I nod my head, breathing in the scent of menthol smoke as it curls through the air in front of my face.
“It’s my friend, Paul’s, house. I’ll take you to meet him next time you come over.”
“Next time?” I blurt out.
Jasper laughs. “Um, yes. What did you think this was a once and done thing? No way, Riss. You’re a life-time member now. So, expect to be spending a lot of time here with us. With me, in particular,” he smirks.
I slip into my car without a verbal response. What will people think if I’m hanging out with a guy that’s two years younger than me? Jasper is magnetic. We have this chemistry that’s unexplainable. Things are so easy with him and it’s like we’ve known each other our entire lives. As much as my head wants me to stay away, I’m sure my heart has a different plan.
“I’ll see you tomorrow night at the play,” I respond, allowing myself time to contemplate our friendship.
“Lookin’ forward to it,” he replies. “Seeing you, that is. The play -- not so much.”
With a puff of his cigarette, he pushes the car door closed and begins to back away. Smoke bellows out of his lungs down toward the pavement. He glances up, and his eyes squint from the rays of the setting sun. His rebellious innocence is gravitating, but I put the car in drive and head home before I make a decision I may regret.
Chapter 4
“Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.”
My eyes focus on the stage, insanely jealous of Faith, once again. Her rose-painted lips purse just slightly as she lies on the table, waiting for his to brush against them. Stabbing in my chest is followed by warm sweats that radiate from my feet to my neck. I look away, unable to deal with the feelings that are burning inside me.
“Karissa, do you have your head up your bum? End scene!” Mr. York scolds through my walkie-talkie.
Crap. I switch off the lights and push the button to draw the curtains.
The crowd applauds as the cast members walk onto the stage for a final bow. Faith and Jasper enter last. Faith reaches for his hand, but Jasper ignores her request and removes his hat instead, his hair falls into his face as he bends forward for a final bow. Wisps of golden straw blow in the breeze as he straightens his back. His soft fingers coast through them, clearing his sight. His eyes cut like daggers through the auditorium, connecting with mine. Fierce heat fills every pore and my face turns flush.
Jasper offers a wink, and then exits through the back curtain as people begin to filter out of the auditorium. An extremely wide smile encompasses my face, refusing to leave. Mr. York calls me to the stage to help break down the set, and I glance around for Jasper, hoping he stuck around.
“Hey, Riss, whatcha’ doin’ after this?” Jasper’s voice bellows from behind the curtain.
I glance around for him as I struggle to hide the goosebumps growing on my forearm. The curtain moves, and Jasper appears fiddling with his belt buckle.
“Going home,” I respond. “Why?”
“I thought you might want to give me a ride, again? My mom had to run and pick up my brother and she might not be back for another hour or so. If not, I’ll ask Mr. York.”
I glance at my watch to check the time. “Sure. If you want to help me, we can get out of here faster.”
Jasper does this kind of half smile, and then grabs the hammer from my hand. Walking over to the castle wall, he begins to pull nails out of the plywood. Within minutes, the wall is torn down and he hands the hammer back to me. “Don’t act like you’re not impressed,” he smirks.
I am impressed. Jasper is the entire package. He is sweet, funny, smart, kind, and a little bit of a wise-ass rebel. He’s so incredibly intriguing that I sit thinking about him almost constantly. However, there are things that concern me. The fact that he is a freshman; the fact that he is about four inches shorter than me; the fact that he is so skinny a strong breeze could probably blow him over. Things about him just aren’t ideal. My head is filled with worry about what everyone else will think if I pursue a relationship between us. I place the hammer back in the toolbox and shut my brain off.
Jasper and I help Mr. York load the pieces of the set into the back of his van. “You kids go have fun now. Much obliged.”
Jasper closes the hatch and they shake hands. “It’s been a pleasure working with you both. I hope you’ll do the play again next year.”
“We’ll see,” I respond while Jasper offers a silent nod.
We climb in the car and Jasper pulls a cigarette out of his pocket. “Is it ok if I smoke, Riss?”
“Sure, if I can have one too.”
