by R. S Burnett
“Where did you go and what happened to you both?” Matt asks.
“I got tickets to watch a fight”
“Were you both in the fight?” he asks looking pointedly at the cuts on our faces.
“Umm not exactly …” I glance at Sophie wondering how we explain it but she just busts out laughing taking me along with her.
“Ah don’t it hurts” she gasps holding her head.
Tucker clears his throat and I look up to see Matt watching us unimpressed.
“Okay, so a few guys I know gave me tickets to go watch a fight in the next town over, after the fight we went back to the house party and things got … out of hand and we all drank a bit much and passed out” I tell him skipping a few details.
“The cuts?” Matt prompts.
“We woke up in a bush outside the house … two hours ago” Sophie grumbles.
Tucker bursts out laughing and Matt gives Sophie the best disapproving look I have even seen but I’m surprised when she doesn’t cower away like I would have.
“Why didn’t you invite me?” Tucker asks when his laughter is slightly under control but not completely.
“You wouldn’t have liked it” I tell him but Sophie snorts.
“If we’re going to be doing this friends thing Brooke, you need to invite me to things like this, you can’t leave me out” he pouts at me.
“You didn’t look like this when I left you last night” Jason notes slipping into the seat next to me, cutting off my reply to Tucker.
“I went out after” I tell him smiling at seeing him again so soon.
“What? Didn’t enjoy your self enough with me?” he asks pretending to look wounded.
“No I had a great time” I assure him when he puts his arm around the back of my chair.
* * *
Over the next three weeks I see Jason every night and it is going good apart from all the gossip about Tucker and I having an affair. I have no idea where the rumours are coming from because I’ve hardly seen him apart from at lunch and a few times he’s spent time in our room with Matt and Sophie.
“I heard you’re boyfriend stayed over Megan’s last night”
I look over at Cassie who’s sitting behind me. I heard the rumour as well and Jason hasn’t turned up to any classes yet today so I haven’t had his reassurances about it.
“Good for them” I shrug, not showing how it bothers me.
“You’re going to let him get away with it?” she asks raising an eyebrow.
I open my mouth to reply but she cuts me off “Oh yeah that’s right, you’re playing away too” she smirks.
I see Tucker out of the corner of my eye as he sits in Jason’s empty seat “What you talking about?” He asks me looking back at Cassie.
“All the mind blowing, sweaty, wild sex that me and you have every night” I make a point of sighing and turning to face him “We should really try and keep it a secret.” I roll my eyes when I hear Cassie gasp.
“Want me to move?” he asks starting to stand up from the seat next to me.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m sure we can keep our hands off each other for a whole hour”
“Brooke…” he shakes his head at me letting me know that he isn’t going to play my game. Okay so maybe I get a little carried away when the rumours are brought to my attention but considering no one has any proof of what’s supposedly happening behind closed doors, they are all quick to believe it.
“They’re going to say it anyway as long as we are in the same room, we don’t even have to be sat next to each other Tucker” I grumble.
“Lovers tiff?” Cassie asks and we both turn to look at her “Is it the ‘did you come’ argument?” she smirks at Tucker.
“Honey, if a guy has to ask ‘did you come?’ after sex you should be worried. First of all because you obviously didn’t fake it good enough if you couldn’t fool him and second of all, what the hell were you thinking getting it on with him in the first place, he clearly doesn’t know what he’s doing”
She narrows her eyes at me and Tucker snorts but I turn my attention back to the front of the class as the lecture starts wondering if the rumours about Jason are true or not.
Chapter Three
“What do you want?” Tucker groans when he finally answers his door.
“Come on. Get dressed!” I push passed him and turn the coffee machine on to make up two cups to take with us.
“Hey Matt” I grin at him when he walks out from the bathroom in just a towel.
“Good morning” He sings back to me just as cheerful.
“Don’t talk to her she’s evil” We both turn to see Tucker pulling a pillow over his head grumbling about death threats.
I walk over to his bed and pull the blankets off him.
“Get up!” I say in my best soldier impression.
“Why?” he moans back pathetically.
“We’re going out” I go back into the kitchen area and fill the two cups plus a normal mug for Matt.
“I hate you.” Comes from the bed.
“Well I guess that I’ll just take Matt instead then” I wink at Matt and he grins at me
“Where are we going Brooke?” he asks playing along, of course he already knows the plan because when I told Sophie I had the tickets she convinced me to take Tucker.
“It was supposed to be a surprise … I’d invite both of you but I only have two tickets and I thought with Tucker being such a fan that he would enjoy it but if he wants to stay in bed instead of going to see Heaven’s Devil’s then I guess you can take his place”
At the sound of Tuckers favourite band being mentioned he flies across the room and pushes Matt out of the way to grab both my arms looking me straight in the eyes.
“Tell me now. Are you lying?”
I shake my head and gesture with my head to the table where I put the two tickets when I came in.
“Oh my god I think I love you!” he shouts making me wince and then he kisses me.
