by Rebecca Shea
“Sure. Sounds like fun.”
Stumbling down the stairs and into the kitchen with Ava, I pour some coffee into a travel mug and stir in some vanilla creamer. Mom is sitting at the table with Dad drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. I catch Gabe in my peripheral vision sliding into the chair next to Mom, grabbing a piece of banana bread from the platter in the middle of the table.
“Morning girls,” he says, breaking off a piece of the banana bread and tossing it into his mouth. He shifts his eyes back and forth between Ava and me, but I notice he holds his gaze a bit longer on me.
Finally Ava responds. “Morning. How are you this morning?” she asks, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Gabe is smiling, picking at his bread, but keeps his gaze honed in on me.
“Fine. Glad that I get to spend the day relaxing while you little ones are setting up the gym,” he laughs before asking, “Any big plans for the weekend?”
“Us ‘little ones’ going to a party tonight—with older boys,” Ava says, engaging him for a fight. Mom sets down the paper and focuses on the conversation that is about to ignite in front of all of us.
“Pssh, where at and with who?” He asks, his tone more serious. His brown eyes dance back and forth between Ava and me, while he waits for an answer. I sip my coffee and raise my eyebrows to him, in a gesture of my loyalty to Ava. He’s looking for me to be the voice of reason here, but I’m not interjecting myself into this fight. I’m always responsible. I make good decisions. I’ve got a good head on my shoulders and I can go to a party and not get myself into trouble. That’s my logic.
“Xavier Garza’s. Adrian and Max are going with us,” she spouts off. I elbow her in the side, and she shoots her eyes to me and mouths Ow, while rubbing her ribs. Gabe face turns sour and I can see the muscles in his jaw clenching. I’m positive that sound is him grinding his teeth.
“Not a good idea girls. Xavier is a douche bag, you know this,” he says, shaking his head at us.
“Just mind your own business. We’re both adults and can make our own decisions. I don’t need my ‘big brother,’” she says making air quotes as she continues, “telling us what we can and can’t do. So don’t be an asshole.” I gasp quietly when I hear her curse. I mean we all curse but just not in front of Mom or Dad.
“What the hell has gotten into you two?” Dad’s voice booms. “The language around here is unacceptable.”
“Sorry Dad, but he’s a douche bag,” Gabe mumbles, shoving the last piece of banana bread into his mouth.
“It’s Adrian’s brother,” Ava’s voice lightens and is almost laced with sympathy. “And we’re going with Max and Adrian, so we have protection from all the old pervs,” she says laughing now, implying that the guys from Gabe’s graduating class are old. “Plus, you’re friends with Xavier, that’s why you don’t want us to go. You don’t want us hanging out with your friends, right?”
“The last thing I am is a friend with that piece of…”
“Gabriel,” Dad warns.
Gabe rolls his eyes at us as Ava grabs her bag and reaches her hand out as I drop my car keys into her palm. Glancing back at Gabe, I shoot him a small apologetic smile. He just stares at me, never breaking eye contact with me while shaking his head ‘no’ at me. I just shrug my shoulders and head to the front door.
“Whatever. We’re out of here,” I hear Ava announce behind me as I walk outside. Settling into the front passenger seat of my car, my phone buzzes. Picking it up, the alert tells me I have new text messages, both from Gabe.
The first text message was received last night at 10:30 p.m.
Thanks for taking me on your run this afternoon. Don’t be embarrassed about tonight, you’re gorgeous. I mean it.
My pulse quickens and a smile crosses my face. But when I see his second message, the smile wipes off my face.
You are not going to Xavier’s tonight. That guy is bad news. Not up for discussion.
Huh. I don’t liked being told what I can and cannot do, but there is something sweet in the protective nature of Gabe’s response, so I calmly type my response.
You can run with me anytime, I had a great time. We’re going to Xavier’s party. Max and Adrian will be there, we’ll be fine.
Before I even have a chance to put my phone down another message comes through.
Dammit Jess, you’re not going.
