He looked over at me and laughed. “That’s your best friend, babe. I got that just for you.”
“I don’t think my stomach can handle that again,” I said, holding out the bottle and examining it. He laughed, pulling out a flask from his pocket, and filling it up with a dark substance. “How do you even get all of this?”
“My dad or my older brother.”
“Oh.” He rested his hand on the small of my back and led me toward the flames.
Dawson
“Thanks for coming with me, man,” Cody said, hopping into my cab and slapping me on the back. He slammed the door shut as I reversed down his driveway.
“No problem,” I replied. He’d asked me to be his wingman tonight to make sure his ass didn’t get into any more trouble. Since the shooting, he’d been arrested twice. “You sure you’re cool to do this? If you get busted, they’re going to put you back in the slammer.”
He rolled down the window. “My PO is cool, just as long as I pass drug tests and shit. We both know I ain’t going there.” Cody’s dad had died of a drug overdose, so he’d never messed with that shit. Alcohol, yes. Drugs, hell no.
“Or hit someone,” I added.
He laughed while rubbing two fingers in between his eyebrows. “Yeah, that too. That’s the difficult part about being on probation. I can’t punch assholes. But my PO’s too busy to be chasing our asses around at parties.”
All of us had changed since the shooting and losing our friends. No one was the same. Cody’s coping mechanism was beating the shit out of anyone who said the wrong thing to him. Our friend, Ollie, had resorted to drinking and having sex with any female that looked his way. Daisy became a recluse, refusing to leave her house, or talk to anyone. I was sure the only thing she talked to was the ghost of Tanner. Tessa, I wasn’t sure about her yet, but I was trying my hardest to figure her out. And me? I was the one trying to pick up everyone’s broken pieces.
I drove down the street, pulling into a small trailer park and honking the horn in front of Ollie’s place. He rushed out with his mom trailing behind him. She was wearing a robe with her slippers, and a cigarette was hung out of her mouth. “You keep an eye on him, Dawson,” she called out, taking the cigarette from her mouth and pointing it at me as Ollie slid into the truck.
“You know I always do, Stella,” I yelled, waving to her before pulling away. Ollie’s mom was a bit overbearing, but he was the only person she had in her life.
“Boys, we haven’t been to a party together in months,” Ollie shouted, slamming his palms up on the headliner of my truck. “Let’s make this shit count for Tanner.”
“For Tanner,” Cody shouted, and we all repeated him as I turned out of the trailer park. He guided the way and told me where to go. “It’s right here,” he said, pointing to a hidden drive.
I turned, drove through an old iron gate, and headed into an open field packed with cars parked in every direction. I inhaled the scent of fresh wood burning through my open window and watched the bright lights flicker from afar as the gravel crunched my tires. I kept driving until we hit the back, where another dirt road was, just in case the party got busted and we needed to sneak out. Ollie pulled some beers from his backpack and tossed a couple to Cody and me.
“I’m good,” I replied, throwing him back the beer.
“Come on, man,” Ollie said, taking his cap off and running his hand through his brown hair.
“I’m the DD tonight. I have to make sure you dumbasses stay out of trouble. Have your fun tonight, and next time, one of you will be taking my place.”
“One beer won’t hurt you,” he replied, pushing the beer back my way, but I shook my head. He shrugged and opened his drink. “More for us then. Let me know if you change your mind.”
We all got out of the car, pulled a few lawn chairs from the bed of my truck, and walked across the field to a party that was already in full swing. I recognized a few people from our old school, some from our new, and others I’d never seen before. That wasn’t unusual. The counties and school districts were small, and we’d always end up merging together.
We set down our chairs and got comfortable a few feet away from the fire. “Damn, what’s Tessa doing here?” Ollie asked, pointing his beer towards the two moving figures walking towards the fire. I blinked a few times and prayed we were imagining her with that douchebag. A case of beer was gripped in his hand and the other was wrapped around her waist. I felt my teeth grind together when I noticed she had two bottles of alcohol in her hands. Fuck, he was treating her like his damn mule.
