by Kira Adams
“I lied, but for good reason.” Parker kisses me lightly on the cheek. “Now, come on, I’m starving.”
The restaurant is amazing, and Parker went all out, spending extra cash to secure us our own table separate from the rest. It is a secluded small room in the back of the restaurant. There are rose petals scattered all over the floor, candles burning, and the room is dimly lit.
“Oh baby, this is too much.” I gasp at the sight.
“Really?” he jokes sarcastically. “I know we’ve been through a lot, and it hasn’t always been easy…but there is no one I could imagine even wanting to have experienced all of that with—the good and the bad—other than you. I love you, Maddy. You’re the one. You always will be.”
“Honestly, what did I do to deserve you?” I hug him quickly and tightly, never wanting to let go.
We return to Parker’s house after our amazing dinner.
“This night was more incredible than I could have ever wished for. Thank you so much.” I wrap my arms around his neck as I feel his wrap around my body.
“You’re welcome, baby.” He leans in for a kiss, and my mouth eagerly invites him in. His tongue parts our lips as mine meets his in a sensual dance. His mouth eventually finds my neck and ear, where he kisses, licks, and nibbles until I can’t take any more.
“I’m ready,” I gasp, breathless.
“What?” Parker exclaims, pulling away.
“I’m ready. I…I…want you.” Even though Parker and I have been together for the past four years, we’ve never passed that imaginary line. We both wanted to be fully ready.
“Are you sure?” Parker asks, wide-eyed. He was ready for this moment much earlier than me, but amazing as he is, he never pressured me.
“Positive,” I answer, slowly beginning to unbutton his shirt and grazing his neck with my mouth.
Without missing a beat, Parker lifts me up and gently lays me down on the bed, climbing on top of me. His kisses are more eager now, and it seems we can’t keep our hands off each other.
Slowly, he helps me sit up enough to remove my dress.
“Wait,” I exclaim.
“What is it?”
“Do you have one?” I ask, making sure he’s prepared.
“Of course…what do you take me for?” He sticks out his tongue at me before adding, “It’s going to be magical, I promise.” And with that, I let Parker take the lead. I’m going to lose my virginity tonight, and for once, I am completely sure of everything. Parker will keep me safe. He’s the one for me, always and forever.
“Hey, not cool. You know I wanted to be Toad,” Mason scolds Parker, glaring his way.
“You snooze, you lose. Plus, you always get Toad and win. I want to see if you can recreate the magic with a different character.”
Mason groans, choosing Luigi instead. I’m lucky being the only girl invited to these playdates; Princess Peach is never chosen.
Bo chuckles. “You guys take this way too seriously. It’s just a game.”
Parker glances at him with a skeptical look. “You say that and then as soon as we play Battle Mode, you lose your shit every time.”
“Because you always cheat!” Bo exclaims exasperatedly.
We all laugh because it’s true. We all have our favorite games. Mine is 007 currently. One day Mason and I looked up all the cheats and played for ten hours straight. It’s amazing how much more exciting a game can become when your character is invincible.
Bo grabs a handful of popcorn, shoving it into his mouth. “So, Cora Lafferty, huh?”
Mason shoots daggers at Bo with his icy stare. “Who told you that?” His tone has a bite to it.
Bo laughs, caught off guard. “Dude, everyone in school is talking…”
Mason throws his controller in front of him and then hops up to his feet. “I’m done.”
“Seriously?” I ask, startled by my brother’s reaction. “What’s your problem?”
“My problem is that people don’t want to mind their own business.” He’s up in arms, but none of us know why.
“Dude, you sure you’re okay? Who cares if people think you guys are or aren’t seeing each other? It’s nobody’s business but your own.” Parker, always the voice of reason. His relationship with Mason is one I’ll never fully understand, but I support it nonetheless. There is a silent respect they have for one another.
Mason instantly calms down. Maybe she isn’t someone he wants to be associated with? Everyone and their mom knows how popular my brother is. He was crowned prom king last year and was a junior—that’s never happened in the history of ever. By the time I’m a freshman, doors will open for me just because of who Mason is. It’s messed up to say the least.
19
Ever since we crossed that intimate line, it’s literally all I can think about. One thing on my mind 24-7: sex. And I’m not complaining. I can’t wait until the next time and the time after that. The anticipation is killing me. I want to rip her clothes off every time I see her, which doesn’t bode well for me at school.
“We should get away this weekend,” I whisper into Madalynne’s ear seductively, kissing it lightly. We are stationed in front of her locker before first period.
She grins, tucking her cheek in. “What are you proposing?”
“You, me, alone…” I murmur, my hands gripping her hips.
“That sounds amazing…” She trails off.
“But?”
“Something isn’t right at home. My parents have been tense and short with one another, and my father has been coming home late every night. I know it’s close to a boiling point.”
“So, what does that have to do with you?” I ask innocently.
“Parker, I’m scared my father is going to leave again…and we are going to lose him forever. I don’t know if I could handle that right now.” Her eyes look watery.
I pulled her in tight to me, stroking her hair. “No matter what, we can get through anything as long as we are together.”
