You're What I Want (Y.A Series Book 4)

by Sarah Tork

  Annabelle scoffed as she slid on her backpack. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  “Ah, doubt me if you will, but don’t be surprised. I keep my promises.” My smile spoke otherwise and she knew it judging by the curl in her lip.

  We placed our differences to the side, it was all a joke anyway, and I humbly allowed my best buddy to hold my bag strap while I led the way down the bleacher steps. Unfortunately the chill smiles were wiped off both our faces as we were forced to cross paths with a certain duo with an obvious vendetta against the both of us.

  It’s an easy guess. Think slutty slut and her partner in crime.

  Slut shaming again, Jenna. Tsk, tsk.

  “Ugh, you two again,” Donna Tallins hissed like the snake she was.

  The former head “hot” girl turned to her best friend Stacey—who was about to have her title of just Stacey revoked because Stacey Two thought it was only right that since she was best friends with the now head “hot” girl that she be given the title of… just Stacey. Not that changing names would change anything for me, they were both just Stacey/the mumblings of an idiot to me.

  “Like, ew. Is it, like, you know, like, trash day… or what?” Stacey pursed her pink glittery glossed lips at us. The sun reflected off her shimmer, making my eye twitch. I faced Annabelle, who was in this weird stare-off with Donna.

  “Stacey, always a pleasure. Glad to see your grammar… like… totally improving and stuff.” I gave her my signature attitude head sway and tugged Annabelle to move with me, but she stayed put. “Come on,” I murmured. “We need to stop wasting time here.”

  Donna’s nose scrunched as she glanced from Annabelle to me. Her lips trembled, giving me Elvis vibes but bitchier. “Yeah, you do that,” she said with attitude, swaying her head like a bobble head gone berserk.

  That lip curl though…. I raised an eyebrow because… girlllll, no you didn’t… that kind of behavior was unacceptable, and I was gonna get mine if it was the last thing I did.

  Trust in that.

  Insert mode… signature head tilt/resting bitch face with a hint of a smirk. “It’s just, you know, you stink of desperation and I’m scared if I hang around too long, I’ll catch what you’ve got. Must suck for you, Donna. It’s been a recurring theme with you lately, what a pity.”

  “What?” Stacey cringed, looking at her superior for orders, but Donna’s evil blue eyes were too busy narrowing at me to notice anyone else’s. Add her harsh breathing, and it was a total job well done.

  It’s a gift, really.

  “Oh, will you look at that, you guys have company.” I looked past them, up the bleachers. Latisha and the “hot” girl crew were coming down the stairs. “Enjoy your afternoon, ladies,” I murmured melodically, letting my back fight the rest of Donna’s satanic glare off.

  “Demon be gone!” I hissed, with Annabelle snorting laughter behind me.

  “Come back here and say that to my face, you loser!” Donna screamed.

  “Too late, biotch!” I yelled back, grabbing Annabelle and making a run for it while we laughed at the top of our lungs.

  Leaving “hot” girls and former “hot” girls to do what they need to, Annabelle and I headed back inside the school where the entire baseball team had already gone a few minutes before. Annabelle and I waited by the boys’ change room, sitting on the floor by a row of lockers. It’d been twenty minutes with no one exiting the room and only the janitor walking by us.

  “Ugh, I hate being in school this late. Damn, those boys take longer to wash up than the swim team does,” I remarked, leaning against someone else’s locker. “All I need is fifteen minutes, and I’m out of there.”

  “Maybe their coach wanted a word with the team before they showered and changed?” Annabelle proposed.

  I contemplated that. “Maybe.”

  “Hey, where’s Dana? Thought she would have been here too?”

  I shrugged. “The heck if I know. But, be it good or bad—” I sighed. “—I ain’t dealing with it.”

  Annabelle chuckled. “Closed for business.”

  “Ain’t that the truth.” I smirked, shaking my head. “Speaking of missing people, where’s Becky? I totally saw her… kind of… with Peter in his car this morning.”

  “I have no idea either,” Annabelle answered.

