Caught by the Bad Boys Series

by Raathi Chota

  “Well, yeah. When’s your birthday?” he asked as we watched Lana and Levi.

  “August fifth,” I replied.

  “You know it’s weird. Levi’s birthday is the nineteenth of June, and Lana’s birthday is the si—”

  “Sixteenth of June.” I lowered my head.

  “Yeah.”

  “So she lost her virginity to him at seventeen?” I randomly asked.

  “Yep, at Jaden’s party. Summer 2015,” Keene mumbled. “In this very car.”

  A sudden chill crept up my spine as the thought of Levi and Lana having sex in here.

  “Then the next day he left,” I muttered.

  “That’s what she thinks,” he said as I looked at him.

  “What are you talking about?” I asked. He shook his head.

  “It’s not my place to tell. A lot happened after that party; he has a lot of fucking explaining to do.” He glared at Levi.

  “Does it have to do with the hole in his arm?” I asked.

  “Nope, but it does have to do with your brother. The longer he waits to tell her everything, the more damage it’s going to create,” Keene stated as I gazed at him. I opened my mouth to ask him more but cut off when Levi got into the car. He started the car, then drove further away and into a parking spot. Levi got out and pulled his seat forward. Lana stood next to the car and looked at me.

  “Come on.” She held her hand out. I gave her a weird look as I accepted her hand. She pulled me out of the car and toward the gas station. We entered the store, and I glanced around. Besides the cashier that gave us strange looks, there was no one else here.

  “What are we looking for?”

  “A razor.”

  “What’s the razor for?” I asked as we continued to walk.

  “You’ll see,” she said, then stopped in front of the aisle and took a razor. After Lana got a few other things, we walked to the front cashier. He gave us creepy looks the whole time he served us. Lana gave him a crumpled-up bill, which must’ve been from the pool, and he glared at her. We walked back to the car. Lana stood in front of Levi and Axel. They stared at her while I joined Keene, who sat on the hood. I watched as she tossed the bag with the rest of the stuff she bought to Levi. He looked inside with a mischievous grin on and took out the box with the razor.

  “The one with the batteries?” Levi asked as he smoked a cigarette.

  “Yep.” Lana smirked.

  “Cool. Keene, you’re getting a haircut,” Levi said as he tossed the box to Keene.

  “What? No, no, no. I’m not getting my head shaved by an eighteen-year-old girl.” Keene scoffed as he threw the box back at Levi.

  “Oh, come on, please? You do need a haircut,” Lana whined as she looked at him.

  “Yeah, and I’ll get one at a barber. Not in front of some sketchy gas station,” Keene said as he jammed his hands in his pockets. They argued as I got off the hood and into the car. I looked at my phone and noticed that it was four-thirty in the morning. Axel got into the car and sat in the passenger seat while I looked at Keene. It seemed like he agreed to shave his hair off as Lana held the razor in her hand. Levi stood behind her and told her where to cut. I watched as his hand cupped over hers, and I instantly rolled my eyes.

  “What’s on your mind, brother?” Axel asked as he lit a cigarette, then opened the window.

  “Nothing,” I replied as I stared at them. Keene’s brown locks fell to the ground as he swore at them.

  “Hey, don’t worry. She won’t see him and you’ll get her soon,” Axel assured me as I scoffed.

  “You forget one thing: she has a boyfriend.”

  “Stop worrying about that and just live in the moment. You’re a Gunner, and we always get what we want. I know you will; you’ll even get that kiss she still owes you,” he stated as we laughed. Once they were done, they got into the car with Lana and Levi in the back while Keene decided to drive. He had a freshly shaved head. Axel laughed as he poked it.

  “Shut up,” Keene said as he shook his head and started the car.

  “Where are we going now?” Lana yawned as she leaned back in her seat.

  “Wherever the road takes us,” Axel answered as he turned on the radio. I watched Levi swing his arm around her. He brought her to his chest, then turned to me. I watched as he put two fingers to his lips for a cigarette. I sighed as I took out two and lit mine, then gave him the other. He lit it with his Zippo, then took a drag. As the song played, he put the cigarette against Lana’s lips. They continued to share the cigarette until Lana fell asleep on his lap.

