by Kait Rose
“Sorry, yeah I haven’t seen him since he graduated high school. The few times Knox invited him over, he always had something come up.” You can tell she was nervous by how slow she was walking. I on the other hand was finding this highly entertaining. Through all of school, Stella was always catching every guy’s eyes, but her parents were so strict of her waiting to date once she graduated high school. She went on one bad date, freshmen year of college, and since then she took it as a sign to wait. My little virgin friend needed to get out there and have fun. We approached Ezra and by the way she was squeezing my hand for dear life, I only hope she keeps herself calm.
“Uh, hey Ezra, we got told we can come?” Lord bless her, she doesn’t even realize what she’s saying.
“Are you asking if you can come or do you want to come?” He asked with a smile that can melt hearts. At least, she got what he was saying by the way she turned tomato red.
“I meant come inside. Knox texted you and told you we’re coming by to visit him, right?” By the way his eyes were popping out of his eyes, I guess he didn’t recognize Stella either. Besides her still wearing pink, Stella changed too. Instead of wearing her blonde hair in pigtails, clothes that covered her up, and never putting make up on, she was the complete opposite now too. She had platinum blonde hair with hot pink highlights, her make up was on point showing off her plump lips and big blue eyes, and lastly her mini dress emphasized her chest that went from being flat when she was younger to a C cup now.
“St-Stella?”
“Uh, yeah it’s me.” She giggled like a school girl. Both of them tried to be discreet checking each other out, but anyone with eyes can tell they were. You can tell people in the line were getting pissed that we cut and now Stella and Ezra were staring at each other like they were the only ones in the world.
I cut in front of Stella, showed Ezra my ID, and went under the rope. It finally snapped him out of his trance, while he lifted the rope for Stella. She told him thanks and hurried off inside. He didn’t take his eyes off her. When I looked over at her, she looked a little sad.
“What’s with the long face? He was staring at you like he was ready to eat you up.”
“Yeah right. That can’t ever happen anyways. He looks damn good, but he’s Knox’s best friend and new roommate, which means he’s off limits.”
“You’re both adults now and I doubt Knox would stop you guys.” Part of me was hoping she would agree, so when she found out about me and Knox it would soften the blow.
“Even if he did, it’s just weird. It’s like Knox dating you. You just don’t date your sibling’s best friend, especially when their your sibling’s roommate.” Well this is why I never hope for things. Now I knew it was going to be awful telling her.
“Come on, let’s go see Knox and get some shots. We need a night of fun and forgetting our bullshit problems.” I can agree with that. We headed off to the bar and I shouldn’t be surprised that Knox is talking to a leggy blonde, which means only Jude is taking drink orders. Let the fun begin.
Chapter Seven
Jude
Tonight was my first night back at Glow. I spent the summer helping Ben at the tattoo shop that I’ll be returning to once I graduate. Since this was our final year at school, Knox, Ezra, and me decided to live with each other at Knox’s place. Knox originally lived with Rem, but Rem had a deal with his estranged father that he would live with him for the year so they can bond. Ezra and I lived in the dorms, but decided to split rent with Knox and live with him. I thought this was going to be a carefree fun year before I start help run the tattoo shop, but with Madison back in my life, I knew the feeling of being care free was long gone.
I was tending bar and it was pretty busy for the last weekend before school starts, while Knox was being his usual self. Right now he was between two twins with bigger tits than their IQ’s from what I’ve been overhearing for the past hour. They had to use the words, "like" and "oh my god" at least a hundred times. They also were buying everything Knox was saying. I still didn’t understand why waste your time with two bimbos when he had Madison showing up. Speak of the devil, she is walking in with who I’m guessing is Stella.
Trying to ignore her tonight is going to be hard and I knew the she-devil did this on purpose. The way that skirt rode up, it made her short legs look long and it hugged her ass. I can’t stand her, but I’m not blind. I head over to Knox and give him the head nod in her direction before he gets caught.
“Can you get their drinks? I am a little busy.” Knox said while rubbing tit one’s leg.
“Aren’t you nervous you’re going to get caught, they’re heading this way.” I looked over once more and of course we locked eyes. I shook my head and started getting tits two another shot.
“No man she doesn’t care. Plus I forgot to tell you that my sister doesn’t know, so don’t bring it up please.” Knox maybe smart in school, but when it came to this he was an idiot. There was no way this was going to end well for him.
When I looked up one more time, a short little thing with blonde hair shoved her hand in my face. “Hi, I’m Stella, this big idiot’s sister.” She nodded over to Knox and he continued to ignore. She was a tiny little thing, but you can tell she has a big personality.
“Jude. What can I get you?” I didn’t want to strike up a conversation, I knew that would lead into Madison joining in.
“Four lemon drop shots please and thank you.”
“What in the hell are you wearing!” Knox’s voice boomed. I looked up from the shots I was making to see who he was yelling at. I thought he would be yelling at his sister, but he was actually yelling at Madison. Her skirt was short, but that should have him drooling not screaming. I did a double take and realized it wasn’t the skirt at all. She took her leather jacket off and even from here I can tell she was wearing a lacy bra as a top where her nipples were ready to poke through it.
