She shakes her head, looking disappointed, but her eyes light up when she sees me holding the dress. Grabbing my hand, Casey drags me over to pay, and I can’t help but laugh at her enthusiasm.
“After this, we’ll have lunch. I'm starving after trying on half the shop.” I laugh, and Casey giggles.
We come out of the shop, and I playfully nudge her. “Food and cake now! You promised to buy me my favorite cake. Take me to the bakery!”
Chapter Fourteen
ASH
A few days after I get back to college, I’m heading up to my dorm room when I spot Jason standing outside. “Dude, I was just wondering if you wanted to grab a bite to eat or something. Where have you been? You weren’t here on the weekend.”
“Home. I went to see my mom and sister,” I reply, unlocking the door and walking inside.
Jason follows, and I don’t object as I drop my bag and throw myself down on the bed. He leans against my desk and looks at me for a moment. I can practically see the thoughts whirring through his brain.
He frowns. “You didn’t visit this much last year. What’s going on?”
I think quickly. “My sister is seventeen now, and boys are idiots. We should know, right?”
Jason laughs. “True story, dude. Makes sense you want to look out for her. I remember being one of those idiots myself.”
I grin at him. “Same. I got into a lot of shit at that age. I still remember my mom flipping out when I came home with my lip and eyebrow pierced although she couldn’t do much when I refused to take them out. And all the trouble I got into with girls at school.”
Jason smirks. “So... while we are on the subject of getting into trouble with girls. How about we head out tonight? We haven’t been out together for a few weeks.”
I don’t really want to go, but if I hang around here, I’ll drive myself insane wondering about Ember and that dipshit from her school.
“Sure thing, man. Swing by later. I’m going to crash for a bit first and then grab a shower,” I tell him.
Jason nods, and leaves the room. I lie down on the bed and let my eyes close.
Sometime later I suddenly waken, sweating and rock hard from a fucking hot dream about Ember on her knees in front of my cock. As I sit up groggily, the sound of pounding on my door grabs my attention.
“Ash, it’s me. You still on for tonight?” Jason’s voice is muffled by the door.
“Yeah, I’ll be ten minutes,” I answer, forcing myself out of bed and groaning when I see the erection tenting my pants. Fuck it, cold shower it is.
Five freezing minutes later, I’ve given in and turned up the temperature. I jerk myself off to thoughts of Ember wrapped around my cock and finally finish my shower. I put on some clothes and grab my jacket, wallet, and phone before heading out the door to where Jason is waiting.
“Let’s go,” I say, and we head out.
We’ve been at the bar for over an hour, and it’s clear even to Jason that I’m not feeling it tonight. “Dude, this is more than worry about your little sister. Spit it out, what’s really bothering you?”
I groan, “It’s her friend Ember, but I don’t want to talk about her right now. She hates me anyway, so it’s not worth thinking about.”
I wave the bartender over, and Jason orders a drink and four shots.
When they are poured, he passes two shots to me and then smirks before picking up one of the small glasses for himself. “Drink, forget, and let’s go get laid,”
We down the shots and slam the empty glasses upside down on the bar. The alcohol starts to take effect, and I feel more relaxed. I’m becoming less consumed with my girl, and more interested in the pretty blonde who is making eyes at me from the dance floor. This isn’t our usual haunt, but Jason says that the band on tonight at The Metal Amp are shit, so we came here. Not that this club is really any better, but the girls are undoubtedly hot.
Hours later I’m stumbling into my dorm with Jason on my heels, and all I can smell is the sickly perfume from the dancing blonde who let me fuck her in the bathroom of the club. I don’t feel any better. I just feel sick and angry, and the craving for Ember is running rampant through my inebriated brain. I crash on my bed and roll onto my back, staring up into the darkness.
In the morning I wake up with a pounding headache and still fully clothed on top of my bedsheets. Shit, how much did I drink last night? All I can smell is perfume and stale beer. My mouth feels like I’ve been chewing on cotton balls and tastes even worse. I haul myself out of bed and drag myself to the bathroom to shower and rinse my mouth out.
