“Nah, don’t be. She’s a whore, like most girls,” He says, bringing his drink to mine and clinking the glass.
I cast a look around the main room and see many people from my graduating class. They are all turned, watching me. I feel like I'm on display. Then I see Tiffany and it’s even worse.
While everyone else is dressed for the weather, she’s wearing a tube top that exposes her bare shoulders. She is standing by her group of girlfriends, waiting for me to catch her eye. Now she’s coming over, and I take a few swigs to buy myself time. She takes my arm and drapes it around her shoulders, squeezing my torso.
“Seaaaaan!” She squeals, and her voice is like nails on a chalkboard. “I’ve missed you!”
She’s looking up at me with her green eyes, and I’m reminded of when I thought she was quite pretty. But that was back when I thought brand names and popularity were all the mattered. Now, I just see dollar signs in her eyes. She would float her way through life chasing jerseys, or buckles, or sugar daddies. Maybe she’d luck out and land a doctor, if her lifestyle didn’t catch up with her before then.
I give her a light squeeze and start to remove my arm. Then, from across the room, I see Bree’s doe eyes watching me. She has a small crease between her eyebrows, the one she gets when she’s upset. She looks away quickly as my eyes meet hers, but I’m aware of how it looks with my arm wrapped around Tiffany.
For the second time in a day, I’m racking my brain to think of ways to make it right with her.
Breanna
The drink in my hand isn’t enough to stifle the jealousy I feel rising within me. I wish that I could rip his arm off of Tiffany’s petite little body and use it to knock some sense into him. How can he not see that she’s using him? She’s probably been planning for an opportunity like tonight since the day he left for college. Instead of learning a skill or trade, she’s been planning her wardrobe and hairstyles. She probably stopped taking her birth control a few weeks ago to make herself hyperovulate in preparation to trap him.
My stomach lurches at the thought of him with her. I can’t even bring myself to look at him.
Instead, I turn to chat with Sophie. She is sparkling like the cider in her hand, alive with the nightlife. She is talking animatedly with some girls from school, and once again I marvel at how seamlessly she navigates interactions. She shoots a glance at Mike, who gives her a wink despite his conversation with the guys. She happily returns to her own conversation, knowing full well that if she wants him, he’s hers at the end of the night.
Vince comes up to me and gives me a side hug to say 'hello.' I reciprocate awkwardly, feeling his bony frame, and glance around for Amy.
“Hey Breanna, how’s school going?” He asks as he gets me another drink.
“It’s good. The classes are harder, but I like that. What have you been up to?”
“I just got the manager position at the shop. I’m trying to buy a house,” He says proudly.
“Congratulations! I bet Amy is excited,” I say, looking for her again.
“She’s not going to be here,” He says coldly, noticing my gaze. “We broke up.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I say, not knowing what else to say. “I always thought you guys were really good together.”
“Yeah, that’s what happens when you date a whore. You wouldn’t know anything about that, though. You’ve always been a good girl,” He says as his eyes travel down the length of my body. The look in his eyes makes me feel uncomfortable, like I’m prey.
“Bree, there’s Missy. Let’s go say ‘hi’ real quick,” Sophie interrupts, pulling me away. Once again, I’m grateful for her. As Sophie greets her friend, I notice that Sean is watching Vince intently. His face looks like he bit a lemon.
With unashamed glee, I notice that Tiffany has returned to her original group of girls. She has a pout on her face, similar to the time another girl was named Homecoming Queen and got to dance with Sean. Knowing her, she’ll come up with some other way to get his attention.
“Are you doing okay?” Sophie whips her blonde hair over her shoulder to look at me. “Did Vince creep you out?”
“Kind of. It’s okay, though. I think he’s just upset about the breakup.”
“I can’t believe I forgot to tell you about that. Apparently she was cheating on him.” Sophie giggles, wearing the satisfied face she gets when she knows something scandalous. But then she hears the beat of her favorite song and her face changes. She's pulling me to the dance floor and calling back to me, "Let’s dance!”
