A Cross to Bear

by Julieanne Lynch

  “Whoa, for real?”

  “Yes, and do you know how naïve you are, Mr. Belanger?” she asked, pursing her lips at me.

  I shook my head. “No!”

  “I’m afraid my little Logan has a lot to learn about pledging and being the butt of all jokes. Because on Greek street, no one, regardless of who they are, is immune to the effects of mild hazing, ridiculous requests and alcohol.”

  “Then I think your new mission in life is to educate me, seeing as I’m so out of touch with all this stuff. How about a little R&R later with some lessons in between?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

  She tried to hide the giggle, which sounded so amazing.

  It took all of my willpower not to pick her up, take her back to my room, and show her how much she meant to me. I put the desire to back of my mind and decided that later would be a much better time for a little fuck-fest.

  She glanced down at her watch and sighed. “Damn, I better go.”

  “Class?”

  “Art history,” she said, and picked up her bag.

  “Nice,” I replied, waiting for her kiss.

  “I’ll be expecting a booty call tonight after you’ve finished cleaning all those shit stains,” she whispered, lowering her face to mine.

  The scent of her sweet perfume danced around me. Her warm, silky skin slid against me. As her lips touched mine, the emotions I experienced every time we kissed overcame me. Small electrical impulses shot to the surface of my skin, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. Every single movement of her lips excited me, something I would never tire of.

  I watched Bree as she strode away, completely bowled over by how much I loved her. Our sudden courtship had been a whirlwind, something that had taken me by surprise. Nothing could ever change the way things were between us.

  * * * *

  As days went, it wasn’t any different, other than hitting the books, stuffing my face, and finding enough energy for my evening practice. The real test of my agility came when I had to turn up to the GAP house for my chores.

  “Hey there, Flipper,” Ethan said.

  “Ethan,” I replied.

  “And on time, too. Whatever will we do if you keep this up?” He scrunched his face as he spoke. Everything about Ethan was fake, even the color of his teeth.

  “I’m not sure, Ethan, but I’m sure you can think of something.”

  “We’ll see.” He looked directly at me before walking past. “There’s a nice mess upstairs waiting for you, apologies in advance. I ate chili and it didn’t agree with me.”

  Fuck! I thought, trying to keep my temper under control. Just what I needed, a shitload of Ethan’s crap, and all at the bottom of the toilet.

  I went up the stairs. A bucket of water and a plunger waited for me on the landing with my name attached.

  Drake appeared from the room at the end of the hallway, looking almost as pissed as me.

  “What’s up, bro?” I asked.

  “Pretty much kill me now,” he said, glancing back at the room. “Ironing a week’s worth of clothing for twenty guys is not how I want to spend my evenings.”

  “Hey, you can do the shitter if you fancy swapping.”

  “Screw that,” he said, and laughed. “I’d much rather iron than puke up the entire contents of my stomach, thank you very much.”

  “Well, now I feel all kinds of special.” I laughed. “But point taken. Wish me luck.”

  “God bless you, son.” He mocked a sign of the cross before I entered the bathroom.

  For the five weeks that followed, things remained consistent. Nothing sent alarm bells ringing through my head.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  “Oh my God, Logan!” Bree mumbled, and writhed under his touch. “If you keep doing that I am going explode.”

  “That’s the whole point, baby,” Logan teased, and continued to insert then remove the toy.

  Moans, grunts and gasps escaped Bree as the minutes passed. She was lost in the throes of ecstasy. Bree loved the fact that Logan was in complete control. She slid her hands across her nipples, pinching them hard as the pleasure drove her to the point of no return. The little pulses of the vibrator radiated throughout Bree’s entire body. “Oh, yes!” Bree moaned.

  Logan smiled and increased the vibrator’s momentum.

  Bree let go of her nipples, tightly clasping the pillow under her buttocks as she rode the waves. Bree’s body tensed. Her moans grew urgent. She bucked her hips into the air as her pussy clenched tight. Her whole body shaking as the orgasm peaked.

