by Amber Nicole
“I told you we could have a fresh start and I meant it, but know this Easton Hawthorne, this is your last chance. I’m dealing with enough assholes at this school, and I refuse to be surrounded by them in my personal life as well.”
He grabs my hand and gently moves his thumb over my knuckles. I allow it, because it’s nice.
“I promise Cara, this time I will do the work. I really am sorry,” he says softly. I sigh and nod, before looking down at my book once more. “Okay, so for jingle ideas, I was thinking maybe using a known beat and changing the words?” I suggest, and his eyes light up. “I know just the one,” he says excitedly.
We work on making up silly rhymes, and I can admit I’m having a good time. I haven’t laughed this much in a while and the snacks he brought are delicious. I’m beginning to think us being friends might work, well that is, until he tries to kiss me. He leans down aiming for my lips and I back away, shoving my book in his face. He whines, and I cringe. I may have hit him a bit hard. I remove the book and he rubs his nose with a wince. “There will be absolutely none of that, Mister. Try it again and I’ll leave,” I say in a stern voice. His eyes flash with lust, but I ignore it. “You're right. I’m sorry, Cara. I just got caught up in the moment and it doesn’t help us sitting in the same spots as last time. I can’t get you out of my head, but I’ll stop. I know I fucked everything up,” he says sadly, looking off towards the bookshelves in the corner. God I’m an idiot. Why am I always drawn to emotionally unavailable douche canoes? I take a deep breath and move a little closer. “You didn’t completely ruin everything, but now it’s complicated. I mean I am kinda dating your brother and a few others—”
He kisses me so hard I see stars. What did I just say? Why is he such a good kisser? Why haven’t I stopped him yet? I pull back, and he groans, licking his lips. He rests his forehead on mine, before backing away and writing in his notebook. We get back to work and he doesn't try to flirt anymore, sticking to appropriate topics. I almost start to think I imagined the last five minutes when he says, “For what it’s worth Cara, I’m fine with sharing you, and the guys won’t care either.”
I drop my pen and stare at him in shock. Four guys want to be with me, what alternate reality have I fallen into? I sit back and sigh, looking at the ceiling. Toto, we are not in Kansas anymore.
Layton
I leave the gym with J after a brutal workout when I spot Carson sitting on a blanket under a tree. I haven't been sleeping well with the nightmares making a comeback, and I could use some cheering up. “Hey babe, I'll catch you later,” I tell him, giving him a quick kiss, before walking her way. He chuckles behind me, but doesn't interfere. Some may say our relationship is destined to fail, because we aren't one hundred percent committed to each other. But that's the furthest thing from the truth. Jase and I may like to include a girl in our bedroom from time to time, but we are one hundred percent committed at all times. I know he loves me, and I love him with everything I am. “Hey, what’s going on?” I ask Carson after plopping next to her on the blanket she laid on the ground. I’ve noticed she tries to avoid the library these days. A few days ago a group of girls came in and harassed her. I stood up to shout at them, but they ran off after the librarian yelled. She jumps a bit and glances at me, eyes wide with a hint of fear. “Oh, hi Layton.” She gives me a big smile of relief and I melt. “How are you?” I ask, and she shrugs, looking down at the book in her hands. “Okay I guess, all things considered,” she says softly. I lean over and glance at the title of the book she's reading and smile. It’s one of my favorites. “Is that the first book you have read by C.A. Rene?” I ask and she nods. “Yes, but so far I love it, so I’ll probably read everything else she has written soon.” Her eyes light up as she talks and I zone out watching her. She gently shoves my shoulder and I laugh. “I’m also a fan. I love her dark, twisty mind. The way she hooks you and you can’t stop until the last page is read. She helps quiet my thoughts sometimes,” I say quietly. I can’t believe I shared that last part. A hand trails my cheek and she brings my gaze to hers. She rubs her thumb gently along my chin and I tremble, just from that soft touch. I clear my throat and gently back away.
