Romance: Teen Romance: Follow Your Dreams (A Nerd and a Bad Boy Romance) (New Adult High School Sports Romance) (6 page)

“Goodbye,
Buck,
” I said. 

“Goodbye, Tara.” He sighed and gave me a push toward the door.

Now that he wasn’t holding me, I felt something missing.  I wanted to run back into his arms and just run away. 
An overpowering
thought started running through my head; I thought this would be the last time I would see him. 

I turned to look at him while I walked out the door.  He smiled at me.  It wasn’t his
regular
smile; it felt like he trying to say ‘goodbye and thanks for the
memories.'
 

I steeled
myself
and rode home.  I could do little to hide my tears anymore, and they flowed freely.

6.

I tried to take my mind off the events that were unfolding.  I wanted to get on my motorcycle and join in on the chaos that was probably ensuing.  Then I would see my mother, lying in bed, barely able to move. 

I knew where I
was needed,
and it wasn’t in a
warzone
.  Buck could handle himself; I just had to stay
positive
.  I waited by the phone, expecting a phone call at any moment; one that would never come.

“You look nervous, Tara,” my mother said.

“
There’s a lot going
on right now,” I replied.

“What’s keeping you inside?  You used to like going for rides when you were like this, before.  Is it something that Buck did?”

I wondered if I should tell her the truth.

“No, momma, it’s nothing.  Just get back to sleep,” I said in a vain attempt at assuaging her curiosity.

“I’m not stupid, Tara.  You could just tell me that Buck is
off
doing something crazy, like beating up a rival gang.”

I wondered how she knew, and my open mouth and gasps did nothing but prove her point.

“How did you know?” I asked.

“You know I was your father’s wife,” she said, “There’s a reason there weren’t any other motorcycle clubs around when you were growing up.  And, I was there for most of them.  Why aren’t you with Buck right now?”

“He sent me home, he didn’t want me there,” I said honestly.

“He didn’t want you there because he couldn’t stand the possibility of you getting’ hurt, Tara.”

I knew what she was saying was the truth.  Buck
really
did love
me,
and I just seemed to slap him in the face every time he showed it.

“
I gotta
go, Momma,” I said as I ran to the closet and threw on my jacket.

“Take the shotgun with you,” she said, “I won’t need it.”

I did as I
was told
, and lumbered out with the
shotgun
in tow.  My heart raced as I knew that was I had planned on doing was incredibly crazy.  I also was scared of what Buck would do if we
actually
survived this.

I rode as fast as I could; I didn’t
really
know where.  But, the place that was most famous for settling disputes was the old quarry.  I wondered what I would do when I got there.  Sometimes it’s best
not to know
.

7.

I was still half a mile
out,
and I could hear engines in the distance.  The roaring thunder of motorcycles gathered in mass.  It was impossible to make that sound any other way. 

Rounding the corner, I saw Buck and the gang standing in a stalemate on the north side, while Connor and his gang were lined up on the south side.
  I
could see
the two men yelling at each other, but couldn’t make out what they were saying over all the noise.

I cut a path through the bikers, heading straight for Buck, coming to a screeching halt just in front of him.

He looked at me with rage.

“What the hell are you doing here,” he shouted.

“Why the hell wouldn’t I be here,” I shouted in response.

“Because I need to know you’ll be okay, get the hell home, now!”

“I’m not leaving your side, not until this is all through,” I said.

I took my place next to him, lifting the shotgun under my arm.  Connor looked over at the two of us and laughed.

“I guess you guys
really
do
love each other,” he said.

I looked up at Buck
who
didn’t change his expression in the slightest.

“I won’t ever leave my man,” I shouted.

Buck leaned over and pulled me in for a hug.  I forgot how strong he
was;
it felt like he would break me in half with the force of it.  I didn’t want him to stop, and I don’t think he wanted to either.

“Buck, I thought you loved me,” I heard a screeching woman’s voice say. 

Looking over, I saw that Gracie had decided to come.  I wanted to put her in her place, but I didn’t
want
to be the person pulling the trigger first.

“Gracie, you better crawl back into whatever hole you just crawled out of,” I shouted, only for Buck to throw his hand
over
my mouth.

“I can speak for myself, Tara,” he said.

He took a
couple of
steps forward.  The lights of the other cycles were near
blinding,
and I couldn’t make out anyone’s face behind Connor and Gracie. 

“Gracie, you know what we did.  We weren’t
nothin’
more than a good afternoon.  Just tell your brother you’re
done,
and this whole feud can come to an end.”

Gracie started laughing.

“You think we were just some afternoon fun?  I thought we were something more than that.  My brother is going to kick your ass,” she said.

“Connor, can you control that woman?  I don’t think she speaks for you,” Buck said.