“You’ve got to be shitting me,” I growled.
Cody whistled. “I’m telling you, that guy is bad news. We have the same PO, and he’s always on her shit list. We were locked up together for a minute, too.” He shook his head and took a drink. “And I’m sure it won’t be his last trip there, either.” I kicked an empty can on the ground and lifted myself up from my chair.
“You need us?” Ollie called, and I shook my head. This shit wasn’t happening on my watch.
Reese still had his hold on her as he set the alcohol down on the ground and fist bumped a few guys. Most of them greeted Tessa by her name, which surprised me, and I watched her wave to them. How the hell did she know these people? My eyes fastened in on them, watching her lean into him, and he tightened his hold on her. I stayed to the side, crossing my arms, and waiting for the best time to confront him.
I noticed the second she saw me. She turned around and every muscle in her body locked up. She stood on her tiptoes and whispered something in Reese’s ear. He nodded, and my pulse pounded when I saw him lean down and kiss her. She smiled, pulling away from him, and walked towards a girl with red and blue hair. He didn’t deserve to kiss her. His tainted lips overflowing with deception and venom should never get to touch anything as precious as her. She deserved real lips that whispered honesty against her mouth. I could’ve given her that, but he couldn’t. He was poison, and each time those lips touched her, the corruption would sink in deeper.
“We’re going to use the restroom!” the girl announced to everyone and signaled to Tessa and herself. Reese saluted them and turned his attention back to the group of guys.
This was my opportunity. I stalked closer to the fire pit and stood behind them. “Hey,” I greeted. The group turned around to look at me. “We need to talk,” I said, pointing a thumb at Reese and jerking my head to the side.
“What’s up, dude?” Reese asked, taking a swig from a flask. I noticed the group of guys start to zero in on me, their bodies getting closer together like they were his fucking bodyguards.
“Alone,” I added, my upper lip snarling as he bellowed out a laugh.
“Give us a minute,” he instructed, calling off his reject cronies, and they all mumbled some shit to him before walking away. He took a few steps away from the fire before saying anything. “Do I know you?”
“What the hell are you doing with her?” I growled, getting straight to the point. I didn’t want to shoot the shit with this guy. I wanted answers. I wanted to stop the game he was playing with her.
He smiled at me wickedly. “I take it you’re a friend of Tessa’s?”
“I’m more than a friend,” I spat.
An eyebrow shot up. “You an ex?”
“Doesn’t matter, you just need to stay the hell away from her.”
He grabbed a cigarette tucked under his ear, stuck it in his mouth, and lit it. “Ain’t happening,” he said, taking a long drag and blowing out a cloud of smoke.
I kicked the ground with the tip of my shoe. “She’s not even your type.”
He laughed. “You don’t know what my type is.”
I pointed to a group of half-dressed girls grinding against each other around the fire. “Really?”
He shrugged, taking a long drag. “That’s why I like her.”
“That’s a pretty shitty reason.”
“And yet, that’s why you like her.” I opened my mouth, fully prepared to
tell him he didn’t know shit about her, or me, but he kept talking. “She isn’t like all those girls here running around, begging for the attention of every guy. She doesn’t take twenty damn minutes trying to squeeze her ass into a pair of jeans that are two sizes too small. She’s chill, and I don’t have to worry about every asshole here hitting on her the second I turn my back because they know she’ll cave in. The girl is gorgeous, man, but she doesn’t have to flaunt it. But you’re well aware of that, or we wouldn’t be having this conversation.” He took another hit.
My body grew hot. “But she’s also going through some shit,” he continued. “The girl is breaking, close to the point of losing it, and someone needs to be there to pick her up. I guess I nominated myself to be that guy.”
He nominated himself? This guy was a joke. “You aren’t going to be there to catch her. When shit gets tough, you’ll bail on her, and make it worse.”
I knew how these guys operated. They loved the chase. Enter the girl who’d never give them the time of the day, but they’re at a low moment in their life, so they need a pick me up … a saver. He’d make her fall for him. He’d treat her like she needed him to breathe or she’d suffocate. Then he’d drop her like a bad habit when he had her hooked. He would destroy her.
