by C. Shell
“No, dipshit.” Dex glances at me before refreshing Nate’s memory. “Jelly Bean tried using a warm wax on around her bikini line and got the wax too hot. She burnt the hell out of herself and couldn’t swim for most of the summer.” He turns and graces Nate with a shit eating grin. “She swore off waxing ever again after that. She shaves now.”
Nate swears under his breath, and I risk peeking up at him. His face is contorted in guilt, and a small part of me dances in delight. He needs to feel bad. I get that they have pasts and other girls under their belts, but I don’t want to think about it or have it dropped in my lap from time-to-time.
“Addy,” he begins, his voice heavy with regret.
I hold up a hand, not wanting to hear whatever excuse or apology he’s about to lay on me. “It’s okay. I get it,” I say in lieu of kicking him in the balls. “This is new for all of us and mistakes are bound to happen. Let’s just try and look to the future and keep our past relationships behind us.”
Instead of answering me, Nate eats up the distance between us. I don’t have time to think or react before he is kissing me. Surprise keeps me immobile for a click before my lips part, and his tongue sweeps inside. The kiss starts out hard and demanding but soon turns soft and giving. His hands run up and down my sides, his fingertips skimming over my breasts with each swipe.
I am lost in the lust filled haze he’s created when I hear a throat clearing and not the deep kind that Jimmie or Dex would make. Jumping apart, I spin around to find my mother staring at us with her jaw practically on the ground.
“What is going on here?”
I avoid my mom’s gaze as I turn to the guys, looking for some help. How the hell am I supposed to explain why I was making out with Nate in our kitchen while Dex sat back and watched? Talk about embarrassing. I want to laugh it off but can’t find it in myself to do so.
One look at Nate and Dex and I can tell they aren’t going to be any help. Nate looks unhinged, and poor Dex can’t stop staring at his feet. A whole lot of good they are.
Shaking off the bliss coursing through my body I say the first thing that comes to mind. “We were playing truth or dare. Dex dared me to kiss Nate. I had no choice. You know how I hate to lose.”
I am fully aware of the skeptical look my mother shoots me. “That was some kiss. I think a simple peck would’ve worked all the same.”
My mind raced for an explanation. I shrugged, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. “If you’re going to do something, you might as well do it right.”
Dex is the first to lose his composure, doubling over in a fit of laughter with Nate following right behind him. My poor mother looks between us with a deep frown. She’s no dummy and knows something isn’t right. Dex wipes tears from his cheeks when she finally gives up and leaves us alone.
“Rules!” I grit between clenched teeth when I know she can no longer hear us. “We’ve got to have some goddamn rules, so shit like this doesn’t keep happening to me.”
Chapter Two
The sun slapping me in the face is not a wake-up call I would wish on anyone. Well, at least not anyone I like. I toss and turn, but no matter which way I move, the sun still finds me. It’s odd because this only happens when my curtains are open, and I know for certain I closed them before crawling into bed last night.
Cracking an eye open I peer around my room and, sure enough, my curtains are wide open, letting every bit of sunshine in. Confused, I sit up and glance around for the culprit, only to find that I’m alone, and nothing else around me is out of place. That’s weird.
I do a full body stretch, then climb out of bed and head to the bathroom to start my morning routine. Looking in the mirror, I grimace at the bags under my eyes. Nate, Dex, and I stayed up way too late last night catching up. They told me about camp and the different coaches that came and watched them play. Seeing their eyes light up as they spoke and the passion in their words was the highlight of my night.
Mom finally kicked them out a little after one o’clock and told them they couldn’t come back until they had a full night’s rest, showered, shaved, and spent some time with their families. She made the right call, but I was sad to see them go. Jimmie and Cammy finally joined us after too many hours locked away in his room. I still don’t know if Mom knew they were together or if she just simply ignored the fact.
I spend minimal time showering, brushing my teeth, throwing my hair up in a messy bun, and pulling on whatever I have that isn’t on the dirty floor before I trudge downstairs in search of nourishment.
