by R. S Burnett
“We really have to leave if you’re coming,” I stop him with my hand on his arm. He just nods at me and starts getting ready. “Is he ever going to talk again?” I ask Matt once he’s hung up the phone; he just shrugs at me smiling.
Half an hour later, I finally get Tucker into my car, but he still hasn’t said a word to me. I settle in for a silent journey, really wishing I had just surprised Sophie instead of telling her so she wouldn’t have had time to change my plans.
“Does Jason know?” he finally breaks the silence an hour later.
I look over at him, but he’s looking out the window, “Does Jason know what?” I ask frowning.
“That you’re going with me?” he turns to me expectantly.
“Uhm, no. He thinks a few of us are just going out of town for the weekend,” I tell him honestly.
“So you lied to him?” he asks, turning back to the window.
“No, Sophie did. I was going to tell him, but she said not to; what with all the rumours and everything already, she said it would just make it worse.”
“Sorry. I don’t want to put you in an awkward position.”
“You’re not. He shouldn’t believe the rumours anyway; it’s not as if he doesn’t expect me not to listen to the rumours about him. Why should it be one rule for him and another for me?”
“What do you mean?” he asks turning back to me again.
“Some people have been saying that he’s sleeping with a few girls behind my back; he denies it”
“I heard about that,” Tucker admits, sighing. “Don’t think that I’m not grateful because I am, more than you know. I just don’t want to make it harder for you around the school.”
“Forget about them. Let’s just have a good time, okay?” I pat his leg to reassure him; and he seems to accept it because he grabs my hand and doesn’t let it go for the rest of the drive.
* * *
If I ever doubted my decision to bring anyone but Tucker this weekend; I take it back now. He’s been the best company. He walked around sightseeing with me all afternoon, we checked into the hotel – separate rooms – and we had a lovely dinner together in a quiet pub before hitting the show. During the show he was energetic; laughing and cheering with the crowd, singing along, and even lifted me onto his shoulders at one point.
When I took him backstage to meet the band, he was polite and funny; they all loved him. He waited while I caught up with the girlfriends that I’ve known since I can remember; and then even suggested an early night, but didn’t complain when I told him I had plans.
First, we went to a pub that Sophie and I had been to before and we got a little drunk. When I took him to the club that Sophie and I stumbled upon accidentally the last time we were here, he really started to enjoy himself.
“Are you kidding me?” he asks, letting his eyes take in everything around him. I shake my head at him and watch the entertainment from the doorway before we make our way to the bar. There are girls in nothing but tiny thongs and g-strings dancing in various places around the club; some on the bar, a few on random tables, and one in each corner of the room up by the ceiling on a platform.
I only stay for an hour and when Tucker looks settled surrounded by women. I tell him I’m heading back to the hotel, but that he should stay. He’s reluctant at first, but I convince him to enjoy himself. I head back happy that he’s enjoyed himself as much as Sophie and Matt told me he would.
* * *
Someone knocking on my hotel room door wakes me up early the next morning.
“Good morning,” Sophie sings happily, pushing past me into the room.
“Morning,” I rasp. I guess I lost my voice last night.
“How was it?” she asks excitedly bouncing on my bed.
“She’s a little excited,” Matt notes with a smile as he enters the room.
“It went fine,” I nod at her and collapse back on the bed “God, I’m knackered. What’s the time?”
“Eleven. Where’s Tucker?” she asks, getting up from the bed and gathering some clothes for me.
“I left him at the club last night. What are you doing?” I lift myself up onto one elbow and watch as she starts flinging clothes at me.
“Get dressed; we’re taking you to breakfast.”
“Fine.” I drag myself into the bathroom to get dressed.
“I’ll text Tucker. If he wants to join us he can; but if not, he can stay asleep,” Matt says as we make our way down to a pub on the beachfront.
“I didn’t get in until two, so I have no idea how long I’m going to last tonight,” I tell them, ordering my coffee and a big breakfast.
“Well, you better make sure you’re going to last because I want to have the best night ever tonight!” Sophie says, squealing a little.
“Oh and uh…we saw Jason before we left this morning. We tried ducking him, but he caught us loading the car,” Matt tells me, looking sympathetic.
“I better ring him them.” I sigh and walk out the back dreading the phone call.
“Hi,” I say softly into the phone once he’s answered.
“Having fun?” I can’t detect his mood; he’s controlling his voice perfectly.
“Yeah, it’s been fun so far.”
“So. I bumped into Matt and Sophie this morning,” straight to the point.
“Yeah, they came down this morning. We’re going to a hen/stag tonight.”
“So it was just you and Tucker last night?”
“Yeah…”
“Did you sleep with him?”
I stare at my phone for a second.
“What? No, of course not! I didn’t even go back to the hotel the same time as him.”
“I think we need to have a talk when you get back, Brooke.” I can hear him sigh into the phone and wonder if he’s going to break up with me when I get back.
“Okay.” I bite my lip, not sure if I should be worried or not. I do like him, but he’s been pressuring me lately and believing the rumours over me. I know this weekend probably hasn’t helped, but I should be able to go out with my friends. He hangs up on me without saying goodbye; so I scroll through my messages, but I don’t have anything important that needs replying to.
