Crush: A YA Romance Collection

by Lavinia Leigh

“Geez,” I mumbled. “Who stuck a pole up his ass?”

  Chapter 11

  The doorbell chimed as my finger pressed the button next to the door. I pushed it a few more times for good measure until I heard a yell come from inside. Feet pounded loudly inside the house, a voice was calling that they were coming, and suddenly the door was yanked open to reveal a shirtless and very annoyed Austin.

  “Damn, would it kill you to be patient sometimes?” he questioned as I strolled into the house. I hadn’t seen Austin and Brooke outside of school since we had broken into Jake’s house last week. I needed to hang out with Brooke and catch her up on Alyssa’s idea. I also missed just hanging around the house watching stupid movies with her and Austin instead of doing our homework.

  “Maybe it would kill me, how would you like that?” I responded, raising my eyebrows at him.

  “That doesn’t even make sense,” he countered, following me into the living room. Then he asked, “Where’s your key?” Referring to the spare key I had to the house since I was always here.

  I shrugged my shoulders, swiping my hair behind my ears. “I think I left it here.”

  “That doesn’t help you in anyway,” he pointed out, earning a shrug from me in response.

  I plopped down on the couch, stretching out, and laying across it.

  Austin sat in the armchair that faced the couch and asked, “So what did I do to earn this lovely visit from you, Jade? Did you get bored at that mansion already or did you come for something else?” His eyes lit up at the idea that I had come here to hook up with him, but unfortunately that wasn’t why I was here.

  I smiled sweetly as I said, “Nothing, I’m here for Brooke.”

  Austin laced his fingers together on his lap, leaning forward as he spoke. “I’m sorry to inform you that Brooklyn Nicole Montgomery is not currently in her house of residence. Can I take a message?”

  I shook my head. “I just need some help.”

  “With what?”

  “Long story.”

  Austin leaned back in the chair, raising his eyebrow at me. “I have all the time in the world.” I was about to start talking when he glanced at his watch and quickly added, “Well, I really only have until five since I have to pick Amanda up from work. Her car is in the shop,” he explained, raising his hand and gesturing for me to go on and tell my story.

  I bit my lip in thought. I honestly had no idea where to start. I didn’t want to bring up the kiss that Damien and I had shared, but it was an unavoidable part of the story. So I began with, “You remember how you awkwardly saw Damien and I kissing?”

  Austin’s eyes squinted in anger at my mention of the kiss. “How could I forget?”

  “Yeah, well someone took a picture of it.”

  “Damn, Jade, can you stay out of the papers for a day?” His words came out angrily and he held his head in his hands.

  “We weren’t in the paper,” I retorted. “Now let me finish the story and stop interrupting!”

  Nodding his head at my words, Austin pretended to zip his lips and throw away the key.

  “Thank you,” I sighed. Continuing, I said, “So Senator Jacobs' publicist told her about the picture and my dad was so mad that he threatened me. Basically if I don’t clean up my act, I’m getting sent to freaking Ohio.”

  “To live with your grandma?” he questioned, a smile tugging at his lips.

  I could tell that he was trying to hold back laughter. He knew all about my grandmother and her holy lifestyle. There was no way in hell I’d fit in there, and he knew it.

  “Yeah,” I grumbled. “Now hush; I’m not done.” I widened my eyes at him to show that I was serious. He gave a smirk, showing that he didn’t care how serious I was. “So yesterday Alyssa came up with the idea that I should start dating a guy who’s ideal in my father’s eyes. That way I can make it seem like he’s a good influence on me and that I’m turning over a new leaf and all that bullshit.”

  Austin raised his hand, tilting his head sideways.

  “Why are you raising your hand?” I asked, making him smile as he lifted his other hand to pretend to zip his lips again. “Yes, Austin?” I questioned, giving him the go ahead to speak.

  He lowered his hand back to his lap. “Thank you. Now, who is Alyssa?”

  “Oh, that’s Damien’s sister. She’s nice, you’d like her.”