“I take it you want to come with me?” I ask smiling.
“Definitely” He grins
“Only if you promise not to do that again”
“Are you serious? I could fuck you ten times over for this” he says seriously.
“Umm … Matt are you sure Sophie doesn’t want to come with me? It’s not too late for her to change her mind” I ask Matt pleadingly.
“You were going to take Sophie before me?” Tucker asks looking offended.
“Of course, she’s my best friend and I didn’t even know you liked the band, she’s the one who convinced me to take you, it took some doing by the way but she said you would kill me if I took her and not you” I roll my eyes at how dramatic it all was.
“Damn straight I would have!”
“Tell him the rest” Matt smirks at me obviously enjoying Tuckers reaction.
“I’m not sure” I say nervously trying to get out of Tuckers grip that has just tightened.
“What else?” he asks looking back and forth between me and Matt.
“The concert is tonight, we’re staying in a hotel and then Sophie and Matt are joining us tomorrow” I try again to get out of his grip.
“Why? What’s happening tomorrow?” he asks narrowing his eyes at me.
“Ummm well I know the drummers fiancé and they are having a joint hen/stag night tomorrow, I got the three of you invited with me” I close my eyes tightly when I say it but to my surprise Tucker lets me go.
“Tuck …” Matt frowns watching him walk around the room.
“Are you okay? Do you not want to go?” I ask him nervously.
“I’m thinking” he waves a hand dismissively at us so we both sit down at the table and I pour myself a coffee to drink while I wait.
“I told you this was a bad idea” I tell Matt.
“He’ll be fine, just give him a minute” he assures me “Do you know what we’ll be doing tomorrow night?”
“I’m not sure, there’s a few clubs we’ll be going to
but most likely we’ll end up at a house party to be honest. That’s what has happened when Sophie and I have gone in the past”
“You’ve been out with them before?” Matt asks me surprised.
“Yeah I …” I’m cut off by my phone ringing.
“Hello?”
“How’d he take it?” Sophie asks excitedly.
“Umm well he’s pacing” I answer watching Tucker still silently walking around the room.
“Have you told him where you are taking him after the concert?” she asks laughing.
“Not yet no, I’m thinking that’s not such a good idea” I say quietly so he wont here me.
“You have to do it; just don’t mention it until you get there. Can I speak to Matt please?” she asks still laughing. I hand the phone over to Matt and stand up to sort Tucker out.
“We really have to leave if you’re coming” I say stopping him with my hand on his arm. He just nods at me and starts getting ready.
“Is he ever going to talk again?” I ask Matt once he’s hung up the phone; he just shrugs at me smiling.
Half an hour later I finally get Tucker into my car, he still hasn’t said a word to me. I settle in for a silent journey really wishing I had just surprised Sophie instead of telling her so she had time to change my plans.
“Does Jason know?” he finally breaks the silence an hour later.
I look over at him and he’s looking out the window, “Does Jason know what?” I ask frowning.
“That you’re going with me?” he turns to me expectantly.
“Umm ... no, he thinks a few of us are just going out of town for the weekend” I tell him honestly.
“You lied to him?” he asks turning back to the window.
“No, Sophie did, I was going to tell him but she said not to, with all the rumours and everything already, she said it would just make it worse”
“Sorry, I don’t want to put you in an awkward position”
“You’re not. He shouldn’t believe the rumours anyway, it’s not as if he doesn’t expect me not to listen to the rumours about him. Why should it be one rule for him and another for me?”
“What do you mean?” he asks turning back to me again.
“Some people have been saying that he’s sleeping with a few girls behind my back, he denies it”
“I heard about that” Tucker admits sighing “Don’t think that I’m not grateful because I am, more than you know. I just don’t want to make it harder for you around the uni”
“Forget about them, let’s just have a good time okay” I pat his leg to reassure him and he seems to accept it because he grabs my hand and doesn’t let it go for the rest of the drive.
* * *
If I ever doubted my decision to bring anyone but Tucker this weekend then I take it back now. He has been the best company; he’s been enthusiastic about everything. He walked around sightseeing with me all afternoon, we checked into the hotel – separate rooms – and we had a lovely dinner together in a quiet pub before hitting the show. He was energetic, laughing and cheering with the crowd, signing along and even lifted me onto his shoulders at one point. When I took him backstage to meet the band he was polite and funny, they all loved him. He waited while I caught up with the girlfriends that I have known since I can remember and then even suggested an early night but didn’t complain when I told him I had plans. We went to a pub first that Sophie and I had been to before and we got a little drunk but then he really started to enjoy himself when I took him to the club that Sophie and I stumbled upon accidentally the last time we were here.
“Are you kidding me?” he asks letting his eyes take in everything around him. I shake my head at him and watch the entertainment from the doorway before we make our way to the bar. There are girls in nothing but tiny thongs and g-strings dancing in various places around the club, some on the bar, a few on random tables and one in each corner of the room up by the ceiling on a platform.
