“And then I went down the water slide and my bikini top came untied. It was madness. They even took a picture of me halfway down the slide. I heard a rumor they kept it in the break room because it was their favorite set they’d ever caught on film. I’m quite proud of that. There’s a lot of great boobs in Antigua.”
As we walked to the back door, I noticed there was a panel of numbers. I leaned over Meg as if what she was saying was riveting. She punched in a six-digit code really quickly. I memorized the way her hand moved and noted the number placement. I kept thinking about it over and over until it was mapped in my brain.
Problem one solved. If they had this same code when I came back to rob the place, I wouldn’t even have to pick that lock. Now maybe the jewelry would be under some better security than the house, but that had yet to be seen.
We walked in on the ground floor and it was divided into various game rooms. We walked past an actual bowling alley before we got to the elevator. Meg pushed the button for the floor she wanted and then leaned back against the wall.
“I’ve always wanted to do it in an elevator.”
“Awesome.” She clearly had a one-track mind. And then I was thinking. Why? Why would she be hitting on me so hard? It didn’t make any sense. She had a house full of guys her age. Why would she seek to be with me when she could be with her friends?
The elevator opened on her floor and from there I remembered how we got to her wing. She opened the door and started disrobing the second we crossed the threshold.
When she had stepped out of her clothes, she was standing there in a lace bra and matching panties.
“You want some privacy?” I looked at the floor.
“Oh no. It’s okay. I’m leaving these on. Let me just find an outfit that I can relax in more.” She walked into the room that was really a closet. It was bigger than some of the rooms Mom and I had stayed in at various times in our life.
In a few minutes, Meg was back in jeans and a crop top. It was so short I could see her underboob covered by a bra sticking out from under the hem.
“How’s this?”
She held her hands out to her sides.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” I leaned back against the sofa. Sometimes I got answers just because I asked.
“Um? Do I need a reason? You’re new in town and I like to be friendly.” And be that as it may, she was still being really, really friendly.
I left the silence and asked my questions.
As if the quiet literally hurt her, Meg started talking. “Teddi and I have the same taste in guys, so I just wanted to make sure that I got to you and got a fair shot.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“Plus, she and Anders are sort of a thing, so I didn’t want you to get hurt or anything.” She twirled when she caught her reflection in the mirror.
“What’s your school like?” I had to change the topic because I didn’t want to find out anything about this chick that would prevent me from carrying out my plans. Meg went over to a small dresser in the corner and opened it up.
Jackpot. It was real jewelry or incredible fakes. We were in the counterfeit ring business for a little while and I had been trained alongside Mom as soon as she got back from her jewelry mentorship.
I could tell real from fake.
“I’m going to go with the peridot this time. I feel like this is a good night for adventurous colors.” She held the necklace out to me.
I came over and grasped the ends of the white gold chain complete with a stamp marking it by the clasp. She pulled her hair out of the way and I secured the jewelry onto her. Then she had to choose a ring and three bracelets from her box. It was incredible, if it was real. I could get so much stuff for that amount of money. It made me want to take my new credit card and max it out for stuff for my community.
After she had on everything she wanted, I noticed the jewelry box didn’t have a lock on it. Bingo.
It was going to be a bitch to get in here and steal the stuff without being on surveillance cameras, but I didn’t think it was as impossible as I had initially feared.
“You want to get back and show everybody your stuff? I gestured to all the metal on her head, wrist, and fingers.
“I could think of something better we can do. She trailed her finger down her body, cresting her breast like a tiny mountain climber.
I hated the thought of Teddi without me. I knew I had a job and I’d have to do it well no matter what. Case the joint. Make a plan. Figure out how much tile you need and if you need any contacts to pitch in. I wanted this to be a lonely job so no one else paid for this decision.
Meg went to her tiptoes and held her lips just a hair’s breadth away from mine. “You know, we could have a lot of fun here. Just us two. We don’t need the Midiville football team watching us anytime soon.”
We walked back down to the party and Meg left my side to be replaced with Teddi. When I got back, Teddi already had our coats. “We’ve got to go, if you’re ready.”
I took my jacket from her and we left without saying anything to anyone. The night was fully dark now, but the full moon gave us all the light we needed.
“Well, that was interesting. I didn’t know you and Anders had a thing.” It shouldn’t have been the first words out of my mouth, but the horse had already left the barn.
“Anders? Hell no. He’s like one of my brothers. Please. No. Not ever.” She waved her hands in my direction to make sure I’d gotten the point.
“He didn’t mind having you sit on his lap.” I kept my eyes forward because I knew it was a jerk thing to say.
“You should talk. You’ve been alone twice with Meg. And I know what she’s up to, but I’m not sure what you’re up to.” Teddi tapped my arm so I looked at her.
She looked as jealous as I felt. “I’m not up to anything. Just making friends, like you told me.”
“She doesn’t even go to our school. That’s a crazy theory.” She tucked her hands under her armpits.
“Yeah. I guess. But still. I didn’t like what I saw going on there.” Stop talking, asshole. Oh God.
