Finally...One Summer (Just One of the Guys)

by Kristi Pelton

  I knew…his hurtful words still rang in my ears... ‘She loves showing guys the beach.’ I sunk deep into his chest wanting to disappear. I wanted to start the night over…rewind and play it again. I’d do it so differently. Grant’s chest trembled as he hugged me and kissed my hair. I wasn’t cold anymore…I didn’t remember the feeling of cold…I was numb.

  “I think we should call the police,” Austin said again.

  I opened my eyes. “NO!”

  Ryan knelt next to us his sad eyes on me. I reached out and took his hand as tears stung again.

  “Em. Did he…”

  I shook my head and pushed Grant away. Seeing Grant in pain…seeing my brother in pain…Austin…this was not OK. The roles had changed so quickly. I had to be their caretakers for the first time in my life. I had to take care of them. I had to make them know that I was OK. All of them…had been there forever for me and I had somehow let them down.

  “Here’s the deal,” I said clearing my throat. “Here’s how this is going to go down.” I pushed in on my temples. It was dark. I kept catching the faint smell of cigarette smoke and it repulsed me. “We were tossing the football around in the fog and I was running from Austin and I ran smack into the rock.” I pointed at my face indicating that’s how the facial injury happened. “I was not…not…not raped.” I looked at Ryan and wasn’t sure they could even hear me. “He got my pants down before Seth and Austin got here but I am fine.” My voice broke, quivering at the end, and I’m sure I convinced no one. “We’re not calling the police. It was no big deal.”

  “Em.” Grant said and took two big steps toward me.

  I held up my hand to stop him. “I’m fine.” I stared at them…four sets of eyes pitying me. “Stop with the pitiful looks.” All their eyes flickered away. “Zach will be here in two days. I want a promise, no one will tell him or mom and dad.” They all eyed each other shaking their heads in disagreement. “That’s all I’m asking. Please. This ends here…not a word to anyone. Promise me. Please,” I begged. “You all were drinking, they were smoking weed, I walked off with him willingly. I’m ok. I’m ok. I’m ok.”

  “I promise.” Seth was first.

  Ryan shook his head. “Em. This isn’t right. Mom and Dad will kick my ass. You were hurt by a man.” He was still pissed. Rage dripped off each word as he spoke.

  “Look at me.” I touched his cheek. “I’m OK. Please, Ryan.”

  He caved and nodded. “I promise,” he said reluctantly.

  “I promise.” Austin joined in.

  I turned to Grant whose eyes were serious. “I don’t like it.”

  “Jesus, Grant! None of us like it,” Austin ridiculed.

  Grant scowled. “Fine. I promise.”

  I sighed. “Thank you. All of you.” I turned to Seth, whose lip was swollen and bloody. “I’m sorry.” I fingered his ripped shirt.

  Seth’s eyes were sad. “Don’t say you’re sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner.”

  “It was soon enough.”

  The night was eerily quiet, the waves only in the distance.

  I turned and started through the fog. “OK. One other thing. Will someone walk me home?” I didn’t look back, but suddenly I was in Ryan’s arms and we moved into the fog together.

  Chapter 12--Lies

  The night was dark and chilly as I strolled slowly down the beach in a cotton tank. I rubbed up and down my arms trying to keep warm. The sand was cold to my bare feet as my toes wiggled through it. It was odd, my ankle didn’t hurt anymore. A light mist fell from the black sky and I tilted my head back closing my eyes, letting the water dust over my face. I smiled. A perfect night.

  When I opened my eyes, it was unusually foggy…someone was there…he was there…standing first behind me then jumping in front…the red dragon on his arm crawled around his bicep shooting flames at me. His hands reached out and I gasped…I jolted awake sitting erect in bed, my blood pumping frantically through my body. My breathing seemed loud. The light came on startling me and I squinted. Grant’s hand remained on the light switch, and Ryan popped up from a makeshift bed on the floor.

  “What’s wrong?” Ryan asked.

  “I want the light on.”

  Grant nodded. “OK.”

  I nodded and lay back down afraid to close my eyes. They eyed each other and I pulled the covers over my head.

