Giving It to the Bad Boy

by Jenika Snow

  Molly: Yeah. I just want to talk about Ian.

  Kiera set her cell down on the kitchen table and finished her bowl of cereal. She had been thinking about Rese ever since he dropped her off last night. Even hours later she had lain in bed, staring at her ceiling, and running her fingers over her lips that still tingled from his kiss. Of course that wasn’t the only thing that tingled from his touch. When she had finally fallen asleep it was to be woken up by the banging of cupboards slamming in the kitchen at seven in the morning. Kiera didn’t sleep in a lot of the time, but she hadn’t fallen asleep until well after two in the morning. So here she sat, running on a few hours of sleep, and feeling like the dead reincarnate.

  “You came home pretty late, Kiera,” her mother said without turning her attention away from the sink full of dishes.

  “Yeah, sorry. I did text though, so that has to count for something,” Kiera said, but kept her head lowered and moved her spoon around her Cheerios.

  “No, it’s all right. We were just surprised you stayed out so late. Did you have fun?” Her mom looked over her shoulder. Kiera could hear the unspoken statement clear as day, though. You never go out, Kiera. You should spend more time with your friends. Before you know it you’ll be old like us and working for the rest of your life. It was the same thing they had said to her on more than one occasion as they worried about her being a social leper. Apparently hanging out with only two people on a steady basis wasn’t much of a social life to them. “So, tell me about this new boy.”

  Kiera groaned internally and lifted her eyes to her mom. She really didn’t want to talk about this, but if she didn’t tell her mother something she wouldn’t let it rest.

  “It’s just a boy from school. His name is Reese Trenton, and he’s a senior, too.” A flicker of emotion passed over her mom’s face.

  “His last name is Trenton you said?” The way her mom asked the question was filled with a little apprehension.

  “Yeah. Why?” Her mother’s reaction was a bit off.

  “Is this Reese boy the son of Hugo and Carolyn Trenton?”

  Kiera shrugged and furrowed her brow. “He didn’t tell me his parents’ names. Why?”

  Her mother sat in the chair across from her and brought her coffee cup to her lips and drank slowly, her gaze out the kitchen window. “Nothing, it’s just if those are his parents I’m a bit worried.”

  Kiera asked for a third time, “Why?” When her mom didn’t answer right away Kiera said, “You can’t just say something like that and not say … something.”

  She sighed heavily and set her coffee cup down. “Kiera, it’s just that Hugo is bad news all around, and he brought Carolyn down with him. Hugo is a drunk who gambles away any money they have, and he has brought Carolyn down to his level. They live on the outskirts of town, just over the train tracks on McKinley and Harrison.”

  Kiera stayed quiet, not really knowing what to say. Was this family her mother spoke of Reese’s? If so, then he wasn’t joking around when he said he lived on the wrong side of the tracks. She had thought he was being funny, reminding her of “Pretty in Pink”, but that had not been the case at all. He was being honest and literal.

  “They keep to themselves, and they haven’t really caused any problems in years.”

  Kiera grew more and more uncomfortable with each word her mother said. “What do you mean problems?”

  “Nothing, honey, really. Besides, the odds that this is the son of Hugo and Carolyn are pretty slim. I mean no one has heard from them in years.”

  “No, Mom. Tell me, please.”

  He mom gripped the coffee cup in both of her hands. “Well, Carolyn used to be clean and sober. She worked over at Cookies House, but that little diner has since shut down. In fact, we went to school together and were friends at one time, but I went off to college while she stayed here. When I came back she had a brand new baby and was married to Hugo. Long story short, Hugo was a rotten man, had been in high school, too. Very abusive, mentally and physically. Then she kind of disappeared and would only surface every once in a while.” She picked up her cup and finished her coffee before standing. “That was years ago, though. I haven’t heard or seen them in a long time, but I know they still live over there.”

  “You never heard anything more about their son?”

  “She brought him around at first.”

  “No one ever tried to get her any help?” Worry that this Carolyn woman was left to deal with a man as horrible as Hugo left a bad taste in Kiera’s mouth.

