Hated You Then (Book One: Love Hurts Duet)

by M. Robinson

  “Then, shut up.”

  She glared at me.

  “So, anything, huh?”

  “Yes, but first you have to show me the video, and I havta see you delete it.”

  “Don’t trust me?”

  “Never.”

  “Which video? I got lots.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me.”

  “You have videos of me?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Why?”

  “Why not?”

  “Not this shit again. Answer my question. Why do ya got videos of me?”

  I didn’t really know how to answer her, so I simply shrugged.

  “That ain’t fair.”

  “Life’s not fair.”

  “Do you like me?”

  “I like art.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You’ll figure it out.”

  “Figure what out?”

  “On second thought,” I ignored more of her questions, “I don’t want to rush into a decision right now. I want to take my time, weigh my options. You know, make sure I’m going to get something really good out of you.”

  “You just wanna torture me longer.”

  I grinned.

  “Can you let me go now?”

  “I’m barely holding onto you. You could’ve gotten off my lap already if you wanted to.”

  “You’re holdin’ this video over my head. I don’t wanna piss you off and you send it.”

  “You not being on my lap would piss me off?”

  “Are you really askin’ me that?”

  I scoffed out a chuckle.

  “Anythin’ I don’t do when you want me to pisses you off.”

  “I own you, that’s why.”

  “You wish, dickhead. Oh, and uh...” She smirked in that ‘I’m Harley Jameson and I’m about to sass you’ kind of way. Leaning forward, close to my ear, she proved my theory. Stating, “I don’t really feel nothin’ that big.”

  “You little shi—”

  She jumped off me before the last word left my mouth, darting toward the door and opening it.

  “Careful, Rudolph, or Skyler will hear us.”

  I threw a pillow at her. “Get out.”

  “Finally.” She dodged it. “Something I’ve been wantin’ to do.” Spinning on the heels of her Converse sneakers, she turned and left, closing the door behind her.

  I fell back into my bed. “Fuckin’ Gremlin.” Laying there for a few minutes to wrap my head around the rest of the day. Muttering to myself, “Homeroom, PE, Algebra, Science, Computer, football practice.”

  I started doing this a few years ago. Every morning, I’d go over what my schedule was for the day, wanting to stimulate my mind and memory.

  When my mom was first diagnosed, I became obsessed with searching the web to try and find as much information on her disease. Reading several articles that said it was important to consistently get the wheels rolling in your brain. I did this with almost everything, from my schedule, to the names of my friends, to how many steps it took to get to each class at school.

  Was it normal?

  Probably not, but it’d become my routine.

  After I threw on my football jersey and got dressed, I went into the kitchen to grab a strawberry Pop Tart on my way out the garage door.

  By the time I got to the bus stop, Gremlin and her Scooby Doo gang were already there. I walked up to Trigger and some other friends from the football team, shooting the shit about nothing while we waited for the bus to take us to school.

  “Go talk to Shiloh for me,” Trigger exclaimed, nodding over to her.

  “You were being serious about her?”

  “Do I ever not mean what I say? Especially when it comes to chicks?”

  Lucky agreed with me, “Bro, she’s not your type.”

  “I like tastin’ all flavors of the rainbow.”

  “Okay, you’re not her type,” I added.

  “She’s never had a guy. How do ya know what her type is?”

  “Damn. How much did you ask around about her?”

  “I like to know all the facts. Makes it easier to catch my prey.”

  “Trigger, I don’t thi—”

  “Jackson!” a familiar and annoying voice hollered, dragging my attention from my friends.

  “Ooooohhhh weeee!” they chanted and cheered.

  See... I knew my friends would like her.

  Mary Poppins was standing several feet away, putting some much-needed distance between us.

  She must have seen my YouTube video, and I grinned at the thought. My eyes promptly shifted over to Harley, who was looking back and forth between me and the new nanny.

  I winked at the Gremlin before making my way over to Mary Poppins with the swagger of a man. If she wanted to go toe-to-toe with me, then I was going in balls deep.

  “Hey, baby,” I greeted for all to hear. “You here to dance for me and my friends?”

  She didn’t hesitate, not once was she going to back down. “Why don’t you show them the moves you’ve been perfecting with Dance Revolution on your Xbox?”

  My eyes immediately widened, and I could feel my face turning a bright shade of red.

  Someone was snooping...

  “Oh, I’m sorry. Was that a secret? Jackson, if you needed dance lessons, you could’ve just asked me. No need to film me to learn a few moves.”

  “Shut up,” I warned under my breath, standing in front of her.

  “But, Jackson? What am I going to do with this new dance footage I have for you?” She held up her phone in the air. “I’m only trying to help you find the rhythm you’re obviously lacking based on the level your game is at. Beginners 101—”

  I stepped toward her. “I mean it. Shut your mouth, Camila.”

  “Oh, so you do know my name?” she replied in a much softer tone. “I couldn’t tell with how many times you called me Mary Poppins in the comments section.”

  “What do you want?”

  “Take the video down, or I’ll out you to your friends with how many dancing games you really do have.”

  “It’s not what you think.”

  It wasn’t.

  She had no business going through my things.

