by Mina Thorne
I did my best to ignore him, but there was something particularly annoying about such a pathetic little dudebro trying to be tough with me.
Like he mattered.
What a fucking joke.
I kept my head and listened to the teacher while imagining how my life would have been if I’d stayed in high school here.
And I tried to imagine what it would have been like if I’d ever gotten my biggest wish back then, dating Josh.
I shuddered to think of his lips on mine or that time I’d gotten the nickname when I’d given him a blow job. How strange and immature I’d been back then, so desperate for approval and needing to feel like I fit in.
Now I knew I didn’t fit in here in California, and I was grateful because of it.
I couldn’t fathom even wanting to fit in anymore. I wasn’t like these people, and their opinions no longer mattered to me.
The class ended quickly enough, and I was on to the next one.
And just like that, I was back to the grind and in the routine.
And none of it felt like home to me.
None of it felt like I should be here.
Chapter 77
The first week went by with me trying to avoid Josh and Tyrell, hanging out with Maddy and Brie, and video chatting with Barrett, Rome, and Whitt every chance I got.
Mom and Reg were their old selves, always fussing over where I was going or who I was going with. But now it was ramped up even more. They were worried that Becca was going to somehow figure out where we lived and stalk me to the West Coast.
I didn’t think she would. I assumed she was holed up somewhere waiting for her parents to cough up enough cash for her to flee the country. I was dying to get out with my friends, though, I was so tired of feeling like a prisoner in my own home.
“Maddy and Brie want me to go see a movie tonight,” I said over dinner with Mom and Reg. “I was hoping I could go. I’m getting a little stir crazy.”
“I don’t know, Stephanie,” Reg said and leaned back on their sofa with his arm across the back around Mom. “The whole point of you being here is to keep you safe.”
“It’s just the movies,” I replied.
“We all know how well that worked out the last time you went to the movies,” Mom said with a frown. “How can we be sure you’re even going to the theater this time?”
“Because I’m not an immature liar anymore,” I said. “A lot has happened since I’ve been gone and I don’t have the need to lie to you guys now.”
“What’s changed?” Reg asked and raised his eyebrows.
“She met somebody,” Mom said. “She thinks she’s all grown up because she’s in love.”
“I met three somebodies, Mom,” I said. “Don’t be afraid to let Reg know. Reg, I’m dating three different boys.”
“One of whom is Elaine’s son, so basically her stepbrother,” Mom said with a sharp edge to her voice, and it went up several octaves. “Well, all righty then,” Reg said with a startled voice. “All righty.”
“He’s obviously uncomfortable with it,” I told her. “Why bring it up like that?”
“It’s true, though, right?” Mom said.
“It doesn’t matter,” Reg said, drawing in a long breath and sitting upright. “Just go out with Maddy and Brie and have fun at the movies.”
“Reg!” Mom snapped.
“Hey, at least there are two girls and not three boys,” Reg said and grinned at Mom.
“Reg!” she said even louder. “Seriously!”
I made eye contact with Reg. He nodded at me and waved for me to leave. He put his arm around Mom and pulled her down into his embrace, and I left them to their usual spot in front of weekend TV.
I used to be derisive of their affection for each other, but now I thought it was sweet. Seeing Dad and Elaine’s toxic, horrible relationship had done a lot to open my eyes.
Falling in love with Barrett, Whitt, and Rome was even more of an eye-opener. I would have done anything at that moment to have them by my side, cuddled on the sofa while we watched boring TV. Something that had once seemed so mundane was now my squad goals.
“I’ll be home by eleven,” I said on my way out. Mom barely even noticed me as she cuddled with Reg. I smiled in appreciation at him. He nodded knowingly and turned to say something to Mom.
I practically skipped down my front steps and found Maddy waiting for me. Her cute little car that had seemed so luxurious and out of my reach before Harrisburg was now just an average vehicle.
“Hey, bitch, get in!” Maddy called out and leaned towards the passenger door. She opened it, and I pulled it wider before I climbed inside.
“Holy fuck, that was too much this week,” I said and pulled my seatbelt across myself. “It was like living in the world’s most boring prison.”
“Do they have you on total lockdown?” Maddy asked and slammed the pedal to the metal as she screeched out the driveway and down the street.
I didn’t care how fast she went. I was just excited to be out from under their thumbs.
“They had me on such lockdown I was thinking of asking you to bake me a file in a cake,” I laughed. “I can’t wait for the movies, I’ve been waiting to see this one for a while but never seem to get out in Harrisburg.”
“Oh, we’re not going to the movies,” Maddy laughed maniacally and turned down Brie’s street. “We’re going to a party at Chloe Reimer’s place. It’s not huge, but it will be fun. And I’ll even DD it so I can get you home for curfew.”
“DD it?” I asked.
“Designated driver. I won’t drink tonight so you can,” she grinned.
She pulled up in front of Brie’s house and hit the horn. It was once again strange to be in front of a massive house that I’d once envied like crazy, but it was basically the size of our guest house back home. How my perspective had changed in the time I’d been away, it was crazy.
