by Lexi Bissen
I know what I’m about to tell him will cause the screaming, gossiping Allen to come out, so I prepare myself. “I was over at Gibson’s.”
“What!?” he yells into the phone. I wasn’t quick enough and now I think I have permanent damage to my right ear. “You need to get that sweet ass of yours over here right now and tell me everything. I’m starting a pot of coffee as we speak. And it’s regular. I have a feeling we’ll be up for a while,” he says before a dial tone takes over. I guess it’s okay to stay over then.
Once I get to Allen’s, he pulls me into the living room where he already has a hot cup of coffee waiting for me. I then proceed to tell him everything about my perfect night. Even if it was interrupted by my boyfriend’s uncle, tonight was still one I will never forget.
Ronnie’s headlights disappear into the darkness and I want nothing more than to go after her. Especially when I know what’s waiting for me inside. To say Dan was mad at what he walked in on would be an understatement. He may have kept his cool when Ronnie was around, but I could practically see steam coming out of his ears when she went to get changed in the bathroom. The short conversation we had about bringing a girl to his house was one-sided and more along the lines of him telling me how much shit I was in.
Having stood outside long enough, I make my way back to the house. Dan is standing in the entryway when I come through the door. He doesn’t look as angry as he did when he first came home, but I can still see the tension in his face.
“I’ve had some time to cool off while you were outside with Ronnie, so I’m not going to kill you just yet.” That sounds reassuring. “That doesn’t mean I’m not pissed as hell that you brought her back here and were about to have sex on my couch.”
I want to get this conversation over with as soon as possible and go to bed. I’m annoyed and fighting the worst case of blue balls, so the last thing I want to do is talk about almost sleeping with Ronnie with my uncle. “Look, I understand walking in on us wasn’t ideal. We didn’t plan on any of that happening. One thing led to another and we got carried away.”
Dan walks over to the couch, the one Ronnie and I didn’t use, and takes a seat, resting his elbows on his knees. “I was a teenager once, so I understand getting carried away. I also understand that you’ve probably been doing that for some time now.” I nod, confirming I indeed have not been a virgin for a while. “And I know you and Ronnie are starting a new relationship or whatever you two are doing.”
“She’s my girlfriend,” I interject. He should know Ronnie isn’t anything less. She’s not like the other girls, the ones I slept with and left the minute I finished. Those girls had never served a purpose for me other than a way to get off. Ronnie is more. She’s someone I can talk to, someone I can trust, and that’s difficult for me. The only people I truly trust are River and his mom. Dan is slowly making his way on that list. I would say I trust him more than my mother. She may think she cares about me, but I haven’t received a phone call from her since I left California. She didn’t even go to my court hearing. Must show how much she cares for her only kid.
Dan looks surprised. “I’m guessing this relationship between the two of you is serious then?”
I walk over and take a seat on the couch, remembering Ronnie’s beautiful body laid out for me earlier. The cushions are crumpled and the blanket is sprawled out on the floor. I can’t help the smile that comes to my face thinking about how the two of us messed up the perfect couch. When I look up at Dan, he rolls his eyes at me.
“I know this may be hard to believe because of my past and the fact that I’ve only known Ronnie for a month, but I think I’m falling for this girl. She’s different and unlike anyone I’ve ever met. She never judges me for what I’ve done, even after I told her everything. Not once did she say I was a bad person or not want to be around me because of it. No one has overlooked that part of me like she has. Ronnie believes I can change my past and try for a better future.” Talking about the conversations we’ve had makes me miss Ronnie, but also gets me excited to try for a better life, one away from my parents and their negative influences. I’m also hoping Ronnie is part of that future change.
I didn’t realize I had zoned off talking about Ronnie. When I look back up to my uncle, he’s smiling at me. “Sounds to me, kid, like you’ve already fallen.” He stands up, stretches, and then heads toward the hallway. Before rounding the corner, he looks back at me, “Oh, and I know this goes without saying, but don’t have sex in my house. New rule. Break it, and you’re spending a weekend in one of the holding cells.” He disappears behind the wall, leaving me scared shitless, not because of the holding cell—that’s nothing—but because he’s right, I have fallen. Hard.
