X-Treme Measure

by S. N. Garza

  And the few from back here? How can a boy of eighteen look so…so…not like a boy? His jeans were thin and fit him really well.

  Gutter brain. I followed him to the front where he was in deep conversation with his boss, Johnny. He looked scary. Tall, broad, bald and menacing. He had ink all over him. He looked as if he was in a motorcycle gang.

  The man flickered a look at me, sympathy and a slight anger waged behind his eyes and it made me wrap my arms around myself, doing my best to make myself appear small. I let my head down, not wanting any of the other workers to notice my state of bumped and bruised.

  “Ready, sweetheart?”

  I nodded without looking up at him. It felt weird being in here. I've never stepped foot in a tattoo parlor before. My parents would probably flip out if they knew I've come in here.

  Deke’s hand went to the small of my back as he gently pushed me forward, walking me to the front door.

  “Johnny told me to make sure you got home and stayed safe. Which I already planned doing, so the question is Penelope, how do you feel about bikes?”

  “I've never ridden a bicycle before.”

  His laughter rang loud and the sound captured me, heart body and soul.

  “I like your laugh.”

  He got real quiet, and lifted my chin up so I could once again get lost in those grey eyes.

  “Thank you. And I meant motorcycle. it's okay. I don't drive recklessly, I don't have a record. Well for bikes. I am a safe driver. You will be safe with me.” Shrugging, I tried not to look in his eyes. “Penelope, I promise.”

  “Okay.”

  I was crazy. Certifiably, incredibly insane. A small smile tilted up his lips and he led me outside, where not too many people milled around. It was probably going on six o'clock; time for dinner.

  There was a small parking lot to the side and the motorcycle he led me to was massive.

  “I don't know Deke. That looks a little scary.”

  “If you want, I will walk you but I'll have to come back for my bike and I don't want to leave you alone too long. Especially knowing those creeps might be waiting for you.”

  “You think they would wait?!” My voice squeaked as I began to panic again.

  Deke placed both of his hands in my shoulders and said, “No one. And I promise you, no one is going to get to you without going through me, Penelope. I promise. Breathe, sweetheart.”

  I breathed in and out, trying to calm down. “Okay. Okay. And I'm riding on a bike. Okay. This is okay. Right?”

  “Don't worry, sweetheart.”

  He grabbed a bulky helmet and slid it over my head. He clicked the strap and tightened it. He slid on and held out a hand for me.

  “I don't think I can widen my legs enough to straddle this thing. It's huge.”

  His eyes widened and then he shook off whatever he was thinking. “Here.” He stepped off and lifted me once again, easily placing me on his motorcycle. “Now put you other leg on the other side and I'll get on.”

  I did as he asked and he praised my following directions. “Good girl. That's good. Now, you're going to have to hold on. It won't take but a few minutes to get to your house. Where do you live?”

  “On Fairmont Avenue.”

  “It's close then.”

  He was careful as he straddled the bike, making sure not to hit me. He looked back and said, “Hold on.”

  “To what?”

  He straightened and his hands reached back to grab a hold of mine. He pulled me in close and whispered, “Me of course, Penelope.” Then he turned his head and turned the throttle. The bike jumped, vibrated against my legs and butt and it felt funny. I laughed and he looked at me with curious eyes.

  “Everything okay?”

  I nodded and he pulled me in closer, making me twine my hands together. I laid my head against the soft heather of his shirt and he backed up, and like he said, it was a smooth ride to my house. It took no time at all.

  I looked in the drive and both my parents’ cars were gone already.

  He turned off the ignition and helped me off. I was still feeling he shake from the bike and standing proved difficult. If Deke hadn't reached out to grab me, I'd have face planted.

  And naturally where he reached out to me, his arms went around my waist and his other hand jostled and landed on my braless boobs.

  “Shit. Sorry, Penelope.” I knew it was an accident because as soon as he set me straight, he removed his hands.

  “It's okay.” Although embarrassment flamed over my face. I looked around to see if anyone was out and around but luckily no one saw my clumsiness. “I'm just clumsy.”

