Startling

by Arabella Rose

  “What’s wrong?”

  His hand is still on me when he answers, my mind is on his hand. “I have to go home today.” He sits up and wipes his eyes, his hand leaving me. He stands in nothing but a pair of boxers that sit low on his hips. I try to move my eyes, but they don’t move.

  “I should get going anyway.” I jump up from the bed reaching for my bag full of clothes. Taj walks into the bathroom and a few moments later comes back out. I hold the bag in my hand waiting for him to move so I can go in there to change.

  “Come with me? Spend the rest of the weekend with me?” I don’t have a choice as my head nods yes. I go to walk past him and he captures me, his lips touch mine, and it takes me back to that first night—no movement, then movement. Who would have thought a kiss from a stranger could morph into something so real, something that makes my heart hurt when it pumps hard. He tastes like toothpaste and him. We both pull away at the same time and then I walk away breathing heavily to get dressed.

  When I emerge, Taj is freshly showered. He’s dressed in dark jeans, a black leather jacket, as well as beanie on his head. His cell is in his tightly gripped hand. He looks me over then smirks just a tad before he signals for us to leave. I follow him.

  He bangs on a door as he passes, one that’s quite close to his. He waits and does it again. Sighing, he kicks the door letting it fly open. I see Turner straight away on his bed, Nash is next to him, asleep. Turner looks to his brother then to me, smiling. Taj doesn’t acknowledge his smile and starts throwing clothes at him.

  “Get fucking dressed, we need to go.” Turner pushes Nash’s sleeping form off of him and she doesn’t wake up at all. He stands up from the bed completely naked and I turn straight away. Taj hisses at him which makes Turner laugh.

  I walk out the door, not wanting to be involved in any of this. I hear them arguing, then Turner storms out of the room, not so happy anymore. Taj walks out, grabs a hold of my hand and pulls me along with him. As soon as we load up in the car, everyone goes silent and not a word is spoken as he drives. I don’t even know where I’ve agreed to go or why Turner has to be here.

  Chapter 14

  The car comes to a stop in front of a massive house, it actually reminds me of Matt’s house. A mansion. No one makes a move to get out. They both sit there, while I look around unsure of what to do next. Before I can ask what we’re doing, the front door to the house opens and an older lady steps out. I can tell automatically she’s related to the boys in this car, her hair is the same color, she holds herself in the same manner the boys do with confidence. Taj is the first to open his door, stepping out and walking around to my side of the car. He pulls the door open, and I’m afraid to actually step out.

  “Skye,” he says, my name is a plea. I don’t fight it and slide out from his car. He bangs his fist on the roof of the car looking in the back at Turner as we walk up to the lady with Taj gripping my hand tightly. I hear the car door open and close as Turner gets out, his footsteps come up slowly behind us. Their mother gushes all over Taj, and she stands back to look at me. Her smile is warm and she wraps her arms around me briefly before letting me go and walks down to her youngest son. Cursing him lightly for not coming home sooner, I hear him apologize.

  “He’s not well today,” their mother says as we follow her inside. Taj directs me to the sofa and I take a seat crossing my legs. His hand pulls on his beanie and he looks down at his brother who’s sitting near me.

  “You coming?” I watch him shake his head. Taj scrunches up his face as he’s about to say something else, but Turner speaks before he can. “Soon.”

  Taj’s head nods and he looks back to me smiling weakly before he walks off following his mother. I don’t know what to say or do as I sit here and wait. Turner is lost in his own world as he sits next to me, his hands gripping the edge of sofa tightly. His knuckles are white from the grip he holds. I reach over and place my hand on his. He looks up shocked, then his head goes back down.

  “Tell me something?” he asks in a strange voice I haven’t heard him use before.

  I try to think of something to say. Anything. “I hate the smell of a new car.”

  A single eyebrow raises up at me as he looks to me from his position of being hunched over.

  “You’re joking, right? That’s one of the main reasons I buy a new car… for the smell.”

