by Cara E Holt
“Fuck mum. I have condoms, okay?” Dylan groans, dropping his head into his hands, looking mortified.
She pushes them towards him. “Well, now you have plenty. I know what it’s like when you first get together with someone, you can’t keep your hands off each other.”
“Jesus, mum,” Dylan hisses.
“Stacey, I think there has been a misunderstanding here. Dylan and I, we’re just friends. I needed his help to get out of the shower with this damn boot.”
She actually looks disappointed. “Oh okay.” She looks over at Dylan, her brow scrunched, “I just thought. Never mind.” She stands and shouts Charlie, leaving us alone in the room.
“Oh, my god.” I rest my head on the table. “Your mum gave us a box of condoms.”
Dylan’s laugh has me raising my head. “I know. Ribbed ones, too. My mum has taste.”
“Ugh. Don’t.” I take the box from him and look at them. “She could have at least got flavoured ones.”
Dylan chokes on his eggs. “Why would you want flavoured? No guy wants his dick sucked off with one of those things on.”
I stop mid-chew on my toast. I’m getting a little hot and bothered talking about sex and blow jobs with him. “Well, you’d know Mr Shag-a-lot.”
He grins as he bites into his toast. “I can’t help it if the girls all want in my pants.”
“You’re disgusting,” I tell him, frowning. The thought of him with other girls makes me feel sick.
“That’s not what they all say.” He chuckles, and he ducks when I throw a piece of toast at him.
We pull up on the school car park and most of the sixth form kids are hanging out around their cars chatting. My hope of no one noticing that I arrive with Dylan goes out the window when Connor shouts our names from across the car park, just as Dylan is helping me out of the car. Fuck my life!
Connor jogs over, smiling. "Hey, my favourite people. How's the ankle, Ella?"
I wiggle my boot. “Still broken.”
Connor grins. “Come on, we were just about to head inside.” We follow him over to where his girlfriend Aria and two other girls are chatting beside his car.
"Hey, Ella." Aria greets me smiling. "Let me introduce you to Katy and Freya."
“Hi,” I tell the two girls who are observing me intently. The brunette smiles and says hi back, but the blonde girl stares at me.
“Hey Dylan,” she purrs at him, licking her lips as she takes him in.
“Hi Freya, How’s things?”
“Good. I’m having a few people around mine tonight. You should come?”
He grins, “Thanks. We’d love to.”
“We?” Freya asks, looking confused.
“Yeah, me and El.” Dylan takes my bag from me and slings it over his shoulder. “Come on, let’s get you to class.”
Dylan helps me to my first class, which unfortunately has Beth and her cronies in. I can't help but smile at her face when she sees Dylan come in with me. "I'll come to get you at the end of class."
I smile as I take my bag off him. “I think I can manage okay by myself.”
He shakes his head. “I’ll be outside to collect you.”
Class passes quickly, and sure enough, Dylan is waiting with Connor outside for me when I come out. He immediately takes my bag from me and he slings it over his shoulder and Connor takes my jacket and I walk in between them. As we pass people they look and whisper, I turn and look behind me and see a group of girls pointing at me and whispering.
We arrive in Media studies class and Dylan sits beside me, with Connor behind him. Aria walks into the room and drops a kiss on Connor's cheek as she sits behind me.
“Oh, wow!” she exclaims from behind me, and I turn to look at her.
“Are you okay?”
She grins knowingly at me. “Yeah, I’m good.”
“Oookay!” I say puzzled and I turn back to face the front. People are acting weird today.
At lunchtime, I walk alongside Aria to the cafeteria. Connor is bugging Dylan about some movie that has just released. "Okay, I'll go," Dylan says holding his hands up. "But only if Ella does."
Connor looks at me pleadingly. “You have to come Ella.”
“It’s some boring kids cartoony type film,” Aria says, rolling her eyes at me.
Connor tuts and gives her a hurt look. "It is not a kid's cartoon. Some characters are computer-generated." He holds his hands together as if begging. "Say you'll come."