  I worried how I could hide this from Zach. As I examined myself in the mirror, it became clear that it would be harder than expected. My eye was swollen and purple and fresh scabs were splattered around it and down my cheek. There was a bruise by my mouth, above my lip. I smiled…still there. He was going to be here in less than a half hour and would question why I hadn’t told him about it on the phone. No answer came to mind.

  My parents bought it…the lie…the football story. It wasn’t even that hard. My mom inspected my face with a disgruntled look. “Football with the boys?” she had asked. Dad simply rolled his eyes without words. Two down and one to go.

  The rough hum of the Jeep caused my pulse to pound. Ryan’s eyes found mine from across the room and then flickered back to the baseball game on TV. I was at the open door waiting and watched Zach grab his bag from the passenger seat. I stood waiting for the look when he saw me…the one I held my breath for. He started walking this way and glanced toward the door. His perfect brown eyes brightened and his mouth widened into a grin. My heart melted.

  “There she is,” he said tugging me in for a hug. His bag landed on the porch as he swung me in a circle, my feet dangled by his knees. I couldn’t breathe. I knew it was coming, the look of disgust when he saw my face. He kissed my forehead then pulled back. The smile that I lived for faded quickly and he rested my feet on the grass. It hurt him that I was hurt…I could see it on his face…in his eyes. I had to lie.

  I slid my palm up over my eye trying to hide it, but he quickly jerked it down. I hadn’t predicted right…he wasn’t hurt, he was angry.

  “Emmmm,” he said. He had a way of dragging my name out. “What happened?” His hand gently touched the mistreated skin.

  “What a freakin klutz of a girlfriend you have there, Zach.” I heard Ryan’s voice and sighed. “Welcome back, man,” he said, gripping Zach’s hand and patting his back. “She thought she could play football with the guys?” Ryan gave him a crazy look and twisted his finger by his ear indicating I was crazy. “Cuckoo.”

  I smiled and it hurt my cheek. Zach wasn’t buying it…he knew I wasn’t a klutz. His eyes shot back to me. I held up my index finger. “First of all…I am not a klutz. Secondly.” I held up two fingers. “I can play football with the boys. Thirdly.” Three fingers.

  Zach flipped toward Ryan. “One of you guys did this to her?” Zach’s tone scared me. I grabbed his arm. I needed him to look at me.

  “Easy, dude. The rock out back did it to her,” Ryan joked jetting his thumb toward the beach.

  Finally Zach’s eyes were back on me. “You ran into a rock?” It seemed like he was questioning his sanity.

  I weakly nodded. “It was foggy. Let’s go in,” I suggested, hoping to move along.

  He hesitated, thinking. I couldn’t allow him to think. I grabbed his hand and yanked. He smiled but his eyes stayed curious as he snatched his bag.

  After grabbing some sodas, we headed out to the beach. The day was perfect…a semi warm day in Cannon. No sweatshirt was needed. All four boys were on the beach. I rolled my eyes. They stood about five yards apart and were talking…they never talked…I could only imagine what they were talking about. Seth caught a glance of us out of the corner of his eye, and they broke apart and suddenly tossed the ball.

  “Hey, Zach,” Austin shouted and threw the ball.

  “What’s up?” Zach answered.

  Seth waved.

  Grant was closest to us and he turned around after the ball left his hands and looked at us.

  Zach’s hand squeezed mine…he tensed up waiting for the predictable remark.

&nbs
p; “Hey, Owens. How’s it goin?” Grant’s tone was even.

  Zach snickered and looked at me, confused. “Meiers,” he finally answered.

  Damn it, Grant. Why couldn’t he just keep up the façade? He hated Zach…I knew it. Zach knew it. And now he was going to…what…play nice. What the hell? The evil eye I threw in his direction didn’t go unnoticed. I tried to relax the wrinkles I knew creased my forehead.

  Zach and I crossed the beach down to the water. “Looks like your ankle is better.”

  I stopped walking and rotated it for a second. “Still tender but walkable. Is that a word?”

  His steps slowed too. “What’s going on?”

  “What do you mean?” Crap. Crap. Crap.

  His shoulders slouched and he inhaled slowly through his nose. “I’m not sure what I mean. I can’t seem to put my finger on it.” He reached out and touched my eye again.

