Lying With Temptation

by Sm Donaldson

  I start laughing, the thought of Gabby hurting anyone just doesn’t sound like her…she seems hard, but you can tell she’s not.

  She walks out of her room dressed to work out, “Are you douche bags gonna sit around in your underwear all day or are you going to come work out with me at the weight room?”

  I jump up, “I’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

  Cade looks up, “I told Daria I’d be here when she got back from work and I’m hung over sooooo ummm no.”

  She runs over and jumps on him on the couch, “You gave me shit about getting soft and you’re going to just be a lump on my couch today.”

  He pulls her into a head lock, “Yep because I work my ass off all week. Now go Linc will go with you.”

  She shoves off of him, “Fine asshole…when is the entire Shitville Gang due here this week?”

  “Leslie said sometime Thursday night.”

  “You better not be messing around with Leslie when she gets here…if you screw up things with Daria I will cut your balls off.”

  He looks at her, “Damn Gabby have a little faith in me.”

  “I’m just saying you don’t always make the wisest decisions.”

  “I don’t want Leslie okay…just leave it. Go work out.”

  She stomps to the door, “Come on Linc, before I kick his ass.”

  ~*~

  I look over at her huffing I can tell she’s pissed. I probably shouldn’t go here but I am, “Cade is really into Daria you know.”

  She unemotionally says, “I know. He just has a tendency sometimes to think with the wrong head. Especially when it comes to that skank Leslie.”

  “Oh so they have history?”

  “Well if you call hooking up at random events, her chasing after him like some sort of blood hound after a biscuit, then yeah you could say they have history.”

  I laugh, “Well they’re over what’s the big deal?”

  “I just didn’t want any of them to come here. She screwed with his head bad…when she found out that we were coming here together…she claimed to be pregnant. When I told him to demand to go to the doctor with her to see a live ultrasound she finally gave up and basically told him that he was just a pathetic loser following me off like a lost puppy. So I may or may not have punched her in the face and said that she was trailer trash and that all she wanted was for some pathetic moron to take her out of her trailer. That he was coming here for an education and that wasn’t pathetic at all, but she was.”

  I laugh, “So you get violent with anyone who crosses you except for mice.”

  She punched me in the arm, “Shut it ass munch.”

  I laugh, “I’m really beginning to think you need anger management Gabby.”

  Once we are in the weight room I look over at Gabby, God I just want to lick the sweat off of her body…slowly. “Hey Gab let’s workout on the boxing bag, maybe burn off some of that frustration you have going on with…what was it you called them The Shitville Gang.”

  She laughed, “Yeah, trust me it really was Shitville.”

  We take turns sparring with the bag. I look over at her she’s really working this out, “So do you have a problem with your entire hometown or just some select people?”

  “Well since the entire town got a great laugh at my expense and my parents acted like I was some sort of embarrassment because the town knew about my sex life…I pretty much say yes the whole town…Well except Cade and my sister Anna.”

  It was my turn with the bag, “You’ve never told me much about your sister.”

  “Oh Anna she’s thirteen months younger than me. She may be coming here next year, she’s that great kid in the family you know…the one that makes the good grades without trying, has the perfect little cookie cutter boyfriend, dresses like a million dollars, is in all of the important junior society clubs and helps little old ladies cross the street. She’s not a jock like me, doesn’t have a best friend that is a guy. As a matter of fact the only time she’s ever gotten out of the way with my parents was during this whole mess, with Reece and Elle.”

  “Sounds familiar…well about the parents anyway, they live in a gated neighborhood. My sisters Vivian and Miranda went to the private high school in town, my Dad sought out the highest rated football team in our area and that’s where I went to school…His dream is for me to play in the NFL. My sisters tend to baby me and Rand even slapped Jules across the face one night…my mother is your typical country club mom, she’s lit most of the time on bloody marys and prescription meds. Russ has always been my outlet, when I made my Dad let him come to high school with me, he wasn’t happy…My mothers family has money, so my Dad married into money, Russ doesn’t come from money. I knew a scholarship would be the only way he’d make it to college so we busted our asses to get Russ a scholarship. He and I looked like the ultimate team.”

  “Wow poor little Rich boy.” She nudges me with the glove.

  “Thanks, so you’re saying by the end of this week I may or may not need my father to wire me some bail money for you? When this crew shows up in town.”

  She laughs, “Possibly. I just really want them to stay away from me. I really don’t want the glares and stares. The whispers…I’m over it.”

  “So are you coming to our game next weekend?”

  “Of course, and I’m gonna make Daria come…I mean You, Cade and Russ will all be on the field playing. I’m not sitting with the Shitville Gang.”

  I smile, “Good, I’m glad to know I’ll have a fan in the stands… You are a fan right?”

  She punches me in the arm, “Yes ass wipe.”

  Her cell phone rings, she answers it, “Hey…yeah working out in the gym…what about you? Oh um yeah, I guess that’s cool, I mean are you sure you wanna ride up with them? Okay love you see you then, okay well we’ll talk more when you get here.”

