Toad

by Cambria Hebert

  I laughed.

  Then I disconnected the call.

  He tore me down, scared me, isolated me—all in the name of control.

  This was over. I was older now. Stronger. I had resources, ways to help myself that I didn’t used to have. I was only a victim if I allowed it, and I was done allowing it.

  Will might be the prince of the music industry… But I was a princess.

  That put us on even ground. Didn’t it?

  I wasn’t about to give up my crown without a fight.

  Nate

  Ten: You back in town for classes?

  Me: You know I am.

  Ten: Pizza at Vi’s?

  Me: Free food. I’m in.

  Classes were over for the day, and I felt like they’d lasted about fifteen years. Even though I’d stopped in during my lunch break, I was ready to see Aerie’s face again. I wasn’t really sure how it was possible, but I missed her.

  I wasn’t a grumpy guy, but I was grumpy.

  I parked crooked in the driveway when I got home and burst in the house like maybe my ass was on fire. (I looked to make sure it wasn’t.)

  “Princess!” I hollered, shutting the door leading out the garage.

  She appeared in the doorway of my bedroom a second later. I forgot about my shoes, about the hat on my head. I flipped the bag that was slung over my shoulder onto the floor as I swiftly closed the distance between us.

  Her eyes widened a bit as I went, but I didn’t stop. “If you don’t want me to kiss you, you better run now.”

  I plowed into her, wrapping my arms around her waist and swooping down to claim her mouth, growling as my tongue swept inside her. My hands glided up her back.

  All my attention condensed down into her. The way her full lips were soft pillows against mine. The way her tongue was slightly rough but also sweet.

  I started to draw back, but she made a sound, and I crashed into her again, both of us kissing with renewed force.

  When she finally pulled away, she compensated by reaching up to flip the hat off my head and run her fingers through my hair.

  I nipped at her lower lip, and she giggled.

  Suddenly, I wasn’t so grumpy anymore.

  Retreating out of the doorway, I went back into the kitchen and found an unopened box of cereal, then poured half of it into a bowl. Crunching as I went, I said, “We’re invited to pizza with Ten tonight.”

  “When?”

  I shrugged. “Now.”

  “But you’re eating,” she pointed out.

  I stopped mid-chew. “There’s always room for Fruity Pebbles, princess.”

  She came forward and looked into my bowl. “Is that stuff magic or something?”

  My spoon clattered. “You haven’t ever eaten it?”

  She shook her head.

  “I’m shook!”

  She burst out laughing. “You’re shook?”

  I nodded, my eyes wide.

  “Do you even know what it means?”

  I shrugged one shoulder. “Girls say it all the time around campus.”

  She laughed again.

  I scowled. “Listen here, princess. No girl of mine is going to be walkin’ around without ever tasting the greatest food ever bestowed upon man.”

  Her laugh died, lips pressed together, and then her dark eyes found mine. “Your girl?”

  Nervous energy zapped me, and I hoped my cheeks weren’t betraying me by turning red. Curse of a ginger… My face always gave me away. I hadn’t really meant to say that out loud. I didn’t think she was ready. Or know if she ever would be.

  So I did what I always do. Made a comeback.

  “Well, you aren’t now. Fruity Pebbles traitor.” I hugged the bowl into my chest and shoveled some into my face.

  Aerie pursed her lips, then took another step forward, opening her mouth.

  “Oh, you want a bite, do you?”

  Her eyebrows waggled at me.

  “I don’t really like to share.”

  She poked me in the stomach. Hard.

  I made a sound, then scooped up a giant bite and held it out.

  She recoiled. “My mouth is not that big!”

  I ate half off the spoon, then pushed it toward her again. I thought she would refuse it ‘cause, ya know, I just ate off it.

  Without hesitation, she took the bite. I was transfixed as her lips slid off the spoon as she drew back.

  The spoon stayed suspended between us as I watched her mouth while she chewed. I wasn’t thinking about the cereal anymore. I was thinking about kissing her and how I wanted more.

