by Caz May
I brush it off, but I’m furious when I find my clothes aren’t where I left them on the bench seat by my locker. The only thing next to my bag are my black Adidas sneakers and a note.
Ashton,
I took your clothes.
So good luck getting home without everyone seeing how tiny your dick is.
And goodbye.
The note is clearly from Fallon and honestly makes no damn sense. I’m kinda worried I’m holding some fucked up suicide note in my palm, and I scrunch it up angrily. I hate Fallon, but I don’t want her dead. I don’t want that shit on my conscience, especially if she’s actually knocked up and is about to off herself and my unborn child.
I slip on my sneakers, standing up from the bench seat after and slinging my bag over my shoulder. I use it to cover my dick, with my hand holding it in place as I head out into the corridor. There are still a few students around, and hobbling out of the change rooms like I’m trying to hold a shit in my arse I head down the corridor as fast as I can. The jeers and laughter of my classmates follow me, and I’m nearly at the double doors to run out to my car, barearsed and free when I bump into someone.
“Oh Ashton, I’m sorry,” the voice says, stopping me in my tracks when I realise it’s Principal Masters.
I gulp, trying to slip past her without saying anything. But she grabs my arm, pulling me forcefully towards her office. I’m trying not to panic. I’m fucking naked and my dirty daddy fucking principal is taking me into her sex dungeon.
Ok her office but still, I’m naked.
She slams the door behind us, stalking around to sit in the chair behind her desk. I sit in the tub chair in front of her desk, strategically making sure my bag is over my junk. Ms Masters is tapping her manicured nail on her desk and biting her lip. It’s creeping me the fuck out because I feel like I’m about to be taken advantage of.
Fucking Fallon for putting me in this situation.
Ms Masters is probably excited that’s she’s about to fuck another Castello man, and I’m about to chunder.
Maybe this is some fucked up dream, and I’m not really in the principal’s office naked and about to be violated. I grab the skin of my wrist, pinching it and flinch, an ‘ouch’ escaping my lips.
I need to get out of here now, but I don’t want to give Ms Masters the satisfaction of seeing my arse as I head out the door.
Motherfucking shit, I’m so fucked.
“Ms Masters, am I in trouble?”
“No, Ashton. You’re not in trouble,” she says with a laugh that rubs me the wrong way.
No Ashton, fuck, that’s all kinds of dirty and wrong. Miss Masters is not going to rub you, any way.
“So can I go? And make a run for my car?”
“I can’t let you go outside without your clothes, Ashton.”
“Well, I didn’t plan on streaking. So if I’m not in trouble, and you promise not to look at my arse, I’ll be going.” I stand up from the chair, still holding my bag in place so her eyes that rake over my body don’t get a view of my dick.
“Ashton, please just wait a minute, and put these on,” she says, handing me a pair of trackies and a matching hoodie.
She’s fucking glaring at me when I take them, and I turn around so she at least only sees my arse. I hope she closes her damn eyes, but who fucking knows.
I drop my bag, and slip the trackies on, and then tug my arms into the hoodie sleeves, rolling them up to my elbows before I turn around and pick up my bag to head out.
“Thanks, Ms Masters. I’ll return them next week.”
“No need Ashton, they’re spares. Keep them.”
“Um, ok, thanks, I guess.”
Again I turn to the door to leave, my hand on the doorknob when she says, “Ashton please, sit down again. We need to have a chat.”
Great, she’s going to punish me after all, and I’m going to get a beating from dad for being a fuck up when it wasn’t even my damn fault.
“I thought I wasn’t in trouble?”
“You’re not, but we still need to talk.”
I sit back down, my heart hammering in my chest. I honestly don’t know what to say, or do, or think.
I can’t stop clenching my fists.
“Fallon came to see me before I bumped into you in the hallway.”
“Oh,” I mutter, anger bubbling as it’s obvious she took my clothes to get back at me.
“She told me that due to the incident that happened a few weeks ago, she has decided to leave school.”
