Okay, I could feel those very same confused creases on my brow.
“If it wasn’t Justin, then why are you mad at me?”
She slowly shook her head, “I’m not mad at you,” she said with a soft sigh. My heart relaxed as a sudden sense of relief flowed through me.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Jason and Amber holding back. Waiting for us to work this through.
“Well then,” I said to her, “why have you been acting all weird? You won’t talk to me, you won’t look at me. Is it my dad coming back?”
She stared at me like I was an alien from outer space. As if she had never seen anything so dumb in her life.
Shaking her head, she reached up and patted me on the shoulder like I was some little toddler who would never understand. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “It’s not you, I’m just being weird.”
As she finished, she moved past me and headed for school while my mind whirled trying to figure out what was going on.
I looked at her as she walked away. Those tantalizing hips moving to some silent beat. She turned suddenly, and I swallowed hard, praying she hadn’t seen me staring.
“Tank,” she called back, “anytime you want to help me. You do it. You wouldn’t be you unless you did.”
Her soft, sad smile tore at my guts as she turned and disappeared into the school.
I stood there like a frozen statue, confused and completely lost.
Amber walked by, shooting me a look of compassion as she slowly shook her head. Obviously, her look said, I was dumber than I thought.
Chapter Six
Marla
The morning went by in a bit of a blur until Amber cornered me outside the biology lab. The fact that Tank had thought I was mad at him still threw me for a loop. Didn’t the idiot know how embarrassing it had been that morning?
“I need your help,” she said anxiously as she grabbed my arm.
“Sure,” I said. That was the thing about Amber. When she asked, a person for something, they just naturally wanted to help her. We had been friends as soon as she moved in next door to us last summer. We were friends before she met my brother. I distinctly remembered when I introduced her to the guys. How I’d been so afraid the pretty, new girl would latch onto Tank. Thankfully, it had been my brother she’d been drawn to.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I need you to eat lunch at our table.”
My insides tightened up as I gave her a questioning look. “Is this about Tank?” I asked. I had told her about my morning and the whole silk short PJ incident. She was as up to date on my screwed-up world as anyone.
“No. No.” she said. “I promised I’d stay out of that. Even if I do think you are an idiot for not letting me tell him how you feel. It would go so ...”
“Amber, no. Stay out of it.”
“Okay, anyway, it’s not about you.”
“What?” I asked. “Is that gaggle of geese that seem to permanently surround my brother and his friends giving you a hard time? I thought you had them straightened out?”
They had learned early that the pretty girl from New York had sharp claws. Besides, once they knew that Jason was head over heels for the girl. They’d wisely backed off. Or at least, I thought they had.
Amber shook her head. The bevy of girls that were constantly trying to draw the attention of the Lakeland boys were legendary. It seemed wherever the boys went, they attracted girls like bees to honey. I wondered if Amber was feeling threatened.
She shook her head, “It’s about Jenny Brewster and Nick.”
“Nick Parsons?” I asked with disbelief. “No way?”
Amber smiled that sweet, happy smile she got when the world worked out the way she wanted it to.
“Yes, way. I don’t know what happened over Christmas break, but something did. He asked her out to the movies. Talked to her father even.”
“Nick Parsons? Our Nick?” The thought was unbelievable. The boy was a walking stud. A pure love them and leave them type. No way would he get mixed up with the preacher’s daughter. Besides, Jenny had too much sense to get tangled up with Nick.
Amber’s smile grew even bigger as she nodded. “I know, I couldn’t believe it either when I heard. I like Jenny ...”
“I do too,” I said, “But, why do you need me at lunch.”
“I’m going to get her to join us. I want to start working her into our group.”
“Amber, they are just going out on a date.”
“You didn’t see Nick, the way he looked at her. No, this is more. But I need you there to help me with the geese. They will tear her apart if they think she’s moving in on Nick.”
“I don’t know,” I said as the sudden thought of being near Tank sent a bolt of fear through me.
I swallowed hard as I tried to put it behind me. I was going to have to get used to the idea though. The guy was living at my house after all.
“Okay,” I said reluctantly. “But if you try anything with Tank and me. I’ll tell Jason I saw you flirting with Tom Patricelli.”
“I never,” she said. “I haven’t talked to him in two months, and that was just a class thing.”
I smiled at her. “I know that, and you know that. But Jason doesn’t. He’d lose it. So, keep your matchmaking focus on Nick and Jenny. Understand.”
She looked at me for a long moment then shook her head. “You can be mean,” she said as if the idea was a surprise to her.
“You’re darn right,” I answered, “and don’t you forget it.”
The bell interrupted us, making me hurry for my next class. Nick Parsons and Jenny Brewster. Who would have thought it? The next thing you know it would be Luke the nerd ending up with Ruby Miller. I laughed to myself and shook my head. The world was a truly strange place.
Scurrying to catch the door before Mr. Seeger could close it, I ducked into class just before the tardy bell rang and sank into my seat. Suddenly, I had lost my appetite. Lunch at the same table as Tank. Dinner at my house wasn’t enough. Now I had to administer self-torture at school.
