Living With Him

by J. L. Ostle

  “That’s rich. I bet you do a lot worse than me when you are making out with a woman.”

  “That’s different.”

  “How is it?” I feel like I’m talking to a child.

  “Those women aren’t you. You are better than them. You are better than making out in a cramped car.”

  “Listen, we are friends, we live together, but you can’t go around doing this,” I try to say calmly.

  “I am making sure you don’t make a mistake. I know what he is after.”

  “He isn’t like that,” I defend.

  “All men are like that.”

  “Just because you sleep around doesn’t mean all men do. That was the first time we really kissed. You have been sabotaging all my dates.”

  “Only to protect you.”

  I look up at the ceiling. “I don’t need protecting from Dante.”

  He scoffs at me. “I think you do. He is going to sleep with you and then leave.”

  “He isn’t you,” I shout and he looks at me in shock and with sadness in his eyes.

  “I know he isn’t me,” he says softly.

  “We were just making out, it wasn’t going to go any further than that. If you haven’t noticed, I am a virgin and I’m not going to lose it in a car am I?”

  He looks at me and then at the floor. “I know you wouldn’t, but I don’t want you to feel pressured because he wants to.”

  “He has never even pushed to kiss me, so I know he isn’t going to push about sleeping with me. We are just trying to get to know one another. That’s what dating is.”

  Jackson pulls at his hair and starts pacing. “I feel like I’m going insane. I can’t imagine one of these dickheads on campus sleeping with you. No one here is good enough for you.” He walks to the window and looks out. “I want the best for you. I want you to be happy.”

  I walk to him, placing my hand on his shoulder. “I am happy. Well, I was, until you opened that car door,” I joke but he doesn’t turn around.

  “I didn’t think you were going to fall out.”

  I push him and he hardly moves. “I didn’t think I was either.” I push him again and he turns and pushes me softly, so I push him again and he tries to push me, but I jump back away from his touch, smiling. I quickly jump out of my shoes and run up the stairs to his room and I try to close the door, but I’m too late he pushes it open and I can’t stop laughing.

  “You shouldn’t have run,” he jokes. He runs after me and I run to the bed, jumping on it and he quickly grabs my ankles so that I fall down and he pins me. “Got ya.” We both laugh.

  He stops laughing and looks into my eyes and I stop laughing also.

  “I don’t like Dante,” he confesses.

  “I know you don’t, but I do.” I wiggle out from underneath him and walk to my drawer gathering my T-shirt when I feel him standing behind me. I feel his hands on my hips.

  “Do you like him more than me?” he says softly.

  “I like him in a different way,” I say without turning.

  “But do you like him more than me?” He spins me around and his eyes have gotten dark.

  “Not yet.” I look at the floor and he uses his forefinger and thumb to lift my chin.

  “What have I told you about looking away from me?” He strokes my cheek and I look at his lips but then I quickly look away.

  “I need to go and have a shower.” I walk away from him and take a long shower and when I get into his bed he is already fast asleep.

  The next morning I wake up with Jackson still asleep and I head downstairs, making myself a cup of tea and sitting on the couch watching Friends. I must have fallen asleep again because I wake up on the couch and I look around but no one is awake. I feel a little frustrated so I head to the kitchen and start cleaning, scrubbing every surface.

  I am on the floor scrubbing the bottom cupboards when I hear noises coming from the stairs and I hear Kendra and Jayce walk in.

  “What are you doing?” Kendra asks me.

  “Walking on the moon, what do you think I am doing? You were all still sleeping so I thought I would clean. It’s been ages since I last cleaned this place.”

  “And that’s a good thing. Stop cleaning and sit down with me.” I stand up and put the cleaning products away.

  “I think I’m going to take a shower. I smell like bleach.” She nods. I head upstairs to Jackson’s room and see that he is still sleeping. I grab a quick shower and I come back downstairs, brushing my wet hair when the doorbell rings. I turn to Kendra who shrugs, so I open it to see Dante standing there.

