I snapped my head to him, realizing that I must have been in deep thought. He actually looked concerned as he stood there, shirtless with his amazing buff body. We hadn’t spoken in more than ten years and yet, he could still tell whenever something was wrong.
“Nothing’s wrong,” I lied smoothly before proceeding to go down the stairs.
“You can’t lie to me, Melissa,” he simply said from behind me, making me stop on my tracks. “Just because we haven’t spoken in years doesn’t mean I forgot how to read you.”
I turned around to look at him with a sigh. “This is going to be weird to say this to you but, I love Nathan. But I just can’t be with him anymore, and I don’t want to.”
He remained silent for a couple of moments, looking down at the tray before looking up at me again with his brown eyes. A strand of his blonde hair fell over his left eye as he did this. “And why was that so weird for you to say to me?”
My throat went dry since I was about to bring up the past. My thumbs started fiddling with each other but I stopped myself before he can catch on. “Because we used to be in love. I always thought you were the love of my life.”
His jaw tightened and his eyes grew cold and distant as he dozed off. Then, he picked at the pineapple on the tray and puts it in his mouth. “Well, you thought wrong. We got into a huge fight then you—”
I lifted up a palm at him, the memory too painful to reminiscence. “Stop. Don’t even talk about it, it’s old news. That was back when we were teenagers in high school.”
He shrugged. “‘My point exactly. So like I was trying to say, you don’t have to feel weird talking about love to me. You don’t have to feel weird because of the past or because we had awesome threesomes,” he lightly joked, a small smile tugging on his lips.
I laughed, a jittery feeling building in my stomach at the fact that we were kind of getting along again. He watched me intensely as he smiled, a weird tension forming between us. I cleared my throat, “So, I’m going to head home now. I wish you and Nathan the best of luck.”
“What?” He asked, looking up the flight of stairs before turning to me again. “Y-you think me and Nathan are serious?”
“Well, aren’t you? He’s in love with you, isn’t he?” I asked.
He raised his eyebrows. “He says he is but deep down, he will never get over you. I know it.” He smiled sincerely. I nibbled on my lip anxiously, coming to conclusion that I was the one breaking Nathan’s heart now. But what could I do? What goes around comes around. I was not going to run back to him out of pity or anything like that.
“Take care of Nathan for me, okay?” I told him, ignoring his confession. “I’ll see you around.”
I waved and before he could say anything else, I galloped down the stairs and left the mansion without one last look. At first, I thought it would affect me stronger but I haven’t thought deeper about the situation since I got home. Yeah, it sucks to let go of someone you love but sometimes, you have to do it to set yourself free.
In a matter of a month, everything was out of my mind. Nathan and I only shared small talk and it felt great not having any rush of emotions when we did talked. Erick had been trying to reach me but I couldn’t exactly talk to him. I felt like he was trying to relight up some old candles and I definitely was not looking forward to letting history repeat itself. I actually met a new guy at a restaurant, Kevin. He’s sweet, funny and honest, everything that I look for in a guy, and we connected so deeply. We have been hanging out a lot, and Veronica approves of him, too.
THE END
Bonus Story 30 of 40
Untouchable
Talia
As I stared out of the train window, watching the world pass me by, I couldn’t help but wish that I was anywhere else in the world. The last thing I wanted to do was head home for the summer, but it seemed like I didn’t have any choice. After two years of avoiding my home town, of spending the school holidays anywhere but at home, I was having to go back there.
When my mom died after a long battle with cancer, I escaped. I couldn’t face anyone at home anymore, so I headed off to boarding school where I wouldn’t have to see anyone that knew me. Or mom. Ever since then, my dad had been begging me to come back, but up until now I’d managed to refuse. But now he was getting remarried, and I was going back to meet the woman that would go on to become my stepmom.
Marie.
I knew nothing about this woman, only that she’d moved to town a year or so after I left, and that she had a teenage son who was some kind of motorcycle rebel – another idiot to add to the cast of characters that was my new family. I’d have kept well away if I could have, but my dad had literally begged me to meet them, and I felt too guilty not to. I was growing a little disillusioned with my extremely rich, snobby boarding school friends anyway, so the only thing I was looking forward to was the chance to reconnect with some of my old friends. Hopefully they would still want me after I’d left in such a hurry. I hadn’t spoken to any of them in a very long time, but I hoped they would understand. We’d been friends since kindergarten. I prayed everything would be fine.
I sighed deeply as I stepped off the train, drinking in the familiar, but also strange, surroundings. It was weird being back in my home town, knowing that my whole life was about to change. I wasn’t quite ready for it, and I had no idea how I was going to handle what was to come. I could have used a much needed moment to catch my breath, but my father was already waving excitedly at me, with tears shining in his eyes.
“I know you told me to stay away,” he said, pulling me into a deep hug, “but I wanted to be here to pick you up.”
“Thanks dad,” I replied lamely, desperately wishing that he had listened to me.
“Come on,” he said. He took my bags from me, smiling a little too brightly for my liking. “Marie is in the car waiting to meet you.”
I tried to grin back, but my sinking heart was plastered all over my face.
