Ruin Me

by Madalyn Boucher

“Unlock the door, please.” She hit the button on her keys and we both climbed in.

  “Dude, you totally like him,” she teased as she drove towards my—our—house. “I don’t blame you, though. He’s, like, the hottest guy I’ve ever seen.” I buried my head in my hands, wishing the conversation would end.

  Eight

  Nick

  As much as I hated to admit it, I had been secretly hoping that Hayley would rent a movie over the weekend. Three days a week, for forty-five minutes at a time, was not enough time with her. I had been careful to not hold her after class, though it was an internal battle. She had caught me staring at her on multiple occasions, which left me feeling uneasy yet intrigued. I couldn’t understand what had compelled me to ask her how old she was. And the flirting; had she noticed? I found it nearly impossible to keep my cool around this girl.

  Girl. She was a girl. Barely legal, and still in high school. I poured myself another finger of scotch and grimaced as it hit the back of my throat. I was going to turn into an alcoholic if I didn’t get her out of my mind.

  For the last six months, I had been nursing a heartbreak left by my ex-fiancé, Nicole. We had spent five years together, bought a house, and raised a dog within that time. As if the heartbreak wasn’t enough, she had taken Walter during our split. Perhaps it was time to get a new dog; something to keep my mind off the firecracker of a student that invaded my thoughts. There was something about Hayley that I couldn’t understand. She was beautiful, intelligent, and shy, yet she didn’t seem to notice how well-liked she was by her peers. There was something reserved about her, something that made me undeniably attracted to her existence.

  Fuck, I needed to get a dog. Or a life. Maybe I should download an app specifically dedicated to hook-ups. It had been nearly a year since I had experienced anything sexual, perhaps it was time to get out there again. Nicole may have broken my heart, but she definitely hadn’t broken my dick. I poured myself another drink as I watched Tindr load on my screen.

  Nine

  Hayley

  The next few weeks at school were unbearable. I nearly went insane at my lunch table; I couldn’t handle another second with Lacy. I needed a break away from her and her never ending, pointless chitchat. I needed my space and privacy back. Her room had been ready for the last two weeks, yet she continued to sleep in my bed, stealing the blankets in the process. I hadn’t received a decent night’s sleep since she moved in.

  “You’ve been acting super off,” Ryan observed, picking a carrot off of his plate and smacking me with it. I gathered my trash and stood up, walking to the nearest trashcan. “Whoa, I was just kidding.” I rolled my eyes.

  “I just need to be alone,” I snapped. “That’s all I’ve wanted. I need my freaking space.” I slammed my trash into the bin and crossed my arms across my chest.

  “Lacy still staying in your room?” he asked. I nodded my head. “If you ever need some quiet time, maybe we could hang out or something…” He trailed off. “Maybe we can go hiking sometime this week?” I shrugged my shoulders and gave him a smile.

  “Maybe,” I told him. With that, I turned around and walked out of the cafeteria. I could feel Gabby’s eyes burning into the back of my head.

  I realized that I had yet to finish my history homework and needed to talk to Mr. Foster. Our conversations had remained limited since he took over Mr. Brown’s classroom, but I wanted more. Listening to him teach was the highlight of my day. I had even managed to raise my grade to a B. I peeped my head into his classroom and found him sitting with his legs propped on his wooden desk, eating a large sandwich. He lifted his head up and smiled at me. I could feel my face beginning to turn bright red.

  “Hello,” I began. He took another bite of his sandwich and smiled. “Why didn’t you ever tell me you worked at the Triple D? I’m in there all the time, you had to of seen me.”

  “I try to stay unseen.” It was my turn to raise an eyebrow. “You know how the girls here are,” he began. “If they found out that I worked somewhere local, they’d be in there every day. I don’t want them following me to my other job, too.” I secretly wondered if I fell into that category.

  “That’s understandable,” I told him. “Your secret is safe with me.”

  “I am much appreciative.” Wink. Smirk. “What do you need help with?” he asked. I couldn’t help but stare at his mouth; how much creepier could I get?

