by C. R. Marcum
She pulled on the purple tank and skin tight jeans, grabbed her bag and headed downstairs for breakfast. Instead of finding everyone in the kitchen, she found a note on the counter.
Ray,
Had an early morning meeting on the base. Sorry there’s no breakfast. Please make sure you eat something. You are still way to thin. I love you and have a good day. Let us know if you aren’t coming home tonight. See you soon.
Love,
Uncle Richard
Raylynn couldn’t help but smile at the note. Even in his rush to get to his meeting, he still took the time to leave her a note. She loved him even more in that moment. Looking around the kitchen, she grabbed a pen and scribbled on the back of the note.
Uncle Richard,
I grabbed a bagel and a banana. Don’t worry about me, I promise I am fine. I probably won’t be home tonight. Jax wanted to take me out to dinner and a movie. I will more than likely stay there. I love you and I will see you later.
Ray
She smiled and grabbed a bagel, banana and a huge cup of coffee and headed out the door. Raylynn still loved climbing into her car. It still felt as if someone would decide that she was a bit too happy and take it all away. She slid behind the wheel and smiled as the engine roared to life. She pressed play on the radio and started the short drive to school.
Ray walked into first period, and was greeted with stares. Everyone who had previously been talking now sat silent and watched as she took her normal seat. She didn’t know why everyone was staring, but she honestly didn’t care. She put her headphones in and pressed play. She was halfway into Avenge Me’s newest single when Nick walked in. She could barely contain herself looking at his black eyes. He definitely had a broken nose. He barely looked her way as he took his normal seat behind her.
Once class got started, she fell into the monotony of taking notes. She heard very little of the lecture though, her music was still blaring in her ears and her thoughts had travelled to Jax.
She copied the notes from the white board and waited patiently for the teacher to finally post the homework for the week. She could feel the sideways glances, but paid them no attention. She could only assume they were because of Nick’s obvious facial injuries. This thought made her giggle. She had never been one to shy away from violence if necessary, and what she had done to Nick was necessary. She wondered if she would be getting called down to the office soon. She knew that any violence on school grounds was subject to immediate suspension, but she hoped that Nick would be too embarrassed to tell anyone that he had been hit by a girl.
The bell rang out and she gladly gathered her things and made her way towards her next class. Ty was usually close to being late every day, so when she found him sitting in his usual seat, she was puzzled.
She took her normal seat next to him and pulled out her notebook. There was still time before class started, so she turned her attention to Ty.
“Not used to seeing you in here for at least another three minutes. What happened, you forget to stare at Paisley’s ass before coming to class?” she said with a laugh.
“No, Paisley left as soon as the bell rang. Said she was going home.” Ty almost snapped.
“Hey, what the hell is wrong with you?” she asked, taken aback by the rudeness in his tone.
“Nothing, I just said she was going home.”
“No reason to take my head off.”
“Sorry, it’s been a rough morning.” He apologized.
“How so?”
“Well, listening to everybody whisper about Pais, and ya know, what they found out about what happened with her and Brian. It was just a lot to process. Then when I tried to tell her that nothing happened with Drake, she told me that something did happen. So, not only did she sleep with Brian that night, but she obviously messed around with my brother too. I never thought she was like that, but I guess she isn’t as perfect as I thought she was.” He rambled.
“Wait, what?” she asked, anger rising in her tone.
“I guess I always just thought of Pais as this good, wholesome, girl. Instead, I find out that she not only lost her virginity in the guys locker room, but she fooled around with my brother. I just never saw that coming.”
“I know you don’t really believe that right?” she asked, gritting her teeth.
“I mean, yeah. She pretty much told me that it happened.” He replied, shaking his head. “I guess I could understand her sleeping with Brian, but in the locker room. I just always thought she had more respect for herself than that, and then with Drake too. I just can’t even look at her the same way. Ya know.”