  “Look at us.” I chuckled, banging the back of my head against a locker. “We know nothing about nothing anymore. Useless we are, my friend.”

  “Hear, hear.” Annabelle grinned and the boys’ change room popped open with half the team rushing out. Trailing behind the crowd were two freshly showered boyfriends, searching the wrong end of the hallway.

  I locked eyes with Tom once he turned and found me on the floor. My insides did spirals as we exchanged grins.

  “Thought that was you, silly.” He smiled toothily, almost appreciatively… if that were possible. He helped me up. His hands were warm and slightly damp. The feeling was… out of this world.

  God… I’m so affected, it’s not even funny. It’s tragic… beyond comprehension.

  I had no idea what Annabelle was up to, but I presumed she was locking lips or deep in hug mode with James.

  “Thanks for coming,” Tom said, squeezing my hand. He adjusted the strap of his backpack and pulled his sports bag strap over his shoulder. “A guy could get used to this.”

  “Well, let’s see what happens. This girl’s got practice too, you know.” I tugged his hand. “Forget something, stud?”

  He tugged my hand back and pulled me in to him. “I didn’t forget. I’m holding myself back from kissing you till we get to my car.”

  His blue eyes twinkled.

  It was all too much.

  My breathing hitched.

  Everything went slow-mo.

  My boyfriend looked like a dream from stud heaven.

  Embarrassed, I quickly cleared my throat and smiled timidly. “Just give my cheek a kiss, Tommy boy.”

  “Come here, silly,” he ordered, his tone warm, sensual… quiet.

  I get my kiss.

  *~*~*

  *JENNA*

  “Here, try this.” I scooped a combo of raspberry cheesecake and chocolate brownie fudge frozen yogurt onto my spoon. My boyfriend opened his mouth and I fed him as he smiled at me incredulously.

  “Thank you,” he whispered as I pulled the spoon from his mouth.

  Using the same spoon, I scooped another combo, this time blueberry pie and cinnamon churro, and brought it to a halt in front of my mouth. I glanced over the steering wheel where Tom’s empty frozen yogurt bowl was.

  I smiled.

  My man liked his food, and no matter the size, it went down in a flash. We got our bowls five minutes ago and Tom’s had been empty for at least a minute. It seemed baseball practice left him extra hungry… for a lot of things.

  LOL, really Jenna? Girl, you’re a lost cause.

  I leaned over the gearshift and pressed my shoulder into his while he looked at me with amusement. “Now try this,” I ordered, bringing the spoon to his mouth.

  His mouth didn’t open like last time; instead he seemed hesitant to let me feed him. “That’s yours, you don’t have to give it to me,” he said, looking at me in a way that seemed both happy and sad.

  Melancholy?

  Maybe.

  I gave him a look that screamed, “I’m waiting,” and he obliged by opening his mouth and slowly licking my spoon clean.

  Oh.

  My.

  God.

  What was I doing?

  Earth to Jenna, this kind of stuff wasn’t supposed to happen this fast.

  Or was it?

  All I knew was… whatever this was, it felt right.

  Jesus, I’m turning into Annabelle.

  I moved closer to his face. “Let go, baby,” I whispered, pulling the spoon from his resistant mouth.

  Wait… did I just call him… ugh, what?

  Mayday!

  Embarrassment overload!

  Please! Somebod
y! Anybody! Give me a rock to hide under!

  I needed to save face, but before I could take it back, Tom went into action. He took the bowl from my grip and placed it next to his on the dashboard. He reached for me easily and like I weighed nothing, pulled me over to sit on him sideways, with my legs hanging over the gearshift and my back against his door. Lost in the suddenness of the moment, where my brown eyes met his blue ones, I caressed his face softly, smoothing hair away from his forehead.

  “What did you call me?” he asked slowly, leaning his cheek into my hand.

  “Just forget it,” I whispered.

  He shook his head delicately. “No, tell me what you called me.”

  “Jesus, Tom.” I sighed, a bit frustrated that he wasn’t letting it go. “Didn’t take you for the romantic type.”

  Gifting me with a toothy smile, Tom leaned back, shrugging. “Maybe I am, but just don’t tell my boys that.”