“You don’t know me, pretty boy. Don’t get pissed at me because you couldn’t man up, grow a dick, and tell her how you feel. You’re pissed because you’re a pussy, and I have the balls to do what you couldn’t.”
“You’re right.” He looked shocked at my admission. He was waiting for me to deny it. “I didn’t have the balls to tell her how I feel, but I will make you one promise.”
“What’s that?” he asked, raising a brow.
“You hurt her, I promise and swear on everything, I’ll have the balls to beat your ass, and you’ll regret you even talked to her.”
He chuckled, flicking his cigarette onto the ground, and twisting it with the front of his boot. “Try your best, pretty boy,” he mocked, smacking me on the back, and walked back to the crowd.
I kicked the dirt and stared back at him. I took a deep breath, repeatedly talking myself out of tackling his ass into the burning flames.
“I’m glad you’re finally admitting it,” Ollie said, walking up to me with Cody.
“Admitting what?” I asked.
“That you,” he pointed a finger at me, “want her.” His finger, along with my attention, moved to Tessa standing back by the fire with Reese. His arm was winded around her again, this time resting on her ass as he kissed her neck. The motherfucker was taunting me. He grabbed a blanket from a bag, bundled her up, and sat down before dragging her down onto his lap.
“I think you’ve had too much,” I said, reaching for Cody’s beer, but he took a step back.
“Nu uh, don’t try to change the subject.” He laughed, chugging the rest of his beer. “Don’t let her get wrapped up in him, man. Go get her. That girl used to look at you like you created the damn sky, now go name a star after her, and fall in love before some asteroid hits you guys, and it’s too late.” Ollie laughed at Cody’s words, and I rolled my eyes.
“This discussion is over, assholes,” I demanded, stepping around them and heading back to our chairs. I grabbed a beer from Cody’s bag, popped the top open, and took a drink. I needed this or I was going to snap.
“You know Tanner would’ve been okay with it,” Ollie said, sitting down beside me. “If it were anyone else, he would’ve killed them, but you, he would’ve been okay with.”
I dropped my head down to look at the ground. “Shut the fuck up, man. He’s dead, how the hell can you say whether or not he’d be mad at me. You guys don’t know shit,” I snarled.
“Don’t get shitty because we’re speaking the truth. If you don’t want to date her, don’t get pissed when she finds someone else. That’s all I’m saying.”
“You okay, dude?” Cody asked, patting me on the shoulder. I was making myself look like a dumbass, and I was supposed to be the rational one. But I couldn’t stand seeing her with someone else.
“Yeah, I’m cool. Sorry guys, didn’t mean to put a damper on the night.”
“No worries, I won’t say anything else about it. We just want to see you and her happy.” I grabbed the beer on the ground and handed it over to Cody. He grabbed it and chugged it quickly before I changed my mind.
“Seriously?” I asked. “You’re supposed to be staying out of trouble.”
“Can’t waste beer. That’s a party foul. And a crime.”
I shook my head at him. “I think you’ve committed enough of those already.”
The three of us laughed, leaned back in our chairs, and watched the party grow louder and crazier as the night went on.
I was a people watcher. I noticed shit others didn’t see. I didn’t always say something about it, but I knew it. And tonight, I focused my attention on Reese. I counted the endless drinks he went through, mixing them with a combination of cigarettes, weed, and whatever else he was popping. Then I’d look at Tessa, watching her drink anything he handed her, while she talked to him and his friends. Who was this girl? She looked like the Tessa I knew, but she was different. Her smile wasn’t genuine anymore. It was fake. Her laugh, too. She wasn’t completely comfortable with Reese or his friends, but she was trying her hardest to adjust by drinking their alcohol and laughing at their jokes. I silently prayed she’d come over by us, plop down on the grass, and hang out like she used to.
“You sure you don’t want to save her from that shit?” Ollie asked. I looked away from her to see Reese stumbling around, high-fiving guys, and dancing with girls that weren’t Tessa. He smacked a few asses, rambled, and staggered back to Tessa when he was done harassing people.
