Dirty Friends (Beautiful Friends #1)

by Paige Steele

  Ansley

  SPENDING MY SUNDAYS WITH my mom is something important to both of us. She’s more than just a mom; she’s my friend, too. It’s always been just the two of us. My father walked out on us when he found out she was pregnant. We lived in Virginia at the time. She said he still lives there. He sent money to us once but mom sent it back, telling him we didn’t want anything he was offering. He never sent a single dime after that. It’s fine with me, but I hate seeing my mom work so hard to make ends meet. Mom works a lot, so when she doesn’t, we try to spend our time together. She got offered a great job shortly after I turned twelve. That’s what brought us to where we live now. She’s a charge nurse in the labor and delivery department for a much bigger hospital now, before she was a floor nurse for a tiny community hospital. She loves delivering babies and seeing their tiny little faces as they are brought into the world. I thought it was going be hard to leave my last school but my best friend had moved the year before I did, so truly it wasn’t a big deal at all.

  My two best friends are now Cooper and Ryan. They both live next door to me, one on each side. We have a smaller, two bedroom ranch style house but it is still in a nicer area of town; nicer than any we’ve ever lived in before. The guys are busy at a Motocross race all day. They asked me to go, but Mom comes first when she’s not working and they know that. I can’t wait to hear how they did. They should be home soon. They are the first two people I met when we moved here and the only two I feel I truly connected with. I don’t fit in with girls a lot. I don’t mind getting dirt under my nails while they like nail polish on them. I have a couple of girlfriends in school but the guys are, and always have been, my true friends. They know all of my secrets, well almost all of them. They are also the only ones I really trust.

  The guys are protective of me so when they see a boy showing any interest in me, they go on high alert. I’ve been seeing someone now for a couple of months and I don’t think they like it, at all. I don’t know why they care who I see and when. They see whom they want and don’t ask my opinion. In fact, they see quite of few girls and sometimes, it’s more than one at a time. They say, “It’s tough being this good looking.” At that point, I hit them both in the back of the head and tell them to “wake up, you are dreaming.” It usually gets me a good laugh from both of them. They both have a great sense of humor.

  Cooper seems to have a real problem with me dating, and I don’t understand it. I’m closer to him than Ryan, but still, it doesn’t make sense. He never thinks anyone is good enough for me. The guy I’m seeing now, Riley, is a great guy, but I don’t feel like it is as serious as he’d like it to be.

  The night we went to the movies, Ryan and Cooper suddenly showed up with dates, too. I look over to them staring at me, while the girls they were with were trying to kiss them. I gave them dirty looks trying to get my point across, while they just sat there smirking at me. At one point, I glanced over and Ryan was very much into his date, while Cooper still sat there staring at me out of the corner of his eye. I didn’t talk to them for two days, but I couldn’t take the silence any longer. I lean on them for things that I can’t talk to anyone else about.

  The one secret I keep from them both is my virginity. I’m sure they know I haven’t been with anyone, but I’ve neither confirmed nor denied it. I like to keep them wondering. I’m only sixteen, so I’m in no rush. My mom’s had conversations with me about it, but it’s usually the same talk that all parents have with daughters. There’s no rush, don’t do it until you are ready and use protection. I always assure her that I’ve never been that serious about anyone. I want to be in love, like real love, when it happens. I can’t help it, I might be the girl that doesn’t mind getting dirty, but I still want the fairy tale romance like everyone else.

  My phone beeps and it’s a group text from the guys.

  Cooper – Hey, Peanut, we will be home at nine tonight. You want to sit outside at the

  fire?

  Me – You know I hate that nickname. But yes, I’ll meet you both at your house then.

  Ryan – Aww, Peanut, don’t be mad we love u. lol

  Me – Really grow up boyzzzzzz

  Cooper – Who are you calling boys?

  Ryan – Reallyyyyy, Peanut, lol

  Me – Ugh, you guys both need to be smacked

  Cooper – Bring it, Beautiful

  Me – Calling me beautiful isn’t going to change the fact that you are both jackasses.

