“There is two ways this is going to go,” I tell her, “Option A, you are going to come to my truck and talk to me, or Option B, we can talk somewhere in here.”
I can see the wheels turning in her head, she looks up at me and says “option C please.”
I anticipated she would want a third option, so I already planned for one. Stepping toward her, she tries to side step out of my way, but I am too fast for her. I bend down and scoop her up and place her over my shoulders hanging down my back, with her ass next to my cheek. She goes completely still for a split second, then she is pleading with me to put her down. I walk her the five feet to the bathroom entrance and look at K.J. silently asking him if he and Dalton cleared the room. He shakes his head yes, so I enter then set her on her feet. I give her space and lean up against one of the sinks, waiting for her to start talking. She looks at me and starts to stomp off towards the way we came in. She has to walk around a corner to get out but I hear K.J say,
“Hello Candice, nice to see you’re doing well.” He isn’t going to let her out. She walks back in and goes to the other exit, thinking she will get by without having this conversation,
“Hey sweets, fancy meeting you here.” Dalton says to her from the exit. I hear her frustrated sigh just as I see her turn the corner from Dalton’s exit. Surely she knows now she should have chosen option A or B.
Chapter 9
Candice
Aunt Stacy let me stay home from school today. I was not prepared to deal with all the questions and opinions from everyone. I know I shouldn’t have been so mad at Jasper yesterday, I’m just not used to all the attention and drama that he has brought into my life. I’ve never had many friends, the few I did have were from the foster homes I grew up in. There is something about not having a home that causes kids to band together and rely on each other.
I wasn’t particularly close to any of them, but there was this one boy, Jake, he had a crush on me. I didn’t feel the same, but one night while listening to music he turned to me and unexpectedly kissed me. It took a total of thirty seconds for me to push him off me, realizing that was not something I wanted. I left that house not long after and haven’t seen him since. With Jasper, I fear I will like it too much, and end up getting hurt.
It’s now Thursday and I still haven’t returned to school. Jasper keeps coming by wanting to see me. Aunt Stacy tells him I’ll call, but I never do. He sends me a few texts, but I don’t respond to them either. I spend most of my time in my room listening to music as a form of therapy.
That incident opened up many unwanted memories, and I’m trying not to return to that dark place that I barely escaped the first time. I look down at my arms and run my thumb over the scar that has now turned white. I remember when I did this to myself. I remember what it was like to wake up in that hospital bed, and have the police tell me what I had done. I took a life, and felt I didn’t deserve to keep mine.
Shaking my head to clear my thoughts I see Aunt Stacy standing in my doorway. She must have knocked, but I couldn’t hear it with my earphones in. She is wearing her old shorts and tank top, which means she must have been cleaning.
“I was just about to make lunch, would you like something?” she asks me.
“No, I’m fine.”
When I see her frown, I immediately feel bad. She has welcomed me into her home, and tries hard to take care of me.
“I’ve changed my mind. I’ll come down to eat lunch.” I say, just as she is turning around to walk out of the door.
“Great, how does a sandwich and chips sound?” She asks, smiling at me.
Nodding my head, and giving her a small smile, I tell her “I’ll be down in a minute.”
Eating lunch with Aunt Stacy makes me realize how worried she is about me. She seems to think I am regressing and might try something stupid again. I am confident that will not happen, all my past therapy helped me see that my life could be worth living. The problem isn’t me wanting to live, my problem is being too afraid to try to live. Maybe I’ll overcome these fears, maybe one day I’ll be normal.
Later that night I am in my room changing when I hear a familiar voice, on the other side of the door. Finished putting on my pajamas, I open the door for Izzy.
“Hey chicka, nice legs. You should wear shorts more often!” She walks right by me and goes to lay on my bed.
“ Ummmm. What are you doing here Izzy?”
“Well since you were not being a very good friend, ignoring my calls and text, I thought I would come by and let you apologize in person.” She says this with a straight face.
“I’m sorry, I just needed some space.” I reply setting next to her on my bed.
“Forgiven, so now on to better topics. There has been a very sexy, moody guy walking around school acting like a whinny brat that got his favorite toy taken away. You my friend have done what no other girl could, you captured the attention of Jasper Johnathan.” She says this with a evil gleam in her eye.
“First I’m not willing to be anyone’s toy, not even for the infamous Jasper. Second, I think maybe you are seeing something that is not there.”
“Deny it all you want, lots of girls would love to be his play thing, and I see the truth in your eyes, you are no different.”
“What about you, are you one of those girls?”
“Nope, there is only one guy at school that sets my blood on fire. Unfortunately, whoever he plays with is sure to end up broken. Maybe one day I’ll be up to the challenge.” She says.
We talk for another two hours about different subjects. She tells me Bethany doesn’t hang out with London anymore and has become somewhat of a loner at school. She also informs me she has been trying to get her lunch schedule changed so we can have it together. She thinks she is close to breaking down Mr. Duncan.
