by J. N. Pack
I nod.
Piper pails and steps forward to argue, but Tanner is pulling out of the parking lot. She glances at me and I can see her fight leaving her. Mannex calls over my shoulder, “I’ll grab LaLa, she disappeared when Meggie went ape shit on Kenzie.”
I nod never taking my eyes off of Piper. I know she’ll fight me on it if I make a big deal out of her riding with us, so I just nod my head in the direction of the truck and she slowly follows behind me. She’s quiet and I can hear her breathing slowly. Controlling her breathing. We’re standing beside the truck waiting for Mannex and LaLa when she says, “You shouldn’t have done that.” She’s staring down at her hands and refusing to look over at me.
“That’s where you’re wrong. I should have done it sooner.” Just as Mannex and LaLa approach and start climbing into the truck. I laugh realizing LaLa climbed in the front with Mannex leaving Piper to ride in the back with me.
Mannex doesn’t ride in silence this time though, he turns the music on to make it a little less uncomfortable. I laugh when I see him and LaLa singing at the top of their lungs and dancing around the front seat. I feel safe because I know my brothers not drunk. He never drinks if he is driving. He’d walk all the way back to campus in the pitch black dark before he got behind the wheel of a car even after having just one drink. He’s over the top sometimes, but he loves his life and couldn’t live with himself if he were responsible for someone else’s death. He’s a goof and the first to crack a joke, but he’s also the one who uses his head the most. Thinks everything out before he acts. Knows every possible outcome. If he can’t figure out the solution, he won’t act.
I glance over at Piper and she’s sitting quietly in the back behind Mannex. Her hand in the seat beside her as she has her left hand folded under her chin staring out the window. I reach over and cover her fingers with mine giving them a little squeeze.
Her eyes widen as she turns her head to look at me. She doesn’t pull away. If she had I wouldn’t have fought her on it. I can only push her so much. After a moment she turns back to the window folding her hand back under her chin and leaning her head against the window. I keep my hand on hers, not pushing for more, hoping she doesn’t pull away. I look out the window and watch the world pass us by as we make our way back to campus. After a few minutes I glance over at her and her eyes had drifted closed. She was sleeping peacefully. She stayed that way the hole way back. She trembled when I released her hand and her eyes opened. I climb from the truck and open the door for her. I offer her my hand and after a moment’s hesitation she takes it climbing from the truck. I walk her around to the sidewalk. LaLa is standing quietly waiting for her.
“You girls need me to walk you up?” I ask.
LaLa smiles shaking her head no. Piper never looks up from the ground as she shakes her head no. LaLa smirks, “I got her superman. I’ll make sure she gets up to her room safely.”
I smirk and watch them until they’re inside the building.
Goodnight beautiful.
Chapter 16
Piper
This weekend was a shit show. From the anxiety attacks to my mom blabbing what happening in France to the rest of my family, to Caelan kissing me. Oh, that last one was a doozy. I wanted to snatch my hand away and run and hide somewhere when he gripped my hand in the car, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I’ve luckily been able to avoid him all weekend. Not to mention the hundreds of calls from Jillian. The one missed call from my Dad that broke my heart not to answer. Jaxon I couldn’t avoid. He barged into our room on Saturday and kicked Meggie out saying he needed a sister day. We spent the day watching movies. He never asked me anything about France even though I know it was eating at him. He popped popcorn and he let me choose the movies all day. I guess it was his way of making up for yelling at me, while not understanding what happened. I could tell he felt like crap and I could never hold a grudge against him, so I let it go. When he left, I quietly asked, “Please don’t tell anyone?”
His smile turned serious, “I love you Pip. You know your secrets are safe with me.” He then squeezed my hand and left.
I know that eventually I will have to come clean, but not today. Not right now. I wasn’t ready to face it. All I can do is hope against all that is holy Mom doesn’t blab to Tanner’s mom. Then I’m screwed. I pop one of the little pills in hopes of it helping the anxiety building in my chest. The itching returns to my arms and I rub them hoping the pill will take effect before I have to be in class.
