by J. L. Ostle
“Well, being friends with him definitely started the gossip mill. I don’t know how many different rumors I’ve heard.”
I groan holding my head in my hands. “I hate rumors. Can’t a guy and a girl be friends without it meaning something?”
He shrugs. “Well apparently, in this school they can’t. It's just because no one has ever seen Jackson with a female friend before. He is just known for his reputation.”
“And what’s that?”
“He sleeps with them and then discards them.”
“Most men do that from what I’ve heard.” I hate how he is talking about Jackson. He is going by what people say, yes, it’s true, but he’s more than that.
“True.”
I cross my arms holding myself.
“Look, sorry I didn’t mean to offend.”
“I know, but he really is a good guy and he has done so much for me. He is really a good friend and if someone was saying bad things about your friend wouldn’t you defend them also?”
He nods. “I would. Jackson is lucky to have a great friend like you, and I hope in time you get to see me the same way.” He pauses. “Maybe start to see me as more than a friend?”
My mouth hangs open. Is he implying he wants more? Was Kendra, right? “What do you mean?” I ask softly.
“I hope it is okay if I can take you out on a date sometime?”
I see his cheeks blush so I know he is shy in asking me. I feel frozen on the spot. What do I say? I like Dante and we have talked so much and I wouldn’t mind talking to him again. “Okay, sure.”
He beams at me. “Great.”
“I better get back to my friends.”
He nods. “So, I will call you sometime. Do you have a number?”
I nod, getting my phone out and reciting it and he sends me a message.
“Just so you have mine.”
I save his name and number and he kisses me on the cheek and I go and take my seat again.
Once I’m seated, Kendra squeezes my arm. “What happened?”
“He asked me out.” Kendra tries to squeal quietly and when I turn to Jackson, he is glaring at the TV screen. “Jackson, are you okay?” I try to hold his hand, but he stands.
“I have to go. You guys have fun.” Without another word, he walks away.
“Is he okay?”
Kendra shrugs. “He has seemed a little pissed off for the last hour or so. I think he isn’t pleased with the movie choices.”
“I agree,” Jayce whispers over to us.
“You can go too,” Kendra says to him and he scoffs.
“I am not letting these vultures hit on my woman.”
“Aww, love when you go all caveman on me.” Her mouth slams onto his and I groan until they stop and we stay until the last movie is played.
Chapter Sixteen
When I get home, Jackson isn’t here and when I look at the clock on the wall, I see it's after one. I decide to stay on the couch and wait for him to see what is wrong and why he left so abruptly. Kendra and Jayce head to bed and I watch some more Fresh Prince, but when the clock shows it’s after three, I decide to head to bed since my eyes are starting to get heavy.
I climb into bed and I hate that this is the second night of him and me not getting into bed together. I am tempted to call him but I don’t want to seem like he has to run things past me. I am almost asleep when I hear the front door bang open and I hear movements downstairs.
I stand up and start to walk down the stairs, but I stop frozen when I hear a woman giggling and then I hear moaning. I don’t know why but a part of me breaks. I have noticed he stopped sleeping with women recently but I guess he must have continued but just not by bringing them home.
I head back upstairs, feeling angry at myself. I shouldn’t feel like this, but I do. I feel a little hurt. I close my eyes but I hear crashes that I try to ignore. I hear someone walking up the stairs and then the door opens, and again I stay perfectly still, keeping my breathing steady and slow.
“Someone is in your bed,” a girl tries to whisper but fails.
“I told you to wait downstairs,” he whisper yells at her and I hear him walk across the room and open one of his drawers, grabbing something and then walking back out, closing the door, and heading back downstairs with the girl.
I don’t know how long passes but soon I hear the girl shouting something and then everything goes quiet. I lie there thinking about how close we got and I think I started feeling things I shouldn’t have. I close my eyes tightly and tell myself that he is just a friend. I chant it over and over until it settles in my brain.
I hear him come back up, taking a shower, and he enters the room and climbs into bed, trying not to wake me, but I am already awake. It doesn’t take long until I hear his heavy breathing indicating he’s passed out and I sit up. From here, I can smell the alcohol wave from him even though he’s showered. I know I can’t sleep in this bed with him.
I quickly get dressed and head downstairs and I can see the couch they slept on, so I sit on the opposite one and turn on the television and try to fall to asleep.
I wake up again with my body feeling a little achy, and I see it's after eight in the morning. I know I won’t be able to sleep anymore, so I grab my shoes and decide to go for a walk. I just want to get fresh air and forget about what just happened.
I don’t know how long I walk for but it seems like ages so I decide to head back and when I get through the door and Kendra spots me, she comes running over to me, hugging me.
“Why didn’t you take your phone? I was worried sick,” Kendra scolds me as she continues to hug me.
“I didn’t think. I just needed a walk.” I shrug.
“I am so sorry, Riles. I woke up this morning and saw a condom wrapper on the floor so I guessed what happened with Jackson, and that asshole still climbed into bed with you afterward. The twisted pig.” I see the anger on her face.
“It's fine, Kendra. This is his home. I told you at the beginning I didn’t mind him bringing back girls.”