“Oh, shit, really? I apologised. I shouldn’t have done that, but Fallon is a daft bitch and she wouldn’t rack off.”
“That’s not appropriate language to use in here Ashton, despite the circumstances.”
“I’m sorry,” I mutter under my breath.
“I’m guessing she took your clothes, to get back at you?”
“Yeah, I’m guessing so,” I mumble.
“Well, I’m sorry about that. I’m not going to punish you for streaking, Ashton. And no I won’t mention anything to your father.”
“Thank you, Ms Masters. I appreciate that.”
Again, I stand up.
“I really need to be getting home. We’ve got some things being delivered for Ava’s birthday party tomorrow.”
“No problems Ashton,” she tells me, coming back around to the front of the desk, smoothing down her pencil skirt.
I give her a smile and she returns it.
I open the door, heading out and she quickly says, “Your arse is sexy. I won’t tell your daddy I checked it out.”
I don’t dare turn back around to see the look on her face.
My whore of a principal—who fucks my dad—just confessed that she checked out my arse.
I’m gonna chunder. And I’m going to get her dirty arse fired and bring my vile father down with her.
Twenty-Five
Ashton
Ava’s party is in full swing, her friends and some of our younger cousins are all crowded in our rumpus room, dancing and drinking. A few of them seem like they’re tanked, but I don’t really care. Mum gave me permission to have a couple drinks myself, with the promise that I wouldn’t let anyone underage drink on my watch. And I haven’t. Not my problem if someone else has bought alcohol.
I spot Ava’s best friend—Dakota Neelson—chatting to some of their other friends loudly over the music on the other side of the room. But my sister is nowhere to be found.
I head over to Dakota, and she smiles at me when I approach, reaching out to give me a hug. She’s always been like another little sister to me, which is why I don’t honestly need another one.
“Hey Ashy,” she taunts me.
“Hey Kota, have you seen the birthday girl around?”
Dakota blushes, gulping like she’s hiding something from me. “She, um, went upstairs for something. I can go find her if you want?”
“Nah, all good,” I reply, walking away with my mind racing. Because not only is my sister missing but so is my best mate. The only reason I agreed, and let Ava even invite him is that he’s practically family. He might spit out the sexual innuendo about Ava, but he’s my best mate, my brother from another mother.
I put my drink down, and head upstairs, instinctively. Ava’s door is ajar, and I can hear her giggling. And the whispering voice of my best mate, ‘Av’s, shh.’
My sister replies, ‘Make me, Ezekiel.’ And I practically hit the roof, tiptoeing across the landing to her room. Stepping into my sister’s room I find my best mate and sister wrapped around each other, against the wall. His lips on hers. He’s fucking kissing her. My best mate is playing tonsil hockey with my innocent little sister.
The anger is coursing through me like a freight train. They’re so lost in each other they don’t even realise I’m in the room. And I’m both furious and utterly disgusted by what I’m witnessing.
I want to lay into him so hard.
Clearing my throat I wait for them to realise my presence in the room. Zeke�
��s back is to me, and he turns, horror on his face at what I’ve caught him doing. He mutters a breathy, ‘Fuck’ stepping back and I yank him away from Ava, yelling, “Fuck you! You fucking bastard! How dare you kiss my sister!”
He has the gall to chuckle before replying calmly, “Well, I couldn’t let her be sweet sixteen and never been kissed.”
“You didn’t just say that Ezekiel,” I jeer, rolling up my sleeves and balling my fists. I barely think about my actions, even with his cocky grin still on his mug when my clenched fist pummels into his jaw.
“Fuck, Ashton!” he bellows, his hand cupping his jaw.
I’m still fuming, and Zeke isn’t moving, but about to put up a fight against me. I catch him off guard, another punch hitting his nose, another his eye. I step back, glancing at my little sister who’s sobbing next to me.
“Why Ashy? I...I asked him to.”
“Doesn’t mean ‘he’ should’ve, Ava.”
