He let out a little laugh and said “What are you doing?”
“I'm sorry, but you have very nice skin.” My eyes almost popped out of my head and I quickly asked. “Are you gonna tell me what happened? You ran into the ravine after a guy, then you were attacked by his dog? Do you know who it was?”
“Let me see your other arm.” We pushed his other sleeve up and sure enough another cut on the back of his wrist but not bad at all. “Oh, that was from before the movie.” I looked at him, concern in my eyes. “It's fine,” he said pushing his sleeve back down, “I'm fine. I didn’t see anything it was too dark but I heard a growl and the bite felt like a dogs so I assume some guy sicced his dog on me”
He turned to me and said “Thank you – I don’t think anyone has ever complimented me on my skin before.” he half laughed.
“Are you kidding me? You're gorgeous.”
He looked a little abashed, but it didn't keep him from talking. “No one has ever told me that before.”
“Now that, I don't believe.”
Why did I have to say, you have nice skin…. Why couldn’t I have said nice smile, nice eyes, anything but nice skin – although, it was smooth with muscle underneath, when he flexes I can see every muscle. I have got to stop drooling over him, get it together girl.
“You seem to be pretty honest and you speak your mind.” Jett said. As he was talking I went back behind the bar and grabbed a couple of sodas and glasses. “So if I asked you anything, do you think you'd tell me the truth?” I froze before setting the last glass down, giving him a nervous smile, not showing any teeth.
“I assume I would, I guess it depends on the question......no, I take that back, I'd either tell you the truth or tell you it was none of your business.”
“Fair enough,” he said. “Why did you ask to park, with me, really?”
“Of course,” I replied, “I wanted to talk alone....I didn't know if my brother and my sister would be home and..... I wanted to…to see if….” He looked at me not believing my story – I squinted my eyes at him “Fine, maybe I wanted to see if we could duplicate our kiss from earlier.” I let out a breath and said “I wanted to see if you were a good kisser.” I walked around the bar, wanting to run away but instead I sat on the bar stool next to his. He had a goofy look on his face so I added “Because if you weren’t, and the theater was a fluke, then I wouldn’t go out with you again” …and I grinned because I knew that wasn’t true.
Laughing he said “Oh really?”
I, of course, couldn’t keep my mouth shut, so I retorted “Just because you’re mister good-looking doesn’t mean you’re good at anything else. …. Oops I’m sorry Jett, I'm sorry.” He continued laughing. “I say what’s on my mind and I'm very sarcastic. I get that from my dad, but he's actually funny.”
“No, no, I think you're very funny and the reason why I asked you out was because I heard you were interested in going out with me. I had no idea you were sooo...” He sat forward on his bar stool and said “But if you're not interested and I'm not a good kisser, I guess I'll just leave.”
I almost choked! Did I talk him out of going out with me? What am I stupid? I quickly retorted “I never said you were a bad kisser, I said I wanted to test the theory which if you recall we did…..” He grabbed my bar stool and pulled it as close to him as he could get it to him, with our noses almost touching. I didn’t breathe and I didn’t move. I was trying to stay quiet.
He said in a low soft voice, “The reason why I asked you out was because you seemed different. You don’t wear a lot of make-up and I think you're pretty without it. And I actually thought you liked me.” I leaned in for a kiss and he pulled back. I let my hands rest his legs gently and looked in his eyes, they were so dreamy they made me melt. They were a warm butterscotch with light gold and copper flecks and I whispered “Please don’t leave, I’ll be nice.” My voice was a little shaky. There was a long pause, almost too long, but he kept looking at me. “I promise that I’ll try not to be so sarcastic,” another pause, I held my breath again.
He pulled back. ”I like sarcastic – and a sense of humor. The other girls I’ve dated are way too serious, and by the way, most girls ask me out and make the first move. So even though I have a reputation, I didn’t make it all on my own. It was sort of made for me. I'm actually kind of shy.” He turned his chair and stood up.