I tell her more about my foster homes, and a little bit about my mom. I think she can sense the sorrow in my voice while talking about her, so she changes the subject. She wants us to go out Saturday night. I debate it in my head, and ultimately decide to decline her offer. Until she informs me, no will not be an acceptable answer. Giving in to her persistence, I eventually say yes.
It’s now Saturday, and I’m in my bathroom getting ready for tonight. I’m wearing a pale blue long sleeve shirt, it’s baggy and hangs off my left shoulder, making me feel more feminine. I throw on some grey yoga pants, and rid my hair of any tangles.
We decided to go to the movies tonight, and see one about a forest. I haven’t been to the movies in years, so I’m a little excited and anxious at the same time. I hear Aunt Stacy talking to Izzy so I throw on my shoes and head to the front door. I see Izzy in the doorway, wearing a white tank top and plaid skirt, with her boots. She somehow makes the outfit work, and looks amazing. We tell my aunt bye and let her know we might grab something to eat after the movie so not to wait up. I know she won’t listen, and will probably be drinking coffee, reading a book when I get home.
The movie theater is huge, and crowded with teenagers, but smells like buttered popcorn. I love movie popcorn, so the smell has my stomach growling letting me know what it’s craving. Izzy hears this and makes a joke, which causes both of us to laugh. I’m following her, because she seems to know where she is going and I’ve never been here before. Just as we come up to a huge poster, I see the one person I have managed to avoid until now.
“Jasper.” I whisper, thinking I must be losing it. How did he find me here?
Then it dawns on me that Izzy told him, because she is starting to walk backwards, avoiding any eye contact with me. I guess the motto “chicks before dicks” is a complete lie.
“There is two ways this is going to go,” he tells me, “Option A, you are going to come to my truck and talk to me, or Option B, we can talk somewhere in here.”
Not liking either one of those options, I decide there needs to be a third. It’s not fair that he gets to come up with all the choices.
“Option C please.” Is my response. I inwardly smile,
thinking I won this battle. That is until he throws me over his shoulder, like a caveman, and starts walking. I have no idea where he is taking me, I just have to accept, avoiding Jasper is no longer an option.
He sets me down, in what has to be the men’s bathroom. There is no way I am going to have this conversation right now, so I turn and walk back the same way we came in. My escape route is blocked with the huge body of K.J., standing there looking at me, daring me to try to pass.
“Hello Candice, nice to see you’re doing well.”
Not saying anything I turn around. There is another exit on the other side of the room, and hopefully Jasper won’t stop me from getting there. I walk right by him and I know something is off. He is just leaning on the sink watching me with humor in his eyes. I get to the other exit and quickly realize I have been denied my escape once again.
“Hey sweets, fancy meeting you here.” Dalton says while laughing.
Well I guess there is no way to avoid this, so turning around I sigh and make the short walk back to the evil genius, known as Jasper.
“Why won’t you talk to me Candice?” he says while folding his arms over his chest when I walk up. “I have tried for three days to see you.”
“Well now that you have seen me, I’ll just be on my way.” I say this loud enough for Dalton to hear me, because I need him to move. There is no way I am going to get close to K.J., so that escape route is out. I start to walk back to the exit but Jasper reaches out, grabbing my arm.
“Nope, you’re going to stay and listen to me.” He states as he walks me backwards toward the wall. He slowly leans into my personal space putting his hands on the wall by my head, effectively blocking me in. My heart is beating so fast, but not just from anxiety, I can smell his cologne, and feel the warmth from his body.
“I told you not to hide from me, that I would always find you. You should know that I always get what I want.” He whispers, tickling my neck, making his way up toward my left ear, his hot breath giving me chills all over my body.
“And do you know what I want Candice?” He asks me with his lips close to my skin.
“I want you gorgeous, and I can feel the way you want me.”
He nips my ear lobe and it instantly has me melting into him, he reaches down and grabs my hips to move me flush against him. With his other hand in my hair he leans in and places his lips on mine. I should push him away, try to deny my body what it is begging for, instead I find myself grabbing onto his shirt, pulling him closer. He licks my top lip with the tip of his tongue, trying to gain entry. I open for him and let him explore my mouth with his. The low moan coming from my chest has him answering with more urgency.
He eventually breaks the kiss, putting his forehead against mine. We stand there for a minute just breathing in each other’s air. He looks into my eyes and ask the same question again. “Why have you been avoiding me Candice?”
After that amazing kiss, my head is still in a fog, causing my reply to come out unfiltered.
“Because you make me feel Jasper, and that scares me. I don’t expect you to understand but if there is one thing life taught me, it is being scared is not something I want to feel.”
“You know what life has taught me Candice. Don’t run from your fears, embrace them and find that little bit of light to help you fight off the dark. Let me be your light gorgeous. Let me fight off the darkness that your hiding in.”
This time I kiss him. I may not be able to explain how much those words mean to me, but I can show him. I’m tired of running; I’m tired of hiding. This is a new chapter in my life, and I am bound and determined to write it differently.
Chapter 10
Jasper
After Candice and I finished our talk, we all decided to go to the diner across the street. We had already missed the start of the movie and didn’t want to wait for the next available showing. Walking across the street, Dalton, Izzy and, K.J. are in front of us. Dalton is in the middle leading the way. Him and Izzy seem to be laughing at something while K.J. keeps peering over at them looking annoyed.