“What in the actual fuck is wrong with you? Paisley didn’t fuck Brian, or your brother, and you know that. Shit Ty, no wonder she went home. She needed you to understand, and to be there for her, instead you act like a typical douche canoe and make her feel even worse.” She spat.
“You weren’t in that room Ray, you don’t know what happened in there. All we know is what Paisley tells us, and she pretty much admitted all of it. So, don’t yell at me for keeping my distance a little.”
“Listen to yourself for a second would ya. You sound like a dumbass first off. Secondly, even if she did sleep with both of them, you pushing her away and treating her like some kind of whore says more about you than it does about her. If you really cared about her, you would know that Paisley didn’t and wouldn’t sleep with some guy on the first date, on a dirty locker room floor. She has more respect for herself than that.”
“Ray, she told me sh…”
“STOP! Just stop. The more you talk, the more I want to punch you in the face for being so stupid. God Ty, just think about everything you know about her, and not what you are hearing about her.” She said, louder than she intended.
“You weren’t there Ray, so you don’t know what she did or didn’t do.” He defended.
“You’re right Ty, I wasn’t there, but neither were you. Drake was though, and I believe what he says more than I believe anyone in this fucking school.”
“Ray, I wish I could believe that Pais didn’t do it, but it’s really hard when she says she did.”
“For fucks sake Ty really?” she all but yelled.
She had found herself balling her fist in anticipation. If he said one more stupid thing, she wasn’t sure she could stop herself from hitting him. He knew that Paisley had been drunk, he saw the condition she was in. For him to treat her with anything less than absolute understanding and caring was more than her mind could take. She never intended on telling anyone what had happened in that locker room, but she had to tell him. If for no other reason than to make him feel like a piece of shit. She had just opened her mouth to lay into him when she heard the teacher clear his throat.
She looked around and saw that most everyone was staring at her and Ty. She wondered how long they had been staring, but realized that she couldn’t care less. She turned her attention back to Ty.
“This conversation isn’t over, not by a long shot.” She whispered, before turning her attention to her teacher.
The rest of the period went by quickly, and before she knew it the bell had rang. She had tried to catch Ty in the hallway, but he ducked out before she even saw him. She knew that he cared about Pais, but the way he had acted this morning was not the best way to show it.
After her conversation with Ty, Raylynn found herself paying closer attention to what was being said around her. She had heard some crazy things, most of which was complete bullshit. On girl had said that Paisley got drunk and slept with Brian and Nick and some other football player. Another girl had said that Brian and Nick had gotten into a fight with the big guys that came in. She sat and listened to every word, and the more she heard, the angrier she got. She wanted to stand up and yell at the top of her lungs that nothing they had heard was true. Instead, she sat and listened. She let all the rumors sink in. She wondered how much of this shit Paisley had heard. She really couldn’t blame her for going home early.
By th
e time lunch came around she was fuming. Not only had she spent all morning listening to people talk shit about her cousin, but Ty had been avoiding her at every turn. She had tried to get to him after third period, but he ran when he saw her coming.
She sat at her usual table, waiting for Ty to come over and flop in his seat with his usual exasperated sigh. She saw him enter the café, and waited most impatiently for his arrival. She was so caught up in looking for Ty that she hadn’t noticed that Aspen had found her seat.
“If you’re looking for Pais, she’s not here.” She said, pulling Ray out of her daze.
“Yeah, I know. I’m waiting for Ty.”
“Good luck, I saw him in line, but he went out to the courtyard. I swear, he is sexy as hell, but dense. I all but threw myself at him that night and nothing.” She said, dropping her fry back on the tray.
“You spent the night in his room, and if I remember correctly you came out wearing his t-shirt. So I wouldn’t exactly call that nothing.” Ray replied, with a cock of her eyebrow.
“Well, okay so some things happened, but nothing compared to what I thought would happen. I mean, I looked hot last night right?” she asked.
“Yes Aspen, you where hot.”