  Leaning back into his chair, Austin propped his feet up on the ottoman. “You and Damien sure seem to be spending a lot of time together.”

  “I guess.”

  “What’s going on there?” he pushed.

  “Nothing.”

  Austin raised an eyebrow. “So he’s not your new boy toy?”

  I squinted my eyes at him, giving him a glare. “No.”

  “You sure? That kiss said otherwise.”

  “The kiss has nothing to do with it. I have to spend time with him because, whether we like it or not, he and I are going to be related soon.”

  Standing up, Austin walked around the glass coffee table, coming toward me. He lifted my legs up, sat on the couch, and placed them down on his lap. “So who’s going to be your new boyfriend?”

  “I don’t know. I need a good guy.”

  Tracing his fingers up my leg, he mumbled, “I’m a good guy.”

  Lowering my eyes, I shook my head. “It can’t be you.”

  “Why can’t it be me?” Austin pushed. His hands never left my legs and the close contact was making it harder to say no to him. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but I couldn’t date him.

  “Because even though you’re a good guy, you broke my heart, and you know it. I’m glad you see your mistake now, but I’m over it, Austin. It’s not happening. I need someone my dad doesn’t know so that he can buy the lie and I don’t have to move. My father wouldn’t believe I suddenly decided to start dating you after he heard me crying over you a few years ago.”

  Austin didn’t say anything for a while, but his hands never left my legs. “Look, I’m sorry I hurt you, but you were just some young girl in my eyes. Now I see who you really are. Maybe I can help.”

  “You can, but not as my boyfriend. My dad knows you too well, and it wouldn’t work.”

  “Is Damien going to be your pretend boyfriend?” Austin questioned as he refused to meet my eyes.

  “No, he’s not a good guy. He’s like me, and it wouldn’t help with this situation at all if he and I were seen together because the senator would ship me off before Damien and I even made it home from one date.”

  I could tell Austin didn’t like the idea of Damien and me going out on a date because his teeth were clenched and he was trying to control his anger. “Then what are you going to do?”

  “I need a golden boy.” I sighed as I leaned my head on the back of the sofa. I actually hit my head on the banister behind the couch so hard that it jostled my brain enough for me to remember who I needed help from. “I need a golden boy!” I repeated as I slapped my hand down on top of Austin’s, causing him to furrow his eyebrows at me in confusion.

  “You already said that,” he stated quizzically.

  “No, you don’t get it. I need a golden boy.”

  “Right, you already said that.”

  “A golden boy.”

  “What does that even mean?” he yelled angrily at me, upset that I wasn’t explaining myself.

  “I will explain later. See ya!” I yelled as I moved my legs out from under his hands and sprinted toward the door. I could hear Austin behind me calling my name, but I didn’t stop. I had just solved my problem and now I knew exactly how to get it to work out. No one would suspect a thing.

  Chapter 12

  My heart raced as I came to a stop behind a familiar looking house. Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the back door, hoping that it was the house from before. I wasn’t sure which one it was since it looked significantly different during the day, but I was pretty sure this was the house since I had retraced my steps from Brooke’s and my skinny dipping adventure
and it had led me to this very backyard.

  Internally I hoped that none of their neighbors were home or they would wonder why I was hopping fences and repeatedly running through their backyards. I’m sure if someone had seen me the cops would be on their way soon and then I’d have to hope that no one calls me out on my trespassing. I couldn’t afford another arrest so soon after the senator’s warning.

  “I’m coming, I’m coming!” a male voice called from inside the house.

  Out of habit of visiting Brooke and Austin I knocked on the door again, and even tried the door once before catching myself and realizing that I couldn’t just barge into a stranger’s home. I heard a groan from the other side of the door as the owner turned the doorknob. The door opened slowly to reveal Matthew Hurst standing on the other side. He lifted one eyebrow and tilted his head to the side, causing his hair to shift.

  “Are you planning on going skinny dipping again and want the spare clothes now?” he questioned as a smirk slipped onto his handsome face. He leaned up against the door, unintentionally blocking my entrance.

