The First Cut: A Dark Psychological Thriller (Gushers Series Book 1)

by Chuck Buda

  Leah came out the door. She held it for another student who left the school late too. Her eyes caught sight of Aiden and she waved. Without a smile, Aiden noticed. He waved back.

  “How did it go?”

  “It was so easy. English is one of my better subjects.” Leah held her books to her chest. Aiden wondered if it was a defense mechanism for what he had done to her Friday night in the hot tub.

  They walked for a block in silence. Aiden couldn’t take the awkwardness, even though it was in his wheelhouse. He decided to just blurt it out and get it over with. He needed to eat and sleep today.

  “I’m sorry I grabbed your breast.”

  Leah stopped walking. Aiden didn’t realize she had stopped. He walked on a few more paces until he noticed Leah was behind him. Her face was a mixture of shock and fear.

  “I’m...I’m sorry. It was an accident. I only meant to tickle you. I...” Aiden gave up. He always rambled when he was guilty or nervous.

  “I’m not upset.” Leah began to smile.

  Aiden was confused. Her immediate reaction didn’t jive with her current response. He wrinkled his forehead.

  “I know you weren’t doing anything like that. You’re not Ryan. Or Todd.” Leah began walking again.

  “Really? You aren’t mad?” It was Aiden’s turn to be shocked.

  Leah giggled and shook her head. “No, silly.”

  Aiden exhaled and bent at the waist to rest his hands on his knees. Leah laughed at his sudden posture.

  “What are you doing down there?”

  “I was worried all weekend. I haven’t slept or eaten. I thought for sure you would be mad at me. Then when we ran into each other this morning, things had been so...” Aiden fished for the right words without offending Leah.

  “Awkward?” Leah helped him out.

  “Yeah.”

  Leah giggled again. “It was awkward because of you, you dork. You stammered over your words and I saw your hands shaking. I thought you had taken some drugs or something.”

  Aiden laughed nervously. “Nah, I don’t do drugs.”

  Leah laughed at him again and told him she knows he doesn’t do drugs, or anything bad for that matter. The conversation shifted to the club, which wasn’t a “club.” Aiden told Leah he didn’t understand the point other than to conjure up phony jealousy in others. Leah agreed with him and they both expressed relief. Each of them thought they were the only one who believed the secret society game was stupid. Leah asked Aiden why he went along with it then. Aiden told her he always went along with what the guys wanted just so he could stay in their group and Leah revealed she did the same with Zoe and Jordyn.

  “They’re both so popular and beautiful. Being in their crowd gives me something to do. Otherwise, I would be locked up in my room reading books. Alone.”

  Aiden felt butterflies in his stomach. He wanted to say something to Leah but he didn’t want to come off as a tool. “You’re just as beautiful as them.” The words were out before he knew what he had done. Aiden kept his eyes off to the side so Leah couldn’t read them. He missed her blush.

  “Please. This red hair? In case you haven’t heard, gingers are not highly sought after.” Leah twirled her hair as she complained.

  “Well, I like it. Those other people are just stupid. I guess. Anyway...” Aiden shut himself up before he completely ruined their friendship. He wanted there to be more than just friendship.

  They walked another few blocks in silence. Neither one of them risking a glance in each other’s direction. As they reached Leah’s block, Aiden figured it would be a good spot to part ways. He wanted to walk her right to her door. He didn’t want to chase her away by acting too clingy or gentlemanly. It had been bad enough he told her he liked her hair. And admitted he hadn’t slept or eaten because of thinking about her.

  “I guess this is it. I have to get home. Mom is making her famous turkey pot pies for dinner. And she’s probably already wondering where I am.” He finally made eye contact with Leah. She smiled up at him, her books still clutched to her chest.

  “See you tomorrow.” Leah widened her smile and turned up the street. After a few paces, she spun back to Aiden and called over to him. “Maybe this Friday I’ll touch your breast.” She giggled and turned away as she continued home.

  Aiden gaped after her. Did she just tease me for being a pussy? Or was she threatening me to get even? Or what if she was hitting on me? Could she be hitting on me? She wouldn’t hit on me. Why would she hit on me? I’m a dork. You heard her. And we’ve been friends for years. If she were interested in me, I would have known by now.

