by Rona Jameson
“It’s okay. I laid in bed last night wondering the same thing, and you know what conclusion I came to?”
“What?”
“I really do like him. He’s handsome. Looks older than he is just like Rogan and Chase do. He looks after his body. He can do calculus in his sleep—probably. He likes talking to me, and well, the way he looks at me is so sweet. I want to spend time with him.”
Julia meant every word she said, and for Julia that was a lot of words in one sentence.
“Now,” Julia said, “tell me the truth about the holy water. What do you need washing from your eyes?” She raised a brow and leaned her hip on the sink. “I’m your best friend and told you what happened with me, so spill.”
Silence followed until I huffed out a breath, knowing I had to tell Julia something she’d believe. “I accidentally walked in on Rogan taking a shower,” I admitted.
Julia gawked, and I quickly continued, “He has no idea and I’m begging you not to tell him, or anyone else for that matter. I got out of there quickly. I’m just really embarrassed.”
“Why didn’t he lock the door?”
“I have no idea.”
“So…” Julia smirked. “Is he as big as we saw the other week at the river?”
My embarrassment was complete.
“In order to answer that question, I’d have to think about it, and I really don’t want to think about it. I shouldn’t have ever seen him like that once, let alone twice.”
“Chase likes you,” Julia said out of the blue. “Leon told me.”
“I like Chase.”
But it’s another who I can’t stop thinking about.
“We better go before they come in here looking for us.” I led the way outside and nearly stumbled when Julia said, “We should double date.”
“Who’s double dating?” Rogan asked, having overheard Julia.
“No one,” I replied at the same time as Julia said, “Leon and me, and Chase and Fallon.” Julia grinned. “And you and Corinne.”
Scowling, I whipped my head around to stare at Rogan. “Corinne,” I mumbled, and then saw red. “You’re dating Corinne? How could you do that when she’s horrid to me? I thought you cancelled the date because you haven’t been out with her.”
“Jesus,” he cursed. “Thanks for that Julia.”
“She had to find out sooner or later,” Julia added, and sauntered over to where Leon was sitting on the hood of the car, and eased her way between his legs.
I turned back to Rogan and noticed the guilt on his face.
“You really are dating her? That’s why you didn’t want me here today, isn’t it? Are you meeting her?”
He ran a hand through his hair, refusing to look me in the eye. “We’re going on one date. One. It’s no big deal. I already told you this.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me it was happening today?”
His shoulders drooped and he said quietly, “I didn’t want to hurt you.”
I had difficulty breathing and wanted to hurt Rogan as much as he was hurting me. I walked toward Chase, who suddenly looked good enough to eat. I’d always liked him, but all of a sudden jealousy was eating away at me because of my insensitive brother.
To Chase’s surprise, I moved in close and wrapped my arms around his waist, and nuzzled my face into his neck. He stilled and, seconds later, his arms wrapped around me.
“Julia said we’re going to double date,” I teased, and saw his eyes light up.
“I’m game, providing Rogan doesn’t kill me first.” Chase looked over my head.
I followed Chase’s gaze, and saw an apology flicker in Rogan’s eyes before he looked off toward the entrance of the diner. My heart sank when I saw Corinne walking toward us, or rather, Rogan.
Rogan dipped his head and glanced at me from beneath his brows, resignation on his face. Then I watched as he walked toward Corinne.
Chase held me around the waist and whispered, “She’s the reason we’re here. He invited her.”
“Oh.” What else could I say? Rogan brought us all on a date with her. “I hate her.”
“We know,” Chase whispered. “I think that’s why he agreed to this.”
I frowned and glanced up at Chase. “What do you mean?”
He opened his mouth to reply, then shook his head. “I’m probably wrong.” He slung an arm around my shoulders, not letting me go.
I looked at the ground, wishing to be anywhere but here, wondering how I was going to get myself out of it. I really did like Chase and thought he was a great guy, but I didn’t like him in that way. Now that I’d thrown myself at him, I was stuck, unless I wanted to appear as a bitch or a tease.
