Serenity (18 page)

A silence filled the car. She wasn’t trying to escape and he kind of wished she would. He was at a loss. Finally, he started to laugh. He tried to hold it back but it exploded out of his mouth.

“Why is that funny?” She looked at him like he was crazy.

“It’s just…” he couldn’t finish.

“What?” she asked.

“You screamed shit in my mom’s face.” Jolin scrunched down into the seat and let the laughter flow. “No one has ever done that before.”

Slowly…very slowly…Ren’s shoulders started to shake and she laughed along with him. Then she punched him in the shoulder. Luckily it was his good shoulder.

“You’re still an asshole.” She pulled the handle of the door, this time it released her. Jolin pulled himself together enough to catch the strap of her bag before she was completely out. He wiped his tear stained cheeks and stopped laughing.

She turned to look at him.

“Ren. You aren’t a slut. Not even close.” He let go of her bag.

She stood in between the door and the car. All he could see was the middle of her body. Finally, she bent over and looked in the car. “You’re just my lab partner, what do you know.” She slammed the door and walked away. Jolin let himself fall back into his seat. He couldn’t figure her out.

He drove back home, ping ponging ideas through his head. He was surprised to find his mom still there.

“Hey I thought you were g-g-going to work.” His mom sat in the kitchen with her hands wrapped around a cup of coffee.

“I called Natalie and asked her if I could come in an hour later.”

“What’s wrong? D-d-did something happen? Dad?” This was her stance for all serious talks. Last time she sat like this he’d missed his curfew and was drunk. The time before she’d told him she and dad were getting a divorce. He went through the last few days trying to remember if he’d done anything. Other than the activity with Ren in his room earlier in the week life had been pretty boring.

“Everyone is fine. Sit down for a minute. I want to talk to you.”

Jolin slid onto a stool and braced himself for the news.

“I remember Ren when she was little.”

He laughed with relief.

“Why is that funny?” She looked confused.

“I thought you were g-g-going to t-t-tell me I had a b-b-brain tumor or you had cancer.” He ran a hand over his hair.

“I know her from the hospital.”

Brain cancer might have been a better option. “Oh. Shit,” he mumbled and dropped his head in his hands.

“From the ER?” Jolin asked hopefully.

“No. From the Children’s Trauma Center.”

“Fuck.”

Serenity

Friday, October 25

9:00 p.m.

It was cold outside. The game ended over forty-five minutes ago and most of the players already gathered their cheer whores and left for the party. Ren decided if she was the holy grail of blow jobs she should dress the part, but now she was freezing. Her skirt was so short across her crotch anyone standing in front of her would wonder how she wasn’t totally flashing her pussy to the world. The back sloped down into a poofy train, ending just above the back of her knees. It made her look like a bar maid from an old western. She’d put on her knee high boots and tightened the tops with thin brown belts so they would stay secure on her thighs. She had a form fitting brown cotton shirt under a short sleeved blouse so her forearms would be covered. She pulled the braid from work, out and let the waves that had formed fall loosely over her shoulders. She had applied her make up a little darker than normal, since it was an evening date. Quills words flashed through her mind. She was asking for trouble dressing this way. But tonight she was in control. At least for the date. She could only guess at the wrath the cheer whores would dole out. Ren used her body to take what little control men had. The deal with mom’s boyfriend was something completely different, and it wouldn’t happen again. She’d already decided to use what little money she still had from Brock to buy a container of mace. He would never lay his hands on her again.

She was beginning to wonder if Ty changed his mind, so she texted Brock.

What’s up? He isn’t coming.

I’ll check.
He responded almost immediately.

She hopped from one foot to the other and pulled an old sweater out of her bag. She hadn’t wanted to wear it, but she was getting frost bite. Finally, her phone buzzed.

He’s coming. Let me know in 5 if he’s a no show.

Eventually Ty came walking out of the locker room. He looked as excited about this date as she felt. Maybe he
was
gay. It made her smile to think she made a big lineman on the football team nervous. Ren pushed off the car and walked toward him. Apparently she was going to be the guy in this mini relationship.

“Hey, Ty.”