  “Dante, I wasn’t expecting you,” I say, surprised.

  “I know. I just wanted to make sure you were okay after last night.”

  I nod, feeling my face heat up. “I am. I am so sorry about what Jackson did, he is just a little overprotective.”

  Dante looks at the floor and then back up at me. “I know he is.”

  “Are we still okay?”

  “Yeah, we are fine. I came by to give you this.” He hands me a black long box. “It’s to show that I am serious about us.”

  I open it up and see a silver necklace with a book charm dangling from it. “You shouldn’t have gotten me this. It’s too much.”

  “Jackson may think I am going to hurt you, but I want to show the world that I am not.” He takes it out of the box and helps me put it on. “It looks beautiful on you.”

  I hold it with my fingers against my neck. “Thank you, Dante. I have never gotten a present like this before,” I whisper.

  “I should hope not as I was going for unique.” We chuckle. “I hope you will always wear it.”

  “I will.”

  He leans forward and presses his lips to mine. “Well, I better go. I have a meeting with a professor.”

  I lean forward, kissing him again. “Thank you again, Dante, this means so much.” He smiles and I watch him get in his car and drive away. I head back inside, sitting next to Kendra.

  “Dante just got me this.” I point to the necklace.

  Kendra’s eyes bug out. “Holy shit,” she squeaks out. “You must be some date, that looks really expensive. Did he say what it was for?”

  “He said it’s to show everyone that he’s serious about me. After last night, I thought he would be scared off.”

  “Why, what happened last night?”

  I groan, hating that I have to rehash it all again. “Last night, Dante and I were making out.”

  “You and Dante were making out?” she screams.

  “Shhh, yes we were making out.”

  “That’s my girl, right, okay go on.” She spins her finger around for me to move on with the story.

  “Well, we were making out when the car door opened and I fell out onto my ass because Jackson opened it.”

  Kendra’s mouth hangs open. “He didn’t?”

  I nod.

  “Why?”

  “Because he said I was better than that and that Dante is after one thing.”

  Kendra scoffs. “He should talk.”

  “Well, I was sure Dante wouldn’t want to go out with me again, but obviously he doesn’t scare easily.”

  “Obviously not.” Kendra touches my necklace. “You must be a good kisser.”

  I laugh. “Maybe my kisses are out of this world.” We both fall back, laughing.

  “What’s so funny?” Jackson asks, sitting on the opposite couch.

  “Nothing,” we say in unison and start laughing again.

  “Where did you get that?” Jackson points at my necklace.

  “Dante gave it to me. He was here not long ago to give it to me.” I watch his face turn angry.

  “Why would he give you that, at this time in the morning?”

  “Because he wants to prove to everyone he is serious about me,” I say defensively.

  “By giving you a necklace?” You can hear the annoyance in his voice.

  “Yes, he was that thoughtful and he isn’t mad about last night.”

/>   “Right, I’m going to go grab a shower since I know I’m being an asshole right now.” He stands.

  “Hasn’t stopped you before,” Kendra says.

  “Yeah, well, I don’t want to be one towards kitten.” He gives me a soft look and then he runs up the stairs.

  “I will be right back,” I tell her and run after him.

  “Jackson, wait,” I call after him before he goes into the bathroom. “I hate that you keep getting angry. I miss the old Jackson,” I tell him honestly.

  “I know. I will try to control it. I don’t mean to.”

  I nod. “It’s just that I hate men being angry at me. My dad …” I pause. This is really the first time I am ever mentioning him. “He was always angry at me. I could never please him and everything I did was wrong. I just don’t want it to be where everything I do is wrong for you.”

  Jackson walks over to me and holds my hand. “I will never be angry with you.”

  “I just don’t want to lose what we’ve gained. I need you in my life, more than you will ever know.”

  He pulls me into a hug and kisses the top of my head. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “You promise?” I look up at him.

  “I promise.”

