by Keelan Storm
“What in the world is with her?” Isabel wondered as she left.
* * *
Dressed in a white muscle shirt and his Spurs logo basketball shorts, Tucker lay back against the massive beanbag chair in the corner of his bedroom, his hair slightly damp from a recent shower. He turned on the CD player on the shelf next to him to listen to a Top 40 station. His fingers tapped restlessly against his torso, strumming along the definition lines of his abs.
He had been dying to talk to Izzy for days, but his mother had put her foot down for nearly a week, refusing the chance of him spreading the God awful stomach flu he’d come down with. They had still argued over it this morning until he pointed out that he’d been fever-free for a full day now. Yeah, he was still weak, but that didn’t matter. This thing with Izzy had been put off long enough.
He’d been texting Annie and Jet about it and knew that she and Wesley weren’t official yet, but he’d lost some serious time. “Arrrg! If Wesley wasn’t in the picture, this would be so much easier,” he stressed, tugging at his hair as he waited.
He heard a faint knock at his door a few minutes later. “Come in,” he answered, turning down the music as Izzy stepped in.
“Hey, Tucker. Wow, you look so much better.”
“You sure? ‘Cause I kinda thought the whole palest human who’s not albino thing was working for me, really brought out my eyes. Didn’t you think?” he teased.
Izzy pursed one corner of her mouth and raised a doubtful eyebrow.
“You can’t hog the market on paleness, Izzy. I wanna look hot, too.”
“Shut up, Tucker,” she replied, blushing as she crossed the room. He grinned, watching her trying and failing to look offended.
She sank down next to him, the beanbag large enough for them both, and spread her dress to her calves as she curled up to face him. Tucker breathed in heavily as her hair brushed against him, thankful that he was able to smell the soft scent of honeysuckle without feeling queasy.
“Annie says hi, by the way.”
“Tell her hi back for me?”
“Sure.”
They laid there for a while, listening to the radio before either of them spoke again. Neither minded the quiet, and Tucker was enjoying the comfort of being around her, aside from the butterflies he knew were just nerves this time. He waited for her to break the silence, not wanting to interrupt her thoughts as he continued to mull over ways to tell her his news.
“Annie wants to throw a party this weekend,” she finally said.
“Huh,” he laughed, “What did your mom say?”
“Oh, she won’t be home. She and Tyler are going to Granny Pope’s this weekend to help with a yard sale.”
“Sounds fun.”
“The yard sale?”
“No, a party. Jeez, Izzy. Did Annie get all the brains?”
“Ha. Ha.” She rolled her eyes. “Very funny.”
“I tried.”
“Not so successful that time.”
“Damn. Can we blame it on the flu?”
“Sure,” she said, smirking a bit.
“So, about that party?”
“I don’t think we’ll end up having one. Mom told us no parties, and your mom will probably be keeping an eye out for her.”
“True. Corey’s throwing one tomorrow night anyway. It’ll be packed if it’s anything like the one over spring break.”
“Mmmm,” she murmured, looking down to run her thumb along her teal polish. Parties weren’t really her scene. “Hey, Tuck?”
“Tuck?”
She flashed just a hint of her crooked grin, still staring at her nails. “Yeah, well, you call me Izzy, don’t you?”
“Pretty much everyone does.”
“I know,” she rolled her eyes.
His brow scrunched at her tone. “You okay?”
“Yes,” she sighed, refocusing. “So, what’s up? Did you still want to talk about whatever it was from last week?”
“Yeah, do me a favor, though.”
“What?”
“Promise me you won’t freak out.”
Izzy glanced at him, perplexed. “Why would I freak out?”
He stared back at her, wanting her to know he was serious. “Because it’s big, and I want you to hear me out.”
“Okay… I’ll do my best,” she said as Tucker sat up and repositioned himself, his elbows resting on his knees. He ran his hand through his slightly damp hair, pulling the strands away from his face as he began.