“Uh, I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” I said. “I’m not sure I should take that chance. What if Mom and Reg find out? I’ll be chained to the wall every night and all weekend.”
Brie came dashing out the door in a micro mini skirt and a crop top that left nothing to the imagination. She looked amazing, though. She had the confidence to pull off what would have looked awkward on me.
“You can’t put your life on hold just because you’re here,” Maddy said and turned to watch Brie climb in the back seat. “Right, Brie?”
“Right!” Brie agreed with enthusiasm and then screwed up her face. “Wait, what am I agreeing to here?”
“That Stephanie needs to go to Chloe’s party,” Maddy said. “That she’s too boring just sitting around with her mom and Reg.”
“Ohhhh Reg,” Brie said and pursed her bright red lips into a perfect O. “Hot daddy Reg. How’s he looking these days? Still fine and fuckable?”
“Oh yeah,” Maddy said and nodded. “We saw him at Whole Foods last week, and he bent down to pick up some rice from the lower shelf. That ass is all I’m saying.”
“Gross, you two!” I shrieked. “Just gross, gross, gross!”
“We’ll keep mouth fucking Reg if you don’t agree to the party,” Brie said. “In fact, I wouldn’t mind putting my mouth around his thick—”
“FINE!” I yelled to drown out what she was about to say about my stepdad. God forbid these girls ever saw my real dad and talk about him that way. I might actually puke. “I’ll go if you stop talking like that.”
“Excellent work, Brie,” Maddy laughed as she drove through the streets. “At least we won’t have to sit through that rom-com again.”
Since it was a sober night, much to Brie’s complaining, we drove right to the party.
I no longer felt nervous, I didn’t feel sick to my stomach when we pulled up, and nothing about the house or the cars in front impressed me like they once had.
I’d become jaded, perhaps, or maybe spoiled was more like it.
“Are you excited to see everybody?” Maddy asked whe
n we got out of the car. “You haven’t been to a party here since…well, you know. The night the video was made.”
I groaned. “Oh god, don’t remind me.”
“Well, I’m sure everyone here has forgotten all about it,” Brie said and draped her hand over my shoulder.
We walked into the party, and she was right. Nobody said a thing about that night or the video. They gathered around me and asked about Becca again, and what had happened and how I’d survived.
We danced and listened to music and bullshitted with almost every single person at the party. Well before ten, and way, way before the time we were supposed to head home, I walked around the back of the house to find the girls.
They’d been hanging out with a couple guys from a rival school, and I wanted to hang out with the group again. I’d been talking to some girls I’d known my entire life but was getting close to wanting to go home.
I missed my guys and had to talk to Whitt. He was supposed to be getting home from the hospital in the morning and thought I’d cheer him up with a little video chat phone sex.
I wasn’t paying attention and had my head down when I heard somebody say, “Hey BJ Queen, come suck my dick.”
I looked up and saw Josh standing in the hallway with Tyrell next to him.
They were snickering and elbowing each other, and I wanted nothing more than to smack them right in the face.
Chapter 78
“Get out of my way, losers,” I snapped and made to push past the two of them.
They kept yapping to me about getting a blowjob or taking both of them on, but I just walked away.
When I ignored them, Tyrell said, “Fucking prude. You’re probably still a virgin, cocksucker.”
If only they knew about my sexual explorations or the fact that I was seeing three guys at the same time.
I found my friends and said, “I know I’m boring, but I need to get home.”
“You still have almost an hour,” Brie whined. “Stay, it will be fun, I promise.”
She was hanging off the shoulder of one guy and holding the hand of another. I hadn’t realized she was into two of them, but I had to admit I was impressed. She’d always been into threesomes and was sexually adventurous, but now that I had my three guys, I could understand her motivations a little more.
Sometimes you just didn’t feel like deciding.
And sometimes you just fell hard for more than one guy at a time.
I wasn’t going to put myself through heartache just to please some societal preconception of what a relationship should look like.
“I want to talk to my boyfriends,” I said and looked around. I found Maddy and waved her over.
“Did you say boyfriends? Are you serious about that? I thought you were joking about dating three hot hunks of man-flesh at the same time,”
“Nope, not joking at all,” I laughed. “Three of them.”
“Damn, Steph,” Brie said with a proud smile. “Looks like you picked up a thing or two from hanging out with me after all.”
“You definitely gave me the confidence to love them all,” I said.
Maddy showed up and said, “Confidence? Them all? Are we talking about those hot guys you’ve sent me pics of? You have expanded your horizons. I’m proud of you, my shy little friend.”
“Speaking of which, I want to go home,” I said and held up my phone. “I want to message with them. Especially Whitt.”
“He’s the one who saved your skank ass?” Brie asked.
“Yeah, he’s going home from the hospital tomorrow,” I said.
“Okay, we can get you home,” Maddy said. “I’ll only do it for the guy who saved my friend though.”
We hopped into Maddy’s car and headed back through the streets towards my place although I guess it was more Mom and Reg’s place because it didn’t really feel like mine anymore.