  “Sweetheart, being your first ride on a bike, I'd blame it on the bike. It could be scary and disorienting. You okay now?”

  Nodding, he followed me up to my door. I opened the door, thinking he’d follow me in, but when I didn’t hear the door shut, I turned around to see him standing in the doorway, his arms on the door jamb.

  “You coming?”

  Chapter 4

  Penelope

  “Will you get in trouble if I come in? I can park my bike around the block if I have to.”

  Would my parents find out? Maybe. But this boy saved me from bullies. I wasn’t going to be ashamed to have him in my house.

  “I don’t know. I’m not ashamed to have you in my house, Deke. So it’s up to you. Whatever you want to do.”

  He gave me a once over and nodded. “For safety’s sake, I’ll go ahead and drive it home. It’s only a five minute walk from here anyway.”

  I shrugged. It was his choice. If my parents said anything, I’d have to deal with it when it came. I went to the kitchen and took out my ruined blouse. I wrapped it in a plastic bag and tossed it in the trash. I needed to take a shower, but I had to wait for Deke to come back. I was about to walk to the front door to wait for him when a knock on the back door in the pantry room startled me.

  I turned around and walked up to the door, shifting the curtain aside. Deke’s startling grey eyes looked back at me. I smiled and let him in.

  “Why didn’t you go to the front door?”

  “It’s better this way, Penelope.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t want you to get in trouble. And your house is one of the last houses in this neighborhood before you get to mine.”

  “Uh. Okay.” Was he embarrassed to be seen with me or something? Whatever. Today was just a day I was going to be appreciative. Tomorrow was a brand new day. “I need to take a shower. You need to tell me the price of the shirt so I can pay for it.”

  “Keep it. It’s not a big deal.”

  “Okay. What can I get you to drink? We have water, sweet tea or soda.”

  “Water’s fine, Penelope.”

  I passed him a Great Value brand bottled water and I said, “Feel free to look around. Back there is the laundry and pantry room. Next to that is my parents. Kitchen. Ha. Uh. Bathroom as you can see is right there. My bedroom is through that door and living room. Uh. I just need to grab some clothes for my shower. Won’t take me but a few minutes.”

  He nodded and took a long swallow of water. His Adams apple bobbed and I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He was so good looking. His eyes flashed open and caught me staring. An awkward laugh stumbled out of me and I hurried to my room. Which, thank God. I cleaned last night. I don’t know if he’d mind if I wore my pajamas. I would have worn what I was wearing but since it was all ruined, I didn’t want to put on another clean outfit.

  O’well. He was going to have to deal with it. I grabbed a black dorm tee, my green mermaid leggings and under clothes.

  He was still in the kitchen, looking like he was out of place.

  “Deke?” His eyes centered on me and his brows raised high. “Everything okay?”

  He smiled and nodded, then he walked to the kitchen table and sat down.

  I made sure not to keep him waiting long. Scrubbing the dirt and grime from my body and hair took longer than I thought. My hair had been a f
right and I didn’t even look in the mirror. I was afraid to. How bad was it going to be? What would my parents say when they saw my face? My face hurt to wash it in some places and my stomach still hurt from where Geoffrey punched it.

  I reached out for a towel and shut off the water.

  Stepping out and onto the worn rug I took a deep breath before bracing myself to look in the mirror. When I did, I gasped. My lip was a little busted. My left eye was a little bruised and I had a small cut above it where I landed on the ground. Cleaned up, it didn’t look too bad. I opened the towel to see my stomach and yup. A hand size bruise had formed on my stomach. It wasn’t hard to breathe and nothing really hurt too badly, but it was sore.

  I dressed and took out my contacts, replacing them with my glasses. I didn’t like wearing them unless I was at home. Bullies, you see. As if I was the only kid at school who wore glasses. Since he’s already seen me without a bra…well he’s seen my naked boobs, I forgone a bra. The shirt was black anyway.

