The Hemlock Girl

by C. L. Heckman

“Um, the fact that there is no way you’re still a virgin, maybe?”

  Jasper tosses his hood back atop his head and takes a seat in the tub. “There are a lot of things you don’t know about me, Riss.”

  I step into the tub and sit down facing him, placing my hands on his bent knees. “So, tell me.”

  Jasper’s eyes shift downward. “I don’t need a best friend, or a confidant. I wanted a hardcore relationship. I wanted to move to the next level with you,” he explains.

  I remove my hands from his knees and cross them on top of my own. “So, you want a physical relationship with me, but not an emotional one?”

  Jasper pushes himself to a stand. “I don’t know what I want, Karissa. I wanted to see where things were going, but apparently the answer is nowhere.”

  Jasper is out of the bathroom and down the steps before I can even comprehend what just happened. There is no way that all he wanted from me was sex, when we had potential for so much more than that. Confused and alone, I meander back into Jason’s room to find Keith.

  “Where’s your boyfriend?” Jason asks as soon as I enter.

  “Apparently he’s not my boyfriend,” I respond curtly.

  He takes heed to my attitude and offers me a seat on the edge of his bed. “You ever play before?”

  Glancing down at the guitar in his hands, I let out a deep sigh of frustration. “No.”

  Jason notices my emotions, but tries to push past them. “Well, is now a good time?”

  I glance to the other side of the room where Keith has gained the attention of two girls. I wouldn’t feel right ruining his night just because I had yet another issue with Jasper, so I turn back to Jason hoping that he will offer a decent distraction. “Sure, now is good.”

  In between listening to Jason’s instructions, I glance to the door, waiting for Jasper to come looking for me. An hour passes with no sign of his return.

  Keith swaggers over and interrupts my attempts at playing the major chords. “Hey, Riss, Claudia over there has invited me back to her house for the night. Is there any way you can find another ride home?”

  I’m trying to be a good friend, but I really have no clue how I’ll get home without Keith. “What about Jasper?” I ask. “He needs a ride, too.”

  “Jasper left, Riss. He sent me a text about 45 minutes ago saying he was heading out with Rich to another party. I thought he told you?”

  “No, he definitely didn’t,” I respond, trying to hide my hurt and anger.

  “Go and have fun, Keith. I’ll figure something out. I’ll call my sister if I have to. No worries,”

  Keith stares at me. “Nope.”

  “What do you mean, nope?” I ask.

  “I’m not leaving you here without a ride. I’m not going to bring you to a party and then ditch you with no way to get home. Friends don’t do that to each other.”

  “I can take her,” Jason blurts out. “My friends are heading out soon, and I have no interest in hangin’ with my brother and all those d-bags downstairs.”

  “You good with that?” Keith asks, staring at me with puppy dog eyes, begging me to say yes.

  “Yes,” I force out with the accompaniment of a fake smile.

  Keith wraps his arms around me and pulls me into a bear hug. “You are the best! I owe you. Anything you want, you name it!”

  Keith trots off back to his new lady friend while I sit on the bed with Jason. His green eyes look away once I make eye contact. Thousands of tiny freckles coat his pale cheeks. Around his wrist an old-fashioned friendship bracelet is tied with something carved into a piece of metal dangling from the threads. A green guitar pick rests between his lips as he strums the strings with bare fingers.

  “You ever heard of this song?” he asks as he begins to play.

  I scan the room, wondering where Jasper is and if he’s thinking about me. Maybe we are just too different to ever be a couple. As Jason begins to sing, my phone vibrates in my back pocket.

  Paul just text me saying Jasper is at a party with that wench! I thought you guys were on a date tonight? I thought he dumped her! What the hell is going on, Karissa?

  Dakota’s text lights a fire inside me.

  I guess Jasper wasn’t who I thought he was.

  Staring at the black screen of my phone, anger turns to determination. I grab the guitar from Jason’s hand. “Teach me how to play something,” I demand.

  Jason reaches behind him, grabbing Keith’s guitar from the stand and placing it on his lap. “What song do you want to learn?” he asks.