  “Pretty attractive, isn’t it?” I looked down at the sand and kicked with my feet.

  “You’re beautiful, Em.” He paused. “I just don’t get it though. You know this beach better than anyone. You know where those rocks are.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, his face hard.

  “I know.” I forced a laugh. “Grant tossed the ball, Austin was chasing. I was trying to catch it…then smack. I felt like an idiot.”

  He smiled. “And this all happened in the fog?”

  “Yep.”

  Silence. He was thinking…this wasn’t good. “So you couldn’t see the six foot rock but you could see the football in the air?” He questioned.

  I swallowed. He was in fact the son of a great attorney. I hadn’t planned for him to question my lie. I didn’t have an answer. I didn’t want to have to turn this around on him. It made me sick to think about…but it’s what I’d seen the guys do so many times. It always worked.

  “Emma?” My name rang off his lips.

  “Geez. What’s with the freakin inquisition?” I spat out hatefully.

  His head turned sharply toward the ocean and he took two long strides away from me lacing his fingers behind his head. I bit my lip fighting tears and instinctively followed him reaching out and touching his arm.

  “You…are my girlfriend.” He didn’t look at me. “I love you. And if you’re hurt…” a grimace crossed his face. “It’s my job to take care of you. I just didn’t understand how it happened. I’m sorry for questioning you.” He smiled apologetically.

  “I’m sorry too for getting angry, but I feel like you don’t believe me.”

  “Well. You’re wrong. I do believe you. I think Grant actually being nice to me must have induced some sort of brain lapse,” he admitted pulling me into his arms for a hug.

  I sighed. I hated lying, but what could he do about Paul after the fact? A shiver rippled through me as I thought his name. Zach would want to hurt him, which would lead to Zach getting into trouble. I couldn’t take that chance. I loved him too much. I would bear this on my own.

  The clouds stayed high in the sky that evening and I was thankful for no fog. White sea gulls flocked near us as Seth and Austin chewed on sunflower seeds. I don’t remember seeing the birds so close. Though the air was warmer than normal, I brought our blanket.

  That evening, around a smaller than usual fire, an uncomfortable silence fell over the group. Given their behavior this afternoon, it should have been obvious they couldn’t handle this. Morons. They couldn’t even manage the idle chatter that usually filled the air. I nestled into Zach like I normally would. Something had to be normal. At times, his arms would hug me so tight, it would hurt.

  I relaxed a bit when I saw four girls walking toward our fire. Not just normal girls…cute girls…even I thought they were hot. This would snap them out of their stupor.

  “Hello fella’s,” a beautiful redhead with naturally curly hair chimed.

  The boys unsurprisingly looked up and smiled.

  “Mind if we join you?” she asked as two blondes and a brunette stood next to her.

  Austin shrugged. “If you’d like.”

  “Where you from?” Grant dutifully asked, not sounding the least bit interested.

  “Kansas,” the brunette added pulling out her sweatshirt. A red and blue Jayhawk with a yellow beak was on the front. We knew that one…we’d seen it before.

  Ryan stared at the fire. “Wow. A long ways from home.” He didn’t look their way.

  Are you freaking kidding me? I had to get out of here. Four beautiful girls…four hot guys and none of the males were spreading their peacock tails. Their pathetic tails were tucked between their legs. What was the deal? Zach was sure to think something was up now.

  “Let’s you and I get out of here,” I suggested.

  He nodded in agreement. “Lead the way.”

  The moment I stood, Ryan, Grant, Austin, and Seth looked at me. Idiots. “We’re leaving,” I said simply, and where Zach couldn’t see, I blasted them a dirty look.

  Zach snickered as he measured their out-of-the-ordinary behavior then shook his head. “I feel like I’m in the twilight zone,” he said.

  I casually laughed and pulled him away from the freaks.

  I was grateful to have Zach here to add some sense of normalcy to what was happening. I’d assumed by watching the guys that lying came second nature to them…never a hesitation. But today, they acted like we had done something wrong and were hiding it. We’d done nothing wrong. The deceit was necessary. I had to protect Zach.

