by Samantha Bee
“I’m not pouting!” she exclaims.
I look at Luca confused because she definitely was pouting. Why would she say she wasn’t?
Luca shrugs before telling her, “You kind of were, Princess.”
She looks him up and down and scoffs, “Was not. I’m going to the swings.”
Luca rolls his eyes, but I don’t want her to leave yet. She’s kinda odd but she's nice and funny and I liked when she touched my face. Plus, she stood up to Luca. I like that.
“Wait, don’t go yet.”
She turns back and looks at me with surprise written across her face. I look at Luca and find him with a similar expression on his face. I just shrug at him. I like her. I want to be her friend.
I guess I can tell them what’s wrong. I’ll have to tell Luca eventually anyways and maybe just a little part of me doesn’t want to be eaten. Not that I believe her… but just in case.
“I’ll tell you what’s wrong,” I say as I take a deep breath. I look at my best friend and beg him with my eyes not to hate me when I tell him. I still don’t know what I did wrong.
I’m scared. I stare at my shoes as they both stare at me and wait for me to tell them what’s wrong. This time I’m aware when the tears start slipping down my face. Luca presses his shoulder harder against mine and my new friend slips her little hand into mine and squeezes. I don’t know why but I don’t feel so scared anymore. Not with both of them here.
“My momma left me, she ran away, but she left me,” I whisper.
The little girl looks confused but sympathetic, “It’s okay. I miss my momma when she leaves but she always comes back. It’ll be okay.”
I’m already shaking my head, but Luca understands and explains, “No, his momma isn’t coming back.”
She looks between the two of us, confused, “Why not?”
I don’t really know how to answer her. I don’t want to lie to her, but I don’t want to scare her. She’s not like me and Luca. Her parents would never leave her or be mean to her. I decide on at least some of the truth, “My dad isn’t very nice.”
“Well then why did she leave you?”
My chest hurts at her question, “I don't know,” I whisper but it sounds funny. I wait for her and Luca to stop being my friends now but instead she growls.
“Your momma sounds like a female dog,” she huffs.
Luca and I share another look over this strange girl. I think he is as puzzled by her as I am. But I can tell he likes her too. If he didn’t, he would be making more fun of her. He can be mean, not like my daddy and never to me, but still mean.
“A female dog?” he asks her.
“Yeah, that’s what my momma calls her friends when she’s mad at them,” she explains.
“She calls them female dogs?” he asks.
She nods before hesitating and it looks like she’s trying to think really hard about it. I smile at Luca and he’s trying to hide his own smile. She looks a little unsure of herself, “Well, she used another word. But I can’t remember it. But I asked what it meant, and she said female dog, so,” she starts smiling again, “same thing. Right? Your momma is a female dog.”
Luca and I can’t hold back the laughter that escapes us. She’s clearly very different from us. I know what she’s trying to say, and I know Luca does too. Adults around us say all the bad words and don’t care that we are kids.
She looks confused by our laughter, but Luca is quick to explain, “I think the word you meant was ‘bitch.’ But you’re right Kade’s mom is a bitch,” he smiles at her. I think he’s trying not to hurt her feelings.
I watch her as she mouths the word, getting a feel for it. She smiles at us both, “Your momma is a bitch,” she says before her cheeks start turning pink. All three of us start laughing together this time.
Once she catches her breath, she looks at me and grabs my hand again before whispering, “I think when people leave it’s cause something is wrong with them, not the people they leave behind.”
“Why?” I question, wanting to desperately believe her but what would she know? She’s even littler than me.
She starts shuffling back and forth on her feet. I think she uncomfortable, but she still whispers, “My momma leaves a lot and daddy works a lot,” she hesitates, “it used to make me sad, but my Sasha told me it’s because my momma gets eaten up so much she has to leave to get better but I’m perfect so I don’t have to leave too.”
“Your Sasha?” I ask.
