I would probably try that, but I doubt my boyfriend would ever consider it—even if I had a wedding band on my finger.
“Would you ever let someone spank you?” Wendy giggled when the next question popped on the screen.
“Been there too…” Kristy nodded.
“Did you like it?” Monica tilted her head inquisitively.
“It was fun.” Kristy grinned. “You should try it sometime.”
“Maybe…” Monica looked down at her screen.
I used to think it was hot when I read my grandmother’s dirty books, but after I got a taste of my mother’s hairbrush… I don’t know. I’d probably still try it…
The questions got dirtier as the game continued. I had no interest in winning and doubted I could by that point, but I was mildly curious to see how much of a so-called freak I would be if I answered my questions honestly. Everyone had stopped paying attention to the point totals and how the others in the room were responding. It was the discussion after the questions popped on the screen that everyone seemed to enjoy the most.
The teenage hormones were definitely running wild. We might have been technically adults in the eyes of the law when we turned eighteen, but our immaturity wasn’t immediately purged on our birthday. By the end of the game, I was actually joining in on a few of the discussions—and planning to get a refill on my drink.
“Well…” Val stared at her screen. “Kristy, you are officially the Uber Freak.”
“What can I say?” She shrugged and took a drag from her cigarette. “I’m a little wild.”
“Apparently, I’m not a freak at all.” Monica sighed and stared at her screen.
“It says I’m Somewhat Freaky.” Wendy held up her phone and smiled.
“That’s what I got too.” Val nodded and then turned her head towards me. “What about you?”
“Dirty Freak.” I blinked a couple of times as I realized that I ended up in second place.
“Oh, look at Ms. Quiet-and-Shy over there.” Monica looked at me and laughed.
“Who knew? I thought I was normal.” I put my phone down and lifted Val’s vape pen to my lips.
Maybe I shouldn’t have given so many honest answers. It’s not like Jake is ever going to want to try any of it…
The party seemed to dwindle down once we finished the game. Wendy was getting sleepy, and Kristy was ready to leave. Val looked like she had one drink too many and decided that her chair was where she was going to stay. Monica got down on her hands and knees to look for her Ouija board planchette because she wanted to play around with the board for a few minutes before she crashed. I was just buzzed—but I knew that one more drink was my absolute limit. I went to the kitchen to fix it, and by the time I returned to the living room, Kristy was already gone.
“That wasn’t as bad as I expected.” Val took her vape pen from me as I walked back to my seat.
“Yeah, she seemed to be okay once she got tired of staring daggers at me.” I shrugged and sat down.
“Are you still mad that I made you come?” She raised her eyebrows inquisitively.
“Nah.” I shook my head back and forth. “I had a little bit of fun.”
“Based on your score, I think you’re going to have a lot more fun when you get to college.” She grinned and took a hit from her vape pen. “I hope Jake is ready for you…”
“Yeah, I don’t know about that.” I sipped my drink and laughed. “I kind of zoned out towards the end. I just wanted to finish the game.”
That’s not entirely true, but it’s better than admitting that I really am some sort of Dirty Freak like the score suggested.
Chapter Four
Phoebe
I could feel every mistake from the previous night when I woke up on Saturday morning. I popped some Advil, drank two glasses of Orange Juice, and even ate some toast—I normally skipped breakfast entirely, so even toast was more than I usually consumed in the morning. Wendy seemed to be fine, Monica looked like she had been hit by a train, and Val didn’t even get out of bed until almost noon.
Those of us that were awake helped Monica clean up, and then she drove the trash to a dumpster several miles from home so her parents would see any evidence of our debauchery. I got a text message from my mother that said she was on her way out to do errands, so I decided to go home. I preferred to nurse my mistakes in my own bed if possible—and make tons of promises to my teddy bear about all the things I would never do again. Shortly after I got home, there was a knock at my door, so I stumbled across the house to see who was there.
“Hey…” I opened my door to see Jake on the other side. “What are you doing here?”
He normally sends me a text before he just shows up here…
“I just wanted to talk.” He looked past me. “Is your mom home?”
“No, she is doing some errands. Come on in.” I stepped back from the door so that he could enter. “Is everything okay?”
“It isn’t.” He sighed. “You know that it isn’t.”
“What’s wrong?” I looked at him with concern on my face and felt my stomach twist into a knot.
“I was a jerk yesterday.” He looked down, and another sigh passed across his lips. “I owe you an apology.”
“I know you’re going through a lot right now. I’m not upset.” I stepped into his arms and gave him a hug. “Remember, we just have to make it through the school year, and then we get a fresh start.”
“I’m really looking forward to that.” He squeezed me a little tighter. “I need some space—from my dad and just Penny Grove in general.”
“Not from me, right?” I looked up at him and smiled.
“No, never.” He shook his head quickly. “You plus me forever—that won’t change.”
And just like that, I saw the boy that I fell in love with come out of the angry young man who always seemed to be mad at the world. Jake could be sweet when he wanted to be, and there was so much love in his heart. We just needed to get away from the toxic environment he was in. I didn’t believe his dad was a bad person by any means, but Jake felt like he was, so there was no way for him to get the poison out of his veins until he had some time away. School and football, two things that he always seemed to love, had become mired in one bad play that cost the team the game and an opportunity at the State Championship.