When I come back into the bedroom feeling rough but slightly more human, I see my phone lying on the floor. Snatching it up I check it for missed calls and texts and see one unopened message from Ember.
EMBER: Who is this?
I let out a relieved breath when I realize she doesn’t have my number, but I got hers from Casey’s phone when she left it lying around. Frowning, I scroll up to see what I must have sent her while drunk, and my eyes widen when I read it.
ME: You’re mine Ember, don’t ever forget that.
Chapter Fifteen
EMBER
I’m about to call Casey and tell her about the late night text I received when my phone starts ringing in my hand. It’s my dad.
“Hey, Dad. Why are you calling so early?”
“Hi, sweetie, I just wanted to let you know that I need you to stay at Casey’s for a few weeks. Something has come up at work, and I can’t get away until it’s sorted. Sorry, baby girl. I hate it when this shit happens. I’ll try to be home as soon as I can. How about we go away for Christmas this year? Pick anywhere you want to go, and we’ll have a proper vacation.” I can hear the stress and tiredness in his voice, and I have to blink back tears. He works so hard all the time, and it’s been tough for him since Mom died. He’s thrown himself into his business and has to travel a lot for work. I miss him so much when he’s away, and I hate how exhausted it makes him.
I have to fight to keep my voice steady. “Sure, Dad. I don’t mind staying with Casey. Hurry home, okay? I miss you.”
He sounds sad when he answers, “I miss you too, baby girl. I love you. Have fun at Casey’s, and I’ll call again soon.”
“I love you too, Dad,” I say and hang up just as the tears start streaming down my face.
I try to swallow the lump in my throat as I call Casey, but she doesn’t pick up. The doorbell rings, and I drag myself out of my room to go and answer it. When I see Casey standing on the doorstep, I break down, and she hugs me tightly. Her mom must have told her about my dad being stuck at work and sent her to come and pick me up.
“I miss him so much, Case. He’s hardly ever home anymore.” I cry into her shoulder.
She rubs my back and says softly, “I know babe, but he’s got to work. I know it sucks not having him around, but he’ll be home soon. We’ll have such a blast together, and it’ll be like we’re roommates or something. Mom is making up Ash’s bedroom for you as he won’t be home any time soon.
My stomach drops at the thought of being in Ash’s space: in his room, and in his bed every night for the next few weeks. I can’t say no because I’ll be there too long to share with Casey, even though her room is big enough for both of us. I take a deep breath and force a smile I don’t feel when she leans back to look at me.
She squeezes my hand and leads me into the bedroom where I grab my suitcase, and we start packing for my extended stay. I know I can always come back for more of my things, but it’ll only remind me that Dad won’t be home. I grab my new dress and a pair of my black heels, which will look great with it and carefully lay them in my suitcase.
Ten minutes later, we’ve double checked all the windows, I’ve locked up the house, and we’re on our way.
All too soon we get to Casey’s house, and I'm standing in the doorway of Ash’s room, about to go to sleep in his bed and being blasted by the memory of the last time I was here.
Taking a deep br
eath, I walk over to the bed and lie down. In spite of the fresh sheets, his scent still lingers, and I can’t relax. I toss and turn, unable to get comfortable. It feels wrong to be sleeping in his room, knowing that he's away at college and doesn’t even know I’m in here.
I give up on trying to get any sleep. My body’s drained and wants to rest, but I can't seem to switch my mind off. Pulling my suitcase toward me, I take out my sketchbook and pencil case, and start to draw. I smile as the lines form on the page. This is the first time I've used this book, and it seems fitting to do so in Ash’s room, seeing as he was the one who gave it to me.
A knock on the door grabs my attention. I pause in my shading and close the book, glancing once more at the picture before the cover closes over it.
“Come in!” I call out, feeling weird inviting people into Ash’s room.