Connor rubbed his forehead and clenched his teeth.

“Gracie, shut the hell up.  We’re
tryin’
to hash this out without people getting’ killed and you’re just
makin’
things worse,” Connor said.

“You’re
takin’
his side, instead of your
own
sister,” Gracie said, “what the hell is wrong with you, Connor?”

Connor turned and gave her a good smack
across
the cheek. 

“You heard me, Gracie.  Stop talking,” he said.

Gracie panicked.  She started pounding her fists
into
Connor’s chest, but he didn’t budge.  She cried and wailed, then collapsed to her knees a crying mess.

“Connor, I got no beef with you or your gang.  I just want us all to walk out of here and forget any of this happened,” Buck said.

Connor thought for a moment, looking
to
his sister crying on the ground.  I could see his embarrassment at having her by his side.

“Gracie, get up,” Connor said.

He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her from the loose gravel.  She didn’t resist, and just seemed to have lost all interest in what was happening. 

Connor pulled her back and sat her on his motorcycle.  She sat without a sound, motionless.  Then Connor turned back to
Buck and me
.

“Buck, I got nothing against you.  I was just
tryin’
to do right by my sister.  When you said you were
gettin’
married
to Tara,
I thought you were joking.  I had a feeling you were just saying
that ‘cause
you didn’t want to end up with Gracie.  I don’t blame you; if she weren’t family, things would have been different.

“Get outta here, Buck,” Connor said.

He backed up and eased back on his cycle, and kicked it started.

“You got a hell of a girl there,” Connor Added.

“I
really
do,” Buck said.

Buck turned and started walking back towards me.  I was glad things ended so easily and without a fight.  Then again, I did miss watching Buck get ornery.

“I’m the only one you should ever love,” shouted Gracie, then she turned her gaze toward me, “he would love me if you were dead!”

Gracie held up a revolver, taking aim straight at me.  I started to
duck,
and I felt everything start to move incredibly slowly.  I looked at Buck, who had a horrified expression.

I could remember the first time I saw him.  He wasn’t as big then, but he was scrappy.  I wondered if he ever thought about me when we were younger.  There are worse ways to die; I wouldn’t be able to dodge at this distance.

I closed my eyes as I heard the shot, and I waited for the pain that would follow, but it never came.

I opened my eyes a second later to see Buck hovering over me.  Blood poured from an open wound in his shoulder.  I stared into his big eyes and
he
in mine. 

“I love you,” Buck said.

“Don’t die,” I squeaked out.

“Ugh, it’s just a shoulder shot,” he replied, “I didn’t like that tattoo
anyway
.”

He collapsed on top of me.  I didn’t realize how much he
really
weighed until then. 

8.

Everything was a blur for the rest of that night.  We ended up at a hospital where he got his shoulder sewn shut.  I stayed with him the whole
time,
and we exchanged knowing glances. 

He wasn’t the man I remembered at all.  I wanted to hold him and never let him go.  I knew he would always be there to protect me, and that was a feeling I never wanted to lose. 

Connor turned in his
own
sister for what she’d done.  I think he knew that if Buck decided to come after her, she wouldn’t have made it far.  Connor even visited him in the hospital to make amends.

The next morning the hospital released Buck.  He
was built
like a tank, and it would’ve taken a lot more to do
him in
. 

I met him out front with his motorcycle, the old hand me down he received from
father
.  With his arm still in a
sling,
he hopped on the cycle. 

“I think I’ll take the lead on this one, Buck.  You can’t brake with only one arm,” I said.

“This is my
bike;
I’m the only one in this saddle,” he said.

I cocked and eye, the same look my mother gave me a million times.  It always worked
on
my father when he was alive, and it
looked
like it might just work with Buck. 

He let out a drawn out sigh and scooted to the back seat of the bike.  I hopped into the driver
seat,
and he threw his arm around my stomach. 

I finally felt like I was home.

*****

THE END

''Damm. I really can't take it anymore. Will I have to put up with this all summer?'' Celia said as she parked her battered VW Beetle in the driveway of her parent's mansion in Sands Point, Long Island.

''What?'' Sandy asked. ''What's the matter?''

''That car belongs to Carl.''

Sandy looked at the row of luxury cars parked to the side of the house and tried to guess which one Celia meant. ''The Porsche?''

''No, the red Ferrari.  He's an ass-hole. I thought I'd seen the last of him.''

Sandy looked confused. ''Who is he?''

''The man who's screwing my mom.''

''Really. She's having an affair?''

''You got it,'' Celia said as she clicked the car door open.

''Hadn't we better wait. If they're screwing won't it be embarrassing?'' Sandy asked anxiously.

''Look at the size of the house. An army of couples could be screwing in there, and you wouldn't notice.''

