Fake It 'Til You Break It

by Brandy, Meagan

  Their hollers have me flipping them off over my head as I hit, quickly coming up to the top and taking a breath.

  “It’s freezing!” I yell with a laugh.

  Nico chuckles and I swim toward where he’s sitting on a moss-covered flat plain, half his torso out of the water, and dripping wet.

  His hair is a mess on his head, so once I’m where I can put my knees on a rock, I squeeze between his legs and reach up to smooth it out.

  One little curl keeps falling in his face, so I hold it back.

  My chest is even with his face in this position, so he drops his chin on my breastbone and stares up at me.

  “You’ve got goosebumps.” His eyes fall to my arms, hands coming up to wrap around them, sliding up and down and creating twice as many as before. “That got anything to do with the water?” he rasps.

  I can’t answer him, though.

  I’m stuck.

  I stare at his mouth, only inches from my breasts, taking in nothing but the sensation of having so much of his skin on mine.

  I could reach up and untie my top, and without direction he’d know what to do.

  My nipples harden and his focus moves directly to the proof.

  His grip tightens, his fingertips biting into me like I want his teeth to.

  “D...” He licks his lips, reluctantly dragging his gaze back to mine.

  Suddenly I’m tugged back, splashing into the water again.

  I come up laughing and shove Carley away.

  Krista is next to jump, popping up and swimming to the left of us to climb out the one shallow spot at the Cape.

  We love this place and come here at least once a week during the summer.

  Parking is down at the bottom with built-in barbecues and picnic tables, small games and things all around. It’s not very large, only around ten carloads can fit in the area, so when we come, we leave before the sun even rises.

  It’s beautiful and quiet, green and clean, nothing but the sounds of people having a good time or the mini waterfalls that filter through the rocks and the small stream it all leads to.

  “Yo!” Trent comes around the corner, tongs in one hand, towel for his girl in the other. He tosses it at her and she drapes it over her shoulder. “Foods ready.”

  “Yes!” Krista smiles with a shout, wringing her hair. “And now that Demi can pretend her vagina is wet from the water, let’s be quick about eating so we can go kick these people’s ass playing volleyball!”

  “Oh my god!” I slap the water, but she only grins wider.

  “Did they even invite us to play?” Macy climbs out.

  “No, but they have six and we have six. They’ll let us.” Krista starts to walk away, but jerks to a stop and adds, “Carley, don’t climb out until Demi does or Nico will never let her go.”

  I laugh, looking to Nico who finally drags himself to his feet, as if he planned to do just that.

  “That’s it, I’m gonna fuck with Trent’s ass now,” Nico mumbles as he passes Krista.

  “Good, do it. He’s all tense today, loosen him up for me, please.” She looks to us, fighting a laugh, and then follows after him.

  We spend the rest of the afternoon playing volleyball with the random people who set up beside us, and dip in the water to cool off here and there.

  It takes longer to clean up than it did to set up and by the time we manage to head home, it’s starting to get dark out, and everyone is hungry again, so we stop at a small taqueria for dinner.

  They sit us around a large table, and my phone rings the second I get seated, my mom’s name flashing across the screen.

  I hesitate a moment, then Nico taps my shoulder, nodding to the screen.

  With a sigh, I answer and walk a few steps away for some privacy.

  “Hey, Mom.”

  “Hey, sweetie.”

  Sweetie? I frown. “What’s up?”

  “I was calling to see if you were home, I’m about twenty minutes out. I thought I could bring home dinner.”

  It’s already after eight-thirty, later than I would normally eat, so I don’t tell her I’ve just sat down to. “I’m not home right now, I’m with the girls and we already ate, but thanks.”

  “Oh, well, in that case maybe I’ll stop for a salad at the club.” The ding of her car door being opened lets me know she was betting on my answer and is already stepping out. “So... your dad called today.”

  Ah! That’s what the ‘sweetie’ was for.

  “Why’d he call you? I just texted him this morning.”

  “You did?” she asks, seemingly surprised.