One of these days I’d think first.
Rogan didn’t touch Corinne in any way, regardless of her attempt to get him to hold her hand. It made me smile and my heart lighter knowing he wasn’t into Corinne as much as I thought he’d like me to believe. But I frowned when I really thought about it. I didn’t want him to be lonely, but at the same time, I didn’t want him getting close to Corinne. The one person at school that I despised the most and he had to ask her to go out with him, or in this case, to hang with us.
Chase fidgeted beside me as we sat in the movie theatre. He had Leon and Julia on his other side while I had Rogan beside me. Of course, Corinne was on Rogan’s right. He made it clear to Chase that he had to keep his hands off of me in the theatre. I was annoyed with him because of that comment. Rogan growled and proceeded to make sure he sat beside me.
I tilted my head to the side and watched Corinne. To her credit, Corinne appeared nervous, although I thought the girl wanted to hide the fact. Corinne came across as the most confident girl at school, and always had, but was that who she really was? Who knew? Corinne looked up and caught me staring, and she sneered in response.
I leaned in to Rogan and rolled my eyes. “I know why you asked her out and it hurts like hell, Rogan. You had to ask the one person I don’t like. Why?”
He gave me a sidelong glance. “You know why,” he mumbled behind his hand. “Chase?” He held my gaze. “You know I don’t like it,” he growled.
“Yeah, well, I don’t like who you have with you.”
I sat back in the seat and tried not to make my sulking obvious. I was really annoyed with him and if I was truthful, I hated that he had someone else to give his attention to. Not that he was doing much of that. But still. I was used to being his focus, and I wasn’t sure I liked anyone else getting that attention instead of me.
Huffing out a breath, I kicked my feet out to rest on the chair in front of me, and slumped down as the theatre went dark and the screen lit up.
I could still feel Rogan stewing in his seat beside me while poor Chase was right in the middle, figuratively.
Twenty minutes of adverts and trailers and I smiled when Rogan cursed close to my ear, then his arm went around my shoulders. He tugged me so that my head was on his shoulder.
“You love me. Can’t be giving me the silent treatment,” he whispered into my ear. “I love you too, Fallon.” He kissed my cheek and his lips lingered against my skin like a caress.
I smiled, staring at the screen while my heart thumped wildly.
“He’s your brother, I get it,” Corinne said the moment she entered the restroom and spotted me at the sink. “But why can’t you butt out when he’s on a date?”
I wasn’t going to have this conversation with her because I knew it would become more of an argument. Ignoring her, I left the restroom and found the others waiting. Chase glanced between Rogan and me while Rogan concentrated on the restroom door until Corinne came out spitting fire. His eyes widened as she approached.
“I don’t like being ignored,” she hissed, pointedly staring at me.
“Answering won’t get us anywhere, so what is the point.” I sighed.
“What’s going on?” Julia asked, holding Leon’s hand.
“Rogan invited me out with you all, but he spent the whole movie with h
is arm around his sister.” Corinne crossed her arms in front of her. “It should have been me.”
Chase nudged into Rogan when no one said anything. Rogan breathed heavily and ran his hands through his hair and down his face. He glanced at me and I noticed a small wince cross his features.
“I’m sorry. My arm should have been around you.” Rogan moved into Corinne’s space and tipped her face up to his.
Chase moved closer to me and slipped his arm around my waist. I needed support and, as usual, Chase didn’t let me down.
Rogan continued, “Fallon is my sister and we’re close. I didn’t like having a disagreement hanging over our heads. We’re good now. So why don’t I come with you, and let the guys drive my car home.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him that wasn’t going to work, but with one glare from Julia, I stayed quiet. I wanted to throttle Rogan. I also needed my head examined. I shouldn’t be jealous of Rogan going off with another girl. He wasn’t mine. Well, he was, but not in the way a man and woman were supposed to belong to each other. He needed that from someone else. Someone who he could be with where the relationship wasn’t forbidden. It depressed me to think of him with anyone but me. It also caused a sharp pain in my chest.