“So now you’re my dad? You’re going to tell me what’s safe and not safe? That’s great. I can’t wait to figure out the dress code.” She stomped forward, trying to be faster than I was, but I matched her speed easily.
As I walked, I rubbed my fingers on my temple. “This is all coming out wrong. What I want to say is that holding you was the best part of my damn day and I want to do it again. I didn’t like to see you flirting with other dudes and this is all too much and I’m sorry for that.”
She slowed her quick pace. “And you? And I think this party was worse than usual. It’s hard to see them wake up with more alcohol getting poured out than most families ever get to see in their lifetime. The waste of it all was driving me crazy and maybe to drink a little.”
I wanted to walk home and stay warm together. Instead, I was acting like a possessive weirdo.
She was quiet and walked faster. I was able to keep up by extending my steps. “I’m sorry.”
I needed to apologize. It was wrong and rude of me to try to dictate how she was with her friends.
“No. It’s okay. I’m sorry, too. Meg makes me angry and that’s not your fault. She and I were friends a long time ago—before she cared how much everyone made. And now she has wormed her way into my friend group and you wouldn’t know that. She’s all over you because you’re hot and new, but also because you walked in with me.”
I looked at her and gave her a small smile. “Hot?”
She shook her head and looked at her feet. “You know what you look like. Come on. The hair that flops all around, the winks.”
“So why did you bring me with you to get the check in the first place?” I wanted to draw it out of her, but I had my suspicions.
“To show you off. Like a piece of meat. I feel bad about it now.” She rolled her eyes.
I bit my lips together.
She watched me do it. “No,
say it. What? What do you want to say?”
“It’s just being treated as a trophy by you. That cuts deep.” I couldn’t stop my smile.
“Oh, put your dimple away, pretty boy. All this talk is going to your head.” She checked the mailbox as we got to the end of her driveway. It was empty.
When we got inside, her parents were already in bed. Gaze and Pixie Rae were in the living room watching a movie.
Gaze paused it while we were taking off our shoes. Teddi headed downstairs in the split level house, and I followed her.
“How was the party?” Pixie was cuddled into Gaze’s chest while they sat on the couch.
“Good. It’s Meg’s place so…” Teddi folded her legs under her and sat in the recliner. I sat in the loveseat and worked off the chill from outside.
Pixie pushed herself to sitting and finished Teddi’s sentence, “Fancy and slightly over-the-top?”
“That about sums it up.” Teddi looked at me. And I was caught in her stare. Transported back to holding her. Gaze cleared his throat.
“How was it for you, Ruff?” He tested out the shortened version of my name. I allowed it and dragged my attention to him.
“It was fine. I met a lot of Teddi’s friends. I think my favorite is Taylor.” I looked back to see her reaction. Her facial expression seemed like she expected as much.
“Taylor’s a good human.” Pixie wove her hand through Gaze’s. I looked at my empty fingers and then to Teddi’s. I remembered how well her hand fit in mine.
The rush was too much. Too soon. I had no time or place for these feelings.
“Ruff?” Pixie was talking and I had missed it.
“Sorry?” I closed my hand into a fist.
“Are you ready for the placement test? Ronna told me you had it on Monday.” Pixie Rae was onto me. Maybe the whole world would be. Because when I looked at Teddi, I felt like the universe crackled with noise. The force of it.
“We’ll see. I never took any real tests, so I’m not sure I’ll be able to do what I need to.” The honest answer. I had knowledge. Mom and I spent as much time in the libraries as we could. She was careful to go when school was out, so the librarians could assume I went to real school. She didn’t want to have me taken away. If there was any way I’d be reported to authorities as being in trouble, Mom and I would bolt. At first, she made it a game of hide-and-seek, and it wasn’t until I was older that I understood where Mom’s fear was based on.
Pixie looked up from her phone. “We could do a few practice tests if you want? They have them online.”
I shrugged. “Sure. That would be great. Thanks.”
I got the principle of tests, but I learned in a free-form way. Mom and I would practice handwriting on the bank of the river with a stick as my pencil. The gentle waves would give me a fresh slate at regular intervals.
“You guys want to watch the rest of the movie with us?” Gaze held up the remote.
It was on pause, so I could see they were watching Die Hard.
Teddi stood and stretched. I had to avert my eyes. It was too much. “I’m going to head in. I’m tired and I still have to catch up on any messages from Taylor and Peaches about party drama.”
I copied her and begged off. “I want to rest up for Teacher Pixie tomorrow. What time?”
Pixie smiled at me. “Just knock on our door if I’m not up yet. Whenever you’re ready, we can work it out.”
Teddi and I passed each other, inches from touching. “Goodnight.”
“Yeah. Same to you.”
I was going to have some trouble getting to bed tonight.
Chapter 23
TEDDI
WHEN I LOOKED at my phone, the messages rolled in. It had been glitching lately and sending all of them at once. I tapped on Taylor’s.
BIITTTCHH! There’s no leaving! Why u leave? Dammit.
Then there were a slew of pictures of her sad face and the inside of her nostrils.
