by Kai Juniper
"I've had girls, not girlfriends. There's no way I'm having a girlfriend after the shit Braden's been through."
"You mean with Andrea?"
"Andrea. Kristen. Alyssa."
"Braden dated Alyssa?"
"He was going to, until she started accusing him of shit. I swear all those bitches want to do is bring him down. They go after the most popular guy in school then try to be the girl who'll destroy him, like it's a fucking challenge and there's a prize for the winner."
"I don't think that's their intention. Braden is still the most popular guy in school."
"Only because he got rid of them."
I look at Trystan. "He got rid of Andrea?"
"Not like that." He glances at me. "What the hell? You think he killed her?"
"No, it's the just way you said it...never mind."
"If you think he did it, you need to get the hell out. We don't need a fucking traitor living at the house."
"I never said he was guilty. Have you heard anything new about the case?"
"Yeah, but I'm not telling you. And I'm telling Braden not to tell you either. You're probably just like those girls, wanting to take Braden down just to prove you could do it." He shakes his head. "I could totally see you doing that."
"Why? I didn't do anything. Where is this coming from?"
We're at school now and he parks the car and shuts it off. He takes off his seatbelt and turns to me.
"Someone messed with the video," he says.
"What video?"
"Don't do that shit where you pretend not to know what I'm talking about. I know you did it, or found someone who would."
"Trystan, I really don't know what you're talking about. You mean the video of the football field? The guys were talking about that at lunch yesterday but that happened before I moved here."
"The video at the house. The cameras along the back. The video was tampered with." His eyes lock on mine. "Who would want to mess with the video?"
"I don't know," I say, staring back. "Who would sit for hours and watch them? Only someone who doesn't have a life."
"Or someone who doesn't trust the girl who just showed up one day claiming to be a relative."
"This again? I'm leaving." I get out of the car, slamming the door shut and walking fast toward the school. When I look back, Trystan's standing by his car and talking on the phone. Is he talking to Braden? Did Braden hire him to spy on me?
I need to be more careful. I thought Trystan was starting to trust me, but if anything he trusts me less now than when I moved here.
The morning goes by slowly. I keep checking my phone for a text from Jackson but he still hasn't sent me anything. He's mad at me, which isn't fair. I'm his girlfriend and he shouldn't be keeping secrets from me. I'm the one who should be mad, and I am. But I also miss him. We usually talk before school and text throughout the morning. I miss that.
At lunch, Braden isn't there and none of the guys ask why, which I find odd.
"Where's Braden?" I ask.
"Physical therapy," Kade says. "They brought someone in to work on us. I saw the guy this morning. He's really fucking good. I can finally rotate my wrist."
"They hired someone?" I ask. "For the team?"
"Just for the season," Dante says. "Coach didn't like us having to wait for an appointment so he got Principal Edwards to hire a physical therapist for the team."
"That must be expensive."
"It is." Dante smiles at Wyatt. "Tell your dad thanks."
I turn to Wyatt. "Your dad's paying for this?"
"Not directly. He just made a donation."
Another advantage over the Legion team. Legion parents couldn't afford to hire their own physical therapist. Jackson could, but the rest of the team couldn't.
Jackson. I can't stop thinking about him. I can't even concentrate today. Everything reminds me of him.
After school I wait for Trystan but he doesn't show up. Then I notice his car pulling out of the parking lot. I run to catch up with it before he drives away.
"Trystan, stop!" I yell.
He stops the car and I get in.
"You were just going to leave without me?"
"You weren't here."
"I was waiting outside the school for you. Like I always do."
"And I was waiting in the car."
"Why didn't you text me and tell me that?"
He answers by turning his music up.
When we get home, I hurry to get out of the car, wanting to get away from him. He's so moody. One minute he's nice and the next he's a total ass.
He races in front of me into the house, not even leaving the door open for me. As I walk in, Brock comes up to me.
"The driver's ed school you contacted just called," he says. "They said they could fit you in for a lesson today if you're able to make it."
"How am I supposed to get there?"
"Trystan could take you."
"He won't. He's in one of his moods. He almost left school without me."
"Trystan!" Brock yells as we catch a glimpse of Trystan on his way to the kitchen.
"I'm not taking her!" he yells. "Chad's on his way over."
Brock sighs. "I'd take you myself but I'm waiting for a very important call."
"I can take her." Shayla walks toward us, holding a pile of clothes. "I'm just getting the dry cleaning and then I'm heading out. I can give her a ride."
"That'd be great!" I say, thinking it'll give me a few minutes to talk to Shayla. I really wish we could hang out more. I like her.
Brock's rubbing his hand over his jaw, like he's contemplating whether he should allow this. Like just being seen with her could ruin my reputation.
He reaches in his back pocket and pulls out his wallet. "Could you pick her up as well?" he asks, handing Shayla two twenty dollar bills.
"Oh, you don't have to pay me. I go right by the place on my way to the dry cleaner."
"Take the money. This is a job," he says, making it clear this isn't a social outing. She's just the help, paid to take me somewhere. "Can you pick her up when she's done?"