  Aiden was more confused now than he had been when he worried about Leah’s feelings all weekend. He needed to figure this out before Friday night. Just in case he had to prepare for Leah to attack him for revenge. He secretly hoped it was something else.

  He made his way home with much more to think about. Suddenly, the secret society had become very interesting. Up to now, Aiden thought it was dumb and a waste of time. But maybe it would provide him with a better opportunity to get closer to Leah. Things seemed to be looking up. Don’t get your hopes up, pal. It isn’t what you think. Aiden cursed himself for getting excited about a pipe dream.

  Quietly, his mind kept thinking about the chances he was wrong.

  Chapter 10

  Zoe had been listening to Ryan’s exploits for over an hour already. She pretended to show interest in his sexual conquests, even though she was repulsed. Zoe never hid her disdain for Ryan’s overt sexual behavior and his disgusting stories. But now she found herself having to fake it. At least until she got what she wanted.

  She had called Ryan after school. He didn’t have swimming practice today so she asked if she could swing by and pick him up to “run an errand” with her. Ryan never said “no” to a girl. About anything. Ever.

  Sitting in her brand new Lexus, Zoe stared out the windshield while Ryan droned on. The car was parked behind a doctor’s office in a strip mall. The small complex contained a handful of small, one-story buildings where doctors hung their shingles. At this hour, the doctors and staff had all gone home. Her car sat alone in a corner spot, a few spaces away from the lamp post.

  She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel and decided she had had enough. She spoke over Ryan without waiting for him to finish his story about how a freshman let him jerk off on her tits behind the school. “Haven’t you wondered why we’re parked here when we were supposed to run errands?”

  Ryan looked around the parking lot. “I did when we pulled up. But then I forgot about it.”

  Zoe nodded. She shot Ryan a dirty look. “I need you for something.”

  Ryan grinned and licked his lips. He shifted in the seat to look directly at Zoe. “I knew this day would come. It was only a matter of time before the Ry-man wore you down. All the girls up to now have only been practice, so you get the best of me.” He spouted the cheesy come-on line like a poor stage actor rehearsing for the first time.

  Zoe stopped him with a hand to his chest. He had started to lean across the car for her. “Yeah, you wear us ALL down with your “practice,” Ryan. I need you to be on my side.”

  Ryan looked confused. “I’m ON your side.”

  “No, I mean with The First Cut.”

  Ryan squinted as he tried to figure out what Zoe was talking about. She rolled her eyes and exhaled loudly. She wanted him to know she was disappointed with his cluelessness.

  “The fucking “club,” Ryan.” He nodded in understanding. Finally. “I need you to be on my side with THE CLUB.” She hated how she had to use the word just to get through to him.

  “I still don’t get it. What sides are there? I thought we were just hanging out to make people wanna be one of us?”

  “Yes, we are. But everyone is coming at it from different angles.” She stuck her tongue in her cheek. “What do you want out of our secret society?”

  Ryan hesitated, responding as if he were afraid to give the wrong answer.
“Sex?”

  “Are you asking me or telling me?”

  “Sex. Definitely sex.” Ryan proudly confirmed what Zoe already knew.

  “Okay. So you expect to show up and fuck everyone when we meet. I want to create something...new and fresh. Something none of us could achieve without this group.” She waited to see understanding register across Ryan’s face. She knew she didn’t have that kind of time. “When I lead this society, I think certain people are going to try to pull us in a different direction. And I’m going to need “friends” to back me up. So we can make this something great, instead of a teenage pajama party, minus the pajamas.”

  “Yeah, no problem. I’ll back you up. But I don’t think anyone will be a problem. We all know you like to push...I mean lead us. It should be fine.”

  Zoe carefully chose her words. She wanted to give Ryan just enough to hook him without letting him know it all. She was afraid he would blab her intentions and wreck the game before it even started.

  “I want to expand our horizons. Push the boundaries. Reach new levels. And I know some people are going to resist.”

  “Like who?” Ryan seemed curious and interested for the first time. Zoe got excited she might be getting through.