  I look at her with confusion on my face I’m sure, “More guests?”

  “Yes, my sister Anna is coming up with the Shitville Gang.” She rolls her eyes, “My parents still think they are all good stand up kids, which I just had a misunderstanding with them, which I brought on myself.”

  “Where is she staying?”

  “Well I’m going to talk to Daria and see if she can crash with us in our room.”

  “I don’t see why not. Plus that’ll give you one more person to sit with at the game.”

  She nods, “Yeah, I guess so…I just don’t like her hanging out with them.”

  “She probably just misses you and this is her way up here.”

  She looks over at me, “Maybe so.”

  Chapter 8

  Gabby

  The past couple of days have been so wrapped up with workouts, school and work. If I’m being honest with myself I’ve been avoiding the ideas of the Shitville Gang coming in this weekend. So when Professor Jennings asked me to stay and help out tonight I welcomed the distraction. He’s doing research for a project that he’s developing into a text book for his classes. It’s after seven when I walk into his office, “Do you need anything else Professor?”

  “Well you could join me for dinner sorry I ordered way too much Chinese take-out, I figured I could share with you.”

  “I think I’m just going to head home, maybe next time. I appreciate the offer though.” About that time my text message goes off

  Cade: Hey I need to talk to you about this weekend…when are you coming home?

  Me: I’m working…what’s up?

  Cade: I just need to talk with you.

  Ugh I really don’t wanna talk about it

  Me: I’ll be working a little while longer…can we talk tomorrow…they won’t be in until tomorrow afternoon sometime right?

  Cade: I guess so…

  I look over at Professor Jennings, “On second

  thought I’ll take you up on that dinner.”

  We sit in his office floor talking and laughing about all kinds of stuff. I haven’t really

  laughed this much in a long time. I me
an I laugh with my roommates, but not like this.

  He clears his throat, “So I have a question and I hope I’m not being intrusive?”

  I take a bite of my egg roll, “Okay?”

  “Are you dating the guy I see you sitting with in my class all the time?”

  I laugh, “No Linc is my friend. I don’t date that much.”

  He laughs, “I find that hard to believe.”

  “I don’t, I really don’t have much time for dating and then guys really aren’t knocking down my door wanting to date me.”

  “I think Linc would bust through your door to date you.” He grins, “If I was younger…”

  I can feel my face blushing, “No it’s not like that with Linc and I.” I reach forward to grab up our empty cartons at the same time he does and we bump heads. He looks up at me and starts kissing me…

  Oh shit this is amazing…holy crap I can’t do this…I need to stop this…my damn body is betraying me right now…I feel it in my stomach…

  I push him back for a second, “We ugh…we…”

  He looks at me, “Oh God I’m so sorry, that’s never happened to me before.”

  I blush, “It’s okay…I just think I should be going…it was an accident.”

  I grab my bag and nearly bolt out the door. I don’t even want to think about how freakin amazing that kiss was. It was an accident I need to get over this.

  As I walk into our apartment I feel like everyone can read my face. Cade comes up to me, “What’s up with you avoiding me?”

  I roll my eyes, “I’m not avoiding you.”

  “Yes you are…”

  “Look I just don’t want to talk about them coming here this weekend okay? Anna’s coming with them, so I’ll have her and Daria to sit with at the game. It’ll be fine with any luck I won’t see any of them but for like a second.”

  “Okay if you’re sure…”

  “Yes I’m not avoiding you…I just don’t want to waste my breath on stupid people who aren’t even worth discussing.”

  He gives me a quick peck on the cheek, “Okay.”

  “I’m going to get a shower and go to bed I’m tired.”

  While the water is running over my body in the shower, I can’t help but think about Professor Jennings lips on mine… Am I really that interesting? My mind races back to what Daria said about the other coeds…I’m going to need to talk to her about this. I’m at the right spot in my life where I’d be like a cheesy romance novel and fall head over heels in love with my teacher and we’d live happily ever after…but that wouldn’t happen for me.

  After I dress and climb into bed Daria comes in our room. I look up at her crawling in her bed, “Hey what did you mean the other day about the Professor and the coeds?”

  She sighs, “I could tell something else was going on as soon as you walked in…So tell me what happened?”

  “Well, we were eating Chinese Take-out since I’d worked so late he offered me some, we talked and joked. I leaned forward to pick up the empty containers and we kissed. I stopped it, but he told me that’d never happened to him before. I didn’t think much of it then I knew it was an accident until I got in the shower and thought back to what you said the other day… I knew it wasn’t really an accident and I knew he was lying about it not happening before.”

  “Yeah I’d say it’s defiantly not an accident. Question is do you want to do anything about it? I only say that because of course most of the girls I’ve heard about were willing participants.”

  “Nothing right now, maybe if it happens again, I would hope that once he figures out that I’m not interested he’ll leave me alone.”

  “Hopefully you’re right…I mean he’d be stupid to pursue something like that…I mean his career could be over.”

  “Yeah, just don’t say anything around the guys. You’re still cool with my sister crashing with us right?”