Are u having mad, wild sex with Ruffian? Swirl ur hips. Do the swirl.
Then another video of her singing offkey with Peaches and Anders and Brutus. I couldn’t tell what the song was.
Next I had a video from Taylor lying in her bed, which was good because it meant she got home. “Call me. I wanna talk.”
I switched into my pajama shorts and a tank before popping in my earbuds. I rang her on FaceTime.
“Did you and Ruffian have the boppity sloppity?” She cut to the chase.
“No. We kind of fought. And then made up. Then I talked to Gaze and Pixie. Did you have the sloppity?”
“With whom? No. I’m here all alone. But you live with your new crush. Tell me what the hell happened. You walked in one way and walked out another.” She did a series of hand gestures that were supposed to represent Ruffian and me.
“I don’t know. It was weird. When he grabbed me, it was something.” I thought back to the party. That moment. It was intense. And I would blame it on the alcohol, but we hadn’t drunk much at all.
“You’re telling me. I was there watching it. Hell, I took a pic.” Taylor’s hair was spread out wide around her head. She went to pause for a few seconds and then I had a message from her.
It was a side shot of the hold. Taylor had really long arms, so I guessed she reached one of them to its full length to get the shot from the couch. It was a great shot. I mean from an artistic perspective, but the look on our faces was so raw, I almost felt naked in it. And Ruffian looked like he was in wonder. At me. With me.
I swiped back to Taylor. “That was something, you’re right.”
Taylor pretended to pant like a dog. “Well, Meg was an asshole soon after you guys left. She was pouting and stomping around. Eventually, we all bounced because it got awkward.”
“That had to be a lot of awkward to break up that kind of group.” I mentally pictured my friends and the others that were there. They never closed it out early. Half the party usually spent the night passed out on the floors and stuff until the morning.
They were stupid, but not drunk drivers or anything. Which was good. They were still underage drinking, but still.
“You have no idea. Well, maybe you do because you guys used to be tight.” Taylor closed her eyes.
“That was literally the last year of elementary school. A lot has changed.” I closed my eyes as well.
“Yeah. You grew your giant beanbags.” I was just listening to her now, not making eye contact.
“Don’t slut shame my fun bags.” I propped the phone up on one of my pillows and rolled onto my side.
“This conversation isn’t over. But it should be.” Taylor started softly snoring.
I woke up enough to end the call. Tomorrow she and I would hash it out again. I let sleep take me and I dreamed of Ruffian.
Chapter 24
RUFFIAN
I LAY ON my back looking at the ceiling. I should have been going over everything I saw in Meg’s house. Instead, I was going over everything that was said and done with Teddi. Who was I even? Partying at a rich girl’s house? Lying in my own room with a closet full of clothing? I felt the shame of it. Of having when others did not. When my community was suffering.
I was starting to see it now. How it became us versus them. Their walls insulated them from us. And we had been thoroughly outsiders my whole life. Like having no home was a crime. Like living in a tent was a punishable offense.
I sat up and rested my elbows on my knees. Maybe I wasn’t made for this task I gave myself. Maybe I could be weak and fall into this cushy life and forget everyone. Mom would be so disappointed.
I had to look at the goal. The long-term goal. When I made the decision to go to jail for something big, I hadn’t counted on hurting people. I’d only been with this family a short time, and I had fallen hard for Teddi. I liked this family. Even my brother wasn’t an asshole. I didn’t picture taking their trust and turning it into a knife that I would plunge into their backs.
This was hard. I just needed to make my feelings th
e same way. The Conner kids needed me. All my crew needed me. I started going over the layout to Meg’s house in my mind. Walking through, hearing my feet hit the marble, counting the doors in the hallway.
There was a really easy way to get back in there. And the second I figured it out, I looked toward the ceiling. My feelings for Teddi had to be sacrificed, too.
I pulled out my phone and texted Meg. What’s up, girl? Then I slid to the floor, forsaking the bed.
TEDDI
I WOKE UP late. My phone was next to me but dead. Judging from the amount of sunshine in my room, I was really late.
It was Sunday. No meetings today, but I had to send out a few more emails looking for more donations for the next set of Me Parties.
I had to see Ruffian. Flutters in my stomach and in my chest. I wanted to see that picture again, the one that felt like a dream that was so close to my eyes closing when I saw it. I attached my phone to the charger and then headed straight for the shower. It always took forever to power up when it was completely drained. Then it would launch a few updates. It would be a while.
When I was done conditioning my hair and putting on a little makeup, the phone was lit up and full of notifications. It was like a brief trip back in time. I scrolled through what had been sent to me while my phone was off.
I saw a tag from Meg on Instagram.
Shit. That couldn’t be good. I hit it first. Up popped a screenshot of a text message Ruffian had sent Meg. She added the caption.
“When you get a late-night booty call except it’s almost morning.” Then about ten water splash emojis.
And she tagged me. She was an asshole. I felt my rage rise up as color to my face and noticed the splotches on my neck.
I was getting played. Played by the dude living in my basement. After all that transpired between us at the party, he was texting Meg. Freaking Meg.
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