Bittersweet Revenge (Bittersweet #1)

by J. L. Beck

  He takes my hand in his, and we push through the dance floor. “Scream and Shout” by Will I Am is blasting through the speakers. Bodies gyrate up against mine, the smell of sweat and alcohol is profuse by the time we make it to the other side of the floor. Two tubs of dark water sit before us. Red shiny apples float on the surface, the water glistening off them in the dim light.

  “Ready?” Rex asks, in a deep husky voice, a competitive smile on his face. I can’t help but take this moment to make things interesting. He’s cocky, and I’m feeling the need to put him in his place.

  I put both arms behind my head and smile over at him before saying “I want to wager a little bet.” My voice is seductive, or at least I hope it is. He smiles wide, his eyes primal as if he’s ready to jump on me. “What kind of bet would that be pretty girl?” His voice is raw with emotion and I’m reluctant to go through with this.

  My eyes pierce his and it feels like were the only two in the room. “If I pick my apple out first, you have to kiss me. If you do, then you get to choose whatever you want.” He looks as if he’s not sure for all but a minute, before saying “You're on.” We both prepare ourselves at the tubs, our hands behind the backs of our heads mere inches from the water. I ready myself to say the typical “Ready, Set, Go” but remember what happened last time. My lips twitch up into a smile as a naughty thought fills my mind. His attention focuses back onto the water and I use that chance to follow through with my plan.

  “Ready, set…” the words leave my mouth. All his attention is on getting that one apple where mine is on him. I take my hand and push his head into the water, grabbing my own apple, and placing it in my mouth.

  He comes right back up, a mischievous grin showing on his face as the water drips , his hair looking darker than what it really is. His hands reach out for me, pulling me into his body. He shakes his head back and forth, water droplets scattering across my chest, face, and arms. I shriek from the touch of the cold water.

  “You’re being really, really bad Dorothy” I give him a playful expression before telling him “That’s okay I won.”

  “No you cheated.” He retorts back at me. I repress my laughter, “Really, I guess you could say I forgot the rules.” I say mockingly. He grabs my sides running his fingers along the seam of my dress. The simplest touches heightening my emotions.

  “Are you ready to claim your prize pretty girl?” He asks, his voice doing crazy things to my head. I nod in return, afraid of the way my voice will sound if I say something. With one hand still on my side he takes the other encompassing my cheek against his palm. His touch is warm, and he smells like home. Like that’s right here with him is where I’ve always belonged. Can you truly fall in love with someone you’ve only known a short amount of time?

  His thumb brushes against my bottom lip as my chin tilts up toward him. Our eyes meet and deep within them emotions I’ve never seen floats to the surface, regret, adoration, and possibly love. I want to gasp out in shock that maybe he’s feeling the same way as I do.

  He bends down, his nose brushing against mine, his hot breath against my cheek as he whispers. “I don’t think we can be just friends anymore.” A tidal wave of emotions hit me. My knees feel as if they will give out on me at any second.

  “Then what can we be?” I ask shallowly, my breath mingling with his. My hearts racing and if it weren’t for the loud music I would worry that he could hear it. A wicked smile pulls at his lips. “I think you know what we can be, but in case you forgot let me show you.” I let out a sound that’s a cross between a gasp and sigh, just as his lips meet mine. It’s not like the kiss we had in the library, or the small pecks he’s given me on the cheek, no this is something entirely different. His hands reach into my hair holding me in place, as mine shift onto his chest. He devours me, my lips part ever so slightly as he eases his tongue into my mouth. His lips soft, but urgent, every thought or action was to bring us closer together, to be one with each other. Gripping his shirt I pull him in closer, the small distance between us being too much. I want every inch of him to be mine.

  He groans into my mouth, his fingers dig into my scalp and shoulder, the tinge of pain a welcoming feeling. The kiss ends all too soon, as he pulls away reluctantly. His face is flushed, matching my own.

  “Friends don’t kiss.” I can’t help but say, remembering the words I said to him that day, not too long ago in the library. “We were never friends Jenna.” Is all he gets to say before a throat clears behind us.