Celia pushed the car door open and got out. The wind caught her shiny black hair and pushed it across her face. She took two bags from the trunk and handed Sandy hers.

''I'm
really happy
you decided to come and stay for a few days. Especially now it seems mom's busy,'' Celia said.

''It's great to be here. I must say, I'm impressed by the place you live in,'' Sandy said. She stood looking at the mock Tudor house and compared it to the seedy apartment her father and mother
lived in
.

''Come on,'' Celia said. She was already at the
door; Sandy
was still looking at the house, open mouthed.

Inside they could hear a woman screaming and a man grunting. ''I told you it would be embarrassing,'' Sand whispered.

''Fuck them. Come
on; I
'll show you around.''

Celia showed Sandy most of the house downstairs.

''That's a hell of a pool,'' Sandy said as she looked out of the conservatory window.

''My poor father works his ass off to pay for all
this,
and all she can do is fuck men in his bed. She's a real whore. I don't think I can stand to be here for very long.''

''I'd ask you to stay with us, but we don't have the room. Sorry.''

''Don't worry. You're here for a few days at least,'' Celia said as she reached to the wine rack and pulled a bottle out. ''Let's have a drink, it's four pm, too late for tea.''

They settled into a huge sofa in the equally huge
conservatory
and looked out over the lawn to the woods at the rear.

''What grade did you end up with this semester?'' Sandy asked. ''You took some
wonderful
photos, you must have done well.''

''Top marks,'' Celia said proudly. ''You know, taking this photography course was
a great idea
. Dad wanted me to study something like economics, but I'm too
arty
. I love taking photos. And I met a new friend, you.''

''I love photography too. I don't want the course to end.''

''Well, we've got another two years, so plenty of time to enjoy ourselves and take
marvelous
photos.''

Sandy laughed. ''Hey, what about we burst into your mother's bedroom and take some shots of her fucking Carl. You could make a portfolio called: An Artistic Look at My Mom's Affair.''

''Now that would get me noticed in the art world,'' Celia laughed.

When Celia went to the bathroom, Sandy looked through a copy of Rocker's World that she'd bought at a news stand in town.  She began to leaf through the pages, looking at pictures of handsome young rockers and their latest female conquests.

''Look,'' she said when Celia came back. ''Deadly Heroes, are running a photography competition. Wow, right up your street. You should enter.''

Celia leaned across and looked at the advertisement. ''Why don't you
enter
, you saw it first?''

''No. I can't leave mom and dad for so long. The winner gets to go on a whole tour with them as their
private
photographer for two months starting in July.''

''When's the closing date for entries?'' Celia asked.

''A week on Friday.''

''There will be hundreds of
entries,
and I probably won't have much chance,  but I'll try. It would be great to get away from this brothel for the summer,' Celia said.

''Send
in the
photos you made of the college football team.
You made
those guys look so
hot; that
's
exactly
what vane rock stars are looking for.''

''Okay. I will,'' Celia agreed.

Two weeks later, Celia was swimming in the pool at home when her cell rang. She quickly clambered out of the water and ran to the table.

''You Celia?''
a effeminate
voice asked.

''Yes.''

''You take lovely photos.''

''Er...are you from Deadly Heroes?''

''Yes. I'm the manager Rufus Sylvester.'' Celia pumped her fist in triumph. ''The boys think you were the best. They want you on the road with them. It's a great opportunity for you.''

''Jesus, I never thought you would choose me.''

''Why not? You're
really good
. Most entries were a load of shit, but of the
really good
ones, yours was the by far the best. If you want it, the tours yours.''

''Sure I want it. Where do we start?''

''I'll send tickets to your by email. Your flight leaves in three days. I'll meet you at the other end and introduce you to the boys. They're a good bunch, so don't be nervous.''

''Where am I flying to?''

''The First concert is in LA. The band lives in LA, so for us, it's a home gig.''

Celia dived back into the pool and floated on her back, looking at the sky and dreaming of what was about to happen to her.

*****

''Hi girl,'' Rufus said when he saw Celia for the first time ''Wow you're pretty,'' he said

''Thanks,' Celia replied.

Rufus was a jovial black guy who was a gay as they come. He had a lovely
lisp
and
a carefree
air that Celia instantly
took to
. When he shook her
hand,
the metal bands on his wrist shook, making him sound a little like the chimes Celia's father had hung in the garden.

''We're all the way in the back,'' Rufus said as they crossed the parking lot. When they reached his Hummer, Celia smiled. It was back with chrome wheels and a tiger pattern interior. There were even dice hanging from the mirror.

Jeez, what you got in there?'' Rufus asked as he lifted Celia's bag into the back of his vehicle. ''Typical girl, needs to take everything with her. I'm as
bad, I
can't bear to travel without my
own
kettle. Sounds
kind of
weird, but the thought of drinking coffee from
a kettle
that's probably
be used
for who knows what, makes me want to puke.''