I only stay for an hour and when Tucker is looking settled, surrounded by women I tell him I’m heading back to the hotel but that he should stay, he’s reluctant at first but I convince him to enjoy himself. I head back happy that he’s enjoyed himself as much as Sophie and Matt told me he would.
* * *
I’m woken up someone knocking on my hotel room door.
“Good morning” Sophie sings happily pushing passed me into the room.
“Morning” I rasp, I guess I lost my voice lat night.
“How was it?” she asks excitedly bouncing on my bed.
“She’s a little excited” Matt notes coming into the room.
“It went fine” I nod at her and collapse back on the bed “God, I’m knackered, what’s the time?”
“Eleven, where’s Tucker?” she asks getting up from the bed and gathering some clothes for me.
“I left him at the club last night. What are you doing?” I lift myself up onto one elbow and watch as she starts flinging clothes at me.
“Get dressed; we’re taking you to breakfast”
“Fine” I drag myself into the bathroom to get dressed.
“I’ll text Tucker then if he wants to join us he can but if not he can stay sleeping” Matt says as we head down to a pub on the beach front.
“I didn’t get in until two, I have no idea how long I’m going to last tonight” I tell them ordering my coffee and a big breakfast.
“Well you better make sure you’re going to last because I want to have the best night ever tonight!” Sophie says squealing a little.
“Uh … we saw Jason before we left this morning, we tried ducking him but he caught us loading the car” Matt tells me looking sympathetic.
“I better ring him them” I sigh and walk out the back dreading the phone call.
“Hi” I say softly into the phone once he’s answer.
“Having fun?” I can’t detect his mood, he’s controlling his voice perfectly.
“Yeah, it’s been fun so far”
“So I bumped into Matt and Sophie this morning” straight to the point.
“Yeah they came down this morning, we’re heading to a hen/stag tonight”
“So it was just you and Tucker last night?”
“Yeah…”
“Did you sleep with him?”
I stare at my phone for a second.
“What? No of course not, I didn’t even go back to the hotel at the same time as him”
“I think we need to have a talk when you get back Brooke” I can hear him sigh into the phone and wonder if he’s going to break up with me when I get back.
“Okay” I bit my lip not sure if I should be worried or not. I do like him but he’s been pressuring me lately and believing the rumours over me, I know this weekend probably hasn’t helped but I should be able to go with my friends.
He hangs up on me without saying goodbye so I scroll through my messages but I don’t have anything important that needs replying to.
“Can I have an orange juice please?” I look around the bar and watch as people come in obviously hung over and all settle in to the tables laughing and talking about the night before.
“What did he say?” Sophie asks sliding up next to me at the bar.
“He asked if I slept with Tucker last night”
“Again?” she sounds just as bored as I am with this whole thing.
“Yeap. He also said we need a talk when I get back tomorrow. I can just imagine all the rumours that are going around already. It’s killing me Soph, I can’t do anything anymore. It was so much easier when no one noticed me”
“Don’t let them get you down”
“I’ve been trying not to, but now, I just think I need a break from it all, being here and not knowing anyone not having to hear my name being whispered when I walk past someone it’s like heaven”
“Come on lets go join the boys, Tucker came while you were outside”
We walk back to the table just as our food is being served.
“Are you
going to eat all that?” Matt asks staring at my plate overflowing with sausages, eggs, bacon, mushrooms and beans.
“Nope” I shake my head and on cue Tucker grabs one of my sausages.
“Now I understand, what would you have done if he didn’t come?” Matt asks
“He would have, you mention food” I slap Tuckers hand away when he reaches for my coffee “Don’t touch, get your own” I practically growl at him but he just pouts.
“What are we doing today then?” Matt asks tucking in to his own breakfast.
“I was actually going to for a walk or something if you lot think you can entertain yourselves for a few hours?” I catch Sophie’s eye and she winks at me.
“Sure we can” she smiles to the boys.
“What did Jason say” Matt asks me grimacing.
“Nothing really, just asked if I was having fun and he wants to meet up when I get back tomorrow” I answer looking back down at my food pushing it around no longer hungry.
“I’m really sorry Brooke, we did try to avoid him” Matt apologises.
“Don’t worry about it” I mutter pushing the whole plate to Tucker now “I’m not hungry”
My phone beeps cutting off any further questions from anyone but I’m not expecting the message.
Jason: You refuse to stay over night with me, won’t even let me touch you but yet you spend a whole weekend with the person everyone thinks you’re having sex with behind my back. Explanation time when you get back.
I’m sure what the correct reply would be to that. I could reply that he should trust me but then we haven’t together any longer than a month, is that long enough to trust someone. Well he obviously thinks so if he wants me to have sex with him. Am I willing to trust him, if I say yes to sleeping with him he will be discovering more than one of my secrets.
“Everything okay” I look up at Sophie and notice everyone at the table is staring at me and I’m frowning. I smooth my features and cock my head at her.