  His hand was warm in mine as we walked together and I fought my eyes as they were drawn toward the rocks. Just glancing in the direction increased the beat of my heart.

  “How many weeks till you’re back?”

  “Two and a half.” I smiled. Two was nothing. “Piece of cake.” I snapped my fingers.

  He raised me up into his arms. “Speak for yourself. That’s over fourteen days.”

  Then he’d leave soon after I returned. “What’s the hurry? When I get home…you’re leaving me.”

  His expression soured. “I’m not leaving you. Don’t even suggest such a thing. I’m going to college…your college,” he reminded me.

  “My college?” I was instantly aggravated. Hey, if you don’t want to go there…don’t.”

  “Damn it, Em. What the hell is going on? I can’t say anything without you jumping down my throat.”

  Maybe I couldn’t handle this either. I felt lost in my irritation. “I don’t know what’s wrong,” I said blankly. “When you said ‘your college’…I took it wrong. You’re going to regret going there and blame me. You picked Eugene because of me. Do your parents hate me?”

  His hands rubbed across his forehead like he was trying to ease tension. His jaw was tight. “I’m going to Eugene for us…not for you. And if you would kindly remind me why my parents would hate you?”

  I threw my hands up. “They had dreams for you. KU…USC and along comes this little girl and you choose the University of Oregon. Not what they had dreamed.”

  Slowly, he walked toward me, kissed my forehead and turned away moving in the direction of the house. “Where are you going?” I asked.

  “I’m leaving,” he said flatly, his back to me.

  Leaving? My feet moved quickly. “Why? Where are you going?”

  “Back to Ashland.” He reached our back porch.

  I wave of nausea flooded over me. “Why? What’s wrong?” I yelled and his hand covered my mouth.

  “Please. I don’t want your parents to hear this.”

  I pointed to the house next door. “They’re at the Taylor’s playing cards. Why are you leaving?” I choked on the words.

  “I think it’s for the best. Maybe we can try again next weekend.”

  “No!” I panicked and watched him pinch the bridge of his nose. “You can’t go. Don’t leave me. I need you.” My arms flung around him to keep him here. As if I could. I was ready to try. My heart ached with the mere thought of him leaving. His posture relaxed and I caught a breath as his strong arms surrounded me.
Tears plagued my eyes.

  “Zach, please don’t go.”

  He looked down at my bewildered expression and wrinkles creased his forehead.

  “I’m here. But I feel like you’re trying to pick a fight. Something’s off.”

  Why did he have to be so perceptive? “Kiss me,” I demanded.

  He moistened his lips with his tongue just like he always did and bent toward me. My toes helped propel me up to him and meet his lips. His mouth was warm and soft and inviting. I was embarrassed by what his kisses did to me as my legs fell limp. He was used to it though because his arms supported my weight as my body relied on them. As the kiss drew to an end, I took his hand and guided him through the house, up the stairs to my bedroom. He went to the sliding glass door and opened it; the sound of the waves infiltrated the room. He walked across the deck and opened Ryan’s door. He knew the drill. I smiled and back in my room, I tugged the down comforter off the bed tossing it onto the deck. He came back with his shorts and a Giants T-shirt on. I hadn’t changed yet and he waited. I yanked my sweats and tank out of my bottom drawer. Trying not to act self-conscious, I unfastened my jeans and started to work them over my hips. The corners of his mouth twitched. In the small lamp light, I was sure he couldn’t see the reddening of my cheeks, but I felt the heat. I bit down on my lip as he sprawled across the bed, his smoldering eyes on me.

  “You’re watching me.” I stated the obvious.

  “I am.”

  I stalled taking my shirt off. My bra needed to come off too and well…that was harder. “Why?”

  “Isn’t it obvious? Taking in the beauty.”

  My eyes closed on their own as he said the words, and I shook my head. I wasn’t sure of his definition of beauty, but he’d get angry if I argued.

  “Am I making you uncomfortable?”

  I scrunched my nose and chewed on my thumbnail. He respectfully flipped over but not without an exaggerated moan. “You turn me on, you know,” he said following the moan.

  “Isn’t that a good thing?” I asked, frantically slipping off my bra and pulling my tank over my head. “Finished.”