  Ryan – We love you, Peanut

  Me – Ugh…aren’t you two in the same freaking car? Dumb asses

  Ryan – Lmao

  Cooper – Wow, what’s up with the naughty mouth there, pretty lady?

  Me – Coop, you guys just bring out the best in me…lol

  Ryan – We try…we are such good guys lol

  Me – Keep telling yourselves that, lol, see you guys tonight. Drive safe.

  Ryan—Ummm we aren’t driving, we are riding.

  Me — Oh, shut up!

  Cooper – Haha!

  Sometimes they act like little kids, but I wouldn’t have them any other way. I can’t say much ‘cause they bring it out in me too, at times. Most of the time they make my day brighter, but some days I could throttle them. Never a dull moment. After clicking off my messages, I walk over to the speaker on the counter in the kitchen and plug in my phone to listen to some music. Then, I go over to see if Mom needs any help with dinner. Cooking together is something that means so much to me because it is our time to just talk about anything and nothing at all, to pass the time. Usually I gain so much knowledge and wisdom from her. The song, Cowboy Casanova by Carrie Underwood, came on and I walk over to turn it up. We both start singing it and laughing.

  As the song ends, Mom asks, “So, Ansley, honey what’s going on with Riley?”

  Riley has a small problem with how close I am to the guys, so he stays away from the house. “He’s good. This weekend he was hanging with his friends since I was busy at home today.”

  “Today’s Sunday. He didn’t want to see you on Friday or Saturday?”

  “Well, he was tied up helping his parents on Saturday -- all day.”

  “Have you talked to him recently?”

  “Yes, I talked to him this morning. Why the twenty questions, Mom?”

  “Well, I don’t know, but when I was in high school, boyfriends and girlfriends hung out all the time together. You two, on the other hand, only seem to see each other once or twice a week.”

  “He doesn’t care for how close I am with the guys. So, he’s had a bit of an attitude lately. But we still see each other. School just let out a couple of weeks ago. It’s summer. I’m sure we’ll figure it out.”

  Mom looks over at me. “Just making sure he’s treating my girl right, that’s all.” She walks over and hugs me tightly. Then, I thought, when have we seen each other? He does always seem to have plans. I was quiet for a moment while I let it sink in that we were pretty much dating only at school. Now that school was out, things have pretty much cooled down. He doesn’t call often, maybe once a day, and he rarely texts.

  “Ok, Mom, I get your point; though we’ve gone to the movies once and I went to his house last week.”

  “That’s not a lot in two months, honey, just think about it. How much do you know about him? Like what has he been doing all day, today?”

  “I’m not sure exactly. I haven’t spoken to him since this morning. He said he was just going to hang with friends today.”

  We finish dinner, the dishes after and then it is about seven thirty. I need to shower, and I want to check my Instagram feed before the guys get back. Not being in school, the only way to see what everyone is doing once summer begins is by checking Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. I quickly jump in the shower and dress in comfy pants and a tank top. The guys will be home in about an hour, so I grab my iPhone and lay on my bed to pass the time. I click on my account for Instagram and see that a few of the girls I know from school had all hung out at one of
their houses. They laid by the pool all day taking selfies. I start scrolling further down to see Riley had met up with a bunch of his friends, too. Then I see it…a picture with him and two girls, the same two girls that were supposed to be my friends. They are both planting kisses on his cheeks. Then, there are pictures of what looks to be a party. There are more girls and more pictures of him with his arms around them all. He’s hugging a few and all of them seem to be kissing his face until the last picture…he is kissing a blonde on the lips. The tears start before I can stop them. I can’t believe he couldn’t even call me to tell me that we are over. I just spoke to him this morning; he knew I would see these pictures. I decide I’ll text him because I can’t speak to him. I’m crying and I know I’ll sound stupid if I call.

  Me – Nice pictures on Instagram

  Riley – What are you talking about?

  Me – Really don’t play stupid, Riley!!!

  Riley – What the hell are you talking about, Ansley?