  “I just need help on a few questions on my study guide, do you think you can help?” He smiled and asked for the paper. Mr. Foster grabbed a pen out of his drawer and circled a few answers. After he was finished, he placed the paper in front of me and continued eating his lunch. I stared at him, confused. “Rule breaker,” I muttered. He winked again. Good God, I was going to have a heart attack.

  “That I am.” There it was. That little look that almost resembled flirting. I nodded my head, praying that I didn’t pass out. He threw a piece of his apple at me. “Do you have a job?”

  “What?” I asked.

  “A job. Do you have one?” He took another bite of his sandwich.

  “No, I don’t see a need.” He leaned back in his chair and chuckled to himself. “What’s funny?” I asked.

  “I thought the legal working age was sixteen?"

  “Well obviously, yes. But my parents give me money regularly…” I trailed off.

  “Work at the movie store.” Was this a suggestion, or a demand? He picked at a piece of lettuce stuck between his teeth. “You’re in there all the time. Plus, you seem to know your way around the movies. I am in desperate need for someone to do all of the boring stuff I’m too lazy to do. What do you say?” He wiped his mouth off with a brown napkin and crumpled it up, throwing it over my head. My eyes followed the brown piece of paper as it landed into the trashcan. Very impressive.

  “But I don’t need a job,” I reminded him.

  “I think you can bend your own rules, you’re a smart girl.” Another wink. “Plus, you’d be perfect for it.” I couldn’t tell if he was being serious or not.

  “You’re being serious?” I asked. He nodded his head.

  I had to admit it, this was the perfect opportunity. I could leave the house for a few hours a night, away from Lacy. I loved the movie store; I had seen almost every movie that they owned. I had a good relationship with the majority of the workers and I would be around Mr. Foster more.

  “I want to work there,” I admitted.

  “Come in tonight at six and I’ll show you what needs to be done.”

  “No interview or application or anything?” I asked. He shook his head and flashed me a smile. I couldn’t help but stare at his teeth; they were blindingly white. “Alright, I guess I’ll see you later,” I concluded, grabbing my bag. I began to walk out of the classroom when I realized I had forgotten to thank him. “Thank you for helping me,” I told him. He smiled at me and turned his attention back towards his sandwich. With that, I exited.

  •••

  “A job at Triple D?” Lacy asked once we were in my kitchen. I pulled out a tub of peanut butter and dipped my spoon into it. “He just offered you a job out of the blue?”

  “Yeah, Lace. I don’t know how many times we’re going to have to go over this. I went into his classroom for help on my homework and he asked me if I wanted to work there. It’s really not a big deal.”

  “No, Hayley, it is a big deal. No one just offers you a job out of nowhere.” She looked around the kitchen and bent down towards my ear, changing her voice into a whisper. “Did you blow him?” she asked. I threw my hands up in disgust and groaned loudly. “What?” she asked, acting innocent. “I’m simply curious! This doesn’t add up!”

  “I’m confused too,” I admitted. “But nothing weird happened. I’m telling you exactly what went down.” I awkwardly looked down at my spoon. She walked over to me and wrapped her arm around my shoulder.

  “You lucky little bitch. Do you need a ride to work? Do you even know what you’re supposed to wear?” I had s
een the other workers wearing a variety of things, ranging from jeans and a t-shirt to dresses and rompers.

  “Can you take me there before six?” I asked. She nodded her head and snatched the peanut butter away from me.

  “I have to say, he is pretty damn hot. I would definitely climb that like a tree,” she growled, smacking my behind. “If he tries anything on you, let me know! You lucky bitch.”

  “Stop it,” I warned. Lacy let out a hyena-like laugh and shook her head back and forth before walking away. “Don’t leave before six, alright?”

  “Alright. I’ll be exploring your castle until then.”

  •••

  I had always imagined having Lacy as a roommate would be the best thing in the world. I figured that it would be non-stop gossip and fun and we would never grow tired of each other. I never imagined intentionally distancing myself away from her or hiding out at the other side of my house just to have some peace and quiet. I felt extremely guilty for avoiding her at school and even home, but I needed me-time. I had always been an only-child, and this was a large adjustment for both of us.