  “Dude, when are you gonna tell her?” Keene asked after a while.

  “I don’t know. She’ll freak, though,” Levi said.

  “You do realize if we’re not careful, she might find out, and that’s worse than telling her,” I muttered, then looked down at Lana, who moved.

  “I’ll tell her, don’t worry. She’s asleep now, though,” Levi notified us, then caressed her hair. She continued to move, and I let out a grunt as I threw my cigarette out the window, then picked up her legs and put them on top of mine. I took her shoes off and threw the blanket over her.

  “You had the whole winter break,” Keene said through gritted teeth.

  “Okay, I get it,” Levi snapped as he glared at Keene. Everyone went silent after that except for Lana. Levi and I watched as she continued to twist and turn. She panted as she turned the other way so that her butt was right on my thighs. Her chest rose and fell with rapid breaths as Levi tried to wake her.

  “Lana, wake up!” I yelled as she took sharp breaths. When I was about to pull the blanket off, she shot up and took deep breaths as her eyes widened. I watched in horror as she turned to me and mumbled something, yet I couldn’t figure it out. It lasted for fifteen seconds, then she collapsed into Levi’s arms and fell asleep as if nothing happened.

  ***

  After we drove for half an hour, we decided to rest. Keene stopped at a motel that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. Axel and Levi got a room with two beds and said they’d drive for food while Lana rested. I carried Lana with the blanket wrapped around her. Keene had the key while he took her shoes.

  “Here it is. Room 127.” Keene sighed as he unlocked the door, then walked in. I went into the motel room and took in my surroundings. It had maroon walls and a turquoise ceiling, two beds against the wall with a table in the middle. It had pineapple covers with five pillows on each of them. There was a TV stand opposite and a desk next to it. I put Lana on the left bed and took off her jacket. I wrapped her in the blanket and placed a pillow under her head. “Hey, I’m gonna check the rest of the place out. You okay here with…” Keene trailed off as he looked at Lana.

  “Yeah, I’ll probably take a nap, too.” I shrugged, then took off my jacket.

  “Cool, see you soon,” Keene said, then walked out the door. I let out a sigh as I sat on the edge of the other bed and stared at the TV. I noticed the bags formed under my eyes. I turned on the TV and flicked through the channels. It stopped by the music channel where random music videos played. I walked around and laid on the bed as “West Coast” by Lana Del Rey played. I placed my hands behind my back as I turned to look at my Lana. She looked so peaceful when she was asleep. I turned back and stared at the ceiling. My eyelids got heavier and heavier as the song played. As I closed my eyes, I felt a weight on my body. When I opened my eyes, I looked to see Lana wide awake as she straddled me.

  “Lana, what are yo—”

  “I can’t sleep.”

  “Oh well, you can sleep here,” I mumbled. She smiled as her blue eyes gazed into mine. Her hands went to her crop top, and I raised my hands. “Whoa, what are you doing?”

  “Benny and I always cuddle like this.” She giggled, then took off her crop top, which left her in her bra. I gave a stiff nod as she laid on my chest. I awkwardly wrapped my arms around her torso and brought her up so that her head rested beside mine. I felt her breaths on my neck as I turned my head. She looked at me, then
placed her hand on my cheek. I bit the inside of my cheek as her hand went behind my neck and her fingers raked through my hair. “You’ve wanted to kiss me all night, Blake Gunner,” she whispered as I stared at her lips. “What’s stopping you now?”

  “Nothing,” I whispered, then pressed my lips against hers. While we kissed, she sat up and straddled me. I parted her lips because I craved for her, wanted her as my tongue slid across her lip. The kiss felt so different from our first one. The song echoed in the room, which made the atmosphere edgier as my hands trailed down her bare skin. I pulled her closer and placed my hand on her butt, then shifted so that I hovered over her. My hands went under her and made my way to her bra strap but immediately stopped because she wasn’t sober yet and she had a boyfriend. “Lana, wai—” I stopped, but her finger wrapped around my chain as she pulled me closer and kissed me again. Her other hand traveled down to my shirt, and she tugged on it. I pulled it off, then roughly kissed her neck. Her fingers knotted in my hair as I grunted. I left soft kisses right down to her stomach and stopped at her belly button. I looked at her to see her throw her head back as I dragged my bottom lip up to her neck again. Her arms locked around my neck as I kissed her. Her hot plump lips mixed with my thin ones. Lana’s one leg wrapped around me as she used her other to be on top again.