She nods eagerly before pointing to a woman watching us, “She stays with me when momma is gone. Well, also when momma is home too. She’s my friend.”
“Oh, your nanny,” Luca says but she just shrugs.
“Well, I agree with your Sasha,” I say, “I think you're perfect.”
She giggles and it makes me smile, “I agree too,” she says, “I’m really cute, so something must be wrong with momma. Not me.”
“I don’t think you’re supposed to say that about yourself,” Luca giggles.
She looks confused, “Why not?”
Not knowing how to explain it we just shrug and laugh more but she's smiling with us, so I think it's okay. “I’m Kade, by the way,” I introduce myself.
“I’m Luca, we are best friends,” he explains.
“Can we be friends too?” she asks and we both nod eagerly.
She studies us and then a huge smile breaks out as if she was thinking about something, “Okay, then you call me Letty,” she nods but it's more to herself than us. I tilt my head studying her and I see Luca doing the same thing. “No one is supposed to call me Letty,” she whispers to us, “it's not proper,” she explains rolling her eyes in disgust, “But my Sasha calls me Letty when no one is around, and I like it more, but you gotta keep it a secret.”
We both immediately agree to it and I smile at the both of them. I came to the park so sad, but I feel a lot happier now. I like Letty. Letty. I smile to myself. It fits her. The three of us shake on it and I leave knowing the three of us were going to be best friends.
Scar slamming around in the kitchen draws me back out of the memory. I can’t help the smirk that spreads across my face as she stomps through the apartment. I know what I did was kind of a dick move but I just love teasing her and getting her wound up. We really didn’t have time to continue, Luca is already waiting for us at Harlee’s.
Why tease her in the first place when I knew we didn't have the time? Well, there are a few reasons. One being I’ve learned along the way to distract her with sex when she questions the more intimate parts of our relationship.
Two, well because it’s just too fun to tease her and get her all worked up. Especially because I know we are going to see Luca. The tension between the two of them is sexy as fuck, add in Scar already on edge? Fucking flames, baby. He affects her in a way no one else can, melting all that ice she has erected to protect herself.
I get why she does it, I get it all too well. Getting the two of them together will no doubt be messy and bloody and wreak havoc of natural disaster proportions but fuck if it’s not a disaster I want to be a part of.
“Stop slamming around,” I call out to her, “I’ll buy you breakfast at Harlee’s.”
She stomps back into her bedroom and throws my keys at me, “Well then, let’s fucking go,” she snarks back at me.
As soon as she turns her back to me, I’m smirking again. I just can’t help it. I love knowing that I can get this girl fired up. She’s a whirlwind of fun and adventure but her emotions are normally frozen solid. She doesn’t let many people truly get her worked up, she’s too icy for that.
I don’t mind her icy exterior at all. The opposite in fact. I love how the young naive girl who once wore pink bows in her hair took the shit hand she was dealt and put herself back together into someone so formidable that not only did she bounce back, she became something more than anyone could ever have dreamed of. I want more though. I crave to see every side of Scar, every emotion, every thought, every opinion. I want
it all. Being able to get at least a little of that out of her? Well, it’s a damn honor.
Which probably explains why I decide to keep pushing her as we head out of her apartment door. I watch as she locks up and moves away from me and I shake my head at myself. I throw my arm around her shoulders and pull her in close to me. Smug satisfaction fills me when she doesn’t immediately pull away from me. She may not be leaning into my touch, but she doesn’t pull away anymore, so I’m confident I’ll get us there.
“I wonder if that hot redhead will be there today,” I say as casually as I can manage. When Scar and I first started messing around she never cared if I noticed or even hooked up with other women. I didn’t really, I mean I can still acknowledge when a female is attractive, but having Letty back in my life turned me off from all others. I knew that wasn’t how she rolled though. I also knew that back then she would actually have a problem with it.