Zeke is darting his gaze between us, trying not to wince from the pain I’ve inflicted. Blood is dripping down towards his lips, and I lift my fists up again to taunt him. “Fuck you with a ten foot pole up the arse, Ashton. You’re a fucking tosser,” he seethes at me, before turning his attention to Ava for a moment.
“Av’s, I’m going to go. Happy birthday, gorgeous.”
“Thanks, Ezekiel,” she purrs at him with a sweet smile as he walks out.
Ava clutches the teddy bear in her hands tighter against her chest.
“I hate you, Ashton. You ruined my birthday.”
“No, Ava. He ruined your birthday. And I’m not going to forgive him for this.”
She sniffs back tears.
“No, if you need to be angry at anyone, be angry at me. Not Ezekiel.”
“Ava, he kissed you. Even after I told him to stay away from you. He broke my trust.”
“You told him to stay away from me?” she asks through sobs.
“Yes. He’s not the guy for you, sis.”
“I’ll make that decision,” she says defiantly, heading out of her bedroom in a huff, still clutching the teddy bear.
I feel like the worst brother in the world. And now I’ve also most likely lost my best mate; fifteen years of friendship obliterated with my fists.
The party is still going on downstairs, but I don’t care.
Care factor zero.
I’m an arsehole.
An arsehole who is turning into the one person I hate the most; Fidel Castello.
Like father, like son as the saying goes.
I head out of Ava’s room to my own and flop down on my bed. And I don’t stop the tears that spill from my eyes.
Twenty-Six
Tempany
It’s been an odd week since Ava’s birthday party. The tension in the air in the Castello household is so thick. I don’t know what happened at Ava’s birthday, because I skipped out and stayed at Lorena’s for the night, not wanting to intrude on her party when I barely know her.
I feel like an intruder now too, stepping into the bridal boutique with Ava and Ashton’s mum to get the bridesmaids dress and wedding dress.
Being included in the wedding planning makes me feel special, and like I’m being welcomed into the family, even if that isn’t the case. Ashton has barely spoken to me, or to anyone since the birthday party. At the dinner table, he just eats and grunts annoyance if anyone tries to speak to him. I’d tried to talk to him—actually knocking on his bedroom door—but he’s just ignored me. It’s not making being in the Castello household very homely and welcoming.
In the bridal boutique, Ava and I sit down on the couch in the middle of the dressing room, whilst we wait for her mum—my step mum—to come out and show us her wedding dress.
Ava is scrolling through her phone, a scowl on her face. I can’t stand the tension anymore so I ask softly, “Ava, did I do something wrong?”
She looks up from her phone, and smiles, laughing softly.
“No, why would you think that?”
“You haven’t spoken to me since before your birthday. I’m sorry if my not being there upset you.”
She sniffs like she’s trying to hold back a sob.
“No, it’s not that. Something um...happened.”
“What? You can tell me.”
“I know,” she says softly, scooting closer to me on the couch and smiling. “Ezekiel kissed me.”
“Oh wow!” I blurt out, shocked.
Ava blushes and smiles wide.
“Definitely wow. It was amazing.”
“Yeah,” I muse softly, and she continues with giddiness in her voice. “It was the most amazing first kiss ever, and he gave me a teddy bear. I think I’m in love with him.”
“That’s great Ava, but why have you been so down this week then? Did he force you to go further?”
“No nothing like that. But Ashton caught us and hit him. It was horrible. My brother told his best friend to stay away from me.”
“Oh, that’s intense,” I tell her, nodding.
Her words confirm why the tension in the Castello household has been on edge all week.
“Well, you’ll see Zeke at the wedding. Maybe you can tell him how you feel? I’m sure Ashton will come around if he knows how you feel.”
“Yeah, that’s if he’s still at the wedding. Ashton said some really hurtful things. This is the first week I can remember that they’ve not spoken to each other. And I feel kinda guilty about it.”
