by Kat Cameron
Finding Grayson, because he was so tall, even his broad shoulders stuck out, we strolled through the room until we got to the table. Sitting down, I huffed in exhaustion, or maybe that was just because I was over today’s bullshit. Grayson and Ryder looked up from their food and gave me an inquiring look.
“Hello to you too boys. How is your day going? Great? Fantastic. Mine is just peachy.” I chirped, trying to sound like nothing was bothering me.
Apparently I wasn’t as convincing as I thought because Grayson rumbled across the table, “What the fuck is going on, Malia?”
“Oh, nothing short of running into Ryder’s girlfriend.” I almost cracked a smile when Ryder started to choke on his burger.
“I don’t have a girlfriend, Malia,” he grumbled at me like I did something wrong.
“Well, you might want to inform her of that because she thinks you are sharing me with Asher. Who knows, if she sees me walking around with Grayson in the halls the rumors might evolve into a polyamorous relationship.” I retorted right back at him.
At this point, the guys were looking at me like I had three heads. I guess they weren’t expecting that. Poor Asher. He looked confused, so I quirked an eyebrow his way, silently asking what he was confused about. He started to blush while asking quietly, “What does that mean?” This actually made Grayson turn his lips into a small smile, one that really transformed his face into something that should be in magazines.
“It means we would all be Malia’s boyfriends and she would be our girlfriend. That brings into the whole sharing thing that apparently Ryder’s ‘girlfriend’ thinks is going on with us.” Grayson explained.
I didn’t think that Asher’s cheeks could turn any redder than they already were. I was proven wrong as his blush started to spread. He really was fucking adorable.
“For the last time, Skylar is not my girlfriend!” Ryder yelled and hit the table with his fists.
I got the impression he didn’t mean to, by the look on his face when he realized everyone was staring at him. It just so happened that when Ryder announced this to everyone, Skylar was standing at the door. She gasped so loud everyone heard her, or maybe it was just because the cafeteria was now silent. The look of sadness on her face was gone in a flash and replaced with such a sinister look it freaked me out. Of course, I didn’t let her see that, I never would. Ryder looked at all of us, then started to laugh a deep belly laugh.
“That couldn’t have been more perfectly timed.”
At this point, everyone was back to eating. I just wanted this day to be over with. I finished my food while the guys were talking about football.
When the bell rang for our next class, I got up to throw my trash away. Since our budget was next to nothing, I just had some crackers and a bottle of water.
Ryder grabbed my hand and we were on our way to class, when I got abruptly pulled into a corner under the steps. Ryder put his hands on each side of my head, effectively blocking me out of sight, since his body was so broad.
“Malia, Skylar is not my girlfriend. We hooked up once over the summer and it was a mistake. Probably the biggest I ever made. I am not sure what she is up to, but please just try and stay away from her. She causes trouble wherever she goes and I don’t want that for you.” I think my heart skipped a beat hearing this and I tried to ignore it. The last thing I needed was to get caught up in drama over a guy. He was so close to me, I could feel his breath in my hair while he talked, which gave me a shiver down my spine. I tried to hide it, not wanting him to know the effect he had on me.
Leaning upon the tip of my toes I whispered back, “Don’t worry, there isn’t anything she could find out that could hurt me. Thanks for looking out for me, Ryder.” I gave him a kiss on the cheek and ducked under his arms so we weren’t late.
Leading the way, with Ryder following close behind, I thought about what he said. There was literally nothing that Skylar could find on me that would bother me. Of course, my dad was a drunk, but I dealt with that.
It wasn’t something that I was ashamed of because I knew it wasn’t my fault. There wasn’t a damn thing that would make my dad happy again. He had been like this since my mom left us before I was a year old. Since then he had been doing what he was obligated to, just barely, but that was about it. Now that I was older I basically had to fend for myself. While thinking about this, tears sprung to my eyes. The only thing that really bothered me was the feeling of not being good enough for my dad to just appreciate me, and let us be our own family. We wouldn’t need anyone else, just us two, but this was the course my life was meant to take, I guess.
Finally getting to class, I sat down and just wanted to sleep. I didn’t have the energy to go job hunting after school. My nails dug into my palms, as the frustration that was my life, was getting to me. Ryder sat beside me making it to where nobody else could sit next to me. Somehow, in each of my classes, the guys would make sure I was by a window and sitting next to me. Ryder must have seen it on my face that something was wrong. He grabbed my hand and unfolded my fingers to see the crescent-like shapes from my nails. I really didn’t want to see the look of pity on his face.
When I looked away he whispered my name, and for some reason, I couldn’t resist turning to face him. Instead of pity, I saw a look of determination. What that meant, I wasn’t sure. He laced his fingers with mine and that was how we sat for the rest of the class.
The end of the day was finally here and it was time to find a job. There were always the easy ones, like being a waitress or being a cashier at a grocery center. It isn’t what I wanted, which was to be a nurse and help people. I have applications in my bag from a couple of places that were already filled out and just had to drop them off. Ryder was holding my hand while we were all walking out of school and I didn’t really want to let go. He felt like safety, they all did really.