  “Oh yeah, I won’t say anything to anyone and yeah your sister is cool to crash here. So tell me more about this group of people coming in to support Cade…I know you don’t like most of them.”

  “Well, Cade told you about some of what happened last year right?”

  “Yeah, I know he hates some dickhead named Reece and some bitch named Elle.”

  “Yeah, well they were the ring leaders in my almost nervous breakdown. I don’t like Leslie either, she uses Cade. Everyone thought that since Cade and I were coming here together that meant we were together. Everyone’s always assumed that about us, but as you can tell we are more like brother and sister. She got super pissed when he came here with me and told him she was pregnant, called him trash and all sorts of stuff and I punched her in the face. Long story short she’s a lying, slutty piece of trash and I can’t stand her. So just try to keep Cade away from her, he has a tendency to fall for her crap.”

  I can tell she’s shifting uncomfortably, “He’s told me about her. I’m just hoping he doesn’t screw up whatever this is between he and I.”

  I smile, “Trust me you’ve got my vote, I think you guys are good for each other. That Yin-yang sort of thing works for you guys. He seems pretty serious about the two of you. He likes you because you don’t put him on some superior pedestal.”

  “Thanks Gab, that’s cool.”

  ~*~

  Great it’s the day I’ve been dreading, I can’t wait to see my sister. But the idea of the people coming with her haunts me. I also really don’t want to see Professor Jennings today…I think I may just skip work and class today.

  “Hey Gabby.” Linc is knocking on my door.

  I open it and smile, “Hey what’s up?”

  “I wanted to see if you wanted to grab some coffee, help your day go better. I know you are dreading today.”

  How does he read my mind like that? “Yeah sounds good. I need that today, you know just a friend. Considering my ex best friend will be here in about five hours.”

  “Is your sister still coming in with them?”

  “Yeah, she’s staying here though. How in the world she even conned my parents into this I’ll never figure out.”

  Okay so I guess I’m not skipping today, I might as well face all of this down at one time….and then go get really, really, really, REALLY drunk.

  Before I realize it I’m walking into Professor Jennings class, the familiar dread comes over me. He makes eye contact with me as soon as I sit down, he looks as if he wants to come over and say something to me. I’m saved when Linc takes his seat by me. Thank you God…I have to talk to him after this because of work…maybe he’ll pretend like it never happened.

  Linc looks at me and touches my arm, “Hey are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m just really over today already. I don’t really want to go to work either.”

  “Can’t you just tell him your sister is coming in and you really need to meet her at the apartment? I mean you haven’t skipped a day of work yet.”

  “Yeah I may do that. You wanna go for a run with me…so I can burn off some of this frustration?”

  “Sure, sounds like a plan.”

  “Linc?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Thank you for being here today. I’m glad that I have you as a roommate and a friend.”

  He gives me that half smile…I’m sure he doesn’t realize that when he does that…the female population around him needs dry panties including me.

  “Anything for you Gabby.”

  After class I stop and speak to Professor Jennings about work, purposely while other people are there so he can’t say anything about last night. I’ll deal with him after all the shit heads go home. He seems to be okay with it and hopes I have a great time visiting with my sister.

  When Linc and I arrive back to the apartment we change and leave for our run. Linc really doesn’t talk he just lets me run; he didn’t even ask me how far we were running. We ran past the stadium, past some of the buildings and then my phone beeped that I had a text message. “Hey hold up, this is my sister.”

  A
nna: Hey we just got here where do I need to go?

  Me: I’m running right now. Where are you guys at?

  Anna: We just got to the practice field, where Cade is.

  Me: I’ll be there in a few minutes.

  Anna: K

  “Well, the Shitville gang has officially arrived. My sister is at the practice field, so I guess we run that way.”

  “Okay, no big deal. I guess I get to meet these people up close and personal.”

  “Yeah, aren’t you lucky?”

  Chapter 9

  Linc

  As we round the corner to the practice field I can sense that Gabby is real reluctant. So I do what any good work out buddy would do I talk shit and push harder.

  “Come on Gab don’t lag on me now…keep pushing…show these assholes what you are made of.” I can see her smile, God she looks gorgeous. That sports bra tank top thing she’s wearing, the sweat and her smile. Damn were the people in her town stupid or something? As we run up to the group of people, this guy gives her the once over….this better not be who I think it is. I may just have to kick his ass. Oh and that little blonde bitch with that look all over her face must be Elle. I can tell who Gab’s sister is; she looks like a younger version of her. Gabby grabs her, “Hey girl, was the trip okay?”

  “Yeah it was fine.”

  Gabby looks at me, “Guys this is Linc, he’s my…”

  I interrupt putting my hand in the small of her back, “Close friend.” I all of a sudden feel protective of her. I don’t want these douche bags to have the upper hand on her. The blonde bimbo jumps up, “Hi, I’m Elle. Gabby and I were best friends growing up.”

  Dumb bitch, “Oh I thought Cade was her best friend.” This bitch is seriously going to try me. She’s going to try and flirt with me in front of Gabby.

  “Well he was too.”