Everything Changes

by R F Greenwood

  “You remember, Tyler. Justin” Cassie says still standing in the door way.

  “Of course, I heard the brother lecture from my pit, no point doing it twice Jack covered everything”

  “Well, still say hello you ignorant bastard” She huffs out.

  “Hey”, he says over his shoulder. He locates the control that he was looking for and turns the TV on.

  “I’m gonna run home and have a shower and get changed. What time is dinner?” I ask. She turns to look at me.

  “It’s normally ready for about 2. But we watch films, you’re more than welcome to keep me company” I pull out my phone and see its only 10.30, plenty of time.

  I walk over to her and kiss her cheek.

  “See you soon, babe” I whisper in her ear and she shivers. I mentally groan and pull myself away or I never will. I walk out the door and close it softly behind me.

  “He even shuts the door nicely” I hear Justin grumble out. I smirk and walk to my car. Today just keeps getting better and better. I’m going to have to wake up to Cassie more often.

  I climb in and put some music on. The quicker I get home and shower. The quicker I can get back to Cassie.

  Chapter Eight

  Cassie

  “I still don’t like him Cass, and I don’t see why you do. Doesn’t he have a fiancée?” Jack grumbles out. Jesus Christ, anyone would think I’m the one marrying him.

  “He’s my friend. So what does it matter to you?” I walk back in the kitchen and poke the potatoes.

  “I’m just trying to look out for you sis. I don’t want to see you get hurt because feeling got in the way of this friendship” I sigh and turn to look at him.

  “I know you are Jack, but I’m 21. Can’t I make my own decisions on friends now?”

  “Speaking of friends have you heard anything from Tate? You two were inseparable at one point”, he asks leaning against the breakfast bar.

  “I’ve texted him but he hasn’t texted me back” I shrug and turn back around and get the hot tray from the oven for the potatoes. I hear Jack walk out of the kitchen. I sigh and carry on with what I’m doing.

  “Another sight I could get use to looking at” I hear Tyler say from behind me. I turn around and glare at him.

  “Me in the kitchen, sounds sexist, don’t tell me your one of those men who ‘think’ women should be in the kitchen 24/7”

  “Of course not, babe”, he winks.

  I finish preparing everything and turn to look at Tyler. He’s looking down at him phone frowning.

  “You ok, chicken?” I say leaning my back against the kitchen side.

  He looks up with a weird look on his face.

  “Chicken?” seems like he is trying to go along with it, but he’s not really in to it.

  “What’s got you so down? You were fine just a minute ago” I feel a knot start to form in my belly.

  The last thing I need is for today to go to shit because his fiancée has messaged him or something.

  “Got sent new pictures of my parents” I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his waist and lean my head on his chest. He wraps his thick arms around me and rests his cheek on top of my head.

  “You make everything feel better by just doing that”, he whispers with a hoarse voice. It must take its toll on him.

  I tighten my arm around his and snuggle my head in a bit more. He sighs and we just stay quiet for a couple of minutes.

  “Come on Ty, we can go to my room and finish this cuddle if you want?” he mumbles back a reply. I lead him out of the kitchen and to my bedroom.

  I sit on my bed and pull him down so he sits beside me. I lay back and he rests he head on my belly. I run my fingers through his thick black hair. I’m probably ruining his spikes in his hair but I don’t care.

  We lay there quietly, at one point I think he has gone to sleep but I feel him making circles on my belly with his finger. My top has risen up so there is a little strip of skin showing.

  While he went home I changed in to some tracksuit bottoms and a lose top, I scrubbed my make up off and put my hair on top of my head in a messy bun, I’m not trying to impress anyone and it’s a Sunday.

  He sighs and raises his head to look at me. He looks tired.

  “You ok now?” I whisper. He nods his head. He arm still lies over my hips.

  “I think I messed your hair up” He smiles and touches his hair. The spikes he had before have gone all fluffy, where I’ve been running my fingers through it. I start laughing because he looks like a cockatiel.