He needed me, damn it!
I was more annoyed because of whom it was he was with, at least, that’s what I convinced myself of because any other kind of jealousy was wrong.
At least we weren’t as squashed together on the ride home with Rogan abandoning us. I sat in the front passenger seat while Chase drove back to the house. Instead of being annoyed, I decided I was going to enjoy my time with him. He deserved my time for sticking in there and for having my back while Rogan was being a pussy with Corinne. Begging my forgiveness.
“Who’s up for a water fight?” Leon asked into the silence.
“I’m not playing in this outfit,” Julia drawled. “Although, I wouldn’t mind playing in another way.”
I turned and smirked when Leon blushed, even though he was wearing a goofy grin. Chuckling, I glanced at Chase, whose eyes were filled with amusement and something else—worry.
Julia was currently whispering things into Leon’s ear, so I gave Chase my attention, and asked, “Is everything okay?”
He smirked. “You stole my line.”
“I’m sorry. Everything is okay, really. I’m just annoyed that out of all the girls at school, he had to ask her. She hates me.”
“She doesn’t hate you. She’s jealous of you.”
“What? No way? Why would she be jealous of me?” I stared at Chase, who conveniently decided to spend more time watching where he was going.
“You don’t see it. How Rogan is with you compared to everyone else. Even us. His best friends.” Chase briefly turned and smiled before looking back at the road. “He’s possessive of you, and you encourage him.”
“I do not.” I sat back against the seat and thought about what Chase said. Did I encourage him? I probably did when I thought about it. I just didn’t like others picking up on it. “He’s my brother,” I said to no one in particular, and then realized how stupid that sounded. “I mean, it’s always been Rogan and me. I can’t imagine him not being in my life.”
“No one would expect anything different; it’s just that the way you are together. It’s like you’re more than best friends—more than siblings. To someone who doesn’t know you both, it looks weird is all I’m trying to say.” Chase finished on a mumble.
“Hmm. I guess.” I couldn’t really say anything else because it was true. I should feel guilty for the way I monopolized Rogan’s time, but I didn’t. I was used to him being with me all the time and it felt weird when he wasn’t. I really didn’t want to think about what he was doing with Corinne.
Chase pulled the car into my driveway, and relieved, I stumbled out having to blink back tears.
Chase glanced at me.
“Come on, I’ll get us something to drink.” I suggested and grabbed his hand. “I’m sorry.”
He smiled. “You don’t have to apologize. In fact, I figured I’d have some apologizing to do when we got back here if I wanted an invitation inside.”
I squeezed his hand. “You only spoke the truth. Nothing to apologize for. I’ll get over it.”
He muttered something but when I eyed him, he grinned. “I think there’s a game on.”
“What?”
“Baseball. I can hear the sounds coming from your living room.”
“Really?” Laughing, I opened the door and followed the sound. Chase sat right down on the sofa and forgot all about me, much to my amusement.
Dad noticed us. “Honey, can you grab me a beer and some chips.” He glanced at Chase. “No beer for him, but chips.”
In the kitchen, Mom was making lasagna for dinner while she listened to an audio book. It wasn’t until I heard, “swell of his manhood,” that I made my presence known, much to Mom’s embarrassment.
She laughed it off. “Sorry. I thought you were out with Rogan.”
“Ugh! I was. He dumped me for Corinne, of all people.”
“Oh, honey.” She patted my hand and turned back to layering the meat and noodles. “Where’s Julia? Can’t you hang with her, instead of your brother?”
I frowned. “Mom, I usually hang with Julia.”
“Did you say where she is?”
“No, I didn’t. She’s out with Leon.”
“Oh,” Mom mumbled.
“Chase is in the living room with Dad.”
She turned and stood with her hands on her hips, a big smile on her face. “Chase, huh? I always knew that boy liked you.”
