Ice: Part I

by Penny Hawking

  Cheryl felt her heart drop and she closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and shook her head. They got through it. They were survivors.

  Peyton opened the door to the room at the end of the hallway and ushered her in. “My room.” He said proudly.

  Ice stepped in slowly as Peyton smiled at her. He turned and closed his bedroom door gently. Without hesitation, he turned the lock and walked to Ice innocently, with his hands behind his back. “So, what do you think?” He whispered in her ear.

  Ice giggled from his soft breath against her ear and looked around. It was spacious, had lots of natural light and smelled nice. It smelled fresh.

  She stepped forward and spun around, it was a beautiful room. The walls were a blue that she’d never seen before. There were nicely arranged drawings and paintings on the wall. He had some jeans and shirts sprawled on the floor.

  Ice smiled. For some reason seeing that, made him seem a little more human. Just a regular teenage boy. Not some god from Mount Olympus.

  The room wasn’t dirty or disorganized. It was lived in. it was homey. She turned and her eyes landed on his bed.

  A king-sized bed. What teenager needed a king size bed?

  It wasn’t made, the covers and sheets were tangled together, there were pillows on the bed and some on the floor.

  Ice smiled again. Such a huge contrast from her own room. In her room everything was always in its rightful place. Everything.

  “What’s so funny?” Peyton asked, having watched her the whole time as she observed his room.

  Ice turned towards him. “I like it. It’s big, messy but somehow clean. Beautiful yet different…it’s…it’s you.”

  “I’m glad you like it.” He grinned, taking off his book bag and tossing it across the room, only to have it land perfectly in the rocking chair. The act was so flawlessly executed, Ice knew it must have been routine for him.

  “Sorry about my mom. She’s…. she’s a mom. You know how that goes.” Peyton rubbed the back of his neck.

  “I think she’s wonderful.” Ice said.

  Peyton looked up at her and raised one eyebrow. “She’s crazy.”

  “She’s gorgeous.” Ice said laughing.

  “So, you’re saying I’m gorgeous?” Peyton teased.

  “What?” Ice asked not sure if she heard right.

  “I have an uncanny resemblance to my mom.” He shrugged. “So, if you think she’s gorgeous, that means you think, I’m gorgeous and honestly Ice, that is such a beautiful thing to say.” He touched his chest. “It got me right here.”

  Ice laughed and looked around his room some more.

  Peyton walked over to his bed and pulled the covers a bit. He noticed a stiff blue washcloth on the floor. Quickly he picked it up and stuffed it in his drawer. He reached over and patted his bed. He picked up some pillows, returning it to the bed. He also grabbed his bunny he’d had since he was born, not knowing when it’d gotten on the floor. It stayed on his nightstand.

  “That’s yours?”

  He quickly put it down in its place and turned around. “It’s nothing. Just baby things my mom won’t let me throw.”

  Ice smiled and skipped over to pick up the bunny. It was beige with one floppy ear, the other ear was shooting straight up. There was s line of stitches. It was missing its nose. It wore a blue vest, had black button eyes.

  Peyton took it from her. “It’s nothing.” He said quickly.

  Ice grabbed it from him and moved back. “Awww it’s so cute. Do you sleep with it?”

  Peyton chuckled and shook his head. “No.”

  “Yeah, you do.” Ice said hugging it.

  “Ice give me back blue.”

  “His name is blue?” she gushed hugging it tighter.

  Peyton laughed and covered his face in embarrassment. “If you tell anybody, I’ll have to kill you.” He warned.

  Ice laughed and handed him back his stuffed rabbit. “I like it a lot.” She used to have stuffed animals. Back when they were in Kansas. Back when life had been normal. She no longer remembered what she had. But she was sure she had a similar bunny herself.

  Peyton sat his rabbit down and turned to Ice. “So…” He smiled and sat on the bed. “What do you want to do?”

  “You told your mom we’re doing homework.” Ice crossed her arms and shook her head in disapproval.

  Peyton laughed. “I’m pretty sure mom knows we’re not doing homework.”

  Ice inhaled and spun slowly around to avoid his gaze. “Oh, so is this what you do?” She asked as she stared at his paintings. “Bring innocent girls into your room under the guise of homework and have sex with them.” She slowly walked away.

  Peyton chuckled. “No that’s not what I do.” He replied. “You’re the first girl I’ve ever brought to my room. I mean apart from my family.”

  “Oh, okay yeah…pretty sure you say that to everybody.” Ice replied seriously, as she admired the paintings.

  “It’s true, ask my mom.” Peyton insisted.

  Ice shrugged. “I don’t care how many girls you’ve brought to your room. These paintings are really nice.”

  Peyton laid on his bed and propped himself up on his elbows. “Mom made them.” He answered watching her examine his room. He kicked off his shoes and full climbed on his bed as he watched her walk over to the picture wall.