If Tessa noticed what was going on, she didn’t let it look like it affected her. She stayed in her chair with her arms wrapped around her body and snuggled into the blanket. Her eyes watched the fire like she was waiting for it to give her all the answers she was looking for.
I’d had enough. I jumped up from my chair with my friends at my back. “Let’s go,” I yelled. Cody jumped up to join me, and Ollie grabbed our chairs quickly. We reached Tessa and surrounded her. I held out my hand as I looked down at her. Her eyes flicked up from the fire and her mouth gaped open when she noticed us.
“Tell your little boyfriend you’re leaving,” I said.
“What?”
I suddenly felt a hard weight smash into my back, and Reese practically fell on top of Tessa in her chair. He squeezed himself in between Cody and me.
“You ready to go or something?” he asked Tessa, his words barely making it out of his mouth as he faltered next to me.
She looked at him, then to me, and back to him. “I, uh, don’t.”
“There’s no way in hell you’re driving her home,” I said, answering for her. I didn’t care if Tessa would be mad at me for the rest of her life; I wasn’t letting her get into a car with that drunken maniac.
“And why not?” he asked, gripping his hold on the cup in his hand.
“You’re wasted off your ass, dude,” Cody told him, pulling Tessa up from her chair and tucking her into his side. She fell into him like a rag doll, letting us move her around as we pleased. She was just as plastered as he was. If I hadn’t been watching him all night, I would’ve been positive he’d drugged her.
“How about we ask Tessa what she wants,” Reese yelled, shoving through us to face her and grabbing her arm. “What do you want, love?” He leaned forward and ran his hand against her cheek. Watching him touch her so intimately sent chills up my spine. Her eyes slowly closed as she took a deep breath.
“Tessa, girl, he’s fucked up,” Cody said, bringing her closer to him and farther from Reese. “Dawson is sober. He’s our DD. Let us take you home, and you can talk to this guy tomorrow. We just want you to keep you safe.”
“Look at all of you pretty boys,” Reese cackled, getting into my face. “You’re trying to come up here like knigh
ts in fucking shining armor. You guys are nothing but losers.” He whipped around, getting closer to Tessa’s face. “And you, I thought you were different.”
“Tessa, say something, damnit!” I yelled, keeping my focus on him. I noticed his friends start to move in our direction and knew there’d be a fight if we didn’t get out of there. “Tell him you want to leave with us.”
“I, uh,” she stuttered again. Why was I even asking her anything?
“God, you’re fucking wasted,” I breathed out, pushing her away from him, and hauling her over my shoulder. She’d get the hell over it.
Cody jumped to my side, instantly ready to back me up. Reese started to follow us, but Cody pushed him back, harder than necessary. “She’ll call you tomorrow, bro,” he told him. Reese was a big guy, but Cody had played defensive line on our football team. He was bigger, muscular, and had a brain that functioned properly.
“This is fucking bullshit,” Reese snarled, clenching his fists.
“I don’t feel good,” Tessa whined. She looked up to look at Reese. “I promise I’ll call you tomorrow. I just want to go home.”
His face twisted with what looked like regret and fury. “You know what? Don’t even bother. Have fun hanging out with your lame, pussy ass boys,” he spat. He stumbled over a chick in the crowd, grabbed her ass, and pulled her against him. If I didn’t have Tessa hanging over my shoulder, I would’ve punched him in his arrogant face. “I’ll be having my own fun without you.”
“Fucking douchebag,” Cody said. “You want me to hit him?”
“Nah, don’t worry about it. He’s not worth you getting in trouble,” I replied. He nodded, he and Ollie following me to my truck with Tessa still hanging over my shoulder.
“But Tessa girl, you’ve got to kick that asshole to the curb,” Ollie said.
“Like I’ve told Dawson a hundred times,” she yelled, slapping my back and hiccupping. “ I don’t need a babysitter.”
She struggled against me. “Cut it out, Tessa,” I demanded.
Revive Me Page 7