  I decide to take a screen shot of my phone and send it to him. Maybe this will help his memory.

  Me – Did you forget that when you get a picture taken, people post them for everyone

  to see? And that includes your GIRLFRIEND!

  Riley – Oh, that was nothing, she came up to me and just kissed me.

  Me – Riley, I’m not stupid. I saw all the other pictures with you and different girls.

  Clearly, you had fun and didn’t invite me to come.

  Riley – Really, Ansley, did you think I was going to sit home, just because you do? Sorry,

  but the guys wanted to go out and I went.

  Me – Well, I hope you enjoyed yourself. Now you can go to all the parties you want,

  with whoever you want to go there with too, because we are done. Don’t call or text me again!

  Riley – Haha! You are breaking up with me over stupid pictures? You make me laugh,

  Ansley. Now you can go cry to your two buddies. Enjoy your summer.

  I choose not to respond. He’s being a jerk and clearly doesn’t care that we aren’t together, so why give him the satisfaction? I deserve better than that, right? I doubt myself all the time, lately. I guess because Cooper and Ryan have girls, coming and going, it’s hard to keep track of who’s who and who is with whom. Then, there’s me…I get shit on by guys, all the time. I think it has a lot to do with me not putting out. After just a few dates they all try, but seriously, I’m not giving it up to someone who doesn’t even know me as a person. I was raised with morals and that won’t change just because some guy tries to sweet talk me into bed. I respect myself to much to do that.

  I lie in bed until a text message comes from Cooper asking me where the hell I am. I shoot back a quick text telling them I’m on my way. As I jump up, I grab a light sweatshirt and go out to the living room where my mom’s on the couch watching TV.

  “I’m going over to Cooper’s. We are all going to sit around his fire pit for a while.” I don’t look directly at her because I know she’ll know I’ve been crying. I don’t feel like explaining yet another break up to my mom.

  “That’s fine, honey; make sure Ryan walks you home when you leave.”

  “Mom, we are next door to Cooper. I think I can get home okay.” I chuckle.

  “Do as I ask, please? Ryan has to walk by our house to get to his, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

  “Yes, Mom,” I say, and start to walk out the door, as I roll my eyes. She’s so protective and I love her for it. But sometimes, it’s a little much.

  I’m grateful for the night sky; it hides my red puffy eyes from the guys. As I walk over, I notice they both are freshly showered and in shorts and t-shirts. They have a cooler of drinks in between them, laughing and talking about the day already.

  “Story telling already, boys?”

  “Well, I see you missed us, didn’t you, Peanut?”

  “Shut it, Ryan,” I say, smiling at him.

  “Come get a drink and sit,” Cooper says, laughing.

  I go to the cooler to grab a Diet Coke but before I do, I hit them both in the back of the head.

  “I think I owed you one of those today.” I quickly get a soda and run to sit. I know they’ll be close on my heels to get me back and I’m right. Cooper has me up over his shoulder and heading right for his pool before I even know he’s coming.

  “Coop, you wouldn’t dare.”

  Yelling over his shoulder to Ryan, he says, “Hey, she said I wouldn’t dare…you would think she’d know me by now.” Just as he goes to lower me, I grab him around the waist because if I’m going in, he is too.

  “Ok, please, Coop,” I whine a bit. “Ryan, tell him not to.”

  “You going to behave, little Peanut?” Ryan can’t help but call me that, all the time. Where Coop does, as well, but beautiful or sweetheart are mixed in.

  “Fine, now put me down and not in the pool.”

  He starts laughing but just before he lets me go, he gives me a big hug. “We love you, beautiful, you know that?”

  “Well, at least someone does,” I say, while putting my face in his chest, not looking at him. The tears are going to start again if I think about it, and I don’t want to waste time talking about Riley. I just want to hear about the race I missed.

  He pulls away slightly and looks down at me. “What’s wrong? And don’t tell me nothing; it’s just us here. You can tell us anything.” Putting his arm around my shoulders, we walk back to the fire, where Ryan’s sitting, watching us.

