by A. R. Breck
We might be poor in this town, but at least we have a little class, unlike this woman.
Rose is trembling next to me, and my protective instincts rear its ugly head.
"Shari, shut the fuck up and get out of here." I grumble, laying a hand on Rose's back to help calm her nerves.
"Easton, is that you?" Shari squints at me and the woman has never looked uglier.
"Yes, Shari, it's me. Now would you get the fuck out of here so me and my girl can get dressed?"
"Get out of here? This is my damn house!" She shouts, spittle flying from the corners of her mouth.
"I give zero shits. Quit acting like you’re the queen of the fucking castle when you haven't stepped foot in this park in over a week. You're lucky your daughter has your EBT card so she doesn't have to starve. Your disgust me, now get the hell out of here."
Her face grows red – nearly purple – but I don't give her a chance to reply.
"Get the fuck out!" I boom, shaking the walls of the trailer.
Shari scurries out of the room, shouting something to Cara before leaving the trailer all together. She will try to take the upper hand because she's drunk, but at the end of the day, she still knows who I am. Who my father is.
"Was that – was that Cara's mom?" Rose peeps.
"Mhmm." I lean back on the bed and lay my arm across my eyes. This shit day is not starting out well.
"Shit. And I thought my mom was a wreck."
I sigh but say nothing. I really have to get moving and head to the gym, but sitting in this warm bed with Rose sounds way more tempting.
I pull her down into my arms. "How are you feeling?"
She thinks for a minute before responding. "Okay. A little sore, but not too bad."
"I didn't fuck you good enough then."
"What? No! It was perfect."
"Perfect, hmm? I was gentle on you. I went easy on you."
"Don't go easy on me."
I snap my eyes over to her. "You don't want me to go easy on you? You want to see what it's really like when I fuck you?"
"Of course." Her cheeks burn into an incredible shade of red. Red as a rose.
"Turn around then. Up on your knees and grab hold of the headboard." She senses the change in my demeanor because she turns around without another word and does as I ask.
Her naked body, trembling with need, would make me fall to my knees if I wasn't already on them. Her body shakes with what I'm sure is anticipation and hesitation. I won't hurt her, at least not much. I'm not into BDSM or any shit like that, but I prefer to take the lead when it comes to sex.
Bending down, I look at Rose's cunt and her folds that are swollen from last night. Her hole is glistening and I know if I were to stick a finger inside, I know I would find wet heat. I stick two fingers into my mouth to wet them and then slip them in between her folds, loving the sounds she makes once I reach her clit.
That's her spot, her weakness. I will remember that.
"That feel good, Rose?" I ask as I sink a finger into her hole and find exactly what I knew I would, a drenched cunt.
"Mhmm."
"You sure you're not too sore? Your pussy looks a little red from last night." I know she hears the smirk in my voice because she whips her head around and glares at me. She hears what I asked – it was a challenge.
Are you ready for a fuck? Are you really ready?
"I'm ready." She pushes her ass back into my hand to reaffirm what she said. If she's really sore, she's not letting on to it.
I grab my last condom from my wallet on the nightstand and quickly slip it on. Rose is practically dripping down my fingers at this point, and I know she's ready for me.
"Ready?" I ask one more time.
"Y-" I don't give her a chance to respond before I sink into her, going all the way to the hilt. Her walls pulse around me and I have to grind my teeth together from exploding like a fucking fourteen-year-old.
Grabbing onto her hips, I set up a rhythm that is both hard and fast. As much as I would like to take my time with her like I did last night, I have a fight to win tonight and I can't afford to lose.
"Oh, Easton!" Rose cries, hanging onto the headboard for dear life.
I bring a hand around and give her clit a small pinch, and she clenches so tight it pushes me over without warning. "I'm fucking coming, Rose. Come. Now!"
"I'm coming!" She shouts and loses her grip on the headboard, falling down on the bed as I continue to pummel into her, emptying everything I have in me.
