“When the waitress comes over, tell her I’d like a blood mary. I need to freshen up,” I murmur, reaching out to graze my nails to his jawline. He nods, considering me through lecherous eyes. I smile as I slip away, meandering to the opposite side of the restaurant where I spot Ricky sitting. I approach him with a saunter in my step, spritzing myself with perfume before he can spot me. I smile teasingly when he spots me. His eyes widen considerably, but he is more restrained with his obvious delight in seeing me in such attire. I slip into the seat opposite him, and he inhales deeply. I almost expect him to comment on the smell of smoke, but it seems that the perfume has suitably masked it, because he smiles somewhat dazedly.
“You look amazing. Smell divine as well, one would think you’re trying to seduce me.” He says, his baritone voice deepening attractively. In spite of the role I’m playing, I can’t help but feel a little hot and bothered.
“One may know more than they think, then.” I reply, and he looks taken aback by the bold response. I smile, reaching out to caress his face. “What’s wrong, Ricky? Cat got your tongue? I thought I’d save that for later…” I grin, and his face alights with a searing red blush.
“E-excuse me?” He manages to stammer out, and I draw away from him, resting my chin in my palm.
“You know what I mean, Mason. You’re not that dim.” I retort slyly, leaning back in my seat. I slip my heel off my foot, carefully tracing my foot up his leg, towards the inside of his thigh. He tenses, inhaling a gasped breath. I lock eyes with the shaggy haired basketball player, gently teasing the center seam of his jeans with the tip of my toe. I can feel him grow still at my attentions, and I offer him a quirk of my lips before knocking my fork off the table. “Oops.” I say none to subtly, dropping to my knees in a farcical attempt to grab the fork. I crawl across the floor beneath the table, palming him between the legs. He jolts against me, staring down at me from his place at the table. His eyes are wide and uncomprehending, but I say nothing, reaching out to unzip his jeans. He exhales a shaky sigh, and when he seems resigned to his fate, I grin wickedly. I reach into his boxers to pull his straining manhood free, running my fingertip along the length of it. He tenses his hands at his sides, and I quietly chuckle before exhaling a soft puff of warm air against the tip of his aching desire. He jerks his hips forward, and I’m fairly certain it was not something he had planne to do, judging by the widening of his eyes. He seems more shocked by his loss of control than I am, and I intend to take full advantage of his sensitivity. I exhale another breath against the tip of him, licking my lips before placing a sweet little kiss there. His hands jolt to grip my hair, and I meet his gaze from under the table, wrapping my hand around the length of his shaft. He gasps for breath, and I know it’s likely all too obvious what we’re up to. It’s simply fortunate that this place is too pricy for most of our peers to indulge in.
I wrap my lips around the bulbous head of his manhood, slipping my hand lower on his shaft as I take more and more of him into my eagerly salivating mouth. I know this is more than I intended, when initially coming up with this plan, but the look of dazed ecstasy on his face is too hard to resist. I begin to slowly move my hand up and down his length, gently applying pressure in an almost jerking motion. My tongue laps eagerly against the drops of preejaculate that spill freely from him. His feet are scrambling to get purchase on the floor on either side of me, and I can tell by the strained angle of his ankle that his toes are absolutely curling inside his shoes. He draws his lip between his teeth, and I flick my tongue to the source of this heavenly elixir he is feeding me. I assault the head of his manhood with my tongue, jerking my hand more quickly as I feel him swelling more and more in my hand. All at once, I pull away. He shakes from the effort of not forcing me upon him again, and I shuffle out from under the table, taking my seat across from him once more. He looks utterly incapable of speaking, mouth simply hanging agape as he draws in breath after unsteady breath.
I glance to the clock, noting that I’ve been gone for perhaps too long, and draw my foot back. “When the waitress comes, tell her I want a water. I’m going to step away to the restroom,” I say with a smile. He nods, still shakily gasping for breath.
