Break Me

by Ashley Christin

  Savannah walks up to our group, worry etched on her face. We are about two volume notches from causing a scene.

  “I’ll make sure she gets home,” Savannah says—a little too late apparently.

  “No fucking way, Savannah. I will take her home,” Parker announces, surprising me with the sound of authority in his voice.

  “You need to worry about taking your girl over there home,” Kelsey states as she throws fire with her eyes at Parker.

  “She is coming home with me so, not much to worry about there,” Parker spits out.

  “You may need to worry about STDs. Just sayin’,” Kelsey says as she pats him on the shoulder. I have no idea where this tension came from, but it’s thick.

  “Probably, I have been sleeping with this nasty bitch lately,” Parker sneers, and I swear I see smoke coming out of Kelsey’s ears.

  Holy shit.

  “Let’s go,” Colt whispers in my ear, grabbing my hand and walking us toward the exit.

  “See you later, Kels,” I barely get out as I follow Colt out of the bar. I feel strange leaving without Kelsey and stop short.

  “What now?” Colt seems irritable.

  Oh wow.

  “I don’t want to leave Kelsey.” The protectiveness eases in his features as his face softens.

  “Parker will make sure she gets home safe. I promise.” Hooking his fingers with mine, we stand toe to toe. His lips touch the center of my forehead as if sealing his promise. This nagging feeling tells me that Parker only wants one thing from my best friend.

  “Colt, please, I don’t want to leave without her. I can’t,” I plea. It’s probably just the alcohol making me whine because normally Kelsey and I are good with leaving one another as long as we know where the other is.

  “Whatever you want, B.” And with that, he walks off leaving me at the door. My knight in shining fucking armor.

  “What the fuck of fucks is going on right now!” Kelsey swears, slung over the back of my very pissed off knight.

  “You’re coming home with us, Kels. I don’t want to leave you.” I bend down to get eye level with her.

  “I had a ride home. Overdramatic much? Shit, can’t a girl get laid?” she says, exacerbated.

  “By who, Parker?” I sneer.

  “Like hell! I wouldn’t let his dick touch me for a million dollars!” She spits right back at me. She’s really pissed off. I can’t remember ever seeing her like this.

  “Kels. You’re drunk. Don’t make bad choices.”

  “Oh hell, the fuck no you don’t, bitch. Don’t pull that card on me. Fuck you. I will find my own ride home.” She starts to kick her feet and scream that she is being kidnapped.

  “I will take her home,” I hear a familiar gruff voice, and Kelsey instantly goes silent.

  “Really Parker?” I say dumbfounded. Why the fuck does he care so much?

  “Shit. Yeah, I’ll take the drunk bitch home. Damn. It seems she doesn’t want to leave with y’all.” He shrugs, shoving his hands in his pockets.

  “Thank fuck.” Colt places Kelsey back down on her feet. She wobbles a bit, and I can’t help but think weebles wobble but they don’t fall down.

  I pull Colt close to my ear and whisper, “That’s my best friend, you ass.” At that, he grabs me and throws me into his lips, not letting go. I lose all concept of time.

  “Parker will take care of her. Promise.” His voice portrays so much trust that I can’t help but believe the same thing.

  “Fuck you, Parker. You can take the girl you brought. I’m going back to drink.” Kelsey turns and stomps back into the bar.

  “I believe your promise, but I don’t trust Parker as far as I can throw his dumb ass. Maybe we can stay a little longer? We were having a girls’ night, after all.” I bat my eyelashes up at Colt. With a sigh, he agrees and I make my way back toward Kelsey. That’s the last thing I remember before the night becomes a complete blur.

  Colt

  Brealynn just took off after Kelsey back into the bar, so it’s safe to say we won’t be leaving anytime soon. Those two seem to be tight as glue, from what I can tell. I guess that’s why it surprises me that Kelsey hasn’t told Brealynn about Parker yet. Maybe Parker just met the girl version of himself.

  That’s some funny shit.

  “Why are you smiling, asshole?” Parker drawls as he stalks my direction, leaving Sam standing alone. Again.

