by Rae Hachton
I retrieved my bike from the garage, locked up the house, and rode down to the lake. Gunner, my neighbor who lived across the street from me since I was eight, was already at the lake. He'd been there since ten this morning. I'd tried to leave six times. For a woman who worked twelve hour shifts, sometimes longer, you would've thought she would've passed out and I could've made an escape. Nope. At sixteen, I was already counting down the days until my eighteenth birthday. I'd for sure be moving out just as soon as I graduated. No way could I live like this. I'd end up being a bitter old fat lady with a thousand cats and she'd eat food all day because she's been deprived her whole life. The horror. I'd also die a virgin. I had nightmares about it. Nightmares. Girls from normal functioning homes grew up to be those sweet old women who smile all the time, who have nice hair and nice clothes, who bake cookies for their grandchildren. I was going to be the bitter old fat virgin cat lady with ratty hair. I was thinking about this at the same time a car almost plowed right into me.
I'd been riding my bike without using the handle bars because I was trying to pin back my hair to keep it from whipping me in the face. I fell over and hit the concrete, scraping my elbows and knees. My head barely missed the impact against the ground. I glanced up at the oncoming car. I wanted to yell stop! But all the air had been knocked out of my lungs. At the last second, whoever was driving the car, braked, missing me by only a few inches. My heart almost beat right out of my chest. My knees and elbows throbbed where I'd been nicked. The fire spread throughout my whole body. Everyone in the picnic area at the lake front was staring at me. I was sure of it.
I wanted to see the asshole who was driving that car. He was driving too fast! I wanted to fly up and punch whoever it was in the face. I couldn't see anything clearly. My glasses were laying somewhere beside me, hopefully. I patted the area around me, searching for them with my fingertips. Finding them, I placed them back on my face. Thank God, they weren't cracked.
The car door slowly opened and a pair of sandled feet touched the ground. My gaze traveled up the masculine legs to find Kaleb Scheffler standing there. No shirt. Honey tan skin. My eyes slid over every ab and stopped at the waistband of his black swimming shorts, unable to travel any further. Only in my mind.
His hair was ruffled back. Sexy. The word I was looking for was sexy. It was the only word that came to mind when I thought about him.
And I thought my heart was racing fast from the near car and body collision? Now it was doubly beating. Nevermind that he'd almost killed me. Okay, so maybe that was an exaggeration. I was only mildly injured.
His eyes landed directly on me. Only Kaleb had the power to accelerate my heart back to back and knock the breath out of me twice in the same moment, on the same day.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“No, asshole. You could've killed me!”
He glided over. “Let me help you up.” He extended his hand to me.
“No, get away from me.” I stood to my feet, and backed away from him. I wobbled a little, still shaken. I couldn't believe he'd almost ran me over. I reached down to grab my bike.
“But your knees are bleeding.”
“Yeah, that's your fault. Why in the hell were you driving so fast? There are kids in this park!” I avoided eye contact with him.
And here I was, like a dweeb, riding a bicycle. Oh look, I can do a trick. No handle bars. Oh God, I almost died inside. It took a lot of effort to pretend he wasn't there. I walked over to the bike rack. He followed me. He was saying something, but I didn't want to listen. The blood was rushing through my head too fast. I chained up my bike and locked it. I needed to get away from him, pronto.
“I truly apologize. I was in a hurry.”
I spun around. “What were you in such a hurry for? There's nothing to see. Oh, except Ashley's boobs that are practically hanging out of her bikini top if that's what you were gunning it for.”
“No,” his eyes peered into mine. “Actually, I was—”
I held up my hand. “Save it. You're reckless.”
“Kayleigh, there's a first aid kit in the trunk. Let me doctor your knees at least.”
“You have a first aid kit in your trunk? Is this something you do on a regular basis, go around almost killing people, then playing doctor fix it?”
He sighed, raking a hand through his gorgeous hair. “Do you always have to be such a smart ass?”
“Do you always have to be such a jerk? You may not want to live, but some people do, so learn to slow the hell down.”