We’re going.
I will tie you to my fucking bed. You. Are. NOT. Going
Tie me to his bed? I actually laugh at the thought, and then blush.
“What the fuck is wrong with your brother?” I bark at Ava. She just glances over at me then turns her eyes back to the road.
“Is that him texting you?” she asks. “Just ignore him, we’re going,” she says, pulling into the student parking at the high school. I don’t bother texting him back, I just shove the phone in my bag, and grab my coffee as she parks.
Walking toward the front doors of the school, Ava squeezes my arm. “Thanks for coming to help me. I know this is the last thing you really want to be doing today.”
Yeah, she’s right I’d rather be doing Gabe. Did I really just think that?
“Of course, I’d help you with anything, you know that.” I smile while taking a drink of my coffee.
“I’m excited you agreed to come to the party tonight. It’s going to be so much fun. Kind of a pre-graduation party,” she bounces and claps her hands together excitedly. All of the back and forth with Gabe regarding this party this morning has me a little unsettled.
“Hey, why does Gabe hate Xavier so much?”
“I’m not sure. I’ve heard some rumors about Xavier, but I don’t know what to believe. Plus, I’m kind of hot for his little brother if you haven’t noticed, so I’m not looking to dig up anything that I might not want to know,” she laughs.
“Yeah, Gabe’s going to have a fucking field day when he finds out your screwing Adrian.” I say raising my eyebrows and taking another sip of coffee.
“We’re not screwing.” She smacks my arms causing me to almost spill my coffee.
“Yet.” I mumble and laugh.
The gym looks like a war-zone. There are folding chairs strewn everywhere, a small stage with a podium, and papers everywhere. Ava gasps at the scene, and her obsessive-compulsive disorder and type-A personality kick-in.
“Who made this mess? Who did this?” she asks as two custodians continue to unload folding chairs from a rolling cart.
“Stop right there!” she shouts as she heads off in their direction. I laugh and continue to sip on my coffee that will hopefully motivate me to help Ava get this place in order. Max sidles up next to me and bumps me with his shoulder.
“Morning.” His voice is groggy.
“Hey Max. She talked you into helping her with this shit too?” I ask.
“Yeah, she’s hard to say ‘no’ to ya’ know?”
“Tell me about it. So tell me about the party tonight.”
“It’s at Xavier’s apartment. That’s all I know,” Max says quietly, rubbing his hands over his face.
“What time are you coming to get us?” I ask, keeping my eyes trained on Ava and the hell she’s giving those two poor custodians.
“Six o’clock sound okay?”
“Sounds good, we’ll be ready.”
The rest of the day flies by, even though the gym is nowhere near being complete. Ava agrees to stay and finish up the decorations with two teachers and the two custodians, who at this point, all but hate her.
“I’m outta here,” I announce to Ava. It’s after four o’clock, and I need to shower and get ready for the party. I decided I’m going with or without Ava. I’ve planned my outfit in my head—deciding to wear my black strapless shirt with faded-blue skinny jeans. Pair that with my turquoise jewelry and my cute black ballet flats since I’m so damn tall. The outfit is comfortable and cute. It’s all set.
Ava walks over to me as I grab the car keys from her purse.
“I’m sorry I’m ditchin
g the party. I just want this to be perfect.” She sighs, looking around the gym at all the work we’ve done, and all the work she still has to do. Max left hours ago, leaving Ava and I to finish decorating with the school staff.
“Shit. Did you let Adrian know you’re not going? They’re coming by at six to get us.”
“No. You’re going to tell them I’m not going when they come to get you. They’ll try to convince me that this is fine, and I want perfect, not fine,” she says, swinging her arm through the air at the gym around us.
“I know, I get it.” It’s not her personality to settle for fine, she wants perfect and perfect is what she’ll get.
“Have fun tonight.” She says with a wink.
“I will. Don’t stay here too late. It’s going to be perfect, Ava.”
“I know, I know. See you at home later, ok?” She wraps her arms around me for a quick hug.