  He narrows his eyes at me.

  “Are you laughing at me? You’ve already laughed at me before and we made a deal you come to work with me on Saturdays. We can always make another deal”, he says waggling his eyebrows. That causes me to laugh even harder.

  “What’s this one going to be? I make you Sunday dinner every week?” I ask sarcastically.

  “Not a bad idea” He nods his head. I mock glare at him.

  I have a question that’s been bugging me and I don’t know whether to ask him. He has just got back to his happy self.

  “Well as long as you don’t eat like a horse, I may be able to do it. You never know I might try and poison you with the food I’m doing today”

  He grunts and moves so he isn’t touching me. He lies down on his side and props his head up with his elbow.

  “Can I ask you a question?” I ask him hesitantly. He nods and frowns.

  “Do your parents know why you’re engaged to Georgina?”

  He doesn’t answer straight away. Shit what if I’ve made him think about it again and he goes back to how he was. I’m just about to tell him not to worry about answering me, when he does.

  “They know to a certain extent. They know I’m forced and they saw me after I tried to get out the first time but they don’t know about the pictures, my brothers do. They keep an eye on them when I can’t, it’s like shifts really. We all watch out for each other just the same as your brothers do with you” I nod what do I say to that? I wanted to know. I turn over to my side so I’m mirroring his position.

  “Is there actually going to be a wedding?” I ask. Jesus Christ 21 questions.

  He looks uncomfortable, it makes me feel uneasy.

  “Apparently there will be just no date yet” I think my heart just sank. I nod again and start drawing patterns on my duvet cover.

  “I’m sorry”, he whispers and tucks my hair behind my ear.

  “You can’t help it, Ty” I try and shrug it off. Damn I’ve only known him a short while but he is affecting me so much than he probably should.

  “Is there any way you can you get out of it? I mean at all?” he shakes his head sadly. I sigh and lay on my back again.

  “When I was five I went through a stage of eating worms”, he says. I turn my head and stare at him. I burst out laughing.

  “What the hell was that?” I ask and start laughing again.

  “You looked so sad so I thought I could cheer you up by telling you something embarrassing about myself” He smiles, he looks so handsome when he smiles. “I think you should tell me something embarrassing about yourself. Fair is fair” I shake my head still chuckling. No way in hell I am telling him anything.

  “Will I have to force it out of you?” he says with a raised eyebrow. Force it out of me? What does that mean? I’m just about to ask when he moves so quickly and covers my body with his.

  “What are you doing?” I stare up at him. He has a wicked grin split across his face. Shit.

  He pushes himself up on to his knees in-between my legs. This started out innocent but now all I can think about is his long, thick cock, sliding deep inside me. Shit, shit. While my dirty mind has me occupied I don’t see him bring his hands down on my very sensitive rib. I need to leap off the bed.

  “Ticklish babe” He smirks. Oh crap. I know his game. I try and wiggle away but he starts tickling me relentlessly.

  “You have to stop, I’ll pee on you!” I choke out. He star
ts laughing and carries on. I have tears running down the sides of my face were I’m laughing so hard. My chest hurts.

  I finally have a bit of leverage, all the thrashing around has pushed me further on the bed. I swing my right leg over Tyler and roll over on to all fours and try and crawl away.

  “Where do you think you’re going”, he says laughing. He grabs my leg and drags me back to him. This position basically is doggy style, my arse up against his erection and me leaning on my forearms.

  I notice he isn’t laughing anymore. I look over my shoulder and see he has a very intense look on his face.

  “Maybe this isn’t the best position for us to be in” I murmur over my shoulder.

  I try to wiggling free from his grasp on my hips but that causes me to grind on him. He groans and lets me go. He gets off the bed and sits down on my computer chair. He leans forward so his forearms are leaning on his knees.

  “You ok Ty?” I ask.

