Suburban Love Song (Burnouts Book 1)

by Karen Gordon

  MG immediately turned her attention back to Chuck, but Carrie couldn’t concentrate on Blake because she knew Ben would not give up so easily. Blake was millimeters away from kissing her again when they heard Amber’s voice, along with Ben’s, in the hall. Both couples flew off the bed and into a standing position just as the door opened to show Ben standing behind a very un-amused Amber. She drew in a breath, but she kept her cool and, after only a brief pause, she said, “Carrie, it’s late honey, it’s time for you and Ben to go.” She turned to her former step son, “Blake, I think you and your friend should go too.”

  Blake and Chuck shuffled out of the room followed by Carrie, MG and Amber. Carrie shot daggers at Ben with her eyes as she passed him in the hallway. He shot them right back.

  Carrie was so humiliated she left without saying goodbye to MG or her mom. She doubted that MG would ever talk to her again anyway. God, why had she brought Ben?

  ♥ ♪ ♥ By the time she entered the woods, shock and humiliation had erased most of her beer buzz. She was just starting to get creeped out, being alone on the path, when she heard Ben marching up behind her. That made her feel just safe enough to keep moving, and she started jogging to get away from Ben and his (possibly justified) anger and a definite morality speech. She broke into a run and would have lost him had she not taken a header in to a scratchy bush near the creek. Could this night get any worse?

  “You alright?” Ben was concerned enough to ask, but mad enough not to help her up when he caught up with her.

  She lay there, unmoving, wondering if she could play dead and he would go away.

  He shined the flashlight he always kept attached to his belt into her face. “Are you going to get up?”

  Before she shielded her eyes, she made sure he could read her go-away glare.

  “I’m not going to leave you here, so get up.”

  Carrie sat up but made no move to stand. Ben stood next to her for a few minutes, then sat down by her on the ground. Carrie knew that she owed him an apology, but it stuck in her throat. He was in the right, but she was still pissed at him. She shouldn’t have ignored him, but he just ruined her chance to have a new friend; a cool, fun new friend.

  A mosquito bit Carrie on the neck, then one on her hand. She swatted at her neck then waved her hands around. She started to stand up but Ben pulled her back down. “Why did you invite me?”

  The obvious answer was that she felt sorry for him, but she knew he would hate to hear that. He was already mad enough. “I thought you would have fun.”

  His silence meant he wasn’t satisfied with that answer. “Look, I didn’t know her step brother would be there or … ” Carrie hesitated bringing up the alcohol and kissing, “or that the party would be like that.”

  “Did you kiss him?”

  “What?!” Carrie was shocked Ben had the nerve to ask.

  “You kissed him didn’t you?”

  “So?”

  “Anything else?” Carrie swatted at more mosquitoes, getting more and more agitated, “You’re not my mom, you know. What do you care?”

  Ben hesitated. Carrie could feel that he wanted to say more, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear it. She started to stand and again Ben pulled her down. “I won’t tell your mom …” he paused to build up courage, “If you’ll kiss me.”

  Carrie’s eyebrows shot up and she couldn’t begin to conceal her shock, “What???”

  Ben mumbled to the ground, “You heard me.” Carrie swatted at more bugs as she thought through the idea.“You won’t tell. I know you won’t.”

  “Would you kiss me anyway?”

  Carrie breathed out her frustration and softened at his humble request. She looked skyward for an answer. “Why?” “Because I never have,” he became bolder as he listed out all the good reasons he had thought up, “and I want to before I start high school, and you kissed him and you don’t even know him, so why not?” Just for good measure he threw in, “and I won’t tell your mom what you did tonight.” He left off that he thought she was really pretty, and he was mad because he had wanted to be the first guy to kiss her. He had already figured out that she would have lots of boyfriends once they got to high school, and this might be his one chance to kiss Carrie.

  She stood up shaking her head. She couldn’t believe she was going to do this. “Fine.” Ben stood up and their dilemma became obvious. He was a good 5 inches shorter than her, but he couldn’t be deterred that easily. He looked around, grabbed her hand and led her to a stump on the side of the creek. Balancing on one foot on the small stump he pulled Carrie in front of him, wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and pulled her into him.