I groan. “Okay, I will come, but you buy me nachos and a hot chocolate.”
“Deal,” he replies, grinning. We reach the cafeteria and Dylan guides me over to their table, insisting he will get me my food. I sit on my own while they all queue up. I see Amber sitting with Josh and the guys and I give her a wave, and she offers me a wide smile and she waves back. My phone pings and I see a what’s app from Uncle Matt. He is checking in to see how I am. Smiling, I text back that I am okay, and he tells me he will ring me tonight. I miss Uncle Matt. He is great to hang out with, and he has been there for me when I wasn’t at my best.
Dylan places a tray down in front of me with a sandwich and a can of my favourite – Dandelion and Burdock. He doesn’t even need to ask me what drink I want; he just knows. He sits down beside me, and Connor and Aria sit opposite. Shortly after Caleb and Jack arrive and then our table gets crowded when Lucas, Freya and Katy join us. I sit quietly and listen to them all chat. Dylan grabs my drink and takes a swig, smiling at me. The minute he opens his can of Fanta, I grab it and take a drink. I look up to see Aria watching us both intently.
“What?” Dylan asks her, puzzled. She simply smiles in response and then turns her attention to Connor. Dylan opens his sandwich and pulls out any tomatoes and puts them on to my sandwich, but not before taking any onion off mine and putting it on his.
“This is fascinating,” Aria states, making me look up. She is sitting there with her head resting on her hands, staring at us. Connor chuckles as he tucks into his hot dog.
“What?” I ask.
She waves her finger from me to Dylan. “You drink each other’s drinks. He puts his tomatoes on your sandwich and helps himself to the onion off yours.”
Dylan shrugs, looking disinterested. “She doesn’t like onions. I don’t like tomatoes.”
Aria nods. “Fascinating,” she repeats, continuing to look at us like we are a science experiment. “Are they always like this?” She asks Connor.
“Yep. They always eat each other’s food, share their drinks. It’s creepy,” he says grinning at us both.
Aria bats off his last comment. “It’s not creepy, it’s cute.”
Dylan sniggers. “Whatever.” He pulls a Mars bar out of his pocket and breaks it in half, taking his half and leaving the other half on my tray. I take it and I blush when Aria grins at what she observes.
Freya tuts grabbing my attention. “Chocolate. You know what they say. A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips.”
Dylan scoffs. “Like Elneeds to worry about her weight.”
“I’ve just dropped down to a six,” she announces. I’m not sure if she is hoping for some kind of applause, so I just shrug and tuck into my half of the Mars bar.
A group of girls walk past our table and they stare at me. They sit down and continue to stare and twitter amongst each other. “What is with everyone today?”
Caleb looks at me puzzled and follows my gaze to where the girls sit staring. He grins. “Oh, that. Well, you are walking around wearing James’ name on your back, I guess they are either in awe of you for bagging our boy here so quick or insanely jealous of you.”
I lean closer to him. “Sorry, what?”
“That training shirt you’re wearing,” he grins, “It has Dylan’s name on the back.”
I twist round to try and see the back of the top, before turning to glare at Dylan. “Seriously?”
He smirks. “You needed a top to wear this morning.”
“You slept at Dylan’s?!” Freya accuses, lookin
g none too happy with the idea.
"She's wearing my boxers too," Dylan tells her, grinning. Aria spurts her drink out, spraying Caleb and me in our faces.
“You’re a fucking arsehole,” I hiss at him and I punch him in the arm.
Dylan grins in response and he ruffles my hair playfully. “Just telling the truth.”
I lean in and glare at him and I reach out and grab his nose between my fingers. “Dick face.”
He tries to bite at my fingers as I squeeze his nose tighter. “Pussy face,” he replies, laughing as he grabs at my nose. We stop when we realise the entire table is silent and is watching us.
Caleb cocks a brow. “Did you really just call her pussy face?”
“You two are weird,” Freya announces with a scowl before she stands, and she flounces off.
“What crawled up her arse?” I ask, perplexed.