  “Well, think about it. It’s there to trick you, making you think it’s all pretty and new…” I pause, and he speaks.

  “Because it is.” He laughs at me, but his hands stays glued to the sofa under mine.

  “But it’s a lie. Your car isn’t going to smell like that forever. So what are you going to do then when you’re so used to that smell? Buy a new one?”

  “Yes,” he answers, shrugging his shoulders.

  I roll my eyes at him. “Not everyone can afford a new car every year.”

  “Some can.”

  I let it go because this is a pointless conversation. “You tell me something.”

  “Taj loves you.”

  At first, my mind doesn’t register what he’s said. I slowly shake my head. Then my grip on his hand becomes tight, my nails beginning to dig into his hand.

  “We’re friends.”

  He looks down to my hand but doesn’t shake me off. “If you say so.” That’s all he says while looking straight ahead.

  “Do you want to go?”

  He looks back to me and I see the real him. Not the façade he puts on for everyone. He nods his head.

  “Want me to bust you out?” I ask him leaning closer in case someone hears us. It’s not something I would typically do. I wouldn’t suggest someone not see their parent, but for some reason I feel the need to help him. I think when he’s ready, hopefully soon he will want to, but for now he needs something else to occupy his mind.

  He nods his head again, so I pull the keys from my pocket for Taj’s car, dangle them in his face, and instantly his face looks cheerier. I stand pulling him along with me. We both walk quietly to Taj’s car and as soon as the door is open I start to fumble with the keys.

  What if he gets mad at me?

  What if no one is allowed to drive his car?

  Shit.

  “Just down the road, take your first left.”

  As soon as I start the car, I look back in the mirror waiting for an angry man to be chasing me, but he never appears. Then I realize where we’re going. It’s right near the waterfall Taj took me too. I come to a stop, the water not too far ahead. Turner climbs out and does exactly what his brother did—he starts skimming rocks. Except now we aren’t as close to the water, so the rock hits the gravel and doesn’t bounce as it moves.

  “He was always the golden child,” Turner says flinging another rock. They’re so similar, yet so far apart. “He was the first boy. He lived up to everything my father wanted in a son. Good grades. Captain of the football team. Accepted into multiple colleges. Whatever I did, it didn’t match him. I couldn’t match him even if I ran to keep up.” His eyes drop to the ground. “I was a momma’s boy. I stayed home with her while they went out to football matches. She cooked me the extra cookies for school. I wanted to hate him, hate them both while growing up. Except Taj has been nothing but there for me, making me feel included. I’m pretty sure I’m his only friend. Well, apart from you that is.”

  “Is that why you don’t want to see him? Because you felt all his love went to Taj?” I ask moving alongside him.

  He nods his head. “What am I meant to say?” he basically screams.

  “Why don’t you just be there? You don’t have to use words, sometimes words aren’t necessary, Turner. Sometimes you just need someone you love to hold your hand.” I grab his hand and give it a squeeze, then let go.

  He nods again. “Okay. Take me back.”

  We drive back to the house in silence, and as soon as we pull up Taj has his cell to his ear out the front and is pacing back and forth. He stops when he sees us, pockets his cell and walks to th
e driver door flinging it open. His eyes lock on mine and I give him a weak smile. He looks to Turner, who gets out and starts walking up the stairs. He follows and stops at the bottom of the stairs when he realizes where he’s going. I touch his hip coming up behind him, he turns fast coming into me our bodies are touching. I notice that he’s been upset, his eyes are red and puffy.

  “What did you do?” His hand grips my face and he looks into my eyes like he can see straight through me.

  “We just spoke. He needed someone to listen.”

  He leans forward and kisses my lips, just softly, no tongue.

  “Skye…”

  I pull back embarrassed that we’ve been caught as his mother’s voice rings through. Taj laughs in my ear, now from behind me as I face his mother.

  “Thank you, dear. He hasn’t been in that room with his father for almost a year. Thank you so much.” Her arms open wide as she walks to me, wrapping me up in them. I tap her back and feel her tears on my shoulder. When she pulls away she rushes off up the stairs wiping her face.