  “Crunchy,” she said, bringing me back.

  I shoved some more in my mouth. “You gotta chew it like this,” I said, smacking my lips and keeping my mouth open. “Enhances the flavor.”

  She mimicked me, then giggled. “It tastes the same.”

  “I know. I just wanted to see if you’d do it. No manners.”

  She gasped, then lunged forward and stole another bite.

  “I knew it! You love it!”

  She stepped back and made a so-so gesture with her hand.

  “Cereal is no laughing matter,” I told her, quite serious. “Tell me you love it.”

  “I like it,” she allowed.

  “Boo,” I said and inhaled the rest of the bowl.

  Cheeto came over and rubbed up against my leg, so I traded him for the bowl and scratched his head. “What’d you do this afternoon?”

  “I used the shower. I hope that’s okay.”

  I nodded. “Mi casa es su casa.”

  Her nose wrinkled.

  I made a sound, then went over and sat on her bed. There was some girly magazine lying there, so I picked it up and started flipping through it. Was this the kind of stuff chicks read? How to braid your hair like a pro! How to make it look like you aren’t wearing makeup! Men: things he will never tell you.

  I snorted. “These articles are stupid.” I turned the page. “Ooh, a quiz!” I snagged the pen out of my jeans and started to fill it out.

  “So where’s Ten?” Aerie picked up Cheeto and sat on the end of the bed.

  I glanced up. “He’s at Violet’s place. She has a dorm on campus. He mostly stays there when he’s in town.”

  She didn’t say anything as I continued on with the quiz.

  “You up for heading over there?” I asked.

  “Sure.”

  I finished up the quiz and scowled. “It says I’m gay. Why the hell does everyone always think I’m gay?”

  I threw the magazine on the floor and made a rude sound. I should have known better than to read something that advised women on how to wear makeup without looking like they were wearing it.

  Its, uh, called don’t put any on.

  Aerie laughed. “Who thinks you’re gay?”

  I leapt forward, pressing her into the mattress. “You don’t think I’m gay, do you?”

  Her eyes bounced back and forth between mine, a smile playing on her lips. “Maybe it’s because everyone wants a piece of you.”

  I grinned wide and chuckled. “I like the way you think.”

  I rolled again, taking her with me, pulling her on top of me. Her legs straddled my waist. The weight of her above me pretty much proved to anyone who might care that I was most definitely not gay.

  I couldn’t not touch her. I barely even thought about stopping myself. I rested my palms flat on her legs, just above her knees. I itched to inch farther up, but I wouldn’t. Not until I knew she wanted me to.

  “You gonna tell me what’s wrong?”

  She glanced away. “Who says anything’s wrong?”

  I gave her legs a gentle squeeze. “I pay attention. Remember?”

  She shook her head. “Nothing. I guess dealing with all the phone calls, all the cleanup work of my house, reminded me of what happened.”

  “It just happened,” I murmured and pushed up onto my elbows, bringing myself closer to her. “You wanna talk about it?”

  “You’re sweet.”
She smiled, kinda sad. It was sort of like the kiss of death. “But I really don’t.”

  I shook my head, adamant. “I’m not sweet.”

  Her lips curved up. Her hair was down. It waved around her face and skimmed her collarbone every time she moved her head. Her face was bare of any kind of makeup.

  The girls in that dumb magazine had nothing on her.

  “What’s wrong with being sweet?”

  “Gay guys are sweet.” I made a face.

  She laughed. “You have something against being gay?”

  I made a sound. “Not at all. But you’re not a guy.”

  Her face softened completely, and her teeth sank into her lower lip. Then she took a page out of my book and tried to lighten things up. “So…” She smiled cheekily. “If I were a guy, would you be gay for me, Nate?”

  For once, I wasn’t into making jokes. “Yes.”

  Her breath caught.

  She wasn’t expecting that, was she? Way to keep her on her toes, Nate.

  “We’re gonna have to talk sometime, sweetheart,” I told her, brushing the back of my hand down her jean-clad leg.