  “Well, Aiden and Leah are such pushovers. They’ll probably try to drop out. But dropping out would be bad because once you are on the inside, you know too much. So we can’t have dropouts.”

  “I’ll beat his ass. It’ll be fine.”

  “And Jordyn and Todd can be flighty. Sometimes they believe they are on the same...level with me. I need to retain control if it is all to be successful.”

  Ryan shifted. “I don’t know if I can kick Todd’s ass anymore. He’s gotten much bigger over the last few years. He’ll...”

  Zoe cut Ryan off. “I don’t want you to fight Todd. I know you guys are both good buddies.” She said “buddies” with sarcasm. “But I may need you to talk to him. Convince him our path is the right path. The only path. And whatever Todd does, Jordyn usually follows along.”

  Ryan nodded. “Yeah. Okay. No problem. I don’t know why we need to be all secretive out here. You could’ve just told me on the phone.”

  Zoe grinned. She was glad things had gone so smoothly. She knew she could lock him up now with her final offer. It disgusted her. But she was willing to sacrifice for the good of The First Cut. Nothing would be more important than her new organization. Zoe decided she would do anything to get the most out of this new adventure.

  “As an incentive, and reward, for your loyalty to my side, I am willing to let you fuck me. The only condition is you cannot add me to your gross stories. The first wind I catch of you revealing what we do or how we do it to anyone, including Todd, and it is all over.”

  Ryan stared at Zoe in disbelief. She thought he might have held his breath for a second. She could see saliva build up on his lower lip. He licked it nervously.

  “Okay. Okay. Deal. You’re serious? I can fuck you and that vicious body? Really?”

  “Really.” Zoe smiled at him. Ryan lunged across the seat at her. Zoe stopped him with both hands against his chest. “Not so fast, tiger. I want you earn it. We’ll do other things for now.” She glanced down at his crotch. “Let me suck that cock tonight. We’ll work on something else for next time.”

  Ryan rushed to undo his pants. Zoe saw Ryan was more than ready for action. She chuckled to herself. People were so easy when she knew how to motivate them.

  Chapter 11

  The guys hung out in the school parking lot. Aiden and Spencer sat on the curb while Todd and Ryan tossed a football back and forth. They decided to blow off some steam before heading home.

  Ryan and Todd were sweating profusely. When they had a catch, it was more than throwing and catching. They pretended it was fourth down with no time left on the clock. It was the Super Bowl and they needed to score the winning touchdown. Aiden laughed when he watched them. He thought they would never outgrow the little boy sports fantasies. Spencer followed along without as much amusement.

  Ryan caught the winning pass. He and Todd ran toward each other and jumped in the air to touch backs like professional football players. Ryan flopped onto the pavement next to Spencer. He made sure to fall into Spencer like he was crashing through a tackling player. Spencer shoved Ryan.

  “Gross. Can you sweat any more?”

  “You like it wet, baby.” Ryan nuzzled into Spencer, rubbing his sweaty forehead all over Spencer’s shirt. Spencer cursed and got up to escape. Todd and Aiden enjoyed Spencer’s discomfort.

  “So, listen guys.” Ryan addressed the group in between gasps for air. “I need you guys to be cool with this First Cut thing.”

  “What the fuck is First Cut?” Todd must have forgotten the name of their group already. He rested his hands on his knees as he tried to slow his breathing down from the football action.

  “Isn’t that the club?” Aiden chimed in.

  “It’s not a club. It’s a secret society.” Ryan corrected Aiden. Spencer shook his head.

  “Oh, yeah. I forgot the name. You sound like Zoe, man.” Todd sat on the pavement. He leaned back and stared at the blue sky.

  Spencer laughed at Todd’s remark. “Yeah, that’s all we need is another Zoe bossing us around.”

  “I’m not bossing anyone around. I just want to make sure we are all on the same page with this. That’s all.”

  “Same page as what? All we’re doing is hanging out and then conjuring lies about some make-believe thing to piss people off.” Todd closed his eyes against the afternoon sun.

  Ryan shifted towards Aiden. “I know. But I think things might get...interesting and I don’t want anyone to fuck it up.”

  Aiden felt the comment directed at himself. “Me? What would I do?”