I step back through the restaurant, noticing that Jason seems to be growing antsy. My drink is sitting waiting for me, and I step up to the table, taking the glass in my hand and downing the drink in several gulps. Jason watches in what appears to be amazement, and when I’m done, I set the drink down on the table. His face is on fire, and he fidgets uncomfortably in his seat, and I know my job is done.
“I’ll leave it to you to cover the check, Jason. I suddenly remember I have somewhere to be.” I announce brazenly, offering him a wicked smile before turning my back on him and slipping through the restaurant. My breath catches as he calls after me, seeming as if he will give chase, but the waitress grabs him before he’s able to slip away.
“Hey, you’re not getting out of here without paying for your drinks! What kind of place do you think we’re running here?” The waitress says loudly, and I grin, darting away while I have the chance. I approach Ricky’s table, and his eyes widen upon seeing how out of breath I am.
“I’m… sorry, Ricky.” I murmur, pressing my thighs together and smothering a fake moan. “I thought I could… I have to get home. If I don’t, I know what I’ll do to you.” I whimper, and his eyes widen comically.
“Wait--” He begins, but I ignore him, darting out the door of the restaurant. Jim is waiting outside in his car, and I leap into the passenger seat.
“Get out, they’re trying to follow!” I cry out, and Jim offers me a weary stare before flooring it out of there. I giggle in delight, brushing my hair away from my eyes. “Oh my god, that was great. Their faces…” I trail off, and Jim can’t help but laugh.
“Well, I’m glad you had your fun.” He says simply, pulling up to my dorm building. I lean in and kiss him on the cheek before slipping out of the car, and he sticks his tongue out in mock disgust. “Eugh, cooties.” He jokes. I roll my eyes, closing the door behind me and slipping away in the direction of my dorm. I don’t expect my phone to ring so soon, but seeing that the call is from Jason, I answer, fully intending to reap the benefits of my scheme.
“Hello?” I purr, and he groans on the other line, sounding strained.
“Jenny… listen, I don’t know what came over you, or even what came over me but… I have to see you again. I think… I just… I can’t stop thinking about you.” He manages, and I quirk my lips in a smile. “Would you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?” He says abruptly, and my heart drops into my gut. My call waiting beeps, and I check to see who is calling. Ricky this time.
“I’ll call you back Jason.” I say in a rush, leaving him hanging as I hang up the phone. “Ricky? Hi.” I gasp out, realizing belatedly that it only plays into my charade.
“I think I’m in love with you.” Ricky blurts. My mouth falls agape, and he struggles to correct himself. “I mean.. God, Jenny, I really like you. You drive me wild like no one else ever has. Will you be my girl?” He amends. My heart twists in my chest, and I sputter helplessly before simply hanging up on him. I know it was perhaps a low blow, but I have no idea what I was supposed to say. I didn’t expect my plan to work that well, though I can’t say I’m disappointed.
I simply have no idea where to go from here.
CHAPTER FIVE
What little I’m able to sleep is fitful, and the boys have essentially blown up my voicemail with calls pleading for me to answer them. I’m caught in a position that most girls would kill to be in, but I can’t help feeling dismayed over the hole I have dug for myself. My phone rings again, and this time it’s Jason. Reluctantly, I steel my nerves and answer the phone.
“Hi, Jason, listen…” I begin, only to be cut short by a startling laugh.
“Oh my god. You went out with me, and Ricky!? At the same time?” He blurts, and the color drains from my face. “That’s pretty funny. You manage to keep su
rprising me, Parker. Listen, I know last night was probably to get back at us for our bet, but…” He starts, and I’m the one to cut him off this time.
“How did you find out I knew!?” I demand. He chuckles, and I can hear him chattering with someone else before he draws the phone back to his mouth.