  “I’m kind of offended you think my bedroom is just a fuck room.” He spoke up. He grabbed his pillow and placed it under his elbow. “Just because I bring a special girl into my room doesn’t mean I’m going to fuck her.”

  Ice spun around. “Oh, it doesn’t?” she said mockingly.

  Peyton cocked his head to the side and smirked. “Oh, are you talking from experience?”

  Ice stared at him in confusion. “What?”

  “Every time you went into Michael’s room was it just to fuck?”

  “What?” Ice exclaimed her mouth dropping open. “Oh my God!” she shook her head and laughed. “First of all, I’ve never been to Michael’s bedroom.” She chuckled and turned back to admire the picture wall.

  “Yeah right.” Peyton replied sarcastically.

  “I haven’t.” Ice shrugged.

  Peyton sat up on his bed. “Oh, I see, the love happens in your room.”

  Ice laughed again in disbelief. “Michael has never been in my bedroom.”

  The picture wall was amazing. There were so many pictures, drawing, paintings and photos. Ice was in awe. She softly touched a painting of a little 3 or 4-year-old blond girl in a yellow polka dot dress playing with her Barbie. The colors were so vibrant the person so real. She moved to the next, she saw photos of landscapes and next to them were sketches of them. They looked identical. Next, she came across another sketch of a beautiful woman, a six or 7-year-old girl, and what seemed to be a 3-year-old little boy.

  “Why are you bullshitting me Ice?” Peyton grinned. “You don’t want me to get jealous of you fucking your boyfriend? Considerate but unwarranted.”

  Ice shook her head at his ridiculous statement. She came across a painting of a little boy about 12 years staring out of a bedroom window. She would have kept walking, but the painting seemed to captivate her. It was a blond hair boy with grey eyes. The expression on his face was not one that belonged on a kid so young. He had a single tear roll down his cheek. Ice stretched her hand to touch the tear. Her heart broke for the kid.

  She turned around to face Peyton who was now sitting up on his bed, leaning against the headboard casually. “You don’t know anything about me Peyton.” She admitted as she leaned against the wall.

  “You’re right.” Peyton grinned. “So why don’t you enlighten me Iceria----what’s your middle name?”

  Ice smiled. “Aniyah.”

  “Aniyah….” Peyton repeated it slowly as if tasting the word for the first time. “Aniyah…it’s really pretty.”

  Ice nodded. “It was my aunt’s name.” she whispered.

  “Well, Iceria Aniya Johnson, why don’t you enligh
ten me?” Peyton threw his hands up. “Which bedroom do you use to fuck your boyfriend?”

  “I honestly have no idea how we got to this conversation.” Ice shrugged. “So----”

  “Wow, avoiding the answer.” Peyton smirked.

  “What bedroom did you use to sleep with Teresa Pearls?” Ice retorted.

  “Hers.” Peyton answered without missing a beat. He smirked. “I wasn’t lying; you really are the first girl in my room.”

  “And the others?” Ice asked cocking her head.

  “Wow, Iceria Aniyah Johnson is so invested in my sex life.” Peyton remarked shrugging. “Makes me think you want to be a part of it.”

  Ice scoffed as he grinned at her.

  “The others…” He shrugged. “Here, there…. you don’t need a bedroom to fuck.”

  Ice took a deep breath, taking in his nonchalant attitude.

  “I told you I was a whore.” He put a finger up. “A clean whore…protected, in case you’re wondering.”

  “I wasn’t.” she replied.

  He squinted. “Not even a little?”

  She shook her head.

  He put a small distance between his thumb and index finger. “Come on, just a little interested. At least this much…”

  Ice smiled and shook her head.

  “Well…” Peyton slipped out of his bed. “Iceria Aniyah Johnson, you still haven’t answered my question.” He looked her up and down as he made his way towards her.

  Ice stared at her shoes. She smirked and stared up at him. “And why are you so interested in my sex life?” she crossed her arms.

  Peyton stood in front of her and smiled. “Maybe…. because I want to be a part of it.” He whispered. His grey eyes seemed to darken right in front of her.

  She cleared her throat and tried to act as if she was not currently hyperventilating. “I have a boyfriend.” She tugged her earlobe.

  Peyton put his hand out, placing it against the wall right next to her head. He leaned into her, lowered his head and stared at her lips as he talked. “You said that already. But let’s be honest. Neither of us cares about that.”

  He licked his bottom lip and put his other hand up, so she was caged between him and the wall. “Iceria Aniyah Johnson…” He sang her name softly. “Three questions for you. Which room do you fuck your boyfriend?” He asked seriously.

  Ice stared up at him, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

  “Would you like me to fuck you there instead?” He continued.

  She parted her lips unable to silence her loud breathing.

  “And last…what if I became your boyfriend?” His lips brushed against hers. “I’m jealous of him. And I don’t like sharing.”