The lighter illuminates his face as he takes a long puff and then hands it to me. The filter is slightly moist from his lips as I set it between my own. Inhaling a drag, I roll down the window slightly and begin to back out of the parking lot.
“You ok, Riss?” he asks.
“Yeah, why?”
He lights another cigarette and rolls down his window. “No reason. Make a left here.”
“I know,” I respond.
“You’ve only been there once, and you remember?” he asks. “It must’ve been a pretty memorable evening.”
He’s taunting me, and I can’t keep a straight face any longer. “Don’t flatter yourself,” I quip. “I just have a really good memory.”
Jasper’s house is dark as we pull up to the gate out front. “Wanna come in?” he asks.
I leap at the opportunity, barely getting the car in park before my feet hit the pavement.
Jasper halts outside of the door. “You hear that?” he asks as he glances down toward the lake. “Sounds like there are some people down at the beach. Want to check it out?”
I reluctantly follow Jasper down the stone steps past the hammock. Jasper holds the ivy out of my way as I attempt to see in the darkness. Once at the bottom, I kick off my flip-flops and feel the cool sand between my toes. A large bonfire in the center of the beach burns grey smoke into the sky. Two teenagers splash around in the lake while a few others toss a football back and forth on the sand.
“Jerks!” Jasper yells as he runs ahead, leaving me alone.
“Jerk!” I yell at him.
“Hey, Karissa!” Keith shouts from behind me, greeting me with a side-hug. “It’s nice to see you again. Where’s your other half?”
“Who? Jasper? He left me here. Took off that way,” I explain.
“Well, that’s rude,” Keith laughs. “Leaving you here all alone with a bunch of weirdos that you don’t even know? He’s lucky he’s good lookin’, ‘cause he’s kinda a jerk sometimes.”
Keith grabs my arm and pulls me behind him. “Follow me, we’ll sniff him out.”
I don’t want to be that girl. Jasper and I are just friends. He is allowed to do whatever he wants without an explanation. Keith tugs me behind him. At the corner of the beach, tucked into the edge of the forest, a white building peeks out between the leaves of the trees. Keith drags me to the doorway, and I wander inside.
There are white tables set up in the shape of a U, lined with bags of chips and snacks. A mysterious guy is standing in the far corner, adjusting the volume on a cd player while 10-15 other kids dance around. Small multi-colored circles float around the room put there by a disco ball hanging from the ceiling.
A girl bumps into me. “Oops, sorry!” she slurs. “You must be new, I’m Melissa. The guys call me Missy.”
Her hazel eyes are trimmed with black liner. A plastic cup spills its contents onto the floor as she trips over her own bare feet. She rubs her hand down Keith’s arm. “You comin’ in this time?” she asks.
Keith pushes his baseball cap up, rubbing his forehead in contemplation. “I don’t know, Missy.”
“You’re such a wuss, Keith. Loosen up a little. Have some fun in your life.”
Seemingly without hesitation, Missy begins to unbutton her blouse. A black lacey bra peeks out, and Keith turns away.
“How about you, new girl? You up for a little fun in your oth
erwise straight edge life?”
I feel insulted. Still unsure of what exactly her idea of fun is, I quietly decline. “I think you’re on your own here.”
“Oh, sweetie, I’m never alone. Just wait and see – like moths to a flame.”
As she walks out the door, her shorts fall to her ankles and she kicks them into the sand. A black thong hides between her perfect butt cheeks, and a deep hatred burns in my soul.
“Seriously?” I remark out loud.
Keith stares in silence.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I scold while I elbow him in the ribs.
Missy trots into the water and several guys follow along. Jasper jogs past us, tossing his clothes onto the beach and diving into the lake.
Nauseated, I meander back into the building hoping to erase the mental pictures that will now haunt my life.
“How come you’re not in the water with Missy?” a voice asks.
“Not really my thing,” I respond, glancing up. “Actually, I’m not sure if I belong here at all.”
“Eh, Missy is an exception to our type of people. Jasper started bringing her around. We all like the show, but aren’t really interested in the mess of drama that girl entails.”