“So tell me what’s been going on? Jase has told me a few things, but he said it wasn’t his business to disclose,” I ask her. She blinks for a moment and the light leaves her eyes. She looks down to the ground and holds her arms across her stomach. “It’s sweet that he didn’t say anything, um, I honestly don’t know where to start.” She takes a deep breath then continues, “I came here because my mama would tell me amazing stories about the days she pledged Kippa Nu. Ever since I was about ten she would talk about her friends, the parties, the sisterhood, even some of her dalliances,” she says with a small laugh. “My mama was a very open person. She made it almost a fairytale every bedtime. I was so excited to come here, but what was once a fairytale is now a horror story and I don’t know how to change it.” She wipes her eye and shrugs, “Plus I’m super homesick so that probably hasn’t helped,” she says. Wait. I can change that.
“Oh that's an easy fix. Give me ten minutes.” I jump up and jog back to the house. I throw the door open and Jase almost flings a box of cereal in the air. “Babe. What the fuck?” he shouts, I move closer and take the box, then kiss him hard. He tries to deepen it, but I back away with a coy smile. He gives me a once over then scowls, crossing his arms. “What do you want?” he huffs. I give him my best grin, that I know works every time and hold my hand out. “I want to take our girl over to Mable Farms. She's homesick and I think this would help. I'd like it to be just us. If that's okay?” I ask. I know he won't have a problem, but I don't ever want him to feel left out. He gives me a shake of his head and smiles, before handing me the key to his white Ford F-150 Raptor. I kiss him one more time quickly, hand him his snack, then spin and jog back to Carson, leaving the door wide open. I arrive as she's packing up her things, “You weren't going to leave were you?” I tease, and she yelps. “Oh my god, what is it with people sneaking up on me?” she gasps out. I laugh and point at my body. “Ah babe, I couldn’t sneak even if you were wearing earplugs.” She laughs and shakes her head. “I’m sorry. I’ve just been on edge lately. I wasn’t leaving, just cleaning up.” I take her bag and grab her hand.
“Come with me.”
e
We pull up to a farm that moonlights as a petting zoo, and Carson squeals in delight. If I thought my smile could get any bigger it would. I don't like seeing her miserable, and I’ve made a decision. No matter what happens I’ll put a stop to Penny's plan.
“Layton, is this what I think it is?” she says in excitement. I nod, and continue driving to the main house. Mable is a friend of ours, and she always lets me and the guys come to ride, or swim. I park out front, then rush to open Carson's door before she does. I help her down and she throws her arms around my neck, squeezing me tight, before pressing her lips hard on mine. I groan into her mouth and she smiles. A screen door slams and I pull back, glancing towards the front steps, Mable stands there with a bright smile on her face. “Layton, honey, how are you? I’ve missed you. How are Jase and East?” she asks. I grab Carson's hand and pull her towards Mable. “Hey, May, we're really good. I'd like to introduce you to our girl, Carson. Carson, this is Mable.” I let her hand go. May pulls her into a hug. “Wow, aren't you just gorgeous, I can see what my boys like about you,” She says with a wink my way. Carson laughs and pushes some hair behind her ear. I love when she leaves it down and curly. She's beautiful with it up in a messy bun, but I like seeing her relaxed, and carefree. We follow May down a path, and she talks softly, “You both came at the best time. We have a ton of little ones in the nursery barn, and I was just about to feed them.” Carson speeds up.
“Do you know where to go, babe?” I ask, and she stops, glancing over her shoulder. She bites her lip and I internally moan. I want to bite that lip. May points toward a whitewashed barn with blue stripes, and Carson takes off.
“Oh my god.
Can I keep him? He is just the cutest thing on the planet.” I find her snuggling a baby goat when May and I finally reach the barn. She is a fast little thing. She cuddles the baby goat, then takes her phone out of her back pocket, snapping a quick selfie.
“Be sure to tag Mable Farms, dear,” May says, moving over to the paddock. The goat starts to chew on Carson’s hair, but she doesn't care. I move closer to her and swing my arm over her shoulder photobombing her picture. She laughs and shows me. “Send that to me,” I tell her, before picking up a kitten that's rubbing against my ankle. My phone pings and I grin. I know what my new Screensaver is going to be. I open my messages and forward it to J. He writes back immediately.
