpkin sashayed inside to bounce on top of my bed.

"Hi, Oliver," she greeted. Her hair was now in two perfectly neat braids which Mom had been working on earlier.

"Go away," I muttered under my breath, her annoying presence is the last thing I needed.

Wait. . .

She greeted me?

It was suspicious.

Very.

I focused my attention back on the textbook and tried my very best to understand what it was saying. Last semester, I had a F in stupid physics. Too many laws, how was I expected to recall all of them?

Why did those scientists have to try this hard? They only added to my suffering.

"Hey, don’t take it all out on me! I wasn’t the one who scolded you, don’t give me the silent treatment," Pumpkin snapped my textbook shut.

I glared at her instantly but she didn’t even flinch.

I saw her pull something from her jean pockets.

Her cellphone.

"Here, you can use mine. I can also get you my laptop as well. Mom won’t know about it," she said with a smile. It’s too wide, too sweet. And it shudders my skin with uncomfortable goosebumps.

I looked at her more suspiciously. This little devil could never be this nice for no reason.

"What do you want from me? Tell me, what trouble did you get into this time?"

She rolled her eyes at me, still wearing that creepy wide smile.

"I decided you’re my good brother. As your kid sister, I should treat you the best,"

Okay. This was it.

I sat up straight, more anxious of her behavior than ever. Was she in some deep shit?

"Just spit it out, Pumpkin. What do you want?"

Her smile wavered as she took a secret glance around.

"Well, there’s this guy in my class who I want to be my date for, uh... um..."

My jaw dropped to the floor. She wanted to talk to me about a guy. Like ME??

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" I shouted, jumping up from my bed like it was on fire. "You’re TWELVE, Pumpkin! You can’t date! Boys are evil! They have cooties and bad intentions! Didn’t you just agree with me that they have cooties a few days ago?"

"Well, not this one," She replied, her eyes turning dreamy.

WHAT THE ACTUAL—

"No, all boys are bad, stay away!"

She gave me the most deadpan look I’d ever seen. "Oliver, you’re literally a boy."

"That’s different! I’m your brother! I’m supposed to protect you from other boys!" I started pacing around my room like a caged animal. "What’s this kid’s name? Is it Ryan who came over the other day? I need his full name, address. WAIT! Don’t tell me it’s our neighbor Tommy!"

"Oh my God, you’re insane Oliver! Tommy? Ew. I have better taste than that" Pumpkin threw a pillow at me.

I still couldn’t believe what I was hearing, she had taste in boys now? Why the heck does she sound more grown than me?

"It’s just a school dance, I want to attend with Aaron"

"JUST a school dance?" I stared at her disapprovingly. "Pumpkin, that’s how it starts! First it’s an innocent dance, then before you know it, he’s going to break your heart, and you’ll cry, that’s how it ends!"

She stared at me like I’d grown a second head. "Who said I like him to that extent. I shouldn’t have asked you, you’ve never even been on a date," She muttered as though disappointed with her decision to come to me.

My face burned with indignation. "That’s not the point! I’m protecting you from my vast knowledge of... things!"

"What things? You just admitted you have no experience!"

"I have plenty of experience! I watch movies, I know all about romance!" I crossed my arms defensively.

"Those aren’t real, Oliver!" She scoffed, "I just want to know how to invite him to the dance, if you have no ideas then–" She got up to leave.

This sour little lemon!

She was chasing after boys now?

Well, if she wanted advice, I could give it to her.

"You know what you should do? Ignore him completely. Boys hate being ignored."

Pumpkin’s gazed at me with confusion, "How is that supposed to work?"

"Oh yes, trust me it will," I said confidently, warming up to my protective big brother role. "And if he tries to talk to you, just stare at him without saying anything. Like this." I demonstrated by giving her the most intense, creepy stare I could manage.

"That looks like you’re planning to murder someone," she said, looking concerned.

"Perfect! That’ll scare him away!" I nodded enthusiastically. "And if he asks you to dance, tell him you have a rare disease that makes you break out in hives when you touch boys."

"Oliver, that’s the stupidest advice I’ve ever heard."

"It’s not stupid, it’s genius! Oh, and you should also mention that you have seven older brothers who are all black belts in karate."

"I have ONE older brother, and you can barely open a pickle jar!"

This was exactly why I hated her! Her mouth was too toxic, but hey, I’m already used to it.

"He doesn’t know that!" I waved my hand dismissively. "Trust me, Pumpkin. The best way to handle boys is to be as weird and intimidating as possible. Maybe throw in some random facts about deadly spiders while you’re at it."

Pumpkin stared at me for a long moment. "Oliver, are you trying to make sure I die alone?"

"I’m trying to make sure you stay my innocent little sister forever!" I declared with every bit of seriousness. "Boys are nothing but trouble! Look at what happened to me today because of boy drama!" I pointed to my bruised nose and sore jaw.

"Your problems have nothing to do with dating!"

"Everything has to do with boys being awful!" I insisted. "Trust your big brother on this one. Scare him away, and you’ll thank me later."

She stood up and headed for the door, shaking her head. "I can’t believe I came to you for advice. I should have asked the magic eight ball. It would have been more helpful."

"Hey! My advice is excellent!" I called after her. "Just remember - weird stares, fake diseases, and spider facts!"

"I’m never asking you about boys again!" she yelled back, slamming the door shut that it nearly ripped from the frame.

Whoa. Such a temper!

Maybe I didn’t need to worry, her attitude would surely scare any boy, and this made me smile for some reason.

I could indeed imagine her making boy’s cry, if only I was half as courageous as her. If only I could stand up to Kieran the same way she did for herself.