  “No. I want you to be my boyfriend,” I stated bluntly, mimicking his smirk.

  Matt’s eyes widened at my words. I could see the obvious confusion as he thought about how to respond to such a blunt statement. “You’re not my type,” he finally said, slowly, as he tried to find a way around saying that he was gay.

  I’m sure it confused him since he knew that I was aware of his sexuality and dating preferences. He either thought I had forgotten that I had caught him in the middle of an intense make out session with his boyfriend in the wrestling room, or that I was crazy. Either way, I didn’t care. I needed him to agree to be my boyfriend because this was the only way that my plan was going to work. Otherwise I would be forced to take Austin as my boyfriend, since no other guys would willingly date me and go along with the plan, and that would involve a lot of emotions that I didn’t want to deal with.

  “I know that. That’s why I need you. I have to prove to my dad that I’ve changed, even though I’m not going to.”

  “What?” he asked, still confused. He raised one arm and ran his fingers through his hair, leaving it disheveled and messy, probably just like his thoughts must have been at that very moment.

  “Look, here’s the short version. I kissed this guy who’s going to become my stepbrother and his mom, the senator, got a hold of a photo of us kissing. So basically my dad threatened me by saying that if I don’t straighten up then I’ll get sent to Ohio to live with my religious grandmother. My soon-to-be stepsister came up with a plan that I should date someone who would make it seem like I’ve become this straight and narrow person when I don’t plan on changing at all.”

  Matt stood up from leaning on the door, crossing his muscular arms over his chest. “So I’m assuming that’s where I come in?”

  “Yes, because you have a full scholarship to a division one college for football, really good grades, and are popular. You’re the golden boy I need to impress my father.”

  “Okay, but I don’t understand why you need me. There are plenty of guys at our school who have good grades and would be desperate enough go along with your plan just in hopes of being in the same room as a girl.”

  I rolled my eyes at his words. He was right. I could easily convince one of the nerdier boys at our school to pretend to date me, but then that wouldn’t be realistic. “If I bring home a guy that doesn’t seem like he’d be my boyfriend, then my dad and Senator Jacobs won’t believe that I’m dating him. Also, I don’t want the feelings that come from a relationship, and you don’t want to come out of the closet. It’s perfect because you can’t fall in love with me because you’re gay, and I make a great cover story for you so you don’t have to lie as much!” I blurted out as his face contorted into shock and he whipped his head back and forth to look around.

  “Don’t say it that loud. Get in here!” Matthew growled as he pulled me by my arm into his house and slammed the door shut. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  I shrugged my shoulders, staring at him wide eyed as he stood with an annoyed expression on his face. “I think I’m solving both of our problems.” I stated honestly.

  “Well, I don’t want your help! I don’t care about you moving, I just want you to keep quiet about my sexuality.”

  “No one I know cares about you being gay!” I yelled back at him.

  “I just can’t have it getting out. I have to think about my future, and even though I love Chase, I’m not going to tell the world because I’m worried about how it will be perceived.”

  I glared at Matt as he squinted his eyes back at me. “Just help me!” I groaned, throwing my arms up into the air.

  “I don’t want to be your pretend boyfriend, Jade. I’m perfectly fine with just being the guy who flirts with all the girls and is seen as hard to get.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest, returning his glare. From the first day I had met him behind his house after the skinny dipping adventure, I had assumed he was one of those guys who put others first. He didn’t have to give Brooke and me clothes, but he had. Unless that had been Chase’s idea. Matt stood tall across from me, his hair still messy, and his face angry, yet somehow he still managed to look good. I could see why Chase was so into him, but if I was a lesbian, and my girlfriend wanted to keep our relationship a secret, I would drop her like a hot potato.

  “Chase would help me,” I said starkly, maintaining my position.

  Matt nodded his head in agreement. “Maybe he would, but I’m not Chase, and I’m not going to pretend to be in a relationship with a girl that I met while she was running naked through my backyard.”