“So I figured you guys could just drop me off at the park where we met this morning. I have a few things to do before I go home.” I told the guys. “How will you get there?” Asher asked me.
“Don’t worry Ash I have my ways,” I answered, while throwing him a playful wink. For some reason, I felt like I could really open up around Asher and be an actual teen, instead of this person that was just surviving.
“Well, I can drive you if you want. We could have the guys take us to my house and we can go from there. If you are interested in that?” Asher looked at me with bright eyes and I found myself not able to turn him down.
“Alright Ash, I will take you up on that offer. Just this once though. You are still a strange guy, remember?” I snickered at the look on his face and left with the guys to go to Asher’s feeling better than I had earlier in the day.
6.
Peaches and Sunshine
Asher
While on the way to my house, I sat in the back with Malia. Sitting next to her made me nervous. It’s not that I was uncomfortable, she just seemed like a strong-willed woman that could make any man fall to his knees, in her presence. She smelled like peaches and sunshine. I couldn’t really explain it, but I was antsy to get to my house. I hated home. Just like Ryder and Grayson, we all hated going home. Normally, we would go to the park and throw around the football or shoot some hoops. Since I was not going to be staying, I would just run in and drop off my stuff. I was hoping I didn’t run into anyone while I was there.
I lived with my parents, which wasn’t so bad. Also living with us, was my older brother. He was twenty-two and had the whole world in front of him. During one of his college football plays, he got injured and it ruined any shot he had in the NFL, like he planned. Now he was almost always home, with a bottle in hand. My parents dealt with it all the time, but they didn’t realize the shit he put me through, almost as if it was my fault he couldn’t play anymore. Sometimes he used his words, but most of the time it was his fists. I hid the bruises under my clothes but really they were always there, mentally, along with all the shit he said.
When Ryder pulled up at my
house I asked them to hang back and keep Malia in the car. I knew I would have to explain eventually, but hopefully, she would understand. Jogging up to the door, keys in hand, I was ready to unlock the door when it was thrown open with a snarl. My brother Jason was looking at me like I was going to be his punching bag for the moment. Sighing, I pushed past him so Malia wouldn’t see the issues I dealt with.
“Hey, little brother. How was school today?” He asked like he really cared, with a hint of a sneer on his face.
“It was great Jason. Now if you will excuse me, I have something I need to do.” I tried getting up the stairs but I didn’t make it that far before I was slammed into the wall. Trying to catch my breath from the impact, while simultaneously trying to push him off me, was hard. My brother may have always had the bottle at hand but he was no slouch. He was built like Grayson, who was pretty hard to fight, even though I was at the gym all the time.
“Jason, I don’t have time for this. I have shit to do.” I pleaded with him.
“Awe, is Asher begging?” his tone said he was getting a thrill from hurting me. He kept going on and on about the same stupid shit he always did. Some days I felt he wanted to break me so I would be just as broken as he looked. The thing was, I would never give in to his ploys.
His gabbing gave me the distraction I needed to get my shit together. Pushing off the wall with everything I had, he fell backward onto the floor. Looking at him with disgust, I growled, “Do something with your fucking self instead of always picking on me. It isn’t my damn fault this happened to you. Grow the fuck up Jason and stop mooching off mom and dad!”
This was why I was the joker of the group. I hid behind my mask of always being funny and joyous to everyone around. It made me feel better if I could help others feel better about themselves, or at least make them laugh.
Sprinting up the stairs to my room, I tried to hurry up and put everything on my bed, so I could get back to Malia. I really didn’t want her to know about my life. Feeling ashamed and trying to put my mask back in place, I jogged down the steps and out the front door without a second thought.
Malia was out of the car in a heartbeat and wrapped her arms around me. I froze, and for a second I had to clear my throat because it had been so long since I actually felt some kind of love and sincerity from someone. When I got myself together I wrapped my arms around her shoulders, since she was so tiny.
“Hey gorgeous what’s wrong?” I said, with what I hoped was a happy voice.
“Asher, you don’t have to hide anything. I can see it plain as day on your face that something is wrong. I won't pry because I wouldn’t want anyone to be all in my business, but I hope one day you can open up and tell me. That mask that you hide behind, I have one of my own, and I know what it’s like to pretend that everything is okay. Whenever you’re ready, I will be here,” she whispered looking right into my eyes.
At that moment, I knew I wanted this woman in my life, anyway I could have her. She had only been here for a day and she was already getting under my skin.
We said goodbye to the guys and I opened the door to my BMW M4. It was charcoal, with black rims and tinted windows. This car was my baby. Mom and Dad got it for me for my seventeenth birthday and it was everything to me. As I was shutting her door I got a sense of calmness that I always had when I would drive. When I got the car started I asked Malia where we needed to go.
“Well, I need a job, so I just need to hand in these applications. Then you can take me home. I really appreciate this. Thank you,” she said with sparkling eyes and what looked to be embarrassment.
Our first stop was The Blue Star Diner, the local hot spot for the kids to hang out. After that, we headed towards the Inn, which was the local bar, and not a good place to hang around. “So what position are you applying for at the Inn?” I tried asking, nonchalantly.