  Carrie rubbed her eyes to put something between their faces. She needed time to think. Why did this feel so weird? Maybe she could pretend she was kissing Blake again. She hung her hands at her side and looked up at Ben. He leaned in and placed his lips gently against hers. This wasn’t so bad. He actually had softer lips than Blake. Ben held there for a moment, then turned his head to the side. Carrie followed his lead, leaned her head into his and moved her hands up to rest lightly on his waist. It wasn’t as exciting as kissing Blake, but not as scary either. She had no fear of cold beer tongues or exposing her mama bra. She relaxed for just a minute and breathed in the smell of Ben’s clean white tee shirt and the honeysuckle that grew wild near the creek. She noticed that his skin was warmer than hers, and his eyelashes gently brushed against her temple when he opened his eyes.

  Realizing that the kiss was over, Carrie took a step back and looked away, breaking the moment. Ben said nothing. He stepped off the stump, jumped across the creek and sent the rope across for Carrie to catch. They didn’t speak as he waited for her to change back into her other clothes in the little cabin, or as they walked across Carrie’s backyard toward her house. It was only when he veered toward his back door that he turned and said, “Night.” His face was lit by the flood light on the Gould’s back porch. Carrie could see that he was smiling, and she couldn’t help smiling too.

  Chapter 7

  Ben left a few days later for military summer camp. It was paid for with guilt money. His dad had insisted they couldn’t afford even one week of the expensive camp when Ben brought it up in February; now Ben was signed up for all four sessions. He would be gone for a month.

  Carrie didn’t get a chance to see him before he left, but she was happy he got to go. He had been talking about it for years. It also made it easier to avoid him. The whole kissing thing made her feel weird about him. She liked Ben but not in a boyfriend sort of way. Besides, there was no way MG would approve. She had called Carrie the day after the party, swearing that Blake was totally into her and that she would figure out a way for them to see Blake and Chuck again. Carrie tried to fake excitement, but the truth was that Blake kind of scared her. Summer was barely started, and she was already avoiding two guys because she had kissed both of them, on the same night. Life with MG was a little scarier but a lot more fun.

  Luckily, Blake went back to wherever his mom lived. If Carrie had to guess, MG’s mom probably told him to stay away from her house and MG. She changed the subject anytime MG brought him up and started to be more concerned with what MG and Carrie were doing with their nights. She offered to drive them to the local fun park, thinking that was a safe place full of younger kids.

  It all started off innocently enough. Amber would drop them off for a few hours of putt-putt and go karts. But it didn’t take long for MG to meet a guy, who knew a guy that would buy them liquor. Carrie had to admit, the fun park got a whole lot more fun with some Boone’s Farm Strawberry wine in you. Even Kyle, MG’s liquor contact, started to look cuter after a little wine, and Kyle’s sort-of creepy friends started to grow on Carrie and MG too.

  One night, MG shared a tandem go-kart with Kyle, and she insisted that Carrie ride in one with Kyle’s friend Andy. They decided to let the girls drive so they could sit behind them and hold on tight. Every time Carrie and MG ran off the course or into each ot
her, they had to stop to get over a fit of giggles before they could drive again. It didn’t help any that Kyle’s hands kept creeping higher from MG’s waist, to her ribs, to her boobs which had MG giggling more and wrestling with him. Carrie was relieved that Andy was much shyer than Kyle even with a few beers in him. The attendant finally came onto the course and kicked them off because they were taking too long to get to the finish line.

  Once they were kicked out of the fun park, they all started hanging out in the parking lot of the pizza place next door, which, they found out one night, was an easy walking distance to Kyle’s liquor contact. The four of them walked three blocks to a nondescript gas station and garage. It was a small, old building with a coating of grime on everything. Carrie had never noticed it before. The owner had installed a soda cooler and stocked it with beer and wine for sale.

  Kyle was only 15, and looked it, so Carrie couldn’t figure out how he was able to buy liquor. It turned out that liquor laws were very flexible at this station. The guy selling it was Chuck, Blake’s 19-year-old friend and MG’s first summer fling.

  Not wanting to run into him while she was with Kyle, MG grabbed Carrie and made a mad dash for the bathroom. Carrie took one look at it and refused to go in. She volunteered to guard the door, which was necessary, since the lock was broken any way. When Chuck finished ringing up Kyle’s sixpack and bottle of wine, he turned his attention to Carrie.