  Her mother watched her from across the kitchen. “Kiera, several of us tried many times to get her to see the man he really was. She knew him in high school, too, and knew how dirty and rotten he was. That’s why it was such a shock to find out she was with him. We told her he would only bring her down in the end. She wouldn’t listen, and pushed us all away.” A sadness passed over her mom’s face, but she covered it up quickly. “It’s a sad situation, but sometimes people don’t want to see what’s right in front of them, and they refuse the help of the people that care about them. I didn’t want to give up on her, none of us did, but what were we supposed to do after she pushed us away countless times? There was only so much we could do. You can try and try with your last breath to make them see reason, but they will do what they want in the end.”

  “What about the police? No one ever thought about the little boy?” Sadness engulfed Kiera because she knew her mother was talking about Reese’s parents. She just knew. Her gut told her that to be true, and she felt sick.

  “Honey, they were called too many times to count. I don’t know how they got away with keeping him, I really don’t, but they did. Short of kidnapping the little boy there wasn’t anything we could do.”

  Kiera still felt so much disgust over the life Reese had lived. He didn’t have anything positive in his life.

  “You have plans today? Maybe with Molly or Ian?” Her mom changed the subject flawlessly, but their conversation wouldn’t be leaving Kiera any time soon.

  Kiera stared into her cereal bowl. “Molly’s coming over in a bit.” Her mother said a few more things, but Kiera was too engrossed in her thoughts. She was left alone in the kitchen, but her stomach was tied in knots, and she pushed her cereal bowl away, no longer hungry. She wanted to talk to Reese about these things, but how in the hell did you bring up something that would most likely be painful?

  After she was dressed Kiera sat on the couch and waited for Molly to show. She didn’t have to wait long, though. Molly came through the front door, not bothering knocking, and sat down beside her on the couch. By the silly grin on her face Kiera assumed things had been worked out with Ian.

  “So, I take it things are good with Ian?”

  Molly’s smile grew, and Kiera laughed. She was glad Molly was happy.

  “Yeah, I asked him to come over and talk with me.” Molly rested her head on the back of the couch and turned it so she was looking at Kiera. “You should have seen his face when I let him in. I swear it looked like he was walking to the electric chair.” They both chuckled, although Kiera felt bad for the clear anguish he had gone through. “We talked for hours. I told him about everything I felt. I explained that I was scared that things would change between us after what we did. He listened so patiently and didn’t say anything until I was done.” A beat of silence passed before Molly spoke again, and Kiera knew whatever her friend was about to say was big. “He told me he loved me, Kiera.” Molly sat up, the clear excitement and wonder evident on her face.

  “He said what?” Kiera twisted on the couch, and she knew her surprise was as clear on her face as it was on Molly’s. “Oh my God, Molls. What did you say to that?” Her best friend looked down, but the smile was still on her face.

  “I told him I loved him, too.” When she lifted her eyes Kiera could see the truth behind them. “And I do, so much it makes my chest hurt.”

  “I-I’m so happy for you guys.” Kiera pulled her into a tight hug and murmured against her shoul
der, “I’m glad you found the strength to tell him how you feel and lay it all out.”

  “Yeah, I’m glad I did, too.” Molly pulled away, and Kiera twisted the edge of the shirt in her hands. “What?”

  After talking with her mom Kiera knew she just couldn’t forget about their conversation. She had to find out the truth. “What do you know about Reese and his parents?”

  Molly looked confused. “What do you mean?”

  Kiera knew she should just go to Reese and ask right from the source, but surely asking such personal questions might offend him. He told her plenty of personal things last night, but hadn’t really delved too much more into it, and rightly so if what she heard was the truth. That led her to believe he didn’t want to talk about it. “Well, I was talking to my mom, and she was saying some pretty disturbing things about Reese’s parents, or who she thought might be his parents. I just wanted to know if you heard anything.”

  Molly looked a bit uncomfortable then shrugged. “I don’t know much, but I did hear rumors freshman year. I don’t know if they are true or not, but I do remember when Reese got word that some sophomore was spreading them he kicked the shit out of him. I never heard another rumor after that.”