“How are you getting home?” I ask forgetting that I am taking the car that we arrived together in.
“Mom and Dad. Don’t worry about me. Go. Have fun.” She waves me off.
Spending time with my older brother Luke has always been one of my favorite things. Being so close in age he really has been my best friend. We’re shooting hoops at the park by his apartment and this is the first time I’ve seen him since I got home from college last week. Aiming for a three-point shot, I toss the ball. Swoosh.
“Nice shot!” Luke says as he grabs the basketball, dribbling it back to the free throw line to take one last shot for himself.
“Thanks, pretty sure I just kicked your ass with that last game,” I laugh as we walk toward the park bench to grab our waters.
“It’s good to have you home,” Luke says taking a long pull from his water bottle.
“It’s good to be home,” I say pausing as I use my t-shirt to wipe the sweat off of my forehead. “Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” I take a quick sip of water. “I’m not going back to Arizona in the fall.”
“Oh yeah. Why not?” he asks rather abruptly, taking another drink of water.
“Honestly, football isn’t going to be my career. I’ve given this a lot of thought—meaningful thought.” I pause for a moment before I tell him, “I want to apply to the fire academy.”
“Seriously?”
“Dead serious. I’m not going back to Arizona.”
“Told Mom and Dad yet?” he asks with a chuckle and a raised eyebrow.
“Nah, soon. I wanted to talk to you and tell you first.”
“So you’re just going to walk away from the scholarship?”
“I am. I just know this is what I want to do,” I respond. I know he thinks I’m stupid to walk away from the scholarship with only one year left, but I have my mind made up.
“You know I’ll support whatever it is you want to do, and I’d love to work with you little brother.”
“Thanks man, I appreciate that. I’m going to head home and take a shower. Catch up with ya’ this weekend?”
“Sounds good,” he says, as we grab our keys and head toward our trucks. I breathe a sigh of relief knowing that I have Luke’s support, now it’s telling Mom and Dad.
“What are you doing here?” I ask Ava, noticing her bedroom floor covered with papers.
“Just finished setting up the gym for tomorrow’s graduation. Took us twelve hours because those asshats didn’t follow the directions I left them yesterday. What does it matter to you anyway?” she bites at me.
“It doesn’t matter to me. I just didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Well, here I am.”
God she’s so fucking pissy tonight. “Where’s Jess?” I ask casually.
“She went to Xavier’s party with Max and Adrian just like we talked about this morning. Did you lose your memory old man?” she says without even raising her head to look at me. She’s in a fucking mood, and I can’t deal with her attitude when she’s like this.
But now I’m pissed off, my blood boiling. I told Jess not to go to that fucking party, but she went anyway, alone, without Ava. Walking across the hall into my bedroom, I grab a set of clean clothes and quickly change. All I can think about is what that fucking asshole Xavier will try to do with her. I’ve heard the stories firsthand of how Xavier gets girls drunk and takes advantage of them. Over my dead body will he fucking touch her.
The last place I want to show up is Xavier Garza’s apartment, but I’m going to go get Jess even if I have to drag her out of there kicking and screaming.
“Why didn’t she listen to me?” I mutter to myself.
Grabbing my wallet and keys off of my dresser I head out the door. Pulling into the apartment complex, I can hear the music coming from the patio on the ground floor. I let myself in through there instead of going inside and using the front door. I immediately see Jess inside through the patio door talking to Max and Adrian. When I see her smile a sense of relief washes over me, but fuck if my pulse won’t settle down. She looks amazing. Her hair is down and wavy, flowing down past her shoulders, to the middle of her back. She’s wearing jeans and a tight black shirt. She’s stunning. Xavier is mixing drinks at the counter, and I watch him walk over to Jess, handing her a red plastic cup before walking away. My pulse quickens when I see her bring the cup up to her lips. That’s all I needed to see.
Stepping through the glass sliding patio doors into the main living area of the apartment I hear, “What’s up, Garcia?” from Xavier. Everyone turns to watch me as I walk through the living room toward the small kitchen, including Jess who look surprised to see me.