The car drive home was painful. Marie was trying her best, but I had absolutely no intention of making it easy for her. Dad might need me to get along with this woman, but that didn’t matter to me. I hadn’t asked for this new family, I didn’t want it, and from what I’d observed there was no way it was going to last anyway. Marie was far too young for my dad, and my first impression was that they had nothing in common. I figured there was little point in me making an effort with someone who wasn’t going to be around for much longer anyway.
*****
Ricky
“For fuck’s sake,” I growled, looking down at my phone. “Assholes.”
“What’s going on, bro?” my friend Slick called out, as I angrily stubbed my cigarette out on the ground. “You look pissed.”
“Just my mom and her bullshit boyfriend,” I said, shaking my head sharply as a reply. “I have to go eat with them. His kid is coming home from boarding school or some shit.” I knew Norm’s child was a teenager – only a year younger than me – but I didn’t want the guys to know that. I had a reputation to uphold – playboy, bad boy, and general badass. If they knew I was spending so much time with some chick, they’d want to know why I wasn’t fucking her already.
Of course, I wouldn’t do that. I wanted to pry my mom away from that boring dick, not create a deeper bond with that family.
“So don’t go,” he replied as if it was obvious. “Ignore them.”
I’d love to have done what he said, but I wouldn’t. The truth was that despite everything I loved my mom and I would do anything for her.
“What and hang out with you sad sacks all evening?” I laughed, passing it off as a joke. “No thanks.”
“But we’re all going to the track later. Don’t you want to race?” This tugged at my heartstrings a little. I loved motorbike racing, especially at the local track. That was where I’d managed to build up my reputation – which was important since I’d moved here so late in my schooling career. It was where I’d become cool, and eventually something of a local celebrity. I was good
on my bike – it was the one thing I did well, and I loved it.
“Maybe,” I shrugged, wanting to seem like I didn’t care one way or the other. “Might see you bastards later then.” And I swung around on my bike, heading towards home, my mind solely on how I was going to play my next move.
I’d been trying to split mom and Norm up for a while now, and was slowly chipping away at them. If I could get this girl to hate me too, then that would surely be a step in the right direction.
By the time I screeched my bike up into the driveway, I was all ready for her. I put on my worst attitude and stepped through the door.
However, what I was faced with wasn’t what I was expecting at all. Instead, the girl that spun around to face me as I stomped into the kitchen was the most beautiful girl that I’d ever laid my eyes on. She actually caused my heart to skip a beat – a sensation that I’d never had before. Not even with Cassie – the one girl I’d been with for any length of time. The only one I’d really consider an ex.
The first thing I noticed about her was her sparkling green eyes. Then I started to see her cute face, her dimples, her smile, and her full lips. As my eyes slowly scanned her, with my heart in disbelief, I drank in her long wavy red hair, her pale skin, her curves… she had the most rocking body I’d ever laid my eyes upon. I was turned on at the mere sight of her.
But then I forced myself to shake all of that away. I needed this girl to be a part of my game. I needed her to hate me. I couldn’t start liking her; that would only spell trouble.
No, I needed to remember my plan. I had to be horrible, that was the only way I was going to get what I wanted…
*****
Talia
Oh. My. God.
The second I laid my eyes upon him I felt my entire body turn to jelly. He sparked a reaction inside of me that I’d never experienced before. He was literally the hottest guy that I’d ever seen and I didn’t know what to do about it.
I stared like an idiot at him for far too long – drinking in his tall, muscular body, his deep brown eyes and his dark hair that was practically cut to his head. He was wearing leathers that screamed ‘bad boy’ and that I was also sure was hiding some pretty rocking abs.
“Ricky,” Marie finally appeared behind me, with her arms stretched to embrace her son. As my eyes flicked between them both, I couldn’t quite work out how she had a child that old – she must have had him when she was only a teenager. “This is Talia,” she finally announced, stepping backwards to reveal me once more. She was acting like we were friends, like I hadn’t just ignored her for the last hour or so, which put me on edge even more.
“H… Hi,” I stuttered, stretching out my hand to shake his, like the biggest dork ever. I cringed internally, but it was too late. The gesture was already made.
“Hi Talia,” he practically drooled, taking my hand in his. As soon as he touched me, I felt electricity coursing through my body, so I snatched my hand away quickly. Unfortunately he seemed to know exactly what was happening with me, because he gave me a knowing, satisfied smirk. “Well, you don’t look much like your father,” he laughed, shooting me a wink.
Marie tried to brush over the tension, as my heart thumped painfully against my chest. ““Come on. Dinner’s ready.”
I attempted to keep my eyes fixed firmly on my plate as I ate, not wanting to look at anyone, but my dad kept trying to drag me into conversation. On top of that, everything that Ricky said seemed to have a sexual undertone that no one else could pick up on. It was driving me crazy.
This guy might be seriously hot, but he was far too arrogant for my liking. My body might have been reacting to him, but my mind despised him already.