  He nods.

  “Just need a couple of minutes, babe” I nod and get off the bed I walk to the bathroom so I can cool my hot face.

  I seriously don’t know how long he and I can go without us eventually being together. I’m not naive enough to think that we won’t do anything at some point. I just hope our self-control is up to scratch.

  ****

  We’re sitting down eating when Jack decides to open his trap.

  “So what sort of situation are you in, Tyler? Are you stringing along my sister?” I glare at him over the table. If my legs were long enough I’d kick him in the shins.

  Tyler wipes his mouth with a napkin. Very posh I must admit and talks.

  “I’m in a forced engagement that I can’t get out of like I said and I would never string her along we’re just friends” It stings like a bitch to hear that but that’s all we can be. My ego will just have to take a back seat for now.

  “Didn’t look like friends to me, I’ve never been lying on top of my friend like you were earlier”

  “That’s it, Jack! I’ve had enough of you giving Tyler the third degree. Yes I know you don’t like him and yes I know your just doing the big brother thing and watching out for me but give it a rest. I don’t give a shit if you don’t like Tyler. I don’t like some of your friends and if you give some of your female ‘friends’ the benefit of the doubt most of them would have you in the position you caught me and Tyler in! Now shut up and let’s have a nice Sunday roast” I stab my chicken like it’s going to run off the plate and start sawing away at it. I look up and see the table is in stunned silence.

  Tyler puts his hand on my knee. I look at him and smile.

  The rest of the dinner goes down quietly even though I could see Jack had more to say and Justin was abnormally silent anyway.

  Once dinner is finished and all the plates are in the kitchen we all go in the living room.

  I sit on the two seater sofa with Tyler and Jack and Justin sit on an armchair each on either side of the sofa.

  “Is the awkwardness from dinner over now?” I mutter to no one in particular.

  No one answers at first. Justin sighs.

  “I might have got a girl knocked up”, he says running his hand through his hair. I just stare at him in shock. He always drilled protection into my head.

  “How?” I ask. I can’t keep the shock out my voice.

  “What do you mean how? Obviously you know”, he says, he sounds tired and defeated. Not a good combination.

  “I mean. How the hell did you get someone pregnant? You and Jack basically ingrained it in my brain that you have to use protection. Remember ‘don’t be silly wrap your willy’ I may not have one but I know that they have got to wear one”

  “I don’t know Cass. I honestly don’t know. I was careful, unless the condom split?” he sighs and leans back in the armchair. I look over at Jack and see he has a weird look on his face.

  “And what’s your input Jack? Since you’ve had some much to say today” He glares at me then looks back towards Justin.

  Never thought I’d see the day that Jack and I would butt heads. We’re all pretty close but it was always Jack I went to if I had a problem. Justin now has his own problems.

  “Not a lot to say really. Is she a nice girl?” he asks.

  “What I can remember of her she is” I narrow my eyes at him.

  “This was a drunken one night stand?” he sighs again, no wonder he was off this morning and quiet through dinner.

  “So what are you going to do?” he shakes his head. I stand up and walk over to the armchair. I perch on the arm and lean over and rest my head on top of his and wrap my arms around his shoulders.

  “We will figure this out together. You won’t have to go through it alone. Winters freeze together” He smiles weakly up at me.

  Sunday is meant to be a day of rest. I look over at Tyler, he’s sitting there listening to everything quietly.

  “Do you even know the girl’s name Justin?” I ask him.

  “Melissa. I don’t know her second name. This was about a month ago we slept together. She told me last night. I went to the club where we met and she tracked me down. Obviously I said it wasn’t mine but she had a picture and it had her name on and everything and the timing was right. She didn’t seem conniving. If anything she looked innocent” I sit up.

  I’m still not sure. Until I meet this Melissa, I’m not going to believe it all the way.

  “Do you have a number for her?” he nods and gets his phone out of his pocket.