  “My mother loves you.”

  Bang! My heart just jumped at that word.

  I smile at him.

  “Just like your other girlfriends?”

  “No, she has never met them. Girlfriend? Ha…” he says inching closer to me again.

  “Yes, you know… friend, who is a girl.”

  His hand reaches around and touches my ass.

  “That’s not what you mean, and it’s not what I meant either.”

  I turn my head to the side, away from his eyes that see far too much. “I need to pee.” I suck my lips in.

  Great!

  So not the word vomit I wanted to use right at this moment, though at least it made him laugh. That’s a plus.

  Chapter 15

  Surprising all of us, Turner stayed longer than we thought. He spent most of the day up with his father. Taj and I stayed in his old room and watched some movies and waited until he was ready to leave. Their mother is absolutely beautiful and reminds me much of my own as she came in every hour to offer us food. Which eventually we said yes to, to ease her worry. The car ride home was quiet, and when we pulled up to the house, a party was clearly happening inside. Taj banged his hands on the steering wheel and when he exited the car, you could see he was clearly angry. I think it actually has a lot to do with his brother, he doesn’t want him surrounded by all this all the time—drugs, alcohol. I found out that Turner and Nash were on ‘X’ the other night. They had taken it without him knowing because he was so drunk. Which explained the way they were acting and kissing everyone, or more importantly why her hands were on Taj.

  “Chill brother,” Turner says.

  I get out and follow them up the stairs. The party is actually bigger than I thought. The house is packed, much like the other night. Taj gets called, Turner is also called, and soon they’re separated. I see Nash sneak up to Turner and wrap her arms around him. She passes him a beer. I almost roll my eyes until I see him decline, which makes me smile and want to fist pump him.

  Taj gets caught up with someone from the football team. He looks back at me calling me over with a wave of his hand, and I walk willingly to him. He pulls and positions me directly in front of him. His hands wrapping around my waist, his head rests on my head, and I feel him give me light kisses as he listens to the man talk while sometimes responding.

  When I look away I see a pair of eyes on me, very evil eyes. The bitch to be exact, Jolene. She’s watching us, her eyes keep flicking to Taj’s hands on my face. I turn my face away and ignore her.

  Taj’s hands start to make a slow motion on my stomach, lifting my shirt ever so slightly. My girl parts start going crazy. I pull away, turning and smiling then walking away. I find Turner and Nash in the corner to the right of the door. She’s drunk, but he’s sober. Her voice is raised, his normal. Nash’s eyes find mine and it’s then that I see she’s been crying. I walk over, Turner goes to place his hand on her, and she flicks it away angrily. She storms away from him coming straight in my direction. Grabbing my hand, she begins to pull me as she walks.

  “I need to talk to you,” is all she says.

  When we make it out the back—there’s not many people are out here—she stops and starts pacing in front of me.

  “Did you know?”

  I look at her confused. “Know what?”

  There’s sarcasm is in her eyes as she answers me. “That Turner was planning to break up with me?” Her eyes narrow in on me.

  My head snaps backward. “Why would I know that?” I question her.

  Her hands fly up in the air. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because you’ve been with him all day? And now he’s come back he doesn’t want to drink, and now he wants to break up with me? What did you say to him?”

  I’m baffled she’d even think I had anything to do with that.

  “I didn’t do anything. You’re acting crazy.”

  “I’m not acting crazy. Where were you all day?” Her hands fly to her hips.

  “I can’t tell you that.” Her eyes go wide. “If you want to know you’ll have to ask him. I honestly can’t tell you.”

  I’m not betraying them. It’s not my place to say anything about what’s happening in their personal life.

  “Fuck you,” she spits.

  I watch as she storms away back inside where she came from. I take a deep breath, hoping she’ll forgive me in the morning when she’s sober.