I escaped the table at the very first opportunity that I could. I shut the door behind me and took a deep breath. Ricky had sent me on a rollercoaster that I really didn’t like. There were tears that threatened to come at the prospect of having to spend a lot of time with these awful people, but I refused to let them fall. I couldn’t.
To distract myself, I grabbed hold of my phone and I dialed the number that I hadn’t called in a very long time. I needed to speak to a friendly voice, and I hoped that she would still have time for me. My best friend – Kira.
“Hello?” she answered quickly, as if she didn’t recognize the number.
“H… hi Kira,” I stammered. “It’s me, Talia.”
“Oh my god,” she squealed excitedly, much to my relief. “Talia, how are you? Are you okay? It’s been so long!”
“I know, I’m sorry.” I hung my head in shame as I realized just how much I’d neglected my friends. I’d been through a terrible time, but nevertheless my behavior was inexcusable. “I shouldn’t have gone off the radar like that.”
“Oh that doesn’t matter,” she said. “You have missed out on a lot, though. What are you up to tonight?”
“Oh, erm…” I hadn’t expected her to want to see me so soon. “I’m not sure…” In reality, I was exhausted, not necessarily in the mood for going out.
“Well, we’re going to watch the race tonight. There’s this new guy – Ricky Nyle – he’s an awesome bike racer, and super cute.”
Oh god, did she mean the same Ricky that was about to become my step brother? Why did I feel so weird about that?
“Then there will probably be a party later. There usually is.”
Motorbike racing and parties… when the hell had my friends gone from the quiet, studious people I once knew, to who they are now?
“Maybe next time,” I said. I wasn’t really in the mood. “I’m so tired from my journey. I need to rest, but I really can’t wait to hang out again.” I was telling the truth, I wanted to see all my old friends, and I hoped that we could pick up where we left off. But if I no longer had anything in common with my friends here, then I had no one, no place in the world.
It was going to be a long old summer…!
*****
Ricky
My plan to wind Talia up until she lost it and told her dad not to marry my mom was going well. I kept making wildly inappropriate comments at every opportunity, driving her mad, but I didn’t feel as good about it as I thought I would. In fact, every time her face twisted up in confusion, or fell in annoyance, my heart went a little fluttery and weird.
Maybe it was because I’d heard some chick talking about her at the track, saying how she’d lost it when her mother had died, and how she didn’t seem back to her usual self even now. Maybe I felt bad about the impact I was already having on her life after everything she’d already been through, without adding me being an asshole to her on top of it.
Or maybe it was because I was becoming more and more attracted to her each day. There was no denying that she did something to me, and that it wasn’t going away any time soon. The more I got to know about her, the more I liked her sweet, studious nature which was the complete opposite of me. The more time I spent with her – which to be fair, wasn’t much because she kept trying to avoid me – the deeper I found myself falling for her. It was driving me insane.
I thought about her all the damn time – on the track, in bed, out and about. All I wanted to do was spend more time with her, be nice to her, and get to know her. But that totally contradicted with my original plan. I wasn’t sure which outcome I wanted more.
If I continued to be awful, our parents would break up and it was unlikely that I would ever see her again. She would go back to boarding school, and that would be that. The solution to the problem I’d been facing for the last year.
But, if I caved, if I started to be nice to Talia, to really give her a chance, and my feelings towards her increased, then it was likely that something would happen between us. We would end up hooking up and then what?
Even the thought of an illicit, taboo relationship with Talia, under the unsuspecting noses of our parents, was filling me with an intense excitement. Bolts of desire coursed through my veins. But if I thought past what my cock wanted, and really considered reality, then how the
hell would it work? Would we continue screwing even after our parents got married, and we were officially brother and sister? Well, step-brother and sister, but still, how messed up would that be? It could never become anything more. We could never be a real couple, no matter what we wanted.
The choice was obvious, it really was. My brain knew exactly what I should do, what was the right thing to do. But my body didn’t, and I was afraid that it going to win out in the end.
*****
Talia
“Morning,” I heard Ricky say from behind me. I shut my eyes for a second, waiting for the smarmy comment to follow. But nothing came. Instead, he remained silent waiting patiently for me to answer.
“Erm… good morning, are you okay?” I replied, spinning around to look at him. I was in my pajamas, with messy hair and no makeup, but that no longer mattered. If we were going to be a family, it wouldn’t make any difference what I looked like anyway. He would have to get used to the messy version of me. He was only in pajama bottoms himself, showing me the sculpted body that always gave me butterflies, however used to seeing it I was.
“Yeah, good. Would you… like a cup of coffee?” He looked a bit embarrassed by his niceness, which made it weirder. It was clearly deliberate, which I didn’t understand.
“Sure.” I stared confused at the back of his head as he boiled the kettle. This must have been some sort of new tactic to irritate me, I just needed to work out what he was playing at now.
It was better having him being a bit more pleasant though, however much it threw me.
As he handed the cup to me, and sat down at the table, I did the same, suddenly more intrigued than I really should be. I sipped my drink slowly, keeping my eyes fixed on him the entire time.
“So…” he started, looking a little uncomfortable. “How is it being back here? Have you been out much?”
Alien Mate Page 105