When the Night Comes

by Teegan Loy

  I was having a hard time adjusting to this softer version of Ashley. She never did shit like this back in Texas.

  “Can we just go already,” I begged.

  Ashley whispered something in Gavin’s ear. “That’s a great idea,” Gavin said.

  “What’s a great idea?” I shuddered when they both smiled at me.

  “Lindy Scott, the setter on my volleyball team, is dying to meet you,” Ashley said. “We’ve been so busy, I keep forgetting to introduce you to her. She’ll be at the party tonight.”

  Gavin and Ashley both giggled, but I didn’t have time to be nervous because Mama yelled that Skye was here. We raced upstairs, making a loud racket as Gavin tried to run over me. I blocked him with a stiff arm and almost knocked him back down the stairs.

  “Do you always need to sound like a herd of animals?” Mama asked as she straightened a picture hanging on the wall.

  “That’s how we roll.” I laughed and gave her a quick hug.

  She shook her head. “You guys have fun, but be careful. You know all the rules.”

  Ashley stifled a laugh because Mama had never laid down any rules for us. We didn’t flaunt the shit we did in Mama’s face, and we tried to keep the partying to a minimum. As long as we kept our grades up and didn’t invite trouble into our home, we were free to make our own judgment calls.

  “Uh, yep. Rules. See ya later, Mama,” I said.

  Skye’s moody girlfriend was waiting for us on the porch, looking like her usual cheerful self. I’d only known her for a short time, and I had yet to figure out what Skye liked about her.

  We crammed into Gavin’s truck. Somehow I ended up sandwiched in the backseat between Brooke and Skye. I tried to change with Brooke, but she snarled about wanting to be near the window, so I stayed put. My knees were crunched up close to my chin and I was more on Skye’s lap than on the seat.

  As soon as we turned onto the highway, Brooke pulled a bottle of whiskey from her bag. I cringed because whiskey and I didn’t get along well. Brooke took a quick snort and handed the bottle to me. I tried to pass it to Skye but she called me a baby.

  “Don’t be such a bitch, Brooke,” Skye said. “If the man doesn’t want any —⁠”

  “Just give me the bottle,” I snapped and took a quick shot.

  My whole body shivered as the liquor burned a path down my throat.

  “What a lightweight,” Brooke said.

  “Whiskey and I have history,” I muttered and handed the bottle to Skye. He took a swig and gave it back to me. I forced myself to do another shot before passing it to Brooke. She frowned at me, took a drink, and tried to give it to Ashley, who refused, saying that since Gavin had been appointed the designated driver, she wasn’t going to drink either.

  Brooke shoved the bottle back into her bag. Relieved, I leaned back and tried to will my stomach to calm down. Ashley caught my eye and scowled. She had the unfortunate experience of being with me when I was puking my guts out after spending a night drinking whiskey.

  A light sheen of sweat formed on my brow, and I wished Gavin would pull over. I leaned forward and heard Brooke snicker, so I quickly sat up and focused on the waves of Ashley’s blonde hair.

  Skye shifted and stretched. I thought he was reaching for Brooke but he lightly touched my neck and started playing with my hair. He had to know it wasn’t Brooke. Her brown locks drifted down to the middle of her back. Mine touched the collar of my shirt.

  Every time Skye’s fingertips brushed against my skin, I held my breath and counted to ten so I wouldn’t squirm. Instead of shaking him off, I let my head fall back against the seat and his hand. He gently tugged on my curls, sending sparks shooting through my body. My dick started to take interest.

  I snuck a peek at him. His eyes were closed, mouth slightly open, and his breath was coming in short puffs. When he ran his tongue across his top lip, they glistened and I wanted to press my mouth to his.

  “Jesus,” I hissed and shook my head.

  Brooke must’ve put something in the whiskey to make me crazy hot and bothered. I’d never had such a strong physical reaction to anyone. When my dick started to harden, the walls of the truck closed in on me.

  Gavin took the next corner sharply, tipping Brooke’s bag over and sending the contents spilling at her feet. She shouted about protecting the whiskey as she gathered up the items that had fallen out. During the confusion, Skye slid his hand down my back and under my shirt.

