Breaking Karma

by Charity Ferrell

  Her head nodded against the pillow, and she finally looked up from the blanket. "My parents bought this house when they found out my mom was pregnant with me.” She paused, yawning. “My dad had just been hired at the station working second shift.”

  "Shit hours.”

  "And of course, I decided I wanted to be born on his first day on the job at two in the morning."

  I chuckled. "Why does it not surprise me that you were even a pain in the ass in the womb?"

  "Hey!" She shoved my side. "I'm not a pain in the ass.”

  "Yeah right. I remember the first day I met you and offered you a simple, friendly ride to school. You looked at me like you wanted to cut my balls off and grind them in your blender."

  She shook her head, trying to keep her smile at bay. "Uh yeah, maybe because I'd just witnessed you getting your freak on eight hours before."

  I squinted my eyes at her. "You were watching me get my freak on," I corrected.

  Her arms crossed her chest, covering up my perfect view of her tits. "I wasn't watching," she yelped, and then covered her mouth when she realized how loud her voice carried through the room. She moaned, making my dick throb at the sound. "Okay, what would you have done then? Here I was alone, on my own balcony, hanging out when I hear a loud moan, and I think one of my neighbors is watching porn on TV. Instead, I look over the railing and see you two doing," she paused, searching for words she was too embarrassed to say, "your thing. I completely froze up, unable to move."

  "Your face was priceless. You looked like you were caught with your hand in the cookie jar."

  "Hey buddy, your hand was the one in someone's cookie jaw," she teased back, giving me a sense of relief at the brief glimmer of a real smile twitching on her face.

  "We should probably get some sleep," I said, when she yawned again. She nodded, and my eyes practically bulged out of my head when she dipped her body down further underneath the blankets and settled down next to me.

  “He’s dead,” she said, out of nowhere, surprising the shit out of me.

  “Who?”

  “Tanner, my ex-boyfriend, he’s dead,” she clarified, her voice soft, but clear. Well fuck, that sure complicated things. No wonder she had problems.

  “How did he die?”

  “He got shot.”

  “I see.” I wanted to wrap her tiny body in my arms and comfort her, but I was scared she’d stop talking if I did. “Was it an accident? How did it happen?”

  She took a deep breath. “It was a school shooting. The guy who did it, I knew him. We all knew him. We’d gone to school together since kindergarten. I cheered with his girlfriend, but he cheated on her all the time. She finally got fed up and broke up with him. When she started to date someone else, he snapped. His dad was on the force with mine, so he grabbed a gun from his collection and shot everyone in her class. He killed twenty kids and our Geometry teacher. I knew every single person that died. I also heard their screams while he shot them because the classroom was right next to mine. I remember how fucking terrified I was that he was coming for us next.” Tears dripped down her face, and she sniffled.

  “Baby,” I said, dragging her body closer into mine. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.” My fingers ran down her arms, attempting to comfort her. How did you comfort someone who had to listen to their boyfriend get murdered in the room next to them? “What happened to the kid?”

  “He killed himself by putting a bullet in his own head.”

  “Wow, what a waste,” I whispered. And an asshole. I hated when I saw shit like that. If you wanted to kill yourself, just do it. There was no need to take others out with you.

  “The sad part was, he was actually a decent kid until he lost her. I guess it messed with his head because he never thought she'd leave him. They said his system was loaded with a deadly combination of drugs when they did his autopsy. They were surprised he could even stand up straight, let alone massacre a room of people, but somehow he managed.”

  “Is that why you don’t talk about your life here? Because you don’t want people to know?”

  She sighed. “If people knew, they’d treat me differently. Everyone here acted like I was some freak show, which is what I didn’t want when I moved to Atlanta.”

  “Thank you for sharing that and trusting me.” The fact that she opened up to me meant a lot. She was letting me in.

  “Thank you for allowing me to trust you,” she replied, her voice barely a whisper.

  “We should probably get some sleep now,” I said, exhausted.

  “Goodnight,” she mumbled, closing her eyes.