  Barefoot, I opened the door, and there he was. So handsome and tall. But he didn’t look comfortable.

  “Deke, what’s wrong?”

  He seemed agitated.

  “I haven’t had a smoke since earlier.”

  “I’m sorry! You really don’t have to stay if you don’t want, Deke.”

  “I’m staying, Penelope. I’ll be fine.”

  “I’m making a ham and cheese hoagie. You want one?”

  “Sure, Penelope.”

  I asked if he wanted anything on it and he said just the ham and cheese. It quick order I pulled out two Styrofoam plates, had our sandwiches and brought a bag of chips to the table, while under my arm I had two more water bottles.

  I set them down and watched him scarf down the sandwich and chips like he hadn’t eaten in a while.

  “Another one?”

  His eyes flickered over to mine and he shook his head.

  “Deke? It’s no trouble.”

  Before he got a word in or another shake of his head I was up and making him another one. I set it down on his plate and this time he ate slower.

  “It’s good, yeah? I love hoagies. I don’t know why. I never really liked just regular old bread. Too soft. But hoagies?” I dramatically rolled my eyes to the back of my head and said, “YUUM!”

  He chuckled and I just loved that sound. I didn’t know what to say to him so I finished my dinner in silence. Afterwards, I got up and disposed of our trash and washed my hands. He came up next to me, silent and cleaned his own hands.

  “If you are going to stay, then you’re going to have to deal with me playing my flute. Then we can watch some Netflix.”

  “Do you always practice your flute?”

  “Yes. Everyday.”

  “Sounds great. I don’t mind, Penelope. I actually look forward to it since you say nothing compares.”

  I knew a blush crept into my face and I led him to my bedroom. I had a small desk in one corner, my dresser with my TV and Blu-ray I got from ‘Santa’ last year straight across my bed that had a grey comforter and pink sheets. I had my music stand by my desk and I went to it, flipping to the song I was auditioning for the spring solo.

  “Please. Sit down.” I pointed over to my bed and he scuffed off his shoes before sitting back on the bed frame. I put together my flute and cracked my neck, and took a deep breath. “You ready?”

  “As I’ll ever be, Penelope.”

  Nodding, I smile and looked to my music sheet. Before I began I warmed up. Then without looking at him, I concentrated on my sheet in front on me, began tapping my foot and let the music roll. I didn’t even need to look at the sheet. It was pure magic. My eyes closed on their own and the music felt so right. I could do this forever. The song was only three minutes but it still felt like a lifetime in one little song. The first time I heard it play, was Elvis Presley. Somehow ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ was just that song that made me feel so at ease. A piano accompaniment would be awesome for this but it was a slow love song. Beautiful and majestic.

  I took a deep breath, held my flute in my lap and opened my eyes to see Deke staring at me like I blew his mind or something.

  “Deke?”

  “That was beautiful, Penelope. You are beautiful. Please, play more for me?”

  One? O. M. Gee. He thought I was beautiful. Two? He wanted to hear more? This time I couldn’t contain my smile and nodded. Happy he didn’t grow bored in the few minutes I played the song.

  I turned back to the sheet and of course I didn’t need to look but it was always good to get a good start. I flicked my eyes over to see him staring right at me like I was the only thing in the universe. Here. In my room? This was my universe. I nodded and began playing once more. When it felt just right I couldn’t help but close my eyes and let the music take over. It was like I was born to do this. The streaming was flawless. I continued to play, repeating the song over and over. I was one of the first chairs in band class and as a freshman, that didn’t happen too often. I didn’t like being the center of attention, but when it came to playing, I excelled. I wanted to be the best. I proved it to my teachers and I earned that spot at the top.

  I kept playing for about twelve minutes and when I finally opened my eyes, it was not immediately to see Deke laying in my bed like he hadn’t slept in weeks. I didn’t have the heart to tell him it was probably time for him to leave. So I cleaned my flute, put it away and walked over to him, lifting up my fleece blanket over his long frame. I quietly turned on Netflix and choose to begin a Criminal Minds season four episode. I left the room to make sure everything was locked up tight and the outside lights were on. I left the stove light on for my parents and I walked back to my room as the theme song ended.

