by King, C. M
* * *
The car horn was enough to bring me out of my thoughts as I said a quick goodbye to Joel and sprinted out to an eager looking Elijah.
“Ready for the torture to begin all over again?” he asked grinning, looking like he couldn’t wait.
“Today shouldn’t be as bad, after all we did get all the basics down yesterday. It should be more of a polishing up the timing and getting everything flowing more smoothly.” Well, I hoped so anyway.
“How’s the feet?”
“They were killing me last night. I hopped into a bubble bath so that helped with the pain and my body, but it was a rude awakening as a reminder to how punishing classes used to be. I thought I’d been pushing myself, but I’ve never felt as tired as I did last night. Normally I’d wait up for Joel, but I couldn’t keep my eyes open past nine.” I wasn’t even able to squeeze in any Kindle time, which was not like me.
“I got Sam to rub my feet.” He smiled just at the thought.
“So lucky, I had to rub my own,” I groaned. It was the one part of the dancing that I hated, the toll it took on your feet.
“Sam is amazing that way he has this knack of working his magic that has me groaning in delight.”
I suddenly had flash backs of our spar day and could only imagine the orgasmic noises that left his lips, at least this time he had someone that would more than appreciate them.
“I can’t wait to see this when it finally gets uploaded, it’s going to be so amazing. Just being back there makes me feel young again.”
“You’re hardly old,” I retorted.
“I know but being flung out into the real world. I love working in the boutique because you know I love clothes.” He lived and breathed clothes.
“That I know.”
“But this? I just feel so alive, when people watch us I will feel like I can do anything. It’s so empowering to know you are on show, to give your all for your craft.”
“Wow, we are feeling very sentimental today, aren’t we?”
“Yeah, you know me, I do like to get all mushy about things.” He shrugged, which was true.
“Don’t apologise, I like it.”
“What, no sarcasm?” he asked, looking confused.
“Let’s just say I am so happy to be doing something more worthwhile than pouring pints.” I sighed. I was glad to take a break from it all.
“Yeah, but this is just the beginning, Iz, I can feel it.”
“I hope that’s true, now put your foot down, we’re going to be late.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he saluted, in his typical mocking way.
* * *
I grabbed a tray and worked my way along, loading it up with chicken salad and fruit. If I wanted to survive this I had to eat more healthily, eating cake was out of the question right now. Elijah seemed to be along the same lines, grabbing the same. We’d had another grueling morning, but things were slowly starting to take shape. I welcomed the dinner hour to take a much needed break.
Placing my tray down beside Elijah, I eagerly tucked in, the small breakfast I’d had long burned off, and I was starving.
“Oh I am so ready for this,” Elijah said through a mouthful of chicken. I felt the exact same. For three hours we had pounded the floor, the dance moves were very fast in order to be eye catching but was going to look amazing when it was filmed.
“I swear I cracked a bone somewhere along the line, but I just soldiered on without complaint,” Jodie remarked, taking a swig of her apple juice, sitting across the table from us.
“Oh you are such a trooper, Jodie. I’m surprised you managed to stay strong with your dance wound, how very brave of you,” Elijah responded sarcastically.
“Ha bloody ha, I saw some of your timings were off, Elijah. You aren’t as perfect as you think,” Jodie retorted, going for the Achilles heel.
“Err I never said I was, but sometimes I come so damn close.” He grinned, taking a long draw of water.
He always had an answer for everything.
“That segment is hard, it goes so fast trying to get the legwork right while maintain a strong upper core. I messed up I know that, but once we have it polished it is going to look amazing. All five hundred of us lined up in sync, it’s going to blow everyone away,” I added.
“I’m hoping to end up in front of the camera so I can really get my skills noticed.” Elijah grinned.
“Well, isn’t that a surprise.” Jodie rolled her eyes in mock amusement.
“Hey, it’s dog eat dog out there if I can get just one person to notice me and pick me out of the crowd then it will all be worth it,” Elijah remarked.