  “You think you can just take what’s not yours to take?” a voice comes from behind me. When I turn Jolene is standing there, probably in another five-hundred-dollar shirt. She has a friend with her, who’s death staring me.

  “What are you talking about?” I ask shaking my head at her stupidity.

  “He isn’t yours. And if you think you can come in and take him away from us, you’re sorely mistaken.” Her voice is venomous.

  I roll my eyes and attempt to walk past her. “He wasn’t yours to take in the first place,” I say walking away. Just before I reach the door my head is snapped backward, my hair is being pulled. My hands fly up to protect my head then I fall to the floor. I see her hovering above me, she spits on me, then turns to walk away. I catch her leg before she has the chance to take a step and I hear someone yell, “girl fight,” and pay no attention as I snatch her leg and watch as she falls near my feet. I manage to get to my feet, then climb on top of her. She starts throwing her hands in my direction to get me off, slapping and screaming. I punch her straight in her perfectly pretty little nose, she screeches and starts pulling at my top. Then my head is yanked backward again, only this time I don’t let myself fall and manage to turn my head to see her friend bending down. My hand flies away from Jolene, as she rips into my T-shirt, and I smack her friend straight in the belly. She releases the hold on my head and stumbles backward holding her stomach.

  “You bitch!” Jolene says noticing what I did to her friend. She manages to push me off as I’m distracted. We both come to our knees, and I catch her next move to stop her from barreling me over and manage to roll with her. My hands in her hair, her hands on mine. I let one hand go and punch her again. I have no idea where because I’ve lost my glasses somewhere in all this tumbling and my punches are flying blind. Hands try to separate us, but I clock her again this time clipping her mouth. It instantly splits and she cries out. Hands wrap around my waist pulling me up from the ground and into the air. I struggle completely angry and full of adrenaline now wanting to hurt her.

  “Calm down, boxer.” I don’t need to see to know that voice, I instantly cool down and he notices then places the glasses that were discarded back on my face. He stands in front of me, assessing me for any damages, and once he’s happy that I’m all good he turns, his stare hard. I would run, far away, if that stare was directed at me.

  “Get the fuck out of my house and never come back,” he hisses the last part. Jolene stands, on shaky legs, her face is badly damaged. I cringe realizing how much harm I’ve inflicte
d. This swiftly makes me feel guilty.

  Turner comes to stand beside me and the girls are booed as they leave the house.

  “Look at you go! You got a nice punch on ya.” He holds up his hands like a boxer and ducks from side to side, mocking a boxer’s stance. I roll my eyes at him and watch as Taj walks back toward me.

  I notice Nash standing not too far away from us, she looks down when my eyes find hers. Taj pushes Turner out of the way and reaches for me, picking me up so my legs have to go around his waist then he proceeds to carry me inside. Hoots of cheers and my name is called, but I don’t care though as I bury my face in his shoulder.

  Chapter 16

  He places me on the bed and turns to walk to his bathroom. I sit there waiting for him to return, unsure what I should say. When he comes out, a cloth is in his hand, and he comes to me and starts to wipe my face gently. When he does the cloth comes away with dried blood, but his face is puzzled as his eyebrows scrunch while his eyes narrow.

  “It’s not yours,” he says answering my unanswered question.

  My hand goes to my hair where they both pulled. That’s what hurts, my belly too.

  He lifts my shirt, making me gasp.

  “I’ll fucking kill her,” he says placing the wet cloth to my stomach. I lean in and kiss his worried face. It instantly soothes as he looks me in the eyes. “Who taught you to hit like that?”

  “You met my father, right?” I ask raising one eyebrow, he smirks and nods his head. “Well, he didn’t want me to be unprotected. So every Sunday since I was ten, I’ve had an hour lesson with my father.” I shrug my shoulders.

  “I’ll be thanking him for that,” he tells me, leaning down and kissing my lips. He pulls my glasses from my face, and I hear him place them on the side table, then he pulls me down with him cradling me in his arms. “Goodnight beautiful.” His lips touch my forehead, as I cuddle into him.