I set my drink on the counter and join her. I'm a little reluctant at first, but soon, it’s as if we’re back in her room with no audience. The rhythm moves through me, making me free. It's like the base is shaking off the creepy vibes Vince left.
During a well-timed body roll, I happen to shoot a glance at Sean. He is talking to a buddy, but his blue eyes are fixed on me. Emboldened by the music, I flash him a smile before turning my attention back to Sophie. He looks taken off guard at being caught staring. I’m grateful my back is to him, because there is no way I can wipe this grin off my face.
It doesn’t last long, though. Tiffany has climbed on top of the table and is giving a show of her own. Sophie shakes her head and laughs, but when she sees my face, she can tell that I’m aggravated.
“What’s wrong?” She asks, just loud enough that I can hear her over the music.
“Nothing,” I lie, but I cast a look at Sean that doesn't go unnoticed.
“He isn’t into her anymore, if you’re worried about her using him,” Sophie says. Now his back is to us, and it’s impossible to tell if he’s watching her or not. However, every other guy in the place is. It wouldn’t be a stretch to assume that he's watching, too.
I don’t have the opportunity to respond. I feel someone bumping behind me against the rhythm, and it becomes perfectly clear that at least one man in the cabin isn’t watching her. Vince is holding my hips, doing his best to grind. I try to sidestep him and give him a smile, and Sophie moves to form a circle for him to be a part of. That way, I don’t need to touch him. He doesn’t get the point though, and his pelvis is following me like an adolescent dog.
Sophie grabs my hips and gets behind me in an attempt to force him away from me. He still can’t take the hint, and instead positions himself in front of me, pressing himself all over. My skin crawls, and I shoot a look back at Sophie.
“Who wants to play a game?!” Squeals Sophie. A few people turn around, nodding, and join us in a corner of the cabin. Tiffany can sense she is losing her audience, and begins to pull up her top teasingly, as if she’s going to strip. To my satisfaction, Sean ignores this and joins us in the corner. Others follow him.
“What should we play?” Asks Mike, who is opening a fresh drink.
“Hmmm, how about, Never Have I Ever?” Sophie says. Heads nod in agreement, so that's what we start with.
We form a large circle, and by the time we have rearranged the furniture, Tiffany has stopped her show and joined. She stands right next to Sean, as if they are still a couple. My mood darkens, but I try to ignore it. Maybe I can find someone else to crush on? But as I look from guy to guy, I am reminded that nobody compares to him.
And that is the sad reality of my life.
Sean
“Okay, everyone have a full drink?” Mike asks. It amazes me easily he fits into any party situation. It was like he grew up with everyone.
“So the rules are easy,” He continues. “The first person makes a statement starting with ‘Never have I ever’, and anyone who HAS done that statement has to take a drink. So let’s do an example between Sophie and me.”
Sophie lifts her glass to show that she’s game. Mike eyes her appraisingly, trying to decide what to say.
“Alright, then. Never have I ever hooked up with someone in a log cabin,” he says, watching her with a smile.
Sophie lifts the glass to her lips and takes a huge gulp, then flashes a grin at Mike. The crowd giggles,
knowing that Sophie hooks up with someone at almost every party we have out here.
“Alright,” Mike says with a laugh. “So that’s how it goes, but everyone in the circle responds to the statement. If you haven’t done the statement, you don’t drink. No cheating. You start, Vince, since it’s your place.”
“Okay. Let’s see. Never have I ever been in handcuffs,” He says as he looks around. A few of the guys take a drink, including myself. Tiffany is also taking a drink and she winks at me like we are sharing a secret. She’s referring to the time that we were seventeen and broke into the city pool. I break eye-contact and wait for the next question. Now it's Sophie’s turn.
“Never have I ever kissed someone the same sex,” she says. I’m relieved that nothing more crazy is revealed about my sister, but the night is still young. Only a couple girls drink, though I suspect a guy or two are refraining from sharing.
Now it is Bree’s turn, and she is staring contemplatively into her drink. Then she flashes her dark eyes at me before parting her pretty lips.
“Never have I ever liked someone younger than me,” she says, watching me. I take a drink.