Jimmie is sitting at the kitchen table wolfing down a bowl of cereal when I enter. “Surprised to see you up already.” I look him over from top to bottom with a frown. I’ve never seen my brother in a wet-suite before. I’m surprised he even knew how to get it on. “Why are you dressed like a penguin?”
“Dex and I are going to meet up with some friends down by the pier. They’re going to teach me how to surf.”
I shake my head and grab a bowl and the box of sugary cereal off the counter. I would prefer some eggs and toast, but I’m too lazy to make the effort to cook them. “I thought you already knew how to surf.”
“Not well,” he mumbles around a large bite of food. “I can get up but can’t ride a wave all the way in.”
My brows crinkle as I finish pouring milk over my food and take the spot next to Jimmie. “Okkkkaaaay. Since when do you care? I’ve never once heard you complaining that you aren’t good at surfing.”
“It’s a guy thing,” he says. “You wouldn’t understand.”
Maybe not, but the whole thing still sounds weird. Soccer has always been Jimmie’s past time of choice, not riding a wave or spending all his time at the beach like some of our other friends. “Where’s Mom?”
“She went to have breakfast with a co-worker. She’s pulling a double today at the hospital, so she won’t be back home 'till early in the morning.”
I pause to take a bite of my cereal as I contemplate my day. Work isn’t until around four o’clock, which leaves my schedule wide open for the next several hours. I’m not exactly giddy to spend the day home alone, and I refuse to be the guys' tag-along, which leaves me back at square one with nothing to do.
“What’s Cammy doing today?”
Jimmie grins. “I’m surprised she didn’t tell you.” His gloating hits its target and I frown in return. Since when does he get information before I do? “Then again, we all know how you can be when you don’t agree with something. I probably wouldn’t have told you either.”
My fingers curl around the spoon as if it were a weapon. If Jimmie continues to be a dick, it just might end up being used as one. “Spill it,” I demand. “What is my best friend up to?”
Jimmie laughs, not taking me seriously, but he caves nonetheless. “She’s getting a tattoo and her belly button pierced.”
I blink, completely surprised by this information. The piercing isn’t a surprise, but the tattoo is. “Are you sure? She’s never said anything about wanting a tattoo.”
“And why do you think that is?” The look he shoots me is nothing short of hostile. “She knows how you feel about them. Cammy is too loyal to upset you. She’s even planning on getting it in a spot that you won’t see just to keep you happy.”
I push my breakfast away, no longer having the stomach for it. “I don’t hate them,” I argue. “I just think it’s stupid to have characters and non-sense permanently inked on your body. There is nothing sexy about an eighty-year-old woman with Winnie the Pooh stretched across her wrinkled breast.”
“Even if that is what makes her happy? Who are you to decide what is right for someone else? A person only has one life; they should live it to its fullest.”
I open my mouth to argue my point further, but when nothing comes to mind, I snap it shut. I hate it when Jimmie’s right. Thank God, it doesn’t happen often. I don’t like Cammy keeping secrets from me either. The fact that I caused her to do it hurts even more.
“I’m a horrible fr
iend,” I muse out loud. The truth leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
“You’re not bad, sis,” Jimmie chimes in. He’s smirking, enjoying the shame I’m feeling way too much. I want to hit him but refrain. “You’re just set in your ways. Dad is the same way.”
I can’t think over the roaring in my ears. “Screw you,” I yell. Words aren’t enough, so I back up my anger by rearing back and slap him with all my might. How dare he compare me to our father! That’s like saying that a puppy and a lion are the same. I am nothing like David.
“What the fuck, Addy?” he hisses in shock as he palms his reddened cheek.
I want to feel bad. I probably should, but I don’t. “How dare you compare me to him?” I'm unable to hide the hurt in my voice. “You went too far, Jimmie.”
“Maybe,” Jimmie grunts, still rubbing at his blooming bruise. He shoots me a sheepish look. “You hit like a fucking girl.”
