An Unexpected Start: A Prequel to An Unexpected Hunger

by Rosa, C.

  An Unexpected Start

  A Prequel to An Unexpected Hunger

  By

  C. Rosa

  Copyright© 2014 by C. Rosa

  Cover photo courtesy of www.istockphoto.com

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination, have been used fictitiously, and are not to be interpreted as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental. The author holds all rights to this work. It is illegal to reproduce this novel without written expressed consent from the author.

  Contents

  Chapter One

  September

  Chapter Two

  December

  Chapter Three

  January

  Chapter Four

  June

  Chapter One

  September

  “Ricky Perry to the principal’s office. Ricky Perry, please report to the principal’s office.”

  Why did everyone always stare when they blared my name over the loudspeaker? Were they really that surprised?

  “Mr. Perry?” Mrs. Anderson didn’t sound at all surprised. “You may get your things and go.”

  I scooped up my book and took my time making my way out of the classroom. I made sure to pass by Devin Miller’s desk. I’d caught her looking at me in homeroom. She liked to roll her plaid skirt up a few times, breaking the one inch above the knee rule. That rule was bullshit. I tugged a lock of her long, blonde hair, and she looked up at me, her full lips forming a small smile. I’d have to catch up with her before the end of the day.

  I dumped my book in my locker and headed to the principal’s office. The secretary, a nun with a snug habit wrapped around her head, greeted me with a frown and continued to clack away on her computer.

  What would it be this time? Detention? A suspension? Maybe they’d just cut to the chase and kick me out. Wouldn’t be the first time expulsion was brought up.

  “Ricky,” Mr. Shaw said. “Come into my office.”

  I got up from my seat and plopped into the one across from his desk. A framed picture of a woman and two kids stared back at me.

  “So…” He sat in his chair and leaned back. “I guess you know why you’re here.”

  “I’ve been selected for Student of the Month?”

  “No, not exactly.” He straightened his posture and put his folded hands on the desk. Great, the serious pose. Here it came. “Do you want to tell me why you threatened Carl?”

  “He got in my face, so I got in his.”

  “He said you threatened to choke him with his jock strap.”

  I stifled a laugh. Fucking Carl. He had a mouth bigger than his gut. “I didn’t appreciate some of the things Carl was saying.”

  Mr. Shaw let out a sigh and rubbed his hands together, probably deciding my fate. “Listen, Ricky. This is your last chance to graduate on time and with your friends. Don’t mess up your senior year. I told you the first day of school—”

  “One more fight and I’m out,” I said. Mom liked to remind me of it every morning from her place on the couch.

  “Let’s make sure we don’t have a repeat of last year. For now, it’s detention after school Monday.”

  I nodded my head and was excused just as the final bell rang for the day. I shuffled through the crowded hallway, already loosening the tie around my neck. Uncomfortable as shit uniforms. It’d be easier to pay attention if I wasn’t so damn uncomfortable. A small path was made for me as I walked to my locker.

  “Yo, Ricky,” Drew’s voiced boomed. He slammed his locker shut and trudged through the kids trying to make the bus. “You going to that party tomorrow tonight?”

  “What party?” I shoved a few books into my book bag.

  “Melissa. Her parents are out of town for the weekend. Her older brother is getting a keg.” He chuckled like a little kid on Christmas morning.

  “I dunno, maybe.”

  “Come on, dude. You know it’s going to get crazy.”

  I swung my locker shut. “Maybe.” Mom didn’t look good this morning. I didn’t like leaving her alone for too long.

  Drew followed me down the hall, still rambling about the party. I had to find Mia and get out of this hell hole.

  I found her at her usual spot—next to her locker, huddled in a circle with some of her friends.

  “You ready?” I asked, interrupting Mia mid sentence. I didn’t have time to hear the rundown of their whole day. Who liked who. Who was going out with who. Who was a slut, blah, blah, blah.

  “Could you be a little ruder?” she said.

  “Yeah, I could.”

  She rolled her eyes and rummaged through her locker, her best friend, Alexa, waiting with her book bag strapped to her shoulders. Her skirt was exactly one inch from her knee, and her shirt was buttoned all the way up her neck.

  “How’s it going, Ricky?” the Redheaded friend asked. She had freckles over her nose and cheeks, and I wondered where else I’d find them.

  “Same old, same old.”

  She crossed her arms, pushing her chest up a little through her white shirt, which was unbuttoned lower than what was allowed. Some of these girls just didn’t like rules.

  “I heard you threatened Carl after gym class the other day,” she continued.

  “I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about.” I leaned against the row of lockers and flashed her a smile. Her cheeks matched her hair, and I caught another eye roll from Mia.

  “Carl,” Drew said. “That guy’s such a douche.”

  “Being overweight doesn’t make you a douche,” Alexa chimed in. She loved getting on her brother’s case. And mine for that matter.

  “He’s a douche for plenty of other reasons,” Drew shot back at her.

  “Doesn’t seem fair really, you threatening him,” Alexa said to me.

  “And why is that?” I asked her. She looked me straight in the eyes, no matter how hard I stared her down. It actually turned me on a little.