Giving him a curt nod, I respond with my intentions of being here. “Not much man, I just came to pick up Jess,” She squeezes the red plastic cup in her hand as she glares at me.
“Dating your little sister now?” Xavier laughs, taking a drink of his beer. Most of the room starts laughing at his remark, and it’s taking great restraint for me to not fucking snap his head off his body right here in his own apartment.
“She’s not my sister Garza, and who the fuck I date isn’t any of your business, got it?” I say through clenched teeth. My tone is aggressive and I’ve positioned myself inches from his face.
“Settle down Garcia, just giving you a hard time man,” Xavier responds, still laughing. He backs off slightly because he knows I don’t like him and that I’ll knock him out right here. I’ve done it before, and he knows I won’t hesitate to do it again. I’m still in his face when I feel a gentle hand on my bicep. I don’t take my eyes off of Xavier until I hear Jess whisper,
“Calm down, let’s just go.” Her hand is warm as her fingers tighten around my arm. Turning, I reach for her hand and start walking, pulling her toward the patio door that I just came in through. I see her wave and offer a tight smile to Max who just nods his head at me as we leave. The party is silent now; everyone is watching us leave.
“Adios Garza,” I shout over my shoulder.
“Asshole,” I hear him respond quietly. I can’t help but smirk. Still holding Jess’ hand I don’t let it go of her until we’ve reached my truck.
“What the fuck was that?” Jess asks as slides into the front seat and slams my truck door shut. “I am not a toddler. I can take care of myself, plus nothing was happening in there. You embarrassed me in front of my friends,” she scowls; her cheeks are flushed with anger, which upsets me.
“They are not your friends?” I question and point towards the apartment.
“Max and Adrian are.”
“Yes, Max and Adrian are. The rest of those assholes aren’t.” I say with a raised voice.
I’m feeling a bit of remorse for the way I pulled her out of the party, but that remorse fades as I remember why I came to get her.
“Listen to me for a minute. Xavier is an asshole. He’s hurt girls before—intentionally, he gets them drunk and takes advantage of them.” I pause as heat roils through me. I think about what could have happened to her tonight. “It’s happened more than once, and I know this because
I know someone it’s happened too. I know you’re friends with Adrian, but his brother is a dick.”
Her head drops slightly forward, her hair falling over her shoulder. She looks so innocent, so pure. Watching her fidget with her hands, I make a vow to myself that no one will hurt her. Ever.
“Why didn’t you just tell me that this morning?” She asks quietly, turning to look at me. “I wouldn’t have come if I knew that.” she whispers.
“Look, what’s important is that nothing happened, and I’m sorry if I embarrassed you.”
“Thanks for coming to get me.”
“You’re welcome. So, can I buy you dinner? Peace offering?” She nods her head as she gives me a small smile.
Still absorbing the information Gabe just dumped on me about Xavier, I can’t help but smile a little when I think about how protective he was. My heart flitters a little in my chest when I sneak a peek of him as we’re driving to dinner.
“Where are we going?” I ask casually, trying to lighten the somber mood in his truck.
“Surprise.” He says, taking his eyes off the road to look at me.
“I don’t like surprises.”
“I know you don’t,” he chuckles.
“Then tell me where we’re going.”
“No.”
“Why?” I ask and then stick my bottom lip out in a pouty motion.
“The lip isn’t going to work, Jess. The only thing that lip is good for is me biting it.” Well that shut me up.
“You know…” I start, pausing for a second. “You shouldn’t joke around about that stuff. I might actually think you’re serious.” I smirk and raise my eyebrow at him.
Pulling into the parking lot of Mancini’s Italian Restaurant, he parks and shuts off the engine. Reaching for the door handle, he catches my left arm.
“Who said I was joking?” he asks with intensity and fire in his eyes. He maintains eye contact with me while my blood pressure rises to unhealthy levels. I swallow, trying to wet my tongue that has gone dry.