  “Mimi, can we help you?” Rex asks with a smile of the cat that ate the canary. Mimi’s face was full of excitement as she came directly over to me ripping me from Rex’s arms. The absence of his body from mine left a gaping hole.

  “You cannot help me.” She said looking at Rex, “But she can.” I was not ready to partake in any type of help that Mimi may need me for, because when she needed help it usually included some type of dirty work, and that wasn’t the type of dirty I wanted to be doing right now.

  I groaned, showing extreme disinterest in what she wanted me to be doing. “Come along Dorothy, I shall show you how to get to the yellow brick road.” Mimi said in a more than pleased tone. Rex just smiled wide. I had to let him know that I would be seeing him before I left.

  “I’ll be back as soon as I get done helping her.” I yelled to Rex over my shoulder.

  “Come on, we have to set up the pranks. I need you to be my spotter.” Mimi whispered to me, as she pulled me up the large staircase that led up to the main rooms of the house.

  “Where’s Corey?” I asked anxiously, afraid of getting caught in the act. It was bad enough that he would know that it was us who did it come Monday. I looked down the hall, as if we had already done something wrong. A white bag swished back in forth in Mimi’s hand as I followed her down the hallway, and to Corey’s room. I grew slightly suspicious when I realized she knew where it was without me even telling her.

  “How did you…” I went to ask, but was cut off as a couple exited a room to the left of us. Great now we had witnesses to our crime.

  “I saw him coming out of here with one of his sluts. No, I didn’t know where his room was. There is nothing going on between us Jenna.” Mimi hisses at me, as we tip toe the rest of the way down the hall. Right, because two girls tiptoeing around the upstairs when there’s a party raging down stairs wouldn’t draw any attention at all. They would either think we were drunk or high. That’s just what I needed to add to my already bad reputation.

  “Hey you never answered me, where is Corey?” I asked just as we made it to the door to his room. We both glance back down the hall before opening the door, and closing it behind us. I let out a sigh of relief the minute the door closes.

  “Marie’s got him preoccupied.” I roll my eyes, “and by preoccupied I assume you mean she’s taking off her shirt and showing him her tits?”

  She shrugs her shoulders and says “Basically.” As I look around the room, I take notice of the fact that it’s extremely clean, like scary OCD clean. Does she even have the right room? Nothing looks as it did the last time I was here. The bed is pulled down, the black sheets a mess; there are no posters on the walls or pictures hanging anywhere. Its crisp, clean, and guy like. Mimi takes the bag and walks over to the attached bathroom. I follow behind her, not wanting to be in this room any longer than needed.

  “Here, unwrap these.” She says handing me six small cubes wrapped in foil, what the hell?

  “What the hell are these?” I ask as I pull the foil off of them. I take notice of the smell of beef, and realize that the smell is in fact coming from the small objects in my hands.

  “Bouillon cubes, really Mimi, really? What are you doing with these?” We enter his shower which is about the size of my bedroom at home. I guess that’s what you get when your dad's a doctor.

  “There’s like thirty shower heads in here. I should have brought more supplies.” Mimi says frustrated. I look up from the task of unwrapping to see there is in fact more shower
heads in his shower then there are probably in mine and three of my neighbors houses.

  “Oh well, I guess we can stuff all of them. We both smirk at one another. She reaches into her handy dandy bag again and pulls out two syringes filled with bright green liquid. Holy crap, she came guns a blazing.

  She must notice the shock look I’m giving her because she speaks up right away. “I told you, I was going to turn him green, that’s what these babies are for. Neon green should do the trick.” I smile at her and get back to work. Unscrewing all the showerheads that we could get off, we stuffed the Jolly Ranchers in one, the Life Savers in another, the neon green dye in the main one and the bouillon cubes in the other main one.

  “Alright let’s get out of here before we get caught.” Mimi giggles out. Yup, lets, the last thing I want to do is get caught in here. We slip out of the room, and the air around me crackles. We run to the end of the hall, just as we're rounding the corner to go down the staircase and be in the clear Corey appears with his arm wrapped around none other than, you guessed it Marie.