  “You against Carl? Does that sound like a fair fight?”

  “Fair enough for me.”

  She gave me a disapproving glare and finally dropped the subject. “I gotta’ go. I’m working at the restaurant tonight.” She glared at Drew. “Some of us actually have responsibilities.” She stormed off down the hall.

  “Are you going to Melissa’s party?” Redhead asked me.

  I couldn’t remember her name. What I did remember was making out with her last summer.

  “Well, that depends,” I replied.

  “On what?” she asked.

  “Whether or not you’re going.”

  She smiled, and I took that as a yes.

  “How about you, Mia?” Drew mumbled.

  I knew he had his eyes on Mia. But he knew better than to go anywhere near her.

  “She’s got homework,” I said.

  She scowled at me and threw her book bag over her shoulder. “I thought maybe I could go with Lexy.”

  “Not happening.” Crushed that dream of hers real quick.

  Drew and Redhead said their goodbyes, and Mia and I walked to my car.

  “I wish you would stop doing that,” Mia said.

  “Doing what?”

  “Speaking for me like I don’t have a brain of my own.”

  “You are not going to that party tonight.”

  “Why not?” she shrieked.

  “Because there’ll be a bunch of drunk assholes there.”

  “I’ll have Alexa with me. We can take care of ourselves.”

  No fucking way. Mia and Ale
xa at the same party almost guaranteed my night would end in disaster. “Someone has to stay home with Mom.”

  We both sat in the car. It was an old Honda my dad used to drive and just about the only useful thing he gave me before he had left. I loved that car. Nothing was better than being able to leave whenever I wanted and drive as far away as I could get. I’d never go too far, but just knowing I could was enough for me.

  “Then why don’t you stay with her?” Mia replied.

  Guilt stabbed me in the chest. “Because I already made plans. Stop whining about it.”

  She flopped back and put her seat belt on, mumbling under her breath.

  * * * *

  I fumbled with the doorknob. Shit. I’d gotten a ride to the party and left my keys at home.

  I stumbled down the steps and sat down. Too much alcohol was coursing through my blood to think straight. Devin’s face flashed through my mind. We spent the last hour of the party locked in one of the bedrooms.

  The porch light flicked on. I turned to see Mia waiting on the other side, the usual critical look on her face.

  “Forget how to use a door? First, you have to open it, and then you have to walk in.”

  I wobbled to my feet and lurched past her. “Forgot my key.”

  She subtly sniffed the air around me. “Are you drunk again?”

  “Shout it a little louder why don’t you. I don’t think mom can hear you.”

  “You’re pathetic,” she said, walking back upstairs.

  I flopped on the empty couch and passed out.

  The next morning, I woke up to a shitload of noise in the kitchen. I rolled off the couch onto the floor.

  When I finally peeled my eyes open, someone was hovering above me, wearing a pair of pajama shorts and a T-shirt.

  I blinked my eyes into focus.

  “Hungry?” Alexa asked.

  “Huh?”

  “Are you hungry? Mia’s making breakfast.”

  I sat up. Damn, my head felt like a bowling ball. “Not hungry.”

  She crouched down, her long, dark hair resting on my arm. Somehow, I’d lost my shirt during the night.

  “Here, let me help you up.” She held out her hand, but I swatted it away.

  “I’m fine.” I already had morning wood; I didn’t need her making it worse for me.

  “Just trying to help.” She stood back up and sat cross-legged on the couch.

  Mia came prancing in the living room. “Whoa, you look like shit.”

  “Why the hell are you two up so early?” I grumbled.

  “Early?” Mia plopped down on the couch next to Alexa. “It’s after eleven. Stop sleeping your life away.”

  “It’s called a hangover,” I said. “And your cheerfulness is just making it worse.”

  “Not my fault.” She bounced off the couch again and headed back into the kitchen. The girl couldn’t stay still.

  “Have fun last night?” Alexa asked.

  I found my shirt tucked in one of the couch cushions and pulled it over my head. “Probably.”

  “You don’t remember?”

  I sat down next to her. She didn’t have any makeup on. At least, it didn’t look like she did. She never looked like she did. But I liked that about her. “Why do you care?”

  “I don’t,” she replied with an edge to her voice. “I just feel bad for her.”

  “Who?”

  “The girl you managed to get alone last night.”

  “Jealous?” I couldn’t help myself. She made it so easy, and I got off a little on making her squirm.

  She let out a little snort. “You wish.”

  I slouched down further into the couch. She thought I was an asshole. I got it. She made a point to remind me of that every time I saw her.

  “She didn’t seem to mind,” I added.

  “Had to be Devin Miller,” Mia shouted from the kitchen. She came back in the room with two bowls of cereal and handed one to Alexa.

  “Where’s my bowl?” I complained.

  “You said you weren’t hungry,” Mia said.

  I reached for her bowl, but she slapped my hand away.

  Alexa handed me hers. I took a few bites before handing it back to her. She’s the only girl I knew who could insult me and be nice to me in the same five minute timespan. It made me fucking dizzy.