  After a few minutes, we stopped, and our heavy breathing filled the room. Her head rested on my bare chest as she traced my tattoos. I had the other arm behind my neck as I went over the past events.

  “Lana,” I said in a low and hoarse tone.

  “Hmm,” she murmured, her fingertips against my skin, sending chills up my spine.

  “Look, err…” I breathed out. “I had fun tonight, and I don’t think we’ll be having one like this in a long time so…we’ve had a rough past, done bad things, and even though we’ve known each other for, like, five months, you’re one of the few people I trust, care about, and just enjoy being around with. After tonight, we’re gonna have to face reality again.”

  “The bad sides of us have been locked away and never spoken of, but it’s slowly coming back.”

  “Yeah, and we can either let it define us or build us up,” I said and thought about the past few months. “After everything we’ve been through, you have captured my heart, and I thi—I think I’ve fallen in love with you, Lana Willson.” I looked down. Her fingers stopped as she turned and rested her chin on my chest. Her mouth curved into a smile as she stared at me with an unreadable look. “Don’t look at me with those mesmerizing blue eyes and smile. That Lana smile that can get away with anything. That smile which is so strong and hypnotizing that you think it’s real,” I said and felt my face warm. “Say something, please,” I grumbled. She crawled up, and I felt her lips brush against my ear. I stared at the ceiling as she placed her hand on my chest.

  “Sometimes the heart knows stuff that the mind can never explain. Don’t think, Blake. Just let your heart do all the talking,” she whispered, then drifted off to sleep on my chest.

  ***

  Lana

  Tears streamed down my face as I ran in the rain. My makeup was smudged, and my pink dress clung to my body. I slowed down my pace, then ripped off my heels as I looked around. To hear the guys at Homecoming brought me to tears. I was angry, frustrated, and naïve. I couldn’t believe they did that to me. And to think Parker was the one who set the whole thing up. He’s a manipulative person who liked to stir up trouble. Now to stand and not know where I am because I ran off. The rain got worse as thunder echoed in my ears. I continued to run, but I didn’t know where I was going. I saw a few cars as well as tall buildings and ran onto the sidewalk. My breaths quickened as I felt goose bumps on my arms. I noticed their stares and only imagined what they thought. I turned a corner for shelter and noticed I stepped into an alley. I backed away, and my body hit against the wall. When I turned my head, I was met by a man who smirked. As he opened his mouth to speak, my eyes snapped open, and I was met by a turquoise ceiling.

  I raised a brow and sat up from the comfy surface. The same dream I had for the past week and I still didn’t know what it meant. I looked over my shoulder to see Blake in another bed. It looked like he got up too because his hair was messy and his grey shirt was wrinkled. He looked at me, then squinted his eyes as he glanced around.

  “I-I just had a dream,” he mumbled.

  “Join the club.” I sighed and looked down to see that I was still in my party clo—wait, what happened to the party?

  “Do you ever feel like something’s so real then you wake and realize it was just a fucking dream?” he asked as I looked around the room.

  “Yeah…wait, what did you dream of?”

  “What were you dreaming of?” He raised a brow. I shook my head as I pulled the unfamiliar duvet off and grabbed my jacket. I put it on, then stood up but immediately regretted it as I felt a pain in my head.

  “Why do I smell like chemicals? Where am I?” I asked as I rubbed my temples.

  “We’re in a motel room,” Blake mumbled as he stood up.

  “What? Why?” I demanded as I walked away from him. There was a door a few feet away from me. I pushed it open. I didn’t know where I was and why I was with Blake. It must’ve been the back since it was an open area. I walked as I looked around. It must’ve been early morning since it was still dark, but in the distance, I noticed the purple sky.

  “Whoa there, pumpkin, how many times do I have to save you?”

  I instantly stopped and looked up to see Axel. I looked over his shoulder and understood why he stopped me. I would’ve fallen into an empty pool in which Keene skated.