  He stared at her for a minute before he said, “Don’t I know you?”

  Carrie was shocked that he would remember her, “Um, yeah, you’re Blake’s friend.” He nodded when he remembered, “And you’re his sister’s friend.” His smile grew as much as Carrie’s embarrassment, both of them remembering Amber’s party. “How you been?”

  Unable to face him, Carrie looked behind her, pretending to check on MG. Then she mumbled to the floor, “Fine.”

  Chuck came closer, leaning against the door jamb across from Carrie. He crossed his arms and inspected her slowly, smiling at what he saw. He was so close that Carrie could smell the gas fumes on his coveralls. She thought about moving away from him, but didn’t want to leave MG.

  “You know, I was kind of pissed at Blake that night.”

  The statement surprised her, and she looked up at him, “Why?”

  “I thought you were really cute. I wanted to get to know you, but he jumped right in there.” Carrie thought about pointing out that he had jumped right on MG, but she was actually really flattered. Guys always chose MG over her. MG was blonde and wild and so much more outgoing. Carrie had no response except to blush and look at the floor. He wants me! He wanted to pick me!

  “What’s your name?”

  “Carrie.”

  “Hey Carrie,” he stuck out his hand in an offer to shake hers, “I’m Chuck.” She couldn’t help but smile at his formality, especially after the way they had really first met. It was nice, it made her feel like maybe they were starting over with the whole Blake incident forgotten. She shook his hand and managed to look up at him from under her lashes and smile.

  He stretched back and pulled himself to sit on the counter behind him. “So, you with those guys?” He gestured with his chin toward Kyle and Andy in the parking lot.

  The bathroom door handle behind her started to rattle. She had to think fast. Did she want him to think she had a boyfriend or not? “They’re just friends.” Chuck smiled and the door handle rattled louder as MG struggled with the ancient, beat up lock.

  “Carrie!” She yelled from inside, “Carrie, get me out of here.” Carrie started to jerk and tug on the handle from her side, then Chuck put his hand over hers, lifted up, and pushed the door open.

  When MG saw who had rescued her from the bathroom, she dropped her head, ducked under Chuck’s arm, grabbed Carrie and made a bee line for the door. Carrie stopped briefly before MG pulled her outside, “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome, Carrie.” He made sure he noted that he knew her name, and he smiled at her.

  ♥ ♪ ♥ At some point Amber stopped monitoring the girls so closely because Vin was showing up more often. Instead of picking them up from the fun park, she accepted that they were getting a ride from the mother of a friend that MG made up. Sometimes they walked home, and sometimes they caught a ride from Kyle’s older sister; but she bitched the entire time about having to drive out of her way, so they usually avoided her.

  Carrie spent almost every night of July at MG’s house. At first she called home to ask if she could stay, but almost every time she called her mom was napping or already asleep for the night. Her dad would just say, “Yeah, sure, I guess so.” Her mom being pregnant was really working out better than Carrie had hoped.

  The first time Amber didn’t come home, Carrie was a little freaked out, but it didn’t faze MG at all. Her mom always showed up around lunch time the next day, in a great mood. She would sleep all afternoon, then take the girls out to dinner and drop them off at the fun park.

  It was on a super muggy night in late July that it dawned on MG that they could be swimming in her pool instead of sweating in a parking lot. With her mom gone most nights, MG felt safe inviting Kyle and Andy over too. After a quick stop to buy beer and wine from Chuck (who winked at Carrie), they walked a little over two miles to MG’s house, drinking the entire way.

  Not wanting the neighbors to report to Amber that they had come home with some guys, MG made everyone sneak in through the back yard gate. She also claimed the house was locked so they couldn’t get inside to get swimsuits, which didn’t seem to bother the guys at all. MG was the first to strip out of her tee shirt and shorts and dive into the pool. Kyle quickly stripped down to his underwear and followed her. Andy shrugged at Carrie and slid out of his jeans, his legs a flash of white skin in the moon light, before he dove in too. Carrie hesitated, which only called more attention to her. Damn her stupid mama bra. It was big and white and would shine like a flag in the moon light. At least she had on cute panties that she had borrowed from MG.