  “Ladies.” He says, with a hint of suspicion in his voice. So it seems more like a question than a statement. I do all I can to rid my face of any possible evidence that I was doing something wrong.

  “Corey.” Mimi says as she looks at her nails as if they’re ten times more interesting than he is. He looks from her to me, and then down to the bag in her hand.

  “What were you guys doing up here?” He asks as if already accusing us of doing wrong.

  “Using the bathroom, not that it’s any of your business.” I look between Marie and Mimi, the disgust and hate between the two of them could almost give me and Corey a run for money.

  Releasing Marie, Corey steps into Mimi’s space and I’m almost afraid we're going to have another scene from earlier today. “Actually I think it is my business, you're in my house at my party, and everything about those two things has to do with me.” The annoyance, radiating from him makes me want to bolt and run down the stairs but I don’t, one because no matter what, I won't let Corey know he scares me, and two, you never leave a friend behind. Even if that friend could cut a man’s balls off, jar them, and give them to him as a gift for his birthday.

  Mimi steps forward, her fingertip pushing into his chest. “Please tell me how anything that has to do with me, qualifies as your business, because I’m just not getting that from your little rant.” I can see the claws coming out, and I know all too well that if I don’t get Mimi out of this situation Corey’s going to need a rabies’s shot, and as fun as that would be to watch, we have no time for that.

  I grab her by the arm, fully prepared to throw her over my shoulder and carry her down the stairs and outside. “Let it go Mimi, we have nothing to explain to him.” I feel like I’m begging her to give up this fight. The determination in her eyes tells me any loss from this will be short lived. The trance of hate he has over her breaks and she pulls away.

  “You're not worth it, oh by the way Teddy puked all over your down stairs bathroom, just thought I would let you know.” She says her voice full of snark.

  I hear a muttered “Fuck.” As, I pull her away from him. I need to find Rex. The anxiety of Corey finding out what we did before I can leave is weighing heavily upon me.

  “Slow down girl, I have short legs, you're practically dragging me.” I’m so anxious and flustered I can’t concentrate on finding Rex. I’m afraid I’m going to throw myself into another panic attack, so I try and focus on my breathing and the conversation with Mimi.

  “You know you're going to have to explain to me in extreme detail what all this is about. I do not by any means approve of you dating him, nor do I like the idea of him being interested in you. It could be a trap.” She looks astonished, but then says “Yeah, well so could dating Rex.” I can’t help the reaction I have to her statement. Did she really just say what I think she did?

  “What do you mean? Rex and I have something that’s real, and we aren’t actually dating, well not officially anyway, and that doesn’t matter because Rex has never done anything to hurt me. He didn’t spread malicious rumors about me having sex with people, he didn’t torment me, call me names, tape shit to my locker, or have his friends and sister attack me. You know nothing when it comes to the person Rex is.” I take a deep breath to try and calm myself, but after all but yelling I just can’t do it.

  I don’t want to fight with her about this but I know I’m right. Corey would never be interested in her unless it had something to do with getting back at me.

  Tears well up in her eyes, and I automatically feel bad for what I said. “You know what Jenna you're right, you're always right. But did you ever think that maybe his feelings are real. That maybe he does actually want me for me? That for once maybe it’s not about you, or to start a rumor about you. People change Jenna. Rex could be lying and hiding things from you too, he is related to Corey. ” She yells. I take notice to the fact that we’re yelling at each other in the middle of the kitchen, and now more attention is being drawn toward us.

  Reaching out to her I say “I’m sorry Mimi.” She shakes her head at me, tears streaming down her face. She takes a step back before turning around and walking away. I throw my hands up in the air in frustration. Two guys are staring at me and I give them that what-the-fuck-are-you-looking-at look. Growling, I exit the kitchen and all but collide with a very tall and attractive male.