Okay, now what do I do? “Would you like more soda?” My voice was still shaky and nervous. I wished I was Tori right now she would know what to do; she'd have him wrapped around her little finger.
“No,” he replied and put his coat on. I quickly retorted, “So you asked me out to get close to my sister then? Because she’ll never ask a guy out, you’ll be waiting a long time!” He turned and gave me a dirty look. “Crap, I said I would try……sorry.”
“You sure do say sorry a lot, and I have no interest in your sister, I wouldn't do that I have two brothers so I know how that can be. I should be the one that's worried. You dated Cale, one of the best looking guys in school. I should be nervous on where I stand.”
“I usually don’t screw up a date this bad, you just make me nervous and as for Cale he's more of a pretty boy and we had nothing in common, so nothing to worry about there.” I went to push myself off the bar stool, putting my hands on either side of the seat to slide off, but instead Jett leaned toward me putting his hands over mine gently. His hands were warm and felt nice. I held my breath, trying not to move. His lips touched mine ever so softly, barely brushing mine. I was waiting for a panic attack, but nothing happened. Please don’t stop, please don’t stop, was all I could think.
He moved one of his hands off mine slowly, I let my hand wander up his arm. He slowly moved his hand onto my knee and I kept my eyes closed and my head down. Jett swooped one of my legs to the side and then the other in one smooth sweeping motion and wrapped his arms around me, pressing me into him. His whole body felt warm, I could feel the heat radiating from him. I had no clue what to do, my hands were idle. Should I move them? Should I open my eyes?
He pulled my chin up with his hand. His lips touched mine and I could picture his smile in my head, his lips a soft cherry red and his butterscotch eyes. His lips were soft and warm, when he pressed them into mine, I didn’t know when to breathe.
He stopped; and pressed his forehead to mine so I figured I ought to breathe. He moved in again pulling my hips closer to him. Freeing my other hand, I put my arms around his neck as we moved our lips slowly and softly. The kiss deepened and our lips parted. I felt a heat wave come over me. He was done kissing me and my eyes were still closed.
He whispered “Your eyes are closed.” I opened them slowly hoping to look like I knew what I was doing and said “I know, weren’t yours?” He smiled and went to say something but I interrupted and kissed him again. I put my hand on his cheek and slowly moved it to the back of his neck. His hands on my hips moved slowly to the small of my back and touched my skin, I winced a little and the other moved up to my mid-back almost touching my bra and I started to squirm, I broke out of the kiss and just looked at him. He stared back, waiting for me to say something.
“I thought you didn’t have any expectations for our date?” I replied.
“No I don’t, I thought we talked about that.” he said with a slight inflection in his voice. “Why? Did you?”
“Just one.....I was, well, I no....”
He leaned in and kissed my neck, “You can tell me.”
“I wanted to...the first day I saw you, you had your jacket on with no shirt” I said wavering
“Yes, and?”
“I always think about it.” I replied.
“So I didn't have to take you to a dinner and a movie.”
I giggled and said “nope” softly.
He took my hand and kissed my palm. I looked down at our hands, he pressed mine firmly on his waist at the hem of his shirt; I flattened it and slowly pushed upward until I felt flesh. It sent chills through me, I felt him quiver
; I moved my other hand to his stomach. He was very warm, his skin soft as silk, I slid both hands further up across his abs and then onto his chest and back down. I pushed them around to his back and lightly scratched him, pulling them up and forward and up again. I looked into his eyes, they were closed for a second and then he looked down at me. We kissed, I pushed my hands up to his chest, his nipples were dense, it was angelic. I moved my lips to his jaw and then his neck and breathed him in letting my hands move down slowly out of his shirt and down to his butt and then I stopped. I kept my eyes closed and then started to think and hoped he wouldn’t try to go any further because I'm not sure if I could resist him. He leaned in and kissed me on the cheek and dropped both hands to the small of my back and pronounced hoarsely “I should get going.”