  Kiera stared at Molly, wondering where in the hell she was when all of this was going down. “How did I not hear about this?”

  Molly shrugged. “Kiera, you don’t exactly have a social life aside from hanging with me and Ian.” She smiled a little coyly and said, “No offense.”

  Kiera couldn’t get upset because it was the truth. She kept to herself, but until this moment she had never regretted it. Maybe if she had been more open it wouldn’t have taken her and Reese so long to actually talk? “I can’t really argue that, but I assumed I would have at least heard people talking about it in the hall that first year.”

  Molly shook her head. “You remember that party I got invited to right after we started school that first year, but you didn’t want to go to?”

  Kiera thought back and nodded. “The one Heather got you invited to?” Heather was Molly’s older sister, but had since graduated and lived in New York.

  “Yeah, well practically every senior and junior was there, and only a handful of underclassmen. I can’t remember the kid’s name now, but I do remember he was talking all this crap about Reese, saying he was white trash and that his parents were drunks and whatnot. The guy was really starting to draw a crowd.” Molly shook her head. “It was really sad to be honest. The things he said—”

  “Like what?” Was what her mother said true? And if so were those people really Reese’s parents?

  “I don’t remember everything. That was years ago.”

  “Well, what do you remember?” Kiera persisted.

  “Why don’t you just ask Reese if you’re so curious? I mean you guys seem like you’re getting along pretty well.” When Kiera had gotten home last night she sent a text to Molly. It had been vague, but of course Molly hadn’t let it rest, so Kiera found herself telling her everything.

  “I can’t. I mean, I don’t want him to be offended, but I need to know.” Kiera knew it was wrong going about it this way, but she had to know what she was up against.

  Molly sighed heavily. “He was just saying that Reese’s mom was a druggie and his dad an alcoholic. Said Reese spent most of his time at some tattoo place because his parents wanted nothing to do with him. Then the guy started saying he got his ass beat at home because he was worthless, and so on. I know he said more, but by then Reese had showed up. He found out what was happening and beat the shit out of that kid.” Molly’s eyes widened, and she repeated it more slowly, like Kiera didn’t quite grasp it. “He kicked his ass so badly that the kid never came back to school.”

  Kiera covered her mouth and felt her own eyes widen. Was Molly implying he killed the kid? Surely not. Molly must have seen the conclusion she came to because she shook her head adamantly.

  “No, I don’t mean it like that. The kid was in the hospital for a few days, but then transferred. I heard he moved out of state to live with his grandparents or something. After that no one ever said anything about Reese Trenton again, but can you blame them? I mean, even as a freshman he was big and scary as hell.”

  Yeah, Kiera remembered him very clearly. He had never looked like one of those awkward teenagers with the gangly limbs and acne covered face. He didn’t have the muscle mass he had now, but he had been toned and wore a perpetual scowl on his face, one that had kept people at a distance. She would have never thought he was so hardened at such a young age because of where he came from. Kiera wanted nothing more than to go to him and give him a hug, something he probably didn’t get much of at home. They didn’t talk about him again, but he was constantly on her mind for the rest of the day.

  Kiera and Molly spent the rest of the afternoon with Ian, talking about their relationship and why they kept it from her. Kiera kept a smile on her face as their clear affection for one another was no longer hidden, but her thoughts were elsewhere. She wouldn’t deny it was a bit strange that her two friends were together, but she was happy they found someone they trusted and could be happy with. Kiera was optimistic that one day she would find that kind of happiness with someone that she knew would care for her as much as she cared for them. These thoughts brought the image of Reese back to her mind. She didn’t want to let herself go that deep, especially when things with them hadn’t been set in stone, and they were just getting to know each other. Yes, they had had some pretty intense moments together, but it wasn’t like he told her he wanted to be exclusive with only her, which she admitted, only to herself, was exactly what she wanted.