  I furrowed my eyebrows, “Was that the first time you’d heard of me?”

  Matt shook his head, a smile threatening to break through, but he managed to keep it hidden. I didn’t even have to ask how he had known me before, seeing as how he and I ran with two completely different crowds. “In freshman year your friend Brooke was hooking up with my friend Jake.”

  “So you knew me by association?”

  He shrugged. “Sort of. I also heard about that time you nearly got expelled for getting into a fight with one of the girls in your class, kicking over a desk, and then spitting on the ground. Or was it the girl you spat on?”

  A smile found its way onto my mouth as I recalled how mad I had been at my creative writing teacher for failing me. I mean how did he know whether my writing was good or not? It shouldn’t even matter as long as I was being creative. I was also mad about how much favoritism he geared toward that one swimmer who sat in the back of the class. It was almost as if they were in a freaking relationship. I shook my head as I began to get angry again at the thought, but instead I geared my anger toward Matt instead.

  “Well now you know me, and now I’m your new girlfriend. No more rumors or knowledge by association.”

  Matt rolled his eyes. “I’m not dating you. Get that through your stubborn head.”

  I stepped forward, poking my pointer finger at his chest. “Well get this through your head. If you don’t help me, I’m going to tell the whole school that you’re gay. Brooke will even back me up, no matter what she promised you. I’m sure everyone already assumes it anyway since you and Chase are always together and neither of you have dated a girl since elementary school.”

  Matt stared down at me, his eyes wide in shock at my threat. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  I dropped my hands to my sides, resting them on my hips. “Well, you see Matt, the thing about only knowing me by association and through rumors is that you don’t really know who you’re dealing with. I have this little problem with the way I’m made up, you see; I don’t really think that I have a conscience. This can be good and bad, but in this case it’s fan-fucking-tastic because that way I don’t care if I have to tell everyone that you’re gay and it ruins your future or not.”

  Glaring, Matt said through gritted teeth, “You sound like a sociopath. You know they don’t h
ave consciences right?”

  I rolled my eyes. “So will you do it or not.”

  He sighed loudly, emphasizing his distaste for me, and the situation I was putting him in. “So that’s how straight people get dates.”

  Okay, now I was confused. I raised an eyebrow at his random choice of words. “What do you mean?”

  “You blackmail each other.”

  Chapter 13

  Matt’s lips pressed against mine forcefully for just a moment before he pulled away quickly. “How was that?” he asked, looking at Chase, Damien, and me with a scowl on his face.

  “I think I felt a firework go off,” I joked, sarcasm dripping from my words as I placed my hand against my chest, sighing deeply in exaggeration.

  Chase laughed at my actions. “I think what she’s trying to say is that that was horrible.”

  Damien and I nodded simultaneously, agreeing with Chase. Chase was the only one who was able to get through to Matt since he had Matt’s best interest at heart in the end. I’m sure he found it particularly funny watching his boyfriend have to make out with a girl, especially when Matt looked like he was about to be sick.

  “Just grab her face and kiss her like your life depends on it,” Damien instructed. “Make it believable. Make us all think that you want to lay her down on that bed and have her ride you into the sunset!”

  Matt groaned, crossing his arms over his muscular chest. “I don’t understand why I need lessons on being straight. I think I do a pretty good job of pretending every day considering no one thinks I’m gay.”

  I kind of felt bad for the guy. Not only was I blackmailing him, but I was also forcing him to kiss me. Wasn’t that a little sad on my part?

  “Besides, it’s hard to pretend that I want Jade when I have absolutely no attraction to her at all,” he said, adding in, “No offense, Jade.”

  I raised my hands up into a surrendering motion as I shook my head saying, “None taken.”

  We were all currently sitting in Matt’s room; Chase was sprawled out across the bed, while Matt and I were standing, and Damien was sitting in a swivel desk chair. This little meeting had been Damien’s idea. He thought that if Matt was going to play my boyfriend, he might need a few pointers on how to act like a couple when we were at school or around our parents.