“No shit, Sherlock,” I counter. We stare at each other, both taking stock of what just happened before a bubble of laughter bursts from me. Jimmie is quick to join in and before long we are bent over howling with laughter over our childish behavior. I don’t remember hearing the door open, but as I’m wiping the tears from my eyes, I notice our audience.
“Hi, guys.” I give a little wave when Nate and Dex both just stare back at me with perplexed expressions. I glance over at Jimmie who is now rummaging through the freezer, searching for what I assume to be a bag of veggies or a slab of meat to place on his slightly swollen cheek.
“What the hell happened?” Nate’s voice isn’t loud, but it carries a weight that stuns everyone in the room. Jimmie and I bicker like most kids do, but very seldom does it ever lead to anything serious. I can think of only one other time in my life that I’ve hit him and that was after he destroyed all my dolls because he said they were evil.
I glance over at my brother and then back to Nate, not sure which one of us he’s speaking to. Nate’s hard gaze never leaves my face, which is a good indication that the question was intended for me. Oh, joy. I lick my suddenly parched lips as I pick through my words carefully. “Jimmie was being a brotherly asshole and said some things that irritated me. I handled it.”
Nate and Dex’s eyes widen to the size of saucers. “You hit him?”
Always the helpful one, Jimmie points out, “She doesn’t hit like a boy. She slapped me across the face like a girl.”
I shuffle uncomfortably in my seat. “I am a girl,” I point out. Sitting higher in my chair, I push my chest out in case they need further confirmation. Nothing like a set of tits to make a valid point.
“Put those damn things away,” Jimmie groans, throwing a hand over his eyes. “Seeing that shit will make me go blind.”
“I like them,” Dex laughs, waggling his eyes my way. His playfulness warms my blood. “In fact, I think we should go somewhere more private, so I can get a better look.”
I snort. His brazen attempt to get me alone is commendable. And tempting. Too bad I have other things on my mind. Things like finding Cam and letting her know that I support her decision to alter her body, even when the thought of needles and permanent inking bothers me. It’s time that I man-up and face my fears.
“Another time.” As much as I want to cave and sneak off for some alone time with Dex and Nate, I can’t let their easy smiles deter me. “I’ve got someplace to be and, from what Jimmie was telling me, you’ve got some teaching to do.”
Nate exhales a long breath. “We’re going to try. Jimmie’s never taken suggestions from us before, so this should be interesting.”
Jimmie grunted in response, not agreeing nor denying the charge. I'm not going to throw my brother under the bus, but I secretly agree with Nate. If I wasn’t already on a mission to prove to Cam that I am the greatest friend she ever had, I would be following the guys to the beach to watch the so-called lesson. I give it two hours tops before Jimmie gets frustrated and throws in the towel. Pun intended.
“Good luck, boys,” I call out over my shoulder as I turn and head for the stairs.
I’m a girl on a mission. I’ve got a friend to win-over and a tattoo parlor to visit.
Chapter Three
Work sucks.
We aren’t busy today, which normally would be a blessing, except that our lack of customers has Lindsey thinking that it’s okay to have Nicholas come for a visit. If the guys catch wind of him being here all hell will break loose.
And to top it off, I went and did something stupid. Well, at least more stupid than normal. I glance down at my new belly button ring with a frown. I fully blame Cammy for this.
Not in a million years did I ever think I would purposely pierce anything other than my ears, and then my best friend had to go and do something reckless. Next thing I know, I’ve jumped on the bandwagon and am sitting in a tattoo parlor gripping Cam’s hand with all my might while a guy with a blue mohawk pushes a hollow needle through the top of my navel.
I had planned to go and support her and maybe get a second piercing in my ears, which for me is a big deal. I really hate needles and the one they used on my navel was huge. It’s amazing I didn’t pass out. I was determined to show her that not only did I support her decisions, but I could step outside my comfort zone and do something crazy too. Cam was a rockstar and helped me stay calm. Of course, this was after she got hers done and a small seahorse tattooed on her ankle.