None of that will matter in a year. We just have to hold onto each other until time gives us the life we’ve been dreaming of.
* * *
Monday mornings were always pretty hectic. My mother and I had to run around the house to get ready at the same time, and somehow, we always seemed to get in each other’s way. That was the only day that it was an issue because she had a big meeting every Monday that required her to go into the office an hour early. I was flustered by the time Val picked me up and when she offered me her vape pen, I took it without needing an ounce of peer pressure. I puffed it a few times and gave it back to her. She filled the car with clouds of watermelon vapor all the way to school, and we had to roll the windows down to air it out before we parked.
“Today is going to suck.” I looked over at her and groaned.
“Yeah, Monday’s always do.” She shrugged. “But, we’re one day closer to Friday.”
“It doesn’t feel like it right now.” I sighed and opened the door.
Penny Grove High School had a strict policy against cell phones. We were supposed to keep them in our lockers, which meant the hallways were usually full of students hunched over with their heads in their locker so that they weren’t technically breaking the rules. As soon as I walked in, I noticed that several people were blatantly breaking the rule—they were literally standing in the middle of the hallway gawking at their screens. A few people were even gathered in the corner holding up one cell phone while others stared at it.
Is Principal Davis out sick or something? He normally polices this every morning and hands out detention slips if he sees a cell phone outside of a locker…
I wondered what everyo
ne found so interesting, but I mostly ignored it as I walked to my locker—until I realized that a lot of people were staring at me. Val noticed it too and gave me a perplexed look as we walked through the hallway. A few of them laughed when they lifted their heads and saw us walking down the hall like I was the butt of a joke that nobody bothered to share with me. I tossed my book bag into my locker when I got it open and immediately dug my cell phone out of it. My first thought was Facebook—maybe someone posted a stupid picture or something. I didn’t see anything interesting, but I kept scrolling.
“Oh my god! Phee!” Val jerked on my arm so hard that I nearly hit my head on my locker. “What the hell is this?”
“What?” I blinked in confusion as she held up her phone.
“Are these your answers from the game we played at Monica’s party?” Her face went white.
“Uh…” I felt my heart sink into my stomach. “How is this possible?”
“I don’t know!” She shook her head rapidly.
I stared at her phone in horror as I tried to process what I was seeing. Kristy Sinclair had posted a link on Facebook, which led to a website where all of the questions, along with my answers, were fully revealed. She tagged half the people in my Senior class, and the title of her post was Phoebe Carter — Dirty Freak. My phone number was at the top of the website, along with my login information for the game, and underneath that was my Facebook profile picture. I felt my stomach twisting into a knot, and my head started to spin as my thoughts caught up with what I was looking at.
“Oh god…” I began to tremble. “We have to get her to take this down! I’m going to call her!”
I clutched my cell phone in my hand and bolted for the front door of Penny Grove High School. The laughter echoed from every direction like I was trapped in a nightmare I couldn’t escape. I got outside of the school and immediately dialed Kristy’s number. The phone rang several times and then went to voicemail. I dialed her again, and it didn’t even ring—it just went straight to her voicemail. I felt like I wanted to scream, but I needed to get her to take the post down before I turned into a puddle of anguish and tears. I decided to try and text her. My fingers trembled, but I managed to get the message sent.
Phoebe: Kristy! What did you do? Take that down!
Kristy: Why?
Phoebe: It was supposed to be anonymous! You said it was!
Kristy: I lied.
Phoebe: Why are you doing this to me?
Kristy: I just wanted Jake to see what kind of girl he was with. Since he thinks you’re so much better than me…
Phoebe: That’s what this is about? Seriously!?!
Kristy: Have a nice day, Phee!
I tried to send another text message to Kristy, but by the time I finished typing it, I found out she had blocked my number. I noticed several notifications on Facebook that weren’t there when I arrived at school. I was scared to look at them, but I did it anyway. The answers to my questions were beginning to go viral—at least amongst the students at Penny Grove High School. Kristy didn’t tag me when she put her initial post up, but other students were—they were lighting up my timeline like fireworks in the sky on the Fourth of July.
I have to delete my Facebook account! Oh my god! What if my mom sees this?
My mother wasn’t the only member of my family on my friends list—almost everyone from my mom’s side of the family created a Facebook account when it started getting popular and friended each other. I even had a few people from my dad’s side of the family on my friends list, even though he had never been in my life. Some were cousins I had never met, but I still didn’t want them to see how I answered those questions. I fumbled with my phone until I found the deactivate button and watched as my account disappeared.
Now I have no idea who actually saw it. Damn! I can’t change that—damage control is my only option.
“Hey…” Val opened the door and stepped outside. “I assume you aren’t going to class today?”
“No way!” I shook my head quickly.
“Then I’m going with you.” She dug her vape pen out of her purse and handed it to me. “I kind of have to—I’m your ride.”
