She rubs her eyes trying to wake up. “Okay.”
Once she is up, we make quick work of folding the blankets. This place is now my favorite spot.
Cassie rides in the middle seat just like she normally does with her hand resting on my knee and her laying on my shoulder.
In no time, I pull my truck up to my house and cut the engine. I’m not nervous about possibly getting caught because last night with Cassie was perfect and I would do it all over again in a split second.
I unlock the front door and slowly push it open and close it as quietly as possible. I grab Cassie’s hand, leading us to my room so I can change quickly otherwise they will know for certain I didn’t come home last night. Just as I rounded the corner to the hallway, I skid to a stop, almost jumping out of my skin. Dad is standing in the middle of the hallway with his arms crossed and a displeased look on his face. Cassie bumps into me and I know the moment she sees Dad because she lets out a small gasp.
“Where have you been, son?” he asks in a disapproving tone.
“Out with Cassie.” No sense in lying to him.
“All night?” he probes.
“Yes sir.”
My shoulders sag in relief when a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. “I used to be young once son. Just ask your momma about the time we snuck out one night. We were caught coming in the next morning by her father and I didn’t get to see her for two weeks. It was the longest two weeks of my life, too. I will let this one slide, but the next time, you get to deal with your momma after I tell her.”
Dad pats me on my shoulder and walks away. I tug Cassie into my bedroom and we both sag against the door, bursting into a fit of laughter.
“Oh my God, I seriously thought we were in so much trouble, J!”
“Me too, Cass. I about pissed my pants, no lie.”
Cassie doubles over, clutching her stomach. That is how hard she is laughing right now.
When we both calm down I remember I need to change clothes before mom wakes up.
I walk over to my closet and the first t-shirt and jeans I come to and yank them off the hanger. I look over at Cassie who has moved to sit on my bed. “Do you want something different to wear? I’m sure I can find something in here for you too.”
“Sure.”
I find another t-shirt and a pair of sleep pants for her to change into and hand them to her. “I’m going to go to the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”
I nod and she leaves the room.
I had just pulled my shirt over my head when someone knocks on the door. “Cassie, you don’t have to knock, babe.”
“It’s not Cassie you idiot,” Bo says as he sticks his head through the door. “Did you get caught?”
“Yeah, Dad was standing in the hallway. He said he’d let this one slide, but next time he’s telling mom.”
Bo shakes his head. “Dude, you got lucky.”
“I know.”
“So…was it worth it?” Bo waggles his eyebrows up and down hinting around to Cassie and me sleeping together.
“Yeah, it was perfect, but we didn’t do that.” Not like I haven’t thought about it, I just want to wait for Cassie to be ready. I’m not pushing things with her. I’m taking things slow between us.
“Gotcha, well I’ll see ya when y’all get down there.”
As soon as Bo shuts the door, it reopens, except this time, it’s Cassie. She’s brushed her hair. It’s no longer tousled looking. Such a shame, I loved that look on her.
I reach out and grab her hand, tugging her against me. Thrusting my free hand in her hair, I tilt her head up so I can capture her lips again. I swear every time I kiss her feels like the first time all over again.
“I can’t wait to hold you in my arms all night again,” I murmur, my lips brushing hers.
Except maybe next time, if she wants to, we will take things just a little bit further.
Chapter Fifteen
Cassie
“So, spill it, Yankee! I want to what happened!” Jess squeals in excitement first thing at school Monday morning.
I blush and focus on getting my books out of my locker.
Jess gasps. “A blush? Oh, this is gonna be good!”
“We didn’t do that. We just laid in the bed of his truck wrapped in each other’s arms all night. We talked, kissed, and gazed at the stars.” I let out a dreamy sigh. “It was perfect.”
Jess laughs. “I’ll say, you’ve been smiling ever since I saw you this morning. Oh, girl, you missed what happened at the bonfire!” And just like that, her topic changes.
“What happened?” I’m sure I won’t care, but I’m intrigued.
“So this guy crashed the party. No one knew who he was or where he came from. Anyway, the guy and Ellen started grinding on each other like it was nobody’s business.”
“And?” Good. Maybe she’ll back off of my boyfriend. Ha, yeah right.
“I think she ended up leaving with him.”
Jess acts like I care. “So?”
Jess rolls her eyes. “Yankee, I figured you’d be happy.”
“The day Ellen stops trying to get in my boyfriend’s pants will be the day Hell freezes over,” I bluntly state. Jess should know this.
“You never know, Yankee.”
Familiar arms slide around my waist from behind, tugging me back into a solid, hard chest. J leans his head to one side and kisses my cheek.
“Hey babe,” I greet him, patting his hands.
“The weekend went by too fast,” he grumbles in my ear like he has been all morning. I couldn’t agree more.
“You are coming to my game this Friday right?” J asks with so much hopefulness in his voice.
“I’ll do my best to be there, J, you know that.” Who knows what my parents will say or do anymore. They have been shocking me lately.
“Well, maybe we can have a repeat of this past weekend.” The way J murmurs in my ear sends goosebumps across my skin.
I lean my head forward, letting my hair cover my face so I can hide my flushed face. Yea, my mind totally went there.