  “What the heck is going on?” I stepped back. Axel stared at me, then threw his head back and laughed. He spun around and pointed to Levi, who sat on the edge of the pool.

  “She’s sober, guys!” he announced as I shook my head, then walked around the pool to Levi. As I walked, I felt little sores on my feet. I sat next to him, then looked around at the run-down motel.

  “What happened? Where’s Benny?”

  “Good morning to you too, princess. You’re finally sobered after being so drunk, then sober, and then drunk again,” Levi said. I glared at him, and he sighed. “We took you from the party, and we did a few things from the bucket list.”

  “What things?” I asked. He cleared his throat, then took out the paper and handed it to me. I took it and scanned through the things I remembered that weren’t ticked. “No way I went to a paint party!”

  “Yeah, Keene even swallowed an ecstasy pill.” Axel laughed as I looked at Keene.

  “Oh my god. Are you okay?” I looked at Keene, who stood in the center of the pool with the skateboard.

  “Yeah, I’m fine,” he mumbled.

  “We also went to a cage fight which Axel fought in, street racing, indoor pool, and—”

  “Whoa, are you okay?” I cut off Levi as I looked at Axel. Holy crap, so many dangerous things happened in the last few hours.

  “I’m perfectly good, pumpkin.”

  “What else?” I put my palms flat on the ground as I swung my legs.

  “Err…” he mumbled.

  “Where are my shoes?” I looked down to my bare feet. “What happened to my heels? Don’t tell me I—”

  “Here they are,” Blake said as he threw them from across the pool. My eyes widened as they came toward us. Levi raised his arms and caught them before they hit us.

  “Thanks.” I fake-smiled at Blake, who gave an awkward thumbs up, then walked back into the motel room. “What’s wrong with him?” I narrowed my eyes.

  “I don’t know.” Axel shrugged.

  “Well, we gotta go. Still got a few things we can do,” Levi said, then stood up. I remained still as I tried to remember everything that had happened because something didn’t feel right. We silently walked to the car, and I decided to sit in the front with Levi. I drank the bottle of water that Keene got for me when he checked out of the motel room.

  “Okay, what do you
remember last?” Keene asked from behind me.

  “Err…the party obviously,” I said, then smiled. “Then kissing Benny at midnight.”

  “Well, it’s kinda good that you don’t remember anything after midnight.” Axel snorted as I raised a brow.

  “What? Can we go home?” I whined.

  “No. I got, like, six hours with you…please, princess,” Levi cooed as he pouted at me.

  “Fine.” I huffed. Axel leaned forward and rested his arm on the seat. He sent me a dirty look as I smiled at him.

  “Y’know what else happened at your boyfriend’s party?” he asked. I squinted my eyes at him as he leaned in and whispered in my ear. “You gave Levi and my brother lap dances, pumpkin, and what a show it was.”

  I gave Axel a blank look as he smirked. I laughed, and Levi turned to me as well as Blake from the rearview mirror.

  “That’s a good one. I’d never give you two lap dances, especi—” I cut off when Axel shoved his phone in my face. I quickly scanned through it to see that he was on Instagram. It was Kelly’s profile, and her recent post scared me. Why would she post that? It was a collage; I gave a lap dance to Blake and Levi. The third picture frightened me because I kissed my boyfriend in the same room. The caption didn’t surprise me at all: Hoe of the year goes to the Sheriff’s daughter. My eyes widened as I scrolled through the comments, which made me frown. I tossed Axel’s phone back, and he caught it as I stared at the window. I hated it when I got drunk. I hated parties. Something bad always happened. I was a horrible girlfriend and, in general, an awful person.

  “Are you okay?” Levi asked.

  “No,” I grumbled.

  “Hey, at least you made out with your boyfriend after that, so it’s a win-win situation,” Axel said.

  “I hate myself,” I mumbled, then flicked through the mixtape that Uncle Griff made Levi and me when we were young. “Howlin for You” by The Black Keys came on, and I turned up the volume. The guys took it as a sign that I didn’t want to speak, so we sat in the car with the music as we drove to the next thing on the stupid bucket list.