First class of the day was grand. Went by great. Second not so much. Kenzie and Lindsey sat behind me in class and threw things at me. When they weren’t making snide comments, they were blatantly calling me a whore. Then of course she tried to hit me where it hurts.
“Cael apologized last night. Said the only reason he did that was because Jaxon said his sister was whining about us bullying her. He spent all night with me. He’s supposed to come over again tonight.” Kenzie.
It has the desired effect, but what can I do? We aren’t together. I can’t stop him from moving on. I can feel my insides tightening and reach for my pocket. I can’t take them in here, but as soon as class is over, I’ll need another. I focus on my breathing.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
I use it to drown out her voice as she drones on and on about her and him. As soon as class ends, I race for the door. In the bathroom I lock the door behind me and pull my water bottle from my backpack and a little pill from the bottle tossing it back. I give it a minute to work, which it doesn’t right away and then leave the restroom. Luckily, they hadn’t stopped to torture me more. In the mess hall I sit beside Meggie. I’m too irritated to eat so I don’t grab a tray. One is slid in front of me a second later. I look up at Caelan as he drops into the seat beside me. I feel betrayed. I shouldn’t, but I do. My chest feels like it’s tightening again. I guess he notices something in my expression and reaches for my hand, but I pull away quickly. I climb to my feet and hurtle out of the mess hall. I can feel the tears threatening to break just as I hear him behind me. He wraps his arm around my waist pulling me back against him, “Talk to me Piper.”
He wraps both arms around me and I shiver as the first tear breaks. I refuse to look up or say anything because he will see. He finally turns me to face him leaving one arm firmly wrapped around me. My lip trembles and he lifts my chin, “Don’t do that.” He swipes the tear away with the pad of his thumb, “What’s eating at you?”
“Nothing. I’m fine.”
He gazes down at me and then shakes his head, “You don’t look fine. You look like you’re hurting. Let me help you?”
“You can’t. Besides how can you help when you caused it.”
His eyes widen in surprise, “How did I cause it? How did I put tears in those pretty eyes?” He swipes another tear.
I shrug and try to turn away, but he’s not having it this time. He pulls me back into him, “I will never force you to tell me anything you aren’t ready for, but this, this you need to tell me because I don’t understand.”
After a few more tears fall I finally find my voice, “I had to sit through class with Kenzie telling Kayla or maybe it was Lindsey, I’m not sure all about you apologizing to her and you spending the night with her and going back tonight.”
He laughs.
I roll my eyes.
“Never happened. Ask Mannex. I spent the night with him because he was being a big baby because he was sick. So no, I was not with Kenzie. Nor do I plan on spending the night with her tonight or ever. Now… if you want me to prove that I can come sleep on the floor beside your bed all night.”
I really want to tell him to pack a bag, but I can’t. I shake my head. He leans down kissing my forehead and takes both my hands in his. “Come eat something please.”
I nod and follow him back to the mess hall where all of our friends are looking up at me. He pulls my seat back for me and slides my tray back in front of me. I glance aro
und the group and they all pick up the conversation as if nothing happened. I seek out Mannex who smiles, but I notice the congestion when he talks. I turn back to my food and then look up at Caelan who in turn smiles. I can’t eat all of the food on my tray, but I eat the fruit and my fries which seems to appease him.
He walks me to my last class and waits until I’m in the room in my seat before leaving. He is outside of class afterwards and this continues the rest of the week. Kenzie and Lindsey still continue to torture me in class, but out of class they are nowhere to be found. Which is a good thing, I guess. If I had to deal with them in class and outside of class, I’d be a wreck. It’s taking everything in me to keep it together as it is. I’m starting to sleep less and less. The dreams are still happening only in them, he’s smiling and happy and he turns on me by the end. I hate it. I’m having to take the pills more often and my appetite is almost non-existent. Caelan makes sure I eat lunch and if I remember I eat other times, but usually it’s just a few bites at lunch. Meggie has started watching me like a hawk again and it makes me uncomfortable, but what do I say?