He had a point. We were all each other’s rivals in one way even though we were friends, we’d now become each other’s competition, which made me sad.
“Oh I’ll make sure to dance my little butt off to catch someone’s eye, that’s for sure.” Jodie winked and Elijah groaned.
“It’s not Saturday night at Harley’s, you know, it’s a not a bump and grind tournament to win the guy. You have to take this more seriously.”
“Oh, quit your bitching, like I haven’t seen you all out on the dance floor trying to catch some guy’s eye.”
“I’m very happy with Sam, thank you very much.” Elijah scowled.
“Oh you still love to show off, admit it,” Jodie scoffed. We all knew it.
“Of course I do, but I want to be taken seriously and not look like some slapper that looks like they’ve had one to many vodkas on a Saturday night.”
“Oh whatever,” she fumed, looking well and truly pissed.
“Please, just be quiet the both of you, you can do whatever you like in the freestyle, there is no reason to be arguing.” I needed the constant abuse like a hole in the head. I wanted time to think, to work it all out in my head.
“He started it,” Jodie shrieked.
“No, she started it,” Elijah retorted.
“I don’t care who started it, just end it. I’m bored of you two fighting, and it’s only two days in.” This was only the tip of the iceberg at what was to come.
“Fine, I’ll keep schtum, but he has to keep his catty words to himself.”
“Look, I’m not promising anything, but I’ll try to contain my temper even though she pushes me to my limits every time,” Elijah said trying to appease me.
“Errm, I think you’ll find it’s the other way around, thank you very much.”
“Yeah, whatever,” Elijah muttered.
“Oh shut up the pair of you, see this is what I haven’t missed,” I fumed. They had bickered from day one of college and hadn’t let up since.
“Oh you love us really, admit it.” Jodie winked.
“Pssshhht, I’m admitting nothing.”
“Hey what are you guys talking about?” Simon asked, sitting down beside us with his tray to join in the conversation.
“Nosey much?” Elijah retorted.
“Oh purlease, I have an hour to fill so it might as well be mindless crap that fills your day.”
“Seriously does no one get on ’round here?” I asked in annoyance.
“We get on.” Elijah smiled at me, and I had to agree though we did have our moments where I wanted to wring his neck on the odd occasion.
“Awww best fwends, are we.” Simon chuckled, demolishing a heap of chips on the plate in front of him.
“See you’re on a health kick then, enough carbs on your plate for you?” Elijah scoffed.
“I’m a growing man and have you seen my abs?”
We’d all seen his abs and to be fair to him they would rival Joel’s. My eyes nearly popped out the first time I saw them.
“Purlease, the whole college has seen them. I’m surprised they didn’t receive their own graduation certificate,” Elijah mocked, laughing at his own joke.
“Now, now, don’t be jealous.”
“I think you’ll find I have abs too.” Elijah snorted, looking put out by his comment.
“Not abs of steel like mi
ne though. Izzy, do you fancy a feel?” Simon offered, winking at me in that cocky way.
“Have you seen Izzy’s fiancé? His put yours to shame.” Elijah snorted.
“I hardly doubt it. I’ve had more women than hot dinners, it’s amazing what a hot body will do, ladies just fall at my feet.”
“I think you’ll find Joel was the biggest play—”
“Elijah.” I didn’t need him bringing up Joel’s past in front of everyone, that was over and done with, or the constant reminder that my own fiancé had his own player record too.
“Sheesh Iz, I was just saying.” Elijah immediately looked wounded by my reaction.
“Well, don’t,” I snapped. His input wasn’t welcome.
“Any time you want to break free from the ball and chain, feel free to try me out, Izzy,” Simon piped up.
“Yeah, when hell freezes over more like,” Elijah chimed in, and he wasn’t wrong there.
“I think the lady should speak for herself. I was talking to the organ grinder not the monkey,” Simon added bitterly.
