by Lane Hart
“Yes.”
“Right now?” he asks, and it takes all of my willpower not to roll over and sit on his face.
“I mean, if you really want to, then I wouldn’t say no.” I barely finish my sentence before the mattress shifts and then Aric’s standing at the foot of the bed. He grabs my ankles to drag me down to him. “What are you doing?” I ask as he kneels down on the floor.
“Eating your pussy the right way this time,” he says. He shoves my dress up and then both of his hands peel my panties down my legs and off. The next thing I know my thighs are parted and my knees are thrown over Aric’s shoulders. Another small tug lines his mouth up with my cunt. A feeding frenzy begins, but I don’t seem to remember anything else I say or do until I’m coming back down from another screaming orgasm.
Aric
Maddie, after she comes twice, is a totally different girl. She’s smiling and happy and super horny at first, trying her best to convince me to fill her with my cock.
After my second refusal, she didn’t get upset but simply wanted to cuddle with me as she dozed in and out of a nap.
Eventually though, she asked what time it was.
“Almost one.”
“Shit,” she huffed. “I need…I need to vacuum quick and get online.”
“I can vacuum if you want,” I offer.
“All yours. Even though I think you’ve done enough good deeds for the day.”
“Oh yeah?” I ask, glad she enjoyed herself.
“Oh yeah.”
While she’s in a good mood and we’re short of time, I blurt out, “Will you go to the homecoming dance with me?”
“Huh?” she asks, sitting up in a hurry.
“After the homecoming game, there’s a dance. I want you to go as my date.”
Wincing, she says, “I don’t know Aric. Do you really think that’s a good idea?” Then, she’s wiggling out of my arms and off the bed. By the time I sit up and throw my legs over the side, she’s taking out a new pair of red panties from a small dresser to quickly pull them up her legs.
“I think it will be the perfect time for us to tell everyone we’re seeing each other, and that it’s serious. All my friends know I never take dates to dances, so when I do this year, it’ll mean something.”
“Yeah, I get that, but when things end, the whole school will know it’s over and I’ll look like an idiot for thinking you ever gave a shit about me.”
“I do give a shit,” I tell her.
“Today maybe, but what about next week or next month? I mean, do you really see this lasting until even graduation?”
“Maybe.”
Shaking her head, she says, “Maybe isn’t good enough for me to publicly humiliate myself.”
“Look, it’s not just you putting yourself out there,” I explain to her. “Blake is going to be so pissed when he finds out. And Royal is always pissed lately, so he’ll probably take his side. I could potentially lose my two best friends when they find out we’re dating; but even with that possibility, it’s worth it to me for us to tell everyone.”
“Are you sure?” Maddie asks with her hand propped on her hip.
“Yes.”
“Then…okay, I guess.”
“Really? It’s a date?” I ask for clarification.
“I mean, if you’re willing to lose friends for me, then the least I can do is be seen with you and tell people we’re…together.”
“Hell yes.”
“But I don’t have a dress…”
“I can buy one for you–” I start.
“No. Absolutely not. I don’t need you to buy me anything or give my brother and sister money! We don’t need your charity, Aric!”
“Actually, I think you do, Maddie,” I say not to hurt her feelings but because it’s true. “I understand having pride and all that shit, but you’re struggling, bad, trying to pay for all the necessities. I honestly don’t know how you do it.”
“I do it because failing is not an option! I’m all they have and they’re all I’ve got in this world. I can take care of them on my own without you butting in.”
“So, the only reason you asked me for money was for blackmail. It had nothing to do with you needing the extra cash?”
“Oh, screw you!” she shouts.
Whoa. That escalated quickly. I knew it was a tough topic, but I thought we were good and that I could talk to her about it. Guess I was wrong.
“Forget the weekly payments!” Maddie yells at me. “I don’t need shit from you, you egotistical asshole.”
“Yes, you do,” I say when I stand up and wrap my arms around her waist, refusing to let her escape until I finish explaining. “I’m not saying that to be an egotistical asshole, Maddie. I’m saying it because it’s true. It’s not like I need the money. It’s nothing to me.”
“Thank you for throwing that in my face on top of everything else,” she huffs.
“Look, I didn’t give Mandy the money to be a dick. I did it because she was so sad and worried that she wasn’t going to even ask you for it! She was going to skip her class trip and stay at school while her friends went to the zoo,” I explain to her. “It’s one thing for you to be too proud to ask for help, but she’s only seven! It’s not fair to her to be worried about money. All she should have been worried about was who she was going to sit with on the bus when they went to the goddamn zoo or whatever other bullshit normal kids worry about.”
“She is normal,” Maddie mutters.
“No, she’s not. Matt’s not normal. You’re not either. Open your eyes, Maddie. How you’re living is not fucking normal!”
“It is for us. This is our normal. It’s all we’ve ever known.”
“Blowing a guy to pay rent should never be the norm, not for anyone and especially not for you.”