  ***

  “I would yell at you for having your arms around me and your junk pressing against my back, but you’re keeping me warm, so I'll let it slide this time,” a sleepy voice mumbled in front of me.

  I let out a tired laugh, pulling the blanket tighter around our connected bodies to keep the freezing chill out of our heated wrap. “Is your dad going to come in here and arrest me because you’re in my bed?” I asked.

  The bed shifted, and I lost my hold on her as she turned around. Her charcoal eyes peeked up at me. “Arrest you? No. Shoot you? Possibly.” Her sleepy smile morphed into a smirk.

  "Well shit, you better give me something worth dying for then.” I wrapped my arm around her back, trying to bring her in closer to me, but was stopped by her hands smacking into my shoulders.

  "Nu uh, slick. Don't even try it."

  "You suck," I groaned. "Are we heading home today?"

  "Yeah, but is it okay if we stop by the hospital for a minute before we head out? I want to tell Tessa goodbye.”

  "That's cool." I wasn’t in a rush to get back to Atlanta. I had a bag filled with deodorant and shit in my car that I kept in there incase I ever stayed overnight anywhere, so I was good.

  "Hey, did you ever tell your mom you were coming here?”

  “Nope."

  "Why not?"

  "She wouldn't have cared, so it doesn't really matter. I try to limit all communication I have with her."

  "Why is she gone all the time?"

  "My mom is Layla Hudson.” She gave me a blank look, obviously not familiar with the name. "Do you watch porn?"

  Her head tilted to the side. "Not particularly."

  "You sure?"

  She smacked my arm. "Yes, I'm sure. Jesus, why are you even asking me that?"

  "Because she's a porn star.”

  "Oh." Her lips perused together. "Good thing I don't watch porn because that would be weird. But isn't she a little too old for that?" Her hand went up to her mouth at her outburst. “Shit, that was rude.”

  "You'd think she’d ask herself the same thing, but obviously not, considering she’s still making money off of it. She still has a pretty large fan base or some shit like that.”

  The fact that guys enjoyed watching my mom have sex and probably jacked off to it was fucking nasty, but I'd learned to deal with it.

  "Great," she mumbled. "Now, whenever I meet her all I am going to be thinking is that she's a porn star."

  "So you plan on meeting my mom?"

  "I was just saying, hypothetically,” she rushed out, waving a hand through the air.

  "You like me, you really like me,” I said, laughing and raising the pitch of my voice.

  She elbowed me in the side, and I let out an, "Umph."

  "Jesus, has anyone ever told you violence is not the answer?” I asked, rubbing my side through the blanket.

  "My dad is a police officer. He told me I could use violent force towards a guy whenever I wanted."

  "I don't think that's how it works, sweetheart. Just because your daddy's a cop doesn't mean you can go around beating the shit out of people and get away with it."

  "Want to test my theory?" She laughed, punching my shoulder lightly.

  "Whoa, calm down Rocky. I believe you."

  And I did. I’d bet my ass if Daisy clocked me, and I went to the cops, they’d laugh in my face.

  DAIS
Y

  Chapter Fourteen

  “My life officially sucks," Gabby groaned, tossing her tray down on the table and sliding into the chair next to me. "I can't go with you guys now because my mom is forcing me to go to my step-dad's family's lame ass New Year’s party.”

  It was the last day of the semester before Christmas break, and I was going home for the holidays. My stomach had been a bundle of nerves as I packed my bags yesterday.

  "I bet you're super excited for that one," Cora said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You just need to explain to your mom that you've had these plans with us for months, and you'd rather not deal with his uptight, asshole family that think they're better than you.”

  I didn’t blame Gabby for not wanting to go to the party. They all treated her the same way Piper did, like shit, because her mom was her step-dad’s mistress before they got married.

  "Tried it," she said, frowning and unscrewing the cap off her drink. "You can only get called a home wrecking whore so many times before you flip out and cut a bitch. I guess I have to be there just in case that happens.”