“Psshhhtt, like I’m anyone’s monkey. You’ve barely got a brain cell to rub together if we’re talking about actual intelligence then I think you’re way out of your league, maybe just sit there and look pretty.”
“Fuck you, Elijah, you think because you’re quick witted with that smart mouth that you’re above everyone else.”
“I know I’m above you, well everyone is when it comes to anything intellectual,” Elijah scoffed. Harsh but true.
He stood up. “Yeah, whatever. I’m off to hang with more manlier guys that don’t think they are above everyone, enjoy your salad, ya prick.” He grabbed his tray and stormed off.
“Oh, he had to play the homophobe card, I expected more, no wait this is Simon, so I didn’t.” Elijah rolled his eyes, taking a swig of water.
“Are you going to scare everyone away today?” I asked, shaking my head. Jodie scoffed and gave him a look. “What is with you today?”
“He just rubs me up the wrong way,” Elijah snapped.
“Or is it that you want him to rub you, is that it?” Jodie probed.
“What? No!”
“I think I know a guy when he’s in denial,” Jodie retorted.
“Like you are any good at reading people with the amount of idiots you’ve slept with. What were you thinking springs to mind at some of the guys you’ve slept with?”
Yeah, now it was really getting personal.
“Fuck off, I wasn’t sleeping with them for the size of their brain.”
“No, just the size of their cock,” Elijah added sarcastically.
“A nine-inch guy is hard to find.”
Elijah grinned. “Ask Joel, he’s quite equipped in that department.”
“Elijah.” I was just about ready to kill him.
“Fuck Izzy, you lucky bitch,” Jodie’s mouth was wide open. Doing a perfect impression of a gold fish.
My eyes flashed in anger. “Elijah, seriously?” I fumed. He could not keep that mouth of his shut.
“Iz, I’d be shouting it from the rooftops if my man stood nine inches proud. Trust me, if it were me, I’d wear it like a badge of honour.”
“Of course you would,” I scoffed. It would be all we’d hear about.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong when a guy is that well hung shouting about it. Joel is freaking hot, I swear if he wasn’t straight I’d be all over him like a rash.”
“Have you got any pics, Iz?” Jodie asked innocently.
“I have.” Elijah grinned as I scowled at him.
Jodie’s eyes immediately widened. “Wow, this is your
fiancé? Can I say where can I find one? Does he have a brother?”
“Sadly, he is an only child, else I would be all over that.” Elijah sighed.
“Have you got any pics of his…”
“What?” I snapped, really not needing her to finish that sentence.
“A cock shot?” Elijah concluded.
“Yep, I would love to see that bad boy standing to attention.” Jodie licked her lips almost in anticipation.
Elijah pursed his. “Sadly not, Iz is stingy in the department, I have made several attempts trying to make that happen but she won’t.”
“Errr it’s my fiancé, no one sees it but me,” I bit out.
“Purrlease half of Camden has seen it, it’s not like he’s only ever slept with you. I bet he stopped counting once he hit the thousand mark.”
“Elijah,” I barked.
“Whoa, that many, huh? Sounds like he got himself around before he settled down with dear sweet Izzy.”
“Do you mind not discussing it? Thanks. I don’t need to have reminders of the past, but thanks for bringing it up, Elijah.” I gave him an icy glare of disgust.
“What? It’s not like it’s classified information, your fiancé was a man whore, sorry. Now he’s a reformed man whore that loves you with all his heart.”
Jodie sighed. “Damn, I wished I’d tapped that when he was still in his man whore period. I would ride him raw.”
“Right, that’s it!” I leapt up, feeling pissed as hell they would discuss Joel in that way right in front of me. Did they have no boundaries at all?
“Jeez, Izzy, it’s a joke,” Elijah remarked.