“Advice taken, now please, I'd feel much better if I could repair your knee.”
I laughed.
“Repair my knee? It's only bleeding a little, I don't need surgery. Luckily.”
“Sorry. Didn't know I was being graded on my vocabulary usage today. I'll go get the kit.” He strutted back over to his car, popping open the trunk. He dug around for a few seconds, found what he was looking for, then slammed it shut. He walked back over to where I was. I sat down on the bench, still a little bit disorientated.
He knelt down and opened the kit. “This'll only take a sec, and then you'll be all better.” He softly cleansed my wounded knee with an antiseptic wipe. Suddenly, I felt like a child with him. It was an infuriating feeling. Especially when Miss Boobs was across the grassy lawn, bouncing up and down in the damn volleyball game. She'd already gazed at us three times, not that I was keeping count or anything.
I watched and followed Kaleb's eyeline. He'd paused twice as he was cleaning my knee, and stared at her. It upset me. Made my blood boil. But I couldn't say anything. It wasn't like he was my boyfriend. I just wanted him to be.
Reality versus Fantasy. Scrawny knees versus bouncy boobs. Apples versus Oranges.
I was almost sure if she didn't stop bouncing up and down they'd eventually pop out of her bikini top and hit her in the face. I heard Kaleb laugh under his breath, like he was imagining that scenario or something.
“Get on with it,” I said, aggravated.
“Okay, Spider-man or Sponge-bob?”
“Doesn't matter.”
“Of course it does.”
“Fine,” I snarled. “Strawberry frickin' Shortcake.”
He grinned. “Actually, I believe I do have Strawberry Shortcake in here somewhere. And—It's waterproof.”
“Yippie.”
“Cheer up,” he said, unwrapping the bandage and gently applying it to my knee. He rubbed it in place with delicate pressure. The contact of his fingertips against my knee sent a warm sensation through my body. “It's a great day today.” He gazed up at me.
“You would say that, wouldn't you?”
“I take it that you don't agree.” He closed the first aid kit. Ready to disappear from him, I jumped up too quickly and stumbled. He caught me. My head was still spinning.
“Whoa,” he said. “Gravity.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, not really knowing what he even meant. Humiliated enough, I turned away and joined Gunner and Miss Boob-bop with the volleyball game. I had a mean spike and if she didn't stop staring at Kaleb, I was going to make sure the ball landed and smashed her in the face, if her boobs didn't do it first.
CHAPTER FIVE
Splash
*
I sprawled out in the grass, leaning back on my elbows. I watched Kayleigh play the volleyball game. I needed to jump into the lake. I just knew I was going to be sunburned. I was really regretting not wearing sunscreen now.
Kayleigh seemed aggressive, like she needed to let out frustration. She noticed I was staring at her, and instead of serving the ball over the net, she turned in my direction and struck it forcefully, sending it sailing directly at me. I caught it just in time before it hit my face.
Everyone playing the game looked at her wondering why she'd done that. I leapt to my feet and sauntered over to her. “I guess this was my invitation to play?” I tossed the volleyball up into the air, she reached up and grabbed it.
“Are we gonna play the game or what?”
Ashley asked, annoyed.
“I think the game's over,” Gunner said, walking over to where Kayleigh and I stood staring at each other. “This is my ball anyway,” he took it from her, and walked to his van. The other players of the game sighed or groaned and dispersed themselves in various different places, finding new activities to do. Kayleigh and I were alone again.
“I wanna know why you're so angry,” I said.
“I'm not.”
“You seem mad at me.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Kayleigh, it's obvious,” I smirked. “If you want my attention, just say so.”
She wasn't able to give a reply because Ashley reappeared beside me, holding a bottle of suntan lotion. “Kaleb, can you rub this on my back?”
“Sure,” I said, still looking at Kayleigh. I could've sworn I seen her sneer or roll her eyes. I took the lotion from Ashley. She lifted up her hair. I squeezed the lotion into my hand and rubbed it onto her shoulders.
“Ah!” she squealed. “So cold.”
