by H. Q. Frost
"I hate barely seeing you, Dom," she said as if it were his fault.
"I don't like it either but my schedule will open up a little soon. I'll start having a day or two off a week and we can try and plan your schedule with the days I have off." Worried she was already giving up on them, he pulled her into his arms.
She grabbed his shirt collar and kissed him once more. "Eat a fry for me." With a grin, she turned for the door.
"Nyla," he called, wanting to get entranced in that smile of hers. When she turned back still beaming at him, he sighed like he was lovesick. "I can't wait to see you again."
"I'll leave my window open if you want to stop in."
"I'll try." He knew he wouldn't, because those past two days he'd been worried about showing up at his house and finding Kaitlyn dead. He had an added responsibility until he got his friend help.
***
Nervously getting out of his truck, he told Kaitlyn, "Wait here," and headed toward Nyla's front door, ready to pick her up for their camping trip.
After the failed dinner that Wednesday, he was nervous to face her dad. And the fact that he hadn't told Nyla that Kaitlyn was riding with them, worried him she would be upset.
Knocking on the door, he glanced over and saw Austin on his porch, leaning over the rail and watching him. He almost lifted his middle finger but Maleek pulled open the door.
"You gonna keep an eye on her?" The older man's strict tone made Dom stand taller.
"Yes, Sir."
"I'm sure there'll be drinking and she says you'll be on the water. Dom, I want my daughter back the way I sent her."
"I won't let anything happen to her."
"And I believe you, that's why she's going. Careful driving." Maleek stepped to the side as Nyla approached. When she tried to slip by, he huffed her name.
Giving him the hug he expected, she said, "We'll be careful. Love you."
"Be good," Maleek pulled open the door and she darted outside and into Dom's arms with a squeal.
When he lifted and spun her, he didn't turn away from her kiss this time.
"Hey, Nyla," Austin called out before Dom even set her back on her feet.
Dom sighed and as he dropped his head, trying to steel patience, Nyla pushed her forehead to his. "Shh," she said grabbing his face and smiling as he set her down. "Hey, Austin. See ya later."
"Where ya goin'?"
"Camping." Heading down the walkway, her eyes landed on the truck and she finally noticed Kaitlyn. "Oh," quietly slipped from her mouth.
"That's Kaitlyn," Dom quickly explained.
"I know." She remembered the redhead from the night at the hill.
"She's cool, I promise. She's gonna be different from what you remember. That freak-out or whatever, it changed her." He took her backpack from her shoulder.
"It's fine." She wanted to resent the girl that saw her boyfriend more than she did because she was living in his house, but the bigger picture came back to mind and she felt bad for her.
When Nyla pulled open the truck door, Kaitlyn jumped.
"Hi." Nyla managed a smile but Kaitlyn only stared at her. "Wanna scoot?" Annoyance was starting to surface because if anything, she seemed more bitchy than Nyla remembered.
Sliding out of the truck, she said, "You sit middle. And hi." Her eyes stayed on Nyla as she scooted in. "Sorry." She chuckled. "I'm tired. Jeff kept me up late playing Mario Cart."
"Where is Jeff?" Nyla looked at Dom.
"He rode with Jesse," he answered helping her buckle up.
"Sober, I hope? They're staying sober right?"
"Wow," Kaitlyn whispered and Nyla's head jerked to look at her, not willing to be bullied by her boyfriend's friend. "You're what this clique needs. You may be the only smart one of them all. Sorry, Dom." She smirked over at him.
Touching Nyla's leg, he answered, "It's a few hours' drive. Boney's driving and he won't get fucked up for that."
"I could have found a ride or something, Dom. You should have Jeff with you." Nyla insisted.
"Don't worry about it, okay? I wouldn't let my brother go with someone that would hurt him."
"Sorry," she mumbled. "Can we stop at a gas station and I'll fill up your tank? I need an energy drink or three."
Putting the truck in gear, Dom moved his hand to her knee, and when Nyla looked over, attempting to keep peace with Kaitlyn, she saw her quickly look away from his hand.
"Um, so." At that point she didn't have high hopes for their trip. The jealous vibe she was getting from Kaitlyn almost had her requesting to go home. "How far is it?"
"Three hours. What time was your shift over?"