I’m sitting in the mess hall Thursday barely listening to the conversation going on around me when some of what Meggie is saying sinks in, “…festival. I can’t wait to get in my costume.”
LaLa giggles, “Yeah, you can’t wait for superman to rip it off of you.”
Meggie laughs and so does everyone who heard it. Tanner just smirks, “So about this costume? What the hell are you girls dressing as?”
Meggie laughs, “No way! It’s a secret.”
Caelan leans towards me and whispers, “What about you?”
“Hmmm?”
He smirks, “What are you dressing as?”
My stomach drops when I remember the costume Meggie got me. My eyes dart to her, “Meggie we need to talk about my costume.”
She smiles wide, “You’re going to be so hot in that thing?”
Caelan cocks his eyebrow, “I really gotta know now.”
Meggie just giggles, “You’ll have to wait and see.”
“I… I… I can’t wear that thing Meggie.”
LaLa laughs hysterically as Meggie says, “You’ll be fine! You’re going to look great.”
With my appetite really gone and my body threatening to expel everything I did force down, I push the tray away. I cross my casted arm over my chest and lean back in my seat.
I glance up when Caelan leans towards me, “Don’t pout. I’m sure she’s right. You’d be hot in anything.”
I roll my eyes, “Or nothing.”
He smirks leaning back in his seat with a crooked smile and winks at me.
I can feel my cheeks reddening as I look away as fast as possible. I can hear him chuckling on the other side of me. This man is going to be the death of me.
The rest of the week I spend arguing with Meggie about the costume. I have until Saturday to change her mind because if I don’t, I’m going to be wearing the damn thing. She generally always gets her way. My only chance is making her change her mind.
Chapter 17
So, I was completely unable to talk Meggie into a different costume, so I’m stuck in the Harley Quinn costume, ass cheeks hanging out the bottom of the shorts and all. I look hot an all, but damn I hate showing this much skin. Especially now. Not to mention I’m going to freeze to death. At least she spent the extra dime and got the matching leather jacket, so I don’t freeze to death completely. My bright pink cast for sure stands out against it. We are walking down the stairs of the dorms to meet the guys. They decided we should all ride together, so who was I to argue.
I regret my decision the moment I step out of the dorms and my eyes fall on my… Puddin’. I laugh to myself knowing full well I was set up. He is looking hot with the fake tats on his face and the green in his hair. I can’t help the smile that pulls the corners of my mouth up. He steps towards me grinning. “Hmmm… I was wrong.”
“Hmmm?”
He walks around me checking out every angle, “This costume is fuckin’ deadly.”
I smirk, “Meaning?”
He cocks his eyebrow at me, “Any motherfucker that looks at you is going to die!”
I laugh as I walk towards the car, “No worries. It’s unwanted attention.”
He grins as he follows behind me. He climbs in and I realize at that moment that the only seat left isn’t a seat at all, but his lap. He smiles as he offers his hand out to help me onto his lap. “Why do I have a feeling I was setup?”
He laughs at that and I climb in dropping softly onto his lap. He gulps down some air and I find myself grinning when his hand relaxes on my hips. A few minutes into the trip and he leans forward and whispers in my ear. “You keep wiggling like that, and this ride is going to get uncomfortable for the both of us.”
I can feel the heat in my cheeks. I check out everyone’s costumes and realize they’re perfectly paired. Meggie is Wonder Woman and Tanner is Superman. LaLa is Rogue and Mannex is Wolverine. Of course, Caelan and I are the Joker and Harley Quinn. Meggie grins across the car at me and I know she set this up. I love this girl, but damn she is making it hard for me. I’ve tried to keep my distance, but they are dragging me in. It’s going to kill me when they kick me out again.
I glance at Mannex who keeps glancing across the car at LaLa, who is oblivious to it. I think, I’m not certain, but I think Mannex has a little thing for LaLa. Meggie probably set that up to. My arms starts itching inside my cast and I wiggle trying to get in a position where I can try to scratch it. Caelan groans, “Fuck” under his breath.