“Can I have an orange juice please?” I look around the bar and watch as people come in, obviously hung over as they all settle into the tables laughing and talking about the night before.
“What did he say?” Sophie asks sliding up next to me at the bar.
“He asked if I slept with Tucker last night.”
“Again?” she sounds just as bored as I am with this whole thing.
“Yup. He also said we need a talk when I get back tomorrow. I can just imagine all the rumours that are going around already. It’s killing me Soph, I can’t do anything anymore. It was so much easier when no one noticed me.”
“Don’t let them get you down,” she rubs my arm.
“I’ve been trying not to, but now, I just think I need a break from it all. Being here and not knowing anyone; not having to hear my name being whispered when I walk past someone…it’s like heaven.”
“Come on, let’s go join the boys. Tucker came back while you were outside.”
We walk back to the table just as our food is being served.
“Are you going to eat all that?” Matt asks, staring at my plate overflowing with sausages, eggs, bacon, mushrooms, and beans.
“Nope,” I shake my head, and on cue Tucker grabs one of my sausages.
“Now I understand. What would you have done if he didn’t come?”
“He would have; you mentioned food.” I slap Tucker’s hand away when he reaches for my coffee. “Don’t touch. Get your own,” I practically growl at him, but he just pouts.
“What are we doing today?” Matt asks, tucking in to his own breakfast.
“I was actually going to go for a walk or something, if you lot think you can entertain yourselves for a few hours?” I catch Sophie’s eye and she winks at me.
“Sure we
can,” she smiles to the boys.
“What did Jason say?” Matt asks me, grimacing.
“Nothing, really. Just asked if I was having fun and he wants to meet up when I get back tomorrow,” I answer, looking back down at my food pushing it around, no longer hungry.
“I’m really sorry, Brooke, we did try to avoid him,” Matt apologises.
“Don’t worry about it,” I mutter, pushing the whole plate to Tucker. Now I’m not hungry. My phone beeps, cutting off any further questions from anyone; but I’m not expecting the message.
Jason: You refuse to stay overnight with me, won’t even let me touch you, but yet you spend a whole weekend with the person everyone thinks you’re having sex with behind my back. Explanation time, when you get back.
I’m not quite sure what the correct reply would be to that. I could reply that he should trust me, but then we haven’t been together any longer than a month. Is that long enough to trust someone? Well, he obviously thinks so if he wants me to have sex with him. But if I agree to sleeping with him, he’ll be discovering more than one of my secrets.
“Everything okay?” I look up at Sophie and notice everyone at the table is staring at me and I’m frowning.
I smooth my features and cock my head at her.
“I pretty much trusted you from day one, didn’t I?” I say it aloud, although it’s where my thoughts are taking me. I pretty much trusted her, Matt, and even Tucker from day one.
“Yeah. Why?” she’s frowning now.
I shrug.
“Brooke, if this is about what I think it is, then please make sure you’re ready. You think it’s bad now. Just remember why you do it in the first place.”
“I know. I guess sometimes when you don’t trust someone from day one, part of you knows that there’s a reason not to.”
“Are you two going to be cryptic all day?” Tucker grumbles finishing off the breakfast.
“Nope, I’m going for a walk. I’ll catch up with you all later. I have my phone if you need me.” I smile and walk out of the pub looking forward to a day where I don’t have to hide from anyone.
After spending way too much money in town and changing into my new bikini in the public toilets - which was a struggle, I finally get to the beach. I settle down onto my towel and tuck into my new book, removing my tee in the hopes of catching a tan. It’s a nice day and the beach is full of families and groups of friends. After getting a text from Sophie confirming that she will keep them away from the beach today, I feel myself relax for the first time in what feels like years. The reality is that it actually has been years.
Two little feet in front of me catch my attention and I look up into the eyes of a little blonde haired boy who can’t be much older than six.
“Hello,” I smile at him and sit up, putting me at eye level with him. “Are you okay?”
He twirls his foot in the sand for a few minutes just looking at me. “My daddy told me to give you this.” He holds his hands out with a football in between them.
“And where is your daddy?” I ask him, taking the football.
I follow the direction he points to with my eyes and laugh at Dave, who’s sitting there doing an impression of sending a prayer. “Come on. Let’s go say hi to daddy.” I shove my things into my bag and head over to Dave with the little boy in hand. “Shouldn’t you be teaching him not to talk to strangers?”
“You’re not a stranger; it’s just been so long since you’ve seen him. He wants to play, but I’m knackered,” he says, slipping his sunglasses back on.
“It was a good show last night. I really enjoyed it; you guys just keep getting more amazing every time I see you.”
Dave’s the lead singer of Heaven’s Devil’s; he’s had it hardest of them all. He got his girlfriend pregnant when they were just sixteen; then she died in a car accident when she was eighteen, leaving Dave to look after Dave Jr. by himself. His parents help out when he has a show, but he’s never away from him overnight.
“So you wanna play, huh?” I ask little Dave ruffling his hair; he ducks out of my reach and runs away.