  “What’s going on, Ans, you look upset?” Ryan picks up on my emotional state right away. I might as well as spill it, so we can get to the, “I told you he was an asshole” or “You should really listen to us when we tell you he’s not good enough for you,” over with.

  “Well, after my shower about an hour or so ago, I clicked on my Instagram account and that’s where I saw Riley in a bunch of pictures from a party last night. Girls were hugging him, kissing him on the cheek, and then one was with a girl kissing him on the lips with his arms around her. He said she kissed him. He pretty much laughed at me and told me to go cry to you guys.” Tears are coming, but I refuse to let them fall.

  “What an asshole. I knew he was. Ansley, you are way better than he is. I just hope I run into him soon, so I can give him a tap to his perfect nose.” See, I knew it was coming…all the words they always say. I love them for it, really. Cooper is so serious I know he’d do just that, but I don’t want them fighting for me.

  Before I can tell him no, Ryan chimes in, “Hell, let’s go find him now. I’d love to kick his sorry ass.”

  “Guys, I love you for wanting to do that, but that jerk isn’t worth it.”

  Before I have a chance to sit down, Cooper’s up and hugging me. He truly is my best friend. I don’t know what I’d do without him. Then Ryan jumps up, too. He’s a bit taller than Cooper, which makes me feel even shorter than I am. At five foot three, I come just under Coop’s chin on his six foot frame and to the middle of Ryan’s chest; he stands almost six foot two.

  Ryan throws his arms around us both. I stand in the middle of these two guys and I feel so lucky to have them in my life. They’re my family, just like my mother is. They mean everything to me.

  Cooper

  SITTING AROUND THE FIRE tonight and listening to how sad Ansley was, did things to my heart. It ached for her. I didn’t like seeing her hurt, at all. Both Ryan and I wanted to go kick some ass tonight but she asked us not to; still, I’m not making any promises that it won’t happen if I run into him.

  We are outside until just after midnight. Ryan leaves and Ansley stays around. We talk a bit longer. She asks what’s happening with my dad’s business. She’s always concerned that we’ll move to some mansion far away now that he’s making serious money.

  “I think it’s growing every day. At dinner he talks to mom about the larger companies that are signing on with him.”

  “That’s awesome.”

  “It only means he’ll
be home even less than he is now. But I’m used to it, so no biggie.”

  We are sitting across from each other. I can see the concern in her eyes, as the fire lights the area between us.

  “So, are you really upset about Riley or what?”

  “Yeah, I thought it was going to be the one relationship that worked out longer than a couple months. I swear I have stupid written on my forehead.”

  I get up and go to sit next to her. I grab her hand and want her to know she’s far from stupid, that the assholes she dates are just that…assholes. Just then, Someone Else Calling You Baby by Luke Bryan came through the speaker from my phone. I smile and grab her, making her dance with me. Here we are, after midnight, dancing around the fire. She has a tight little body to go with her small frame. And she knows how to move it too. As soon as the song finishes, she hugs me.

  “Coop, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  “Well, probably get in trouble.”

  “Oh, yes it would be me getting into trouble. Never you?” She laughs as she puts her forehead to my chest.

  “Yep, it’d be you no doubt, beautiful.”

  We stand there holding each other while having the conversation. I’m not sure why. It’s an awkward moment; she starts to pull away at the same time as I do. It is as if we both realize we are still holding on to each other.

  “I better get home.”

  “Let me walk ya.”

  “I think I can make it fifty feet.” She smiles in my direction as I bend over to pick up the soda cans.

  “No, I don’t think so, Ans, so come on.” I throw my arm around her shoulders and pull her into me.

  “Whatever…come on.”

  As we walk, I tell her I’m thinking about having a pool party next weekend. I want her to help me plan it. Maybe it will help her get over the latest asshole that broke her heart. Having people around will keep her mind off things. She’s pretty easy going, never letting it bother her when Ryan and I talk about other girls or bring them over to hang out. Probably because she knows they won’t be around long.