  "Hell," Lane cut in, grinning. "If that happens, be sure to give me a pre-warning so I can be in attendance. I love me a good girl brawl."

  "You've never even witnessed a girl brawl," Cora said, calling him out.

  "World's Dumbest, on True TV. They have hour-long episodes filled with girl brawls, sometimes ripping each other's clothes off. It's awesome."

  Cora laughed. "I need to rethink my attraction to you.”

  "Yeah, I don't think that technically counts," I added.

  I’d agreed to go to Lane’s cabin with them for New Year’s. Now that Gabby was bailing, it’d only be the four of us.

  Hell no. That wasn't happening.

  The trip wasn't about to turn into some double date weekend.

  I needed to nip this shit in the bud real quick. “Since Gabby isn’t going, I’ll stay back too,” I said, bringing everyone’s attention my way. Apparently, my canceling was now more interesting than their girl fight conversation. I pointed back and forth between Cora and Lane. “Why don’t you two go have yourselves a nice, little romantic trip together?”

  “Hell no,” Gabby said. “You’re not getting out of this. You have to go have some fun for me since I’ll be stuck in fucking hell.”

  I rubbed my hands together, noticing the sweat already forming around them. Gabby was high if she thought I was going on this trip without her.

  "Wait a minute now," Lane called out. "This romantic getaway sounds kinda kinky, and I like it. What does a romantic trip entail exactly? Does it mean I get laid frequently? If so, count me in." He grabbed Cora's head, bringing her cheek to his lips, and kissed her.

  "Shut it, Lane," Gabby scolded. "Daisy isn't bailing."

  "Daisy isn't bailing on what?" The familiar husky voice asked from behind me, out of nowhere.

  Goddamn, I swear he was some sort of freak hybrid with weird ESP that told him exactly when to show up and dip into conversations he didn’t need to be involved in.

  The chair next to me was pulled out, and Keegan flipped it backwards. He flopped down with his legs straddling the back of it. He turned directly towards me, his eyebrows raised, while he waited for me to answer him.

  “She’s attempting to get out of New Year’s because I have to bail and attend the Annual Douglas Party,” Gabby said, tattling on me.

  I wanted to strangle her. I knew eventually Keegan would find out I’d bailed, but I was hoping it would be when he was in the car, heading towards Tennessee, and it was too late to talk me into going.

  His face turned sour. "The fuck you aren't going. You can't leave me alone with these two assholes."

  "I'm sure Piper would be happy to go with you. Then you won't feel so alone," I quickly rebutted.

  "Hell no," came out of Cora’s lips at the same time, “fuck that," bellowed from Lane's.

  "Friends don't stick other friends with Piper Douglas," Cora said, applying lip-gloss. "Otherwise, you'll have to come sneak me beauty products in prison.”

  "All of you can just shut the hell up right now because I’m the one who’s going to be stuck with Piper,” Gabby said.

  "Fuck, I forgot you two were related," Lane said, chuckling over at Gabby, and she kicked his shin.

  "I'm not related to that troll," she protested, clearly annoyed. "Just because your mom starts banging a guy doesn't mean you automatically become related to all of his uptight family members."

  "Daisy, you’re going,” Keegan demanded. “And we’re going to have a fuckload of fun.”

  I shook my head. “It might be weird.”

  Might be? Hell, it was definitely going to be weird. Sure, I saw him almost every day when he took me back and forth to school, and we'd shared a bed a few times too many, but we’d actually be by ourselves, unsupervised, and most likely drinking. I’d planned on Gabby being my sidekick, but now that couldn’t happen.

  “It's settled. Daisy will be there," Keegan proclaimed to the table. Grabbing a carrot from my tray and tossing it into his mouth, he moved in way too close for comfort. "Don't forget your bathing suit for the hot tub," he breathed into my ear. Goosebumps immediately popped up on every inch of my body. He chuckled, noticing his effect on me. "I can't wait to see that tight little body barely covered for me." He finished his last word with a laugh, got up, and walked away from the table.