  “You know, man. It’s just...you’re too laid back and you might not be into everything. You can’t think about quitting now that it’s started.”

  Aiden wrinkled his face and searched Spencer and Todd. He wondered if they thought Ryan’s accusations were out of line like he did. Todd showed no reaction. Spencer tossed pebbles along the pavement. “Guys, have I ever done something causing you to question my ability to be a team player?”

  “There was that time we stole the shopping cart from the grocery store, and you hid in the bushes, afraid we would get caught.” Spencer smiled as he recalled the incident.

  “We were eleven, for God’s sake.” Aiden threw his hands in the air, exasperated. He couldn’t believe the guys were turning against him. It was totally out of left field in his mind. They all laughed at Aiden’s reaction.

  Todd finally seemed to catch up to the conversation. “Wait a minute. What do you mean things might get interesting?” He glared at Ryan like he had caught him in a conspiracy.

  Ryan shrugged and passed the football between his own hands. “I don’t know. I think it’s gonna get fun and I want to enjoy it without a damp rag thrown over the thing.”

  “Now I’m a damp rag?” Aiden shot up in protest. The guys ignored his outburst.

  “Out with it, boy. You know something and you are not telling us everything.” Spencer stepped toward Ryan.

  “I don’t know anything. I’m just guessing.”

  “No, you’re not. You’re doing that thing with your eyes when you are lying. It’s the same tell we use to beat your ass in poker, dude.” Todd crawled across the pavement and pointed in Ryan’s face.

  Ryan acted nervous. He tried to back up but Spencer popped into the space right behind him. Ryan was trapped between Spencer and Todd with no chance for escape.

  “Okay. Okay. Look. I promised I wouldn’t say anything so you can’t fuck me on this.” Aiden stood up and the three guys closed in around Ryan. “Zoe has a plan to make this the coolest club in the world. I mean, not a club.” Ryan changed his words when Spencer raised his eyebrows. “I think she wants us to have sex.” Ryan’s expression changed from serious nervousness to excited joyousness.

  “What?”
Todd was shocked.

  “Wait, she said she wants us all to have sex?” Spencer was incredulous.

  Aiden felt his palms moisten with sweat. Sex? Everyone? I’m a virgin. And how am I supposed to handle this with Leah involved?

  “Not in those specific terms. But she said she had big plans and she wants us all to go along with it.” Ryan hopped up and down like a kid on Christmas morning.

  “Wow. I didn’t think she had it in her.” Spencer circled the group as he contemplated the news.

  “And Jordyn is fine with this? She’ll let us fuck her?” Todd brightened as Ryan’s excitement spread to him.

  Ryan shrugged again. “I don’t know if Jordyn is on board yet. All I know is Zoe wants to get freaky and she wants us to go along with it.”

  “Oh, I’ll fuck Zoe, no problem.” Todd high fived Ryan. Ryan shouted, “Me too.”

  Aiden couldn’t believe his ears. Zoe, the most uptight, controlling girl he had ever met, who wouldn’t even shake hands with people because she didn’t want their germs on her, was willing to let guys have sex with her? And not just one guy, but four guys? One at a time? Or all at once? Aiden had a sudden urge to evacuate his bowels. The news was exciting but alarming at the same time. Aiden wasn’t ready to go from virgin to porn star. In front of the guys. And girls. And Leah.

  Spencer circled back to the group. “I’m impressed with this turn of events. I think this stupid ‘club’ might turn out to be the best time of our high school careers.” Todd and Ryan shot their hands in the air, begging for Spencer’s high five. He gave the people what they wanted.

  Aiden stared at his sneakers until he sensed a hush fall upon the guys. He glanced up and saw three hands in the air, waiting for his confirmation mark. Aiden reluctantly slapped hands with them. He hoped they didn’t notice how sweaty his palms were.

  Chapter 12

  Turner rolled off Rebecca. The love-making had been adequate, but boring. Purposefully. Rebecca had been “phoning it in” during their last few sessions. She hoped to use the barely satisfactory intercourse as a spring board to the conversation she had been laboring over. She knew it had to be done delicately or else Turner would balk. Worse, he might accuse her of wanting an affair. And that would ruin everything.