  “I don’t know, something angry,” I demand.

  Jason smiles, “Ok, I know just the one.”

  Chapter 11

  “So, where to?” Jason asks from the driver’s seat of his sedan.

  “Hemlock Lake,” I whine. “I left my car at Keith’s.”

  “Everything ok with you?” Jason inquires. “Is it about Jasper?”

  I turn toward the window. “He left and went to a party with Missy after he told me he broke up with her.”

  Jason mumbles under his breath while rolling down the window. “That kid has no clue what he’s doing, ever.”

  “What do you mean?” I ask.

  “You seem like a nice girl, Karissa. Since I met him, Jasper has always seemed to go for the worst chicks he could find. When he showed up at my house with you, I was surprised.”

  “Surprised sounds bad,” I sulk.

  “Not bad at all … just weird. You’re not his usual type. You have something besides air between your ears,” Jason laughs as he puts the car into reverse. A beaded necklace dangles from the rearview mirror almost touching his hand as he shifts. “You’re good for him, though,” he adds. “But, are you sure Jasper is good for you?”

  I’ve pondered that question before. I know for a fact that Jasper has the potential to hurt me. He doesn’t seem like he has the ability to focus on one person for very long. His short attention span might not bode well for me in a relationship, especially if he’s only interested in the physical aspect of it. Maybe I should just let the idea of us go.

  “Aren’t you guys like really good friends?” I wonder. “Why are you so quick to talk smack?”

  Jason fiddles with a ringlet of hair on his forehead. “Not talking smack, just being honest. Trying to avoid you being unnecessarily hurt. Just ‘cause Jasper and I are friends, doesn’t mean I agree or approve of everything he does.”

  I pull my sweater sleeves down over my hands and fold them on my lap all while staring at Jason with curiosity. “So, what’s your story?”

  He slows to a stop at a red light. “I moved here from New York a few years ago. I try not to take life too seriously; I think that’s why Jasper and I clicked right from the start. I tend to follow the straight and narrow a little more closely than he does, but I definitely know how to have a good time.”

  “And the music?” I ask. “Has it always been a part of your life?”

  “Since I could talk, I was singing. Once I got old enough, my parents let me choose an instrument, and I was drawn to the guitar. I picked it up and it just fit. Haven’t been able to put it down since. I’m hoping one day it’ll be my job.”

  “Gotcha,” I respond staring at his callused fingertips. “I used to play piano.”

  “Oh yeah?” He sounds intrigued. “We should jam sometime.”

  “Um, I never said I was any good at it.”

  “Well, maybe you could just watch me then? Be my groupie?” he laughs. “When I’m famous one day, you can be in my music video.”

  I laugh, and smack him on the shoulder. “Hot girls are in music videos.”

  Jason turns to me and winks. “I am aware.”

  I can feel my cheeks blush as we turn into Hemlock Lake. I glance to the left toward Jasper’s house and notice it’s dark, realizing he’s still out with her. My heart sinks into my stomach, and a wave of nausea causes my mouth to water. I push down an audible swallow, and force my emotions to chill out before Jason notice
s.

  “Thanks for the ride,” I say as I begin to exit the car and pull my keys from my pocket.

  “Hang on,” Jason calls to me as I slip out the door. “Wanna hang out tomorrow? I was just going to sit around and work on some music. I could use some company.”

  I hesitate for a moment. “Maybe,” I respond. “What time?”

  “Anytime,” Jason responds. “I’ll be home all day.”

  I smile and close the door. He yells through the window. “Try not to let him get to you, Karissa. One day, he will realize what he’s missin’.”

  ***

  Jason’s house looks massive now that I’m sitting outside of it alone. I contemplated coming here since last night, and I’m still indecisive if I made the right choice. Did he really invite me over to play music? Or, was I supposed to read between the lines there? I stand outside of my car, leaning against the hood. The black gate surrounding the pool swings open and Jason appears from behind it.

  “Scared?” he asks with a smile.

  “No way,” I respond, quickly. “Just had to text a friend back before I lost service.”