I nod my head while grabbing a handful of chips. “So, does Jasper just bring a different girl home every week?”
“Pretty much,” he responds. “Jasper is magnetic. He makes friends wherever he goes. He invites everyone he meets to hang out. If his boys, meaning us, approve, they usually stick around. If we don’t approve, they often get the hint pretty quickly.”
Feeling insecure, I swirl chips around my mouth. “And, what’s the verdict on me?”
“Jury is still out,” he responds. “I’m Paul, by the way. I live in the brick house on the corner. My sister, Dakota, is moseying around here somewhere. She’ll show you the ropes if you win our approval.”
“Karissa,” I respond pointing to my chest.
“Oh, I know who you are. Word travels fast when there’s a new girl around,” Paul says. “That came out wrong. I don’t mean to objectify you or anything. Keith and Jasper mentioned about you a few days ago. They seem to think you’re one of the good ones.”
The strobe lights are making it impossible to get a good look at Paul, and the music is too loud to hold a decent conversation.
“So, are you interested in Jasper?” he yells.
“No,” I respond, bluntly. “I’m not interested in anyone.”
“Whoa, Ok. Because that kid talks about you more than anyone he’s ever met.”
“You must be mistaken,” I mumble. “It’s obvious he’s more interested in girls who take their clothes off.”
Seemingly frustrated, Paul grabs my hand and leads me outside. We take a seat on a bench near the door. “Jasper likes to have fun, Karissa. He’s not the kind of guy that will turn down a good time. But, trust me, there’s more there with you than he will ever have with Missy. You just have to throw your hat in the ring.”
“I’m not sure I want to,” I mutter.
“Well,” Paul starts. “I guess that’s something you better figure out. I definitely don’t approve of you hurting my boy. So, don’t be playing mind games with him. He’s a lover, but super fragile, and I definitely won’t condone you breaking his heart.”
Paul stands up and directs me to follow him. He leads me to the bonfire where a few girls sit and gossip around the flame. “This is my sister, Dakota. She’ll show you the ropes.”
Paul trots toward the water, slinging his shorts back toward us. Keith dumps gas on smoldering embers and a large flame erupts. I back away slightly.
“So, you ready to run yet?” Dakota giggles.
“Run?” I question.
“Yeah,” she says. “Most girls who meet Missy end up leaving within five minutes. She has that effect on people. She’s not really one of us, though. The boys just seem to keep her around for something to goggle over. I don’t exactly care for her.”
“Nah, I’m not going anywhere. I kinda like it here.”
“I like your style,” Dakota responds. “Have a seat, let’s chat.”
I plop down on the sand next to the fire, allowing the heat to warm my bare toes. “So, you and Paul are brother and sister?” I ask. “I would’ve never guessed.”
“Not by blood,” Dakota responds. “We can get into that whole story some other time. All you need to know is that we pretty much despise one another, but he would kill someone for me if he had to. Typical relationship.”
Paul exits the water and wraps a towel around his waist. Just above the brim, his six-pack reflects the light of the fire back in my direction. I glance away, but not fast enough.
“Ah-ha, I saw that,” Dakota reprimands. “You can’t have both of them, you know.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I respond.
“Uh-huh,” she mocks. “I know you have the hots for Jasper -- that kid can’t shut up about you. And, I just saw the googly eyes you made at my brother. I may be young, Karissa, but I’m not blind.”
I kick some sand onto the fire as Keith plops down beside me and pokes me in the ribs. “So, you ready to be a part of this?”
“A part of what?” I ask.
“A part of our club – our crew – our group. You want to hang with us? Have each other’s backs? Do stupid stuff? Make amazing memories?”
I stare off toward the lake. Jasper pushes Missy from behind, shoving her head under the water. Missy breaks the surface and a stream of water from her mouth hits Jasper’s cheek. He responds by pulling the strap of her bra and letting it go, smacking her in the back.
“Jasper! You’re such an ass!” she yells.
Paul takes a seat next to me. His arm grazes against mine as he tosses a stick into the fire. Water cascades down his cheek and falls to his chest. “So,” he starts. “What’s the verdict?”