  “Invite her over for dinner on Wednesday night. And we can talk it all out then and I can check her out to see if she is just trying to trap my big brother” He nods, I climb off the arm of the sofa and go and sit back next to Tyler.

  I turn to look at Jack.

  “You and I need to talk in the kitchen” He nods and gets up and walks to the kitchen without saying anything.

  “Two minutes” I whisper to Tyler. He nods and I follow Jack into the kitchen.

  I find Jack leaning against the far kitchen side near the window, with his arms crossed. I walk over to him until I’m standing in front of him.

  “Can we please get over this thing with Tyler?” I say in a hushed voice.

  “Cass, I’m probably never going to like him, the way you were last Sunday was bad enough, what happens if your feelings are hurt worse because of this forced engagement he’s in?” I sigh. And there is the main problem. He isn’t going to drop it until he knows the full extent of this ‘forced engagement’.

  “It’s not my story to tell. But it’s some serious shit with this engagement. Not everything is what it seems Jack. Can you at least say you will try for me? I know Justin won’t be a problem, considering he has bigger problems now” I shake my head. I’m still in shock with that.

  “Can I just ask you one thing Cass? You’re not sleeping with him are you?” he looks uncomfortable asking me that question. He stuffs his hands in his basketball shorts.

  “I’ve slept with him yes, sex, no”, he frowns. “Tyler brought me in last night. I fell asleep in his car. Apparently I worried him because I fell asleep so quickly and deeply like I do” He nods.

  “You use to scare the shit out of all of us when you done that”, he smiles softly.

  “Are you going to try with Tyler? Remember he is just my friend” I mock bat my eyelashes and pout. He narrows his eyes at me.

  “Fine, I will try and be civil but if he hurts you Cass that’s it” I squeal and hug him tight.

  “You’re lucky I love you kid” He ruffles the top of my hair I pull away and glare at him. Kid! Really? I’m 3 years younger than him. I’m just about to lay into him about the age, when he kisses my forehead and walks away from me and into the front room. I follow and plop down next to Tyler.

  “So, Batman is better than superman” I state proudly.

  Jack, Justin and Tyler groan. “No he isn’t” they all say in unison.

  I smile. And Sunday is now sorted.

  Chapter Nine
<
br />   Cassie

  I wake with a start on Wednesday morning.

  Monday and Tuesday seemed to have flown past. But they seem to do that a lot now. Tyler and I text constantly, I don’t think there is a time that we’re not texting.

  I haven’t heard from Tate in a little while. Maybe I should text him? I really do miss the miserable bastard.

  I can’t figure out what woke me up, when I hear my phone start ringing. I pick it up and see Tyler’s name across the screen. I swipe my finger along to answer it.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, baby cakes. Did I wake you up? I did try and ring before but it went to voice mail” I frown and pull the phone away from my ear. I see I have a little icon with a missed call on it.

  I look at the time and see its 10. Not bad. I’ve got today off because another woman got hired. So I get an extra day off. Not that I’m complaining.

  “Baby cakes? And you did but it’s ok and I’ve just looked. Apparently I was out for the count” I hear him chuckle down the phone.

  “I’m trying out new names, so baby cakes, off the cards. I can’t keep calling you babe , what about sexy?” I smile lazily down the phone and stretch.

  “How about my name Cassie, that has a pretty good ring to it. That’s what people have been calling me for the last 21 years” He chuckles again. How can he be so happy? It’s the morning. No one should be this happy at this time.

  “Nope, that’s too normal. You need a name to stand out from the crowd” I roll my eyes. Why would I want to stand out from the crowd? “How about Batgirl you seem to have a thing for Batman” I shake my head then remember he can’t see me.

  “Don’t diss Batman. He’s cool”

  “I’m not dissing your precious Batman. How about general?” oh I can’t wait to hear how he’s going to explain this one.

  “And why should it be General Tyler?” he starts laughing.