  “Just thinking about how you may have met your match.”

  “I don’t know what I was even thinking,” his crushed spirit whispers.

  “At least you put a stop to it. She probably won’t touch you again,” I say laughing.

  Parker elbows me. “Keep your voice down. I don’t need Sam hearing this shit.”

  “You think bringing an innocent girl was a good idea to make Kelsey jealous?”

  “Not so sure,” Parker says, looking down.

  “Let’s go find the drunks.” I pat him on the back before heading back into the bar. He’s taking this Kelsey thing way harder than I would have imagined. I don’t understand why he is letting her get to him so much. This isn’t the brother I know.

  Parker throws an arm around Sam as we make our way to find the girls. My eyes roam the room until they land on Kelsey making out with that guy from earlier, and B sitting down at the table on her phone. Probably drunk Facebooking.

  “The fuck is going on here?” Parker’s anger surrounds the space when we approach. Startled, Kelsey stops sucking face and narrows her eyes in our direction.

  “This isn’t your business, Parker!” Kelsey hisses.

  “I wasn’t aware she was anyone’s girl. Are you his girl, sweetheart?” Jeremy says, bringing the attention back to him.

  Dumbass.

  “No. No, I am most certainly not.” Her face is smug while she purses her lips together.

  At that comment Parker yells, “You’re such a fucking slut!”

  Kelsey bursts into tears and takes off running toward the bathrooms. Shocked at his outburst, I gape in his direction. What the hell has gotten into him? When Brealynn stands from the table to go after her best friend, I turn toward her.

  “I’m gonna pay the tab. Get Kelsey and you girls meet me at the door. Let’s go, Parker.” I don’t look behind me; I can feel his anger like it’s my own. Hitting him on the arm, he begins following me.

  It’s mostly Kelsey and Brealynn’s tab since I only drank a single beer. Parker hasn’t said a word, but I see the tick in his jaw. It’s a family trait. After paying the bill, I turn to follow Parker to the front door and place my hand on his shoulder halting his movements.

  “I don’t know what all is actually going on with you two, but you need to get a grip. Things will just get worse and calling her a slut definitely didn’t help.”

  “I don’t know what came over me.” His voice is full of regret, staring over at the girls. I glance over at the door where Brealynn is leaning against it, Kelsey huddled against her. She looks like she is still crying.

  “I’m going to get these girls home. Text me when you make it home so I know you’re safe,” I say to Parker.

  “Damn. You care if I make it home? She is changing you. Who would have thought.” Parker gives a longing look toward Kelsey as he exits the bar. He thinks no one saw it, but I did.

  I kiss Brealynn’s forehead and tell her to follow me outside. When we reach the truck, Parker runs over to inform us that he will take Kelsey home. This time, after a few secret whispers from him, she agrees while weeping.

  Brealynn takes control of the radio on the drive to the dorms, singing her drunk heart out, and it’s the cutest fuckin’ thing I’ve ever seen. Her blonde hair is in waves down her shoulders, her eyes are lit with a bright blue glow, and those kiss me lips are singing in my direction while her tiny body dances in the confinement of her seatbelt. This seems like one of those times I’ll look back on and wish lasted forever. So carefree and so beautiful, she takes my breath away.

  Once we exit
the truck, she hugs my body tight to hers until we reach her room.

  “Can I stay the night?” I ask. Blue depths stare back at me, inviting while she nods.

  I’m almost positive he will take Kelsey back to our house tonight, and I don’t want to be around for the fireworks.

  After I lock the door so we don’t get any visitors, she moves over to the bed. I kick off my shoes and take a seat next to her.

  “Something’s going on with them,” she slurs.

  Shit.

  “They’re drunk.” Running my hand from her chin to her chest, I murmur, “Fuck, I love these tits,” before cupping one over her shirt. Her breath catches, and I know I have her.

  “I love your touch,” she moans.

  Loves?

  I bring both my hands to her face and pull her into a kiss. It’s like she fucking centers my whole world with just her touch. Pulling away from her lips, I direct her to lie back on the bed and ignore the love comments we both just made.