Now she shoves her palms against my chest and tries to push me away. “I-I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”
“I didn’t say that to make you feel ashamed because you did it out of love for your brother and sister. I don’t know many people who could endure the things you do. I sure as hell couldn’t, so there’s nothing for you to be ashamed of. You’re tough as fuck.”
“No, I’m not,” she says with a shake of her head. “I hate it. I hate myself,” she whispers as tears swim in her sad, green eyes.
“But you do it anyway. That’s why you’re a badass and that’s what I love about you,” I tell her. “You don’t take my shit or anyone else’s, and you make me need to be a better person. That’s why I want to be with you. Screw everyone else and what they’ll think about the two of us.”
“They’ll all say that I’m a gold digger, that I’m just a poor whore after your money,” she mutters.
“I know that’s not true. You just bit my head off when I brought up the subject of money and called me an asshole!”
“You are an asshole when you talk about money,” she replies with a small smile.
“Go to the homecoming dance with me. Please? You’ve got two weeks to find a dress or borrow one,” I assure her. “You can wear this dress if you want to and you would still be the hottest girl there.”
“You’re impossible,” she tells me, which isn’t a no. Shaking her head, she says, “Come on, I’ll show you where we keep the vacuum.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I agree, hoping she’ll eventually give me a yes.
Chapter 25
Maddie
“I need your help with something,” I say to Hannah Monday during lunch.
An infrequent smile lifts her lips. “Sure, but it’s gonna cost you.”
“How much?” I ask.
Grinning broader, she says, “All of the details about you and Aric.”
“Fine,” I agree because I need someone I can talk about him with. Besides, I’m not worried about Hannah telling anyone else since I’m the only person in the school who talks to her.
“Great, so what do you need?” she asks.
“We’re probably about the same size, right? A fo
ur or five except I’m just a little taller.”
“Yeah, I think so,” Hannah replies with a one-shoulder shrug.
“Do you have a dress I may be able to borrow for the homecoming dance?”
“No way,” she says, which is disappointing. Then, she adds, “I have plenty of dresses you’re welcome to borrow, but are you really thinking about going to the dance? With Aric?”
“He asked and I agreed, so yeah, I’m going with him,” I admit.
“Wow, that’s…crazy, Maddie!”
“I know,” I agree with a nod and then take a big bite out of my apple.
“Are you sure about him, though?” she asks. “He’s hot and popular, but what happens when you break up?”
“That’s what I asked him, and he said he was willing to risk losing his two best friends when they find out we’re seeing each other, so I think he’s pretty serious about us.”
“Why would he lose his two best friends because he’s with you?”
“Apparently Blake has had a stupid crush on me or something forever; and since Aric knew that, he’s breaking the bro code or whatever.”
Hannah still doesn’t look convinced, glancing from me to the Royals’ table. “If he likes you, then why doesn’t he sit with you at lunch or invite you to sit with him?”
“I think he wants to wait and make it official at homecoming,” I explain.
“And after that? Will I be eating lunch alone?” she asks in concern.
“Hell no. Either he can come over here or we could both go over there, but I won’t choose him over you like some stupid, silly girl.”
“Good,” she says on an exhale of relief. “Well, if you’re sure about this, then you should come over to my house one day after school to try on dresses.”
“That would be awesome. Thank you!” I tell her. “I owe you one.”
“Yeah, you do. So, spill,” she says when she leans forward across the table. “Tell me everything about you and Aric Prince, starting from the very beginning.”
Aric
Practice that afternoon is more of the same. It’s hot as fuck and I’m tired. Tired of being on the field, tired of Coach bitching at me, tired of repeating the same old ass plays a million times.
Right now I just want to be at Maddie’s even though her trailer isn’t much cooler than being outdoors; but when I’m with her, I’m happy and…content for maybe the first time in my life.
I keep getting distracted thinking about how many times I went down on her over the weekend, which is apparently why I don’t try to move out of the way in time when Luke, our defensive tackle, pushes Curtis, one of our linebackers, right into my chest, sending me down to the ground. As soon as I catch myself with my right arm, I know something is wrong because it hurts like a motherfucker all the way up into my shoulder and collarbone.
Over the pain I hear Coach blow his whistle and then yell, “You never hit the guys in red shirts, you idiots! How many times do I have to tell you that?” He curses some more before he’s standing above me. “Come on, get up.” Coach offers me his hand to pull me to my feet.
“I think…I think I did something to my shoulder, Coach,” I tell him through gritted teeth.
“Go ice it and have the trainer take a look. I’m sure it’s just a little bruise,” he says with a frown even though his face looks concerned.
“Matthews, you’re in as QB!” Coach yells out to Trey, the junior who backs me up.
I remove my helmet and carry it in my left hand on the way to the locker room. And my first thought? I can take whatever injury; I just hope the trainer benches me.
How fucked up is that? I shouldn’t want to be hurt. Who thinks such a thing? But to me, a season ending injury is the only possible way for me to get out of playing football.
Our trainer, Mark Thompson, has a private physical therapy and rehabilitation practice, so he drives me there for x-rays once I take off all my pads, take a quick shower, and get dressed.