“You should smile more.”
I lean back in my chair and wave a hand between Nicholas and me. “You and I don’t chat. We are not friends, so, therefore, we do not need to talk to each other.”
“We could be friends.” The gleam in his eye unnerves me. I nervously glance to the storage room, wondering what the hell is taking Lindsey so long. Cups aren’t that hard to find. The only thing keeping me from running from this room screaming is the fact that Seth is down the hall. One good scream and I know he would come running.
I roll my shoulders and stare back at him with contempt. I refuse to let Nicholas get the best of me. My nightmares of that night have decreased to only once or twice a month, but that doesn’t mean I can sit here across from him as if nothing ever happened. He tried to force himself on me. He drugged me and used me as if I were a nothing but a plaything.
I grit my teeth. “It sickens me that they let you walk around freely as if you did nothing wrong. You’re a fucking monster,” I hiss. “You deserve to be castrated and left for dead.”
Nicholas grins back at me. “Your feistiness makes my dick hard.” I flinch at his words, but it’s nothing compared to the bile I taste in the back of my throat when he reaches down and palms the bulge tenting his jeans.
I lean forward and deadpan. “You and your stepsister can fuck off.”
I would say more, but thankfully Lindsey chooses this moment to join us. With her arms full of cups and paper plates, she teeters in and begins to restock the shelves. Oblivious to the tension in the room, she talks to Nicholas about crazy summer parties and our upcoming senior year.
I really am starting to hate this place. I’ve got to find another job.
Tuning them both out, I play a game on my phone. With only one hour left in my shift, I want the time to fly so I can get the hell out of here. Mom’s working late tonight, which means it's my turn to cook dinner.
My cooking skills are limited to about five dishes. I’m tired of spaghetti, and I don’t think I have the ingredients for burgers, which leaves me with alfredo, chicken wings, and hot dogs to choose from. None of that sounds good. When in doubt, order pizza.
Time seems to move the slowest now that I am in a hurry for it to end. Five minutes feels like thirty. I’m tired, my belly is sore, and I’m starting to get hangry.
“You got any plans tonight, Cinderella?”
I tense hearing the nickname Nicholas insists on calling me. I hate it, which of course, is the whole point he uses it. “My life is none of your business,” I answer with a sneer.
My emotions are locked dow
n. Nicholas scares the crap out of me, but I hold my mask in place, refusing to let him see that. He’s nothing but a ball of stinky shit covered in a pretty package. I don’t know how long we stare at each other, neither refusing to give an inch. With a huff, I finally turn away and go about my business, not wanting to give Nicholas more of my time than is necessary.
The drive home is quick and after dragging myself into the house, I waste no time ordering three large pizzas and a liter of soda. I’m exhausted, both physically and mentally. I glance back down to my belly button ring and study the redness encircling it. I really hope this damn thing doesn’t get infected. That would be my luck.
“What’s that?”
Nate’s voice draws my attention to the living room where everyone is seated watching a movie. Leaning over the back of the couch, his gaze is zeroed in on new jewelry. I laugh at his stupefied expression. “You like it?”
Nate’s eyes darken as they narrow in on the little gem. “That is hot. When did you get it done?”
A tingle spreads down my spine. “This morning. Cam also got one along with a small tattoo.”
“Did you get anything else?” This comes from Dex, who has joined Nate on the couch. They both look me over as if I’m a steak that’s been thrown into a lion’s den. Flutters begin in the pit of my stomach and spread outward.
I should’ve known they would be happy over this. If it weren’t for soccer and Coach’s strict rules, I think they would both be sporting full sleeves of ink. I might not be very adventurous, but I would never deny them the chance to do what makes them happy. I think tattoos on men are sexy as long as they aren’t cartoonish and they have a message or personal meaning. That I can get behind.
“Maybe, you should come and check for yourself,” I tease.
“That is music to my ears.” Nate tries to climb over the back of the couch to get to me, but Dex pulls him back by his belt loops.