I tuck Candice into my side, to have her close. I have come to realize I will never again not crave her touch. She is like a drug to me, I have no control over it. I think she realizes this and when she kissed me back in that bathroom, it sealed her fate. She is mine, whether she likes it or not.
Walking in to the diner, the bell above the door chimes, alerting everyone know our arrival. We take a seat at the back, in a booth big enough for all of us. Dalton and K.J. choose the bench against the wall, which leaves me and the girls together. Izzy slides in first, then Candice. I slide in last, opting to sit closest to the walkway.
The server walks up to the table and introduces herself, “Hi I’m Josie, I’ll be your waitress tonight, what can I get for you?”
She is pretty with blonde hair and blue eyes. This girl has the look of someone you would bring home to meet the parents. She is certainly not someone Dalton should try to pursue. Therefore, when he goes to tell one of his famous jokes I cut him off.
“I would like to have a burger all the way, with onion rings and a chocolate shake.”
I look over at Candice. She chooses to have the same, making me smile because I like a girl that can eat, not just chew on rabbit food and complain about carbs. After the rest of the group orders, Josie takes our menus, telling us it will be right out.
“Why are you cock blocking me man?” Dalton asks, sounding pissed.
“That girl is too innocent for you, leave her alone.”
“People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.” He says, making sure he glances toward Candice. K.J. must sense the situation is about to escalate because he looks over at Izzy. “What’s with the outfit?”
She gets a cruel smile on her face before saying, “You’re just mad because you can’t stop thinking about how you could get me out of it. Am I right, big boy?”
The table goes quiet waiting on his response, this is the first time anyone has ever talked to K.J. with sarcasm and it’s amusing coming from a girl half his size.
“I would rip it off with my teeth.” He says staring at her, waiting for her response.
She clears her throat. Her face now flushed with embarrassment, or desire, I can’t really tell. Dalton starts laughing and teasing K.J. about being a freaky bastard, essentially saving Izzy from having to respond. Shortly after Josie brings us our food everyone starts eating in silence. I reach under the table and place my hand on Candice, rubbing circles with my thumb on her inner thigh. She doesn’t flinch from my touch this time, instead her breathing changes, letting me know she is enjoying it. Just when I’m about to lean in to whisper in her ear, I hear the bell above the door chime and see Dalton’s expression turn serious.
Not understanding his reaction, I turn my head to see who just walked in. Liam is strolling over to our table, with his group of douche bag friends from their school. Candice must feel my body go taught next to her, “What is the matter?” she asks. Just as Liam arrives at our table.
“I guess it is a small world after all.” Liam states with laughter in his voice. “How has everyone been doing?” He asks the table, but only looks at Candice. The growl I can no longer hold back causes everyone to look my way, including Liam.
“We are not here to cause any trouble, just wanted some food. When I saw your group, thought I would say hi to my new friend Candice.” He says with that all American boy smile on his soon to be fucked up face.
Candice looks at me, with pleading eyes and mouths for me to be nice. That look manages to calm me down enough, and I refrain jumping up and ripping his head from his body. She gives me small smile of appreciation, and starts talking to Liam.
“Hey Liam, nice to see you again. Are these your friends?”
“Sorry, this is Tyler, Seth, and Eric. They’re my buddies from school.”
“Well you’ve chosen a great place to eat, you should try the burger it’s great.” I think she is trying to make the conversa
tion short, because of the tension between our groups.
“I will. Oh and Candice, hopefully I’ll be seeing you around.” He winks at her before walking off with his friends. The whole table is quit, waiting on my response to his stupid gesture, and Candice is staring at me. Silently asking if she did something wrong. Not being able to stand that look any more, I bend down and kiss her lips, reassuring her I’m fine.
“Oh great,” Dalton dramatically declares. “Candice has drugged Jasper. She must have, there is no way he would show PDA otherwise.”
I lean back from Candice and tell Dalton to shut up, just as Josie arrives to take our empty plates. She asks if we would like desert but we all decline. I just want to get Candice alone, so I tell the guys and Izzy we are leaving. Taking her hand, I help her out of the booth. She is trying to tell everyone goodnight but I just keep pulling her along toward the exit.
“So where are we going?” She asks me once we are in the truck.
“I’m taking you to my home away from home.” I tell her as I pull out of the parking lot. She may not like fighting, but I’m going to show her why I do.
The ride over there is silent other than the radio blaring Drowning Pool. She must know the music because I catch her singing along. When we get to Roy’s, she looks at me expectantly, but I just lead her inside the gym with me. It’s completely empty like I knew it would be. It is Saturday night and by nine everyone is done training. Walking up to the practice octagon, I open the door, and wait for her to enter before closing us in.
I stand a few feet from her, “What do you see?” I ask. She looks confused so I repeat my question. “Look around and tell me what you see and feel standing in here?”
Tearing Away (Fatally Flawed Book 1) Page 6