  It’s as if she convinces herself he and I speak as little as her and I do.

  “So what did he say?” I get us back on track.

  “Oh, he mentioned coming into town next week, he wants to have dinner.” She pauses and I wait, knowing more is coming. “You’ll let me know if he mentions the specifics to you, I know he had to cancel his last trip last minute?”

  So you can make sure to plan and be home to save face, sure, Mom.

  “Yeah, Mom. I will.”

  “Great. I’ll see you later, Demi.” The line goes dead.

  I take a minute to breathe, get out of the funk every conversation with her seems to put me in, before I turn back to my friends.

  They’re all laughing and cheering as Trent flicks a paper through Nico’s fingers that he holds up as if they’re goal posts.

  Macy preparing to block Trent’s next shot, switches seats, taking the open spot beside my man.

  A smile takes over my lips as I look at Nico, who happens to glance my way at the same exact time.

  Holy shit.

  My man.

  That’s my man.

  I stuff my phone back in my pocket and head right for him.

  His eyes cling to me, and his body seems to relax into his chair. He licks his lips, his legs spreading wider.

  I drop onto his lap, slide my hand into his hair, and kiss him.

  Because he’s mine and I can.

  “I’ve got the Kahlua!” Krista lifts the bottle in the air as she pushes open the door to Trent’s truck.

  “I got the Kahlua.” Macy frowns, pulling open her backpack to show us the A&W Root Beer bottles inside. “I already disguised them and everything.”

  “Krista, you were supposed to get the coffee.”

  “I thought you were getting the coffee.” She puts her hand on her hip.

  Trent rolls his eyes and walks over to Nico who is sitting on my patio chair.

  “I’m snacks, Carley’s blankets, Macy’s alcohol, and you were supposed to be coffee.”

  “Ohhh... that’s why my alert went off at lunch! I thought I forgot to turn it off from this morning,” Krista says.

  “You remind yourself to get coffee in the morning?” Carley teases.

  “No, biatch, but if I’m not out the door when it goes off, that means I don’t have time to stop.” She laughs, then looks to Trent. “It’s fine, we’ll go get the coffee?”

  “I can’t,” he tells her. “I have to grab my brother on the way and drop him at my dad’s office.”

  “I’ll get it.” Nico pushes to his feet, moving toward me.

  I love how his shoulders sway the slightest bit with each step, and how he’s always got a little lift or tip of his chin, giving him an I’m coming for you look, making me want him to do exactly that.

  He plants his feet directly in front of me, grabs the snacks from my hands and lifts them over my head to set the bag into the little container in the back of my car. “What are you thinkin’ about, D?” he smirks as he asks. “A night under the stars with your man?” he jokes.

  I pretend to gag and he laughs, bumping my body into the car with his.

  “Please, never be the cheesy poet.”

  “I thought it was cute!” Macy shouts as she walks off.

  I hold in my grin while Nico’s deepens.

  “You like me better when I’m bein’ a dick.”

  “I like yo
u better when you sit there and look pretty,” I joke.

  He pushes closer. “You think I’m pretty, Pixie?”

  A laugh bubbles out of me, and I wrap my hands around his neck, leaning into him, and satisfaction burns deep in his eyes.

  “I think you’re a fine specimen, Nico Sykes, but if you don’t get your ass to the coffeehouse and to the school in time to have our bags checked, I might change my mind and—”

  He captures my mouth with an unexpected kiss, but I’m ready for him, and need no time to think. I’ve been waiting to feel his lips again.

  Nico’s lips are soft, but his kiss is hard, a strong pressure from his mouth to mine that doesn’t last near as long as it should. His tongue ghosts the edge of my lips, not invading, and quick.

  Too quick.

  He tugs away and my body tries to go with him.

  A raspy, sexy, chuckle escapes him, and he whispers in my ear. “Watch it, D,” he teases and my core heats. “I might pull you into the house.”

  “I might let you,” I whisper.