  “Oh my God! Oh, God!” Her body quivered and she gasped, laughing as she came down from the power of her climax.

  Logan removed the toy and threw it to the floor. He turned Bree over onto her hands and knees, leaving a trail of kisses down her back until he lifted her hips, and rubbed his cock against her wet lips. He knelt behind her, slowly pushing himself inside her tight, wet pussy. He then pulled back and thrust into her again and again. Slow, at first, before increasing his tempo.

  A rush of energy coursed through her.

  “Yes…fuck me harder!” Bree begged.

  Logan didn’t need any encouragement.

  Bree ground herself against him.

  He slammed into her. His thrusts grew deeper and wilder. Bree glanced back and watched as his pupils dilated. The desire burned deep in his gaze. He pulled himself out of Bree.

  “Come here,” he said, pulling her down onto her knees and jerking himself off in front of her mouth.

  Bree grinned, watching his frantic hand action. She opened her mouth wide, sticking out her tongue.

  “Oh, fuck!” He groaned, shooting his load straight into Bree’s mouth.

  Bree refused to waste a drop, licking the tip of his cock before sucking him clean, moaning as he throbbed in her mouth. She stared into his gorgeous green eyes, smiling as she got to her feet and crawled back onto the bed.

  “That was hot,” she remarked.

  “Yup. There’s more where that came from,” he replied, winking and slid onto the bed beside her.

  The two lay down, side by side, gazing at each other.

  Logan pulled her close, kissing the tip of her nose. “I love you, baby,” he whispered.

  “I love you, too.”

  They drifted off to sleep, both spent and sated.

  * * * *

  As morning came, the two were still curled against each other.

  Bree stirred and tucked her head in under his chin. She’d never imagined loving anyone the way she loved Logan. Sleeping in his arms with the warmth of his skin pressing against hers was enough to prove that they belonged together. He was everything she needed and she never wanted to let him go.

  “It’s time to get up, sleepyhead,” she whispered.

  Logan’s eyes remained closed. Bree suspected he didn’t want to face another day of chores at the GAP house. This was the last Sunday before Hell Week, however. It wouldn’t be long until he and the others were fully pledged.

  “I don’t wanna,” he grumbled.

  “But you have to.” Bree sat up and pulled one of Logan’s T-shirts over her head.

  “Seriously, let me sleep for five minutes more,” he begged with his eyes closed.

  “Nuh-uh, you’ve got to be there by eight a.m., so up you get,” she said, slapping his arm.

  “This is criminal,” he complained. “A Sunday, and I’m on fucking duty.”

  “Hey!” She pointed her finger at him. “You’ve made it this far. You can survive another six days, then it’s over.”

  Logan begrudgingly sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He stared at Bree. “We still on for dinner later?” he asked.

  Bree grinned and threw his clothes at him. “Yes, if Tommy lets you off early.”

  “True,” he replied. His morning boner was hard to ignore.

  “That should be taken care of before you deal with crap today,” Bree remarked, eyeing his cock.

  Logan grinned and stroked himself
a few times, rubbing the pre-cum along his shaft. “Well, if you insist.”

  Bree pushed him back onto the bed and straddled him, fucking him hard, letting him know she was his.

  * * * *

  By two p.m., Bree had finished writing her art history essay, pleased with her productivity. Her phone buzzed. She answered the call, remembering the one important date she had let slip from her mind. “Hey there, you,” she said.

  “Honestly, you’re the hardest person to get hold of,” Jet complained.

  “I’m so sorry. I’ve been so busy with studying, Logan, and making arrangements to introduce him to my parents. I nearly forgot.”

  “Hey, it’s cool,” Jet replied. “But if you want to make it up to me, I won’t hold it against you.”

  Bree smiled. “Within reason, girl.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “I’m not coming by the house, just so you know,” Bree said.

  “That, I would not expect.” Jet was well aware of how uncomfortable Bree was with the whole ‘Jenny being in the house’ thing.

  “Meet you at Thompson’s?” Bree suggested.