"Shit." I say after a moment.
"Shit is right." Rose breathes and lets out a chuckle.
"Are you lovebirds done going at it like rabbits? We have to fucking go, Easton." Logan says from the other side of the door, turning the knob and starting to open it.
"Don't open the fucking door, Logan!" I shout.
"Jesus, okay. Hurry up though. We have to head out." He yells before walking away.
"Fucking idiot." He sighs as he sits on the bed and removes the condom. I walk over to Shari's dresser and take the first rattiest shirt I can find. "Here, put this on."
"Um, gross? I'm not wearing this shit." She holds it between her fingers like it's covered in feces.
"Well you're not leaving this room topless, and you sure aren't wearing what you wore last night. Put it on." I order.
"What the fuck, Easton? No, fuck that." She looks at me like I'm crazy.
"Rose, I have to go to the gym. I'm already running late. Can you just please not be a fucking bitch and do what you're told?"
"Easton! Are you serious? Fuck you!" Rose cries.
I look over at her and see her eyes filling up with tears, and the guilt hits me instantly.
Walking over to her, I grab her and pull her into my arms. "I'm sorry, Rose. I'm a dick, I know. I've got so much shit going on today it's starting to get to me. One thing that would help me get through it is knowing that some guy isn't leering at you in your next to nothing top. Logan included. So please, can you just put this on until you get home and then you can burn it for all I care?"
She pulls away from me, but at least she shrugs it on. "I hate you sometimes."
"I hate me too, most of the time."
She slips on her jeans and is about to walk out of the room, but I grab her by the wrist and yank her into my lap. "Don't be mad at me, baby. Please?"
"Don't be a douche bag then."
"I will try my very best to not be a douche bag from now on."
"Promise?"
"Scouts fucking honor."
She smirks at me and I know I'm forgiven. Leaning down, I lock my lips with hers and give her the best goodbye she'll ever have. After a minute, I release her and see the stars floating from her eyes.
"I've got to go. Text Logan when you get to the Pit tonight. I'll see you after the fight." I lean down and give her one more peck before slipping on my clothes and opening up the door, revealing an inpatient Logan standing near the front door.
"Ready to go? Or feel like going for round five, is it? Jesus Christ, you guys make me sick." Logan grumbles.
"Shut the hell up. Let's go." I give Rose a nod and then we head out the door.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
ROSE
I watched you suffer a dull aching pain. Now you've decided just to show me the same. - The Sundays
After the boys leave, I walk towards Cara's room and knock on the door. "Cara? You up?"
"Come in here." She says.
Walking in, I smile at Cara's sleepy state in the center of the bed. She looks as thoroughly exhausted as I feel.
I plop down next to her on the bed. "How was your night?" I ask, laying down next to her.
She gives me a tired smirk. "Shit. I think I'm in love. He got me off more times than I've ever gotten myself off before. And I've gotten myself off more than I can count."
"You slut." I laugh at her.
"Shut up. I would ask how your night went, but I don't think that's even necessary. I heard it – all night
. These walls are paper thin, you know? Good thing you didn't grow up in a trailer. I'm trained to keep it on the down low."
My face burns red. "Shit, sorry."
"No need to apologize. That was your first time, right?" I nod slowly. "How was it?"
"It was… amazing. It hurt so bad at first, but then… it didn't. I don't know. I can't explain how it felt. It was just so, so good. I'm sore now, but in a good way, you know?"
"Girl, I know. I feel the same."
"These boys." I laugh.
"Right." She laughs and then turns serious. "So, about last night…"
"Oh, God." I grab a pillow and put it over my face. "What did we do?" I groan.
She gets up to take the pillow off me and looks down at me. "Why are you embarrassed? It was just a joke to get them worked up, and fucking hell it worked. That, and it was kind of funny to see them like that, don't you think?"
"Well, yeah. But… I'm not into girls." I cringe.