"Yes, Mr. Halliway." She stuffs the money in her pocket and turns to me. "Ready to go?"
"I just need to drop my backpack in my room. I'll be right back."
When I'm in my room I consider changing clothes but don't, knowing Shayla is waiting for me. I hurry back to the front door. Brock is gone but Shayla is there, a huge smile on her face.
"What's with you?" I say, smiling back.
"Nothing. Let's go."
I follow her out to her car.
"Ready for your lesson?" she asks as she pulls out of the driveway.
"Not really. I didn't think they'd get back to me this soon. They said I had to fill out some paperback before my first lesson. And Brock was supposed to sign something." I pause. "I didn't even give him the form yet. I'm not supposed to do this until all the paperwork is in."
"Maybe they thought they already had it. I wouldn't worry about it." She's still smiling.
"What's going on with you? Why are you smiling so much?"
"I always smile."
"Not like that. Are you dating someone?"
"Actually I am. A guy at school. He's on the basketball team. We're going out this weekend."
"And you're already smiling like that?"
She laughs. "How about you? Still seeing Jackson?"
"I'm not sure."
"What do you mean?"
I sigh. "We kind of had a fight."
"So that's why you look so sad."
"I don't look sad."
"You look like someone just took your puppy."
"I've never had a puppy."
"I haven't either but I'm sure people who do look as sad as you if someone takes it. So what happened?"
"We were talking last night and got into an argument. I got mad and hung up on him."
"Did he call back?"
"No. I haven't heard from him. I'm getting worried. I don't want to lose him over this but I also don
't want him keeping secrets from me."
"What secrets?"
"I don't want to get into it." I look out the side window. "I really miss him, Shayla, more than I ever missed Axl. Even when I moved here, I didn't miss Axl as much as I miss Jackson, and it hasn't even been a whole day yet."
"Do you love him?" she asks.
"I don't want to answer that. Admitting it to myself will just make me feel worse."
"Why?"
"Because that fight we had is probably the end, which is sad because we're really good together. I know it doesn't seem like we would be, but we are. We understand each other. We have fun together. I feel better when I'm around him. I was so depressed when I got here, and I still am when I'm alone in that house, but Jackson makes it all better. I don't know what I'm going to do without him."
"Maybe you won't have to find out."
"He's not going to call me. He hasn't even texted me all day. That's enough to tell me it's over."
"It's been less than a day. Give him some more time. He's got a lot going on." She slows down and turns.
"Do you know where you're going?" I ask.
"Yeah. We're almost there."
"I didn't even tell you the name of the place. How do you know where to go?"
"I just assumed it was this one."
"What one?"
"The one everyone goes to."
"This is definitely the wrong way. This road takes us to the beach. The driver's ed place is on the other side of town."
"Is it?" She laughs.
"Shayla, what's going on?"
"Just hold on. We're almost there."
"Almost where? Where are you taking me?"
She pulls into the parking lot for the public beach. She shuts the car off and turns to me.
"So I just have to say that I wasn't sure about this when he asked."
"Who? What are you talking about?"
"You know how I feel about him but I know you really like him and from the speech he gave me and all the work he did to pull this off, he obviously really likes you too, so I agreed to do it."
"Do what?"
"Just head down there." She points to the left. "When you pass the last lifeguard stand, you'll see a blue tent. That's where you need to go."
I stare at her. "Okay, seriously, what's going on?"
"I'm not supposed to say. You know, I'm starting to think this isn't a good idea. What if he's just luring you here to—" She stops herself. "But he knows I know. And he knows I'd tell the cops."
"Shayla, what the hell are you talking about?"
"Nothing. I'm being paranoid. Just go. Text me when you're ready to leave."
"You're telling me to get out of the car, walk down the beach, and go in a blue tent?"
She nods.
"This isn't some joke you're playing on me with Trystan and Braden, is it?"
"No! I hate those two." She covers her mouth with her hand. "Sorry! Don't tell them I said that."
"I won't. I hate them too."
"Go." She shoos me away. "He doesn't have much time."
"He? So I'm meeting someone here? A guy?"
"Rumor, seriously. Just go."
"Tell me who it is. I'm not going to go meet some guy I don't know."
"You know him. And like him."
"The only guy I like is Jackson and he's at practice right now."
She smiles. "Is he?"
Chapter Nineteen
I grab her arm, my heart pounding. "Are you saying he's here? He's the one I'm meeting?"
"It was supposed to be a surprise but you ruined it. You're really hard to surprise. You ask too many—"
I don't hear what she says. I'm already out the door, racing down the beach.
"Don't forget to text me when you're done!" I hear her yell.
Jackson is here. Waiting for me. From all Shayla's clues, I thought it might be him but then assumed it wasn't because there's no way he'd miss football practice. It's mandatory, and he's their best player. They need him to be there. So how did he get out of it?
Running down the beach, sand kicks up on my legs and gets stuck in my shoes. I'm still wearing my uniform and the ugly shoes that go with it. If I'd known I was meeting Jackson here I would've worn something nicer. Something sexier. I assume this means we're not breaking up.
But what if it does? What if he set all this up to tell me it's over?