Next is a girl I barely remember. She already sounds plastered as she spits out, “Never have I ever fantasized about someone in this room.”
To my surprise, everyone takes a drink, including Breezy.
Tiffany is next, and the way she's been looking at me says that she has a doozy up her sleeve. She clears her throat and shakes her hair out of her face.
“Never have I ever loved anyone other than my first kiss,” she says with a saccharine voice. Her eyes are fixed on me, because really, she couldn’t care less who anyone else loved. She wanted to know if she still had a chance. I couldn’t give her that satisfaction, and took a drink. I dared a brief look at Bree, and she smiled. She didn't drink. Does this mean she loves someone she's kissed? Jealousy tightens my stomach until I realize an alternative. She may have never been kissed.
But how?
Now it’s my turn. I swallow hard, wishing I would have prepared a question first. I mumbled out something about never hooking up with a teacher before. No one drinks, and I am angry at my wasted opportunity.
After we’ve gone full circle, I start taking smaller drinks. I'm drinking at almost every question, and I need to drive us home. Unless we all stay. Maybe I can room up with Bree. . .
Now it’s Vince’s turn again, and I find myself hating the smirk on his face. If he think it went unnoticed that he tried grinding on Bree, well, he’s got another thing coming. I take a deep breath, trying to remind myself that he doesn’t know how I feel about her. He’s just trying to get over his ex.
“Okay, so since I’ve been with Amy so long, you all know this isn’t true. I’m just saying this one to find out about people in the group.” He slurs his preface.
“I don’t think that’s-” Someone sober chimes in.
“My place, my rules,” Vince interrupts. “Okay. Here goes. Never have I ever had sex before.”
Everyone giggles at what they assumes is a softball question, and they all raise their glasses. Everyone except Bree. I smile to myself and try to hide it behind my drink. She shifts awkwardly and smiles. Sophie squeezes her arm as she takes a drink herself.
And with that, I have my answer. She hasn't been with anyone in college and I could still make her mine. Suddenly I'm aching to be next to her, and it's all I can do to keep from crossing the circle and closing the space between us.
But then I see a flicker of disgust cross her face. I follow her gaze to Vince, who is licking his lips like he is going to devour her. My fists clench around my drink, and I don’t hear the next few questions. All I can focus on is the dull roar of rage building within me. How could someone like him think he had a chance with a girl like her? If he bothered thinking about it, he would know that it made no sense. But he doesn't care.
Now it’s Tiffany’s turn, and she is practically salivating at the thought of saying the statement she picked. She turns towards me and looks me straight in the eye.
“Never have I ever had better sex than with my high school sweetheart," Tiffany says in a voice that's supposed to sound sultry. In front of everyone, she reaches into my back pocket and removes my wallet. Without breaking eye contact, she places a condom inside next to the one I brought. She snaps the wallet closed and hands it back to me.
A few people whoop and whistle, and I realize that this is the narrative they want. Hometown hero returns to marry high school sweetheart. I shake my head at the audacity of her. She twirls a strand of her blonde hair, feigning innocence, and her eyelashes flutter.
Before I can take a drink to show her stupidity, Bree hands her beverage to Sophie and whispers something. She takes off towards one of the bedrooms. I wonder if she’s sick, or if she maybe drank too much. I’m too busy watching her to actually bring the drink to my lips, and just as she closes the door, the crowd takes my lack of drinking as confirmation that I want Tiffany. More whoops, louder this time, and Tiffany gives me the toothiest smile I’ve ever seen. You’d have thought I had proposed.
It’s almost laughable. I have to stifle a chuckle at the absurdity. But the humor is sucked out of the situation as I see Vince slinking away from the group.
I'm no rocket scientist, but I don't need to be to figure out where he's headed.
Breanna
The burning in my belly isn’t from the alcohol. In fact, I hadn’t even had much to drink. No, this was the familiar anguish of jealousy. I didn’t want to know Sean’s answer to Tiffany’s statement, but the hollering of the group told me everything. Now the ulcerous feeling was here to stay.