  “Well hello there beautiful.” The male says, his voice is deep and warm almost similar to another male’s voice I know very well. I want to wrap myself up in it, but pull away and look straight into a face that looks exactly like Rex’s but somehow different.

  I gasp, unable to find my voice. It’s like an exact clone of Rex is standing in front of me. I feel the need to reach out and poke at his skin to see if this is someone in a costume and my eyes are playing tricks on me or if this is really real.

  “Who’re you?” I croak out. A wicked smile forms on clone guy’s face, with a dimple in the same exact place where Rex’s has one. If I didn’t know better I would say this is Rex, but just from the way he’s standing, holding his head a notch higher, and where Rex is more of a gentlemen this guy… isn’t. His ear is not pierced, he’s not dressed as a scarecrow, and his eyes aren’t the same storm cloud blue.

  “The better question is who’re you, and why haven’t we met? I can show you down the yellow brick road if you’d like me too?” He says grabbing at the hem of my costume, and winking, showing his brilliantly white teeth. His voice repulses me but at the same time draws me in, it’s a confusing emotion and though I feel like listening to him talk all day, and I also feel like kicking him in the nuts. I’m sure that look, and voice works on others but not me.

  He’s not dressed up as anything, and the more I stare at him attempting to gauge his intentions or motives the angrier I get at the fact that I didn’t know Rex had a twin.

  “You can stop looking at me like that beautiful, no need to tell me your name if you don’t want to. I’ve heard all about you, although, they didn’t tell me how pretty you were, you're one hell of a looker.” He says his voice as slick as honey. He grabs one of my pigtails pulling on it. I bat his hand away and back up slowly. Confusion sets in as I try and figure out what he’s talking about. What does he mean I don’t have to tell him my name? Then it hits me… I don’t have to tell him my name. I’m prettier than they let on. A fire I’ve never felt before consumes me, and in my thoughts, all I see is red. I have to clench my fist, digging my nails into my hand to hold back from clobbering this Rex look alike in his stupid fucking head.

  “Excuse me asshole, but I’m not a slut, whore, call girl, or someone that you can pay to have sex with you. I don’t take money for blow jobs, and I don’t appreciate you talking to me like I’m any of those things. So if you don’t want punched in the face right the fuck now, back off.” I’m seething, no raging with anger. A devious smile plays on his lips, and it takes everything I have in me to hold back fr
om hurting this guy.

  “Actually you can call me Ryder, all my ex’s call me asshole, although honestly you’re not in that category yet.” His smile gives me the shivers and not in a good way, if this guy is in fact Rex’s brother, well, I already hate him.

  “Well Ryder”, I sneer. “Leave me the hell alone, I don’t know you, nor do I care to.” I pull away to leave, but realize I have nowhere to go. I have no idea where Rex is, Mimi and I are fighting, and I almost wish Corey was here. Almost.

  “Where are you going, I’m not done talking to you.” He says in a tight voice, while grabbing my shoulder to turn me around. In that moment my first reaction is fear, because I’ve already told him to leave me alone and he’s not taking no for an answer. Second is to punch him, because let’s be honest he’s already been warned. So I do just that, I clench my fist and swing blindly hitting him right in the cheek. He releases me, clutching his face, as I shriek out in pain.

  My fist is already turning black and blue as I hold it to my chest. The look on Ryder's face is anything but happy, and suddenly it occurs to me that I stood up for myself, and I punched somebody in the face. I would do a victory dance, but my hand’s hurting like a mother.

  “You little fuckin’ bitch.” He says gritting his teeth, eyes bulging out of his head, his face growing redder, and his fists clenching. Fear is etched on my face, and I let out a squeal before running toward the stairs. At this point I would rather be anywhere than where I am right now, even if I end up running into Corey.

  Taking two stairs at a time, I make it to the balcony in no time flat. I scan the crowd below for anyone I may know, but between the music and strobe lights I can’t see anything, let alone someone I would know.

  I feel someone’s hand on my back and turn around defensively ready to punch whoever it is straight in the face. Mimi’s mass of brown hair, catches my vision stopping me right in my tracks.