It’s Monday morning and I am up before the sun. Will I ever get used to waking up this early? Probably not. The one thing about being up for school now is I get to see Ronnie, my girlfriend, during the day. I’ve never had something to look forward to when I was in school back home. The private schools I went to were full of rich, spoiled kids dressed in polos and fucking tight khaki shorts that had to have cut off circulation to their balls. I don’t know about them, but I’m a fan of my nuts being able to breathe. There were only a few people I got along with and none of them were the preppy shits, more along the lines of guys who were like me—parents didn’t give much thought to them either, and the girls with daddy issues. Together, we made a great group…well, aside from the law breaking and partying. I haven’t talked to any of those guys since I’ve been here. I’m guessing I’m not missing much. Truth be told, I don’t miss that life as much as I thought I would. It could have something to do with having Ronnie now.
Yesterday, the two of us spent the entire day at the beach. Ronnie brought her computer so she could get her essay done and I brought my iPod. Figured while she was working on that, I could get some much needed exercise in. Back home, I would be at the gym five to six days a week. Since I haven’t joined a gym here yet, I’ve had to rely on running and at-home workouts, which aren’t that great when I’m used to lifting. Ronnie ended up laughing in the middle of writing because I failed miserably trying to maneuver in the sand. Partying and hanging out at the beach, I can do. Running and burpees, not so much. By the end, I was covered in sand and sweat. At least Ronnie enjoyed watching my failed attempts.
Ronnie packed us some sandwiches for lunch that we ate at the picnic table after she finished her paper. I tried multiple times to get her to let me read it, but she said it still needed to be edited and she wanted to change a few things. I think she was nervous for me to get inside her head like that, kind of how I was when she read mine. I understood and that’s why I gave in to her resistance, but she will have to let me see it sooner rather than later.
Our time together yesterday was too short, much like Saturday. I’ve never felt the need to be around someone like I do Ronnie. She brightens my day like no one else has. Momma Miller has been the only woman who could make me smile at sight. She was always happy to see me when River and I would be at her house. I feel the same way when I see Ronnie. I could be in a shit mood, but the moment I see this woman, I can’t help but smile.
This morning is the perfect example of that. I just got off the phone with my dad after having a conversation that ruined my day. Turns out, the PR he hired to keep everything about my arrest quiet has gone missing. She sold the story about me stealing a car and not getting any jail time and then she disappeared. Probably scared of what my father would do when he found out the little shit sold me out. The good thing, though, is the chick didn’t know where I was. No one but my parents, River, and his mom know. I wouldn’t have trusted any of my other friends not to sell the information. It also helps that no one knows about my father having a brother.
My day has already been a shitty one because I had to get up early, but now with this new information and the fact that the sellout has fucked up my life and run off with thousands, pisses me off even more. The only good thing about today is I’ll
get to see Ronnie soon.
As I’m slipping my shirt over my head, a car horn goes off. I grab my backpack off my bed, head to the kitchen to snag a Monster out of the fridge, and make my way out the door. Dan is still sleeping after pulling a double yesterday again. Luckily, he has today off. The guy needs it, he’s going on no sleep and that isn’t smart for a dude carrying a gun.
Walking down the driveway, I catch Ronnie singing and dancing along to the music playing in her truck. Even though I know it’s probably shit country music, I can’t help but smile at her cuteness. This is what I need every day in my life. Ronnie’s happiness and constant smile could make the most depressed people look forward to their day.
She sees me coming up to the truck and her smile stretches so large, a small dimple in her right cheek appears. Damn, she’s cute.
I hop into the front seat and throw my bag on the floor. “Hi there, boyfriend,” she says to me.