Kayleigh turned away and walked down to the lake. My eyes followed her all the way to the dock. I watched her pull off her halter, revealing her polka dot bikini top. I found myself wanting to see Kayleigh in her bikini bottoms too. I almost forgot I was rubbing lotion on Ashley's back.
From somewhere nearby, someone blasted on music, jerking me out of my daze.
“Hey, can I borrow this?” I asked Ashley.
“Yeah, take it. I have another one.”
“Thanks.”
I was about to jog down to the lake when a guy shouted my name. I followed the voice and realized it was Gunner. He was standing by his trunk. With a wave of the hand, he motioned for me to come over. I stuck the tube of lotion into my back shorts pocket, and headed over to see what he wanted.
“Yeah?” I said.
“We're gonna start a barbeque. The other dudes are setting up the grill now. Think you can help me put these drinks on ice and carry it down to the lake?”
“Yeah sure. No problem.”
Another dude carried bags of ice over to Gunner's van. “This is Seth,” Gunner said.
“Yo,” Seth replied. But I knew who he was. He was the guy who'd taken Kayleigh to prom.
He sat the bags of ice down, ripping one open. He poured a layer of ice over into the cooler. I helped Gunner place all the bottled water and canned soda drinks inside, before Seth layered them with more ice.
Seth said, “Well, I'm off. Unlike you fuckers, I have to go to work.”
“Sucks to be you,” Gunner said.
“Yeah, rich boy.”
As soon as Seth disappeared, I asked Gunner. “Hey, is he—” but before I could finish, Gunner answered.
“Not gay, not my boyfriend, not my type.”
“That's not what I was going to ask. Is he the guy I think he is?”
Prom hadn't meant anything to me, but Kayleigh'd wanted to attend. I wanted to share that moment with her. I bought a tux and everything, but at the last moment, I freaked out. I hadn't asked her to prom. When I arrived at the dance, she was already with him. She was supposed to be with me. I was supposed to be that guy. I wanted to be that guy. All I thought about was crashing prom by stealing her away from him, but I didn't want to cause a scene on one of the most important nights of her life, so I left. Returned home. Sat on the porch all night thinking about how perfect it could've been for her, for me, if we'd been together.
If only I'd had the nerve to ask her...
Gunner closed the cooler and I grabbed a handle, helping him lift it as we lugged it down the grassy slope and to the lake. “Yep. Seth has a thing for Kayleigh. It's all he ever talks about. He wanted to know who the hell you were after he saw you and her interacting earlier.”
“And what did you tell him?”
“That she was off limits.”
“And what did he say?”
“He asked if she really had a boyfriend.”
“So what did you tell him then?”
“My exact words were You're not her type, she's already seeing someone and if you try to fuck it up, I'll punch you in the face.”
“You know that probably didn't work, right?”
“Then ask her out already, dipshit. I'm tellin' you right now, that girl isn't going to be single for long. A lot of guys find that whole nerd look hot. It's better than having girls like Ashley hang all over you, follow you around like a puppy.”
“And you would know, how?”
“Because if I wasn't gay, Kayleigh would be my choice.”
“Okay, so that's odd.”
“Totally not, you wouldn't understand. But if you don't make a move on her, then I'm gonna make a pass on you because I'm starting to wonder.”
“Dude, that's so wrong.”
“Yeah right, you know I'm hot.”
I laughed. “Gunner, I almost dropped this cooler on your foot. Stop.”
“Aww, is Kaleb blushing?”
“Shut up, dude.”
“So anyway. Here's the deal. Seth isn't that bad looking. I've done worse. I'll help him realize his inner gay if I have to, but if you and Kayleigh don't hook up like soon, I'm going to kill you.”
“Why's it so important to you anyway?”
“You haven't had to witness the ongoing starry-eyed gazes you two have been giving each other since kindergarten. It's...sickeningly romantic to the point I want to choke you both. Okay, like I have to hustle, and be up and on all the time just to get guys to even glance at me.”
“Wow, didn't know you had it so rough.”
“I haven't had it rough, yet.”
