Empty Net

by Toni Aleo

  “How am I acting like a slut? I told him to meet me at a public place because I didn’t want the risk of him trying to sleep with me.”

  “Whatever, Audrey. What about Tate? Don’t you care at all?”

  “Yes, I do, and you know it, but why try to make something work with him when there is a chance of it failing?”

  “Audrey, what the hell? Are you going to tip toe through life and do things that are safe or are you going to live and be happy!? This is insane, it’s like I don’t even know you.”

  “I am the same person I was when we met, nothing has changed,” Audrey argued.

  “Then I don’t know if I like this person,” Piper said sadly. It hurt her just as much as it hurt Audrey to hear her say it. “You deserve more and you are settling for crap.”

  “Piper, you just don’t understand-”

  Suddenly there was a knock at Audrey’s window. Turning she saw Levi standing there with a pissed off look on his face and for the first time ever, Audrey didn’t think he looked good. He looked rough, like he had had a bad day or something. What was wrong with him?

  “Audrey?”

  “Hey, let me let you go, Levi is at the window,” she said before hanging up the phone while Piper screamed something along the lines of ‘Don’t open that fucking window.’ But Audrey did and said, “Hey.”

  “What the hell, I’ve been waiting for almost twenty minutes.”

  “I was on the phone,” Audrey said simply.

  “Obviously, come on, let’s get out of here. We’ll go back to my house.”

  He went to open her door but it was locked, and for some reason, she knew not to unlock it.

  “No, I don’t have time for that. What did you want to talk about?”

  Levi let out a frustrated breath before leaning against the car door. Putting a smirk on his face, he said, “You look good, cupcake, you alright?”

  Audrey nodded, “Just fine.”

  “Good,” he said nodding, “so do you miss me?”

  Audrey shrugged her shoulders, “Sometimes.”

  “Well I miss you, why don’t we just by pass all this talk shit and get to what we both want.”

  “I don’t want to bypass anything. I told you my terms, Levi. I don’t want to be just your fuck buddy.”

  “Audrey, come on, this is stupid. Why are you doing this? I thought--”

  “I thought you said you wanted to talk about forever?”

  Levi laughed, “No that was my way of getting you here. Nothing’s changed. I just want you, bad.”

  “For fuck sakes,” she muttered, reaching to start her car.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’m leaving,” she said through her teeth, “You turn me into a crazy person, Levi, and I’m fucking tired of it.”

  “Oh come on, why are you being like this. We both know that isn’t true, that you want me.”

  “You’re delusional. Move away from my car, please.”

  “No, get out, let me talk to you,” he demanded, moving his arm into the car to hold on to her steering wheel.

  “No Levi, get your hand off my steering wheel, and leave me be. Don’t bother me anymore.”

  “Why? It’s not like anyone else will ever want you? I’m the only one who wants to deal with your whinny bitch ass self,” he sneered, still holding onto her wheel. For a split second Audrey was a tad bit scared but that was gone and anger replaced it.

  “And you wonder why I don’t want to be with you! You’re an asshole! Get the hell out of my car,” she said smacking his hand away. His eyes went wide and he let go of her wheel as he took a step back, “I don’t even know what I was thinking coming here!”

  “You care about me! You love me!” he yelled.

  “No, I’m done,” she yelled back and then she blurted out, “I’m seeing someone!”

  Levi’s laugh sent chills down her spine. He then leaned in close, his face only inches from hers causing her to back into the headrest. He then flashed her a devilish grin before he whispered, “Your heart belongs to me and always will. No one will ever be what I am to you, you may think I’m an asshole and all that, but you know I am good to you. I took care of you in bed. I was there when you needed me. I don’t know what your problem is, but get the fuck over it. I’m not going anywhere and neither are you. No one and I mean no one will ever want you, so why even try?”

  “That’s not true,” Audrey whispered as Levi smirked at her, his eyes dark with anger.