“Well, If I was kissing you and trying to take your clothes off, wouldn’t you have done something about it?”
“Umm, well ya see, I’m into guys so probably not, but Ty defiantly should have.”
“That’s what I’m screaming.” Aspen sighed.
“Ok, so what exactly happened?” Ray asked, only to take her mind off of Ty and Pais.
“Ok, well after we left the living room, Ty took me to his room and gave me a t-shirt and a pair of basketball shorts that I could sleep in. Anyway, I changed into them and sat down on his bed next to him. He was a perfect gentleman while I changed, he turned his head and everything, which I thought was super cute. So, we started talking and laughing and stuff, and I told him that I had thought he was hot since the first time I saw him. Well, anyway, he told me that he thought I was beautiful too. So, of course I kissed him.” She started.
“Did he kiss you back?”
“Yeah, it was a really good kiss too, like he had his hand in my hair and everything. But anyways, so we were kissing, and he kind of pulled away and stood up and pulled his shirt off, ya know in the sexy way guys do it, and all I could do was stare and smile.”
“Ok, so what happened then?”
“Then, he leaned over me and kissed me again. I started getting really hot, so I tried to take off my shirt, but he stopped me. So of course I was confused, but he just smiled and kissed me again. So, after awhile we had finally made it onto the bed and he was on top of me, and we are kissing and touching and stuff, and I tried to unbutton his pants, but he stopped me. Next thing I know, he rolls off of me and groans before he sat up and moved to the edge of the bed again. I mean, one minute we are getting hot and heavy and the next, he’s asking if I’m thirsty. I swear, I have never felt less attractive than I did right then.” Aspen finished with an aggravated groan.
“I wish I knew what to say, other than Ty is probably the dumbest smart person I know. He has his head up his ass and if I’m being completely honest, he has had a thing for Paisley since I met him. So it’s not you, it’s definitely him.” Ray said with a smile.
“That helps a little.” Aspen replied with a smile of her own.
The rest of the day moved quickly, and before she knew it, the final bell rang. She had still been unable to catch Ty, he had managed to avoid her all day. She knew that she would see him outside though, because he had to wait for his ride.
Raylynn stepped out of the school and let her eyes scan the lot. Ty always had the guys pick him up in the student lot, so finding him wouldn’t be hard. It only took a second before her eyes came to a stop on his all too familiar bag.
She approached him quietly, like a lioness stalking her prey, and before he knew what was happening, Raylynn had a hold of his bag and a finger in his face.
“What the hell Ray? Get off me.” He screeched.
“No ya little asshole, you have been avoiding me all day, now you’re gonna listen.” She retorted.
“Fine, what do you want to say huh?”
“First off, lose the attitude. Secondly, what it the actual fuck makes you think that Paisley of all people would not only sleep with one person, but two people in the same night? She’s a virgin, remember?” Ray started, finger still in Ty’s face.
“You mean was a virgin.” He stated flatly.
“No dipshit, I mean is. She didn’t sleep with Brian, and she damn sure didn’t sleep with Drake,” She paused weighing her options “ Drake found her passed out in the locker room, with her panties ripped on the floor.” She said, searching his eyes for understanding.
“Exactly my point, she slept with him.”
“Fuck Ty, do I have to spell it out for you? You are smarter than that. Why would Drake beat the living shit outta Brian for sleeping with Pais?” she asked, waiting again for his realization to hit. When it didn’t, she sighed before saying the words that had been stuck in her throat since that night.
“Brian was going to rape her Ty! She was passed out! Brian standing between her legs, he was gonna Rape her Ty!” she cried, her words loud enough for him to hear, but quiet enough that nobody else did.”
“What? No, that’s not what happened, it can’t be, tell me you’re lying, tell me it didn’t go down like that?”
“Ask Drake Ty, he will tell you the truth, he is the one that stopped it from happening.” She said, finally letting go of his bag.