I’m about to reply when my step mum comes out of the change room in a strapless cream mermaid gown. She looks absolutely stunning.
“Wow, mum, you look beautiful,” Ava says beaming, and standing up to hug her mum.
“Thanks, honey. I feel beautiful in this dress.” Her eyes lock on me, still sitting on the couch. “Te, do you think your dad will love it?”
I stand up, tentatively walking towards her, unsure of how to approach this moment that seems really intimate.
“He’ll love it, Ms Castello,” I tell her with a smile.
“Please, Te, I told you to call me Sascha. And come here for a hug.”
I step closer and she wraps Ava and I into her arms, kissing our hair. I sniff back the tears stinging my eyes. My mother was never like this, and Sascha barely knows me, and is acting more like a mother to me than my own did in my entire life.
“So, mum, what colour are our dresses?” Ava asks with a wink directed at me.
I’m dumbfounded and look between them both when I ask, “Our dresses?”
Sascha smiles, laughing softly.
“Yes, your dresses. Tempany, I’d love for you to be my maid of honour.”
I’m shocked, giddy. And did I say shocked?
“Oh my gosh? Really?”
“Yes, dear. It would mean the world to your dad and me to have you be such a special part of our day. What’d you say?”
“I’d love to, mum,” I reply, wondering for a moment if I should’ve let that word slip out. But her smile tells me that it was welcome.
“Fabulous, you’ll both look amazing in the navy blue dresses I’ve picked out,” she says eagerly when a sales assistant comes over holding two dresses that are stunning. They’re short, with thin spaghetti straps and a V-neck line in a soft billowy navy blue chiffon.
“Oh my, mum, they’re amazing,” Ava announces squealing.
“Yeah, I love it. I can’t wait to wear it,” I say with a smile. “I think we might need to wear a nude strapless bodysuit under them.”
The sales assistant smiles, and then says softly, “Yes, you’re right and we have just the thing. I’ll grab one for both you and we can finalise it all at the register once you’re changed, Sascha.”
Sascha nods at her, shuffling back to the change room.
Whilst we wait I smile at Ava, but she doesn’t return the smile. And that has me a little worried.
“Ava, are you upset that your mum asked me to be maid of honour?”
“No, Ashton is the best man, and you’re older tha
n me. Makes sense. And I’m still in the wedding party.”
Now, I’m even more worried. My stepbrother is the best man. Of course, it makes sense, but he’d be better off partnered with his sister.
“Who’s the other groomsman?” I ask hesitantly.
“Ezekiel,” she announces, a smile curving her lips.
“Oh, well that explains why you’re happy then,” I reply with a laugh.
“Yep,” she says, laughing as we follow her mum out to pay for all of our dresses.
We’re each handed a suit bag with our dress and bodysuit inside. And heading out to the car, I can’t help but smile.
Maybe things are going to get better. Ashton might still hate me, but the rest of his family seems to be welcoming me with open arms and that makes me feel happier than I’ve been in forever; since I left Lockgrove Bay ten years ago.
Twenty-Seven
Tempany
Once back home, I take my dress and bodysuit into the bathroom to try them on. I’ve barely put on the bodysuit when the door opens, and Ashton walks in. He eyes me, licking his lips and I swear I blush from head to toe. This bodysuit is nude lace, and most definitely see-through.
Ashton’s eyes darken looking at me and instinctively I raise my hands to cover my boobs. But that doesn’t cover the rest of my exposed skin, my crotch is also exposed to his lingering gaze.
I find my voice, screeching, “Ashton seriously, get out! Don’t you know how to knock?”
He shrugs, not caring at all that one, he’s barged into the bathroom unannounced and two, that I’m in revealing underwear. His gaze roams over my body, and I feel completely exposed, as though I don’t even have the lace covering my body.
He lets out a moan, again licking his lips. His eyes are full of lust, and I shiver, my skin erupting in goosebumps. I’m scared of what he’s going to do, but I’m also turned on and giddy.