I made a face. “Please tell me that wasn't a sex joke.”
He laughed. “You totally know it was.”
“Eww.”
“You so walked into that one.”
We made it to the dock and sat down the cooler. “Besides, it's not like Seth and I haven't kissed before.”
“Seth kissed you?”
“More like made out with me in the backseat of his car over winter break.”
“Thought he wasn't gay?”
“They call it what they want. Experimenting, boredom, open-minded, unsubscribed to labels.”
“Um, bisexual?” I added.
“Probably,” Gunner said. “He's in denial though.”
“Interesting. The things I never knew.”
Gunner changed the subject. “So did you sign up to take Mr. Macon's summer film class?”
“Yep,” I told him.
“How does your mom feel about you going to art school?”
“She thinks it's better than me staying in town and doing absolutely nothing.” The sun glinted off the lake. I slipped out of my sandals. Kayleigh sat, dangling her feet over the edge of the dock. I knelt down, pulling the suntan lotion out of my back pocket.
“Hey, can you rub this on my back. If you don't, I'm going to end up sunburned.”
“I suppose,” she said, standing.
“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
Ashley was watching us. Kayleigh noticed and I paid attention to how she touched me to make Ashley mad. I found it amusing. She rubbed my shoulders and my lower back, taking her time. Her hands were so soft and felt so good. I tried my best not to get turned on in front of everyone.
“You're so hot,” Kayleigh said, causing my blood to swim too fast through my body.
“What?” I thought I didn't hear her right. I must've been hallucinating.
“I said, you're so hot.”
“Yeah?” I felt myself getting aroused.
“Absolutely smokin'. I think I need to cool you down.” And with a shove, she pushed me over into the lake and I landed with a splash. When I emerged, everyone was laughing at me, including her. But Ashley wasn't. She looked jealous.
I pointed at her. “I'm gonna pay you back for that.”
“You're gonna have to get me first,” she toyed, biting her lip and smirking. But her smirk didn't last long because Gunner shoved her into
the lake too. Now I was laughing. She bobbed back up to the surface.
“Err! Gunner!”
I swam up behind her, but didn't get too close for reasons. “You're all mine now,” I said. She spun around in the water, squinted her eyes at me. I grinned. A sunflare illuminated Kayleigh. “Splish splash, Kayleigh's taking a bath.”
“Ha ha,” she said.
Kayleigh didn't see it, but Gunner held up both his thumbs, giving me props. Someone brought over the portable music player and the mood suddenly shifted. Kayleigh exclaimed, “I love this song!” and she did a little dance in the water.
I flicked water on her and she smiled.
“Hey!” and she splashed me back. Game was on because we ended up having a water fight, laughing hysterically. Other people had jumped into the lake, joining us, but it was like she and I were in our own little world. But I wondered how long that would last before she spun in the other direction again and went back to ignoring me.
A few people had started a fun game where teams of two people climb on each others shoulders and try to shove the other one into the water. Kayleigh and I decided to join in and I put her on my shoulders. A guy I didn't know had Ashley on his team, and Kayleigh and I went up against them. Kayleigh's arms were kinda small, so I gripped her knees to hold her in place. I wasn't going to let her fall over. I was glad we were on the same team. And we weren't going to lose. Ashley and Kayleigh extended their arms out to each other, and used their hands to push and shove each other as hard as they could.
“Go, Kayleigh! Shove!” I cheered her on.
After a while, the guy holding Ashley gave up. “This shit's hurting my back,” he said in an asshole kind of way.
“I'm not heavy!” Ashley said.
“You're a cow,” he told her, then dunked her over into the water anyway, then swam off.
“That's no fun,” Kayleigh said.
“Dude's an asshole.”
When Ashley emerged her mascara and eyeliner was running down her face like ink. That's when I noticed that Kayleigh didn't wear make up. Her beauty was natural. She just wore glasses. In fact, she was still wearing them while in the water.
“Hey,” I told her, as she climbed off my back, settling down into the water. “You should probably take those off, or you'll lose them in the lake.”