  “This guy only wants your hot pussy, that’s it. I know you, you probably slept with him within the first week, and now he is hooked. He won’t treat you right and he won’t be there for you. He’ll end up hurting you after he is done fucking you. When he gets to know you, the whiny, needy, bitchy Audrey, the one who wants the house, the kids, and white picket fence, he’ll run. You’re not worth anyone’s time, Audrey.”

  Audrey shook her head as tears gathered in her eyes, “But you want me, what makes you any different from all these guys, Levi?”

  “Because I’m just as fucked up as you. We are good together, Cupcake, so stop fighting this shit,” he said softly, his eyes boring in hers. For a moment she believed that this was the Levi she loved, but something wasn’t right. She knew this was wrong, her heart didn’t want him, because if it did, she wouldn’t be thinking about what Tate would think about her being there with him.

  Shaking her head, Audrey said, “I’m sorry, Levi, I deserve better. I deserve the husband, the white picket fence, and maybe,” she swallowed passed the lump in her throat, “maybe children, but what I don’t deserve is this shit from you. I will always love you, but it isn’t the love I thought it was.”

  Levi shook his head, “That’s bullshit.”

  “I care about you, and know that I will always be here for you, but not in a romantic way anymore, but as friends.”

  Levi’s face was tight with anger before he slammed his fist into the side of her car. Pinning her with a look of death, he sneered, “Fuck you, and your ‘friend shit’.”

  And with that, he was gone.

  Audrey watched as he stomped angrily to his car, and even watched as he pulled away. When she started crying it wasn’t because she had officially ended things with Levi, it was because everything he said could very well be true.

  ***

  Tate sat on his porch with water in his hand and his phone in the other. He thought it would be a little weird to text and ask Audrey were she was so he decided to stalk her Facebook. There wasn’t anything on there and he was confused. He thought she would have been home, getting ready for their date, but she wasn’t.

  Where was she?

  He had had a rough night partying with his old buddies. It was a good time, but he couldn’t stop thinking about Audrey. He had even texted her at the club to tell her he was sorry he wasn’t home. She was cute about it, and told him she expected something big today. Tate planned on delivering just that. In the fridge were a dozen fresh cut, pink chrysanthemums that he knew she would love. He was excited to give them to her, and he was even more excited to wrap her up in his arms.

  But something didn’t feel right.

  Where was she?

  Messing around his on his phone, he brought up her number, and pressed it to call. It only rang twice when she answered.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey you,” he said smiling at the sound of her voice, “I’m very disappointed right now.”

  “Why?” she asked without even a giggle.

  Fuck, something was wrong.

  “Well, I’m home, and you are not.”

  “Oh, shit, what time is it? Crap, I’m turning onto our street, I’m almost there. I lost track of time,” she said flustered.

  “Whoa, it’s okay. I was just joking with you.”

  “Oh, well I’m home now,” she said just as the crunch of her tires on the gravel sounded her arrival. Standing up, he smiled as his eyes met hers.

  “You are, and man, love, you are simply gor
geous.”

  Audrey smiled and waved as she said, “Wow, really know how to make a girl blush, huh?”

  “Get out of that car, now,” he said, hanging up the phone and making his way towards her. She met him half way, and he enveloped her in a tight fierce hug. Her arms wrapped around his middle as she buried her nose in his chest, holding him just as tight. Tate placed a kiss on top of her head, and then nuzzled his nose in her hair. They stood in each other’s arms for what seemed like hours when it was only minutes. He loved the feel of her and felt like she needed this.

  She needed him.

  “I want to kiss you, Audrey,” he whispered into her hair. “Look at me.” Glancing up at him, he saw her eyes were pooled with tears. “Whoa, what’s wrong?” Shaking her head, Audrey bit down on her lip as she looked down at his chest. “Audrey, love, tell me.”

  “I saw Levi today.”

  “What?” he asked as she moved out of his arms, leaving him feeling empty. He had a bad feeling growing in his chest and he had no clue what it was.

  “I told him it was really over, he’s been texting and calling and stuff, but I told him to leave me alone.”