“Madison, I swear to god you better put that jacket back on and zip it all the way up.” The Madison I knew would do it, but she surprised me. She walked over to tits two and threw the jacket on her.
“Here hon, brand new. I think you need it more than me.” Tits two didn’t even realize Madison insulted her in front of everyone. Knox was staring daggers at her and Stella was hissing to Knox to stop his shit. I finished the four shots and slid them to Stella, but Madison grabbed them instead. Within a few seconds, she downed all four and asked me for a whiskey straight.
I leaned over and whispered in her ear, “You just downed those shots in less than a minute and from what I remember you’re not even twenty one yet. I’ll get you a water.” She gave me a look that was full of anger and I knew I would be hearing her flip sooner or later.
“Hey, can I at least get two more, since this one drank all of them?” Stella shot a glare at Madison.
“Are you going to give this one your drinks?” I asked Stella.
“Nope, girl scout promise.” I didn’t believe her, but I poured her one and put it in her hand.
“In a little bit, come back for another one. This one is cut off for the night.” I motioned to Madison. She turned an angry shade of red, Knox looked like their was smoke about to come out of his ears, and the twins were oblivious to it all.
All of sudden, Madison got the biggest smile on her face. The devil sauntered over to some guy from my finance class, who had a whiskey sour sitting in front of him, and whispered something in his ear. He nodded eagerly to whatever she said.
“You!” I pointed a finger at him, “don’t you fucking give her that drink. I will kick you out for the next few weekends.” I shouted, hoping the idiot wasn’t that stupid.
“She told me if I give her it, she’ll buy the rest of my drinks. Come on man that’s a win, win!”
“She’s full of shit because she’s cut off!” The guy turned to her with a look of disbelief that she would lie to him. While he was staring at her, I saw Madison swipe his drink and downed it before he even noticed.
“S
tella, this is my song come on!” She yelled over to Stella, not paying me any attention. Well karma is a bitch. I shouldn’t let her get to me anyways, what do I care what she does. She’s Knox’s problem anyways.
Chapter Eight
Madison
Why in the hell did that asshole have to look so damn good. He is wearing skinny ripped black jeans from before, but now had a tight white v neck t-shirt on. You can tell his arms are defined and it made me wonder what he looked like under his clothes. I shook my head, I do not need to have the hots for this jerk. Who the fuck cuts someone off because they took four shots? We go from him pretending he has no idea who I am to now my keeper. Thank god he has to stay behind the bar and I could enjoy my first college night out with my best friend. Speaking of, where is she?
I was still in the middle of the dance floor, but Stella was no where to be found. As soon as I was heading to the direction of the bar where Knox was pouring a customer a drink, someone grabbed me by the wrist and twirled me towards him. At first I was a little piss, but when I looked up my eyes met with a dangerously hot guy. He looked about my age, sandy brown hair, and had the surfer look to him with his blue t-shirt and ripped light jeans.
“What is a beauty like you doing alone on the dance floor?” His smile was contagious and I felt my cheeks heating and my smile growing wider. He arched his eyebrows up and his smile grew bigger. Damn it, I’m just staring at him like an idiot.
“I was waiting for someone like you.” Smooth, he looks like he likes what he’s hearing. I’m back in the game. A more seductive song came on, so I turned around and started grinding on him. One good thing about having a big ass is I knew how to shake it.
After a few dances and some talking in between, I found out his name was Myles and he was in his final year at the university. He offered to buy me a drink and I happily accepted. After a few more shots, we danced for another two songs and I felt like I was on top of the world. The next thing I know, Myles was dragging me towards the exit sign. I lamely attempted to tell him my friend Stella was here, but I barely got the sentence out before the lights went out.
Chapter Nine
Jude
I tried all night to just keep busy at the bar and not look over at her on the dance floor. I went beyond what I usually do, but my eyes just kept trailing back over to her. She danced like she was the only one on the floor, she didn’t even realize when Stella called over that she was coming over here. By the way Knox is staring at Stella talking to Ezra to Madison dancing, he looked like he was ready to blow.
Madison dancing was dangerous and it made me want to go up to her and pull her close. You know what, it’s her ass. The Madison I knew never had curves. Fuck, she was just skin and bones when I met her. It was the first time I wanted to kill who ever could do that to her when I met her. She had the sweetest smile that could light a room up, but you can tell in her eyes she was full of sadness. When I was her best friend, I tried for years to get the light back in her. I was so wrong because she was no angel, but the straight up devil.
By the time my shift ended, I decided it wouldn’t hurt to get one more look and then close door on her for good. I didn’t need the complications or the memories she would bring. Well that thought flew out the window when I saw she was dancing with fucking Myles.
Myles has had it out for me since the time he caught me sleeping with his girlfriend. In my defense, she never told me she had a boyfriend, but I didn’t care to ask anyways. Ever since then he has tried to steal every girl I talk to in his lame attempt to get me back.
I wanted to go over there, but what right did I have? She wasn’t my girlfriend and I knew me going over there she would take it as me being jealous and he would take it as a win. All bets were off though when I saw her passing out and him still trying to drag her outside.