I let out a deep breath, a sigh of relief. He pushed back a little and said in surprise “What, I'm not a good kisser? I thought that went well.”
“I thought that went very well..... I'm just nervous around you until, you, touch me, then I'm....not, and that makes me nervous.” I said slowly as I snapped out of my trance. “Are you sure you don't want more soda? Did I mention I'm a little nervous? Why don’t we have a soda and you can tell me about yourself – I know you wrestle, play football and have a great smile but that’s about it.” I was impressed with myself, I think I recuperated quickly and sounded very adult-like with no sarcasm.
Jett replied “Do you know what time it is?” I looked at the clock behind him and wanted to lie because I didn’t know his curfew. But I told him the truth, “It’s 12:15 what time do you have to be home?”
“Well...” he said.
“Please stay, I'm just a little nervous. I'm quite normal, trust me.” There was a moment of silence I couldn’t take so I added “We can sit and chat for one soda….”
He took his jacket off and I saw all the muscles in his arms flex, I could daydream about him for days now. I caught a glimpse of his arm and noticed blood seeping through his bandage; I went to touch it; he didn’t flinch and reassured me “I’m fine, don’t worry about it.” And sat back on the bar stool and rested his arms on the bar. “What'll ya have?” I replied “Soda only, my parent’s mark their liquor bottles so we can’t drink from them.”
He replied “Of course, I would never touch your parents stock. I wouldn’t disrespect them or want to make them mad at me for any reason, and I wouldn't let you drink it either.”
I hopped off my bar stool and went behind the bar, I took a couple of Pepsi’s out of the fridge, opened the bottles, sat on the counter behind the bar and handed him his soda. “So you’re saying that I'm not allowed to drink my parent’s alcohol the next time you’re here?”
“That’s right. I don’t want you getting me in trouble with your parents”.
So I of course replied out loud instead of to myself “So there’ll be a next time - -”
Jett said “Well I was hoping, of course, if I'm not a good kisser.....” he laughed, I smiled too.
“Jett” I said “I think we're going to get along just fine and if you ask me out again I may just say yes. And don't worry about me drinking, I don't.” He laughed and showed me his great smile, which I absolutely adored.
“You did tonight. You had a beer that Rae smuggled in to the theater, actually a couple.”
“I was just settling my nerves and I only had one, okay two, one to settle my nerves the second one was a social drink.” I said sarcastically, using my hand to talk. “Ok maybe you’re right.
“I love your sense of humor, if you’re lucky I'll call you.”
We talked and talked. It was easy to talk to him and he had a good sense of humor. I hoped we would have a second date. My dad called down, “Addie you better wrap it up.” I quickly looked at the clock and I couldn't believe it was after one already!
“Oh my gosh, are you late? Do you need to call your parents and let them know you are on your way home?” I asked.
He laughed at me again and said “No, that’s alright, I don’t have a curfew. I'm a junior so my parents don’t give me a time to be home. I just didn’t want to stay out too late because I have to work out tomorrow before our wrestling match – coach likes us in early.”
“I have a curfew, my parents wanted me home by 11:00, I tried talking them up to midnight, but...”
Jett quickly replied, “Of course you do, you’re a freshman and a girl.”
I replied back like whiplash... “What does being a girl have to do with anything?”
He laughed. “Addie, it‘s nothing against you, it’s just how it is. My cousin has to be in by 10:30 so you should be happy with 11:00 it’s a reasonable time and it's long enough for dinner and a movie. Your parents are just trying to keep you safe. I have to get going Addie.” And with no hands he leaned over for a short kiss, but I put my hand on the back of his neck and gave him, hopefully, a kiss to remember. As he pulled away, he said “Your eyes are closed again.” I opened them.
“If you keep on commenting on how I kiss, I just might get a complex.” Geez laweez I told myself, please shut up!
Jett replied, “Well, we wouldn’t want that to happen.”