  His laugh is louder this time as he tugs free and heads for his truck while I’m stuck, practically panting, as I stare after him.

  “You need help, Dem?”

  Trent pulls me from my mind. “Huh, no I’m good. We’re good.”

  He studies me a moment before glancing around – the girls are digging through bags in the trunk, and Nico’s already in his vehicle turning the engine over.

  “Dem.” He gets my attention once again. “Are things getting serious between you and Nic?”

  I frown, an instant stir in my stomach putting me on edge. “Why are you asking me this?”

  Tension lines his forehead and he takes a small step forward. “You know why, Demi.”

  “Wha—”

  “Ride with me, Trent,” Nico shouts from the driver’s seat of his truck, cutting off our conversation.

  He’s got his window rolled down, eyes sliding from me to his buddy.

  “My brother, remember?” Trent reminds him, slipping his hands in his pockets.

  Macy overhears and walks over, holding her hand out with a grin, so I pass over my car keys.

  I cut a quick glance at Trent who rubs at the back of his neck, looking off, and then skip around Nico’s truck. I tap the hood as I go, his eyes following me until I’m sliding in the passenger seat.

  “Rude.” I take my time buckling the seatbelt, my stare slowly making its way to his. “Ask your boy before your girl?” I tease.

  Nico leans over, and I meet him halfway with a smirk.

  “My girl.” He damn near hums, just to hear himself say it I’m guessing. “They watchin’ us?”

  I look past his head to find everyone is climbing into their designated vehicles. “Nope.”

  Suddenly, my neck is in his hands and his mouth is on mine.

  It’s even shorter and quicker than the other, not even giving me an extra second to meet his eyes before he’s gone, yet somehow, this kiss manages to leave me wanting more than the last.

  More than this short ride alone with him.

  More of it all.

  I’ve been looking forward to Senior Sunrise for weeks, now I wouldn’t mind skipping it completely. I don’t tell Nico that though, and five minutes later he’s disappearing inside the coffee shop while I wait in the truck.

  It’s not until he exits, both hands full, that I realize what he did back at my house.

  It was simple, subtle, and small, and even though we admitted this is more than pretend, he still did exactly what I asked of him last Friday night.

  He proved it.

  As soon as I get the table set up, Trent pushes the ice chest beneath it and the trucks parked alongside ours follow our set up, laying their shit a few feet out from the tailgates.

  It’s Senior Sunrise, so all the seniors come back to school at eight in the evening, set up and play games, eat and bullshit all through the night, the entire class – or everyone who makes it out – watching the sunrise together.

  The school allows those with a truck and the grades a first come first serve ticket to park along the outer edge of the fencing, so there are about thirty of us making a large U around the open field while the others parked in the parking lot and brought random shit and filled up the middle.

  They’ve got everything from tables and chairs to blow up mattresses and even a real one, and another group is inflating full blown rafts to chill in.

  “Is that a fucking futon, bro?” Trent laughs.

  I glance over my shoulder, finding four guys carrying it across the grass. I chuckle, shaking my head. “People are for real about this shit. I heard a couple years ago the basketball team took the entire center, made a fat ass circle with dozens of trampolines.”

  “Yeah, I saw that. I was helping set up games out here that year when they were bringing them in.” He laughs.

  “That’s right, you were on leadership with Demi that year.”

  He nods, looking to Krista. “I’m uh, I’m gonna go help her get the rest of the shit. Be back.”

  He takes off right as Demi steps up.

  She bumps her hip into me, setting out the paper coffee cups and making a full coffee station with straws and spoons and shit.

  “Where do you want the snacks?”

  “Oh!” She turns back to her little tub and pulls out two small buckets, setting them at the other end. “Here, I’ll pour them in there.”

  She reaches out, but I tug them away, swinging the bags behind me.

  A small smile plays across those thick lips of hers and she leans in. “I can do it.”

  “I know you can, but so can I.” My eyes shift between hers. “You should kiss me now.”

  A laugh bubbles out of her as she scrunches her nose. “Oh, yeah? Why is that?”