  Brealynn

  No matter the setbacks we’ve had, I feel myself falling for him.

  So hard.

  Like I am two steps from the L word. I came so close to it last night in my drunken haze. Not sure how he will handle that bomb. Not sure I’m the one ready to light the fuse on it, either. When we get to that step, things change and feelings are more invested. I’ve been chipped before; I’m not ready to be shattered, which is exactly what losing that love would feel like.

  I’m scared.

  Kelsey, on the other hand, is a free woman. Or she used to be. I’ve come to the conclusion that something is going on between her and Parker and have had my suspicions for a while. I thought it was just me, being me, overthinking everything, but now I am almost certain that they slept together after that little showdown last night. It hurts my feelings that she doesn’t trust me enough to tell me. Although, she seems to be over whatever she was feeling for him since her tongue was down Jeremy’s throat and not his. It’s just a matter of time until she spills her guts to me. She has already held out longer than ever before.

  “Mornin’, baby,” Colt mumbles into my neck. He tightens his grip on me, both arms in a bear hug, and places a kiss on my cheek.

  I make a struggling sound because he is squeezing me to death and breathe, “Morning.”

  “You smell like me. I love it,” he mumbles, inhaling my hair. Caveman is back. Wait…he loves it?

  I’m distracted by a crazy person banging on the door. No sane person would beat on a door like that.

  “Hey, duo! Let’s do breakfast!” A crazy person and Tim are one and the same.

  “Shit. Put your clothes on so I can let Tim in here without having to hurt him.” He chuckles, winking at me and handing me my clothes. “Hang on!” Colt yells out.

  “Brealynn, your voice is so deep in the mornings,” Tim’s muffled voice jokes.

  “Ha, ha, asshole,” Colt deadpans.

  I make quick work of getting dressed and walk over to Colt, who just threw on his pants. Minus his boxer briefs. Sexy. Tim comes busting into the room and sees me with Colt, which causes a smile to spread across his goofy face. I may or may not have told him a year or so back that if I was ever not with Nick, I would totally do Colt.

  Yeah, caught.

  “Well, good morning, Colt. Fancy seeing you here, at a place like this,” he beams, making a wave of his hands.

  “Can it, Tim,” Colt warns with humor.

  “You stay the night here? There is no sock on the door. Brealynn, we talked about this.” Mockingly, he shakes his finger in my face.

  “Get your finger away from me,” I tell him with a giggle as I swat his hand away.

  “How often are there socks on the door?” Colt asks.

  I counter with, “Not as often as the socks on your door.” His eyes go round. Hit a nerve, I guess. Like the whole school doesn’t know about his whoring ways. Well, his ways PB (pre-Brealynn). Keeping my eyebrow raised at Tim, he fumbles to say something to save his friend. It’s funny, really. I decide to save his mumbling ass. “Just kidding. Don’t have a cow.”

  He immediately lets out a breath and starts laughing.

  Colt throws his arms around me from behind and bends down to kiss my cheek. “My girl knows she is the only one I want to put a sock on the door for.” As he pulls away, he smells my hair. I know what that perv is doing.

  Caveman, I tell ya.

  Colt pulls me closer to his body. I can feel his erection pressing against my back so I wiggle a little closer which earns me a low hiss. Colt leans down, whispering low in my ear, “Keep that up, baby. Paybacks are a bitch.”

  Challenge accepted. I lean in again and let out a soft low moan only for him to hear. I feel his cock react immediately as he grabs my hips and holds me close to him so I feel exactly what I’m doing.

  Winning.

  “Well, I guess breakfast is a no go. I will catch you later,” Tim declares and leaves with a wave of his hand.

  Colt follows close behind and shuts the door. When he turns to face me, I see pure lust in his eyes. I slowly back up through the room as he stalks me like prey, never once looking away from me. The back of my knees hit the bed, and I lose my balance, falling back onto the rumpled sheets. Colt is silent as he grabs my shorts and pulls them off. I’m laying on the bed in a lacy tank top and no panties since I didn’t have time to put them on before Tim came barreling in through the door.