  I found Lacy twenty minutes before my shift started and asked her for a ride. She talked the entire ride about her and Alan’s plans to go to the zoo on Saturday.

  “Good luck,” Lacy said before I hopped out of the car. I smiled and thanked her before shutting the door. I ran a nervous hand through my hair before entering the store. There was nothing to be afraid of; I had been in here hundreds of times. I needed to act calm and natural; this was nothing new.

  Once I entered the building the familiar ding of a bell went off. My heartbeat accelerated as I walked past the checkout counter. Mr. Foster was standing in front of a rack of movies, looking for something. He was wearing a pair of sleek, black dress pants with a charcoal button up shirt. I couldn’t help but stare at him. Feeling somewhat creepy I cleared my throat, attempting to get his attention. He averted his eyes from a Jennifer Aniston movie to me and smiled.

  “I see you’re in uniform,” he inspected. I nervously looked down at my jeans and T-shirt, nodding my head. I swallowed the nervous knot in my throat and forced myself to make eye contact with him. His forehead crinkled as he smiled, lifting his eyebrows and extending his dimples into an extremely attractive position. I allowed my eyes to stare into his dark, almost colorless, brown eyes. My breathing quickened and my palms began to grow damp. I needed to calm down. I had engaged in dozens of conversations with him, this was no different. “Follow me,” he instructed. His voice was very mature, unlike the boys in my school who either strained to make their voice deeper or sounded completely ignorant whenever they opened their mouths.

  “This is where we keep all of the movies,” he explained. I was in a medium-sized room that was filled with dozens of films. “This side is where we keep movies that have not been released yet,” he gestured towards the left side of the room. “As you know―or I assume you know―we set out new movies every Tuesday. This is where we keep them beforehand. This,” he motioned towards a large machine, “is where we put the movies to make sure there aren’t any scratches.”

  “Very fun,” I joked.

  “I’m pleased you think so,” he said, adding a wink. “This machine is going to become your best friend.” I stifled a groan. I had been under the impression that I was going to be doing something a little more interesting than cleaning DVDs every day. “I know it seems boring,” he began, “and trust me, it is. It’s one of the most boring things you’ll ever do in your entire life.” I groaned, this time aloud. “But I’ll be back here with you. This is where I make calls, watch the surveillance cameras and, grade papers.”

  “Grade papers?” I asked, confused.

  “Being a manager at a movie store is not an awfully hard or exciting job. I make maybe a dozen phone calls a day. The people who work here are fresh out of or in college and they’re ready to work. They’re on top of it all. I just sit back here and do whatever,” he explained. It was odd talking to him outside of school. He was very laidback; unlike other teachers I had talked to.

  “If they’re on top of things, why did you hire me?” I asked. His cheeky grin transformed into a serious, breathtaking stare.

  “I enjoy your company,” he answered. His voice was cool and mysterious, unlike it had been seconds prior. I stared at him, unable to speak. I was insanely intimidated by him in that instance. “You know what you’re doing, and I like that.” His eyes burned into mine, causing my heart to beat so quickly that I was convinced I was going to lose consciousness.

  My words were stuck in my throat as I attempted to thank him. I let out a quiet cough and regained my composure. “Thank you.” He lifted an eyebrow and nodded his head towards me.

  “Now, start on those movies over there. All you do is take them out of the case, stick them into the slot and press the button that says CLEAN. Easy enough?” I gave him a quick thumbs up and began working. He walked over towards the door and shut it before sitting back down at his desk.

  “I hope you don’t mind the door being closed. I like to play music and I don’t think the customers would appreciate music blaring down the aisles. You don’t mind it, do you?” I shook my head. I listened intently to each song as I cleaned the DVDs. He had an eclectic taste in music. At first, we listened to the 1975, and then Glass Animals. All of it was extremely calming.

  “I really like this,” I told him after an hour of listening to his soundtrack. “You have an interesting taste in music.” I watched as his eyes lit up. My mouth curved upwards. “My music taste is mostly Taylor Swift,” I admitted.