  “Sure, give me twenty minutes,” Jet replied before she ended the call.

  Bree put on her shoes. She picked up her purse and phone before she left her small room.

  * * * *

  Jet was near the bus stop by the time Bree showed up. As usual, Jet was dressed as if she was going to a funeral.

  Bree hugged her tight. “It’s so good to see you. I’m so sorry for missing your calls. I am such a shitty friend.”

  Jet chuckled. “You’re not that shitty,” she replied, nudging Bree’s arm with her elbow. “Besides, I think my own little problems have been nothing in comparison to yours.”

  “Ugh, it’s getting better all the time. No one from the house talks to me anymore. Just you, really.” Bree let out a long exasperated breath. “But…I’ve got to ask. How is Jenny?”

  “Jenny is fabulous, as we both know. Dammit, Bree, you do know that you were the only decent girl in that place, right? Now, I’m over there listening to the crap from a bunch of cocksuckers and their bids.” Jet didn’t sugarcoat her response. “Wanna know what the sad thing is?”

  “What?”

  “Jenny is living proof that no matter what you have, you’re never really happy, not when the shit hits the fan. And by that, I mean she’s miserable. Her fake laugh and crap don’t hide the fact that she misses you. From where I stand, she won’t be happy again, not until she drops the act.”

  Bree admired Jet for her honesty. It was good to have someone in her corner who wasn’t afraid to say the things that others avoided saying. She may not have many friends left—Jenny had made sure of that—but those who remained, Bree wasn’t about to let go of.

  “So, where do you wanna do this?” Bree asked.

  “I was thinking Tuttle Park,” she replied. “I figure it would be quiet. I’m sure we can find a nice spot where no one will pass any remarks, and if they do, fuck ‘em.”

  Bree smiled. “Whatever makes you happy, Jet.”

  “Hey, who said anything about being happy?” she asked. “I just want to cleanse the fuck out of this weirdness, then get back to my studies.”

  “Jet, it’s just a birthday,” Bree replied. “You’re allowed to feel something.”

  Jet didn’t respond.

  When it came to Jet and her birthday, there was no way of avoiding the little clusterfuck that came with it. Bree may have only known Jet a little over a year, but in that time, she’d learned more about Jet and her troubles than Jenny would have ever admitted to.

  She’d learned how much Jet hated her birthdays. She wasn’t one to accept gifts gracefully. After the disastrous surprise party Jenny had organized for Jet during their freshman year, Bree had seen firsthand how far Jet would go to avoid anything like it again.

  This year, Bree had promised that she’d help Jet by taking her out and doing a little cleansing ritual away from the chaos and the negative nature of the house.

  Jet blamed most of her unhappiness on her parents and their refusal to accept her sexual orientation. As much as Bree tried to understand, she could never compare her misfortunes to Jet’s.

  “So, how’s loverboy?” Jet asked as they headed toward the recreational park.

  “He’s good,” Bree replied. “Going into Hell Week, so I suspect the mood might change.”

  “Whoa, I almost forgot it’s that time already?”

  Bree nodded. “Yup, I hope Tommy and Ethan behave. You know how ridiculous and sadistic Ethan can be.”

  “Ethan is a fucktard. One day I hope he gets his comeuppance, but until then, I shall pray to the Gods of Karma and hope for the best,” she said, sniggering at her evil intentions.

  Bree linked her arm around Jet’s and laughed. “You do know that in another life you would probably scare the crap out of me, right?”

  “Well, of course, because in another life, I would be the queen bee, and you, my little darkling, would be my court jester.” Jet laughed and gave Bree an evil glare. “But as it stands, we’re here. You’re awesome and you know how to give good head, even for a cock-loving wench.”

  “Hey, I thought we’d never talk of that again?” Bree said, her voice a little high-pitched.

  “Bargaining tools, baby, so calm your titties.” Jet looked at Bree, smirking and blowing her a kiss. “Besides, you’re the only person in school I trust with all my shit.”

  “I know,” Bree said, resting her head against Jet’s. “And you’re the reason I’ve kept sane these past few months, so we’re equal.”

