by Sam Crescent
There didn’t seem to be any lies or any indication he was trying to tell her fake truths. “You really think so?”
“I know so. It’s why I make sure to keep Sean in my line of sight. There’s nothing worse than having an enemy who can strike out and you don’t see them coming.”
“Is that how you see the world? People are only out for what they can get? No one is genuine anymore?”
“You don’t know guys. You’re a freaking virgin, for crying out loud. Sean is like every single other guy.”
“He’s not.”
“Yes, he is. I bet he goes to bed at night with his dick in his hand. He probably thinks about you as well. Comes all over himself thinking about you riding his precious dick.”
“You’re disgusting.” She didn’t want to hear this.
“Look, you don’t like the truth, and that’s fine. I really couldn’t give a shit. You want to believe he’s above everyone else in the scheme of things. He’s a teenage boy. I’d be surprised if he hasn’t already gone and seen a whore to take care of his problem.”
She closed her eyes. “I want you to take me home.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No. We’re going to have this date.” He flicked the locks on in the car.
“Seriously? You’re going to lock me in your car?”
“It’s what you deserve. You don’t want to hear the truth about Sean, that’s on you. I’m telling you to be careful. That’s all I’m doing. I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.”
Pru turned toward him. “Keep me safe?”
“Yes. I know you only want to see Sean as if he’s some kind of angel. Well, I know this angel has a darkness within him and I’m not going to let you get hurt by him.”
“Drake, you know it’s not your responsibility to take care of me.” She was oddly touched that he actually cared about her. Was she crazy? Insane? All she could think was yes to both of those answers. There was no way she couldn’t not be. She was alone in the car of a guy who loved to bully her. “Drake?”
“I know it’s not my responsibility, and I’m not behaving like it is. Fuck! I didn’t want this, okay? Just promise me you’ll be careful when it comes to that asshole,” he said.
She stared at him and saw he was indeed worried about all of this. “Drake?”
“I know you don’t believe me and think I’m over-reacting and fine, maybe I am. I’m concerned.”
There was so much she wanted to say but instead, she nodded her head. “I promise I’ll be careful. You have nothing to worry about. Believe me, Sean won’t hurt me.” She truly believed that.
“We’ll agree to disagree or whatever. So, you like the rose. The trip sucked but I’m blaming Sean for his little part in all of this. Now, let’s get back to our date.” He didn’t unlock the doors.
“You’re going to keep the doors locked?”
“Until I know you won’t throw yourself out of the moving car.”
She chuckled. “I’m not going to do anything stupid. You can trust me.” She reached out and took his hand. “I rather like you being really protective.”
“You do? From where I’m sitting, you’ve got a real issue with it.”
“Nah, it’s fine. I know deep down you worry because you care.”
“And I shouldn’t. We both know the way this is going to end.”
Unfortunately, she did. There was no point arguing with him. They weren’t going to get a happily-ever-after. His life had already been decided for him, and well, she could live hers however she wanted.
“Let’s forget about all of it. Just you and me tonight. How about that?” she asked.
“I really do love the sound of that.”
She smiled and rested her head against his arm, staring out of the window. After a few seconds, she did pull away since she didn’t want to risk him hurting himself or anyone else while driving.
Drake drove for what felt like hours before he finally pulled into a lone parking lot. The restaurant looked very humble and she saw it was an Italian place. Her first-ever date was about to start. So far, her nerves were getting the better of her.
****
Drake gripped the steering wheel tightly. They’d argued about Sean again. He had to get to a grip on his anger when it came to the little prick. Sean wasn’t as good as people liked to think. Drake seemed to be the only one to see past his fake bullshit to the lying turd he really was.
One day, someone else would see what a manipulative peeping tom he really was. He knew all about Sean’s hidden cameras and sneaking into the girls’ locker rooms to film them. It was why he knew Sean wasn’t to be trusted, and whenever he went into Pru’s room, he always checked.
It was one of the many reasons why he opted for her to hang out at his place. His parents would be returning soon and he’d have to find a whole new excuse to hang out with her. He had no doubt in his mind he’d find something to do.
“This place looks nice,” she said.
“It is. I don’t know for sure. I’ve only seen the reviews. All of them are good. Good food and all the stuff.” His palms were sweaty. Why was he suddenly so nervous?
This was Pru. She’d been on the receiving end of his bullshit for a long time now. He’d just used her, hurt her, and not cared about what he’d done before. Why did this matter?
Because you’re trying to impress her, asshole!
“This is your first time coming to this place?”
“Yeah, pretty much. We get to try the food together.”
“Cool.” They climbed out of the car and his nerves didn’t disappear, not one bit. This was the most he’d ever done to impress a girl and he wasn’t even getting sex at the end of it. He really had to take a good long hard look in the mirror at himself.
Neither of them spoke as they entered the restaurant. He’d called ahead to make a reservation and they were shown to their table. He made sure to help Pru into her chair, thanking the maître’d for his help.