"You," Lucas informs me as he chews on a straw, watching Freya’s retreating figure.
“Me?”
“Yeah. She wants in Dylan’s pants and thinks you’re going to get in the way.”
I laugh. “Seriously? Why would she feel threatened by me?”
“Now there’s a question,” Aria snorts.
"Aria," Dylan warns, glaring at her. She pulls her tongue out in response and she stands. "I know. I know." She gives me a cheeky wink before announcing that she is off to the library. Leaving me and Katy with the boys.
“Why is Danny Brogan staring at you?” Connor asks. I follow his line of sight to the boy I had chatted with briefly at the party the other night.
I shrug my shoulders as I take a sip of my drink. “I met him at that party. We chatted for a few minutes.”
“He’s not good enough for you,” Dylan growls, he glares over at Danny who smirks but then he looks away.
“Jeez.” I roll my eyes and elbow Dylan in his side. “Will you quit with the big brother act. I don’t need you protecting me.”
Connor sniggers, making me look over at him and scowl. “Something funny?”
He shakes his head quietly, chuckling. “Big brother act. I doubt that.”
“He does, though. Saying no one here is good enough for me. He’s a pussy blocker.”
Dylan chokes a little on his sandwich. “I’m just looking out for my best friend. Besides, you not interested in Danny, are you?”
I look over at Danny. The guy is cute. “Nah, he’s not my type.”
Dylan looks relieved at my answer. “Good, because he will dip his dick in anything female.”
“A bit like you then?” I tease.
“Excuse me,” he protests. “I have certain standards. Take her for example.” He leans into me and points to a girl with a pixie platinum haircut and ears full of piercings. “I wouldn’t go near her.”
“Why not? She’s cute.”
Dylan shakes his head. “She bit her boyfriend’s dick. He had to have stitches.” He shivers in horror.
“She bit his dick? Well, maybe she had a reason. Like maybe he had been cheating on her or something.”
Dylan shrugs. “Or maybe she is just sadistic, and she enjoys biting dick. Either way, I ain’t going to find out.”
Dylan and Connor walk me to my first afternoon class, which unfortunately for me is the one I share with Beth. When I walk into class, she is already sitting in her seat, twirling her brunette hair around her fingers. I can’t help but grin when I remember I have Dylan’s name on my back. I take a seat a few rows in front of her and I hear a bang. I turn to see Beth staring at me open-mouthed, her pens scattered on the floor around her desk.
I offer her a fake warm smile. “Beth, you dropped your pens and stuff.” I point to the floor and she closes her mouth and then scowls fiercely at me before bending to collect her things. I turn back to the front and I smile smugly to myself.
At the end of the day, I find Connor and Aria waiting for me at my locker. I try to tell myself that I'm not in the least bit disappointed that Dylan isn't there, but I'd be lying.
“Where’s dick face?” I ask, as Connor takes my bag from me and he puts some of my books back in my locker for me.
Connor shakes his head. “No idea. He said he would meet us here.”
I rest on my crutches. “Are you two going to Freya’s tonight?”
“No. My mum and Dad are away tonight. Connor and I are making the most of an empty house.”
“Who’s got an empty house?” I jump as Dylan’s breath tickles my ear, and his arm slides casually around my shoulder.
"I have," Aria tells him, "and, no, before you ask, I am not having everyone around. Connor and I need some alone time."
Dylan grins and leans into my ear. “That’s code for sexy time.”
I chuckle and Aria flips us off, making me laugh even more. “You can laugh. At least Connor and I are getting some.”
Dylan smirks. “I can get some anytime I want some.”
Aria cocks a brow. “Not off anyone you want though, huh?”
Dylan stiffens beside me. His cocky demeanour replaced with apprehension.
I look up at him. “Wait a minute! You’re telling me that there is a girl that isn’t interested in the ever-popular Dylan James?”
Connor sniggers again, and he and Aria share a knowing look.
“Come on, then?” I nudge him. “Who is this Girl? I want to know so that I can find her and shake her hand.”