Isabel watched as he shifted, an odd feeling fluttering through her chest with the bulge of his muscles, his tousled blonde hair landing just so. It sucked having a hot best friend that was off limits. She’d set that boundary for herself long ago. He was too much of a ladies’ man, and she refused to date if commitment wasn’t on the table.
Tucker leaned back again, his foot tapping against the floor. “So,” he finally started. “You remember when I was acting funny a few weeks ago?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I think that’s when it first started, but it was confusing, you know?”
“No.”
He groaned, wanting to get it out right. “That was when I first started to notice there was something weird happening, but I didn’t realize what exactly was going on until last week. You know that day that we were all at the beach, and Jet and I went surfing?” Tucker paused. She nodded for him to continue.
“I could barely even look at you that day; it had gotten so bad, but Jet got me thinking later…” He ran his hands through his hair again, trying to shake his nerves.
“Tucker, I’m sorry, but I’m kind of lost. What’s going on?" Izzy prompted.
“I know. I’m screwing it up,” he sighed, scrubbing his hands across his face. “I guess the best way to tell you is to just outright say it. I realized that I like you, Izzy, and not just like a friend. I mean, I like you as in I have feelings for you, and I want to be with you.”
She didn’t speak at first, shocked as she tried to process the information. She shook her head, her features creeping close to scarlet.
“Izzy? Say something,” Tucker urged, nerves and anticipation clawing at him as he watched the change in her expression. His stomach sank when she looked up.
“Are you sure you want me to talk?” she fumed. “You had better be glad you just got over being sick. To think that you would stoop this low! This is worse than what Annie’s been doing!”
His brain had to do a double take. “Wh-what are you talking about? What’s Annie’s been doing?” he stammered under the daggers in her glare.
“Don’t play stupid. She probably put you up to this, didn’t she?”
Tucker just stared, dumbfounded. “Uh…” he tried.
She shook her head in disgust. “Ridiculous. Well, flat out telling me that I shouldn’t date Wesley didn’t change anything, and lying and trying to trick me into dumping him won’t work either!” she cried, jumping up to pace the floor.
“Crap, Izzy, no, you’ve got it all wrong,” Tucker said, getting up to join her, needing her to believe him. “I’m not lying,” he grabbed her arm as she passed, stopping her as he tried to explain. “You know I’ve been acting weird around you. You’ve told me so. This is why. I like you.”
“Do you really think I’m that dense, Tucker?” Izzy said, whipping back around, her hair flipping past his face. “Why would I believe for a second you might have a crush on me when you’ve been running around like some kind of man-whore lately?”
She took a deep breath, hating the twinge of guilt at the stricken look on his face, and started again, so angry she was close to tears. Calmly, but with just as much contempt, she added, “I can’t believe you’d do something that could hurt our friendship. I’m dating Wesley. You and Annie need to just get over it.”
With that, she marched across the room, slamming the door behind her. Tucker stood there with his mouth gaping open, unable to believe what
had just happened. Whatever he thought she might do, he hadn’t expected that.
* * *
“Hey…how’d it…go?” Annie panted into the phone, pausing her run to sit on a curb when Izzy finally called.
“I can’t believe you! You said you would back off, but instead, you went ahead with some crazy plan that could hurt all our friendships, just to get me to stop dating a guy!”
Annie reeled at the response. “What are you talking about? I didn’t-”
“I can’t talk to you anymore,” Isabel cut her off. “I’m taking the truck. We’ll talk later.”
She hung up and jumped in their faded blue pickup, needing to think, to clear her head. The cab vibrated beneath her as she turned the ignition, the old engine groaning its protest as she took off.
Annie stared at the phone in her hand, shocked and just as hurt. Tears started to form, but she shoved the urge back, jumping up to dive even harder into her run.