  “Damn,” he says as he drops to his knees in front of my spread legs. He slowly, torturously, runs his hands up the inside of my thighs until he reaches my core and ever so lightly runs his fingers over the area that always craves him. “Always so ready for me, what would you like for me to–” Before he can finish that sentence, there is more banging on the door and my heart is pounding out of my chest.

  Motherfucker, this better be good.

  “I forgot my key, Brea. Let me in!”

  Dammit!

  The look on Colt’s face is telling me blue balls will be setting in soon. I look at him regretfully and then kiss his forehead. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” When I turn around, I feel a playful smack to my butt and yelp.

  “There will be more of that later.” He winks.

  “Just a minute!” I call out as I slip my shorts back on. Colt begins getting dressed with the promise of another round showing in his eyes.

  Colt left soon after Kelsey arrived back at our dorm. I think he knows something is up between Kelsey and Parker, too. Every time I speak about them, he distracts me. I have no idea what the hell is going on anymore. However, I do know that Kelsey and I are always there for each other in our darkest hours, even though we may be a little out of sync right now. Silence pulls at the room. Messing with my phone, I hear her clear her throat and glance at her while she sits on the bed.

  “You know I fucking love you, Brea.” Her lip is quivering like it does before she’s about to come clean.

  I tell her, apprehension hanging in the air, “I know, Kels.”

  “My one-night stand was with Parker. It turned into a few more nights a few weeks ago. I honestly don’t know why I like him, but I do.” She quickly corrects, “I mean, I did. I don’t know.” She vomits the words out like she can’t rid them from her system fast enough. Her tear-filled eyes look so lost that I walk over, sit down beside her, and grab her hands that she keeps wringing in her lap.

  “I want you to be happy, Kels. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you. If Parker makes you happy, then…well, he makes you happy,” I convey, giving her an encouraging smile. It’s the honest truth. I just wish she could have trusted me sooner with this information. “But you don’t look happy at all. What happened?”

  A tear escapes, cascading down her cheek. “It started out with us running into each other one night while you were hanging out with Colt. I was bored, and he was making me laugh. You know I’m a sucker for a comedian. He was actually being normal. Not a cocky douche. We flirted and it started out with me just leading
him on, but he ended up hitting a home run. That was the first one-night stand. I regretted it so fucking much. I told him that it couldn’t happen again. He protested and said I was just scared of what you would think. I was scared. Not of you being mad, but I was more scared of him, how human he was being with me. We hung out a couple more times, which led to a few more nights together.”

  “How many?” I interrupt her. This is important information. Parker’s reputation states firmly that he doesn’t do more than a few nights with anyone.

  She looks away. “Two. Well, three, if you count last night…”

  I am mind blown. Three times. That’s insane. What is going on here? Is this the Twilight Zone?

  I take a breath. “What was that about last night? Why was Sam there with him?”

  “I’m getting to that. Well, I started backing off him again. I was telling him that we couldn’t hang out and whatnot. That’s another reason why I wanted us to go out and sing karaoke. I just needed to get out. I never expected him to show up and bring a girl… It’s like he just flipped a switch and didn’t want me anymore. Easy as that. So, that’s why I flipped out at the bar. I don’t know what I’m doing with him. He makes me so angry and horny, all at the same damn time!”

  “You do whatever you want to do. I will support you. You deserve to be happy and if you can work things out with Parker, then do it,” I advise, full of encouragement.

  “No…I just don’t think I am ready to have my heart torn apart by Parker Taylor.” She releases a trembling sigh as more tears streak her face from her scared eyes.

  I wrap my arms around my best friend. “Kels, no matter, what you can always count on me. Always. As far as I’m concerned, you’re my sister and that bond can never be broken. You can trust me with anything, even if it scares you. I’ll be there with the flashlight to help you find your way out.”

  She leans her head against my shoulder. “I know. It’s just not the person I am, having one-night stands.”