“You’re my hero,” Daddy Dave sighs, collapsing back down on his back.
“Yeah, yeah,” I mutter good naturedly, dropping my bag down on his stomach. “Keep an eye on that. I’ll swap you for a bit.”
I still have the football in my hands, so I drop kick it in the direction of Dave and watch as he attempts to catch it; laughing when he runs away from it at the last minute. I run over to grab it, but he’s quicker than me.
“No fair, you have to catch it!” I shout over to him, but he just laughs at me and runs for a chase.
I let him outrun me for a little bit, but when I see that he’s running out of breath, I pick up my speed and throw him over my shoulder making a run into the sea. He starts giggling when I run further in and drop us both down so we get soaked to the head.
“We’re still dressed!” he screams laughing in my ear.
“Ooops. Guess I forgot.” I swing him around so I’m now giving him a piggyback. “Too late now though,” I yell over to him and drop us again.
When the breeze picks up a little, I walk us back out to the beach and pretend to collapse dropping us both into the sand.
I’m not expecting it when a load of sand comes down over my head, sticking in my hair and on my face; but while I’m registering the first attack, he throws another load onto my bikini top and stomach, then a third lot on my legs. I’m plastered head to toe in sand.
“I’d get you back but I don’t think your dad would be happy with me if I did,” I tell him, getting up but then catching him and tickling him instead.
“Can we build sandcastles?” I can only just make out the question through the laughing.
“Sure, have you got a bucket and spade?” I pause the tickling attack.
“Yeah, it’s by daddy.” He waves his hands in his dad’s direction.
“Race you there!” I call over my shoulder running away from him, but I let him win at the last minute.
“Ahh…I see he got you.” Dave laughs when I finally reach them.
“I don’t know what you mean,” I sniff and move some wet sand and soaked hair out of my face.
“What did you do?” he asks, although his laughter is getting louder.
“I dunked us,” I pout and poke my tongue out at Dave Jr.
“She did, lots of times daddy. Look, my hair’s all wet!” he points his little finger at me, looking so affronted it makes me giggle a little.
“I may have got a little carried away,” I admit.
“You’re phone has been ringing,” Dave says, passing me my bag.
I slip my tee back on and struggle to put my jean shorts back on. “Looks like real life is calling me back.”
“Thanks for entertaining him for a while.”
“It’s not a problem. I had more fun than I do with my own friends,” I wink at them both. “Don’t forget to build your sandcastles! And make sure there’s a moat too!” I ruffle Dave’s hair once more before I stand up.
“I’ll see you tonight?” Dave asks, gathering the buckets and spades.
“You bet,” I call over my shoulder and check my phone to see where I’m meeting Sophie and the guys for dinner. I’m surprised to find that so much time has gone by.
“What happened to you?” Sophie bursts into hysterics when I reach their table that is thankfully outside the restaurant; I’m not sure I’d be allowed inside to join them otherwise.
“What? This is the new look.” I poke my tongue out at her still feeling playful.
“Glad that you’re in a better mood,” Matt notes while Tucker just looks vaguely amused.
“You’re just jealous because I spent the day with a very handsome man and had the best time of my life.”
“Handsome you say?” Sophie asks sitting up with interest.
“Very,” I nod.
“Who was it? Anyone I know?”
“Yup. Dave’s little boy. He’s six
now and grown up so much since we last saw him.” Matt and Tucker both laugh at Sophie’s clear disappointment at not getting any gossip.
“Where did you see him?” she asks, looking happy now.
“They were on the beach. Dave sent him over to me with a football, hoping I could keep an eye on him for an hour. I dunked us in the sea a few times and well; this is what I got back for it,” I point to my hair. “He got the whole of me. I’m covered in sand underneath all my clothes, it’s so uncomfortable, but it was worth it to see him laugh for a while.”
“Who are Dave and Dave Junior?” Matt asks, noting that Sophie and I both know them.
“The lead singer of the band, it’s sad really. He’s the quietest of the group and got his high school sweetheart pregnant. They were really happy even though they were so young. She died two years later though; in a car accident, it was terrible. He hasn’t really been with anyone since either. He’s dated a few women but he doesn’t really seem interested in anyone and little Dave doesn’t really remember his mom,” Sophie fills them in while I order.
“He’s sweet; he’s like the instant big brother,” I nod at them. “Hey, I wonder if he will kick Jason’s ass for me when I get back?” I wink, only half joking.
“Why?” Sophie asks frowning.
“I got a few texts off him today. I missed his calls when I was in the sea and obviously Dave didn’t go in my bag to answer my phone. So he’s been going a bit crazy, but after what he sent me this morning, I don’t really care anymore,” I shrug.
Jason is starting to get on my nerves now; if I don’t answer my phone, I’m automatically having sex with someone else. While I’m not entirely convinced that I believe him when he denies what he’s done behind my back; why would he be so convinced I’m doing it if he’s not?
“Well, if there’s any ass kicking that needs to get done, you have us, remember,” Matt says gesturing to himself and Tucker.
“Aww that’s really sweet guys…but, I wouldn’t want any of you to get hurt.” I can’t help but laugh at how offended they both look.