J chuckles and releases me just as the tardy bell rings.
I say goodbye to Jess and Bo as he grabs my hand, walking me to my next class.
He kisses my cheek, then says, “See you after class.”
****
I’m in the restroom, finishing up my business in the middle of fourth period when I hear Ellen and her minion walk into the bathroom.
“So, are you seeing the hottie again soon?” Heather asks Ellen in a flirty-gag me voice.
“Probably, the sex was amazing so I’m sure he’ll call me for another round,” she says with so much confidence you’d think she found a gold mine.
“Oooh, so did he tell you his name or where he is from?”
“Well, we didn’t do much talking if you get my drift. However, he did say he is moving here soon,” she gushes and I cough into my hand. It was unintentional, but Ellen seriously had me on the verge of throwing up my lunch I just ate.
“Who’s in there?” Ellen demands.
I straighten my shoulders and open the stall door to face the wicked witch. Her eyes sear through me like she is stabbing me to death in her mind.
“Well, well, isn’t it the boyfriend stealer.” I know her and J didn’t date so I don’t know what she is trying to pull.
“How old are you, five? Six?”
She flicks her blonde hair behind her shoulder, her eyes sizing me up. She sure does that a lot. “I still don’t know what he sees in you.”
“You know, I thought the same question when I found out you two had slept together. Oh wait, you two were never in a relationship. No, you’re too much of a bitch for someone like him.”
I should have seen it coming the moment I uttered the words. My cheek stings from her girly slap and I snap. I charge at her full force, lowering my shoulder to tackle her to the ground. She lets out a grunt when we hit smack the floor, the wind getting knocked out of her.
S
he slaps me again and the rest of my resolve breaks. I rear my arm back, letting my fist fly towards her perfect makeup caked face. I won’t slap her like she did me. No, I don’t fight like that.
“Heather!” Ellen snaps as she tries to block my attempts to hit her again. “Don’t just stand there! Get her off of me!”
Heather tries and fails to pull me off of Ellen. My luck runs out when one of Ellen’s hands shoot out and grip my hair. I cry out when she yanks my head forward. If she pulls any harder I’m going to have a bald spot!
“Bitch, get off of me!” Ellen wails as I try to loosen her grip on my hair.
Suddenly, her grip is gone and I’m pried off of her. I fight whoever has a hold of me just so I can get one more swing at her.
“Cass!” J shouts and I automatically stop struggling.
Heather attempts to help Ellen up, but she swats her hand away not wanting help.
She shakily stands and points to me. “You need to keep that bitch on a leash, J.”
Oh no, she didn’t. I try to lunge at her, but J holds me firm. Just one more hit and I will lay her out.
“Cass, calm down. She ain’t worth it, babe.”
I drop my arms and let J lead me out.
“I’ll make sure you pay for this!” Ellen yells as we leave.
I run my fingers through my hair trying to make it presentable. My head is still throbbing from her vicious grip.
“Are you all right?” J asks as we reach my locker.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“What were you thinking, Cass? You could have gotten in so much trouble.”
What was I thinking? I was just defending myself! “I was defending myself, J! She slapped me first!”
“Cass, calm down. I didn’t mean it how it came out. What I meant was, ‘What were you thinking messing with someone who has so much power?’”
I throw my books in my locker that Jess had grabbed for me and slam it shut. “I wasn’t going to let her slap me and walk away!”
“Cassie, the second she runs and tells her father all the blame is immediately put on you. She will walk away innocent regardless of the situation.”
“Quit defending her, J,” I grind out and push past him.
“Cassie, wait up. Where are you going?”
“Home,” I bark out, not even looking back at him. I’m too pissed off, too upset with him. How dare he take her side?
As soon as my feet hit the pavement, I take off running. My runs have been sporadic here lately since spending so much time with J. I definitely need to make up for it today.
I thought J would be on my side. I don’t care who she is or who her father is, J shouldn’t be defending her. I’m not expecting him to praise me for punching her, but the least he could do is not take her side.
My feet pound against the pavement as I push myself harder, going in the direction of where the road takes me. I can’t go home just yet and J will probably show up there so, I’m taking a scenic route. I wish I had my headphones and my little mp3 player for this run.
I pay little attention to where I am going, I just run, imagining I’m stomping on J’s beautiful face as I go.
Eventually, my lungs are burning so much I have to slow to a walk. I have no idea what time it is or where I am and I could care less. I just need water. I’m not even in my running gear either so I’m feeling kind of uncomfortable. At least I’m wearing a t-shirt and jeans with my chucks though so I’m not too uncomfortable. I’m soaked with sweat from running so hard and for so long.
Glancing at my surroundings I notice I’m in basically in the middle of nowhere. Just great. All around me is pasture and fields with animals. I’m lost. I turn around and start my trek back the way I came, hoping I can make it home before dark. I should since this town is not real big, but we will see.
Even after pushing myself, running did little to diminish the anger I feel toward J. Maybe if they didn’t have history it wouldn’t be so bad, except they do. I know J cares about me, it just hurts because I realize I’ve fallen farther than I planned on, which makes my once small problem now a large one.