“Em, do you want to go see a movie next weekend with Mark and me? You can invite Ollie, and we’ll go as a group.” Casey asks, and her cheeks turn pink.
“Mark, huh?” I ask, and she blushes even more.
“Yeah, he asked me out a couple of days ago, and I said yes,” she says quickly.
I laugh. “Sure, we can go as a group. Don't ditch me though, okay?”
Casey grins at me. “Great! I'll tell him you're coming too, and you should text Ollie.”
I pull out my phone, and send a message to Ollie, telling him of our plans for next weekend. When he replies back saying that he's excited and can't wait, I don't get the massive thrill I was expecting to feel about going out with him. But I do feel a small spark ignite inside of me at the thought of being able to wear my new dress and hope he likes it.
Chapter Sixteen
ASH
It’s been a week since I received that text from Ember, but I haven’t sent any more messages or heard anything else from her. I’ve resisted calling her to see how she is because then she would know I sent her that message. My thumb hovers over the call button, but fighting the urge, I scroll down to Mom, and press dial.
“Hello, Ash. Is everything okay?” Mom’s voice comes through the speaker.
“Yeah, Mom, I’m fine. I was thinking of coming home next week as I didn’t get to see that much of you last time,” I tell her.
“Not next week, Ash. I have to work all week. Also, Ember is staying here for a few weeks while her dad is stuck on his business trip, and I’ve put her in your room,” she says, sounding sad to have to tell me no.
At this second, I almost don’t care she has said I can’t go home. The thought of Ember sleeping in my bed every night has temporarily distracted me, so I barely even hear her next words. I jolt upright on my bed when I realize she isn’t talking to me, and I catch on to what she's saying.
“When next week? Friday? Well, as it’s not a school night I don’t mind but make sure those boys behave themselves, and that you and Ember are not back too late. You don’t want me or your brother having to chase them down, do you?”
My blood boils at the thought of some idiot boys with their hands all over my sister and Ember.
“Mom, Ash isn't even here.” I hear Casey’s voice faintly through the speaker.
“He’s on the phone now. Do you want to talk to him?” Mum responds to Casey and then says to me, “Ash, honey, your sister would like a word.”
“Hi, big brotherrrr,” Casey drawls, being purposefully silly.
“Hey, little sis. Are you being good for Mooooom?” I tease back.
She laughs. “Always am. I miss your ugly face. When are you coming home next?”
“Soon, I hope. Mom says that Ember is staying with you both for a while. So after she’s gone home, I expect,” I tell her although it pisses me off that I can’t go home right now.
“I’m going to go. Ember is waiting for me to come and watch a movie with her, and Mom wants her phone back. Text me sometime, okay?” she says and hangs up on me.
I look at the blank screen and think about the phone call. Ember is staying at my mom’s, and in my room. But before I can let myself get wrapped up in that thought, Mom and Casey’s words filter back through my mind. Ember is going on a date with someone. I bet it’s that kid from her class who asked her out the morning of her birthday.
If he so much as touches her, I will break his fucking wrists because she isn't his to touch. I can’t sit here and wait for her to find someone else. There should never be anyone else but me, and I intend to make sure of that.
I’ve had enough of the waiting, and I don’t care anymore about all the things standing between us. I know the location and the day of their date, so it won’t be hard to figure out the time. I’ll slip into the movie theatre unseen and then watch and wait for the right time to pounce.
I need to plan my next moves carefully. If I don’t, it could all come crashing down around me before I even have the chance to show her how much I want her, how much I need her, and how much we are meant to be together. I already know Ember’s as drawn to me as I am to her. With a bit of persuasion she’ll learn not to fight the way she feels about me.
I have a week to get everything in place and make sure we aren’t interrupted by anyone sticking their noses in. I want us to have plenty of privacy so that when I make Ember scream my name, the only person who can hear it is me.