"Me neither. Well, let me take that back. I wouldn't say I'm not into them, but I mostly like guys. And Logan is really all I can see right now. "
I nod, but I'm not really sure what to think about it. Cara is my best friend, and it was all fun and games, but it was just that, a game.
"You are hot, I'm hot, and we were both drunk off our asses. And – we wanted to fuck with our men a little bit. There's nothing wrong with that." She smiles down at me.
"No, you're right. It was fine."
"Good. And it got us seriously laid last night. If we ever need to egg them on again, I know exactly how to get to them now. You're kind of fun to mess with, too."
She barks out a laugh when I swat her hand away after she pretends to reach towards my breast and give it a squeeze.
"Gross, is that my mom's shirt you're wearing?" She wrinkles her nose up in disgust.
"Ugh, yes. Easton is such a control freak sometimes. I swear if I wasn't worried about him going all looney on me tonight, I would wear something like I did last night to the Pit tonight."
Cara rolls over and gets up out of bed, revealing a completely naked body. "Oh my God, you were trying to feel me up when you were naked?" I shriek.
She laughs. "Get over it. Logan fucked the horny out of me last night. I haven't been able to move from the bed since." She waltzes over to her dresser and pulls on some sweats and a t-shirt, sans underwear and bra. I'm not sure how some people can go commando all the time. Grosses me out a bit.
"So anyway, about your mom. I had the pleasure of meeting her this morning."
She groans as she throws her hair up into a bun. "Sorry about that. She's something else, right? She deserves a Mom of the Year award or something. Fucking drunk." She grumbles.
"I know my house isn't great either. But, you're always welcome to come over if shit here starts to become too much."
She shrugs. "Thanks, but I figure I only have a couple months left until we graduate, and then I'm getting the fuck out of this box."
"Where are you going? College?" This is complete news to me.
"I don't know. Maybe. Or just find a job and a small apartment if I can. As long as I am away from these fuck ups who raised me – and out of this park – I figure I will have won… at least a little bit."
"I agree with you there."
"Enough of this talk depressing talk. Let's go cook some pancakes and gain back the calories we lost last night." She laughs and leaves her room, walking straight to the kitchen and grabbing what's needed for breakfast.
"I'm in." I sit up and follow her to the kitchen, cooking breakfast with her and spending a good morning with my best friend.
I just hope this happiness lasts.
◆◆◆
Later in the afternoon, I head home after making plans with Cara to meet at my house in a few hours so we can drive together down to the Pit.
Once I pull up to my house, I can't tell if the feeling in my chest is relief or dread when I see my mom's car parked in the driveway. I can at least be thankful that Jeff's car isn't here. The last thing I need right now is to have a confrontation with him when me and mom have been at such odds for the last week.
After I park and get out of my car, I wince at the slight soreness I feel between my legs. I hope no longer a virgin isn't written all over my face.
I walk in and see my mom in the living room watching Judge Judy. "Where have you been?" She asks, pressing mute on the TV.
"Slept over at Cara's." I drop my purse on the floor and sit down on the couch next to her. Looking over at her, I really look at her for the first time in quite a while.
She's no longer dressing up in her designer clothing like she's on her way to the country club. In its place is a modern shirt and some khaki capris. She looks… like a mom. The frown lines around her mouth and eyes are also gone. The sadness that bled from her day after day is dried up and happiness now shines from her eyes.
That – and I don't see or smell any liquor anywhere near her.
She nods her head and glances around every inch of my face. "I would like to meet her. You seem to really like her."
"She's a good friend." I toy with the edge of a frayed pillow, not really sure how to move on from here.
"Rose, can we talk? I mean really talk here. No arguments, no yelling, nothing. Just two adults, talking and having a real conversation."
"Okay."
"I know I haven't been the best mother to you. Your upbringing has been less than normal, with your father and then with me. I understand that I'm not perfect, and I wish I could take some of the things back that I have done, spend more time with you when you were a child. Moving here, having to get a job, meeting new people and even Jeff… it has opened my eyes. It made me realize the importance of life and how materialistic so many things I used to have really were."