“Ricky and I couldn’t help but put two and two together. He and I have agreed to call off the bet. He said it was juvenile, and considering…” Jason pauses. “I’ll let you talk to her in a minute, hold on!” He hisses, and my eyes widen in confusion. “Well. The bet is off. But Ricky and I have decided that we don’t care about the bet anymore. All we care about is you. The thing is, I can treat you a hell of a lot better than this dirty dingus-- hey!” Jason cries out. I can hear the sounds of a scuffle on the other line, and the sounds of angry shouts.
“He has no idea how to treat a girl!” Ricky blurts through the phone, and I can hear Jason cursing him in the background. “Jason’s right about one thing, and that’s that I want you too. We called off the bet, but I’m determined to prove that I’m the right one for you. We’ve had chemistry from day one, and-- dammit Jason!” He cries out, and the phone goes dead. I stare at my phone in confusion for a moment, but it begins to ring again soon after. Ricky’s phone number displays this time.
“Since we’re taking each other’s phones now, too!” I hear Jason shout snidely and I can’t help but giggle at their antics. “What’s so funny?” Jason inquires, and I can only laugh harder.
“The two of you are adorable.” I admit, and Jason chuckles. “But… I need some time to think. In spite of how stupid we’ve all been, I genuinely care about… well, both of you. I can’t decide, just put on the spot like this.” I admit. Jason hesitates for a moment, but I hear him sigh on the other line.
“I guess I can understand that. But I won’t be so easily dismissed,” Jason begins, and I hear another scuffle.
“Me either! We’ll fight for you ‘til the end!” Ricky announces. I roll my eyes at how melodramatic they’re being. I look to the clock, realizing with a start that I’m late for class. I try to interrupt their bickering to tell them I have to leave, but they seem too distracted to hear me. I hang up my cellphone with a snort, silencing the ringtone before moving about getting dressed for class. Back to my usual conservative outfits, and natural makeup. I once again examine my reflection, realizing that I like the reflection much less than I had the night before. There’s little to do about it for now, however. Even if I decide to pursue one of the boys, it will have to be in secrecy. I can’t go around embarrassing my father and shaming the college name.
I exhale a sigh, stepping away from the mirror and shouldering my backpack. I step out into the brisk morning air, and it feels as if there is some sort of buzz, a thrum about campus. As I walk away from my dorm, I pass two girls I can’t recall ever speaking to. They’re whispering among themselves, but as I approach, they silence their whispering and stare at me through wide eyes. Then, confusingly, they erupt into laughter and walk past me.
“What a slut.” One of them announces, and I stare after them in confusion. While girls being jealous of Jason’s interest in me was nothing new, the outright insults were sudden and confusing. As I continue to make my way towards class, the whispering continues, growing louder and more pervasive as the sound seems to wash over me like a tidal wave. As I walk past one of the other basketball players, whose name I can’t place, he smacks my rear as I pass. I squawk indignantly, turning to face him and give him a piece of my mind.
“What, little princess Parker? You’ll take two for the team, why not one more?” He grins lewdly. My heart drops into my gut, and before he can walk away, I grab him by the collar of his shirt, pulling him down to my level.
“What the hell are you talking about? Who told you anything about me and--” I cut myself off, blushing angrily but holding firm. He grins casually, seeming none too threatened by the closeness of our faces.
“The towel boy’s boyfriend can’t keep his mouth shut for anything, princess. It’s only a matter of time before daddy dearest finds out what a deviant daughter he has.” He smirks. I release him, but he does not move away, instead tensing a hand in my hair and forcing out lips together. I struggle against him, attempting to scream and bolt away, but he holds firm. Suddenly, a body slams into his side as someone simultaneously pulls me free of his embrace. I choke out a sob, trying to get free of my new potential assailant, but they guide me into facing them. I see Jason staring at me through wide eyes, and he cups my cheeks, gently stroking his thumb to the side of my face. I hear the shouts of the basketball player who had assaulted me and I turn to see Ricky beating the living hell out of their teammate. He rains punch after punch down upon the screeching man’s face, and a loud crack echoes as he slams his fist slam into his teammate’s nose. His teeth are bared almost animalistically, and Jason looks me over briefly before stepping over to the squabbling pair and dragging Ricky off of the other man. Ricky struggles in Jason’s grip, straining to get his hand on their teammate once again.