  Panic set in and I wasn’t sure what to do. I didn’t want to bring attention to what was happening, because if I was absolutely honest, I didn’t want him to move away from me.

  Gavin slammed on the brakes, lurching us forward. Brooke squealed and grabbed my thigh. As soon as the truck came to a stop, I unhooked Brooke’s seatbelt, opened the door, and almost shoved her out of the vehicle.

  The moment my feet hit solid ground, I bent at the waist and tried to catch my breath. The skin on my back where Skye had touched me burned, and I imagined huge red blisters forming.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” Ashley asked.

  “Felt a little carsick. Fucking whiskey. I should know better than to drink that shit.”

  Ashley spluttered. “Just remember, if you decide to get blasted tonight, I will not be the one who holds your hand and —⁠”

  “Ashley!” I shouted. “I don’t need to relive that night whiskey tried to murder me. It was fucking gross. I need a water or a goddamn beer.”

  I turned away from her, but she grabbed my arm before I could slink away. “I promised Lindy I’d introduce you.”

  “Give me a few minutes. I promise I’ll meet her.”

  “Don’t be long,” she said and gave me a hard stare.

  Gavin swooped in behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and kissed her neck. She giggled, and they disappeared into a sea of people.

  I ran my fingers through my hair and surveyed the area. Kids were gathered in large groups at the edge of a lake. The moon shone brightly on the dark water and sparkled across a sandy beach. A few guys were working on starting a bonfire, tossing sticks, logs, and weeds into a haphazard pile. Some tall girl dumped booze on the logs and flicked her lighter. Flames shot high into the air and squeals filled the night. Loud music coming from a truck parked near the shore soon drowned out the shrieks.

  “You look like you need a drink,” Skye said, holding out a cold beer in front of my face.

  “Uh, thanks.”

  He crowded into my space, and I immediately stepped back. This was a delicate situation, and I didn’t want to assume anything. Making a mistake about his intentions could destroy my life, and I had no desire to be an outcast in a school I hadn’t even started. Plus, there was Brooke to consider. Even though I didn’t really like her, she was his girlfriend.

  “So who’s this Lindy chick Ashley thinks I need to meet?”

  Skye frowned but pointed to a group of girls dancing by the bonfire. “She’s the little dark haired one who’s flailing her arms. I could take you over and introduce you.”

  I toed a pile of sticks with my shoe. I’d never felt so uncomfortable around another person in my life.

  “Thanks, but I better let Ashley do the intros. She seemed really excited about this girl.”

  We both took sips of our beers and sighed.

  “So how do you feel about our chances against Rockford?” I asked.

  Skye brightened. “With your arm, we should crush them.”

  “Yeah? Do you think we’ll be able to hook-up on a few long pass routes?”

  “Hell, yeah. They have one decent cornerback, but I’m faster than him.”

  He lunged at me but I twisted away from his grasp. We ran down toward the lake, laughing and taunting each other until the dark swallowed us and the sounds of everyone else had quieted. He finally tripped me, and we went down in a heap on a bed of leaves and sand. He landed on top of me and pinned my arms over my head. His eyes were almost black as he hovered above me. Strange sensati
ons fluttered in my stomach, and my heart pounded so hard it made my head spin. Before I could think, Skye leaned forward and brushed his lips against mine.

  My entire body seized up.

  “Fuck,” Skye mumbled. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean — Please don’t —⁠” He rolled off me and jumped to his feet. “I gotta go.”

  He dusted off his jeans, and before I could even sit up, he’d jogged toward the bonfire, leaving me a spluttering mess. My lips tingled and my heart still pounded out a crazy beat. I took several deep breaths and got to my feet, slowly walking toward the party.

  “Where the hell were you?” Brooke asked.

  “Taking a piss, if you must know,” I snapped.

  Brooke narrowed her eyes. “Where’s Skye?”

  “How the hell should I know?”

  She swore at me, so I flipped her off and ran into the crowd, shouting for my sister.