  “Hey, guys—”

  “They were my mom’s,” I interrupted, rendering her speechless. “I’ll take it down, alright? Now, leave.”

  “Jackson, did you just say they were your mom’s?”

  “I said, leave. You don’t know shit.” I wasn’t going to be the one to break the news that the happy little family she saw through the photos on the walls no longer existed.

  “I’m just trying to help.”

  “Then why don’t you go shake your ass on a pole where you belong, instead of at my house where nobody wants you,” I spoke the truth.

  She frowned, unable to form words. Watching me back away with a much different expression on her face than the one she arrived with. Feeling the sense of loss because I’d won this round.

  Me: 1

  Mary Poppins: 0

  Exactly how it was going to continue to stay.

  Chapter 20

  <>Harley<>

  10-11

  Dear Jackson “Creeper” Pierce,

  It took my mom five hours to get out the gum u stuck in my hair when I was at your house the other day. You’re lucky I didn’t have to cut it off! Cuz I would have come for your balls!

  You’re the biggest dick EVER.

  I couldn’t even tell my mom it was u, so you’d be grounded FOREVER cuz u still have that stupid video! It’s been a month, u asshole! Just tell me what u want me to do, cuz I’m over this. I don’t care anymore. I’ll do whatever u want to stop this frustrating and extremely aggravating control u have over me!!!!

  AND YES I’M SCREAMING AT U!

  I’m so happy your nanny has stepped in and taken over pranking u. How many girly dance videos do u have, u creeper?! I bought new curtains this wkend, just in case u look into my
room when I don’t know. The last thing I want is u recording a video of me naked or something.

  I. Hate. U.

  I just want u to know I laughed my ass off like the rest of the locker room, when I heard about the red Kool-Aid tampons she stuffed in your backpack. U deserve that and more. I can’t wait to see what she does to u next.

  Not love,

  Harley

  P.S. Are u dating Kate now? I heard she has the gift that keeps on giving, and I hope u catch it and your willy falls off. Cuz we both know who owns your balls.

  Me.

  I do.

  <>Jackson<>

  Dear Harley “Peeping Tom” Jameson,

  I was just trying to do u another favor. Your frizzy ass hair makes u look like a Poodle. Most of the time, I feel like I should be barking at u. I wish u had to cut your hair cuz maybe u would look better.

  Probably not.

  And yes, I do have the biggest dick EVER. I knew u noticed.

  I haven’t figured out what I want u to do yet. There’re just way too many choices that will fuck with u. I want to make sure it’s nice and hard.

  I couldn’t even tell u were screaming at me. Your loud ass mouth never shuts up. It’s hard to interpret when you’re speaking or shouting, so thanks for the heads up.

  Don’t worry, I’d never creep into your room. I want to keep my eyesight, and if I ever saw u naked, I’d have to tear my own eyes out.

  Not that there’s anything to see, but u know... That’s why I have tons of other dancing girls on my phone...

  I hate u way more, Gremlin.

  And again, don’t u worry, I paid my nanny back. This prank is the best one yet. I’m sure ‘Don’t Answer’ on her phone will appreciate it as much as I do.

  With all my hate for u,

  Jackson

  P.S. Jealous, Harley? Who’s the one who holds your freedom in their hands?

  Me.

  I do.

  I stuffed the letter in her locker at the end of the day and went straight home. Keeping my distance from the woman who had become my strongest opponent.

  Camila.

  Harley was good, but she was better.

  Within the last month, our battles had taken a turn for the worst. During her second week at the house, I tricked her. The moment she stepped away from the food she was cooking to tend to my baby sister, I decided to play chef.

  Dumping in three different bottles of hot sauce we had in the cabinets. She spent an hour in the bathroom throwing up from her nose and mouth.

  The next day, she fed it to me for lunch without me realizing until it was too late. I spent an hour in the bathroom doing the same thing she was the day prior.

  By the third week, I scribbled all over her notes from her anatomy class. Mary Poppins was going to school to be a nurse.

  She failed her quiz the following day, which prompted her most recent attack on me. Planting Kool-Aid soaked tampons in my backpack for all to see in the locker room. I was the laughingstock of the school for the rest of the day.

  I played it off like it wasn’t a big deal. I was Jackson Pierce, I could make anything look good.

  Inside though, I was fuckin’ fuming.

  I hated her.

  She only accepted this position because of Skyler. We were a job to Camila, no matter what she claimed. Telling me she was there for us.

  Bullshit.

  We were a paycheck.

  Nothing more, nothing less.

  I spent the entire week thinking of how I would get my revenge. What I would do to her next. Once I saw ‘Don’t Answer’ calling her phone, I knew...

  I texted him back pretending to be her, letting him know she wanted the D.

  Zero regrets.

  Until this very moment.

  I’d barely been awake for more than a minute when she took it upon herself to charge into my room.

  “What the hell?” I gritted, jumping off my bed in my gym shorts. “You can’t just barge into my room without knocking.”

  “You cannot invade my privacy like that, Jackson!”

  “Why not?” I countered with a snide expression. “You do ours.”

  “I haven’t done anything to deserve this level of disrespect from you!”