He raised his chin and gave her a nod.

“Ready to head out?”

He nodded again. Great, if he wasn’t going to talk to her, this evening was going to end early.

Ty pushed a button and the locks clicked open. She chuckled to herself at how easy it was to get into his car and how Jolin was always running around to unlock the manual doors of his car. Or making her climb over the driver’s seat to get out. She slid in and started rubbing her legs, trying to get some warmth going.

Ty threw his stuff in the back then got in and started the car. He turned the vents toward her and cranked up the heater. At first it made it colder, but soon warm air filled the car and she regained feeling in her toes. If it had been Quill’s car they could have drove to the next town and still be waiting for the heat to come on.

Ty didn’t take the car out of park. “You know what I paid for?” His voice was deeper than she’d expected. She’d never actually talked to him before.

“Yeah.” She pulled at the hem of her skirt to make sure she was covered.

“I won’t walk in with you. I don’t want them to think we’re together. It needs to look like a hook up.”

“I doubt they’ll think we’re together,” she snorted.

“You ruined what little rep Jolin had left. I don’t want that happening to me.” It was becoming clear he wasn’t nervous about the date he was nervous about being seen with her.

“Then why don’t I blow you here in the car. Someone’s bound to start some rumor even if we go in her house seperatly.” She couldn’t believe she was considered such a plague to popularity. “And just for the record. Jolin and I are lab partners.”

He lowered his head on the steering wheel. “Brock said it had to be at the house.” Ty sat up. “Brock told me I needed to get laid.”

Ren’s eyebrows scrunched together. “Not by me.”

“He said you’d do whatever I wanted.” Ty seemed to want to argue his point, which was stupid because she’d made it clear she wasn’t having sex.

“Yeah that would be no.” Ren smoothed her hair back.

“So what did I pay for?”

He was a dick just like the rest of them. She needed to get a few drinks in her if the plan was going to include anything other than a kick in the balls.

“Look. You paid for a blow job, but that’s determined by what happens between now and then, and you’re an asshole.”

“I already paid,” he snapped then lowered his voice. “There’s a rumor going around that I’m gay. Brock said if I hooked up with you it would stop.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Are you?”

“You’re a bitch.”

“And you’re a dick.” Ren shrugged.

“I paid for the best fucking blow job and that’s what I better get,” he mumbled before backing up and driving out of the parking lot.

“You better watch your attitude, Sparky, because in a few hours I’m going to have your dick in my mouth, and you wouldn’t want to lose it.” Good Lord he probably was gay and she was somehow supposed to suck the gay away. This just kept getting better and better. There was a throne in hell waiting for her.

Ty slammed the breaks on. Ren stuck her arms out to brace against the dashboard. Ty reached over and grabbed the back of her hair, snapping her head back against the seat.

“Watch your mouth you fucking bitch. Watch what you say and watch what you do tonight. If you ruin my rep by being a bitch
and
if it isn’t the best you’ll pay in other ways.”

Ren didn’t say anymore. She wanted to get to the party, pull his pants down, and get this done. She didn’t care if it was in the middle of the living room.

When he pulled up to Allecia’s house, the party was already in full swing. Ren twisted in her seat so they could find a common playing field. They couldn’t get this done with the hostility brewing between them.

“Okay, what is it you want out of this? Do you want it to look like you picked a hooker up at the corner?”

“Well you kinda…”

Ren cut him off. “Look, dude. No one. And I mean no one in this house is going to do this for you so before you say something you’ll most likely regret, think about your answer.”

His gaze flowed over her, stopping too long at the edge of her skirt. She refused to fidget.

He ran a hand over his short black hair. He wasn’t unattractive, just not attractive to her. “I’m going in. You come in after. I’ll meet you in the kitchen, and we’ll go from there.”

“If I make it that far,” she groaned. “I’m going to get the shit beat out of me.”

“I think I should kiss you before I go in. Get it out of the way.” He smiled, but it looked like a grimace.

“I don’t really do the kissing your face thing.” Ren scooted back into her seat. Maybe she could get out of it after all.

“I paid for your time, and I can do with you what I want during that time. I want a kiss,” he yelled at her, and it wasn’t especially giving her a warm fuzzy feeling about this night.