  I was so fucking screwed.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Christmas music played in the background as I stood up on my tiptoes, grabbed two mugs from the top shelf of a kitchen cabinet, and set them down on the counter in front of me. I filled them with hot cocoa before adding my final touches: nine marshmallows, hot fudge, and chocolate chips.

  The doorbell rang, and I stopped at the mirror in the hallway to double check myself. I wanted no evidence of tears while she was here. Taking in my reflection, I noticed the slight puffiness around my eyes, but I could easily blame that on lack of sleep. I ran my hands through my messy hair before opening up my front door.

  "Merry Christmas!" I greeted, in a fake voice.

  Tessa's bubbly face lit up. "Merry Christmas to you, too,” she said, hugging me. "God, it seriously feels like we haven't seen each other in forever."

  The last time I saw her was at the hospital a few weeks ago, but since then we’d talked on the phone a few times.

  "I know.” I grabbed her hand and marched us down the hallway towards kitchen. “I have a surprise for you.”

  "You know how much I love surprises.”

  We were both trying too hard. Our friendly banter seemed too forced.

  She squealed when we reached the kitchen. “Gingerbread houses!” She snagged a box in her hand.

  Every year, since we were kids, Tessa had come over, and we'd decorate gingerbread houses together. As much as I wanted to hide out until the holidays were over this year, I had to do something special to make up for being such a terrible friend.

  She pulled out a chair, sat down, and started opening up the box. "How have you been?" I asked, grabbing our mugs and holding one out to her.

  "Good … better,” she answered.

  “You look better.”

  I wasn't lying, either. Her blonde hair was back to how she’d worn it before everything happened. It fell to her shoulders in perfect, loose curls. She was putting weight on, too.

  “I can’t believe I even let myself get that bad. It’s embarrassing.”

  "We all had our own ways to cope with losing him," I reminded her, breaking apart my walls and roof.

  Okay, Dr. Daisy. I needed to start taking my own advice.

  "Yeah, but mine was stupid.” She took a small sip of cocoa. “Dawson has been forcing me to go to therapy. And I mean, actually forcing me. The pain in my ass comes up to my room, practically drags me out of bed, and drives me to the appointments.”

  "Seriously?" I asked, eyeing her warily.

  Dawson? Since when did they get so close?
/>   "That's not even the worst of it. When we get there, he sits in the waiting room until I'm finished to make sure I don't leave early.” She shook her head, but I caught the smile she was trying to hide. “It’s definitely helping, though. I’ve even convinced my parents to come to session with me, which is huge.”

  “Good, I’m happy for you, Tess.” I narrowed my eyes on her. “Is there something going on with you and Dawson?"

  "No way," she said, unable to look me in the eye.

  "Don't lie to me. I want the whole truth and nothing but the truth.” I laughed, relieved that the old Daisy and Tessa was resurfacing.

  She groaned. "I don't even know if there's something going on between the two of us. It's just so weird. You pushed me away because all I did was remind you of Tanner, and he won't stay the hell away from me because I remind him of my brother."

  "And you don't like that?"

  She’d crushed on Dawson since he moved here our freshman year, but the dumbass couldn’t keep his paws out of other girl’s panties long enough to realize it.

  "I don't know. I feel like so much changed, you know? I have no idea what I want anymore or who I am." She paused. "But I know for a fact that I'd much rather have you around than him.”

  "Unless he's giving you orgasms, then you probably like him better," I joked, getting an eye roll in return.

  “No orgasms for me, thank you very much.” She attached her roof to her walls. “Dawson told me what happened between you two at the hospital.”

  I sighed. "I don't blame the kid for hating me."

  "Dawson doesn't hate you." I gave her a skeptical look, putting some polka dots on my roof. "What you said hurt and pissed him off, but he doesn't hate you. All four of us were inseparable for years, and when he tried to help, you lashed out at him. He was pissed, but he understands now.”

  I exhaled a long breath. "I was a sucky person to him."