She was just that scared of forming emotional connections. So, I used to play up the playboy persona around her and she definitely got a kick out of someone who she saw as having the same lifestyle as her. I gradually toned it down over time and have increased the casual touches and affectionate gestures towards her.
It’s a fucking balancing act is what it is. One misstep and I know she will run away faster than a cat with a dog on its tail. She’s jumpy. She’s also smart. So, I have to be real careful with what moves I make, but by the way her body slightly stiffens under my arm at my words, I know it’s been working. I’ve gotten under her skin and I am smug as shit about it.
I feel her force the tension out of her body as she relaxes but pulls slightly away from me, as if putting a little physical distance between us will help her put emotional distance between us. Nope. I’m not allowing it.
I pull her back flush against my side, so she has no choice but to be close or fully pull away and acknowledge that my words bothered her.
She stays calm like I knew she would as she hums, “Brittany?”
I nod, knowing that’s the redhead’s name. She’s Scar’s friend which is why I didn’t feel too bad using her as my experiment. I know Scar has a jealousy streak and can be petty, though she doesn’t display it too much anymore. Just in case she does react that way, I know Britt will be safe from any of her vindictiveness. I just want to see how much her attitude has changed about me looking at other women.
I’d feel bad about goading her but… well, I just don’t. I’ll do anything for Scar. Including manipulating her, and yeah, I’m aware a lot of people would call what I’m doing manipulation.
I just don’t care. Scar’s main focus is revenge and I respect that, I do. But I’m worried about what will happen when she finally gets it, because I know she will. Then what? She’s spent the last eight years keeping everyone at arm’s length, including Luca, and he let her. Someone has to step in, weasel their way under her walls and be there to help her pick up the pieces when she does get her revenge. At some point she’s going to look around and realize her life has centered around the jaded pieces of her past. Someone has to help her live and have something real, something that will still be there when she gets her justice.
She’s been quiet for longer than normal but when I look down, she has a thoughtful look on her face before it turns to a smirk. Oh shit, she’s about to hit me with some sass.
“Britt probably is there,” she says, confusing me, “but you’re not really her type.”
Ahh there it is, I think to myself. I knew it was coming. I look down at her feeling smug with herself and pretend to be offended, “Why the fuck not?” I demand. I can see the satisfaction in her eyes. I just played into her hand exactly how she wanted. This should be good.
I can tell she’s trying really hard to not smirk, but she is failing miserably as she shrugs, “Britt considers you mine,” she answers nonchalantly.
Huh, that’s interesting. I think that’s the most non-claiming claim I’ve ever heard. She puts the claim on Britt’s hands but she’s still acknowledging it and fuck if I’m not living for it.
She’s feeling entirely too smug about this so I just can't resist pushing her a little farther, “Well, maybe Luca will have better luck then.”
How the fuck is her attitude only increasing? I thought that would get me a hit to the ribs, but she’s moved right passed smug into full blown arrogant territory and she isn’t even trying to hide it anymore.
“Nope,” she sings, “she considers him mine too.”
This conversation just keeps getting more and more interesting. Anyone who has been around Scar and Luca can see the chemistry brewing between them, but Scar is normally so adamant in her denials, people let it go. Britt is probably one of Scar’s closest friends and Scar has not only let her recognize us as hers but seems accepting of it.
“Who else does Britt consider yours, then?” I aim for a teasing tone to cover my interest in her answer. Scar has had plenty of dudes in her bed since I came back into her life. It doesn’t really bother me, but I know most of them aren’t worthy of her, and I do want more for her.
Noah is the first guy that I’ve met of hers that I not only genuinely like but also feel like truly understands Scar and is good for her. Most of the guys are just ways to distract her and kill time. But Luca, Noah, and even me? We are good for her. I know we are, and I meant it when I asked Luca if we could keep Noah. He’s not like us, he has a soothing presence, I think he could balance out the rest of our crazy. I had a good feeling about him, and I always trust my intuition even when it seems crazy.