"I worked a double yesterday and had someone cover my shift today. Tomorrow I'm off anyway."
"Cool, so you don't even have to call in."
"Nope. Did you get your new schedule yet?"
"Uh, yeah." He smiled over at her. "I don't work Monday. Tuesday I'm at Reboot all day. Wednesday is Surf then Reboot. Thursday is Reboot then Surf and I won't know about Friday until Tuesday."
"You have morning shift at Surf again?"
"Yeah." When he parked at the gas station and she tried to give him money, he pulled her out of the truck. "You're not paying for my gas, and I'm buying your energy drinks. Kaitlyn!" he called to her and gestured his head for her to follow.
"I don't think she likes me," Nyla whispered as they headed in. "I think she likes you. Obviously. You've slept together. But I don't think this girl is going to talk to me."
"She's just been out of it. Give her some time." He kissed her head then walked to the back cooler. "Kaitlyn, I'm buyin'. Pick something."
"I have a couple dollars," she muttered.
"Just grab something." He grabbed Mountain Dew for himself then found Nyla over at the energy drinks.
His hand slid into her back pocket and he kissed down her jaw while she giggled. Letting her pick a drink, he backed off and Nyla glanced over seeing Kaitlyn watching them.
"Dom, can I get this?" Her small voice took his attention from Nyla, and he spun around grabbing her juice.
"You got it." He smiled at her then grabbed a few bags of ice and two cases of beer. "Nyla, grab a few water bottles, babe," he told her then turned to Kaitlyn. "Grab some chips. Jerky too. Whatever you like." Getting the ice and beer to the counter he told the cashier, "Whatever the girls have too," before jogging over to Nyla and handing her a hundred-dollar bill. "Pay for this shit, I'm gonna start pumping. Whatever's left over from the beer and drinks, put it in the tank." He kissed her cheek before heading out.
"Dom wants chips but I don't know what kind he likes," Kaitlyn muttered at Nyla's side while she grabbed water bottles.
Not wanting to admit she didn't know what kind of chips her boyfriend liked, Nyla marched to the chips and grabbed a bag. "You like these?"
"Sure. Jerky too." She turned to the jerky. "I feel like a third wheel and I'm sorry for intruding. I'm sure you weren't happy to see me in the truck. Dom made me come. I didn't want to but he wouldn't let me stay home." The undertone of bitchiness almost had Nyla snapping.
"He's worried about you," she muttered. "I don't mind if you ride with us."
"Just so you know, Dom's not really gonna leave me alone this weekend."
The claws were deep and Nyla felt them, but she opted to wait until they stepped outside before she said anything.
"Thanks," she smiled at the cashier after paying.
"How much gas, La?" Dom called into the gas station.
"Fifty-eight."
He hurried to her side and grabbed the beer and ice then was back out of the store to monitor the pump.
As they stepped outside, Nyla grabbed Kaitlyn's arm. "Listen, I don't know if your problem is because Dom's my boyfriend, but if you're a bitch to me this entire weekend, I will not hold back. I want to help you, not hate you. If you're going to take for granted the favors my boyfriend is doing for you, you can walk your catty ass home tomorrow because he's not going to leave me there over y
ou."
Kaitlyn grinned wide. "I think we'll be awesome friends. If you can hold your own, I can hang with you. Don't take shit from anyone."
"I don't plan on it," Nyla said and walked to the bed of the truck where Dom was loading the cooler.
"You get what you wanted? You want me to stop for Surf fries?" He smiled at her, sliding his hand over her stomach as he pulled her closer.
"If I didn't want to get there, I'd make you stop." She kissed his cheek then climbed in through the driver's door because Kaitlyn was already in the truck. "He told me, ya know," she compassionately said, hoping that'd get Kaitlyn to open up, but all she did was exhale and turn her head to look out the window so Nyla didn't see her tears. "I get what type of person you are." Nyla grabbed her hand and Kaitlyn looked at her like she was crazy. "But everyone needs help sometimes and sometimes we need more help than friends can offer. I'm not saying this 'cause you're at my boyfriend's house, but you can't just move in there and continue to sleep on his couch. You need a normal life."
"I don't even know what that is anymore," Kaitlyn's voice trembled and Nyla felt the shake in her hand.