“I’ll kill him!” Ricky snarls, and Jason simply keeps a firm grip on his rival as the other basketball player scrambles to his feet and darts away from the scene. The other man clutches his bleeding nose as he flees the scene, little droplets of blood making a trail behind him. I stare uncertainly after him, a feeling of nausea settling in the pit of my stomach. “Why’d you stop me!?” I hear Rick demand, and I look towards them in time to see Jason gesture towards me. I’m all too aware of the tears streaming down my cheeks, and it feels as if my lips will bruise from the force of the kiss that had been forced upon me. I’ve never felt so violated in my life. Jason slackens his grip on the other basketball player, and the two of them approach me hesitantly. I look between them, wanting to throw myself into one of their arms but unsure of who to pick. They seem to sense my unease, exchanging a glance. The decision is made for me as they step up on either side of me, forming an small and intimate group hug. I press my face against Ricky’s shoulder, and can feel Jason gently rubbing my back from behind me. I choke out sobs, trying to find some small measure of comfort in their embrace. For a moment, I feel as if I can calm down, as if the world is slipping away all around us. Then, realizing what our position will look like to anyone who sees us, I abruptly shove away from them. Tears continue to spill down my cheeks, harder than before this time, and I sputter helplessly, keeping them both at an arm’s distance.
“Listen, Jenny, me and Ricky decided, you don’t have to choose-” Jason begins, and I choke out a sob, stepping away from the pair. The sincerity in their eyes is enough to bring me to my knees, but I know that I have to put a stop to this. I have no choice. This is only going to bring hurt to everyone involved.
“I don’t have to choose? I can’t choose! Do you know what it would do to my father’s reputation if I dated either of you!?” I demand, and they exchange uncertain looks.
“Well who’s gonna know…?” Ricky starts, and I laugh bitterly, gesturing at the crowd forming around us.
“Oh I don’t know. The entire campus, at this rate!? I…” I pause, lowering my voice. “I care very deeply about both of you. And I appreciate you putting aside your differences for my well being, but… I can’t be with either one of you. Let alone both.” I say quietly. The two of them look stricken, and I straighten up, ready to put the final nail in the coffin. “As long as you two are in the spotlight, I can’t… I can’t do this. My father is all I have.” I announce. I turn my back on the two of them, taking long strides in the direction of my next class. The murmuring continues, and I hear the two of them calling after me. I don’t pause, as much as I want to look towards them and take all of my words back. I know I’m doing the right thing. I have to be the good girl. I have to be a good reflection on my father’s dignity. There’s no way that this could have any other outcome.
Then why do I feel so awful?
CHAPTER SIX
The days seem to pass in a blur, and I
’m pleasantly surprised by the lack of angry reprimand from my father. He simply tells me that the basketball player that had assaulted me had been permanently expelled from the college. I want to smile, I want to thank him, but all I can consider is the empty feeling in my heart. I want to ask him about what sort of punishment Jason and Ricky had received, but he says nothing regarding the matter. Considering the trauma of the incident, I’m given a pass to miss the next week of classes, and for that week, I refuse to leave my dorm at all. The final game of the basketball season is drawing near, and I tell myself that I should stay as far away as possible.
The day of the final game, I wake to the sound of a knock at my door, and reluctantly rise from my bed. I pull on a robe, not bothering to get dressed as I open the door just enough to see who is outside. Jim Reagan, one of the last people I want to see. His eyes are rimmed with red, and I can tell from the grinding of his teeth and his tense posture that he’s upset. Even though I’m angry, I can’t just send him away, looking as upset as he is.
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