She shoots me a grateful glance, pulling away. “I need to get to class, and so do you.”
She’s right. “Well the offer is on the table if you decide otherwise.” I kiss her quickly then began heading toward my homeroom.
I’m halfway to my destination when I see Dylan in what appears to be an altercation with a wall.
“Whoa!” I run up to him, grabbing his bloody knuckles and wrap them quickly in my shirt. “What the hell is going on?” I’ve known Dylan practically my entire life. He is not a violent person. His outburst surprises me.
“It’s no big deal, Parker, really. I just overreacted.” He is trying to play it off, but I’m not biting.
“That’s not what it looked like to me. Tell me what is going on,” I demand.
Dylan sighs loudly, obviously frustrated. “Someone is trying to blackmail me.”
“Blackmail you?”
He nods.
“What could someone possibly have on you?” Furthermore, why would anyone want to hurt Dylan?
The bell rings out a shrill cry, announcing our tardiness. “Hey man, you want to get out of here?” I ask.
He nods, glancing down at his injured hand. “Is Maddy going to be okay with you skipping school?”
“Well, first of all, Maddy isn’t my mother. Secondly, you’re my best friend. What else could she expect of me?”
We end up at Dylan’s house. His parents are at work, so the house is empty.
“You ready to talk about what happened back there?” I ask as he tosses me a root beer from the fridge while also grabbing one for himself.
“It’s not a big deal, really.” He dodges the question again, sitting down at the dining room table.
“Someone is trying to hurt my best friend? I’d say that’s a pretty big deal,” I counter, taking a seat across from him.
He sighs, defeated. “Someone is threatening to release a video of me, a video that could change everything—and not for the better.”
My ears perk up. “What�
��s on the video?”
“We can just say a handful of intimate moments between me and the person I’ve been seeing.” He clears his throat.
“How intimate is this footage?” I ask warily.
“Oh, nothing too incredibly bad. Just heavy kissing, panting, and maybe even some grinding.”
I laugh at his assessment of what might be on the blackmail tape. “I could see why you would be worried about that getting out…it would really hurt Kendall. But you gotta tell me, who is the girl?”
Dylan looks pale white. “It wasn’t a girl…it was Kenton Jacks.”
When the words don’t seem to faze me, Dylan exclaims, “I’m gay!”
I can’t help chuckling at his outburst. “I know.”
“What? What do you mean you know?” His voice is at a record high and cracking.
“I mean, I know. You forget I had a gay brother. I’ve gotten better at recognizing it with time.”
“Well, why didn’t you say anything sooner?” He is angry at me, and I can’t blame him.
“I wanted you to tell me when you were ready. I knew you would eventually come around, just wasn’t sure when,” I answer, popping open the can and taking a gulp.
“When did you know?” Dylan asks, a shocked expression plastered on his face.
“Well, I did think it was weird when your DVR filled up with Sex and the City and Will & Grace, but I wasn’t entirely positive until the other day when you snapped at Maddy. There was something in the way you got defensive about your relationship with him that tipped me off.”
My phone buzzes, a text from Maddy coming through. The screen lights up, illuminating her message.
Where are you? I haven’t seen you all day, and unless you’re avoiding me, you left school. At least let me know you’re okay.
“Are you going to tell Maddy?” Dylan asks me in a nervous tone. He knows if I share his intimate confession with my girlfriend, it will eventually travel to his ex.
“It’s not my secret to tell.”
20
“Shit! Where is it?” I curse loudly to myself, rummaging through my dirty clothes basket and virtually every set of jeans I own.
I’ve been frantically searching for my precious memento I refuse to go anywhere without since my father arrived an hour ago and a disagreement began between my parents.
I can think of no better torture than being subjected to their drama any longer.
“Then move out!”
I plug my ears to block out my parents’ voices. This is the fourth time this week they’ve been at each other’s throats. Why can’t my parents simply get along? Ever since my father started driving that new co-worker home, things have gotten ugly between him and my mother.
She said she couldn’t trust him, and I don’t blame her, but she is overly paranoid. Calling his work all the time just to make sure he is there. Sneaking a peek at his emails and demanding to see his phone log every night, just for peace of mind. She is overdoing it, and I know if it continues, my father will leave again.
My father is no saint, and my mother has good reason to have trust issues, but it’s been over a year since my father broke that trust. An ex-lover of his showed up out of the blue and threatened to ruin everything he had built.
I don’t believe my father ever stopped loving us. I just think he made a terrible mistake, and every day after that he tried vigilantly to regain her trust. That’s why I love my father. He made a mistake, owned up to it, and spends every waking moment trying to make it better.
I sigh heavily, my heart full of pressure, realizing there is a possibility the clover is gone for good. Either that or my mother washed my jeans, something she knows very well not to do. But with all the stress going on in my household, I wouldn’t put it past her. This is not the time, however, to ask her such a trivial question.
“You are never home. You come home late every night!” My mother’s voice breaks into my thoughts.
Angrily, I hop off my bed and rush downstairs. “Mom!” I bark, interrupting her rant. “You need to calm down—you’re overreacting.”
“Madalynne, go to your room. Your father and I are having a discussion!” she hisses back at me.