He wrapped a hand around the back of her head and pulled her mouth to him. His tongue pried at her lips, trying to open them. Pushing himself into her, she felt her control over the situation slipping. She didn’t want to be stuck in this car alone with him. He was much bigger than her and if he pushed things she wasn’t sure she could stop him. So she did what she did best and took control of the situation. If he wanted a kiss, she’d give him the best fucking kiss he ever had.

Ren wrapped her hand around his jaw and pulled him into her. She let her lips linger while he pushed against her. Slowly she opened her mouth and let his tongue in. Then turned on her skills. Running a hand down his chest, she let it rest when it got to his crotch. His body relaxed. He was putty in her hands, and she let the high she got from turning the tables flow through her. She traced her tongue along the outline of his lips and felt him melt into her. She deepened the kiss until his hands moved up her back, and he moaned into her mouth. His tongue reached out, searching for hers.

“Whoa there, Sparky.” Ren wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “Treat me with a little more respect or that’s all you get.”

Ty’s cheeks had a glow about them. “Yeah, Brock was right,” he muttered.

“About what?”

“He said you were a bitch, but no one had a mouth like yours.”

Ren threw up a little in her mouth. She had a lot of practice and direction on how to use her mouth. Unfortunately, none of it was by choice.

“Yeah and Brock’s a prick.”

Jolin

Friday, October 25

12:05 a.m.

“This is a bad idea on so many levels.” Akeo ran his hand over his gelled hair.

“It will b-b-be fine.” Jolin headed up the driveway.

“Why do you have to talk to her now? Can’t you wait until Monday? I have a bad feeling this isn’t going to end well.”

“I need to see if she’s with B-b-brock. She won’t c-c-come right out and tell me, and Brock keeps showing up with Ren. I want to know what’s g-g-going on. I want to see her with Brock and know I’m out. I need to know he isn’t with Ren.”

“And why do I need to be here for that?” Akeo stopped walking.

“To keep me from d-d-doing anything stupid.”

Akeo laughed. “That is a broad spectrum. You have a lot of stupid locked up inside.”

“Yeah. So I guess you know why I need you.” Jolin punched Akeo in the shoulder. “Her parties aren’t too b-b-bad. Her house is really nice. She has a huge hot tub.” Jolin tried to calm Akeo’s nerves.

“I wasn’t invited.” He fidgeted with the zipper on his coat. “And I am so not going in a hot tub.”

“No one is ever invited. They j-j-just show up-p-p.”

“Only the
crowd
shows up unless they’re a date,” Akeo complained.

“Then think of me as your d-d-date.”

“I’m not giving it up on the first date, so get any thought of getting in my pants out of your head.”

At least Akeo still had a sense of humor.

“Do you still think of yourself as one of the crowd?”

That was a good question. He kind of did. It was easy to forget he’d been pushed out. At least not when it wasn’t overtly obvious by the teachers.

“I still have some p-p-p-ull,” Jolin finally said. Although tonight may be pushing it.

It was almost one by the time he’d convinced Akeo to come, and he wasn’t sure what they’d walk into. Elizabeth and him would have already left or found a room by this time. He really didn’t want to walk in on her and Brock making out, even though it was what he came here to see. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if he saw them. That was what Akeo was for. To keep him on track. To remember he wasn’t going to let her use her secret powers to use him again.

The beat of the music shook the sidewalk when they walked around to the back of the house. Akeo’s six five frame made Jolin feel small. He’d never really understood why Akeo was kept out of the crowd. He was better looking than most of the guys on the team. But Jolin knew it all had to do with football. Maybe if they lost the championship this year they’d be taken down a notch.

A few of the underclassman yelled hello’s and held their red solo cups up in salute as they made their way around the hot tub. Freshman had yet to understand the hierarchy and didn’t know they should ignore them.

“That is one big ass hot tub.” Akeo walked way to close to Jolin and ran into him when he stopped. “Sorry dude.”

“It’s not cool to b-b-be all up in my p-p-ersonal space K-Ke. Try to act like you b-b-belong here.”