“Well, it isn’t to me, this is the man I’m engaged to, that I’ll go onto marry and have kids with. Stop talking about him like that, okay? I don’t need reminders of the past, but thanks for bringing that up, for opening old wounds. You call yourself a friend when for the last ten minutes you’ve talked shit in front of me, made me look like a joke. Fuck the lot of you.” I stormed out, not able to hear another word spoken. I could see the apologetic look Elijah shot me before I flounced off, but it was too late he had gone too far and I was pissed as hell.
Chapter Eleven
I strode off down the road to sit in the park nearby. I had twenty minutes until I had to go back and right now, there was only one voice I wanted to hear.
“Hey Iz.”
I didn’t reply I just sighed, barely able to find the words without crying.
“What’s wrong, Iz? Iz, are you there?”
“Yes,” I finally choked out.
“What’s wrong? Oh god, are you hurt? Tell me where you are and I’ll come get you.” I could already hear the panic in his voice.
“I’m fine, just a little upset,” I said between sobs.
“Who’s upset you? I swear I will—”
“It was Elijah and Jodie, they both pissed me off,” I finally got out.
“About what?”
“You.”
“Me? What the hell do I have to do with it?” I could hear the anger growing in his voice.
“Elijah was regaling your man whore days and showed Jodie your pic, and she said she would have loved to ride you raw. Of course he had to mention the whole nine inches, and then she wanted to see a pic of your cock, and it was like I was a complete joke. This is my life not some fucking gossip magazine to laugh about.”
“Hey, I know that and you know that, but we can’t change the past. I wish I could go back in time and change it all, but I can’t,” he soothed.
“I’m not asking you to.”
“But I know how much this affects you, and it hurts me that my past behavior is causing you so much pain.”
“I’m just being stupid I should never have bothered you with it.” I had just made the situation worse crying and bringing Joel into it.
“Hey, your problem is my problem, and as I’m the cause of it, I want to know. I want to be there for you, Iz, good and bad. I’ll be there for you for the rest of our lives.”
“Promise?” I asked, hiccupping.
“I promise. You know that from here and now my heart is completely yours. The things I did way back when were because I was hurting so much because of my dad. Well, the drinking and the women, it was all a big escape. I never knew how much I missed out on until that moment you admitted you h
ad feelings, and I allowed myself to finally believe that I could be worthy of you, that I was allowed to be loved. I just got caught up in my own personal hell back then and I’m so sorry that you are the one still paying for it.” I could hear the hurt in his voice. He was blaming himself as usual.
“I’ll be fine, they both got to me, that’s all, but hearing your voice, you make it all better,” I whispered.
“I will have words with Elijah later for upsetting you,” Joel warned, and I felt bad for dropping him in it.
“He was just joking around but then took it too far. I just hate when they discuss you like you’re a piece of meat. I don’t care that you have a nine-inch cock. I love you, I love your heart and everything that comes with it.”
“Wow, but I know for a fact you like my cock,” he teased, making me smile.
“Joel—”
“Baby, you vocally approve every time. I love to make you scream, it turns me on so bad to know I’m pushing you over the edge.”
“Oh, trust me, you do.”
Every single time.
“And when you get home, you will get all nine inches over and over,”
“Joel, I hardly doubt I’ll even be able to move when I get home.” Never mind have non-stop heart pounding sex.
“Oh I’ll be doing all the leg work, trust me. I will put a smile on that face, this day will end with a bang, that’s for sure,” he promised.
“I’m speechless.” I literally was.
“You won’t be later.”
“Joel.” I giggled, blushing.
“Izzy,” he teased.
“How do you do it? How do you manage to change my mood so easily?” He was a born natural at making me forget my worries.
“Because I know what my girl wants and needs, and I’ll do anything to keep a smile on your face.”
“Oh, believe me, I’m smiling.”
Smiling hard.
“Well then, I’ve done my job.”
“I love you.” I sighed.
“I know and I love you back. We’re going to be happy together, you know. There are still people that like to put us down and think they know us, but they don’t. What we have is real, it’s something no one else can taint because our love is untouchable.”