"We're going to help you figure it out, but you have to be willing to get the help. Killing yourself won't fix the problem, Kait, and if you can fix a problem, why wouldn't you?"
When the door opened, Kaitlyn quickly pulled her hand away and swiped at her tears, turning her head so Dom didn't see. Noticing something, he got in and buckled, staring at Nyla until she offered a smile then laid her head on his shoulder. The truck engine rumbled and the three-hour drive began in silence. A whole hour passed with nothing but the sounds of the wind through the open windows and Dom couldn't take it.
"Kaitlyn, my mom said they're hiring at In and Out."
"For what?"
"Cashier, I think."
She didn't reply so Nyla said, "We're hiring at the theater. I could get you a job if you wanted."
"Seriously?" Kaitlyn looked over. "What do you do? Collect tickets?"
"We switch duties each shift. You'd pretty much do everything. What can you work? Do you have summer classes or something?"
"Oh, No." Kaitlyn looked at her oddly and Nyla almost apologized for assuming everyone was enrolled in college courses. "I can pretty much work whatever. I'd rather work at the theater than the grocery store. But do you have to wear those stupid hats still?" Her cringe made Nyla chuckle.
"Only when you're working with the food."
"Ugh, they're so fucking ugly."
"You can opt for a hairnet."
"No!" she shrieked and burst with laughter.
Dom smirked. He really hoped Nyla would be the answer for Kaitlyn.
The GPS on his phone said they were forty minutes away and Kaitlyn took a deep breath, ready to start a conversation she'd been trying to plan out in her head for the two hours they'd been in the truck. She wanted the help Dom kept promising her.
With no warning she began, "If I go to the police about my brother, my entire family will be looked into. And Renee's doing heroin and my mom is on god knows what pills and I'm not exactly innocent either."
Not missing a beat, Nyla spoke up, "But if you don't go to the police, your brother isn't going to stop. Does he do it to Renee too?"
"I don't know about that anymore. I know he has. I take insomnia medication so it makes me groggy and that's when he does it." The hand trembling in her lap was grabbed and she looked up at Nyla with pleading eyes.
At the mention of Reese, Dom's grip on the steering wheel creaked, turning his knuckles white. To comfort him, Nyla pushed her leg against his, but Kaitlyn needed more support so she didn't let the shuddering girl's hand go.
"What'd your mom say?"
"I never even told her. My little sister killed herself and I know that's why. When she told my mom, my mom told her she was a liar. Reese wasn't touching me yet so I didn't know what to believe." She exhaled a shaky breath while tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Your sister needs help too, Kait, and it sounds like your mom does as well."
"But they won't really see it as help. They'll think I betrayed them. They're bitches, Nyla. You don't even understand."
"I have an idea," Nyla muttered and Kaitlyn laughed.
"I know I have to do it, I'm just scared."
"It's scary. But you don't have to do it alone. You have me. Or Dom, if you're more comfortable with him because you know him better." Exactly how much better flitted to Nyla's head, but she pushed it away before resentment for the troubled girl set in.
"No offense to Dom or anything, but I'd prefer a girl, and someone I can trust. I'm not saying I can't trust you, but I can't really trust anyone."
"I won't betray your trust. I promise you."
To put an end to the conversation, Kaitlyn's gaze drifted out the window but she didn't let her hand go. Dom's hand rested on Nyla's thigh and he leaned down to kiss her bare shoulder before putting his eyes back on the road.
Beers were cracked and clothes were shed as soon as they reached their destination. While Nyla sat in the sun with a beer and watched Dom and Jeff cast fishing lines in the pond, she noticed Kaitlyn looking around every few minutes.
"Who are you looking for?"
"Renee. She's gonna come and she's gonna be a total bitch. I'm really sorry, Nyla, for how we were to you that night. I'm sure it doesn't matter now, but... I don't want to be that girl. I can't help being a bitch sometimes, but to even hang around my sister you have to be in super bitch mode, like, constantly. If she comes and starts to act like a bitch, ignore her, because she likes the attention and wants a fight."
"She doesn't scare me," Nyla mumbled.
"No, but she's super annoying and if you keep her going, she'll never stop."