  I shrugged too. “You always seemed like… just one of the guys. Typical jock with a big mouth and a lack of courtesy for others.”

  He narrowed his eyes, amused. “Um, Jenna? That’s not a compliment.”

  Oh, crap.

  Embarrassed again, I looked anywhere but his face. “Will you look at this car, it’s so big! And you’re a really tall guy, it’s amazing you fit and everything. This is good value for your money, I’m telling you, bro.”

  “Jenna?”

  I cleared my throat. “And um, hey, if you ever need like windshield wiper fluid, I got you. My dad owns a garage.”

  “Jenna?”

  “Yeah,” I answered.

  “Silly?”

  “Yeah,” I whispered.

  “Look at me, please.”

  “Okay.” I sighed, looking back at him. His blue eyes were crinkled, eyeing me like I was this charming joker he could never have enough of.

  His smile was like a warm hug. “I want to know something.”

  “Like what?”

  “If you feel nervous, what calms you down?” he asked.

  I thought about it for a second. “Well, there are a few things that can calm me down. Swimming, of course. On most days, my best buddy Annabelle can do it too. Spicy mustard sauce and chicken nuggets from Brucey’s, which is a given.”

  “Of course.” Tom chuckled, shaking his head, probably remembering our first unofficial date.

  I sighed. “And my bedroom ceiling, as well.”

  “What’s there?”

  “A while ago, my parents let me paint it. It’s a dark sky with glow-in-the-dark stars,” I replied, smiling as I remembered what it felt like to lie on my bed and stare up, getting lost in the tranquility of each individual star. “It’s the last thing I see before I fall asleep and the first thing I see when I wake up.”

  “Must be nice,” he murmured, his fingers running along my back, sending a shiver down my spine I hoped he didn’t feel.

  “It is.” I gulped, trying to keep my breathing from sounding too harsh. “That feels nice.”

  “I’m sure it does.” He smirked, massaging his fingertips deeper along my back. It felt so good my head tilted, giving him a nice view of my neck.

  “Tom?” I whispered softly, my tone bordering on sensual. As I closed my eyes, the feeling was out of this world, like warmth was charging through every inch of me. This was euphoria.

  “Hmmm?” he mumbled.

  “I need to tell you something.” I breathed harshly, in and out.

  “Yeah, silly?” he breathed. I felt him shift in his seat, leaning forward and pressing his lips softly to my chin. “What is it?”

  My eyes opened. I tilted my head back down, but Tom stayed still as my lips met his. They brushed together softly, barely a kiss. I couldn’t help but smile and neither could he. “I need you…”

  He panted slowly.

  “To…”

  He narrowed his eyes, staring at me in that hot “baby I want you” kind of way.

  And when it came to looking at him, I guess you could say whatever he was giving, I was giving back….

  “Let…”

  “Me…”

  “Go.” I pecked him on the lips and leaned away.

  Clearly surprised, Tom’s ocean-blue eyes widened in both amusement and disappointment. He leaned back a few inches. “Huh?”

  Huh indeed!

  I grinned toothily. “Bro, I need you to let me go, right now!” I burst out laughing as Tom loosened his warm, strong grip around my waist. This position could have been mine for hours, but sadly a few other matters took precedence. I crawled back over the gearshift into my seat, and then leaned over and pecked him quickly on the lips again before reaching for my frozen yogurt.

  “My frozen yogurt was melting!” I laughed, taking a spoonful of my borderline frozen yogurt. “Player, please! You’re cute and all, but I ain’t about that life.”

  He gaped at me.

  “What?” I smirked, shaking the bowl to him. “Bro, this demands respect. I don’t joke around when it comes to frozen yogurt.”

  While he laughed at me in that “you’re crazy” kind of way, my phone vibrated, chiming with an incoming text. “Excuse me for a sec.”

  Ugh… pat on the back, Sabini! You’re soooo polite.

  People should learn from me.

  “No problem,” Tom said as I pulled my phone from my pocket.

  Annabelle: So, tonight?