J: She's good for you babe. I love seeing that smile on your face.
I send him a bunch of kiss emojis then shove my phone back in my pocket. I glance over to her, but she's not paying attention. Almost all of the baby animals have swarmed to her and she's trying to love on them all. This is who she is, kind, caring, a pure hearted amazing woman and someone I can see myself falling for. If I haven’t already.
e
We settle out by the pond, and I lean back on my palms, propping my arms up. Carson sits between my legs and rests her back against my chest. She sighs in contentment. “Thank you, Lay. I really needed this. Things at college have gotten almost unbearable. I'm not sure how much more I can take,” she says softly, gazing out at the lake. I know I should be happy that she's almost to her breaking point, and considering leaving, but I don't. I feel a hollow spot forming in my chest. A longing to beg her to stay, but if she does then what does that mean for me and the guys? There has to be a way to get Penny to change her mind.
“Are you okay?” Carson asks, spinning slightly. I give her a grin and press a kiss to her vanilla scented hair. We sit there enjoying the view for a while and May stops by with a few sandwiches and pops. I thank her, but she just shoos me off, before hopping back in her golf cart and going to the main house.
We eat our lunch and talk about all the things I have been dying to ask her. I finish the last sip of my cold drink and then take a deep breath. “So I found this book. I know you like to read, but have you ever read anything, reverse harem?”
She laughs nervously, and starts to blush. God she is so damn beautiful. “Um yeah. I have. Why are you askin’, Lay?” She looks me in the eye. Does she know how I feel about her? How badly I want to make her mine, but I’m willing to share her with them because she’s worth it. Jase and her are the reasons I wake up in the morning on days I’d rather hide from the world. “Lay? Why do you ask?”
Oh right. I take another deep breath, and look at the grass, pulling a blade from the earth and spinning it in between my fingers. “Do you think you would ever be into something like that? Would be okay with dating more than one person, as in a relationship, not just friends with benefits?”
Reaching over she places her hand on my cheek and pulls my gaze from the ground to her eyes. “That's fantasy, Lay. Would it be an amazing experience, yes, but it’s fiction. I think what we have now is going well, right? I could never ask you guys to share me long term.” she says, looking at me as if I’m a puzzle she’s trying to solve. I give her a smile and shake my head. “I was just curious.”
She gives me a once over then shrugs, “What we have going on is hot. I wouldn’t want to complicate things,” she says before leaning over and kissing me sweetly. I groan and deepen the press of our lips, licking her bottom one she opens and sighs. Yeah, for now, this is okay, but someday I want to call her mine, and I know Jase does too.
Thirty-One
Carson
“Girl, last night was. Ahhh I think I'm in love,” Sassy tells me while sitting at the table snatching my eggs and toast. “Um, what?” I ask with the fork still to my lips.
“I have never had my kitty purr as much as she did last night.”
I choke on my bite, and grab my water quickly, helping to swallow it down. “Sassafras, I love you, but please, I do not need to hear about your 'kitty' purring.”
She rolls her eyes at me and snatches my fork. “Girl, you need to get laid.”
I sigh. “I'll keep that in mind,” I say. She snorts, “Ah girl, you have like a harem of men just gagging for your attention. Just call one up. What’s the point of friends with benefits if you don’t take advantage of the benefits?” she asks. I pause at that. “What in the world are you talking about? I’ve been having plenty of advantages lately.”
She starts to laugh hysterically. “Oh my god,” she gasps, “You seriously don’t notice. How can you be so innocent? Jase, Connor, Xavier, Layton. Um, even East. Ring a bell? They are head over heels for you. If you asked them to drop what they were doing and come do you right now, they would in a heartbeat, but you haven’t and you won’t. Get bouncing babe,” she says like I’m stupid. “We may fool around from time to time, but they are not gagging for me. Plus Lay and Jase are covered and I don’t think the other guys are waiting around twiddling their thumbs for me to call and jump on their dicks.”
She shakes her head at me and frowns, “Whatever you say, babes, but I bet if you tried it you’d be surprised, not to mention a hell of a lot more relaxed.”