  ****

  Reese tossed the cards he didn’t want toward Leo, who was the dealer for this hand of poker. Dr. Dre blasted through the speakers, and more and more people came to the party every hour. It was going on midnight, and Harrison Jennings’ house was packed to capacity. Reese lifted his can to his mouth and took a long drink of beer. It was warm and only his second one for the night. He had been nursing it for the past hour, not really wanting to be here, but having no place else to hang out. His house was off limits, especially when his parents threw their own white trash party. The lowlifes there took dirty and trashy to a whole new level.

  “You gonna fucking play or what?” Chris, a guy who had graduated a few years before him, tossed in a few dollars in the pot, then looked at him. Reese matched his bet and raised it before calling. A chorus of shouts erupted when Reese laid down his flush, beating Chris’s straight. Reese collected the fifty dollars currently in the pot. Chris gave him a nasty glare, but Reese didn’t give a fuck. His mind was currently on Kiera, as usual. He had tried texting her, but when he got word of the party it had already been late, and she hadn’t answered. He hadn’t seen her since the night at Kline’s, and despite the fact it had been a day made him feel like a fucking creeper. Already he missed her like crazy, and he knew it was because she was the only person that made him want to open up completely and not hide anything.

  “I’m going to have a smoke. Play the next hand without me,” Reese said and stood up.

  Chris still had a nasty glare in his eyes, but that could be the fact Reese had kicked his ass the last three hands. If the guy wasn’t so damn cocky he might actually win a hand. He also was shit at masking his features. Reese headed out the sliding backdoors and sat in a patio chair off to the side and away from the couples dry humping right by the door. He took out a cigarette and lit it. The first hit was always the best, even if it was a nasty fucking habit. He was doing better in cutting back, but times like this, when his thoughts were a jumbled mess and the stress was too high, he needed the burst of nicotine in his system. He let his head fall back against the chair and closed his eyes. If he thought hard enough he could imagine a different world, one where it was just him without the shitty trials life often brought. He could see himself happy, far away from everything. Snapping his eyes open because his thoughts were getting far too deep, he sta
red at the clear sky above him. It was vast and infinite, and nothing could touch it. Thinking about what he never had would only lead to disappointment.

  “Hey. I know you.” The slurred, female voice came from his right. Reese looked toward her and saw a redhead weaving her way through the couples all but fucking in front of everyone. She held a regulation red Solo cup in her hand, and the clear alcohol in it sloshed over the side with each step. It was clear she was drunker than shit, especially when she smiled at him in a way that he had seen far too many times. It was a smile that he got when a girl wanted something from him.

  “Doubtful.” He had never seen her, and whatever she wanted, which was most likely a quick fuck, wasn’t something he was willing to give.

  She stopped in front of him, weaved slightly, and gripped the edge of his chair for support. Reese kept his gaze forward and took another drag of his cigarette. Maybe if he ignored her she’d leave?

  “Yeah, I do. I’ve seen you at some parties. I even asked who you were.” She trailed her finger along his arm, and he shrugged her off. “Besides, you aren’t one to miss,” she said all breathy. “You certainly don’t seem like a senior, not with this kind of body or ink.” She started touching him again, and he flicked his cigarette away and made a move to stand, but she was quick, even drunk, or maybe she just couldn’t stand upright any longer? He fell back against the chair when she planted her ass on his lap. Her breath smelled strongly of vodka, a scent that had bile rising to his throat because it was all too familiar. Reese gripped her upper arms to lift her off of him, but in a move he hadn’t expected she planted her mouth on his. Her tongue probed at the seam of his lips, and he turned his head. Though he gripped her arms to push her away, she started giggling and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. Her grip was strong for being drunk, but he was stronger. Before he pushed her off him a booming voice cut through the noise.

  “What the fuck!” The anger-filled voice roared out and had Reese wrenching the girl away from him. She started giggling and tried to come at him again, but he stood quickly, which had her stumbling back. Chris came barreling toward him and stopped when he stood a foot from Reese. Chris was a big guy, a wrestler in college, and from the aggression and testosterone that came from him it was clear he wanted to start something with Reese. Chris looked between him and the redhead. She kept giggling, and Reese gritted his teeth in irritation.