Celia wanted to tell him the same applies to cups, plates and a whole host of other hotel room articles, but she refrained.

Rufus' driving was a little erratic. He spent a few minutes driving slowly and then he'd drive for an equivalent amount of time well above the speed limit. They were in
a high-speed
phase when he cleared his throat as if he wanted to make an announcement.

''Listen girl. The boys in the band are all good guys. You seem like
a nice
girl,
and you look as
thought
you've had a decent upbringing, am I right?''

''Yes. I guess I had a white middle-class upbringing.''

''See, I knew it,'' he said as if he'd just guessed the winner of the Superbowl. ''Good boys or not, they are
rockers,
and you might see a few things that upset you. Not drugs or anything like that.'' He waved his hand in disgust at the thought. ''I told them if they do drugs I'm out. Anyhow, what I wanted to say was, there will be a lot of girls hanging around.  They
practice,
they perform,
they
drink,
and they screw women. Lots of them. Does that shock you?''

''Er, not at all. That's what one expects from the members of a rock group.''

''Well don't worry dear, I've told them to keep their filthy hands off
you,
and they all swore they would. I just didn't reckon on your being so darn
pretty
, that could be a problem, but I hope not.''

''That's very considerate of you. I'm only here to take
pictures; I
'm not interested in anything else.''

''Are you lesbian?'' Rufus asked.

''Certainly not.” Celia answered convincingly.

''Thank heavens. I'm gay by the way. Just in case you couldn't tell,'' Rufus said a smirk on his face.

The variable speeds continued until he pulled into a gateway that was manned by a couple of guards. ''The boys are worth a lot of money. We don't want them getting kidnapped,'' he said as he waved at the men.

The house he pulled up in front of, was even bigger than the house Celia lived in with her parents. It was in the same design as the White House in DC. At the front, there was an array of fancy cars.

''Come on in. I've told them to be here to say hello to you,'' Rufus said. He opened the door and led her into a huge hallway that stretched endlessly upwards. ''Hi boys, I'm back,'' he shouted. There
was
a sudden drum roll and a clash of symbols from somewhere deep inside the house.

''There you are, Rufus. Thought you'd fucked off with all our money,'' a tall skinny guy said. Celia recognized him as the bass player Joe Devaney. He wore a pair of ripped jeans and a sleeveless T-shirt. The was nowhere left to put another tattoo on his arms.

''Celia's plane was late,'' Rufus said. ''Joe, this is
Celia,
the photographer who won the competition.''

''Hi. Nice one. Loved your photos,'' Joe said. ''Come and meet the gang.'' She followed him down a seemingly endless corridor to a large room at the back. It looked like a play room. There was a pool table in the middle, a giant screen on the wall, a drum kit in one corner, and a bar in the another corner. ''Get off your asses and say hello to Celia,'' Joe said.

Three men peered over the back of a giant sofa. ''Hi Celia,'' they said in unison.

''Come and sit with us,'' one of them said. ''There's just enough room. Celia walked round the sofa and squeezed between them. 

''I'm Silas and this is Vance and the ugly fucker on the end is Kerry.''

''Hi, I'm Celia. I won the photo comp.''

''You're  seriously fucking talented,'' Silas said. ''Great pictures. We're
really
looking forward to working with you.''

''Thanks,'' Celia
said blushing
slightly
.

''Let me fill you in about us,'' Vance began. ''I'm Vance Constantine, not my real
name,
by the way, I'm the lead singer. You've met Joe '
Fingers
'
Gonzales; he
's the best guitarist in the world.'' Joe blew Vance a kiss. ''Silas Pate, pronounced like the stuff you eat on toast, is the bass player. And Kerry here, well, he's too fucking handsome to be on the stage with us. He's also the drummer.''

''Rufus didn't molest you on the way here did he?'' Silas asked.

''No he was as good as gold,'' Celia said entering the spirit of the conversation.

''Seriously, though,'' Vance began, '' we will do
everything we
can to look after you. If there's anything you
want,
please let us know, okay?''

''Thanks.''

''Let me show you to your room,'' Rufus said.

''Mind he doesn't touch you up,'' Joe shouted after them.

''Tell you what
though
, did you see her legs and ass?'' Kerry asked when Celia and Rufus had left the room. ''I wouldn't mind touching her up.''

''Fuck off Kerry,' Vance said. ''We decided we were going to look after her. She's not the kind of bimbo we usually bang, so leave her alone. I know you have to have three women a day, but Celia is off limits, understand?''

''Okay, I was only saying.''

''Well, you may be the one how gets the most women and the so-called bad boy of the group, but leave her alone,'' Vance added.