Bittersweet Revenge (7 page)

Corey backs up, a shocked look upon his face. Does he honestly think he’s going to get to walk away from me? I’m not fucking done. The least he could do is answer me.

“Stop Jenna. There’s nothing going on. Nothing.” Mimi’s voice rings in my ears. I can’t even muster up the courage to look at her, afraid that I might break out into another panic attack or cry, and I refuse to let this piece of shit see me cry.

“Stop? Do you hear yourself? You’re sticking up for this…this. I don’t even have a word to describe the mongrel that he is.” Disgust is evident, and I can’t make it any more clear to these people. I stand leaning my body against Mimi’s jeep, I feel weak, and Rex extends a hand to balance me.

“Okay, we need to stop. I don’t want her passing out again. Why would you say that to her...” Rex asks Mimi as if I’m not here, anger evident in his voice.

“It’s not my fault, she’s my best friend I had to tell her, its Corey’s fault. If he would just leave me the fuck alone.” She says, her voice growing louder with anger. She walks over to Corey standing mere inches from him. He’s a good foot taller than her, but that doesn’t stop her from doing what she does next.

“You caused this, you’ve caused her so much pain, and now you’ve brought me into it.” She growls out, meeting his heated glare.

“You wanted it, don’t hide it, and don’t pretend that you didn’t. I know you, and I can read your body better than even you can. So you go ahead and tell them all that it was just a game, and that the kiss didn’t mean anything but it did and we both know it.” Corey growls back.

“Liar. That’s what you are. A lying piece of shit.” Corey gives her a cocky smirk that I wish I could wipe off his face. “You best stop smiling, before I knock that shit eating grin off your face.” He looks down at her in disbelief before letting his smile grow wider. Big mistake buddy is all I can say when Mimi’s glare turns to wicked anger. She pulls her hand back, and smacks him clear across the face. A red mark being the only thing left to see.

I smile into Rex’s shoulders and let out a sigh of relief. About time someone did that. He glares down at Mimi with pure rage, and for a second I’m afraid he might hit her back. Corey doesn’t exactly have the best track record and I don’t know what he would actually do. He clenches his fist a number of times before gripping her by the chin. She lets out a gasp and I step forward to stop whatever is about to happen next, but I’m stopped as Rex engulfs me in his arms. Whispering “Don’t.” Into my ear.

Fear shows in her eyes, but only for a second before being replaced by what I can only assume is courage. “Don’t ever touch me again.” He says between clenched teeth before releasing her chin and walking away.

Mimi takes a minute to compose herself, and I use that time to turn around and bury my face in Rex’s chest. His unique scent surrounds me and encompasses my every thought.

“If you don’t want to go tonight Jenna we can watch a movie and order pizza or something. I don’t want you to go and have to deal with that. This is more drama than I have ever seen.” He lets out a tiny laugh, and I can’t help but agree with him.

“I’m so sorry Jenna. You know I would never pick him over you. Hell, there’s nothing to pick. There wasn’t ever anything going on.” She grumbles out.

“God I hate him.” I want to say don’t we all but I let it go.

“I know you are and that’s why you’re going to help me get ready for this Halloween party.” We’ll deal with the nitty gritty details later. I just want to be a normal teenager for the night.  Sorry, but I think there’s been enough drama for an entire school year today.

Halloween

“What did I tell you Mimi, I would be the only person wearing anything remotely close to actual clothes.” I whisper yell to her as we take the steps up to Corey’s house. It’s as big as I remember. White with matching blue shutters, it reminds me of that house in the movie the Notebook, the one Noah builds for Allie. Except we're not in the south and this house wasn’t built out of love or at least I’m pretty sure it wasn’t. 

            “Who cares, everyone else can freeze off their lips. We my friend are smart.” She says giving the girl at the front door, I think her names’ Missy, a high five as she hands over her keys.

I look around the room a large staircase is wrapped in fake spider webs and fake blood. The place is covered from top to bottom with scary, creepy Halloween decorations. The lights are dimmed which doesn’t really help in finding someone you're looking for.

Hands snake around the back of my dress landing on my stomach. Rex. I sigh, like one of those weird girls who’re in love. “You look really… really good looking.” He whispers into my ear giving me goose bumps.