My father sends me an apologetic glance.
Tears begin forming at the backs of my eyes. “Mom, you are the one breaking up this family, not Dad! It’s been over a year, and he’s done nothing but try to salvage this. If you don’t stop, we are going to lose him!” I grab my coat and run out the front door, slamming it on my way out.
I can still hear my father’s voice calling my name as I run down the driveway and street.
It’s raining now, the droplets pelting the ground with force, but I don’t care. I just continue running; it’s the only thing that can keep my mind off my father leaving. I don’t want to have to face that reality until the time comes. We’ve already lost so much as a family…losing him will crush me.
I finally reach Parker’s driveway; I’ve been running in the downpour for quite some time, and my clothes and hair are drenched. I know how haggard I must look; I’m sure my makeup is running, but again, I don’t care. All I want is to be enveloped in Parker’s warm arms, to feel his soft lips against mine.
Walking up Parker’s driveway, I’m a little hesitant. Why should I bother him with all my problems? But seeing his handsome face reassures me that everything will be alright.
As I go to knock, the door opens suddenly, and Parker’s handsome face peeks out at me. “I thought I heard something,” he exclaims softly. “Maddy? What are you doing? You’re soaked!” He pulls me inside quickly and leads me to the closet, where he grabs a huge towel and wraps it around me. “Are you crazy? What were you doing out there in the rain, goofball?”
I’m shaking from my wet clothes and hair, and I reply by shrugging lightly, embarrassed.
“Well, let’s get you out of these clothes.” Parker grabs my hand, leading me to his room.
Luckily, I keep extra clothes at Parker’s just in case. His parents are unusual. They are unconditionally trusting and allow me to stay over whenever my parents are at each other’s throats, much like tonight.
After I change, Parker joins me on the bed.
I feel the need to explain. “Sorry for barging in, it’s just my parents—”
“Shhh.” Parker presses his finger against my lips lightly. “You have nothing to explain, babe. You know I love spending time with you.” He leans in close to my face, kissing my forehead. “I missed you,” he whispers gently into my ear.
He takes my breath away with one touch. Even the simple sound of his voice has a calming effect on me. How he makes me feel is incredible and indescribable.
“I love you,” I murmur, pressing my lips to his in an eager kiss. The kiss lingers and I moan into his mouth. “I’ve missed this…I’ve missed you.”
Parker gently lifts his hand to tuck some stray hairs behind my ear. “Baby, I’m not going anywhere. You know I’m always going to be here for you.”
With that, we curl up simultaneously, our bodies melding together, almost as if we are one entity. I can feel his heart beating fast, pressed up against my back, and his arms wrap around me like he will never let me go. I realize in this moment that this, right here, is where I belong. This is my home and Parker is my family, and I never want to move.
“Forever and always,” I whisper gently, drifting off into a dreamlike state.
I awake to a blinding light. Not sure exactly what it is, I blink my eyes open—annoyed to see the blinds are completely open and it is the sun sneaking through. “Parker, can you please close those?”
“Oh…yeah, sorry. You should take a look outside though. It’s gorgeous.” Just as Parker answers me, the light disappears completely. “Good morning there.”
“Hi.” I force myself to sit up, even though I can barely keep my eyes open. “Oh God…oh God!” It finally hits me that I spent the night; my parents are probably freaking out. “Shit!” I jump out of the bed and
scramble to put my jeans and my hoodie back on.
“Maddy!” Parker barks at me. When I don’t respond because I am too preoccupied jumping around and getting all my stuff together, he grabs me by the shoulders, looking me square in the eyes. “Look at me. Stop freaking out. I called your mom around ten last night and let her know you fell asleep. She was okay with it. I think she was too stressed out about whatever was going on at home.”
Suddenly, guilt washes over me. I guess Parker can tell by the way my face falls. “I really should have been there for them. I’ve been a horrible daughter recently. I’ve tried my best to not be home as much and block out the rest of it when I am home. God, I’m supposed to stand by my parents, and here I am being nothing close to a support system.”
Parker cradles my face in his hands with the softest caress. “Listen, you can’t be the hero all the time, and you definitely cannot fix what’s already broken. You need to realize none of this is your fault, and you can only do the best you can do.” He kisses me on the forehead, lingering there for a long time before backing away and grabbing both my hands in his, squeezing them twice…it is our signature move to say ‘I love you’ discreetly. “I’m sure you’ve been doing all you can, but I also know it’s been taking its toll on you. You need a break babe, from everything—life, school, work. You can’t always control everything.”
I stare up into his beautiful eyes. “Thank you. I needed that reality check.” I stand on my tiptoes to kiss him ever so gently. “What do you want to do today?”
“Well, your mom said you have to be home by three, which gives us five hours. What about going to Silver Creek Falls? We haven’t been there in a while, and I doubt we’re going to get another day like this.”
“That sounds perfect, actually.” His idea is almost genius. Silver Creek Falls is so serene and peaceful; I can get out of my head for a while. I step up on my tiptoes to kiss his soft cheek. “Let me take a quick shower, and we’re golden.” I brush past him into his bathroom, swiftly closing the door behind me.