  “Because I want you to, that’s reason enough.”

  Demi pushes up, bringing our mouths even. “I’d say it is.” She chuckles, pats my chest and pecks my cheek before hurrying away.

  “That’s not what I had in mind!” I shout after her.

  “Oh, I don’t doubt it,” she calls from the other side of my truck.

  Krista and Trent walk back with two trays full of enchiladas his mom made us for tonight, setting them on our table with the rest of the shit right as Carley and Macy walk back, Demi right behind them.

  “Are we just eating and snacking as we want?” Macy asks, peeking into one of the enchilada trays.

  “Yeah, no reason to make it complicated.” Demi nods, hopping into the bed of my truck.

  “Cool, I’m going to go play water pong,” she says.

  “Water pong?”

  “They couldn’t exactly bring beer.”

  “Demi, did you seriously bring your homework?” Carley whines.

  I glance at Demi, who brought beanbags for us to sit on.

  She laughs, pulling a blanket over her legs. “What? I have to get it done, and we have ten hours out here. Why not?”

  “Ugh, I’m going with Macy. Come find us in a little bit or we’ll be back.”

  “I don’t have much, I’ll be done quick. Swear!”

  They tease her a little more as they walk off, but she simply smiles, her focus moving back to the notebook in her lap.

  I grab my backpack from the floorboard of my truck, hopping in the back with her.

  When I drop beside her, pulling my own shit out, she swings a grin my way, offering me a piece of licorice.

  I lean forward, capturing it with my teeth and she laughs, biting from the same part I did.

  We sit and work in silence, but only manage to keep focused for a little over a half hour before we give up.

  Demi stuffs her papers in her bag, and drops her head against the window, looking at the sky. “Think you’ll be able to stay awake all night?”

  “I can think of a few ways to make sure I do.” I slide my eyes toward her.

  She laughs, shaking her head. “I bet you can.”

  “Want me to name
‘em?”

  She smiles, but doesn’t say anything, her attention falling to my mouth when I pull my bottom lip between my teeth.

  Man, she’s gorgeous.

  Wild green eyes locked on me, shiny, dark blonde hair she left laying long across her shoulders, and plump ass, pretty polished lips.

  She shifts on her beanbag.

  It’s not hard to tell she’s got something on her mind.

  “Talk to me, D.”

  Her tongue slips out, unease written across her forehead, but she doesn’t allow her concern to keep her from speaking. “What if I told you I needed this?”

  “I’d tell you to be more specific,” I reply instantly. “I don’t like vague and I don’t like assumptions. If you mean it, say it. If not, don’t.”

  She chuckles, reaching up to push my hair from my forehead.

  “You’re kind of an asshole,” she says, her voice lowering with her next words. “But I kind of like it.”

  “Liar.”

  Her mouth drops open.

  “You more than like it.” I smirk. “I should be an asshole more often.”

  Her lips twitch, and she moves her blanket, covering my lap with it as she scoots closer. She shakes her head. “You’re good how you are.”

  My hand slides over her jeans on her left outer thigh. “How am I, D?”

  “Unexpected.” She thinks a long moment. “Do you think something built on a lie could ever...” She trails off.

  My stomach muscles tighten as she tucks her lips between her teeth.

  Keep talkin’, baby.

  She hesitates, so I try to ease it from her.

  “Ever what?” Reaching up, I slide my hand into her hair. “Ever... last?”

  I swear she blushes and something pulls in my chest, but then we’re interrupted by a few of our classmates, and her focus shifts.

  “Stop fingering my friend so she can come play with us,” Macy calls as she jumps up on the tire well of my truck.

  Demi can’t hold it in, and a loud laugh leaves her.

  “Go away, we’re busy.”

  D cuts a quick smile my way.

  “Please!” her friend Ava begs. “We need a couple more people.”

  Demi playfully rolls her eyes, stands and jumps to the grass, while my ass stays planted. “Let’s go, Neek. We’re needed over there.”