“This place seems really fancy.”
“It’s not up there on a scale of what I’m used to. I figured you’d like this one better. I’m not trying to sound spoiled.”
“I know you’re not trying to sound like it.” She laughed. “You can’t help it. Do your parents take you out to dinner often?”
“No. Only when a certain look is required.”
“I hate how it all sounds with your folks.”
“They do their best, I guess.”
“Does it bother you?” she asked. “Being used in their game?”
“It used to. My parents would try to compete with who looked better with me. My mom, for instance, loved having me in a tux, and she’d like to show off to her friends. My dad, he was the same, only he liked me to learn a script. Never had a clue what was being said.”
“You were like a toy to them?”
“As I got older and I could tell them to go and eat shit, the whole social thing changed. I’m now the rebellious hot son. Someone to mock, ridicule, or to look like they’re doing the right thing.”
He watched her smile. “I love how you added the hot son. You think a lot of yourself, don’t you?”
“It’s what I am. You have no idea how many women hit on me.”
She chuckled. “Doesn’t it ever bore you? The same old lies and the bullshit?”
“Yeah, it does. It’s why I’m here with you. You don’t bullshit me, Pru. It’s really rather refreshing and also interesting. No matter what I do, you always call me out on my shit.”
“This isn’t exactly how I imagined our conversation going, you know,” she said. “If someone was to have told me I’d be sitting having dinner with you, I would’ve laughed.”
“Me too.” He held up his glass. “How about a toast?”
“All right.”
“To changes and different ideas.”
“I like it.”
She pressed her glass to his, sitting back. They were silent for several moments
. He watched as she glanced around the restaurant. These were the kind of treats she deserved and should have on a regular basis. Her mother would have scoffed and scorned anyone who dared to bring her to such a place. For his parents, it always had to be expensive, the new biggest thing.
They were never happy with something low-key like this.
“What are you thinking right now?” Pru asked.
“How beautiful you are,” he said.
“If my supposed beauty makes you look like that, I’m scared.”
He frowned at her.
“You look like you were thinking about wanting to kill something, not a woman’s beauty.”
“Oh, well, you caught me in a lie. I was thinking about my parents. They’d hate this place.”
Pru grabbed his hand. “I love it. I think it’s perfect. I’m hoping the food is going to be just as good.”
“You mean it?”
“I won’t lie to you, Drake.”
He stared at her, not really sure if he could trust her. All his life, he’d been lied to in some form or another. She smiled, but it wasn’t a happy one. He saw the sadness in her eyes.
“What is it?”
“Nothing.”
“It’s not nothing.”
“You’re right. It’s not. I can see you don’t believe me and I find it sad.” She shrugged. “I haven’t given you a single reason to not trust me.”
“Pru—”
“It’s okay, Drake. Things like this take time. We’re both young. You know a whole lot more than me. I get it. I really do.”
She tried to pull her hand away but he wouldn’t let her go.
“Drake, you don’t have to do this.”
“I do. I want to. This isn’t about … look, I wish I could say I’m different and you’re only going to see the good, or whatnot, but I’m not used to being this guy.”
“I’m not looking for a guy. I told you I won’t lie to you and already, you don’t believe me.”
“It’s not you.”
She burst out laughing. “Seriously, you’re going to play that card?”
He sighed.
So did she. “This isn’t working out,” she said. “I think we’re making a mistake.”
“No,” he said. He wouldn’t let this be the end of it. He was trying. Really fucking trying and there was no way he was going to let her go, just like that.
“Look at us, Drake, we can’t even have a simple conversation without one of us ending up arguing or feeling aggrieved by the other. This isn’t the way life is supposed to be.”
“Don’t … please, just stop. I didn’t think it would be so hard to be like this,” he said. “I know what I’m used to. With you, you’ve always been different and I’m not trying to make this harder or easier, I’m just saying what it is.” He held on to her hand, not wanting to let her go. “I know I’m not a good guy. There are a billion other guys you could be with right now, and none of them would have treated you the way I have in the past.”
“You don’t have to do this, Drake,” she said.
“I know I don’t have to, but if I don’t, you’ll walk right out that door and out of my life. I don’t want to lose what we’ve been able to find.”
“We haven’t really done anything.”
“The last couple of weeks have been the best of my life. A guy who has everything and he can count in weeks how good it has been.” He stared down at their hands. “I’m not trying to get sympathy.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t show you any.”
He chuckled. “Just don’t walk away from this. Please, I know I’ll fuck up. I’ll make mistakes.”
“Drake, you’re not superhuman. You need to stop apologizing for everything. I overreacted. You’ve got to learn to trust me, I get it. You’re not used to trusting people or them telling you the truth. I can promise you I will tell you the truth, always.” She gave his hands a squeeze. “Don’t give me a reason to really walk out that door.”
“You mean I can piss you off a couple of times?”