  “Ooof,” I grunted when I smashed into someone. A petite girl with golden-brown eyes and short dark hair stared up at me from the ground. “Oh shit, I’m sorry.” I held out a hand to pull her up.

  “You owe me a drink.” She frowned at her empty plastic cup.

  “Yeah, sure. I’m so sorry.” I took her cup and headed for the keg.

  She trailed behind, stopping and talking to people.

  “Hey, are you Lindy?” I asked as I filled her cup.

  A cute smile spread across her face. “You must be the infamous Tyler Rask. You look like your sister.”

  “It’s a twin thing,” I said.

  “I’ve heard a lot about you. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

  “I hope Ashley didn’t fill your head with too much shit about me.”

  She giggled and shook my hand. I was about to let go when I spotted Skye, staring wide-eyed at me. He had his arm around Brooke, tightly clutching her to his side. I shrugged and leaned down to give Lindy a kiss on the cheek, but she had different ideas. She grabbed my shirt and locked lips with me.

  The entire time I was kissing Lindy, I could feel Skye’s stare burning into the back of my head.

  The party continued well into the night. When it finally broke up, Brooke and Skye had disappeared, and Lindy was too drunk to drive. She tried to give me her keys, but I shook my head and handed them to Ashley.

  “Can’t, darling. I’ve had too much to drink.”

  She pouted and begged, but after a hug and a promise that I’d call her in the morning, she decided it was okay to leave with Ashley.

  I helped get Lindy into her car, thanked Ashley, and climbed into Gavin’s truck.

  “Anyone else coming with us?” I asked.

  “How did you miss the fireworks?” Gavin asked, stunned.

  “What fireworks?”

  “Brooke and Skye had another huge fight. She left, and Skye walked back into town.”

  I didn’t know what to say, so I closed my eyes and ordered Gavin to take me home.

  I didn’t see Skye until practice the next day. He didn’t say much other than football-related stuff. We listened to our coaches and ran the plays, but when practice was over, he bolted. Gavin told me this was a normal thing for Skye. He’d break up with Brooke, fight with his parents, and cut everyone off. I made a couple lame attempts to contact him, but he didn’t respond.

  The first day of school arrived, and I wasn’t sure how I was going to get there. Skye had planned to pick me up, so I told Lindy I didn’t need a ride. Ashley left early for volleyball practice and Mama was at work, leaving me with no vehicle.

  I stomped up the stairs, opened and slammed the door, while mumbling about how much this place sucked. When a horn honked, I jumped and snapped to attention, surprised to see Skye waving at me.

  “Hey, you ready for school?” he asked.

  I bristled and thought about flipping him off, but decided to bite my tongue and take the high road.

  “Does this mean you’re talking to me again?”

  He stared at me for a few seconds before looking down at his dashboard and twisting his fingers around the steering wheel. “Uh, I’ve been a bit of an asshole. I just . . . look, I don’t know what the fuck happened at the party, but I had a lot to drink.”

  “No more than me,” I mumbled. I was sort of waiting for an apology or a better explanation.

  “It won’t happen again,” he said.

  Forgetting about the whole incident seemed like the best thing to do. Only I hadn’t been able to put it out of my mind.

  For the past week, I’d been obsessing over the memory of his body pressing against mine. The kiss hadn’t been enough for me, and I found myself thinking about what it would be like to really taste him.

  Everything had been made more complicated by the fact that Lindy had situated herself into my life. I did like her. She was fun, and we’d spent the week hanging out and getting to know each other.

  “Jesus,” I muttered.

  “Just get in the car, Tyler,” Skye growled but then added a barely audible “Please.”

  I clenched my jaw and decided it was better than walking.

  “Fine.” I grunted and slid into the front seat.

  He turned up the radio and a slow rock song featuring the piano played. “You can change it if you want.”

  “It’s fine.”

  We didn’t speak the rest of the drive to school. He turned into the lot and parked, and we both got out of the car as fast as possible. Everyone seemed to be staring at us. I poked at my sunglasses and relaxed my face.