“Why thank you, I would say you do too but I haven’t seen your costume yet.” I say turning in his arm to face him. A scarecrow really? Mimi must have put him up to this. Pieces of hay stick out from odd places underneath his overalls and his face is painted white. His straw hat is on at a slight angle. A piece of straw hangs from his mouth as if he’s a true southern gentlemen and less of a scarecrow.

“Did Mimi put you up to this?” He blushes slightly, and I can’t help but think how adorable he looks when he's embarrassed. I cup my hand around his cheek, looking into those deep storm cloud blue eyes. I want him to kiss me so bad, like a direct need. It’s kind of like breathing, eating, or sleeping. I crave him and I think he knows it, because his face says it all. It’s as if I’m looking at a reflection of myself. We haven’t kissed since that day in the library. I don’t want to push him, but I don’t think I can do the whole friendship thing anymore.

A guy in a werewolf costume all but plows into the back of Rex, pushing me into Mimi who turns around, ready to lay into him.

“Sorry man.” Werewolf says, as he jokingly laughs and makes his way back over to his friends. This is why I never come to parties, it’s just a whole lot of people in a small space, with very little clothing, drinking and dancing around like idiots.

“Jerk.” Mimi mumbles as she hands me a cup with a pink fuzzy liquid in it. I smell it, twitching my nose, it reeks of vodka. Like too much vodka. Of course Mimi’s drink of choice, mine not so much. “What is this?” I ask holding my nose. “It smells like death.” Rex laughs and Mimi gives me an amused look. Okay, so I hardly ever drink what do they expect.

“Well that my friend is a mixed drink, and it will in fact make you feel like death if you drink too much of it, so take it easy lightweight.” Yeah, totally not wanting to feel like death tomorrow; I’ve had one hangover in all seventeen years I’ve been alive and I never want to experience it again.

“No thanks, I don’t feel like reliving the last time you gave me a drink.” I hesitate taking the drink, but then remember I wanted one real night to myself. Strangely, I’m happy Mimi did what she did with Corey it’s nice to see him distracted by something other than torturing me.

Rex bends down to whisper in my ear. “Let’s go walk around.” I nod my head yes, and take the drink from Mimi, taking a slow sip. The vodka burns the whole way down, and I let out a small gasp which doesn’t help.

“Are you okay?” Rex asks his hand on my back, a worried look on his face.

“Yup.” I cough out. “Just a little… Umm strong.” Not like I could expect anything different from Mimi. My eyes catch on a group of people bobbing for what I assume is apples across the room. I tap Rex on the shoulder and point to them letting him know that’s what I want to do.

He takes my hand in his, and we push through the dance floor. “Scream and Shout” by Will I Am is blasting through the speakers. Bodies gyrate up against mine, the smell of sweat and alcohol is profuse by the time we make it to the other side of the floor. Two tubs of dark water sit before us. Red shiny apples float on the surface, the water glistening off them in the dim light.

“Ready?” Rex asks, in a deep husky voice, a competitive smile on his face. I can’t help but take this moment to make things interesting.  He’s cocky, and I’m feeling the need to put him in his place.

I put both arms behind my head and smile over at him before saying “I want to wager a little bet.” My voice is seductive, or at least I hope it is. He smiles wide, his eyes primal as if he’s ready to jump on me. “What kind of bet would that be pretty girl?” His voice is raw with emotion and I’m reluctant to go through with this.

            My eyes pierce his and it feels like were the only two in the room. “If I pick my apple out first, you have to kiss me. If you do, then you get to choose whatever you want.” He looks as if he’s not sure for all but a minute, before saying “You're on.” We both prepare ourselves at the tubs, our hands behind the backs of our heads mere inches from the water. I ready myself to say the typical “Ready, Set, Go” but remember what happened last time. My lips twitch up into a smile as a naughty thought fills my mind. His attention focuses back onto the water and I use that chance to follow through with my plan.

            “Ready, set…” the words leave my mouth. All his attention is on getting that one apple where mine is on him. I take my hand and push his head into the water, grabbing my own apple, and placing it in my mouth.