I turn away before I get caught by Dakota again, staring a little bit too long. Jasper and Missy continue to fool around in the water alone, and my mind is torn in two directions.
Paul leans in to me, hitting me with his shoulder. “Well?”
I glance around at Dakota and Keith as they offer convincing smiles. Paul wipes his forehead on the towel hanging over his knees.
“The jury is still out.”
Chapter 5
It’s finally summer break, and I’ve been pretty much living at Hemlock. Dakota and I have grown close, and the guys are just an added bonus. Keith sits in the recliner, drawing in his sketchpad while the rest of us watch a movie.
“I’m bored,” Jasper whines. “Where’s your camera, Keith?”
“I don’t know,” Keith responds. “Around here somewhere, why?”
“Let’s make a movie.”
“A movie,” Paul laughs. “That’s a stupid idea.”
“Shut up, Paul,” Jasper growls.
“Make me,” Paul warns.
Jasper leaps from the couch and wraps Paul in a choke hold. Paul twists around pulling Jasper’s arm behind his back, shoving him to the floor.
“You were saying,” Paul mocks, easily overtaking Jasper’s tiny frame.
“Fine, you win. You and your freakish muscles win again. Now, let go of me.”
I stroll out the kitchen door, refusing to take part in this pathetic display of manhood. Taking a seat on a wicker rocking chair, Jasper soon joins me.
“Let’s go somewhere,” he says. It’s the first one-on-one conversation we’ve had since the party, when our potential relationship halted in its tracks.
I raise an eyebrow. “Go where?”
He grabs my hand before I can resist and pulls me toward the forest. Blasting through the bushes, he fails at keeping them from smacking me in the face. I try to rip my hand from his, but he squeezes tighter. Suddenly, Jasper stops and I slam into him.
“You could’ve warned me!”
“Shhh,” he responds raising his finger in front of his lips.
Frank�
�s green and white golf cart sits empty underneath the carport ahead of us, keys dangling in the ignition.
“Let’s go for a ride,” Jasper insists.
I head back toward Keith’s house. “No way. I’m not stealing. I think you need Missy for something like that.”
Jasper rolls his eyes. “Missy is lame. Besides, it’s a golf cart, Riss. It’s not a car. And, I’m not stealing it. Just borrowing it for a little while. Everyone in town knows that Frank takes his nap from 2-4 every day. As long as we have it back before he wakes up, he will never know the difference. So, are you down?”
I hate Missy. The fact that her name even is in this conversation annoys me, even though I was the one that brought her up. I glance at Jasper, his eyes wide with hope. “I don’t think so, Jasper. It’s just not my style.”
He grabs my hand and leans closer, his voice quiet so only I can hear. “Riss, I won’t ever push you to do something you don’t want to do, but, I do want to push you to do things you wouldn’t normally do without me. No one is going to get hurt. Nothing bad is going to happen. I promise. Don’t let the fear of the ending keep you from enjoying the journey.”
I look deep into Jasper’s eyes confident that he wouldn’t do anything to hurt me. “Fine, but if old-man Frank comes after us with a crow bar, I’m throwing you to the wolves.”
“Fair enough,” he laughs as he jumps into the front seat. “I love the little bit of rebel in you,” he winks. “Now, get your fine ass in here.”
Without over-analyzing, I jump into the passenger seat. Jasper backs out of the driveway silently before taking off down the road through the development.
“Don’t you think people will notice that we have Frank’s cart?” I wonder.
“Yeah, but no one will say anything. They’re afraid of that old bastard.”
“Um, should we be afraid?” I ask, staring at the empty beer bottles rolling around by my feet.
“Nah, I got that old man in the palm of my hand. Have you just met me, Riss? I can smooth talk my way out of anything.”
I begin to relax as Jasper coasts down the hill past the lake. He talks about each person that lives there as if he’s known them his whole life, solidifying the fact that he’s quite outgoing. The blacktop turns to gravel, and then to dirt. The bush lined path opens up to a field bordering the road.
The Hemlock Girl Page 3