She laughed. “I doubt we’re going to agree on much, but I can see us being really good friends if we try. I know when I’m around you, I love being with you, and I do think about you when you’re not there.”
“You do?”
“Yes. Do you think about me?”
She looked nervous and he couldn’t think of a single reason for her to be so.
“Yeah, I do.”
“Really?”
“That surprise you?”
“I guess it does. I never think of you and me and you know, all the other stuff in between.”
“I’m sure I’m not the first guy to think about you and want a hell of a lot more than what I’m getting.”
“Nah, I don’t believe it.”
“You’ve got a low opinion of yourself.”
She snorted. “For years, you’ve told me I’m not pretty enough. I’ve seen the kind of girls you go for.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. The words fell out of his mouth with ease. He didn’t like apologizing to anyone about anything. Most of the time, he truly didn’t believe he was in the wrong.
“What for?”
“For all the shitty things I’ve said to you. I didn’t mean them, and if you believed them, please stop.”
“You don’t mean all of those things weren’t true.”
“I do.”
She shook her head.
“Pru, I mean it.”
“So you don’t think I’m a smartass? Or a know-it-all? You don’t think I should give someone else a chance to get it right?”
He couldn’t help but smile.
“Or how about calling me a nerd, or a bookworm? Those have no meaning?”
“You’re being a smartass right about now.”
“Yeah, well, sometimes I’ve got to accept that you mean what you say. Other stuff can be said in the heat of the moment. Not all of it. I don’t believe everything we say to each other is true.”
“Is there anything you’ve said to me you regret?” he asked.
She sat back, pulling her hands away with her as she did. He wanted her touch more than anything, and he didn’t like feeling her withdraw.
“You don’t have to think too hard about it.”
“I do though. I can’t think of anything I regret saying to you. Every single time I’ve lashed out, it has always been in the heat of the moment. I don’t know.” She frowned. “Is there anything I’ve said that you’ve hated?”
“You’ve called me rich boy.”
“Drake, you are a rich boy.”
“Can’t help who I am.”
“I hate it when you call me trash.”
“It does?”
“Yeah, it makes me feel quite sick. It’s hard to explain.”
“Try, please, for me.”
“I know when we head back to school, if we’re still doing what we’re doing, then it’s going to start up. I guess deep down, I believe you when you call me trash.”
He wanted to hold her. To kiss those pretty lips and tell her she had nothing to be upset about because she was the furthest thing from trash.
“I’m not wealthy. My family, we’ve struggled all my life and when you say it, I feel like I’m exactly that. I try not to let it bother me but, it does, and I can’t help it.”
He saw tears in her eyes.
She sniffled, looking away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to cause a scene.”
“You haven’t. You’ve been completely honest with me, and I appreciate that.” He wanted to hold her, but he’d have to get up, and he didn’t want anyone turning to look at them. This was his and Pru’s time. No one else had a right to barge in on them. This was going to be one of those rare times he got her to himself. “You’re not trash, Pru. I’m an asshole, but you will never be trash. I’m an idiot for calling you that.”
“How about we forget all the bad shit we’ve said to each other and move on?”
“You want to do that?”
/>
“I know we’re going to have to change the rules come high school, and we’ll deal with them then. We’ve got a couple of weeks left until school starts. When are your folks back?”
“Tomorrow unless they find something far more entertaining than being back here.”
“So, we can hang out tomorrow as well? My parents are working again, and I’m off. You could come to my place. We could watch a couple of movies, eat popcorn. Order some pizza.”
“What about when your parents return?” he asked.
“We can tell them I’m tutoring you or something like that. Believe me, they won’t mind.”
“They’ll know who I am.”
“Just be nice or be yourself and they’ll ignore it.”
He’d never actually met Pru’s parents. Being in a small town, he’d seen them from time to time, but he’d never been interested in anyone or anything but himself.
“How do you make everything sound so easy?” he asked.
“Practice. I was also thinking about it for a couple of days. I figured there was a chance. I’m not worried. I don’t think you should be either.”
He wasn’t worried. No one would believe there was anything between them. He didn’t know if it made him happy or sad.
Chapter Fifteen
School came around too soon
How had two weeks gone by so fast?
Before Drake’s parents arrived back in town, he’d spent every moment with her, and now, Pru looked at the main doors of the high school.
Senior year.
After this, high school would be finished. No chance to change her path. She had to work her ass off to get a scholarship no matter where she went. The question was, did she stay close to home or go with Sean? He’d been her rock for so long, but she loved her parents, even if she didn’t agree with them about a lot of things.
She was fighting a losing battle.
Taking a deep breath, she walked up to the main school gates. Everyone was all excited about it being their first day back, and she had to agree, it was a lot of fun. Running fingers through her hair, she headed toward her locker. The first day of the final school year, and she had a secret.
She and Drake were still dating.
No one knew.
It was kind of exhilarating to have a little secret no one else knew. Probably stupid of her to even go along with it, but being around Drake, the one who was sweet and kind, she liked him. Really liked him.