  Her hand flattened on my chest, and I fell back. Her lips descended right onto mine.

  I opened my eyes, not quite sure it had happened.

  She kissed me.

  All on her own.

  I guess telling a girl you’d be gay for her was a good way to get some sugar.

  I groaned and followed her lead. It was hard. I wanted to roll and pin her under me. I wanted to do a hell of a lot more than kiss. Again, I held back. This seemed like a big thing, the fact she initiated contact like this.

  My hands dove into her hair, fingers flexing to tangle them as much as humanly possible. Tentatively, her tongue slipped across my mouth. I smiled and answered with a lick of my own. Her chest sank onto mine. Through our shirts, I felt the way her nipples stiffened, and my eyes popped open again.

  I sucked in a deep breath through my nose as our lips kept moving, as I stared at her in wonder.

  One of her eyes cracked open. Then the other. Against mine, her lips stilled, then lifted just a fraction. “Why are you staring at me?”

  “Honestly?” I murmured, flexing my fingers in her hair. “Because I can’t believe what a lucky bastard I am right now.”

  She pushed up. Her cheeks were pink and her lips were slightly swollen. “What am I going to do with you?”

  I wagged my eyebrows and thrust my hips upward. “I can think of a few things.”

  Laughing lightly, she climbed off me.

  Let’s all take a moment of silence for the moment I just got to experience…

  …

  …

  …

  It was beautiful.

  “Don’t we have somewhere to be?” she asked.

  I reached out, and she towed me up. “I guess if you like pizza,” I muttered.

  She laughed. “Don’t you?”

  “C’mon, princess. If we don’t get over there soon, Ten will inhale it all.”

  She ignored me and snuggled Cheeto.

  It was kinda cute, but I made an impatient sound from the doorway.

  “Is it cold out?” she said, stopping halfway to me.

  I took in her simple T-shirt, jeans, and glitter-covered sneakers. “I got you covered.”

  She went on past, and before I shut the bedroom door, I snagged my Blaylock hoodie.

  She probably thought she’d gotten out of telling me about whatever was bothering her, because I knew it wasn’t just what happened the other night.

  There was more.

  I didn’t really want to push her, but I was beginning to think I would have to.

  Aerie

  “Nate, bro,” Ten said before the door was barely even open.

  The second it was, Ten’s expression shifted to mild surprise when he saw he wasn’t alone. Swiftly, his stare bounced between me and Nate, a mix of emotion crossing his face at rapid speed.

  “You brought a date,” he said, settling into a wide, half-teasing, half-knowing grin.

  I didn’t know Ten all that well, but we’d met on several occasions. We always frequented the same events and parties because we were both signed under the same label, just with different producers, etc.

  I wasn’t surprised how the media turned on him and the way he reacted. Okay, I was a little surprised by some of the stuff he pulled, but who was I to judge? I admired him, though, because I knew he had his act together now. I also knew how very hard that must have been for him. Even more, from what I understood, Ten had settled into a relationship with someone who was far removed from the spotlight.

  I had to admit I was ever so curious about how that was working out.

  “You’re not going to try and steal this one, are you?” Nate cracked.

  Ten chuckled. “I already got the one I want.”

  “You steal his dates?” I asked, incredulous.

  Nate made a sound, casually draping his arm across my shoulders. “Don’t worry, princess. Ten could only steal the ones I was willing to let him have. You are not on that list.”

  Ten coughed, once again his gaze bouncing between us.

  I thought about kicking Nate right then and there. Clearly, he hadn’t told Ten I was coming.

  “Nate brought a date?” A voice came from inside the room. “This I have to see.”

  Ten slid over, and a short blond came to the door. Just as casually as Nate had touched me, Ten wrapped his arm around her waist.

  “Oh,” the girl said, “You’re…”

  “Are you gonna make us stand in the hallway all night?” Nate wondered. “Seriously, you invited us over for pizza, not to gawk at us in the doorway.”

  “Of course!” the blonde exclaimed and waved us in.