The small blue tent is just up ahead. I stop before I get there, afraid to keep going. I don't want him to break up with me. My heart isn't ready for that. Neither is my head. I've fallen so hard for Jackson that I can't imagine my life without him. He's the person I go to when I need someone to talk to. I don't want to lose him.
A text pops up on my phone from Shayla. What are you waiting for?
I turn back and see her standing in the parking lot, waving me on.
Taking a deep breath, I continue to the tent. If Jackson's ending this, I might as well get it over with.
I lean down and unzip the tent. When I peek inside I see Jackson there. My handsome, muscular, football player boyfriend. The kind of guy I never imagined myself dating and yet now I can't imagine dating anyone else.
"Hey." He smiles and my heart takes off.
God, I've missed him. It hasn't even been a day but I missed him like crazy. He's all I could think about.
I thought I'd never see him again. I thought we were over. I still think it's possible, although I'm not sure why'd he be smiling if that were the case.
"Come here," he says, holding out his hand.
I take his hand and go in the tent, sitting across from him. That's when I notice the bouquet of flowers sitting in a short glass vase. Little pink roses with a white ribbon tied around the vase. Next to the flowers is a box of miniature cupcakes with pink and white frosting. Last week I told him how much I loved cupcakes and how much I missed the bakery in New York that my mom and I always went to for our cupcake fix.
"What's all this?" I ask, smiling at him.
His face turns serious. "An apology."
"For what?"
He takes both my hands. "Not being truthful with you. I realized after we talked that by not telling you about Kristen I was being loyal to her and not you. I know I hurt you by doing that and I'm sorry."
"Thanks." I half smile but feel like I'm about to cry. I'm not even sure why. I'm just so happy to see him, and happy he's finally admitting this thing with Kristen is coming between us. "Are you going to stop seeing her?"
He shakes his head. "Not yet, but soon."
"Are you going to at least tell me what's going on?"
"I will, but I can't get into details. I promised her I wouldn't say anything, and I have to honor that promise, but that doesn't mean I can't at least try to explain what's going on. I can at least tell you in general terms without getting into specifics."
"Yeah? So what is it? What's going on?"
"Before we get into that, I need to do something."
"What?"
He pulls me toward him and softly presses his lips to mine.
"I've missed you," he whispers over my mouth. "And this." He kisses me and pulls me onto his lap. I breathe in his cologne as I run my hand over his soft white t-shirt, feeling the hard muscle underneath.
"Did I ever tell how much I love school uniforms?" he says in his deep sexy voice as his hand slides up my leg.
"I don't think you did," I say, my head dropping to the side as he kisses my neck.
"The skirts are my favorite." He plays with the hem a little.
"And why is that?" I say in a teasing tone.
"I like what's under them." He flips me on my back and my breath catches. He reaches under my skirt, slides off my panties, and does those amazing things with his fingers and tongue that have me feeling like I'm about to explode with pleasure. When it happens, I'm left gasping for breath, reaching for his belt, wanting to make him feel as good as I do.
"I got it," he says, smiling as I struggle with his belt. He takes
it off, then reaches in his pocket and takes something out. A condom. "I remembered this time."
"What if I didn't want to do it?" I say as I strip off my shirt.
"Then I'd have it for next time."
His clothes are now off, leaving me with the sight of his incredible body. He has muscles in places I didn't even know had muscles. Everywhere I look is an indent or a line, framing each muscle, drawing my eye to it.
"What are you looking at?" he asks as his body lowers over mine.
"You." I kiss him. "Your body is amazing."
"Lots of hours in the gym."
"It's worth it." I smile. "Turns me on."
He thrusts inside me. "Everything about you turns me on."
He kisses me, his hips rising and falling, pushing himself deeper each time. The slow undulating movement is so addicting. I've missed it, wanted it, don't want it to end.
"I'm close," he says, his breathing getting heavier. "You feel so damn perfect I can't slow down."
"I'm almost there," I say between breaths, my hips rising off the ground.
Jackson thrusts harder. Faster. But with that same steady rhythm.
I suck in a breath, the feeling racing through me before I was even ready. I was trying to hold out, make it last, but I couldn't.
Jackson couldn't either, coming just moments after me. He slowly pulls out, collapsing on the ground next to me.
"Mommy, wait!" I hear a kid yell.
"Shit!" I hurry to put on my clothes. "There's kids out there!"
"They'll turn around," Jackson says, putting his shirt on. "We're at the end of the beach. Nobody comes out here."
"You sure it's okay to have a tent here?" I ask as he finishes getting dressed.
"It's not. It's against the rules, but I was willing to risk it. I know the lifeguards on duty. Told them I was doing this and would have it gone in an hour."
"You told them you were having sex with your girlfriend? They know what we did in here?"
He smiles. "I didn't mention sex. I said I planned a picnic for you and wanted privacy."
"Is this the picnic?" I ask, holding up the cupcakes.
"It's all I had time to get. I remember you saying how much you loved cupcakes."
"Can I have one?"
"Help yourself." He reaches behind him for a sack and hands it to me. "I brought you some soda. It should still be cold."