Leaning over, I place a small kiss on her lips. “Hi there, girlfriend,” I whisper against her lips.
She laughs and pulls back to put the car in reverse. Once we’re on the road, Ronnie gets serious. “So, how much trouble are we in for Saturday night? I feel bad for disrespecting Officer Dan like that.” She chews on that full bottom lip of hers and I want nothing more than for her to pull the truck over so I can attack her mouth.
“After he cooled down and I explained to him you aren’t some girl I brought home to fuck…” She flinches at my choice of words and I bring my hand over to rest on her thigh. “Sorry.” Ronnie gives me a smile and pats my hand before returning it to the steering wheel. “I told him you’re different than the girls from my past and we are in an actual relationship. And call him Dan, babe. It feels too formal when you say Officer Dan.”
Ronnie begins running the tips of her fingers up and down my arm, making me want to sit back and close my eyes. “I guess I’ll try to get used to calling him by his name.” She looks over to me, biting her bottom lip. “He wasn’t mad, though? I mean, I would have been if it were my nephew half naked with a girl on my couch.” Ronnie tries to laugh it off, but by the forced sound, I can tell she’s nervous about what my uncle thinks.
I grab the hand not on the steering wheel and bring it up to my mouth, planting a kiss on the back of her palm. “Yes, Dan was mad, but he could tell you were special from the way I talked about you, I guess.”
“So you talked about me, huh?” Ronnie teases, and I like it. I didn’t want her to be scared to come over because of my uncle. Since we’re keeping this relationship private, my uncle’s house is one of the only places we can go and act like a normal couple. I hate thinking about the fact that I won’t be able to touch her all day.
“Of course I talked about you to him. I had to explain why I had you under me on the couch, after all.” Ronnie pulls her hand from mine so she can smack me on the arm. I rub at the spot, playing as if she really did hurt me. “You really need to quit it with the violence, woman,” I laugh. “Dan had a better understanding of where we stood after I told him I was falling for you.” Oh, shit. The words come out of my mouth before I have a chance to take them back. What I said was the truth, but I don’t want to scare Ronnie off if she doesn’t feel the same way.
Ronnie is quiet as she pulls the truck to a stop alongside the road. I want to say something, but have no idea what would be okay after what I told her. I’m not sure when couples reach that stage of saying they love one another, but I doubt being together a couple days is enough time.
When Ronnie lifts her hand from her lap, she takes a deep breath before talking. “Did you mean it? That you’re falling for me?” she asks.
I can either man-up and say yes, I am falling for her, or I can pussy-foot around the question. I’ve never been one to keep my feelings to myself, although it’s usually pertains to not liking someone, but Ronnie’s been different from the beginning. “Yeah, princess, I am. Probably already have…according to Dan, anyway.”
She goes quiet on me and I’m worried I should have kept my mouth shut, until I notice her trying to fight a grin. “I think I’ve fallen, too,” she says. It comes out as barely a whisper, and I can tell she’s nervous about telling me. I’ve never said anything close to that to another girl and I’m sure Ronnie hasn’t either. It’s a big step and I don’t want to make it out to be a big deal since it’s new for us. Instead of saying anything, I grab Ronnie’s hand and bring it to my lap, giving it a quick squeeze.
“Let’s pick up Allen and get this Monday over with, princess.” She laughs and puts the truck into drive.
“You know he’s going to go crazy once he sees us, right?” Ronnie says once we get closer to Allen’s house.
I never gave much thought to Allen’s reaction to Ronnie and me being together. I know he went a little crazy when I told him I wanted to ask her out, but now that we’re a couple, I’m sure he’ll come running out of the house screaming. The main concern I have is Allen’s ability to keep a secret. If Sean finds out, we’re screwed.
“He doesn’t know we’re together or anything yet, does he? Only that we went on a date Saturday?” I ask.
“Um…well, not exactly.” She bites her lip again and though I think it’s hot when she does it, I have a feeling what she’s going to say next isn’t going to sound good. “I sort of told him Saturday night when I stayed over at his house.”