What’s worse is if my parent’s get wind of the fight they would pack us up so fast and we’ll be leaving faster than I can blink. People in small towns talk and word travels fast around here. I actually like it here, a place I found laughable when I arrived.
I come to a T in the road at the same time a truck pulls up to the stop sign. But it’s not just any truck, it’s Bo’s. My heart sinks a little when I realize it’s not J, yet I’m kind of happy it’s Bo instead. Man, I’m so confusing.
Bo jumps down from his lifted truck and jogs around the front of it over to where I am standing.
“I’ve been looking all over for you, darlin’! J, Jess, and I have been going out of our minds!” Bo exclaims, acting like I have been gone for several hours.
“I’m sure J was more concerned about Ellen than me,” I quip, still feeling on edge.
Bo sighs and scrubs his face. “Cassie, listen to me. J could care less about Ellen. He cares about you, a lot. What he said came out wrong and he understands that.”
Are you kidding me?! “He sure didn’t understand it earlier.”
“Humor me, darlin’, please. Let me take you home.”
Knowing Bo, he’d probably take me to J, but at this point I’m too tired to care. “Fine.”
I slump in the passenger seat and lean it back as far as it will go. Running as long and as hard as I did wore me plum out.
“Are you okay, darlin’?”
“Yes and no. Also, I don’t feel like punching you or I so totally would right now.”
Bo chuckles. “Good to know you still are so snarky.”
“You’re taking me home right?”
He smiles sadly. “If that’s what you really want.”
“I just…I just don’t know if I am ready to see him yet.”
“Understandable.”
It turns out I wasn’t but two miles or so from my house. Thank goodness because I need a shower and go to bed.
“Thanks for driving me home,” I say to Bo when he turns into my driveway.
“Anytime darlin’.”
The first thing I do when I walk in is head straight for my closet to grab some clean clothes to put on after my shower. The shower feels refreshing and the water cascading over my skin feels like Heaven.
Mom and Dad are nowhere to be found which is fine because I need the silence.
After rummaging through the cabinets trying to find something to eat, I curl up in my bed and eat until I can no longer stay awake.
Chapter Sixteen
J
Cassie took everything all wrong. In no way was I on Ellen’s side. I explained everything badly and now I’m driving around trying to find her. Bo told me to let her go and let her cool off, but after twenty minutes I couldn’t wait any longer. I needed to find her and explain things.
My phone rings in the cup holder, Bo’s name flashing on my screen.
“Did you find her?”
“Yeah, she was over by Gurley’s farm.”
“Is she still with you?” I need to talk to her. I want to apologize and set things straight.
“No, I just dropped her off. I asked her where she wanted to go and she said home. Just give her some time, bro. You can grovel tomorrow.”
No, I can’t wait that long. She needs to know how sorry I am now. “I’ll be home in a bit.”
“J, I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“I guess we’ll see.”
I hang up with Bo and drive like a mad man to Cassie’s house.
I knock on the front door hoping Cassie will answer so I can explain.
No answer. So, I jog around the side of the house to her bedroom window. I peek inside and find she is curled up under her comforter asleep. I don’t want to leave her knowing she is upset with me so I raise her window as quietly as I can, not wanting to wake her up and freak her out.
I crawl u
p the bed and lie next to her. She is laying on her right side with one hand tucked under her chin and the other hand in front of her face. I prop my head up on my elbow and place my other hand on top of hers. She flinches, but luckily doesn’t open her eyes.
I don’t know how long we lay there like that until she finally stirs, her eyes fluttering open. The hand that has been propping up my head is asleep from being in the same position for so long.
Her breath hitches when she wakes up enough to notice me lying next to her.
“J, what are you doing?”
“I came to apologize, Cass. What I said was taken completely out of proportion. I swear I wasn’t defending her, I just…I just didn’t want you to be the one to get in trouble. Ellen will always come out looking innocent because no one wants to deal with her father.”
“You really pissed me off.”
“I know and I’m sorry. Forgive me?” I hold my breath waiting for her answer.
“Yeah. I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions. I was still angry with her and you got the brunt of it.”
“No worries, Cass. I’m just glad you aren’t mad at me anymore. And please, don’t run off like that again.”
“Okay,” she murmurs.
Cassie tenses when we hear gravel crunching, signaling someone pulling in the driveway.
Cassie’s eyes grow wide. “My parents are home. J, you have to go!”
Cassie frantically throws back the covers and jumps out of the bed.
“Cass, my truck is parked out front. They have already seen it.”
“Oh no,” she mumbles, covering her face.
I stand and pull her into my arms, trying to calm her. I don’t understand why she is getting so upset. “Cassie, I don’t see the big deal. I get to meet your parents, so what? They know we hang out a lot. Hell, I even pick you up for school every morning.”
“It’s not that I don’t want you to meet them, it’s just they—”
“Cassie Ann Matlock!” Her father’s voice booms through the house, cutting her off mid-sentence.
“In here!” she yells, stepping out of my arms to go open her bedroom door.
Her Dad’s footsteps pound against the tile as he walks down the hall. “What have I told you about having people over when we aren’t here?!”
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