“That’s just weird to me. To call someone up for orgasms,” I tell her, and she leans in closer like she’s about to tell me a secret. Instead I get a kiss to the nose. “Honey, we’re in college. It’s almost a given.” She stands from the table and moves to the fridge, before spinning and watching me. Who am I turning into to even consider such crazy things? But the way they make me feel is incredible. I stand from the chair and run to my room, grabbing my phone. I dial Jase and wait for him to answer.
“Now this is what I call a wakeup call. Good morning, gorgeous.”
I blush and stumble on my next words. “Hey I’m sorry to do this, but I need to ask you something, okay?”
A shuffling sounds over the line, before he speaks. “Is everything okay Cara?”
I laugh nervously. “Don’t seem so scared, I just had a question.” I huff a breath and give Sassy an evil glare, but she seems so giddy. “If I told you to drop everything and come do me, would you?”
Sassy’s mouth drops. “I can’t believe you actually asked that,” she whispers.
I wave my hand at her and wait for him to reply.
“Is this a trick question? Or is this an invitation?”
I snort and choke on my spit. Holy crap. “Um. It was a legit question, but I think you just answered it,” I say in a breathy voice. He groans and laughs, “How about we start with dinner. Pick you up at six?” I’m squealing inside, but I have to tease him at least a little bit. “Oh, well, I’ll have to check my calendar and get back to you,” I say with a bit of sass and he starts to cough. “Excuse me?” he says in shock, “I’m sorry, I must have misheard you. I thought you said you had to check that you were free. You were the one that made a booty call.”
I put him on speaker and mute the microphone so he can’t hear me laughing my ass off. Sassy glances my way in confusion and I try to explain, but it’s hard to breathe. I calm down and unmute him. He’s talking with someone in the background and they’re laughing as well. “Jase, I didn’t call you for a hookup. I had a genuine question, and haven’t you ever heard about the Wednesday rule?” I say, Sassy bites her lip, but her shoulders are shaking with her laughter. He mutters something then yells, “Hey, babe, what the fuck is the Wednesday rule?”
Lay answers him and he scoffs. “Seriously Cara. That’s not how I roll, so dinner six p.m.?”
I think for a moment. “How about we discuss it in class. I’ll see you in a few hours. Bye, handsome.” I hang up before he can respond and smack Sassy on her arm. “One, that was my breakfast you just hoovered down, and two that was so not funny. I may have fooled around lately, but that doesn’t mean all these guys are wanting me. I am not Ariana Grande,” I say, then turn to my room to get dressed.
“She really doesn’t know how hot she is,�
� Sassy mutters quietly. I pause, but keep on moving. I do not want to have this conversation right now.
e
I walk into the elevator and someone grabs the back of my hair pulling me out and to the floor. “No sluts allowed,” Ella sneers, kicking my bag down the hall, before entering the lift and pressing the button. She blows me a kiss as the doors close. I glance around, but no one will meet my eyes, yet they have no problem kicking my items everywhere. I crawl around on my knees, picking things up when someone smacks my butt hard. I yelp and a group of guys laugh. I quickly get to my feet and rush to the girls bathroom. I know I’m about to break down and I don’t need anyone seeing my tears. It will only make them happy to witness my misery. I slam into the restroom and the door crashes into the wall, I ignore the eyes and move to the second to last stall. Someone snickers, but I don’t pay them any attention. I shut and lock the door thankful for the full wooden ones they have at this fancy-pants school. I don’t think I could handle someone looking over the top or peeking under the bottom at me right now. I pull out my phone and text my girls from back home.
Me: I hate it here.
Bubbles appear instantly and I smile though it’s weak.
Cass: Come home. We miss you girl.
Sam I Am: I’ll drive up there and beat some asses. Just try me. What’s going on Cara?
Lee: Take a deep breath babe.
I tell them everything that’s been going on and the last five minutes of our conversation is me trying to calm them down and stop them from coming out here and killing ‘some preppy assholes and skanky bitches’. I open the door and pause. There’s a note taped to the mirror with my name on it. I glance around, but no one is here. I slowly shuffle and pull it off the glass, before opening it. The tears start once more.