“Get the fuck away from her!” I was there in a second. There was no way she should be passed out from a few lemon drop shots. I heard rumors of Myles drugging girls and I put two and two together.
“She doesn’t want you, now get lost.” He scooped her up and started to walk again. I grabbed him by the back of the neck and dragged him towards me. He slipped and dropped her again, but luckily Knox saw it all and was coming towards us.
“Jude what are you doing! Wait, is that Madison?”
“Madison is drunk and this scumbag here is trying to take her home while she is unconscious!”
The idiot was asking for a death wish when he opened his mouth again to tell me to go away. I didn’t give him a second before I punched him in the jaw, knocking him out. I knew I was going to hear it from Tony, our boss, but he deserved it.
“Dude get out of here before Tony comes down from the office to see all this commotion. Taken Madison home and I’ll have Ezra take Stella there so we can keep an eye on them.”
Fuck, he was right. I couldn’t afford another strike, so I picked Madison up and took her outside. I laid her in the back of my 1969 Chevelle. The car was the one nice thing in my life and I prayed Madison didn’t puke all over the back seat. I white knuckled the steering wheel, talking myself out of going back there to knock Myles around some more. How can she be that stupid to take a drink off a stranger?
By the time we were almost back at my place, the guilt started to bubble up. Even though I hated the girl, I couldn’t help but think if I didn’t cut her off, she most likely wouldn’t have taken a drink off him. The next time I see Myles, I swear he’s going to wish he never went near her.
I parked my car and tried to take a few breaths to calm down. There would be no talking to her tonight, she wouldn’t remember a damn thing if she woke up anyways. I picked her up and started to walk up to the front door. When I put her down to open the door, she faintly whispered tree. It was the nickname she gave me after the first time I saved her ass.
~.~
9 years ago…
It was the first day of seventh grade for me and Madison’s first day of fifth. She’s been living with us for the last month of the summer so far, but we barely talked. I had no idea what to say to her. I overheard Mrs. Montgomery gossiping to her friends about Madison’s low life parents being dead. Her dad shot her mom then pulled the trigger on himself. The worst part of the story is it happened all in front of Madison. It explained why she always looked so sad.
We attended school at Lincoln Academy which was the top private school in South Carolina. My first day ever going to this school was a nightmare. They all knew I was an orphan and a foster kid. The first day I took it all day long about how I was their charity case. The second day I dragged the first guy that said it, took him where there were no cameras or witnesses, and beat his fucking ass. When I was finished I told him if he didn’t want this to happen every day, he better go warn his buddies. It immediately stopped and I was feared.
The girls at this school were ruthless and I knew the shy, timid little girl wasn’t going to make it past homeroom. They would eat her alive if I didn’t help her. I decided to wait for her after her classes and walk her in between them. At least that way she will be protected in the hall way.
When she got out of homeroom, she was doing that nervous habit of chewing her bottom lip. I went up to her and asked what class she has next. She seemed nervous, but surprised that I was talking to her. I should start trying more at home because she needs someone in her corner.
I walked her after every class before lunch and we would make small talk. She got a little less nervous and was talking a little bit more. She had a pretty soft voice and when she would get excited about something her whole face showed it. We were talking about our favorite bands while walking into the lunch room. I told her she can come sit with me and my friends. When we got to our table and she sat down, I heard everyone go quiet. I knew in my gut something was going to happen.
Bethany Lawrence was the rich bitch of Madison’s grade. I knew she was the worst of the girls because I had her older sister in my grade. It was no picnic, but the bitch knew not to
look or say anything in my direction. I would never hit a girl, but I knew how to get at them. She was heading towards Madison with a huge bowl of spaghetti sauce. The dumbass really didn’t think I wouldn’t be watching Madison’s back. As soon as she walked past me, I hit the bowl from underneath. The bowl went up in the air and the sauce came pouring down all over Bethany. The entire dining hall erupted with laughter while Bethany went from angry to humiliated. She told me to watch my back and I couldn’t stop laughing. Even her sister turned her back on all of it knowing she wouldn’t dare get involved. I looked down at Madison and by the look on her face, I knew she figured out that it was meant for her. I lied and told her they do this to all the new students as a welcome hazing. She seemed skeptical but trusted my word.
That night she came home crying from the day she had and of course Mr. Montgomery had to make it worse by blaming her that she embarrassed him in front of his friend’s kids by her inability to be normal for once. He was an asshole and I would never take anything he said to heart, but you can tell Madison did.
I decided she needed a night to clear her mind of everything that happened today, so I invited her outside with me to watch the stars. I always go out to watch the night sky when I needed to clear my head. I liked thinking how there was more out there than this hell down here.
Chapter Ten
Madison
It feels like someone took a sledge hammer to my head. I couldn’t open my eyes for the life of me. After a few minute I was able to pry one eye open to see where the hell I am, but the snoring next to me clued me in. Knox is one of the most obnoxious snorers on the planet. I rather listen to nails on a chalkboard all day, then to hear his snoring. The first night we ever spent together, he’s lucky I didn’t suffocate him with my pillow. Trust me, it was a thought every time we shared a bed.