  Jenna: Yes, what’s the plan?

  Annabelle: I’m sleeping over at your house… according to my parents.

  Jenna: God, Annabelle. Girlllll please! You know you’re up to no good.

  Annabelle: It’s not what you think. It’s not like that.

  Jenna: Pulease, totally true. So stop acting like you’re going to get any sleep tonight. Totally going to be a zombie tomorrow.

  Annabelle: Jenna!

  Jenna: Maybe a limp?

  Annabelle: JENNA!

  Jenna: All right, all right. Enjoy your night. See you, when I’ll see you.

  Annabelle: Thank you. Oh, and I hope you have a fun date with Tom. Don’t make out too much with your Studmuffin.

  Jenna: Yeah…just no…just no.

  Annabelle: LOL byeeee XOXOXO

  Jenna: Errr, bye.

  “Everything, okay?”

  I placed my phone down. “Yeah, just Anna, talkin’ about some stuff that makes no sense… as per usual.”

  “Like what?” he asked, leaning over the steering wheel.

  I took a breath, resisting the urge to laugh in embarrassment, which failed miserably because a few chuckles escaped. “Uh… stuff.”

  Tom looked unconvinced. “Stuff?”

  “Yeah, stuff,” I answered simply, looking out the window at the parking lot we were chilling in. Yogurty’s was packed tonight with cars filling the parking lot by the second. My arm was resting over the window frame and drops of rain splattered against it. “Tom, look, a prelude.”

  Tom stuck his arm out the driver-side window and grinned. “Ah, but will it be a storm?”

  Great.

  Ugh.

  My stomach had butterflies. The fact that he could play along with me so well, something only Annabelle could do for the last millennia, had my heart palpitating.

  “Who are you?” I murmured, leaning over the gearshift to kiss his cheek, but before I could he was quick and turned. My lips landed on his, a slow, sweet kiss. I pulled away. “Surprising me at every turn.” I smirked.

  “That’s the plan,” he murmured, his voice soft and sweet. Our eyes met for the millionth time, and as per usual, a zap charged my body with my… ugh… heart as an access point.

  “Thanks for listening to Lite 107 FM. Here’s another Friday night classic, it’s ‘I only have eyes for you’ by The Flamingos.”

  As the radio played one of my all-time favorite songs, rain poured faster and I swayed slowly to the sweetest, smoothest harmonies ever sung.

  My body basked in warmth even though droplets of rain found their way inside the car, wetting my
shirt and skin. It felt like heaven though.

  I inhaled lungfuls of oxygen as wind swished through the vehicle. It smelt like coolness with a touch of humidity. My mind blossomed, feeling alive in a way I used to only get when diving into water. And last but certainly not least, the sound of rain stomping against pavement added levels to a moment that exceeded perfection.

  Ugh… Jenna “Mush Girl” Sabini, your table’s ready.

  “Roll up the window, silly,” Tom murmured, rolling his window up, leaving an inch open. I did the same and then my hand was taken and kissed.

  “Thank you,” he whispered.

  Leaning my head against the headrest, I felt relaxed and content. “I needed this,” I whispered before mouthing lyrics to him.

  “And I needed this,” he added, giving my palm sweet kisses that had my stomach in knots. We hummed along, and when “Pretend” by Nat King Cole began playing, I swore nothing would ever be the same again, because I felt something deep in my heart… something so strong, it really, really… really scared me.

  I needed to change subjects and take back my hand.

  Like… now.

  Pronto!

  It was a matter of sanity!

  Subtly, I pulled my arm and he loosened his grip. With my hand back in the safety zone of my body, I cleared my throat. “Why does it always rain when we’re in your car?” I asked, rolling the window back down and stretching my arm out to get drenched, which it did in seconds.

  “It’s simple,” Tom murmured, making it sound like it was top secret. “The universe feels strongly when we’re together, so strongly that it rains. This is what energy in motion looks like… baby.”

  “What in the…?” I cringed, looking at him while he struggled to contain his smirk. “That was the biggest pile of mumbo jumbo I’ve ever heard in my life.”