She watched as the expression on his face changed. He looked as if she had punched him in the stomach, and all color had drained from his face. She wondered if he would ever forgive himself for what he said to Pais. She knew that he probably wouldn’t, he was just that kind of person. She was about to give him a hug when she heard the laughter coming from behind her. She turned just enough to see the crowd gathered around Brian’s truck.
It happened in an instant. One moment she was reaching for Ty, and the next she was almost across the parking lot. She reached the crowd and had started to push through them. She needed to get her hands on that prick. She wanted to strangle him with his own seatbelt. She wanted to watch him squirm and beg, but unfortunately, there were far too many witnesses.
Raylynn had finally pushed her way to the front in time to hear Brian and Nick laughing. The sound of it boiled her blood, and her instincts took over. She pushed one more time and broke into the open circle surrounding the two. Brian had seen her first. He patted Nick on the shoulder and nodded in her direction.
She was closing the gap between them and her quickly, and just as she stopped in front of Brian, he made a huge mistake.
“Damn, She’s back for seconds Nick.” He said, pushing himself away from his truck, a sly grin plastered on his bruised and battered face.
She felt her body take over, and she had no control over her own words.
“You motherfucker.” She said eyeing him, waiting for the slightest move.
He laughed again, but before he could reply she kneed him hard right between his legs. The action caused him to bend forward at the waist and as he did, she caught him in the jaw with a right hook that would make Tyson cringe.
“Hey, calm the fuck down.” Nick said, grabbing her by the arm.
She whipped around and glared at him before replying.
“You can get it too!” she said, balling her fist.
He put his hands up defensively and took a few steps backwards.
“Shit, ok.” Was all he could say.
Jax
He pulled into the lot and saw Ty standing on the curb. Ray’s bag lay discarded on the ground next to him. Jax followed his gaze and saw the crowd gathered across the lot.
Jax threw the car in park, and stepped out.
“Where’s Ray?” he asked.
All Ty could manage was a nod towards the crowd.
<
br /> “The fuck is goin on over there?” he asked.
“Brian and Nick telling more lies I guess.” Ty replied.
With that, Jax took off towards them. He easily pushed through them, and had just stepped into the open space when he saw her. She hit Brian with enough force to drop him to the ground. He saw the blood escape through his lips as he lay holding his balls.
When Nick grabbed her, Jax closed the gap quickly, but she had already handled it in the two seconds it took to get to her.
“Everything ok babe?” he asked as he came to a stop behind her.
“It’s fine, I can handle these two.” She said calmly, before turning her attention to Jax. “Damn babe you look really good for a guy who got his ass kicked two days ago. You heal up fast.” She said, loud enough for the crowd to hear.
“The fuck are you talking about?” he asked, the confusion spreading across his face.
“You don’t remember? Ya know the night of the dance. Brian and Nick kicked all of your asses, sound familiar.” She said with a smile.
Jax could only stare. The thought of those two even attempting to kick his ass was hysterical. The thought alone made him buckle over into a fit of laughter.
“Those two…really…those two…kick our asses…for real…” he started, the words coming out through his laughter.
“Yeah, they kicked your ass. Yours and the other guys. You apparently got jealous when you came in and saw us together, so Nick had to put you in your place. You don’t remember?” she said, her own laughter starting to bubble.
“They couldn’t take one of us on their best day. Hell, they couldn’t even kick my ass if I laid down and let them.” He said, finally catching his breath.
“Really? Huh, well I guess if they lied about that they are probably lying about everything huh?” she said turning towards the crowd.
Raylynn
She watched as the crowd started to disperse, and smiled inwardly. She hoped that everyone would start to realize that what they had been told was all lies. She felt Jax’s arms encircle her waist, and his lips press against the soft skin of her neck. She felt amazing. She had wanted to punch Brian in the mouth almost since the moment she had met him, and now she had. She had to admit that it felt better than she had thought it would.