  Tate nodded, “Good.”

  “But he said some really awful things to me, and, Tate, I’m hurting because part of me believes him.”

  “What did he say? I doubt it was true, he was probably trying to hurt you.”

  “Well he succeeded,” she said sadly.

  When they heard the crunch of gravel they both turned to see Piper pulling into the driveway. Turning back to look at Audrey, Tate said, “Tell me what you need me to do.”

  She paused and then said, “I need you to be my friend.”

  Tate felt like she had kicked him in the gut, “Your friend?”

  “Hey!” Piper yelled as she made her way towards them, “Hey Tate,” she said, but Tate couldn’t speak, he stood there not able to catch a breath, because he was pretty sure a wall had come up between them again.

  And like before, he ran dead into it.

  ~*~

  Tate didn’t say a word to Audrey through dinner. He hadn’t even given her the flowers he bought. All he did was sit there and eat. It wasn’t like she was talking to him though, she just picked at her food basically ignoring everyone. Phillip and Piper were in a full conversation, with Erik adding in his part here and there. Tate noticed that Erik had been talking a lot more to Piper and if Audrey wasn’t in a pissy mood, he would have pointed that out.

  Glancing over at Audrey, Tate hated how even though he was mad, and hurt, he couldn’t help but think she was gorgeous. Her hair was down along her shoulders, hiding the open back of her lace black dress. It was frilly and girly as hell, but man, she looked good in it. It came to her knees, and she wore lace black high heels that had diamond incrusted heels. Her makeup was soft this time, and she looked so damn vulnerable. Despite being upset, he just wanted to make everything better.

  He just didn’t know how.

  After dinner they all rode in Phillip’s big truck to Wanna Be’s nightclub. Audrey and Piper were stuck in the back with Tate, and Audrey was pressed to his side. He wanted to wrap his arm around her, tell her everything was okay, and that what asshat said wasn’t true. But instead he sat there, waiting for the night to be over. Once parked, everyone piled out of the truck, and headed inside. When Phillip stopped Tate, he held back as everyone walked pass them.

  “Everything okay with you and Audrey?”

  Tate nodded, “Fine,” he lied before moving away and heading to the bar. Glancing back to where Audrey and Piper sat talking, Tate downed a beer and ordered another one.

  “You sure?” Phillip asked from beside him.

  “She fucking friend zoned me again,” Tate said, pointing to Audrey with his beer, “And I want to kill the guy who is fucking with her.”

  “Wow, I haven’t heard you cuss that much off the ice. You must be angry,” Phillip said, leaning beside Tate, drinking his own beer. “If you need help with the body, Erik and I got you.”

  Tate nodded, “Thanks.”

  “Tell me what happened, maybe I can help.”

  So Tate did. He told Phillip, how he had knocked down Audrey’s walls, how they were together, how she admitted to wanting him. He told Phillip everything in the middle of a bar while the girl he wanted sat not even fifty feet away. “So tell me, is it worth it? Do I stand here and wait, or do I go on? We have something, something great, but she won’t let go of all the shit this dick did to her.”

  “I am the wrong person to ask, I fuck ‘em and leave ‘em. That’s how I roll, but I agree there is something between you guys and if I can see it, you know it’s real. So I mean, shit, Tate. Do you…what do you want to do?”

  “I want her to love me.”

  Phillip nodded a shocked expression on his face, “Okay, what does she want?”

  “She wants me to be there for her as a friend. She said she needs a friend.”

  Phillip nodded, “And now you are both are acting weird?”

  “Yeah.”

  “So, stop, act like nothing changed. Until she says ‘Tate, I don’t want you’, keep on the way you’ve been. Be persistent. Don’t give up.”

  Tate glanced across the bar and saw that Audrey was sitting by herself. Glancing out to the dance floor, he saw that Piper and Erik were dancing close, and intimately. He had been so excited about getting her on the floor again, about being close. Phillip was right. Sitting his beer down, he cupped Phillip’s shoulder in thanks, before making his way across the bar. Audrey looked up just as he reached her.