  Chapter Twenty

  A couple of days later, it is the day of the party and Kendra and I decide to go out for a pamper session. I listen to Kendra talk about her sex life with Jayce, even though I try to act like I don’t want to listen but at some parts, I listen too intently. I am not planning on having sex anytime soon but there’s no harm in getting some tips just in case.

  I can’t stop playing with my chain and I think about Dante but my mind wanders to Jackson. I hope after our talk things will start to get easier between us all.

  I am looking out the window when Kendra pushes my shoulder, bringing me back to the present.

  “You are quiet.” Kendra looks at me and then back at the road.

  “Sorry. A lot on my mind at the moment.”

  “About Dante?” she coos at me.

  “Yes, him and also Jackson,” I sigh.

  “What about Jackson?”

  I rest my head back. “I don’t know. I feel things are changing and it won’t stop.”

  “Things change, Riles. Are you two getting along okay?”

  I shrug. “I feel like we keep hitting a wall. Either Jackson upsets me, or without me knowing it, I’m upsetting him.”

  “Well do you want to know what I think?”

  I look at her. “Go on then.”

  “I think Jackson is in love with you and he is bone jealous that you are with Dante.”

  I look at her like she is crazy. “Jackson isn’t in love with me.”

  “How many times have I told you something and it ends up true?”

  I pause, remembering all the times she said Dante liked me and was going to ask me out.

  “See? I’m always right and now he is around the house sulking when you go out on your dates. It's driving him crazy. I can’t remember the last time I saw him with a woman.”

  “If he loved me or even thought of me like that, surely he would tell me?”

  “Not if he thinks he’s not good enough.”

  I think back to when he said there is no man on campus good enough for me. But no, I would know if he wanted more with me. “Even if he was interested, I am with Dante and Jackson is in a band. He goes to rehearsals and gigs and women fawn all over him. He doesn’t do relationships. Remember what you said, he isn’t a one-girl guy.”

  “Yeah, but he has never befriended a girl before, until you.”

  I play with my chain and sigh. “I like us being friends and I wouldn’t want that to change. I couldn’t bare if I lost him.”

  “Isn’t that saying something then? If you lost Dante would you feel as bad? If you had to lose one of them, whom would you pick?”

  “That’s not really fair. I’ve only been dating Dante a short while and I have been living with Jackson for months.”

  “Okay, let’s just go and get facials and have our nails done.”

  “Sounds like heaven.”

  A few hours later, I feel all pampered and refreshed and I’m ready for the party to start. When we get home, the place is covered in beach balls, palm trees, and there is even sand on the floor. There is no way in this world I’m cleaning this up. The place looks amazing and I notice the couches and coffee table have been moved so there is more room.

  “Wow, the guys did great!” Kendra looks around with me. I walk to the kitchen and I see red cups stacked and bottles of alcohol and beer lined up.

  We head upstairs to get ready and I opt for a black bikini with a sarong to wrap around myself. I hate that you can see so much skin but it is the theme. I look at Kendra and she is wearing a red bikini and a sarong.

  “I feel naked.” I look in the mirror.

  “If you were on vacation at the beach, this is what you would wear. So, pull up your big girl panties and let’s get this party started.” She grabs my hand and when we head downstairs there are a few people here already and they are either in swimwear or shorts.

  “It’s my beautiful girl. Hello, stranger.” I see Devon walk towards me and he is wearing white and red swim shorts. I see his muscular stomach bulging.

  “Hey, Devon. You look a little fat,” I tease.

  “Ha, ha, you have been hanging around Jackson for too long. That tongue of yours is getting out of control. But I like an out of control tongue.” He winks at me and I push him.

  “In your dreams,” I laugh.

  “Always, gorgeous, always.”

  “You’re wearing that?” Jackson walks up to me and he is wearing black swim shorts. My eyes trail over his body and an image out of nowhere pops into my head of his body pressed to mine and I have no idea where it came from.

  “Yeah, don’t you like it?”