  “Hey, don’t be getting all sentimental on me. You know how that shit makes me giddy.”

  “Then, suck it up, bitch, because I love you.” Bree planted a kiss on her cheek and found a quiet area in the park.

  The two girls sat down near a small line of trees.

  Jet closed her eyes, raising her face toward the sky. The light of the early October sun danced across her face.

  “God, I love fall,” she remarked. “It’s the one time of the year when I feel like I can do anything.”

  Bree lay down on the grass, staring up at the blue sky between the branches of the trees. “Sometimes, I wonder what it would be like to not exist. Does that make me weird?”

  “Yes,” Jet replied. “It makes you fucked up and in need of meds.”

  They burst into laughter. It was a nice break from the norm. A time when they could be themselves, unafraid of letting their guard down. This was the reason that their friendship worked so well.

  “Shall we do this?” Bree asked. “Because you’re going to have to help me with the whole thing.”

  Jet opened one eye, looking down at Bree and pursing her dark red lips. “I think I’ve been a pretty decent teacher so far.”

  Bree hit Jet, knowing exactly what her little digs meant, but she let it slide. She’d never forgotten the fact that they’d shared an intimate night together. The beautiful moment was one Bree would always treasure, even though she was now certain that she was most definitely heterosexual. She liked the idea that she’d experimented with her sexuality, however.

  “Wanna know what my parents got me for my birthday?” Jet asked with her eyes closed.

  “Sure.”

  “A six-week course at a center in Idaho, all based on converting my troubled and confused mind,” she said. “They want to reprogram my brain to make me prefer cock over pussy.”

  “Wow, that is sick and twisted!”

  “Yup, and the best part is, they wrapped the fucking gift card in pink. Fucking pink! I would have maybe thought about it if they had at least chosen black, but pink? Who the fuck do they think I am? Barbie?”

  “Or they thought they’d try to convince you with the power of color,” Bree replied. “But who cares, because I got you something.” Bree sat up and grabbed her bag.

  “Oh, fuck, Bree, seriously, you know I can’t stand gifts.” Jet scowled.

  “J
ust shut up.” Bree pulled out a box wrapped in black with a silver bow. “It’s nothing special, believe me. But I figured since I’m the only person on campus who actually gives a shit, the least I could do was show you that.”

  Jet’s brow furrowed, though she accepted the small box Bree handed her. “I swear to God, if it’s something lame, I’m ramming it right up your ass,” she warned.

  Bree said nothing. She smiled, waiting for Jet to unwrap the box. Watching the changing expressions on Jet’s face, Bree found it hard to keep herself from hugging her tight. Somehow, if it were anyone else, doing so would have ended with a black eye and a bruised ego.

  Jet removed the paper and opened the small box. She smiled and looked up, unable to hide her appreciation, pulling Bree in for a kiss. “Thank you,” she said, her voice quaking with emotion.

  “You are so welcome,” Bree replied, kissing the back of Jet’s hand.

  Jet pulled the cards out of the box, holding them to her chest. “No one’s ever done anything like this for me.”

  “Well, get used to it, because you’re worth it.”

  “You’re such a fool, girl,” Jet remarked, trying to keep her emotions in check. “You’re the only person in this bloody world who gets me.”

  Bree smiled. It was true. Out of everyone Jet had ever encountered in her life, Bree was the only one to accept her for who she was and everything she wanted to be. There was no judgment, no speculations as to why she’d pledged at their sorority. Bree saw a girl desperately trying to fit in with society.

  “One person understanding who you are is a million times better than a bunch of bitches who have hidden agendas,” Bree said. “But let’s forget about all that crap, how do you want me to assist you?”

  Jet’s face beamed. “Well, I’ve got these stones I bought a few weeks ago. They’re meant to help with all the bad shit running through my head. So, all I need you to do is meditate with me. I can do it solo, but it makes me feel less alone when someone else is willing to participate. Plus, I’m convinced you need this just as much as me.”