  Ice closed her eyes, her lips already parted to receive his kiss. He didn’t hold back and neither did Ice. She didn’t know why she couldn’t control herself around him. She didn’t even know what control was. She went from barely getting kissed to sticking her tongue eagerly down this boy’s mouth. She wrapped her arm around his neck as his hands slid down her body. Peyton grabbed her waist and pressed her against his wall with his own body. His mouth moved expertly against hers, taking pleasure that she was so eager, so passionate. Her kisses almost innocent but still so promising.

  Ice dropped her head, breaking the kiss. “I’m a virgin.”

  Peyton chuckled and was about to kiss her again, but she lifted concerned eyes up to him. She bit down on her bottom lip. “The answer is nowhere. Never. I was honest. We’ve never been in each other’s room. And yours is the first guy’s room, I’ve ever been in.” She explained softly.

  Peyton dropped his hands from around her and took a step back. His eyes scanning her face, waiting for her to break out into a smile, or say she was joking. He blinked a couple times, before his lips parted. “What?” his response was breathless, full of doubt and questions.

  Ice stepped away from him and shrugged. “Yeah.” She rubbed her hand nervously.

  Peyton pointed at her. “But you have a boyfriend…”

  Ice smiled. “We’ve established that.” She joked nervously.

  Peyton walked back and carefully sat on the edge of his bed. His brows furrowed in intense concentration.

  She watched him in confusion. She didn’t know what reaction she was expecting from him, but this…. she didn’t think this was it.

  “Is it for religious purposes?” He asked slowly, lifting his head to her.

  Ice shook her head.

  “Oh, thank God.” Peyton sighed heavily and fell back on his bed. “You almost gave me a heart attack.”

  Ice shifted on her other foot, staring at him silently. She didn’t know what else to do. She hadn’t meant to tell him, but she did. And honestly, he seemed to be taking it better than she thought…she actually didn’t know how he was supposed to take it. She stood there awkwardly, feeling anxiety creeping. Where did they go from here? Why wasn’t he saying anything else?

  Peyton finally sat up partially, he rested on his elbows as he looked up at Ice. “So, Michael’s gay.” He stated simply.

  “What?” She chuckled at the absurdity. “No, no, he’s just a gentleman.”

  “Gentleman?” Peyton scoffed. “How long have you been dating?”

  “A year.”

  “A year!” He screeched and sat up. He looked around his room in disbelief. “And you haven’t fucked?”

  “No, we’re waiting until we’re married----“

  “Hold up.” Peyton cut her off and stood up. “Ice---Ice listen---Ice----look at me.” He came in front of her. “DO you know what guys between the ages of 13 and 25 think about 90% of the time?”

  She was going to say no but hesitated and answered. “Sex?”

  “And do you know…” He put his hand out as if to touch her but didn’t. “How…. beautiful and sexy….you are?”

  She didn’t answer but watched as his eyes roamed her body.

  “You’re perfect.” He moaned. “Just…. there is something so….” He exhaled as his eyes met hers. “Captivating about you.”

  “Flattery Peyton.” Ice beamed as she shook her head.

  Peyton laughed. “Flattery is, oh Ice that shirt really brings out your eyes.” He stepped into her bubble. “This is…no straight sexual man, would date you for a year and not fuck your brains out.”

  “Or you’re a pervert.” Ice’s voice came out breathlessly.

  “Or your boyfriend’s gay and you should choose me instead.” He countered.

  She stared at him and was about to joke, when she saw that the teen in front of her was dead serious. She swallowed hard. “It’s complicated.” She mumbled looking away.

  “You love him?”

  “I think.”

  “You think?”

  “I don’t know.” Ice responded. “It’s complicated. We kind of always knew, our family---our family.” She put her hands together. “Our families are very close and….” She trailed off as she watched Peyton cock his head to the side. “I should go.”

  “Uh-uh.” Peyton stopped. His hands on either side of her head, her body trapped between him and the wall. “You don’t get to run.” He smirked. “Not today Ice.”

  She pressed herself against the wall, attempting to put some semblance of distance between them.

  “Do you want to know what I think?” Peyton whispered.

  Ice shook her head. “No.”

  Peyton laughed, bringing his thumb over to gently caress her cheek. He cupped her face. “I really…really have a thing for you.” He stated softly as though it was a new revelation to him. His grey eyes scanned her face. “And I think you really, really have a thing for me too.”

  Ice shook her head again, this time much slower, unable to speak.

  Peyton seemed amused as his forehead lowered to touch hers. “Iceria, I think you just might be the first and last girl in my bedroom.” He purred. “Would you like that?”

  Ice put her hands out and pressed it against his chest, but he barely even budge
d. “You’re a flirt Peyton Stone.” She whispered breathlessly. “You’ll say anything to fuck me.

  Peyton’s mouth dropped open in awe. “Iceria did you just the word fuck casually in a conversation? Without me forcing you to yell it from a tower?”

  She put her hand over her mouth in shock.

  He laughed and brought her hand down. “Oh fuck!”