  “My guilty pleasure,” he confessed. “Have you cleaned all of the movies?” He walked over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. My body shook beneath his touch.

  “All of the new releases.” I whispered.

  “Good.” His voice came out in a husky whisper. “Come help me grade these.”

  Ten

  Nick

  Spending three hours, in a windowless room, less than ten feet away from Hayley Mitchell, was the definition of Hell. I had managed to create my own personal nadir. I hadn’t been thinking clearly when I offered her the position. Instead, my mind was too busy studying every thread of the light gray, lowcut romper she wore to school that day. I had never seen a nicer pair of legs in my life. The thought of ripping them off had crossed my mind one too many times, causing me to send Hayley and myself home two hours early. After ten minutes of begging Teresa, one of my long-time employees, to stay until close, she relented. My phone began to ring, providing a distraction from my never-ending thoughts about Hayley. I quickly answered it, relieved to have a diversion.

  “Nicholas Theodore Foster.” The sound of my sister’s voice filled my eardrums.

  “Yes, Rachel?”

  “What are you doing at this exact moment? Please tell me you’re alone.” I sighed before removing the ungraded tests off of my coffee table. “I’ll take that as a yes. It’s a Friday night, and you’re obviously doing nothing, so Elana and I are coming over.” I glanced down at my watch, realizing it was half past nine.

  “Rach, it’s getting late. I don’t even know who Elana is and I have these papers to grade—”

  She let out a long, dramatic sigh. “God, that sounds so thirty-year-old-male of you. That sounds extremely fascinating, but I’m five minutes away. C’mon, Nick. I’d really love to see you. And your liquor cabinet.” I groaned before relenting.

  “Twenty-eight,” I corrected. “And fine. Are you bringing tequila?” Rachel let out an exasperated laugh as if it were an absurdity that I’d even be asking.

  “Do I leave anywhere without my trusty bottle of Patron?” There was giggling in the background. “I’ll be there soon!” With that, she hung up. I made my way into the bedroom and checked my appearance. After noticing the large mustard stain on my shirt, I changed into a pair of jeans and a Marvel t-shirt. My doorbell went off the moment I stepped out of my room. The sound of a key entering the lock entered
my home as Rachel let herself in. She ran towards me, nearly tackling me into a hug. I returned the gesture, smelling the alcohol roll of her like steam.

  “She’s already wasted,” a woman, presumably Elana, warned me. My body reacted positively to the sight of my sister’s friend. She had long blonde hair, light, hazel eyes, and the body of a bathing suit model. Elana’s eyes traveled over me like a lion stalking its prey. “Damn, Rachel. You didn’t tell me your brother is fucking hot.” I felt my ego inflate as she handed me the bottle of Patron. She leaned on the tips of her toes, pressing her lips to my ear. “I hope you don’t mind, tequila makes me very friendly.” My jeans became tighter. “Where’s the restroom?”

  I cleared my throat before giving her directions to the nearest toilet.

  Rachel smiled drunkenly in my direction. “I bet you’re not too upset that I’m here now,” she teased. “God, you so need this. How long has it been since you’ve seen any action?” She threw herself onto the couch, crumpling a test beneath her. “Sorry,” she mumbled, quickly handing over the test. Hayley’s handwriting stared back at me.

  “Who wants shots?” I shouted. Rachel giddily clapped her hands together.

  •••

  Two hours and ten shots later, Rachel was lying in my guestroom with a trashcan beside the bed. I quietly turned on the fan and closed the door, praying that she didn’t vomit on the floor. Rachel may have been five years younger than me, but she drank like a middle-aged man battling a midlife crisis.

  Elana patted the cushion beside her, offering me a seat. She had taken off her jacket, revealing a low-cut, black crop-top that exposed her very impressive assets. I poured us each another drink before sitting next to her. She hungrily settled her gaze on me, biting her bottom lip as she did so. My mind traveled back to my night’s earlier escapade with Hayley. She had bitten her lip on multiple occasions throughout the night.