“Nothing is broken,” he tells me when I’m sitting on the exam table in one of his rooms staring at the images of my arm hanging on the wall of lights. “Is most of the pain here, in your shoulder?” he asks while pressing on it.
“Fuck, yes,” I grunt in agony because it hurts to even try and move it.
“It looks like it may be a partial dislocation.”
“How bad is that?” I ask.
“It could take a few days to heal, but I’ll put you in a sling. That support and icing it every few hours should have you ready to play Friday.”
“Really?” I ask in disbelief. “Because I can’t even move it right now.”
“You’re young and in great shape,” he says. “You’ll be throwing again in no time.”
As soon as he puts my arm in a sling and gives me a bag of ice, Dr. Thompson drives me back to practice.
I don’t even step foot on the field, though, not giving a shit if Coach gets mad or not. I’m sure the doc will tell him I’ll be fine. All I want to do right now is see Maddie, so I slip into my car and drive left handed to her place.
Maddie
“Jesus, Aric. What happened?” I ask when I open the front door and find him standing there with a blue sling around his right arm and a bag of melted ice on top.
“I got knocked down and landed wrong on it,” he explains. “Nothing major.” He says that like he’s…disappointed instead of relieved. Does he really hate playing football that much?
“Come in and sit down,” I tell him, grabbing the left side of his tee to pull him inside so I can shut the door. “And why do you sound disappointed that it’s nothing major?”
“Because if it was, then I wouldn’t have to play,” he replies simply before he sinks down onto the sofa and winces.
“Do you need to go to the hospital?” I ask in concern.
“No. I’ve already had x-rays,” he tells me with his jaw clenched tight in pain. “Nothing broken, just a partial shoulder dislocation.”
“Can I get you something? More ice?”
“Yeah, that would be good,” he agrees with a nod.
I grab his melting pack to take it into the kitchen and fill it with fresh ice. It’s not much, but I want to do something for him.
“Here,” I say when I kneel on the sofa next to him and hold it to his injured shoulder.
“If I don’t play Friday, will you still go to the dance with me?” he asks like he’s not sure of the answer.
“Of course,” I tell him before I lean over to kiss the corner of his lips. “And I may have figured out the dress situation.”
“Oh yeah?” he asks with a small grin. “I can’t wait to see you all dressed up.”
“Don’t get used to it,” I warn him.
Using his left hand, he cups the side of my face to bring my lips to his again. Between kisses, he says, “Dress. School uniform. Cutoff shorts. You’re gorgeous in every fucking thing you wear, baby.”
Butterflies flutter around my stomach hearing Aric use a term of endearment for me for the first time. It’s quite the change from all the insults we’ve both called each other. But every second we spend together, those days, those horrible words, seem like they happened in another lifetime, before we really knew each other.
Chapter 26
Maddie
With the little bit of time I have before Matt and Mandy get off the bus, I ride with Hannah back to her house Tuesday afternoon to browse through her collection of dresses, hoping to find something to wear to the homecoming dance Friday.
“So, do you have a color in mind?” Hannah asks when we walk into her room. She dumps her backpack on the floor of the space that’s the size of our entire trailer, and then opens the doors to a walk-in closet that looks like a clothing and shoe store. In other words, Hannah’s family is pretty damn rich. Yet, all I can think about is that she’s still an outcast just like me despite all her money.
“Well?” she asks when I don’t respond because my mind is blown by all the choices.
&
nbsp; “Ah, I like red I guess,” I tell her, also knowing that Aric loves red because it’s the color of his sports car.
“Ew, no, girl. Red would totally clash with all of your hair, even if you put it up,” she informs me.
“Yeah, that’s true,” I agree after I consider it. “What about black? That’s a classic, right?”
“Black would be perfect with your light skin color and hair,” she agrees with a grin and a nod before she starts shuffling through the various hangers. “Long or short?”
“I dunno. What do you think would be more appropriate for a school dance?”
“Well,” she starts. “Everyone is going to be looking at you, so you need to look as hot as possible, so I say…short.”
“Short sounds good.” I’ve been using my body as a distraction for years to keep the rich kids from talking trash about me. Or at least directing the gossip toward what a slut I am rather than how poor.
Hannah has not one but three short black dresses, so I try them all on. The first one is way too tight. The second one shows way too much cleavage. But the third, a snug, curve hugging sleeveless one is perfect.
“That’s it. That’s the one!” Hannah agrees from the papasan chair she’s sitting in as I check out every angle in front of her full-length mirror.
“I think so too,” I tell her. “You sure you don’t mind if I wear it?”
“No, of course not.”
“What are you planning to wear?” I ask when I take a seat on the edge of her bed, just to make sure the dress isn’t too short and that I can still breathe when sitting.
“Oh, I’m not going,” she says.
“Come on! We can go together. I need you there for moral support.”
“Royal would lose his shit.”
“All the more reason to go,” I suggest. “Fuck him and his anger issues. You didn’t do anything wrong. He screwed up and there were consequences. I think you’ve been taking his bullshit for way too long.”