I whisper, “Sorry.” Over my shoulder.
He squeezes my hips with his hand letting me know it’s fine without saying anything. Fifteen minutes later we’re pulling into a field full of cars. When Mannex parks, we all climb out and Mannex laughs when he gets a good look at Caelan who’s got one hand on the top of the car and the other on my hip with me pressed against the truck. Mannex circles around leaving me with Caelan. Caelan leans his forehead against mine, “This better be some scary shit or I’m going to be uncomfortable the whole night.”
I suck in a breath and he leans down pressing his lips against mine and for the first time since we were together, I don’t pull away. I actually lean into it. He pulls away and kisses my forehead before gripping my hand in his and pulling me behind him. As we start across the parking lot, I get the first scare when the hair on the back of my neck starts standing on end and I turn around to find the scariest clown I’ve ever seen in my life creeping behind me. I scream an ear-splitting scream and Caelan pulls me behind him tucking me close to his side as the clown laughs running off to find another victim. Meggie laughs, “I forgot how scared you are of clowns.”
My hands are trembling and Caelan leans into me, “I’ve got you.” To be completely honest it settled me somewhat. However, it doesn’t last. Not for long anyways. When we get to the ticket booth I go to pay for my ticket and Caelan hands the lady at the counter enough money for the both of us. I glare at him, “I can pay my way.”
He rolls his eyes, “I’m sure you can, but why should you have to when I’m here.”
I poke out my lip and he laughs, “I can kiss that and make it go away.”
My mouth drops open and he turns pulling me behind him. The first thing Meggie drags us all on is the hayride. I end up sitting in front of Caelan instead of sitting beside him. It’s freezing, so he takes his jacket off and wraps it around me. The trailer we are riding on slows and something is dropped from a tree that looks like a body and I scream throwing myself into Caelan’s arms burying my face in his chest. He chuckles but wraps his arms around me holding me firmly against his chest. I distinctively remember hearing another scream and when I’m brave enough to look up I find LaLa sitting on Mannex’s lap curled into his body with her face hidden in his neck. The next scene the trailer comes to is one from a long time ago. As the scene plays out and they set fire to the supposed witch I relaxed a little, happy nothing is going to be fly
ing out at me. I turn back so I can watch. But then three witchy figures pop out of nowhere reciting spells. It doesn’t frighten me, but I’m leaning away like they are casting a spell on me.
Meggie is laughing, because she loves this shit. She’s not afraid of anything. Never has been. Me, yeah, clowns scare the shit out of me.
The next scene is not so much a scene, but a skit. We pull into a bridge tunnel and the trailer comes to a stop. The lights go out and everything is black. I lean my head back against Caelan’s lap and he leans forward, “You good?”
I nod, but I’m not sure what is about to happen. Out of nowhere strobe lights start flashing all over the place and a bunch of acrobatic clowns start flipping and jumping all over the place. The clowns throw me off, but it was too entertaining to be scared. When it ends everything goes dark and the lights come back on and they’re gone. It looks like a normal wooden bridge tunnel. There were a couple more things, but after the killer clown with the chainsaw climbed on the trailer and I climbed in Caelan’s lap I was done. I kept my face hidden the rest of the ride.
When the trailer comes to a stop he whispers, “It’s over.” I lift my head and gaze up at him. He’s got a contented look on his face and in that moment my heart breaks a little more. We could have had something. Something people tell their grandkids about and all it took was two hours in a bar, one night together and hundreds of texts within two weeks.
He climbs to his feet behind me and holds out his hand for me to take. I reach up taking his hand and he gently pulls me to my feet. We follow Meggie and Tanner to a picnic table beside the concession stands with Mannex and LaLa following behind us. I drop down on one of the benches. Caelan sits beside me but instead of facing the table he sits with his back leaning against it. When I catch him watching me out of the corner of his eye, I turn my gaze on him, “Yes?”
He smiles, “Do you know how beautiful you are?”