            He comes right back up, a mischievous grin showing on his face as the water drips , his hair looking darker than what it really is. His hands reach out for me, pulling me into his body. He shakes his head back and forth, water droplets scattering across my chest, face, and arms. I shriek from the touch of the cold water.      

            “You’re being really, really bad Dorothy” I give him a playful expression before telling him “That’s okay I won.”

            “No you cheated.” He retorts back at me. I repress my laughter, “Really, I guess you could say I forgot the rules.” I say mockingly. He grabs my sides running his fingers along the seam of my dress. The simplest touches heightening my emotions.

            “Are you ready to claim your prize pretty girl?” He asks, his voice doing crazy things to my head. I nod in return, afraid of the way my voice will sound if I say something. With one hand still on my side he takes the other encompassing my cheek against his palm. His touch is warm, and he smells like home. Like that’s right here with him is where I’ve always belonged. Can you truly fall in love with someone you’ve only known a short amount of time?

            His thumb brushes against my bottom lip as my chin tilts up toward him. Our eyes meet and deep within them emotions I’ve never seen floats to the surface, regret, adoration, and possibly love. I want to gasp out in shock that maybe he’s feeling the same way as I do.

            He bends down, his nose brushing against mine, his hot breath against my cheek as he whispers. “I don’t think we can be just friends anymore.”  A tidal wave of emotions hit me. My knees feel as if they will give out on me at any second.

            “Then what can we be?” I ask shallowly, my breath mingling with his. My hearts racing and if it weren’t for the loud music I would worry that he could hear it.  A wicked smile pulls at his lips. “I think you know what we can be, but in case you forgot let me show you.” I let out a sound that’s a cross between a gasp and sigh, just as his lips meet mine. It’s not like the kiss we had in the library, or the small pecks he’s given me on the cheek, no this is something entirely different. His hands reach into my hair holding me in place, as mine shift onto his chest. He devours me, my lips part ever so slightly as he eases his tongue into my mouth. His lips soft, but urgent, every thought or action was to bring us closer together, to be one with each other. Gripping his shirt I pull him in closer, the small distance between us being too much. I want every inch of him to be mine.

            He groans into my mouth, his fingers dig into my scalp and shoulder, the tinge of pain a welcoming feeling. The kiss ends all too soon, as he pulls away reluctantly. His face is flushed, matching my own.

            “Friends don’t kiss.” I can’t help but say, remembering the words I said to him that day, not too long ago in the library. “We were never friends Jenna.” Is all he gets to say before a throat clears behind us.

“Mimi, can we help you?” Rex asks with a smile of the cat that ate the canary. Mimi’s face was full of excitement as she came directly over to me ripping me from Rex’s arms. The absence of his body from mine left a gaping hole.

“You cannot help me.” She said looking at Rex, “But she can.” I was not ready to partake in any type of help that Mimi may need me for, because when she needed help it usually included some type of dirty work, and that wasn’t the type of dirty I wanted to be doing right now.

I groaned, showing extreme disinterest in what she wanted me to be doing. “Come along Dorothy, I shall show you how to get to the yellow brick road.” Mimi said in a more than pleased tone. Rex just smiled wide. I had to let him know that I would be seeing him before I left.

“I’ll be back as soon as I get done helping her.” I yelled to Rex over my shoulder.

“Come on, we have to set up the pranks. I need you to be my spotter.” Mimi whispered to me, as she pulled me up the large staircase that led up to the main rooms of the house.

“Where’s Corey?” I asked anxiously, afraid of getting caught in the act. It was bad enough that he would know that it was us who did it come Monday. I looked down the hall, as if we had already done something wrong. A white bag swished back in forth in Mimi’s hand as I followed her down the hallway, and to Corey’s room. I grew slightly suspicious when I realized she knew where it was without me even telling her.

“How did you…” I went to ask, but was cut off as a couple exited a room to the left of us. Great now we had witnesses to our crime.

“I saw him coming out of here with one of his sluts. No, I didn’t know where his room was. There is nothing going on between us Jenna.” Mimi hisses at me, as we tip toe the rest of the way down the hall. Right, because two girls tiptoeing around the upstairs when there’s a party raging down stairs wouldn’t draw any attention at all. They would either think we were drunk or high. That’s just what I needed to add to my already bad reputation.