“Mom, it isn’t like that.” I wasn’t entirely sure what it was like. “Chase is… I don’t know.” I dropped my arms and faced the table.
Mom came up behind me and stroked my hair. “There’s no rush, honey. You’ll be seventeen in a week and you have your whole life ahead of you. Just because Rogan is finally getting out there and dating, doesn’t mean you have to.” Mom sighed. “I want my baby girl to stay mine for a bit longer.”
I smiled. “I’ll always be your baby girl, Mom, even when I’m married with kids of my own.”
She chuckled. “I’ll remind you of that when I’m butting into your adult life.”
“Butt in all you want. Anything to stop me from making the wrong choices.”
“Hmm.” Mom sat beside me and asked, “Do you want to tell me what is really bothering you?”
“Not really.”
“That wasn’t an option.”
“Figured,” I mumbled and turned my face toward her. “I hate that Rogan has gone out with someone I can’t stand. She’s always saying bad stuff to me at school, and degrades Rogan.” I moaned. “Why is he doing that to me?”
Mom sighed. “Does he know how you feel?”
“Yes.”
“Then perhaps he’s hoping that if he dates her, you’ll accept her and maybe become friends.”
I didn’t want to become friends with her.
“Maybe,” I replied, not really believing it.
A knowing look crossed her face. “Wouldn’t you want to be friendly with the girl if she makes your brother happy?”
“I…” I opened my mouth to speak, but paused before I continued. “Yes, I would.”
“There you go.” Mom got up and placed the lasagna in the oven. “Dinner will be in an hour. Why don’t you take that beer to your dad, and the chips and dip into the living room? Maybe watch the game with Chase.” She grinned.
I rolled my eyes and took the offerings from Mom and went to join the boys.
13
Fallon
It was my seventeenth birthday and I was miserable.
For the past week, I’d been putting on a brave face, but it hurt seeing Rogan and Corinne together. When Rogan was with Corinne, she was all smiles and acted shy, but when it was just me, she was a bitch to put it mildly. I didn’t know what her game was. I’d been waiting for Rogan to realize what C
orinne was really like, which I actually thought he knew already.
I’d spent more time with Chase because of Rogan’s defection, and we’d both agreed we did better as friends than anything else. Chase had tried to kiss me and it was awkward to say the least. I hadn’t been comfortable and was more shocked than anything. We’d laughed it off and hadn’t mentioned it since. He was a great friend, and I thought he realized how upset I was about the whole Corinne thing.
Sighing heavily, I zipped up the side of my dress and stood in front of the mirror in my room. The dress was cream with green leaves. It came to mid-thigh and fluttered around me in soft waves. The back fastened behind my neck with an opening to the waist. I was a bit nervous about not wearing a bra, but my breasts, albeit on the large side, were firm. I was lucky, at least that’s what Julia had said. The dress was daring for me as I got used to the new figure I’d acquired over the summer.
I smiled to myself and pinned my hair loosely to the top of my head, and then applied new red lip-gloss. I pouted and thought about what Rogan would say about my choice of dress. I’d done well the past week with my thoughts being on the more healthy side of our sibling relationship—the side we should have been on all along. I was still annoyed with him. He knew it too by the way he had stayed away from my room. I wasn’t sure what to make of his absence.
We’d always been back and forth between each other’s rooms. Not a day usually went by without one of us searching out the other. That had changed and I didn’t like it. I missed him.
A gentle knock sounded on my bedroom door. I frowned and opened it slowly. Rogan stood on the other side, and, for once, looked unsure.
“Are you going to let me come in?”
I stepped back.
Rogan closed the door and slowly looked me over to the point that I twitched, waiting for him to say something. When he did, I hadn’t been expecting his words.
“You look beautiful.” He cleared his throat. “So grown up.” He frowned and glanced away.
That was when I noticed he held a small neatly wrapped present in his trembling hands. “Is that for me?”