  “I thought you were going to show me these mad dance moves,” he teased.

  Audrey smiled, shrugging her shoulders, “I didn’t think you wanted to see them.”

  “Get up, love, let’s go dance,” he said pulling her up and onto the dance floor. Once they made it to the floor, Tate took her hands and made her dance with him. When she wouldn’t move, he asked, “What’s going on!?”

  Audrey shook her head, pointing to the door, “Tate, let’s go talk.”

  Tate smiled as he shook his head and brought her in close with his arms, “I don’t want to talk. I want to dance with the most beautiful girl in the room. So come on, show me these mad moves.”

  Audrey moved her hands up his arms, and shook her head, “You’re not gonna give up are you?”

  Tate smiled leaning his head against hers, “Never.”

  After that, the night went great. Tate and Audrey danced, and enjoyed their friends. Neither of them talked about being friends, or even more, they just did what they did best, and that was being together.

  Phillip had decided to go home with some girl, leaving them without a ride. Phillip was good for some things but when a girl was involved, he was hopeless. Erik and Piper decided to share a taxi, leaving Tate and Audrey to get one of their own.

  Standing in the driveway of their condos, Tate paid for the taxi as Audrey stood beside him, his jacket tightly wrapped around her. Thanking the driver, Tate turned, wrapping an arm around Audrey.

  “It is freezing out!” she declared, snuggling closer to him.

  “It is, come on, let’s get you inside,” he said walking with her to her door.

  “So, thanks for a great night,” Audrey said turning to face him, “You really know how to show a girl a good time.”

  Tate smiled, “You are welcome, I am just glad I got to see these mad moves of yours.”

  “Told you they were killer,” she joked as she smiled brightly at him.

  Silenced stretched between them as they stood staring at each other. Tate pushed his tongue against his teeth before taking her hand in his. “Are you going to let me kiss you goodnight?”

  Audrey looked long and hard at him, and when she shook her head no, he felt like she had kicked him again. “I don’t want to lead you on, Tate. I know I keep saying that, but I really don’t want to hurt you.”

  Tate nodded, “Okay.”

  “Are you mad?”
/>   Tate shook his head, “No, I’m frustrated, because we have something.”

  “I agree.”

  “Then kiss me, Audrey,” he said pleading her with his eyes. “Give me the green light, love.”

  Audrey shook her head as she moved away from him, opening her door, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Tate nodded and watched as she gave him one last look before shutting the door. Lacing his fingers behind his head, he let out the breath he was holding. She was going to drive him insane, and he didn’t know what to do. He didn’t have anyone to call to help him figure it out. No family, no friends who could help. He was on his own, and what he wanted to do was not necessarily right. In his mind, he would have kissed her and worried about the repercussions later. He needed her, and he could see in her eyes that she needed and wanted him.

  Oh well, there was always tomorrow.

  Digging his keys out of his pocket, he went to open the door, when Audrey’s opened again. Audrey peeked out, and Tate looked over at her, heat filling his body at the sight of her. She had changed into a t-shirt, and from where he was standing, it looked like she only wore panties. She held out his coat with a small shy smile on her face, “Here.”

  He looked down at the coat and then her. Was this his sign? She could have given him the jacket tomorrow, how did she know he was still out there? This had to be a sign, and he had to kiss her.

  Now.

  Without warning, he pulled her by her outstretch arm and gathered her into his arms, kissing her hard against her parted mouth. Since her mouth was already opened he moved his tongue inside her mouth before pushing her against the wall between their doors. Her hands moved up his arms, taking hold of his shoulders as he continued to drink from her mouth. When they parted, her sparkling brown eyes were full of the same heat that filled his.

  “I can’t be friends,” he said before bringing her back to his mouth.

  He moved his hands down her body as hers stayed at his shoulders, holding him close. Tate’s hand squeezed Audrey’s full ass before lifting her and pressing himself into her. He was harder than a frozen puck, and he was more than ready to be inside her.