  He groans. “You are going to send me to jail. These fuckers are going to be eyeing you all night.”

  I beam. “You think I’m irresistible?” I tease.

  “Yes,” he says without hesitation and I look at Kendra whose mouth turns into an O. “Come on, let me get you both a drink.” He takes my hand.

  “You don’t have to get me a drink.” Devon places his hand over his heart.

  “I was talking to the girls.” Jackson rolls his eyes and we head to the kitchen where more people are milling around. I watch Jackson pour vodka and pineapple juice and hands us each a cup. I hesitate but I take a sip and luckily, it’s not that strong.

  “Come on, kitten, let’s dance.” He takes my hand and he guides me to the living room where he goes to the sound system, switching it on and everyone cheers when Bruno Mars starts to play “Funk Me Up.” The room soon fills up and everyone starts dancing and Jackson twirls me every now and then.

  An hour has gone by and I am having a blast and I love how much fun Jackson is being. I am waving my hands in the air when I feel someone poking my shoulder. I turn to see Dante and I smile, kissing his lips softly but when I pull back I notice he is in his normal clothes.

  “Why aren’t you dressed up?” I ask him.

  “I tried to call you but you weren’t answering, so I thought it was best to come over as I knew the party would be in full swing.” He looks around. “My parents are forcing me to go to a business dinner and I can’t get out of it, so I wanted to tell you in person so you didn’t think I didn't show for no reason.”

  I feel disappointed. “That sucks.”

  He kisses my cheek. “Have fun, okay? I will call you tomorrow.” I nod and he walks away.

  “Are you okay?” Jackson asks me.

  “Yeah, his parents are dragging him to a business dinner and he can’t come to the party.”

  Jackson hugs me and looks down at me. “We’ll have fun, okay?” He twirls me out again and brings me back, dipping me and causing me to laugh. “There’s my laugh,” he says, standing me back up.

  We continue to dance when someone shout
s, “Shot for money,” and I head to the kitchen to see Jermaine lining up a row of shots and with each shot is a piece of paper.

  “What’s this?” I ask him.

  “It’s shot for money. Each shot has a dare, you do the dare as well as taking the shot and you get the money written on the bottom of the paper. But the catch is, no matter what, you have to do the shot and you only get the money if you complete the dare.”

  I nod. “How much money is with each shot?” I eye the folded pieces of paper.

  “Well, it varies. One shot could be ten dollars and one shot could be one hundred dollars.”

  I look at him shocked. “So, one of these shots with the dare could be one hundred dollars?”

  He smiles and nods.

  “Can I try one?”

  He waves his hand down the counter. “Pick your poison.”

  I look at each shot and grab the one in the middle, taking the piece of paper and it says I have to do splits and lean forward and if I do, I will get forty dollars. I smile at Jermaine.

  “Are you going to do the dare?”

  “Yup.” I pop the P and I down the shot and I ask everyone to move so I have space as I watch Jackson and Kendra walk in.

  “What is going on?” Kendra asks me.

  “She is playing shot for money,” Jermaine answers her. I pass Kendra the piece of paper and she laughs.

  “What’s so funny?” he asks.

  “Wait and see.” She steps back and I stretch myself out and then slowly I stretch my legs out until I am on the floor doing a split and I lean my body forward on the floor and stretch my arms out in front of me. I hear people whistling and cheering and then I stand back up, going over to Jermaine with my hand out.

  “That was so hot and so worth it.” He passes me the money and I tuck it into my bikini top.

  “Why didn’t I know you could do that?” Jackson's eyes have gotten all dark as he stares at me.

  “Riley did loads of clubs growing up and gymnastics was one of them,” Kendra says proudly. “She can even stand and stretch her leg up so it touches her head.” I see all the guys’ eyes on me.

  “Want to do another one?” Jermaine asks and I look back at the shots. I pick another shot and open the piece of paper and see the dare is to lick the person to my left’s neck all the way to the top of their underwear. I look to my left and see Kendra and I smile at her.