He meets my eyes again briefly before looking away down the corridor, chewing his lip aggressively. “It’s no one you know.”
I pause as I realise that whoever this girl is; he likes her. My stomach knots inside at the idea that Dylan actually likes a girl and not one he just wants to dip his dick in. “Oh my, you actually like this girl?”
He frowns and continues to look away, not meeting my eyes. “Like I said, you don’t know her. We need to go.” He grabs my bag from Connor and slings it over his shoulder before walking away. I steady my crutches and make after him as quick as my stupid broken ankle will allow me.
“You think I’m going to let this one go, Dyl. Not a chance.”
He looks over his shoulder at me and I expect some smart comment off him, but instead he just sighs. “It’s a lost cause anyhow, she never has and never will see me in that way.”
I pause and watch him walking down the corridor. Aria comes to a stop beside me. “You okay? You look like someone pulled a rug from under you?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.” I plaster on a smile. “I guess I just can’t believe he actually genuinely likes a girl.”
Aria follows my gaze to where Connor has caught up with Dylan and he slings an arm over his shoulder. “He’s always liked her, well, for as long as I have known him. All the others are just a distraction, but it’s always been her for him.”
My stomach sinks into my feet. Dylan is hung up on some girl. “Is she nice? I mean, she’s not a mean bitch like Beth, right?”
I hate that he likes this girl, but I at least need some reassurance that she is worth his time.
Aria shakes her head. “She really is lovely. I think they are made for each other.”
I put on a smile. "We'd better catch them up." I make to move forward, but suddenly I'm scooped up and thrown over a shoulder.
“Come on, slowcoach. I have places to be.” Dylan slaps me playfully on my arse. Playful Dylan is suddenly back again.
"Put me down dick-face," I demand, although from here I have a really pleasant view of his perfect bum. He hands my crutches to Aria who is laughing at us and he carries me out to the car park.
Chapter Six
We arrive at my house and I put a finger to my lips to remind him to be quiet as he holds the front door open for me. Mum is likely still in bed.
“What clothes do you need?” He asks me as he starts for the stairs.
“Grab me some clean underwear and any top and I guess it will have to be some joggers seeing as I can’t get anything else over this stupid boot.” I tap a crutch against the boot and carefully sit dow
n on the sofa.
“You want your granny knickers too?”
I can hear the teasing tone in his voice as he climbs the stairs two at a time.
"Fuck off," I reply, which earns me his sexy chuckle.
He’s back a minute later with my overnight bag. He drops it beside him and he takes a seat next to me. “I grabbed your kindle and charger and your make-up bag too. Not that you need it.”
I nod and shuffle in my seat to face him. “So, this girl.”
“Can we not do this?” He groans and looks heavenward.
I fold my arms and give him my determined face. “Have you tried to tell her how you feel?”
He sighs again and runs a hand through his dark hair. “There’s no point, okay. She doesn’t feel the same.”
“How do you know if you’ve never asked her?”
He leans his head back on the sofa. “I just know, okay.”
I don’t know why I am pushing this. I mean, I don’t want to encourage this. If he tells this girl and she likes him, then she will become his priority and I’ll be left behind. “Let’s practice.”
He lifts his head. “Practice what?”
“Practice. On me. Pretend I’m this girl and you’re telling her how you feel.”
He scoffs. “I think I’ll pass.”
“Come on. We are doing this.” I sit up straighter and grab at his hand. “Come on. Okay, pretend I’m the girl. Say what you would want to tell her.”
He groans but he sits up straight and, on his side, so that we are facing each other on the sofa. "This is stupid," he mutters under his breath. He pauses for a minute, thinking.
"Ella, I need to tell you something." He reaches out and takes both my hands in his. "You're the only girl I have ever truly wanted. You make me feel things." He looks down at our joined hands and his thumb strokes across my palm, causing goosebumps all over my body. "I want to hold you close and be able to call you mine. I want to kiss you first thing of a morning and tell everyone that you're my girl. I want to know every inch of your body and worship it."