CHAPTER 15
Monday on the bus, to avoid giving Declan further date info on Jett, I told him about Topher and his locker because it had been bothering me all weekend. Declan thought it was curious too, “Normally they don't move your locker, they just fix them,” he told me. In return, I told Declan I would ask Topher why he moved his locker again and see what he said. I knew how to set the trap for Declan to go digging for more information, and he took the bait. Declan said “I have a class with him third period, I could see if I could get the 'dish' on him.
“Sure” I agreed, “let me know what happens at wrestling.”
“Okay, I'll give you a ride home.”
“But how? You rode the bus like me, duh….”
“Long story short, my car will be at school later.”
“Ok, then I say awesome.” I replied and with that we didn't have time to discuss my date. I betcha he forgot to ask.
After school Declan was the first one in the wrestling room, he looked like he had a big story to tell me and couldn't wait until after practice. He was even pacing a bit. “Declan, what's up? Did you talk to Topher?” There was silence, it wasn't like Declan not to say anything and he was pacing right in front of me, concentrating on the floor.
I caught his arm, and he stopped.
”I talked to him.” He said solemnly still looking at the floor and started chewing on a finger nail. He put the heel of his hand to his forehead. “It can't be all that bad Declan, just give me the heads up, it is what it is, it won't change by you telling me.”
Nic was mopping the mats, making comments, making fun of Declan, “Not now, I have a headache,” she giggled. “Can't we just be friends...?”
Declan turned to me he looked so serious and said “I am going to tell you but I don't want you asking any questions or interrupting me when I tell you. Then when I'm all done you can ask me as many questions as you want and all the way home. Okay?” I expected him to start but he was waiting for me to agree.
“Fine. Okay” I said.
He grabbed my arms and said “I'll help you with whatever you need.”
“Help me? Okay….” I replied again. Now he's scaring me.
He took a deep breath and started with “I saw Topher third period. I was going to ask him the scoop about the locker change and I noticed he looked bad, depressed, not his usual self. He looked sickly almost. So I went up and talked to him. We had a sub so we got to talk the entire class, and let me tell you, I barely had to grill him to get info. He was primed and ready to tell someone about it and he just started spilling everything he knew.” He took a deep breath and let a long pause linger.
So I said “Okay...” with a tone like what does this have to do with me? I smiled at him thinking he was being overly serious.
He started again, “He said Cale and he started hanging ou
t this year, because their lockers were together. Cale only started going to school here his junior year....last year. I'm trying to tell you everything in order.” Declan said a little panicked, looking at me incredulously. He paused again, but then continued. “So at this point I was thinking Cale and Topher did something bad and one of them doesn't want to fess up to it. And he verified my fears when he begged me not to tell anyone, but that this was too big and he needed to tell someone.”
He took both my arms again and said “Listen to me, listen to every word I tell you!” He shook me out of my thoughts and I looked at his face and burrowed my eyes in complete concentration on him.
“Cale has been...has been ...stalking... you, since... this summer....” He said very slowly with a pause in between every word. He was still talking but I heard nothing, it was like being in a tunnel and everything and everyone was getting further and further away. “Addie, Addie can you hear me.” Nic was right in my face.
“Of course I can hear you.” I looked around, I had a crowd around me and everyone was looking down at me. I felt the floor, I was on it. “I knew I shouldn't have told her.” I heard Declan whisper to Nic, “This is way too crazy, we need to tell the police.”
“What did you do to her Declan?” Nic snarled and her hands were balled into fists. I propped myself up on my elbow, I meant it to be funny but instead it came out weak and more serious. “Boys, girls relax. I fell, I'm very clumsy when I get my period.” All the guys in the group went “ugh” in disgust and walked away.
“The things that come out of your mouth girl.” Nic replied. I scooted up against the wall. Declan plopped himself on one side of me and Nic on the other. “At least now I know how to clear a room.”
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