The cafeteria was as loud and obnoxious as ever. I paid for my salad and juice then looked across the crowd. There they were, the center of the High School universe.
My eyes were instantly drawn to Tank. Cindy Kennedy was looking up at him like he was the next coming of Justin Bieber or something. The girl’s adoring stare made me want to throw up on her shoes.
Tank was oblivious. He looked up and our eyes locked from across the room. My heart lurched. What was it about this man that he could send my heart into overdrive with just a look?
Gripping my tray, I started for their table. He watched me the entire way, never looking away. I could feel my cheeks growing red. What? Did he expect me to trip and fall flat on my face? Why was he staring at me like that?
Thankfully, Amber saw me coming and scooted over to make room between her and Jenny.
The move brought her closer to Jason, which was never a bad thing in her world.
Everyone who was anyone was there of course. Three girls for each of the guys.
“Where’s Luke?” someone asked as I sat down.
“He’s skipping the rest of the day,” Nick said around his sandwich. “Said something he had to do at home.”
That got more than a few curious comments. Luke hadn’t missed a day of school since he got his tonsils out when he was eight. And even then, he’d grumbled the whole day he missed.
I tried to silently slip into the group without disturbing the force around them. I wasn’t worried about the guys. I’d been part of their world since forever. But the bevy of geese flocking about would be enough to intimidate anyone.
All of them, beautiful, perfectly dressed, and with a maturity that I wondered if I would ever know.
Jenny gave me a wan smile. I could tell right away that she was wondering how she had ever ended up there in the center of the storm.
Nick Parsons and Jenny Brewster. Who would have thought? I gave Nick a
quick glance and almost choked when I saw the bashful, little boy look he gave Jenny.
She smiled shyly and quickly looked down to focus on her food. I noticed that neither of them were really eating. Instead, they spent their time secretly glancing at each other.
“What is she doing here?” Cindy said, obviously referring to me. “Since when do we let sophomores eat at our table?”
Okay, now it was on. I had been willing to ignore here whole, Tank worshipping thing. I couldn’t really blame her. But this was now personal.
I slowly placed my fork down and started to respond when Tank gave Cindy his world-famous scowl. “Actually,” he said, “Marla is cooler than most of the Seniors I know.”
My heart melted. I didn’t need him to stick up for me. Especially not with Cindy Kennedy. But the fact that he did so, and so quickly, made me go all soft inside. We were going to be alright, I realized. We were back to our normal. While I might not like it, it was way better than being mad at each other all the time.
Cindy, being one of the less bright students didn’t catch his obvious displeasure.
“I realize she’s Jason’s little sister, but still. Are we taking on just anyone?” Here she made the added mistake of looking at Jenny sitting next to me.
Obviously, the pecking order had been seriously upset, and she was going to squawk about it.
Nick leaned forward with a scowl of his own. The boy could look like death in a pissed off mood when he looked like that. It made my insides shudder.
“Cindy,” he said with that deep voice of his, “there is no law that says you have to stay. It’s a free country, we will understand if you want to sit somewhere else. Besides? Who invited you?”
Finally, their words were starting to sink into that small brain of hers. Her face had a sudden pale complexion. I almost felt sorry for the stupid girl. But not quite. I’m not that nice a person. Instead, a quick jolt of pure pleasure washed through me.
I turned to Amber and whispered, “It doesn’t look like you need me at all. The guys have got it handled.”
She laughed and knocked my shoulder.
Then Jenny proved just how un-needed I was.
“Oh Nick,” she said with a sweet smile as she reached out and gently touched his hand. “You promised me you’d try to be nicer. Remember? Of course, Cindy can eat lunch with us.”
You could have heard a bird fart.
No snide remark, no put down, no innuendo about Cindy’s parentage or her legendary reputation for promiscuity. Just a sweet sentence or two that showed the world the difference between them. It was perfect, and Cindy knew it.
An arrow to the chest couldn’t have hurt her more.
Cindy’s eyes grew as big as toadstools as she realized she had just been cut out and there was no path back.
Deciding to save what dignity she had left, she flipped her hair over her shoulder and stormed off.
I watched her leave and shook my head.
“See, this is why I don’t eat lunch with you guys. Too much drama.”
Everyone laughed, and the tension was broken. Everyone but Tank, he stared across the table at me with penetrating eyes that seemed to reach in and touch my soul.
My heart began to race, and I could feel my mouth dry up like an Arizona desert.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Amber shaking her head and rolling her eyes as she looked back and forth between us.
Swallowing, I looked down and tried to pretend I wasn’t there.
How was I going to get through this? The guy lived with us now. We went to the same school. I couldn’t avoid him. Maybe I could move in with Amber. Maybe she’d save me.
The idea was silly of course. As soon as I asked, everyone would know why. And there was absolutely no way I was letting that happen.
Chapter Seven
Tank
Things had changed. Everything was changing. Jason was wrapped up in Amber’s love. Now Nick was off chasing after Jenny Brewster. Even Luke was skipping school. Something I would have thought impossible only a few days ago. The guy lived for school.
My dad was home from prison.