I knew Luca was going to be my best friend from the first time we met, I knew Letty would be someone special, and I’m trusting my gut when it tells me the same thing about Noah.
“Just you, Luca and Noah,” she says, unaware of the self-satisfaction filling me at her words. I’m pretty damn pleased James didn’t make the list. Fuck that guy. Britt and I seem to be on the same page, I’ve got to get her number and get her opinion on this.
I’ve put a lot of thought into it and I think the three of us could make Scar happy. Okay, I put a lot of thought into Luca and I making her happy but I’m thinking adding Noah just makes more sense at this point. I know it’s not a typical relationship but none of us are exactly normal and I’ve been doing research on it. Ménage relationships aren’t unheard of. I’m not sure what adding Noah would make it. Maybe Britt will have an idea. Yeah, I need her number.
“You claiming us behind our backs, Ladybug?”
She scoffs, “That’s all Britt, not me.”
I’m tempted to ask about some of the other guys I know she’s been hooking up with recently, both James and Kyler have been around the last few weeks, but I don’t want to push my luck. I decide against pointing it out and just tease her instead.
“Still,” I draw out my words, “there has to be a reason she won’t touch what she considers yours.”
Dear lord, she’s preening like a fucking peacock, “You’re right, there is.”
It’s obvious she wants me to ask. We’ve been walking this whole time and we are getting close to Harlee’s now and damn I want to ask so badly before we get there, and she drops the subject. But she is just so damn sure of herself right now, I don’t even want to give her smug ass what she wants.
“You gonna share with the class?” Fuck. It just slipped out. I couldn’t hold it in. Damn my lack of willpower.
“Well, it's just that she considers herself mine too,” she smiles and then shrugs out from under my arm and takes the last few steps towards the door to the coffeeshop.
My jaw drops. Of all things that could have potentially come out of her mouth, that was not one that I was expecting. Not at all.
Is she fucking with me? I wouldn’t put it past her. She could be lying just to get under my skin and have the last word.
I rush after her, “What the fuck, Scar?” I demand, “You can’t just drop a bomb like that and walk away.”
She looks up all innocent and shit, “Bomb like what?�
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I raise a brow, “Are you and Britt fucking?” I definitely need this girl’s number. I never thought to factor her into my plans. I don’t know enough about her to know if it’ll still work.
She just rolls her eyes at me and starts looking around the coffee shop for Luca. He’s already sitting at a table in the corner watching us. His drink is already half done, and he has an empty plate in front of him. I wouldn't be surprised if he’s already on his second cup of coffee with how late we are.
We nod towards him before walking to the counter where Brittany is smiling at my girl. I always took their relationship as just friends, but now I’m looking at them with new eyes. I won’t lie, I could see it. They’d be cute as shit together. I don’t know Britt too well, but I think I could ship them.
I still don’t even know if Scar was just fucking with me. After she orders her coffee and a chocolate croissant for herself, she looks up to me, and catches me studying the two of them. She smirks as she gestures for me to order. I quickly order a breakfast sandwich and an iced coffee.
There isn’t anyone else in the coffeeshop, it’s kind of a weird time of day. Late morning when most people have had their coffee and breakfast already but not quite lunch time yet. I look back to Britt to find she’s studying me the way I had just been doing to her.
I cock my head to the side and just come out and ask, “You fucking my ladybug, Britt?”
I catch Scar making some type of face out of the corner of my eye, but don’t catch what she motioned to Britt. A slow smile spreads across Britt's face though and I already know that I’m not getting a straight answer out of her.
“Wouldn’t you like to know,” she says.
I sigh. I saw that coming, of course she would side with Scar, even if they aren’t fucking. I narrow my eyes and look back and forth between the two of them, “You guys are going to enjoy fucking with me over this, aren’t you?”
My only answer is the matching evil grins that stretch across both of their pretty faces. I laugh before telling Scar to go talk to Luca and I’ll grab her order for her. The evil twins both raise their brows at me.