"What I have learned is what's most important - family. You, Rose, are my family. I should have always put you first and I haven't done that lately. And for that, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being a shitty mother, and for turning to alcohol when I should have just turned to you and held on to you."
At this point, both of us have tears falling down our faces, and it feels so good to hear this.
"I want us to start over. Make moving here a fresh start for the both of us. No more drinking, no more fighting. Just me and you, baby girl. What do you say?"
"Yes, Mom. And I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have said those things to you."
"Yes, you should have, Rose. Because I needed to hear them. But, Rose, don't take your anger out on Jeff. He hasn't done anything. And he is a good man. A really good man, and he would like to get to know you. Would you do that for me? Would you give him a chance?"
"Yeah, I'll give him a chance." I relent.
"Oh, thank you, Rose. I promise you will love him!" She pulls me into a big hug, and for the first time in forever, I sink into my mom's arms and am surrounded by her motherly smell.
We sit like this for a little while until I check the time. "I have to go get ready." I get myself off the couch and stretch, cringing when I notice I'm still wearing Shari's shirt.
"What are you doing tonight?"
I know I can't tell her I'm going downtown to watch a fight. We might be living in a different world, but I know she would be opposed to me watching people beat each other to a pulp.
"Cara and I are going to the movies and then just hanging out at her house for the night." The lie flows out of my mouth so quickly, I have to give myself an internal pat on the back.
"Oh, that sound's nice."
"Yeah. Are you doing anything?"
She gets a small smile on her face. "Jeff is going to take me out to dinner in a few hours. I was going to see if you wanted to go… but it sounds like you have other plans."
"Yeah… maybe next time?" Time to put on my good daughter face.
"Yes, let's plan on it." She gets up off the couch and comes to give me one more hug. "I love you, Rose."
"Love you too, Mom."
◆◆◆<
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An hour later, the doorbell rings just as I finish getting ready.
"Coming!" I yell.
I open the door to a smiling Cara, dressed in black, ripped skinny jeans and a sleeveless, high neck top. "Cute outfit." I say. Her little booties add the perfect touch to her outfit. She looks pretty badass.
"Me? What about you? You look smokin'." I'm wearing some washed-out jeans and a spaghetti strap ribbed tank. I decided to go more casual tonight, and I didn't really want Easton to be distracted by my attire. Less is more, at least for tonight.
"Rose, is this Cara?" My mom comes from around the corner in the process of hooking some earrings in her ears.
"Yes. Mom, Cara. Cara, Mom." I introduce.
"So pleased to meet you, Ms. Strauss." Cara adds such sarcasm, I can't help but roll my eyes.
"You girls look pretty fancy to be going to the movies tonight."
"Mo-" Cara is about to ask, but I interrupt before she can blow our cover.
"You know how it is, never know what cute boys are going to be at the movies." I laugh, awkwardly, and give Cara a shut the hell up look.
"All right. Well you girls have fun. Jeff should be here anytime to pick me up, so I have to go finish getting ready." She gives us a smile and walks back into her room.
"Movies, huh?" Cara elbows me.
"Shut up. I didn't want to get into it with her tonight. Mostly after we finally started getting along again. Anyway, I just have to go and grab my purse and throw on my shoes. I will be ready in a few."
"Go ahead, I'm just going to snoop through your house." She waves me off and goes to wander around the Shack. But, I guess compared to hers, it might be considered a mansion.
Rushing back into my room, I grab my wristlet and throw on my flats and am ready to go.
"Ready?" I ask once I reach the living room. Cara is bending over looking at some pictures that are on a shelf in the living room.
"You were a cute baby, Rose."
I go over see she is looking at a framed picture where my mom and I are on one of our vacations to Disney World when I was little. "Yeah, that was a fun vacation."