by Bea Paige
“You did good today,” he says. It’s a throwaway compliment, but I take it.
“Thanks.”
I’m completely drenched in sweat and know that I must look like a complete mess. My t-shirt is completely stuck to my chest and I feel disgusting. Stupidly, I hadn’t thought to bring a change of clothing. Looking like this is bound to raise questions especially since I’m nowhere near the gym. I guess I could say that I’ve been running around the field. Then again, for the last hour there’s been a P.E. lesson going on outside, one that’s not on my timetable for this double period.
“Next time bring a change of clothes,” Ford states, grabbing his t-shirt from the back of a chair in the corner of the room. He chucks it at me. “You can wear this.”
Grabbing it, I pull a face.
“It’s clean. If that’s what you’re thinking.”
Actually that isn’t what I was thinking. I was thinking that I’m not sure how I’m going to be able to school my feelings when I slip his top over my head. Even now, holding it against my chest I can smell him on it.
“What about you?” I ask, gesturing to his bare chest.
“I’ve got a sweater,” he walks over to the duffle bag perched on the seat and pulls out a black sweater. He yanks it over his head, his hair falling into his eyes, then waits.
“Your turn,” he murmurs, his chin jutting out a little towards the t-shirt I’m holding.
My cheeks heat at the implication. I mean, I’m wearing a bra and all, but still…
“Shy?”
He had his hand down my pants not more than an hour ago, I shouldn’t be. Yet, I am.
“No,” I lie, clutching his t-shirt between my thighs and pulling off my top. I’m wearing a simple t-shirt bra, black with no lace. It’s probably about as sexy as a pair of granny knickers, but then again what does it matter.
“You’ve got tattoos,” Ford remarks. It’s a statement really, not a question. He has a habit of doing that.
“Yes. I have three. One on my thigh, one on my back and the one you see here,” I say, pointing to the bleeding heart with a dagger stabbed through the centre of it. It sits right in the middle of my chest between my breasts.
“What’s that mean?” he asks, pointing to the heart and dagger tattoo. He steps closer, to get a better look I assume.
“If I don’t answer, are you going to do what you did before?” I ask tentatively.
“What, deny you an orgasm?” he asks, not in the least bit disturbed by how that sounds or the easy way he refers to that intense moment between us earlier.
“Well, yes…”
“Do you want it to be like before? I can make this question that kind of question if you’d like?” His eyes darken as he lifts his hand to his face. For a second he breathes in, then drops his hand, a tiny smirk playing about his lips. Does his hand still smell… was he just smelling…? Oh, my days, he was.
Holy Mother of God, this guy. I don’t know whether to be embarrassed or turned on. I think I’m both.
“So, do you?” he repeats, stepping closer, that intensity back again.
“Do I what?”
“Do you want me to make this question like the one before and if you answer me truthfully, I make you see stars. I make you come, Asia.” He spells it out for me. There’s no beating around the bush with Ford. I like that about him. I know where I stand. But then he follows it up with a cocky smirk. The evil, rotten, bastard.
“No.” Yes, I think. “No, definitely not.”
I turn my back to him, pulling his t-shirt over my head and trying not to breathe in too deeply. It smells of him, of sweat and man and musk and… power. It’s intoxicating, just like him.
He barks out a laugh. It’s a funny sound that is even stranger coming from him. I’m getting the impression he doesn’t laugh all that often. Smiling is even rarer.
“Fair enough. Do you want to tell me what it means, no strings attached? That one on your back is of a dove, you willing to share the meaning behind that one too?”
“Not today. I think I’ve shared quite enough for one day,” I say, grabbing my dirty top and heading out the door.
“Same time next week, Asia?” he asks me.
“Sure.”
“And Asia…” he says, the tone of his voice making my steps falter.
“Yes?” I twist on my feet to face him.
“You’re beautiful when you come.”
27
“Congratulations, Asia, you’ve enough credits for a day trip out of Oceanside,” Pink says, imitating Miss Moore, my art teacher, as we rifle through her clothes a week later. Today, after almost two and a half months confined to the grounds of Oceanside I get to leave for the day without looking over my shoulder and worrying if I’m going to get caught out. It’s a crisp Saturday morning, but it isn’t raining and whilst cold, it’s still quite a nice day for an outing.