“Oh, thank God, she is fine,” Jayce says, walking in. “You scared us shitless, girl,” he chuckles.
“I’m fine, see?” I point to myself.
“Do you want to sleep back in your room? I understand if you do.”
I am about to answer when the front door opens and Jackson walks in. “I can’t find her …” He stops when he sees me. “Thank fuck, you scared me.” His expression softens.
“Well, it’s your fault she left, you dick. We are all living here and you decide to bring a girl back to fuck and then climb into bed with Riley. Who does that?”
“Kendra, it’s fine. This is his house. He can sleep with whomever he wants.”
Kendra is stilling glaring at him. “Fine, but you are sharing your room with me again.”
“You are going back to your room?” he says with a defeated look on his face.
“She moved into your room two days ago, and both nights you don’t come home until early hours in the morning and then the second night you fuck a girl and expect it to be okay to sleep next to her.”
“I won’t sleep with someone and then jump into bed with you again.” He walks over to me and holds my hands.
“That sounded bad, dude,” Jayce jumps in.
“You know what I mean,” Jackson says to me. “I am so sorry.”
“Come on, Riles, let’s get your things back in your room.” Jackson is about to protest when Kendra points her finger at him. “You are a pig.”
“Ok, can we all stop this? I will stay in Jackson's room, but again, I don’t care if you bring girls back, but if you do please make sure the door to the stairs is closed and you sleep downstairs after.”
Jackson nods. “Of course.”
“I am going to go have a shower.” I head up the stairs and when I get to Jackson’s room to grab my things, I turn to see Jackson standing there.
“I really am sorry. I had a little too much to drink and I wasn’t thinking.�
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“Seriously, I’m fine. You slept with a girl. I knew you did that.” I laugh but it comes out weird. “I am just going to grab that shower now.” I walk past him but he holds onto my wrist, stopping me.
“Are we okay?”
I nod, turn, and head into the bathroom and once the door closes, I feel my eyes start to tear up. I don’t know why I am getting upset now. I hear footsteps come down the hall and then I hear Kendra’s voice.
“You really are a pig and you’re lucky she only sees you as a friend.” Then I hear her walk away.
I grab my shower, and half way through, I sit on the floor, letting the water descend over me. After I feel a little better, I turn it off and get dried. Once I’m dressed, I head back into Jackson’s room and he is sitting on the bed, looking at the floor.
“When I woke up this morning and Kendra said you were gone I thought you left. I thought you’d left me without saying goodbye and I panicked.”
“All my stuff is still here.”
He looks up and I see the sadness in his eyes. “I know, but people sometimes leave with just the clothes on their back. When Kendra made me see what I did wrong, it didn’t surprise me that you could have left. I wouldn’t have liked it if you did that to me. It wasn’t respectful and I am sorry.”
“If I was ever going to leave I would tell you. But I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.”
He stands and comes over to hug me. “I’m surprised you're even still talking to me. Kendra wants to kick me where it hurts,” he chuckles.
“I can’t be angry for what you normally do. Just remember to show a little more consideration next time.”
He nods. “I don’t think I’ll bring another girl home with a house being so full. It’s not really a good idea.”
“That’s your choice.” I pull myself away, put my things down, and walk away, heading downstairs. I grab myself a cup of tea and sit on the couch I sat on earlier this morning. I am watching the news on the TV when I hear my phone ringing and when I look at the caller ID I smile when I see Dante’s name.
“Hi, beautiful.”
“Hey, didn’t think I would hear from you so soon,” I giggle.
“I seem a little too eager, don’t I?”
“No, not at all.”
“I hope you had a good night last night.”
I bite my lip, looking up at the ceiling. “I enjoyed the movies. It was fun. A few I definitely want to watch again.”
“I bet it’s St. Elmo’s Fire.”
“How did you guess?”
“I’m a good guesser. So, I was wondering if you wanted to go for dinner tonight at seven?”
“Yeah, sounds great.”
“Great, where do you live?”
I bite my lip again. I recite the address and I hear him pause.
“You live with Jackson?”
“Yes, but I also live with Kendra and Jayce.”
“Sorry, I just didn’t expect that. Rumors were that you two were living together but I thought it wasn’t true. Are you sure you two are just friends? I don’t want my ass kicked,” he laughs.
“Don’t worry, we are just friends.”
“That’s good. So, I will pick you up at seven.” We say our goodbyes when Kendra walks down and sits next to me.
“Who was that you were talking to?”
“Dante.” I smile and she screams.
“Dante called you? Already?”
I nod.
“What did he say?”
“He is taking me to dinner at seven tonight.”
She screams even louder. “Oh, my God, that is amazing.”
“What is amazing?” Jayce asks with Jackson right behind him.
“Dante is taking Riley on a date tonight.”
“And you’re going?” Jackson asks me, his voice rising a little.
“Yes, she is.” Kendra glares at him.
“But you hardly know him.”
“That’s why you date people Jackson, to get to know one another. Like you would know anyway since you don’t date,” she says venomously.