I was really hoping she didn’t say the bartender position because I knew of the people that went into the bar and they weren’t always pleasant. Sure enough, my worries were confirmed when she told me that was what she was applying for.
She turned her head to look out the window and I didn’t think she was going to answer me. She took a breath and with the most confident look on her face, she said, “It makes the most money and unfortunately, I have to support myself and my Dad. My money goes to almost all of the bills and the food, Asher. If I don’t work, I can’t eat. I will be fine.” I honestly couldn’t even imagine what she went through every day. To have to support yourself at this age when there was a parent in the house. Malia was something else entirely and I planned on being there for her through whatever happened from now on.
Forty-five minutes later, we made a stop to get ice cream before I took Malia home. I chose to get a cone with vanilla and chocolate swirl. Malia got chocolate chip cookie dough on her cone. Unfortunately, I was still thinking about the job she applied for. Most of the time when I got a gut feeling about something it tended to be right. Right now my gut was screaming at me that her taking the bartender job would be bad. I couldn’t seem to shake the feeling either. The feeling just wouldn’t go away.
“Asher, what’s got your face screwed up like that?” Malia asked me with a weird look on her face.
“Oh, uh, nothing. I’m just thinking about a few things.” I answered while eating the rest of my cone, so I didn’t have to say anymore. Normally, I wouldn’t care this much unless it had to do with Ryder or Grayson. Malia was different and I really couldn’t figure out why.
“Asher, if it’s about the job, I’ll be fine. I have been doing this a while. Believe me. I’m used to it.” Malia mumbled with a smile on her face, that was supposed to be reassuring but really, just looked sad.
“I believe you, but that doesn’t mean I won’t worry about you.” I reached over and grabbed her hand so I could comfort her, or myself, I’m not sure. “Since we are done you wanna head home?”
“Yeah, you can take me home. Thanks, Asher, for everything.” Malia looked at me sincerely. Girls usually never look at me like she did.
I was expecting Malia to tell me to drive her to the park, but instead, she gave me her address. She had a look of wariness on her face that immediately made me want to give her a hug. Arriving at the address Malia gave to me, I parked the car in her driveway and got out to open the door for her. When she got out, I walked her to the front door, if you could call it that. Maybe this was why she didn’t want us to come here. Since she had seen my house, she probably felt like an outcast.
Her house was tan with a light blue door, both had chipped paint. Some of the windows were cracked and the yard was overgrown. As we walked up the walkway, I noticed the steps were missing pieces of concrete. Getting to the front door, Malia turned around and looked at me with a mixture of hope and maybe appreciation. Hope, because she didn’t want me to see her differently after this. Appreciation, because I didn’t look back at her with pity. I saw her as a strong-willed, independent woman that could overcome anything.
As we said our goodbyes, I pulled her in for a hug and put my face in her hair to get a smell of her scent, that I was becoming to enjoy so much. If I could just bottle up the peaches and sunshine scent of her, I would be a happy guy.
Pulling back, I held her face in my hands and rubbed her cheekbones with my thumbs, while looking into her beautiful blue eyes and asked, “Can I kiss you Malia?” she didn’t answer, instead, she looked at my lips and kissed me.
It started out light, like she didn’t know whether to be eager or shy. It quickly became apparent to me that I might have a hard time controlling myself around her, when the kiss became heated. My hands found their way into her hair and when she opened her mouth on a gasp, I slipped my tongue in her mouth. I could taste the ice cream from before, which made this even sweeter. Her hands wrapped around my waist and she pulled me closer. We were so wrapped up in our kiss that we didn’t realize the front door opened, until we heard someone clear their throat.
7.
Kidnappe
d
Malia
Hearing my dad clear his throat was like a bucket of ice water got dumped on me. Backing away from Asher and his addictive mouth, while still holding onto his shirt for dear life I whispered, “Thanks for everything Asher. See you tomorrow, yeah?”
The heat in his eyes almost had me begging him to take me home with him.
Asher chuckled, “Yeah gorgeous. Yeah, you will.” I expected him to turn and go back to the car but instead, he cleared his throat and said, “Hi Mr. Williams. I am Asher Benson. Nice to meet you.” He said, while holding his hand out to shake dad’s hand.
It looked like my dad was not having it tonight though, from the way he smiled and sneered at Asher, “Sure kid. Try not sticking your tongue down my daughter’s throat. Malia lets go!”
Trying not to feel ashamed, I took one more look at Asher, mouthed ‘sorry’ to him, and walked inside with my father. These days, I felt like he was getting worse. Constantly drinking was one thing but I felt that he was just getting angry for no reason at all.
“Dad, what the hell was that? I’m eighteen. I can do whatever the hell I want.”
Everything happened in a blur after that. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor and there was a stinging sensation on my cheek. My dad was in my face yelling something along the lines about his house and me being a slut. Feeling wetness on my cheeks, I realized I was crying. I wiped away the tears.
My front door flew open and Asher stood there looking at me with a fury I had never seen from anyone before. Knowing that it wasn’t aimed at me still didn’t help when he came over to pick me up because I flinched. The fight seemed to leave my dad since he just let Asher swoop me into his arms and walk back out the front door.