  “Devin Miller?” Alexa repeated. “That couldn’t have been too much of a challenge.”

  I almost laughed out loud. But that would have meant agreeing with her, which was out of the question.

  “Great, Ricky. Another friend who’ll never talk to me again,” Mia said.

  “You know,” Alexa added. “Keep this up and pretty soon you’re going to run out of options.”

  “There are always options.” I gave her a wide smile. She mocked my cockiness by making a face. “And it’s not my fault they don’t talk to you anymore,” I said to Mia.

  “Not your fault?” Mia scoffed. “Maybe if you called them after you slept with them, I could have more of a social life.”

  “You got Alexa here. Isn’t that enough?”

  “It’s only a matter of time,” Mia said with a mouth full of food.

  Chapter Two

  December

  “Oh my God.”

  I couldn’t tell if Mia’s reaction was good or bad.

  Her and Mom stood next to each other, both of their mouths hanging open.

  “What?” I asked, looking down at my clothes.

  “Honey…” Mom’s voice cracked. A few tears wet her sunken eyes. “You look so handsome.”

  I felt like a fucking idiot. I hadn’t worn a suit in years.

  “Seriously,” Mia said. “You look amazing.”

  “Thanks.”

  “When’s your date coming?” Mom asked.

  “I’m not bringing a date.” I could have, but that would have limited my opportunities. And I could have none of that. I didn’t even want to go to this stupid Snowflake, Snowball, whatever the hell it was called. But Mom was convinced she wasn’t going to make it to see me go to Prom in May. I didn’t have the heart to tell her I didn’t plan on going to that either.

  She sat back on the couch and adjusted the scarf wrapped around her head. She looked better today than she did yesterday. Probably because it’d been so long since I’d seen her really smile.

  “Stand close together,” Mom said. “I want to take a picture.” She reached for the digital camera on the end table. After about a hundred pictures, she finally let me leave.

  “Don’t forget Alexa will be there,” Mia called as I headed out the door.

  “So what?” I asked.

  “So, make sure you ask her to dance.”

  I ignored her request and drove off.

  It took me fucking forever to find a parking spot. Most people wouldn’t have had the balls to walk into a thing like this alone. But I didn’t give a shit. I was here for show and didn’t plan on staying long.

  The music blared inside, and I could barely see a thing through the strobe light that went off every few minutes. I spotted my boy Aiden dancing with his date. How long did I have to stick around before I could find a real party? A couple of girls wearing short dresses walked by and said hello. They didn’t look familiar. Some fresh faces could make the night a little more interesting. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.

  “Ricky.”

  I turned around at the sound of my name.

  Holy shit.

  “Alexa?” I had to blink a few times to make sure it was really her. That dress…could it have been any tighter? Her hair was up, and her candy lips looked good enough to eat. And tits. Big ones. Where the hell was she hiding those?

  She took a few steps closer. “You look really handsome.”

  I wasn’t sure, because it almost never happened, but I think I blushed. I mean, my face got hot all of a sudden, and my dick shifted in my pants. “Thanks. You look nice, too.”

  Nice? You look nice? That’s the best I could do? For f
uck’s sake…

  “Thanks.” She smiled and looked around the room. Her necklace caught the light and shimmered against her collarbone.

  Fuck. Do not get a boner now. This is what I got for going with a slim fit suit.

  “Are you here with someone?” she asked.

  I shook my head. “You?”

  She nodded. “Brandon Kelly.”

  That dope? He pitched for the baseball team. He could barely count to ten but could throw a ball fast enough to crack a skull. Good thing his aim was good.

  From the corner of my eye, I spotted Jeff. He had a permanent smirk on his face and knew the exact wrong thing to say at the exact wrong time. It was amazing he didn’t get his ass kicked more often.

  “Hey, Ricky.” Jeff sidled next to me, sipping on a cup of watered down punch. “I heard you’re failing Anderson’s class.”

  Oh, fuck no. I know this guy wasn’t bringing this shit up now.

  Alexa already thought I was an idiot. I didn’t need Shit for Brains making it worse.

  “How do you know that?” I asked him. I clenched my jaw and fists, fighting back the urge. I promised. No more fighting.

  He shrugged his shoulders. “Devin Miller told me. She’s in that class with you, right?”

  Devin Miller…I should have known that name was going to come back to bite me in the ass.

  “She’s my date tonight.” He said it like he deserved a trophy.

  “Good for you.” Enjoy my sloppy seconds.

  “Hey,” he set his cup down on one of the empty tables, “I got an idea. Why don’t you try sleeping with Anderson. That way, she’ll definitely pass you.”

  “What?” I got in his face, quick. I was going to break my promise. I knew it. Fuck.

  “You heard what I said.” He annunciated every word—daring me to come at him, probably banking on the assumption that I wouldn’t lay a finger on him. My probation at school wasn’t exactly a secret.

  “You better watch your fucking mouth,” I warned.

  “Yeah?” He wasn’t backing down.

  The rage festered in my gut. I couldn’t keep it there long—it wasn’t something I was good at.