I was living at Jason’s
Everything was different. I hated different. Why couldn’t things stay the way they always were.
Slamming Jason’s car door, I said, “I’ve got run over to my house and get some stuff.”
Marla gave me a quick penetrating look that told me how worried she was.
Of course, the real change was Marla. Or my feeling towards her to be exact. The girl wouldn’t get out of my mind. No matter what I did. She was there.
What would Marla think of this? What was she doing now? What did she think of me? A thousand thoughts that tumbled and jumbled around inside of me.
My guts were in a permanent knot, and I seriously doubted if I’d ever be normal again.
This was Jason’s kid sister you idiot, I reminded myself. Marla. Sweet, innocent, Marla.
I shouldn’t be thinking about her this way. No one should.
Grumbling under my breath, I walked up to our front door and stopped as a sudden urge to ring the bell ran through me.
A raw anger made my heart jump. This was my house. I had spent more days under its roof than he had. Why should I feel like the visitor?
Swearing at myself, I turned the knob and stepped in.
Right away I felt the wave of tension. Things had changed.
He stood there looking at me like I was a foreign invader. Like I didn’t belong.
I forced the angry curse out of my mind and brushed past him and into my room.
Grabbing my cleats and track gear I started for my door then remembered to take a notebook from my desk. I still had five more months. If I didn’t keep up, I’d never graduate and never start my new life.
Whatever that was going to be.
When I stepped into the hall, a silence fell over me. My home was gone, I realized. Just like that, I realized I would never live here if I could avoid it.
He stood at the head of the hall, just before the front door, Hands on his hips. He was looking at me like I was gum on his shoes.
“Your Mother is out getting stuff for dinner,” he said.
I don’t know why or where it came from, but I couldn’t stop myself.
“Yeah, well, at least someone knows how to be a parent around here.”
It was as if I’d punched him in the stomach. His eyes narrowed, and I caught a sight of the true man before me. Prison had changed him. He’d become harder, short tempered. Suddenly, I realized just how screwed up he was.
I’d always thought he was some giant. Capable of doing anything. The great king who knew all.
Instead, I was coming to realize he was nothing more than a bully who hated not getting his way.
Sighing to myself I pushed to move by him when he suddenly reached out and grabbed my shoulder.
“Just hold it there, you punk,” he hissed. “This is my house, and I won’t have you disrespecting me in my own home.”
I laughed and shook my head.
“Actually, it's Uncle George’s house. And it has never really been a home,” I said with a dismissive chuckle.
A dark cloud came over his eyes as he stared at me. Then suddenly, without warning, he clocked me. Square in the face. A solid punch that shook me to my heels.
At first, I was more surprised than hurt. Then the reality of what he had just done sank in.
Red. My world became red. All the anger. The years of shame. The constant gut crunching pain of never being enough for him. The way people looked at me when they learned I was a thief’s son. The pain and misery he had caused my mom.
All of it exploded inside of me.
I punched him in the stomach with every bit of my soul.
It was like hitting a side of beef. The man was prison strong I realized as he ouffed out a breath.
His eyes got very narrow as he focused on mine. Reaching back, he threw a punch, then followed it up with
a trip behind my legs.
I went down like a bunch of tinker toys and crashed into the coffee table. Wood and glass shattered into a thousand pieces. Shooting through the air like a busted snow globe.
The man knew how to fight. That was the thing. I had never really been in a knockdown, drag-out fight. For some reason, guys just naturally avoided getting me pissed off.
A warm liquid ran down my face as I scrambled out of the mess. Twisting away, my mind became crystal clear. All I could see was him as a driving need built up inside of me to destroy him.
Springing to my feet, I smiled and shook my head.
“You made a mistake,” I said as I spit a glob of blood onto my mom’s carpet. “You shouldn’t have let me get up. You should have finished me when you had the chance.”
He shook his head. “You don’t have the guts,” he said with a sneer. “You’ve never been much. And really, never will.”
That was it, I realized, the final break. His words could never be taken back because we both knew that it was the truth. Or at least his truth.
Smiling, I stepped towards him.
He punched, but I took the blow and followed it in with a punch of my own. Two quick jabs to the face and another uppercut to his stomach, just under the ribs.
I felt something crack and experienced a sudden wave of pure pleasure. I was going to tear him apart and walk away. To hell with him.
He pushed me back, trying to get maneuvering room, but I was too big to be manhandled. I shook it off and hit him twice more.
For the first time, I saw fear in his eyes. True gut-wrenching fear as he began to realize I wasn’t some little boy who could be intimidated or pushed around. Not anymore.
We traded blows, but I could feel him growing weak.
He started to back away, but I refused to let him go. Grabbing his arm, I pulled him in close then used my forearm to pin him against the wall.
I could feel my arm was within a hairsbreadth of crushing his throat. If I put my weight into it, he’d be dead.
Every part of my soul screamed for me to do it. A raging torrent of need and desire pushed me onward.
Kill him, I thought. Do it. Now.
Suddenly the realization of how close he was to death washed into his eyes.
My Brother's Best Friend (The Lakeland Boys Book 3) Page 4