“Look at you, delinquent turned swot. Mr Carmichael must be creaming his pants over you,” she adds with a wink.
“He’s gay,” I remark, rolling my eyes.
“Yeah, duh! I meant you’re his perfect pupil.” She grins, wiggling her eyebrows which she’s somehow managed to die light blue just like the new streak in her hair.
“I’m not so sure about that. I haven’t spoken to the guy since my first day here. He’s elusive as fuck.”
“Do you want to speak with him or something?” Pink asks, shaking her head in disbelief.
“No, not particularly.”
“Good, I really was worried you’d turned into a swot for a minute there.” Pink picks up one of the items of clothing strewn across her bed. “So, what’s it going to be? Off the shoulder green top paired with this denim mini-skirt and your DM’s, or how about this cut-out pink tee with my orange leggings? You’d look hot in both.”
I give her a look. I appreciate colour, I do, but I’m not an out and out colour freak like Pink. She’s off the charts with her mix ‘n’ match attitude when it comes to clothing. “It’s nearing the end of October, Pink. I’m not wearing a bloody mini-skirt and risk the chance of my clit falling off from the cold. I happen to quite like that little piece of flesh.”
Pink bursts out laughing, falling backwards onto her bed and clutching her stomach. “You’re a gas, do you know that? There’s me thinking you’re one step up from being a nun, and all along you been plucking that clit of yours like it’s a violin getting tuned.”
“Hey, who said anything about me plucking it?” That shuts her up.
She sits upright, grabbing my arm. “Please tell me the rumours are true.”
“What rumours?”
“You’re kidding, right? Everyone is talking about you. You’ve got the whole damn academy up in arms. For someone with as much street smarts as you, you’re frigging oblivious, Asia.”
“I’m going to wear my black jeans and that green top if that’s okay?” I say, trying to steer the conversation in a different direction.
She waves me off. “Of course, it’s okay. What’s mine is yours, we’re friends remember… but back to the topic at hand. Don’t you want to know what they’re all talking about?”
Do I want to know? Not really. Gossip doesn’t tend to be positive, especially when it comes to me. I shrug and Pink takes that as a cue to let me in on the gossip. Great.
“So, rumour has it you’ve joined No Name crew and that you’ve been shacking up with Ford and keeping Sonny as your bit on the side…” she pauses, studying my reaction. When I keep a straight face, she presses on. “A certain someone ain’t too happy about it.”
“Let me guess, Monk?”
“Monk? No. I mean yes, he certainly ain’t happy about anything you do, but it’s not him.”
I shake my head in confusion. “Look, let’s get shit straight. I’ve not joined Ford’s crew.”
“You haven’t?”
“No, I haven’t. I meant what I said before, I don’t do crews.”
“Well, tell that to Camden, ‘cause
I heard he’s pissed as fuck.”
“Why?”
“Haven’t got the faintest idea. Only, all these fights breaking out between the two sides…”
“Yeah?” I prompt, frowning.
“All because of you, Asia.”
“Oh, for fuck sake,” I respond sitting heavily on her bed. I don’t want anything to do with this shit. I just want to do my time and fucking leave. That’s it.
“But…” Pink sing-songs, looking at me as a smile nudges her lips. “You have been mucking about with those two hotties, haven’t you? What did you think would happen when you kiss Sonny and meet with Ford for a one-on-one session?” She wiggles her eyebrows again, then bursts out laughing.
“You know about that?”
“About the kiss at the Tower or the one-one-one session?”
“Both.”
Pink smiles. “Pretty obvious to me that you’d end up snogging Sonny after that hot-as-fuck dancing you two were doing. The Ford thing… I wasn’t sure, until now.”
“Oh, shit…”
“I’d say your secret’s safe with me, but given the whole school knows about it, it’s kind of a moot point.”