It takes me a while to work out where I could possibly take her, and then it hits me. Uncle Adam’s old hunting cabin. It’s quiet and remote, and he didn’t like people knowing about the place, so it’s off the grid and completely isolated. I’m probably the only living person who knows of its existence. I’ll have to get down there to make sure it’s still habitable, and to stock it up with supplies.
The next day I draw out a wad of cash and drive to a supermarket and hardware store, two towns over, and grab everything I can think of that we’ll need for an extended stay. Now I need to call my mom and Casey and tell them something to keep them from suspecting I’ve anything to do with Ember’s disappearance.
Thinking of the perfect excuse, I pull out my phone and muster up as much enthusiasm as I can, using my excitement about finally having Ember to feed the emotion I need to portray.
The phone rings and when Mom answers, before she even gets out a hello, I say excitedly, “Mom, you’ll never guess what my Professor just told me! I’ve been selected last minute to take part in an engineering study course abroad at an amazing university!”
Mom gushes, “That’s so great, Ash! When do you have to leave?”
“It’s short notice, but I leave on Wednesday night. I couldn’t say no to an opportunity like this, Mom.”
I’m telling the truth this time, but not in the way she thinks.
Chapter Seventeen
EMBER
I’m so on edge about tonight, and even though I know Casey is going to be there the whole time, I can’t shake off this strange feeling I’m experiencing. I don’t know if it’s nerves or something else. Casey really threw herself into getting ready, making sure that the both of us looked ‘absolutely gorgeous,’ as she put it. So here we are, looking great for our evening with Mark and Ollie.
I think Casey is looking forward to the distraction of going out with them. Ash left for a new college overseas a couple of days ago, and I’m not sure if I was more upset or relieved with the news when Casey came to tell me in tears. I know she's happy for him, but she’ll miss him with how close they are to one another.
The guys arrive at 7pm to pick us up since the movie starts in an hour. They’ve chosen some kind of comedy, so at least we’ll all enjoy it. Casey and I aren’t exactly big fans of action flicks. When we answer the door, Mark and Casey start chatting almost instantly, but I wait there feeling awkward when Ollie stares at me wordlessly with an odd expression on his face. I actually start to feel a bit self-conscious.
After standing there silently for a few moments, he says, “Wow, Ember, you look great! Are you looking forward to going out tonight?”
“Thanks, and yeah I am,” I reply, feeling a lit
tle deflated for some reason and, now, about ten times more nervous about this evening.
I get in Ollie’s car, and Mark drives in his with Casey. I don’t say a word. I just watch the streets as we pass through them on the way to the theater while Ollie chats about the movie we are going to see. A part of me isn’t sure why I agreed to do this. I was really excited for tonight, but right now, I'm so out of my depth I just want to crawl into bed and sleep.
When we get to the theater, the guys go to buy the tickets, and Casey hauls me into the ladies room.
“What’s up, Em? You seem so distant, and we’ve only just got here,” she asks, sounding worried.
“I don’t know. It’s just nerves, I guess.” I shrug because it probably is that. “You know I’ve not really dated much before, so it’s still kind of new for me.”
Casey puts her arms around me. “That’s totally normal and all part of the experience: the nerves and the excitement. Let’s just go out there with the guys, watch a movie, and see where it leads. Relax, you’ll enjoy it, I promise. It’ll be great!”
Casey gives me a cheeky grin, which makes me laugh and then squeezes my hand reassuringly. I return the gesture, and we quickly freshen up and go back outside to where the guys are waiting with the tickets.
At the concession stand, I listen to Ollie as he talks about school, college, and his plans for Thanksgiving, which is coming up soon. His easy chatter calms me a little bit, and feeling myself starting to relax, I laugh internally for worrying so much over nothing.
“So what are your Thanksgiving plans, Em?” he asks, and I feel my shoulders slump.
“I’m not sure yet. If my dad can get a break from work, we may go away for a few days. Otherwise, I’ll be at Casey’s and doing whatever her mom does for the holiday.”
Love is Strange: A Taboo Anthology Page 28