They dropped me off outside. I leaned in and said, “Have fun tonight. Maybe you can drink and Uber it home later.”
“How did you know we were going back?” Brie asked as she scrambled into the front seat.
“Come on. I saw the guys you were after. I’d go back for them too.”
I smiled and waved as they drove away.
I wished I still wanted to be with them, to party and have no cares in the world. But I would rather video chat with Whitt or dirty text with Rome and Barrett than be out with people I didn’t care about.
I went through the front doors and surprised Mom and Reg by walking into the living room and flopping into one of the big, comfortable chairs.
“What are you watching?” I asked and grabbed a bowl of potato chips off the coffee table.
“Why are you home?” Mom asked with a startled expression.
“You want me to leave again?” I asked with a grin and popped a chip in my mouth and crunched it.
“No, I’m just curious. Are you okay?” she asked.
“I’m good. I didn’t feel like being out tonight,” I replied.
“Were you at the movies?” Reg asked.
“No, they took me to a party,” I said. “We didn’t want to drink, and I was boring. I felt like curling up under the covers and texting some people back home, I guess.”
“Are you depressed?” Mom asked and frowned.
“No. I’m just… I don’t know, not exactly depressed but not into partying. It’s not a big deal.”
I stood up, set the chips down, and said, “I’m off to bed now. Enjoy your show.”
As I walked away, I heard the concern in Mom’s voice as she spoke to Reg. That was parenting for you, one moment you’re upset because your daughter is going out for the night, and the next moment you’re upset because she came home too early.
I got into my room, stripped down and pulled on my PJs before I messaged Whitt.
“You up?” I wrote.
The moment I saw that he had read it, I got an incoming video call. “Hey, babe,” he said with a grin when I accepted it. He was reclining on his hospital bed and looked so much better than he had when I left him.
“Whitt!” I said and laughed. “Fuck, I miss you so much.”
“Same here,” he said. “I can’t believe you’re so far away right now. When are you coming back?”
“The day I turn eighteen,” I replied. “So January eleventh.”
“Sweet. I might have to fly out and see you before then. I’m so fucking horny.”
“Are you still hooked up to the monitors?” I asked.
“No, thank god. At least I can jerk off without twenty nurses thinking I need CPR.”
“I guess if they’re hot, it might not be so bad to have them grabbing at you. It might help finish you off,” I laughed.
“It wouldn’t matter if they were hot, which they’re not by the way. You’re the only one for me, babe,” he said and closed his eyes. “Man, I can almost imagine you here right now with me.”
“What can you imagine?” I asked with a breathy voice. Just seeing him like that was so erotic. His eyes were closed, and the way he was lying in bed reminded me of how he looked when he came. I wanted to see him come.
“I can imagine your lips wrapped around my dick,” he said, and his hand dropped lower. He held the phone in one, and I could tell he started to touch himself with the other.
“I would love to suck you off right now,” I exhaled. “I can almost taste you.”
“Oh babe,” he said, and he moved a little faster. He opened his eyes then, and I began to heat up to match the desire flaming in them. “I would give anything to have you here, riding my dick, sucking my cock. Fuck.”
“Can I see it?” I asked, feeling daring and excited at the prospect.
“You want a dick pic?”
“No, now. I want to see it live.”
He gave me a lopsided grin, and the view on the phone blurred as he lifted the thin hospital cover and showed me what was underneath.
He had a firm grip on his beautiful dick. It was throbbing, hard, veiny, and utt
erly drool-worthy.
I wanted it so bad just then that I groaned and couldn’t help myself. I dropped my hand to my aching pussy and began to slip my finger across my clit as I watched him slide his hand up and down his shaft.
We didn’t speak during that time, but I could hear his ragged breathing increase in time as it matched my own. I groaned a couple of times, and I couldn’t contain myself. But I didn’t cry out; I needed him inside of me to bring forth that kind of emotional explosion when I came.
But I did come, I came twice. Once on my own as I focused on his incredible dick and remembered how it felt when I first kissed him at that awful party in Harrisburg, and how he felt when he was buried deep inside of me.
And then I came when he did. There was something so sexy about his cum spurting out the end of his dick that I couldn’t help myself. I came again, imagining a time when I could let him fill me up. When I could feel it hot like liquid fire dripping from me when we were done.
“Oh god,” I did exclaim that time, and I stiffened up to let the orgasm flow across me.
“Babe,” Whitt exhaled in a low, thick voice. “Steph…”
And we were done, he pulled the phone back up to his face, and I loved the slight sheen of sweat that dotted his forehead. I realized he’d been in the hospital long enough that even the exertion of masturbating for me probably wore him out.
“I can’t wait to see you for real,” I said and brought my fingers to my mouth to lick them slowly. “I’ll bet you’d like a taste of this right about now.”
“Oh god, Steph,” he groaned as if in pain. “You have no fucking idea.”
We directed the conversation in a less sexual direction after that, but I couldn’t stop thinking about how sexy Whitt was when he came.
And how much I craved having his arms around me and his lips against my ear, whispering words of love and desire.
I didn’t know how I was going to last until my eighteen birthday.