  The door was barely shut, and she offered her hand to me. “I’m Violet. I’d apologize for my appearance, but well, I always look like this.”

  A genuine grin split my face, and I took her offered hand. Her shake was light and soft, but it wasn’t insincere. She had a calming vibe about her, almost innocent. I liked her instantly, which was something that almost never happened.

  She was dressed in a pair of black leggings, fuzzy slippers, and a burgundy Blaylock hoodie that looked really familiar…

  Nate was stepping by, and I noted the same sweatshirt in his hand. I snatched it. The second my head cleared the neck hole, I told Violet, “Now we match!”

  “I hope I don’t get cold,” Nate said as he flipped open the top of a nearby pizza box.

  We ignored him.

  “You’re Aerie Boone, right?” Violet asked.

  I nodded, a queasy feeling shaking my stomach. God only knew what she’d heard about me.

  “She wouldn’t know that if I hadn’t told her Nate was working with you. Vi doesn’t follow the current music trends,” Ten said, coming to stand close beside her. Screwing up his face, he added, “She listens to classical.”

  Violet poked him in the side and laughed. Her head tilted back when she gazed up at him. “I listen to your stuff, too, now.”

  He kissed her on the forehead and tugged the messy bun at the base of her neck.

  I could feel the energy around them. The way they looked at each other made it absolutely clear they were in love. All those reports saying Ten’s relationship was just a ploy to get good publicity, they were obviously false.

  “He’s right. I don’t really follow the celebrity world.”

  “I’m actually relieved to hear it,” I told her honestly.

  “So you came to town with Nate.” Ten began.

  I nodded. “To work on the album.”

  “Where are you staying?” I could practically hear the wheels in his brain turning. The expression on his face remained passive, which made it hard to tell what he was thinking. Though, I could guess.

  “I gave her your bed,” Nate said, chomping on a huge slice of pizza. “You know, since you never use it anymore.”

  “Vi’s bed is
more comfortable,” Ten quipped and pointed to the pizza boxes “Toss me a slice, man,” he called out to Nate.

  Nate picked up a smaller box, and Ten shook his head. “That one’s Vi’s.”

  “You’re eating something other than rabbit food tonight?” Nate exclaimed. “Is the world ending?”

  “Must be because you brought a date,” Vi shot back, then glanced at me apologetically. “Sorry,” she said soft. “I gotta tease him when I can.”

  I giggled.

  Nate put his hand over his heart and shook his head. “Didn’t I show you a good time on our date?”

  “It wasn’t a date,” Ten barked.

  Violet rolled her eyes and caught my hand. “Come on in. It’s not a very big space, but you don’t have to stand by the door. And if you don’t get some food now, you won’t get any with these two around.”

  Nate winked at me on his way to the couch, carrying a box of pizza. Violet handed me a paper plate from the counter and pointed to a box. “That one’s the one you want.”

  My eyes slid to the smaller box near it. Noticing, Violet replied, “That one is gluten free. I, ah, don’t eat gluten.”

  “Or anything else good,” Nate quipped.

  Ten slapped him on the back of the head.

  “I don’t have to take this abuse!”

  “Grab the controllers,” Ten said, motioning toward a gaming unit near a flat-screen hanging on the wall. It looked oddly out of place there. “I want to try out this new game.”

  The two guys got into some deep conversation about weapons and upgrades, and my brain shut off.

  “I didn’t even have a TV,” Violet said, amused, “until he started staying here. He acted like I was a cavewoman, for crying out loud. God forbid he not be able to play video games.”

  I laughed and slid a slice of pizza onto my plate. I couldn’t remember the last time I had pizza. My trainer would probably kill me if he knew I was about to eat this. It was going to make it taste even better.

  “You’re an artist?” I asked, gazing around at all the paintings and drawings lining the walls and floor.

  Violet nodded and handed me a bottle of water. “I’m an art major.”

  “She did the art for Butterfly,” Ten put in.

  My eyes lit up. “That was you? I didn’t realize. It’s gorgeous. Everyone is loving it.”