  “You sound really bitchy, Camila. Guess ‘Don’t Answer’ on your phone didn’t lay the D down right?”

  Her mouth dropped open. “You cannot talk to me like that!”

  “Alright,” I responded, not caring in the least. “Then leave.”

  “You’d love that, wouldn’t you? For me to just quit.”

  “Yeah, I would,” I replied with no hesitation, walking over to my dresser to grab a shirt.

  “And then what, Jackson? You’re just going to treat the next nanny the same way? Until what? Your mom comes back? Is that why you can’t stand me? Why you want me to quit so badly? Because you think it’s going to make your mom come home?”

  I stepped up to her, getting right in her face. “Shut your mouth, Mary Poppins. You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  She still didn’t know the truth about our mother, and I didn’t care enough about this intruder to tell her what was up. Besides, it was driving her insane not knowing where Mr. and Mrs. Pierce were, busy coming up with all these theories in her mind.

  I enjoyed watching it too much.

  If she was going to be a pain in my ass, then I was going to return the fuckin’ favor.

  It was as simple as that.

  “You’re right, I don’t. All I know is, if I had a kid like you, I’d leave too.”

  I wasn’t expecting her to say that, and it caught me off guard. No one had ever spoken to me like that before. For some reason I couldn’t describe or justify, it hurt.

  Judging by the regret etched into her face, it must have shown in my eyes.

  Now, she was the one who crossed the line.

  “I didn’t mean tha—”

  “Get out!”

  “Jackson, come on... you know I didn’t mean that.”

  “I don’t know shit.”

  “Exactly! Because you haven’t taken the time to actually get to know me. You spend all your time and energy hating someone you won’t even give a chance. I’m just trying to help you.”

  “I don’t need your help!”

  “Then what, Jackson? You’re just going to spend the rest of your life not needing anyone? Is that the way you want to live?”

  “I said get out!” I snarled through a clenched jaw. My fists pumping at my sides.

  “Or what? Huh? What are you gonna do? I’m not scared of you. If anything, I feel bad for you. You push everyone away. Every single person. Including your own family. One day you’re going to need them, and I hope it’s not too late. Because regardless of the bullshit you keep putting me through, I’m not going anywhere. I love your baby sister, and if you gave me half the chance, I could be here for you too.”

  I shook my head in disgust.

  Who the hell did she think she was?

  She didn’t know me...

  What I’d been through...

  What I continued to go through every damn day.

  Losing my mother.

  My father.

  Possibly my memory.

  Fuck her.

  I spit fire. “I don’t need your pity. So why don’t you go sell your spiel to someone who gives a shit about you? Cuz we both know, I sure as hell don’t.”

  She jerked back, not hiding how much that hurt her.

  Good. Now we were even.

  “I’m sorry your parents aren’t around, okay? But it’s not my fault. I didn’t make them go away, Jackson. I was hired because they’re not here. You need to realize that and stop blaming me for things that are out of my control,” she advised, taking a deep breath and stepping back toward the door. “Don’t ever touch my phone again. Do you understand me?”

  I eyed her up and down, cocking my head to the side. Taking in what she just said with as much curiosity as she had about my
parents.

  “There’s a reason his name is under ‘Don’t Answer’ in my phone. You could have...” She sighed, being at her wits end.

  “Who is he?” I blurted, surprising myself I actually kind of cared.

  “Someone I want nothing to do with.”

  “Huh,” I quickly snapped back. “Well then, maybe now you’ll understand. Seeing as I want nothing to do with you. Now get out.”

  “Alright.” She nodded. “I’ll get out of your room, but I’m not getting out of your life. I’m here to stay.”

  “Yeah, for Journey.”

  “And for you.” With that, she turned around and left. Closing my door behind her.

  I reached for the lock, faltering when I heard my brother on the other side declare, “He wasn’t always like this, Camila.” Stopping me dead in my tracks.

  I swear those were the first words he had ever spoken to her.

  “He’s mad at my dad. It’s not you,” he explained, stirring my heart to race. “Journey really loves you. You make her happy. My mom didn’t have the chance to do that, and Journey is one of the reasons my dad isn’t around.”

  I grimaced, hating it was the truth.

  My baby sister didn’t deserve any of what was dealt to her. She didn’t ask to be born.

  “It doesn’t matter what you say or do, my mom isn’t coming home. That much I can tell you.”

  “Is she—”

  “I’m sorry Jackson is treating you like this, but Journey isn’t the only one who wants you here.”

  She asked him what I was thinking, “She isn’t?”

  “No. I want you here too.”

  He does?

  “You do?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I think you could fix things.”

  Why?

  How?

  “With Jackson?”

  “Yeah. And maybe my dad.”

  “Jagger, what do you—”

  I heard his footsteps next and then his door shut, cutting her off.

  “It doesn’t matter what you say or do, my mom isn’t coming home. That much I can tell you.”

  Those words were like a knife to my heart and yet...

  They were the truest words he’d ever spoken.

  Chapter 21

  <>Harley<>

  My daddy was out of town on business which meant Momma was in charge. Meanin’ I could go to the party happenin’ on Oak Island beach after the football game, Friday night.