I swear multiple times under my breath which only makes Pink laugh more. Then her expression turns serious. “Never seen Sonny’s pride hurt so much though. The guy’s a fool over you, Asia. It’s eating him up that you went to Ford for help.”
Oh boy. I’m not sure how to address that, so I don’t. Instead I ask the only question I want answering right now. “What exactly are people saying?”
I sincerely hope that it’s the training he’s given me that has got people talking and not the orgasms. Or should I say orgasm. He hasn’t attempted to touch me like that since the first time. In fact, Sonny has backed off too, and even though I’d wanted him to in the beginning, I’m kind of missing his persistence. Now, I understand why he has. He thinks Ford and I are an item.
“He’s been teaching you to fight… right?” Pink narrows her eyes at me. “Right?”
“Yep, exactly that.”
“You sneaky bitch,” Pink teases, her mouth dropping open. “You have hooked up with him, haven’t you?”
Standing, I snatch up the green top willing my body not to give me away. “Thanks for this,” I mutter, before striding from the room, her laughter following me out.
“Room for a couple more?” Sonny asks, climbing into the cab and sitting opposite me. Behind him Ford and Kate follow. She gives me a sheepish grin.
“Surprise,” she says, waving her hands about.
Ford scowls. Sonny grins. I groan. It’s not that I don’t want Kate here, actually it’s pretty fucking great she is. But Ford and Sonny? After my conversation with Pink, I’m not sure how to act around them both knowing what I do now. I’m not dating Ford, and I miss Sonny’s tenacity.
“I didn’t know you’d earned enough credits,” I say, as she settles in the seat next to me. Ford folds down the other seat in front of us both and proceeds to roll down the electric window, not bothering to meet my gaze. He looks epically pissed off.
“I didn’t, neither did Ford here but he asked me a favour and I obliged. It’s good for my hacking skills.” Kate whispers so the cab driver can’t hear.
“You didn’t? Fuck, Kate, if they find out…”
“They won’t. I’m that good.”
“Yeah, thanks Kate,” Sonny mutters, sarcastically. Ford continues to play with the electric window ignoring us all. “I didn’t realise there were black taxis in Hastings, they’re normally a London only form of transport,” Sonny continues as the driver pulls off, oblivious to the tension building in the cab. Then he catches my gaze and I realise not only is he aware of it, he’s trying to diffuse it.
“Retired down here, son. Couldn’t give up my cab. Besides, I got to earn my pocket money, right? Ain’t no way the missus is going to fund my Friday night drinks.” the driver says, his London accent familiar and warm. It makes me a little homesick.
“I don’t blame you, mate. It’s roomy,” Sonny remarks, winking at me.
“So, where to?” the cabbie, asks.
“Hastings beach front,” I respond before anyone else can.
“The beachfront it is.”
We arrive at our destination twenty minutes later after Paul, the cabbie, finds the best shortcuts to avoid all the traffic. He rolls down the window when we climb out of the cab. “I’ll pick you up right here at 9pm, don’t be late or it’s my arse on the line and I really, really, need that pocket money. Know what I mean?”
We all laugh, except Ford. Ford just scowls.
“So what do you want to do?” Kate asks, looking like a fish out of water. She is staring at all the people milling around. Even though it’s freezing and the sea is grey and squally, the seafront is still busy. At least it isn’t raining.
“I’m going to go over there,” I say, pointing to the pebbled beach.
“You’re going to sit on the beach? Are you mad? It’s so cold,” she responds, wrinkling her nose.
“Yeah, I am,” I shrug.
“Well, sounds like… fun?” Sonny says, grinning. He winks at me and I just know he’s thinking about the last time we sat on the beach together. And even though we’ve been to the Tower on several times since I kissed him, we’ve not done it again. I flick my gaze to Ford, who’s staring intently at me.
“I like the sea too,” he says, still scowling, but doesn’t elaborate more than that. The guy’s a mystery, just like the bloody sea he appears to like so much.
Kate pulls a what-the-fuck-you-guys-are-nuts face at me. “Fine, we’ll sit on the beach. I’ll grab some hot drinks. Who wants a cup of tea?”