“It’s Dante McKibben, he’s a pompous ass who thinks he’s better than everyone else since he has money.”
I look at Jackson, seeing a side to him I have never seen before. “Jackson, stop it. Dante was nice enough to ask me out for something to eat and I accepted. I accepted you taking me out all those times.”
“But that was different. Dante obviously is after something.”
“Yeah, to get to know me. He was nice to me and I’m going. So be happy for me, okay?”
He looks at me for a moment and then nods. “Fine, but if he tries anything, I swear I will kick his ass.”
Kendra rolls her eyes as he leaves.
“That boy seriously needs to grow some balls,” Jayce says, shaking his head.
“What?” Kendra and I say in unison.
“Nothing.” Jayce kisses Kendra’s cheek and heads to the kitchen.
Chapter Seventeen
Since I didn’t get much sleep last night, I slept throughout the day and wake up just after four in the afternoon. I jump in the shower and when I get out, Kendra is waiting for me and she grabs my hand, taking me into my old room.
“I picked out some outfits for you to wear.” I look at the bed and see a couple of nice dresses, but the one that jumps out at me is a light blue summer dress. Kendra catches what I’m looking at and hands it to me. “You are going to look great in this.”
I hug her. “Thank you so much.”
“Go and get ready.”
I head back into the bathroom to put on the dress and when I get out, Kendra is standing there again. “You are going to give me a heart attack if you keep doing this.” I push her arm.
“I’m going to do your hair and makeup, come on.” She guides me back into her room. She puts my hair up in a high ponytail with a few strands around my face and she keeps my makeup neutral. “I think Jackson is a little angry you are going on a date with Dante,” she says, looking at me through the mirror.
“Why would he be angry?”
She shrugs. “You know what men are like. I think he doesn’t like that there is going to be another man in your life.”
That is just silly. “I’m always going to be his friend.” She stays quiet. “What is it?”
She shakes her head. “Nothing. Just enjoy your date, okay?”
I nod. When Kendra is finished dolling me up, I look in the mirror for a final once-over and I do look really pretty.
I head down to the living room and Jayce and Jackson smile when they see me. Jayce whistles and Jackson stands, coming over to me.
“You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.” I return his smile when the doorbell rings. I head to the door, opening it to Dante and he is holding a bouquet of white and purple flowers.
“These are for you.” He smiles at me, handing me the flowers.
I smell them. “Thank you so much, that’s very sweet. They are so beautiful.”
“You look so beautiful.” He leans forward and kisses my cheek.
“You look good yourself.” He is wearing black pants with a white shirt. I head inside and Kendra is standing there with a smile on her face. I pass her the flowers. “Can you put these in water for me?” She nods. I turn and Dante is behind me and I see he is looking at Jayce and Jackson sitting on the couch. “Let’s go.”
He holds my hand as he guides me outside to his very shiny black car. I don’t know car names but I know this car looks expensive.
“I was so nervous on the ride over here,” he tells me once we are seated.
“You were nervous?” I smile. I’m glad he was nervous also.
“Yeah, big time. You are just so pretty and I kept thinking of every bad scenario that I could do to ruin this date.” He chuckles and I giggle.
“I’m sure nothing bad is going to happen.” I try to reassure him.
“I hope you’re hungry, I booked a table at this new restaurant.”
“I’m starving.”
He smiles at me. He drives within the speed limit and asks me questions about class and what I like doing in my spare time, about the books I read. He seems very interested in everything I have to say.
When we arrive at the restaurant, a man helps me out the car and takes the keys, driving the car away, and I know I am out of my comfort zone. He has taken me to a place that screams money.
A hostess takes us to a table near a large window that looks out onto a lake. I look around the room, looking at people dressed in designer clothes and expensive jewelry. I look at my dress, feeling underdressed.
I look at the menu and I notice there are no prices shown. I guess if you are made out of money you won’t need to worry about prices. I order the chicken, thinking it is the best option. When our orders are placed, Dante smiles at me.
“Do you like this place?”
I look around at the pearl white ceilings and walls. “Yeah, it’s very clean,” I murmur and he laughs.
“I thought you deserved to go somewhere fancy.”
I bite my lip. I remember when Jackson first took me to the pizzeria. I shake my head, not wanting to think about Jackson and I shouldn’t compare them, that wasn’t a date.
“Thank you.”
His eyes soften. “You're very welcome.”
Our drinks arrive and I am taking a sip when I watch a very attractive blonde start to walk towards us. I see her cocktail dress hugging her frame, and also notice the diamonds in her ears and around her neck.
“Dante, who is your friend?” Her eyes pierce into me.
“Racheal, this is Riley. Riley, this is Racheal. Racheal is a member of our country club. Riley goes to college with me.”
I extend my hand and she shakes it.
“How cute. Will you be at the next luncheon, Dante?”
He nods. “Of course.”
She smiles sweetly at him. “I will see you then. I will let you continue your … umm … date.” How she says date makes it sound wrong. She saunters away, her hips swaying with every movement.
“Sorry about that.”
“It’s okay. She seems … nice.”
He chuckles. “Yes, she is. We grew up together and our families want us to get together.”