  I didn’t know if I should sit on the bed, but I knew the floor was way too uncomfortable. Hoping not to wake him, Deke looked really exhausted, at least he was laying close to the edge, his hand had propped up his head as he had listened to me. I got under the covers as best as I could and whispered goodnight. Hoping he at least get a few hours of good, undisturbed sleep. I turned, giving him my back and made sure I set my alarm. It was a school night so being in bed at such an early hour wasn’t too hard for me. It’s not like I had a social life. After two episodes my eyes began to droop and before I knew it, I finally fell into slumber. With Deke closed in behind me on my twin size bed. I just met him, but it felt like I’d known him for years. That…and he loved hearing me play. It relaxed him enough to fall asleep in a bed not his own. A place that was strange to him.

  I didn't know it, but I gave my heart to that boy. And ever since that day, he became my rock, and I was his solace.

  Chapter 5

  Penelope, senior year

  I was sitting in my bedroom ready about to go to sleep when there was a tap on my window.

  Deke.

  The past two years have been the best of my life. Since that day Deke saved me, we’d been inseparable.

  Did my parents know? Yes, they knew he was the boy who walked me home from school. While they didn’t really like him, they didn’t see the harm in it since I ended up telling them what happened when Geoffrey Romoth attacked me. My father was pissed but since he worked for Romoth, he didn’t do anything. There wasn’t a lot of job opportunities in Lilton and Romoth’s steel mill was the only place in town that paid enough.

  Summer before sophomore year, I got a job at the only family restaurant in town, Chili’s. It was surprisingly busy. Our town has grown over the past few years. More neighborhoods, and more jobs but you still had to drive to go to a Wal-Mart or to the mall.

  And Deke? Well, he came over. A lot. His father was still mean and abusive, and went to the town jail often, most of the time to sober up. I knew Deke felt an obligation to him since his mother ran off when he was just a kid. He often came over with bruises. My parents, thank God, still worked the night shift, because I let him stay here whenever he wanted. He never got extra friendly. Although I did see glimpses where he would look at
me, his grey eyes were overtaken by the pupils, making his smoky grey eyes almost black.

  He was the perfect gentleman towards me. To me. He was almost twenty-one now. He made sure to keep our relationship strictly platonic. Did I want that? Not really. After about a year of being friends, he came over several nights a week, he listened to me play my flute and I made him dinner where he ate like he always did. Like he was starved.

  My eighteenth birthday was this weekend and I knew I wasn’t going to do anything, I didn’t many friends. Besides Deke, there was the new girl, Veradia. She was half white, half Mexican with a beautiful golden bronze tan and her long black hair fell in layers to the middle of her back. She had moved here from Houston when her mother got a teaching job at the elementary here in town. She was beautiful and tall, at least four inches taller than me. But still, she was quiet girl who played the clarinet and since she began school at the beginning of my junior year last year, we had a lot of classes together and we became close.

  She knew I liked Deke more than I should. He still took me to school and had convinced me to walk to SoIn so he could make sure I got home. Like he was my big brother or something. But then, he didn’t’ have to convince me since I loved seeing him. He was still the bad boy though. Going out with any girl that came on to him, so instead of being labeled a trouble maker, he was quickly becoming the guy every girl wanted. It was like he turned twenty and every girl who saw him became enamored by his dazzling grey eyes and buff looking body and all that ink?

  Sigh.

  Another tap rapped on my window and I got up, not caring if I was just in my sports bra and yoga pants. He was going to have to deal with it. It was after midnight when he was usually here by nine-ten o’clock. So I was irritated when I shoved the curtains upon and the blinds upward.

  I lifted the window with the scowl and said, “Yeah, Deke?” He turned and his nose and the corner of his mouth were bleeding, his eye a little swollen. Any irritation I felt melted instantly. “Oh, my God! Come in!”