“Stayed over? I thought you went home after you left that night.”
Ronnie laughs, but it’s more of a sarcastic sound. “You really expected me to go home at one in the morning? How would I explain that to my parents and brother? Besides, they already knew I was hanging out with Allen. I usually end up staying over if it gets late.”
“Shit, I never thought about what they would have thought if you went home that late.” I’m sure her brother would have flipped out and wondered where she was all night. Honestly, I would have loved to see his reaction if she told him she was at my place. He probably would’ve tried to kick my ass, but it would have been worth it. “So, did you and Allen stay up all night gossiping and doing girly shit?”
“No, you dork, we curled up on the couch with some coffee and I told him about our date. He’s a nosy brat and wouldn’t let me go to bed until I gave him every detail.” A blush starts to appear on her cheeks, probably from thinking about Saturday night.
Bringing her hand up to my mouth, I place an open kiss on the inside of her wrist. “Hmm, so you gave him every detail, huh?”
She shivers and I want nothing more than to skip school so I can be alone with Ronnie. “Well, maybe not every detail. Some things I left private.” She looks over at me and winks. Damn, my girl is sexy.
We pull up to Allen’s house and he is already outside waiting for us with a huge grin plastered on his face. He skips to the truck and waits outside the passenger door. He doesn’t actually think I’m sitting in the back, does he? When he knocks, I roll down the manual window so we can hear him.
“I think you’re in my seat, lover boy,” Allen says. Ronnie giggles from the driver’s side and I give her hand a squeeze in warning.
While I usually switch and sit in the back, it’s not happening today, especially when I’ll already have to go hours without being able to touch my girl. Allen is going to have to get used to kicking it in the backseat.
“I think being the boyfriend of the driver upgrades me to the front by her,” I say with a grin.
Allen’s jaw loosens, but his mouth remains closed. “We’ll get back to the boyfriend comment in a little bit. Right now, I would like to know why I am getting the shaft.” He looks to Ronnie and she shrugs her shoulders.
“Don’t bring me into this, I’m only the driver. You two need to settle this yourselves.” She takes her eyes off the road for a second to look at both of us. “Like adults,” she warns.
Allen huffs and crosses his arms over his chest. “Fun sucker. There goes my idea of a Jell-O pool fight.” I shudder at the thought of having to fight in a pool of
Jell-O. Watching girls do it? Now that’s hot. But being a part of that doesn’t seem like it would be enjoyable. Definitely not with a guy as big as Allen.
I think of the perfect idea for this little gossip whore so he’ll back off and let me sit next to my girl in peace. “How about I give you some dirt on two A-list celebrities?”
Before I can finish my sentence, Allen is heading to the backseat shouting out, “Done!” as he climbs in. That was easier than I thought it would be.
On the short drive to school, Allen goes from one question to another, asking Ronnie and me everything about our weekend. You would have never thought she told him anything Saturday night from how much he wanted to know. He was sitting in the back middle seat, but was so far forward, his head was between Ronnie’s and mine. I answered whatever he asked, until he started getting to the more personal questions. After he asked Ronnie how big I was, the questioning was over. I know girls and their friends usually talk about shit like that—hell, guys talk about girls they’ve been with to their friends—but when you have to hear what they’re saying, it’s strange. Luckily, we pull up to the school parking lot before Allen has a chance to ask any more personal questions.
Before Ronnie opens the door, I grab her hand. “Wait a sec, baby.” She turns in her seat to look at me and all I want to do is reach over and kiss her sweet lips. I hate that we’re in the school parking lot and it only takes one person walking by to see my lips on her for word to get out about us. I lace our hands together and give hers a squeeze. “I wanted to touch you one last time before I have to go ten hours without my hands on you.”
Ronnie’s eyes melt. Maybe this relationship thing isn’t as hard as I thought it would be. Ronnie seems to be affected by what I say to her, so I must be doing something right.