"Myra!" Jeff held up a fish then tossed it at her.
"Jeff!" she shrieked, lunging back before the flailing bass hit her.
Dom ran for the fish, trying not to laugh but when he looked at her, the pure look of disgust on her face had him doubled over in fits of laughter.
"Dom, get it in the water before it dies!"
Dom rushed the fish back into the water, running in calf-deep and that was when Jeff tackled him, successfully dunking him under.
"They're awesome." Kaitlyn grinned.
"I know." Nyla hummed with content and stared enamored by her boyfriend, until Kaitlyn bumped her shoulder. When Nyla looked over, Kaitlyn was beaming a huge grin at her. "What?"
"You're in love with him," she cooed.
Unable to answer because she was in a fit of giggles, Nyla fell back and covered her face. Cold liquid seeping through her tank top at her stomach made her quickly sit up before Boney dumped the remainder of a beer on her.
"Beer?" He grinned.
"Asshole!" she growled as she got to her feet.
"Why the fuck you in a tank top and shorts? It's eighty," he chided.
Wringing out her shirt stretched the thin material and she groaned. "You are such a dick."
"Chill out, Nyla. It was a joke."
"It was stupid. You ruined her shirt, Boney," Kaitlyn defended her.
"Oh!" he crowed covering his mouth and taking a few steps back. "You can't get on Dom's dick no more so you're gonna try and cozy up to his girl?"
"Fuck you, Boney." Kaitlyn shoved his chest and he went stiff, standing tall.
When Kaitlyn didn't back down, and Nyla didn't trust the look on Boney's face, she stepped between them. "Now that you've covered me in one, get me a beer," she said and his stony face cracked into a smile. "Asshole," she mumbled when he walked away.
"He thinks he's like, leader of the pack or something," Kaitlyn grumbled. "Dom's the only one that stands up to him."
"Dom stands up to anyone in the wrong." Nyla's eyes drifted to him, Jesse, Mark, and Jeff who were still in the pond. "Well, I guess it has to come off some time." Nyla hesitantly pulled her tank off.
"Why are you being shy?"
"I couldn't find my one-piece."
&n
bsp; "You are not even fat." Kaitlyn nudged her and Nyla smiled, not willing to admit it wasn't her weight, it was the scar across her lower stomach she wanted to hide. "This is super cute. I had a polka dot one kind of like it but then my boobs went from flat to this in like, a summer, and I couldn't fit into it anymore."
Nyla laughed and sat back down, bending her legs to keep the scar hidden a little longer.
"You bitches are the dumbest sunbathers ever," Boney complained when he approached, handing them beers. "You're gonna have all kinds of lines."
"Shut up, Boney," Kaitlyn mumbled and lay back, stretching her arms out and nudging Nyla. "Get the rays, girl."
Nyla took a drink of the beer and said, "Thanks, asshole," before laying back and stretching out.
"I could probably sit here all day and watch you skanks, but my bros need to be shown how it's done." Boney ran toward the pond where the guys were trying to glide across the water on a boogie board.
"He's so annoying," Kaitlyn muttered.
Nyla smiled and shimmied her shorts down before laying back again and closing her eyes, soaking in the heat from the sun. Hearing what sounded like Jeff approaching in a run, Nyla popped her eyes open and turned her head to see him in a fit of laughter, barreling toward them with Dom not far behind.
As Jeff leaped over them, Dom yelled, "Jeff! Watch it, man!" Then noticing Nyla in a bikini he blurted, "Hell yeah, babe," but didn't stop running after Jeff. "You okay?" he called back, already too far to hear her answer.
"Fine," she mumbled because he didn't stick around.
"You think he's in love with you?" Kaitlyn asked in a relaxed mutter.
With a chuckle she rolled her eyes. "I don't know."
"He's really sweet to you. He might be."
"We haven't said it or anything."
"But you're in love with him." Kaitlyn rolled to her side and Nyla started with the giggles again, covering her face until Jeff began running circles around them.
"Myra! Save me!" he shouted through his laughter while Dom chased him.
"What'd you do?"
"He's gonna tackle me!" Jeff wobbled foot to foot at their feet, watching Dom who stood at their head like an animal stalking his prey, waiting to dart in the direction Jeff took off in.