  “Mmm-hmm. We are just going to play guitar. But, if you’re uncomfortable, we can hang out here for a while near the safety of your vehicle for a quick exit, if needed.”

  Nothing about Jason scares me, besides the fact that he’s a hormone driven teenage guy and I hardly know him. He’s unthreatening and almost endearing to be around, plus he’s good friends with both Jasper and Keith, who are nice guys. There’s no way they would be friends with someone who would hurt me.

  “So, ready to make my fingers bleed?” I laugh.

  Jason shoulder checks me gently. “Whatever you say, buddy.”

  I follow him inside and past the disaster that is the entire downstairs. His brother is asleep on the couch in a pair of woman’s underwear and a black lacey bra covering his eyes.

  “Looks like he had a fun time at his party,” I quip.

  “Oh yeah,” Jason replies before punching him in the nuts. “He’s a real winner.”

  His brother rolls on his side clutching his injury as we make our way upstairs. “You little shit,” he yells and then moans himself back to sleep.

  “You guys seem to get along well,” I laugh.

  “Oh yeah … best buds.”

  I follow Jason into his room. The smell of stale smoke still lingers in the air, so he opens two windows to allow a breeze to flow through. Blankets and pillows are strewn across the floor, and I walk around the room and begin to organize things a little bit.

  “I’ll get that later,” he explains, pulling the blanket from my hands. “Let’s play some music first.”

  He grabs two guitars from the stands behind him and hands me one. “Where do you wanna sit?” he asks. “I usually sit on the bed to play, but I don’t know if you would think that’s weird.”

  “The bed is fine,” I respond.

  “So, ready to play some tunes?” he laughs.

  I raise my eyebrows. “No,” I respond, straight faced. Sarcasm was always my forte.

  “Too bad,” he responds.

  Jason is a lot like Jasper. He’s fun-loving and full of life. He smiles more than most people, and is always willing to have fun. I thought I was lucky when I found someone like Jasper, and now I realize I’m even luckier to have all the Hemlock boys in my life – even the ones who don’t actually live at Hemlock.

  For about two hours, Jason teaches me the basic chords. I struggle to follow his lead as he effortlessly strums his guitar. He’s a good teacher, but I’m pretty sure that I’m a lost cause.

  “I think I’m gonna get going,” I say, frustrated. “I don’t think I’m cut out to play guitar. Maybe the idea of being your groupie is a better plan.”

  Jason laughs, “No worries. I’m always down for more groupies.”

  I help Jason clean up his room before heading outside. He walks me to my car and opens the door. “Here’s my number if you ever wanna hang out again. No pressure, but I am pretty awesome.”

  I grab the folded paper from his hand. “Eh, that’s debatable,” I respond with a punch to his shoulder. Grabbing a pen from my purse, I scribble my number on the backside of his hand. He smiles at the blue ink, refusing to touch it or smear it in any way. I slide into my car and Jason closes the door behind me.

  “See ya around, buddy,” he says as he backs away and shoves his ink-free hand in his pocket. His woven necklace bounces on his chest as he allows his back to fall against a tree.

  My heart skips just a little bit as I back out of the driveway. I quickly tell it to be quiet as I stare at Jason in the distance, his green eyes squinting in the mid-day sun.

  ***

  Later that evening, my phone vibrates on the nightstand.

  Whatcha’ doin, friend?

  A smile sneaks across my face before I can stop it.

  Nothing. Just sitting here watchin’ a movie.

  I stare at the screen as the three grey dots taunt me.

  Want some company?

  Do I want company? Even if I did, how would I manage to get a boy into my room, unnoticed?

  Parents are home. I respond.

  Parents love me. Jason responds with pure confidence.

  If you have a death wish, then sure.

  A half hour passes and I hear tiny pebbles bang against my window. I glance out in the darkness and see the glare of a cell phone waving toward me. Sliding the window open, Jason quietly strolls over.

  “I lied,” he says. “Parents don’t generally love me. Especially when I’m showing up at their house to see their daughter after dark.”