The door cracks open, and I expect to see Sophie. Instead, Vince’s swarmy face pokes through.
“Hey, you okay?” He asks with faux concern as his eyes rest on my breasts.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I just need some quiet for a minute. I drank a little too much,” I reply. I regret my excuse as soon as the words leave my mouth.
He gives an ugly, involuntary sneer and takes a step inside the room. He closes the door soundlessly behind him. I perch myself at the edge of the bed, unsure what to expect. I’ve been alone with Vince before, but there was never this discomfort.
“Do you need anything?” He asks. The bed shifts to adjust the weight of him sitting next to me. “Water? Company?”
“I think I’ll be okay in a minute,” I answer. I rub my arm as if trying to warm up, but really I am trying to hide my shivers of disgust.
“You cold?” He asks as he scoots closer. Then his arm is draped around me, and he is pulling me into his sweaty body.
“I’m okay, thanks. I just need a minute alone,” I say again, wishing that Sophie would come in.
“You look really sexy tonight,” He says in a whisper. His breath smells like rancid fruit and stale cigarettes. “I meant to tell you earlier.”
His fingers are tracing up and down my arm now, and I try to shift his hand off of me. Panic rises, but I try to calm myself down. I mean, this is Vince. We went to high school together. He isn’t trying to be creepy. He’s just drunk and hurting from his break-up with Amy.
“Thanks. I really just want some time to be alone though. Thanks for understanding,” I say firmly, pushing myself farther away on the bed.
“Hey, come here,” He says as he grabs my wrist. “I just wanna talk.”
I say nothing as he looks me up and down, as if deciding where to touch first. The silence between us is thick and awkward, but I seem to be the only one noticing. I clear my throat. If I needed to yell, would anyone hear me? The music is really loud, and I can tell by the laughter that people are still playing the game.
“What did you want to talk about?” I ask, and I’m surprised at how quiet my voice sounds.
“You’re really a virgin?” He asks, and he’s licking his lips again.
“I don’t want to talk about this,” I say and try to stand up. I need to get out of the room. If I can just get b
ack with the group, he can’t get away with being this creepy. But as I stand, he takes my arm roughly and pulls me back to the bed.
“Take it easy. Just let me look at you,” He says as he holds me down. A weird sound escapes his mouth as he climbs on top of me, pinning me.
“Please, Vince. I won’t say anything. I just want to go back to the party,” I whisper, unable to comprehend what is happening. But he isn’t listening. He’s rubbing himself against me through clothes, and I feel sick.
“You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t want this. I’ve seen how you look at me,” He says through grunts as he grinds himself on me.
“Vince, get off me. Get off me!” I say before he manages to cover my mouth.
“You’re just scared. I’ll be gentle.” He whispers.
I mumble underneath his hand and squirm. His other hand is pulling my top down, and I wonder if I might vomit. I close my eyes, unable to believe that this is really happening. I shove against him, but he is surprisingly strong. I'm disadvantaged, pinned underneath his drunken dead weight. I hear the sound of him unzipping his pants, and I start screaming against his hand.
The sound is muffled, and I know there is no way anyone will hear. Hot tears fill my eyes and fall down my cheek. I twist and struggle, but every attempt to fight him only meets stronger resistance. I close my eyes and let my body go limp. I try to focus on the sound of the music thumping. I try to figure out what song is playing. Anything to keep from feeling his hands on my bare midriff.
Suddenly, his weight is lifted off me and I hear a thunderous crash. I open my eyes to see him rebounding off of a wall. Sean is grabbing him by the collar of his t-shirt, pushing him against the wall again.
“What the fuck are you doing, man?” He says through gritted teeth.
“She’s into it, ask her,” Vince mutters. His hands are wrapped around Sean’s wrists to keep his hands from closing around his throat.
I’m sitting up on the bed and trying to fix my shirt so I’m not exposed. Tears are still streaming down my face. Sean takes one look at me and knows that Vince’s lying. He turns to face Vince again, and using his powerful body, lifts him several inches off the ground.
Snapped: A Sports Romance Page 3