  Brooke came bolting out of nowhere, glared at me, and tucked herself under Skye’s arm. For some reason, the sight made me slightly ill. I rolled my eyes and scanned the parking lot. Ashley was standing with Gavin, waving her fool head off. I raised my middle finger at her, grunted at Skye, and left him trying to grope Brooke’s ass.

  Before I could get into the school, Gavin almost tackled me to the ground.

  “So are you two speaking again?” he asked.

  “Who?”

  “Really?”

  “That’s on him,” I said. “He was the one with the fucking bug up his ass.”

  “Whatever,” Gavin said.

  I punched him in the shoulder and he grabbed my head, tucking me under his arm in a chokehold.

  “Ashley, get your psycho boyfriend off me,” I shouted.

  “Knock it off,” she said. “Ty and I need to go to the office and pick up our class schedules.”

  Before we made it through the door, Lindy bounded up to us, grinning widely. “Hi, guys.”

  She looped her arm through mine and greeted everyone who walked by us. The girl must’ve been a caffeine junky. No one could be that energetic this early in the morning. Ashley tugged on my sleeve before Lindy could strike up a conversation with me.

  “Sorry, darling, I’ll catch you later,” I said as Ashley dragged me down to the office.

  A woman with unnaturally bright red hair handed us our schedules and asked us if we needed help finding our way around the school. Ashley politely assured her we could manage.

  It didn’t take long to find our lockers. I stared at my schedule and tried to figure out where I was heading. If we were back in Texas, I’d be going to first period with Ethan, talking about the chicks we’d banged over the summer and bemoaning our horrible classes. Things had been much easier in Texas. There had been no guys kissing me.

  “Quit it,” I muttered as I slammed my locker shut.

  “Quit what?” Skye asked.

  I met his stare. “Uh, nothing. I’m just . . . never mind. I need to find my class.”

  Skye plucked my schedule out of my hand.

  “Hey, we’ve got a few classes together, including first period. Let’s go man,” he said.

  It was going to be a long fucking day.

  Chapter Five

  The rest of the day at Middleton Lake High was strange and a bit unnerving for me. Several times my mind wandered back to Texas. I missed the simplicity of my old high school and suddenly developed a
new appreciation for kids who regularly changed schools.

  Skye hovered near me the entire day. If we didn’t have the same class, he walked me to my room and was waiting in the hall at the end of the period. Brooke always seemed to be lurking in the background. She wasn’t thrilled with the extra attention Skye was heaping on me.

  And then there was Lindy. She was a beautiful girl, and I could feel the jealous glances from guys when she draped herself over me. It made me feel strange because before Skye came along, I would’ve enjoyed Lindy’s attention, but now, I didn’t know if I was pleased or freaked out. Either way, I was fucked.

  My final class arrived, and I found myself pleased that Skye wasn’t in it. I needed a break from him.

  As soon as class dismissed, Lindy sidled up next to me and jabbered about when and where we’d be meeting tonight. She talked so fast, I missed half the conversation. I’d almost forgotten that we had a date tonight. She was busy entering everything into my phone when Skye came up behind us.

  “Hustle, man, we have practice, and after we should probably go over some more of the plays. I saw you working on your wristband the other day and we should make sure we have everything the same.”

  “Can’t,” I said. “I’m going out with Lindy tonight. Besides, I’m pretty sure I can figure out the plays we’ve been practicing. The offense I ran in Texas was a little more complicated than what we’re running here. I’m not saying it’s bad or anything, but don’t be calling me out. I’m not a fucking rookie.”

  Skye’s eyes widened, astonished at my little outburst. “I never said you were a rookie. I want everything to be perfect. I want to win this year.”

  “I’m all for winning, and with me in control of the offense, you have nothing to worry about.” I winked.

  He punched me in the arm. It felt good to be cocky. I knew how to do cocky, especially when I had the skills to back it up.

  Skye fixed his stare on Lindy again. “Where are you and the golden boy going tonight? Maybe Brooke and I could hang out with you guys?”

  Lindy arched an eyebrow. “So you’re back together again?”

  He rolled his eyes.

  “We’re not going anywhere special. I thought Tyler should get a taste of the pizza burgers at The Kegs before they close down for the winter,” she said.