  I can’t help but laugh at the fear in Jason’s eyes. “So, you thought sneaking in through my window was a better plan?”

  He shrugs his shoulders. “Basically.”

  I roll my eyes. “Fine, just be quiet. My parents are already asleep and I’ll lock the door. Just be ready to get thrown out on your ass if my Dad wakes up.”

  Jason hesitates halfway through the window. “How big is your dad?”

  “About 6 foot and 250 pounds,” I explain.

  He starts to head back out the window when I grab the corner of his sweater. “Oh, don’t be a wuss. It’ll be fine. I think.”

  I pull him in, and he tosses the hood of his sweatshirt up over his head. The motion has me longing for Jasper, but I refuse to acknowledge my emotions and instead focus on the boy who is now walking around my room touching things.

  “Maybe they will think I’m a girl.”

  “Is that your goal?” I ask.

  “Well, if it’ll avoid a beating from your dad, then yeah.”

  “Dream big!” I joke. Grabbing the remote from my nightstand, I take a seat on the floor next to my bed as Jason walks around my room, studying the pictures that line the walls.

  “So, what are you like into horses or something?” he asks.

  Taking offense from his statement, I glare at him with icy eyes. “Yeah,” I hiss.

  He senses my attitude and begins to backpedal. “Horses are cool.”

  I could tell he was lying, but didn’t want to feed into it. I stare at the television, ignoring his progression toward me, and second guessing my choice of inviting him over.

  “So, can I sit down or are you going to bite my head off?” he asks.

  I glare at him. “I guess you’ll have to just try it and find out.”

  “I’ll take my chances,” he declares.

  Jason plops down dangerously close to me. He smells like burning incense and mint. His fiery red hair is medium length, and tiny ringlets of it stick out of the front of his hood. Sitting this closely, I now notice that the numerous freckles from his cheeks also cover the bridge of his nose.

  “Take a picture,” he demands.

  I smack him on the chest. “Shut up!”

  “I mean, I know I’m incredibly handsome and everything, but staring isn’t nice.”

  I roll my eyes and move away.

  “It
’s ok,” he starts, “not everyone can handle being so close to greatness.”

  This kid has got guts. “Yes, you are right. Your intense beauty is why I moved away,” I respond sarcastically.

  “I know, I know.” Jason pretends to throw hair over his shoulder.

  I move from the floor to my bed, throwing a pillow at him. “You know, girls don’t like guys who are assholes.”

  Jason throws the pillow back at me. “No, but they do like guys who are awesome.”

  He slides himself up onto the bed next to me, leaning his back against the wall.

  “So, what is going on with you and Jasper?” he asks. “Do you think you’ll ever get together?”

  I’m surprised by his straightforwardness. “I don’t know. Probably not since he was with Missy again last night.”

  Jason’s mouth drops open. “Why? That girl is gross.”

  “I don’t know. Maybe because she’s willing to put out and I’m not.”

  Jason fiddles with his bracelet. “I doubt it. Jasper always wanted his first time to mean something. He’s had plenty of opportunity to sleep with chicks in the past and shut them down.”

  “So, he really is still a virgin?”

  Jason nods his head, “As far as I know. It’s something that’s pretty important to him.”

  I flip through the channels. “He wanted to sleep with me at your house last night and I turned him down. That’s when he left and went to that other party with Missy.”

  Jason locks eyes with me. “That’s a dickhead move.”

  I let out a sigh and fall over onto my pillow. Jason grabs my legs and lays them over top of his. “Jasper is a good kid, but sometimes he makes really stupid decisions.”

  “Yeah, I should probably just forget about the idea of him and me, right?” I ask.

  “That’s ultimately up to you. I guess a lot of it depends on what he and Missy did last night, if anything.”

  I close my eyes and fight the tears that are starting to form. The idea of Jasper sleeping with Missy is crushing me. How could he do that to me if he had any hopes of us ever being together?

  I lunge back up to a sitting position. “I’m so over him running my life when we aren’t even together,” I complain. “I don’t deserve being treated this way.” I yank my cell phone from my back pocket and begin to text ferociously.