“Me, please,” I say, digging in my pocket for some coins.
Kate holds her hands up. “Hey, I can shout us all a cuppa. Sonny? Ford? Want one?”
“Sure,” Sonny responds. Ford just grunts, drawing a laugh from Kate.
“I’ll meet you over there somewhere,” she states, waving her hand in the general direction of the beach just by the basketball courts on the promenade.
So that’s where we head to.
Sonny plonks himself down just behind the basketball courts, his back leaning against the concrete foundations. The beach slopes downwards here, so the spot is sheltered by the wind. I sit next to him, not too close, but close enough to feel a little awkward. Ford drops down on the other side of me. Shifting closer when he notices Sonny do the same, until I’m sandwiched between them both. The warmth of their arms making me feel slightly brain numb.
“Well, this is cosy,” I mutter. Awkward much? On one side is the guy I kissed, and on the other the guy who had his hands down my knickers. My skin prickles at the thought of them doing the same, right now… together. Oh, shit. I’m in deep trouble. I really should friendzone them, but my heart won’t let me. Actually, make that my clit… my clit won’t let me and right now with all the throbbing she’s doing I’m powerless to argue.
“Do you think Atlantis exists? I mean, imagine a whole city under the sea. I bet the mermaids are fucking hot. Also, how do they… you know, fuck?” Sonny asks suddenly, successfully distracting me from my clit.
“Does your brain always go straight to sex?” I respond, rolling my eyes but grinning nonetheless.
“Not always… sometimes it’s preoccupied with other things. Actually, of late, one thing in particular.” He looks at me and there’s no joke to follow up the statement this time. My thighs press together in response and I swallow hard. Goddamn it.
Deciding my only option right now is to break up the tension with something jokey because, you know… tense. I make a statement of my own.
“I heard that if you strip completely naked, stand waist deep in the sea, and blow through a conch shell you could get lucky and attract a mermaid…”
“Oh yeah?” Sonny smirks.
“Yeah, then she’ll grab your cock and depending on how big it is, will decide whether you’re worth dragging back to Atl
antis for hot underwater sex or drowning because it’s such a disappointment.”
“Reckon I need to find me a conch shell then, because my cock is mammoth.” Sonny grins, holding his hands up so that they’re at least a metre apart.
Ford barks out a laugh. It kind of bursts out of him and sounds more like he’s choking than actually laughing. Sonny and I are both so surprised by it that for second we don’t react. Then I let out a snort of laughter followed by a belly laugh and Sonny joins in. By the time Kate arrives with the tea, we’re all laughing hysterically. Even Ford. It feels good, great actually. But, of course, it was never going to last.
28
By the time we arrive back at Oceanside we’re all quiet, reflective. It’s been a good day. We mucked about on the beach for a while, spent some time in the kid’s playground being… well, kids. Then Kate and I had dragged Sonny and Ford around all the little boutique shops. I even managed to pick up some spray cans from a hardware store in town, and once the sky had darkened and most people had gone home, left a little piece of me on one of the more rundown beach huts. I wasn’t stupid enough to tag my graffiti art given my circumstances and all, but it felt good to just step back and look at something once so dull and lifeless transformed into a work of art. Whoever owns the beach hut, I hope they appreciate it.
“Well, I’m beat. I’m going to head back to my room. You coming, Asia?” Kate asks me.
We’re all standing in front of the residential annex, the lights of the cab pulling away, leaving us in semi-darkness.
“I’m going to grab something to eat from the rec room first. See you at breakfast?” I respond. I’m actually not that hungry, but I suddenly want a minute alone with Sonny and Ford. Stupid idea really, and I’m not really sure what I’m playing at, though I go with it anyway.
“Okay. Thanks for today,” she says almost shyly, squeezing my arm before nodding to Sonny and Ford and heading inside.
For a beat we stand awkwardly, the three of us, until I break the sudden silence. “Right then, I’m going to get that snack.” I say, hesitating, feeling a bit of an idiot standing here waiting to see if they’ll take a hint. I’m not going to ask them to come along, but I do want them to.