Soon, there was nothing but pavement beneath her and the wind in her face. Her feet took the path on their own as her mind cleared of her inner turmoil, freeing and calming her for even just that bit of time, but her route returned her to Sandy Drive too soon. She collapsed onto her front lawn, lying back into the grass to catch her breath as her thoughts rolled back in.
She knew that she had been getting on Izzy’s nerves about the whole Wesley thing, but for Izzy to think that she would put Tucker up to talking to her, to telling her he liked her if he really didn’t, just to get her to stop seeing a guy? Of course, she wouldn’t do that.
She hit Jet’s picture on her phone and placed it on speaker.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he answered.
She heard the question in his voice. She’d normally text if he was at work, but she’d needed him.
“Babe…” Her bottom lip started to quiver.
“I’m almost off. Give me twenty minutes.”
Annie nodded, knowing he couldn’t see it, and hung up the phone.
She found a note from her mom saying she and Tyler had gone to the store and went up to take a shower, not wanting to be covered in sweat when Jet got there. Towel drying her hair, she balled it up with a clip and pulled on a fresh pair of athletic shorts and a T-shirt before heading outside.
The large treehouse out back waited for her, steady as always, and she climbed up to wait for Jet, texting him where she was. She crossed her legs to sit and leaned against the window, letting the warm summer breeze brush over her as she wrestled with her troubled thoughts. She was terrible at waiting, her biggest flaw and her greatest attribute. She glanced down to find the letters AD and PD still etched clearly beneath the windowsill and smiled.
“Come on, Annie, you should have first honors,” she could remember her dad saying with a chuckle as he held out his Swiss army knife, watching as she carved her initials into the freshly crafted wood. She’d begged and begged for him to build this, even using her allowance to buy nails and the little wood she could afford. “Don’t ever forget persistence pays off,” he’d said, kissing the top of her head.
She’d only just turned nine at the time, and they’d added the surrounding deck and tire swing for Tyler a few years later, just months before the cancer had set in last summer, taking her father away far too soon.
“No,” she grunted, swiping away the tear that leaked through. She got up, starting to pace. Grief sucked, and she hated it when she couldn’t control things. She’d rather fix them, but she’d made things with Izzy worse.
“Annie?”
She spun around to find Jet standing just inside the treehouse door. Relief flooded her at his presence, and she rushed towards him to bury her face against his chest. His arms wrapped around her as she breathed in his ocean smell.
“You okay?” he asked, his chin resting atop her head.
She nodded. “I am now.”
“You wanna talk?”
“No, just hold me.”
He guided her over to the giant beanbags and pillows they’d dragged up here years ago, pulling her into his lap as he laid her back, curling his own body to face hers. His ocean blue eyes stared into her tear-stained gaze, searching. But she didn’t need to talk; she just needed him.
Jet was hesitant when she brought her lips to his, not wanting to push her if she was upset, but she tugged at his collar to deepen the kiss, assuring him she was fine. He groaned as he pulled her closer, willing to give her whatever she needed.
Annie clutched to his chest. Suddenly desperate to be closer, she parted her lips from his just long enough to pull her shirt over her head, her fingers immediately moving to the buttons on his as she straddled his hips.
Jet groaned, not expecting to see her flesh already bared. He reached up to caress her, his calloused thumb brushing over where only their scarce times alone had let him fully see before. Her fingers finally freeing the last of his buttons, he yanked his shirt away and leaned forward to replace his touch with his lips. She hissed in a breath, and he grinned, his hands sliding down to knead her rear in his lap, moving her against him.
Annie grew hot under his touch, his kiss, and all doubts from before disappeared. She fumbled between them, reaching for the last button that stood in their way. Jet’s lips released her, trailing up her neck, forcing himself to keep control as she yanked him free of even his boxers.