“I tried to talk to Kristy, but she won’t take the post down!” I took a drag from Val’s vape pen, even though we were literally standing right outside of our High School. “She said that she wanted Jake to see what kind of girl he’s with!”
He’s obviously seen it by now. I need to find him.
“Kristy is a fucking bitch. We’ve always known that. Someone should have slapped the pretty off her face a long time ago…” Val shook her head angrily. “Are you ready to go?”
“No, not yet.” I handed her the vape pen. “I have to talk to Jake.”
“I haven’t seen him this morning.” Kristy looked down and sighed. “Maybe you should try and talk with him later…”
“I’ll text him.” I started rapidly typing a message.
Jake didn’t respond to my message. I really didn’t want to walk back into the school, but there was no way that I could just take off without trying to find him. I owed him an explanation, and he wasn’t going to get one from anyone else. I didn’t think some petty revenge attempt by his ex-girlfriend—or friend—or whatever she was, would be enough to tear our relationship apart. I would have to make amends and apologize, but I had to find him first. I endured the laughter and ridicule as I walked through the hallway until I found someone that said they saw him headed to the gym. I doubted he was going to the weight room for a workout before school, but he did like to casually shoot hoops in the mornings if he got there early enough.
Is it possible that he hasn’t even seen it yet? I might be able to tell him about it—surely that’s gotta be better than him finding out on his own.
I ran to the gym as fast as possible. I didn’t see anyone inside when I got to the doors, but I pulled them open and walked in anyway. I looked around once I was inside and saw Jake sitting in the bleachers on the right side of the gym. He was all alone—he had his phone in his hand—and the expression on his face told me that he had already seen what Kristy posted. He looked trapped somewhere between just being upset and going into a full-blown rage—I had been around Jake enough to know it would either be one or the other—there was no space in between those two emotional states for him. I wasn’t sure which version of my boyfriend that I was going to get, but I had to talk to him, and I had to keep it together, even if I was dying inside.
“Jake!” I ran to the bleachers. “I know you saw it. Please let me explain!”
“Yeah.” He lifted his head and nodded. “I saw it.”
He isn’t lashing out—maybe that’s a good sign.
“It was just a stupid game we played at Monica’s house!” I shook my head in bewilderment. “I had no idea she was going to put my answers out there for other people to see them! I didn’t even know she could do that!”
“But she did…” Jake’s eyes narrowed.
“Yes!” I nodded quickly. “Jake, I think she still has a thing for you. Look at these text messages she sent me…”
“I don’t want to see them.” Jake pushed my hand away when I offered him my phone.
“Okay...” I felt a lump rising up in my throat, but I swallowed it immediately. “I’m really sorry, Jake. You have to believe me!”
“What are you sorry for?” He started to stand up. “Being a freak?”
“What?” I looked up at him in confusion as he walked down the steps. “I’m not a freak. It was just a game…”
“I’d like to believe that.” Jake stopped and stared at me. “But right now, I really don’t know what to believe—except that you aren’t the person I thought you were.”
“Why? Jake, seriously! It doesn’t mean anything. It was a stupid game!” I took a step towards him and put my hand on his arm. “Please don’t do this…”
“You know, I didn’t even bother to read what Kristy posted. I didn’t have to. By the time I found out it was on her
Facebook page, all of my friends were telling me what a freak my girlfriend was!” Jake’s rage seemed to be coming—it was clear that I was about to get the brunt of his wrath. “They told me you want a guy to pull your hair! That you like to be tied up! That you want to do things so sinful, it makes me want to throw up!”
“Please calm down!” I could feel something inside me breaking—I wasn’t going to be able to hold it together much longer. “Jake, it was stupid! It doesn’t mean anything! I’m not like that!”
“I’m not going to calm down! I’m done with this!” Jake pulled his arm away from me and started walking towards the door. “I thought you were the only good person at this school. Now I realize that was all a lie…”
“It wasn’t!” I ran after him as the tears streamed down my face. “Jake, please! You know me!”
“I thought I did.” He kept walking, but I finally caught up.
“Jake, don’t walk away from me. Don’t walk away from us! We’re so close—so close to leaving Penny Grove and starting over somewhere else!” I dug my nails into his arm.
“No, Phee.” He pulled his arm away. “There is no us—not anymore.”
Whatever was left inside of me simply shattered as Jake walked out of the gym—away from me—away from us. Val found me sitting in the middle of the gym floor, where I had simply collapsed after Jake put a bullet through our relationship. She got me to her car, and we drove around for a while. The world felt like it was spinning too fast for me to keep up. My phone was exploding with messages from people that I knew. Deactivating my Facebook didn’t work. People might not have been able to tag me, but my name was still attached to Kristy’s post when it got shared. There weren’t that many Phoebe Carter’s in Penny Grove. In fact, I was pretty sure that I was the only one.
“What am I going to do?” I look at Val as the tears continued to stream down my face.
“I don’t know, Phee.” She reached over and squeezed my hand. “Let’s go to my house. My parents won’t be there.”
My Ex Boyfriend’s Daddy Page 3