When she still hadn’t touched him, he leaned back to see her begin pulling off her own. His brow shot up, excited and disbelieving. He met her gaze, surprised to find it filled with want and determination. He nearly lost it with just that look and flipped her to lie beneath him, refusing to let her do all the work alone. His fingers curled under the waist of her shorts, peeling them down her long, tanned legs. He tossed them and reached between her thighs, leaning over her to suck in one of those perfect mounds, rolling it under his tongue as his hand caressed the other. He’d waited ages for this, for her, and needed to make sure she was ready. He’d never be able to hold out long enough if she wasn’t.
Annie squirmed under his attentions, his touch delicious, hot, and thrilling. He’d touched her before, but this was different, intense, and expectant with what they were about to share. She cried out as he brought her to finish, but she was far from done. His strong body covered hers, his gaze seeking her permission before they crossed that line.
“Don’t stop,” she pleaded.
He paused only long enough to fumble with the protection, her body thrumming anxiously beneath him. She dragged his mouth down to hers as soon as it was on. Annie tensed as he slid in, his groan deep as he filled her for the first time.
“Sorry,” he murmured, hating that it hurt her.
“It’s fine,” she breathed. “Just go slowly.”
He nodded, watching her, doing his best to take her cues as he found a rhythm. He was relieved when her body started to ease, praying he’d done enough for her as he fought to keep going.
“Annie,” he tried to warn her.
She nodded in understanding. “Touch me?” she panted, having no idea what she asked of him. Determined, though, he reached between them, giving her the extra friction she needed, but he couldn’t hold out. Pressing his forehead to hers, Jet groaned his release, desperately still touching her as he came. Miraculously, she followed.
8
Reaching Izzy
Tucker stood beside the bar, drinking from a cup of water the following night at Benton Hall. His energy was still a little low from being sick, so he was trying to take it easy, knowing if he overdid things, his mom would have his head when he got home. As he drank, his eyes combed the dance floor.
Annie and Jet were chatting with some of their lifeguard friends at a table, no doubt taking a break after Annie tripped over her flip flops when Jet dared a spin. Izzy danced with Wesley near the stage, his hips moving in sync with hers from behind. Tucker’s jaw tightened, his brow furrowing unconsciously. He turned back to the bar so he wouldn’t have to watch, wishing he was
old enough to order a beer.
“Hi, Tucker!” called out a bubbly, high-pitched voice. A strawberry blonde with wild curls bounced over to his side. “Wanna dance?”
“No thanks, Lisa,” Tucker sighed, holding up his cup of water in explanation. “I’m just taking a break.”
“Oh, okay. Maybe when you’re done then?” she asked, scooting closer.
Tucker shifted to one foot, managing to replace the distance between them. “No, I’m just going to hang out here for a while.”
Lisa’s face fell a little bit, but she continued. “What are you drinking?”
“Water.”
“That’s good; water’s good for you. Hey, I’ve been thinking; it’s been a while since we went and did anything fun, and Corey’s having another beach party tonight. We could go together. You know we had fun when we hung out the last time.”
The sentences flew out of her mouth so fast that Tucker was sure she had planned the conversation. He looked down into her eager and hopeful expression as she bounced slightly on her heels, her curls still moving when she stilled.
He groaned inwardly, annoyed, failing to understand why he’d ever decided to sleep with her. If he’d known he’d still be dealing with her, he’d have kept it in his pants and stayed a virgin.
“Lisa, look,” he tried to explain, again. “It’s not going to happen. I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression when we went out, and if I haven’t made myself clear since, but listen to me… There is nothing between us.”
She smiled and put a hand on his arm. “I know you’re just saying that because you’re afraid. You’ve never stayed with one girl very long, and what you’re feeling is new. I understand. I’ll wait,” she said reassuringly and walked off to meet a group of friends.
Tucker groaned and finished his water. What had he gotten himself into? This girl was crazy if she really thought he wanted to be with her. He threw away his cup in the trashcan, rubbing the back of his neck. He didn’t know how he could be any clearer with her, and she was going to drive him crazy if she was still going on about it when school started again.