  She turned her back and tried to strip down to her bra and panties quickly, but when she turned around to dive into the pool, both boys were blatantly staring at her. She cringed and wrapped her arms over her big, white, ugly bra until she was safely under the water. As soon as she surfaced, Andy swam over to her. His eyes were riveted to her chest.

  “What?”Carrie turned and ducked below the water line till she was only visible from the neck up.

  Andy looked away, slightly embarrassed at being caught staring, “Sorry.” They swam around, splashed each other and dove into the pool for a while. When things got quiet at the shallow end of the pool, Carrie knew MG was making out with Kyle. It didn’t bother her, except she really didn’t want to make out with Andy. She had once before. He was a really horrible kisser and, honestly, her mind had been on Chuck since they left the gas station. He had winked at her, specifically at her! He was so much older and kind of cute. Did he really want to go out with her?

  The more she thought about Chuck, the less she wanted to be alone with Andy. She tried to think of ways to divert his attention, but her options were limited. MG might get mad if she went in the house and exposed her lie. It was a long walk back to the gas station, and besides, her bra and panties and hair were soaking wet. She made a half-hearted attempt to let Andy chase her around the pool then finally gave up and let him corner her. He was leaning in to kiss her when she glanced at the large clock hanging over the bar on the back porch. The face said “It’s 5 o’clock Somewhere” but it had the correct time.

  “Oh my god, it’s 11:00!”

  Andy leaned into her and kissed her jaw because her head was turned, but he was working his way to her lips.

  “Kyle, what time do you need to meet your sister?”

  MG made an exasperated huffing noise as Kyle pulled himself off of her, “11:30, why?”

  “Um, cause it’s after 11 now, and you still have to walk back to the parking lot.” Kyle looked up at the clock. “Shit!” He hopped out of th
e pool and searched for his shorts and shirt. “Andy, come on, we gotta go!”

  Andy glared at Carrie before joining Kyle on the deck, looking for his clothes. The boys took off in a run at 11:15. MG climbed out of the pool, dried off, then sat on the edge of a lounger and fell back, looking up at the stars and smiling. Carrie sat down on the lounger next to her.

  “Are you mad at me?”

  MG lay there smiling for a minute before answering, “This has been a great summer.”

  Relieved, Carrie lay back on her lounger and looked up, “Yeah.”

  “You don’t like Andy anymore?” “No, not really. I, um, I kind of like Chuck.”

  “Who?”

  “Chuck, you know, Blake’s friend. He sells us wine at the gas station.” “Oh, Chuck. Is that his name? Sure, he’s cute.” MG paused, and Carrie was afraid she was going to announce the he was hers first, but, typical MG, “and he can get us wine. Good choice.”

  Carrie smiled, “Thanks. You’re right, this has been a great summer.”

  Chapter 8 That was the end of Kyle and Andy. Amber came home, fighting tears, about an hour later. Instead of being mad that the girls were up so late, she came into MG’s room to talk to them. She cried on and off, and slurred about a guy named Ian as she took drinks of some strong-smelling liquor she had poured over ice. Ian turned out to be the guy she was seeing behind Vin’s back to make him jealous. She wanted Vin to leave his wife (he had a wife?). She fell for Ian, who found out about Vin, and that led to tonight’s tear-filled confession. Now all she wanted to do was get out of town for a while.

  Two days later, MG and Amber left for Miami for an undecided length of time. Carrie went home. Her only solace was that school would start in a week and a half, so MG would have to be back by then.

  Her mom was almost four months pregnant now and just starting to show. She wore slightly larger normal clothes so other people wouldn’t know, although Carrie was sure everyone would find out sooner or later. In her absence, her parents had developed a routine that involved them having as little interaction as possible. Earl left for work before Lana got up, and he returned briefly to change clothes and go bowling three nights a week. Other nights he would bring home a bag of fast food for himself and eat it alone in front of the TV. Lana kept living as if nothing had changed. She shopped, ate out, and spent most evenings with her bridge group, or doing more shopping, or attending any meeting they offered at the church. Carrie felt like an outsider to their stalemate, but it had its advantages. As long as she stayed under the radar, she could come and go as she pleased; not that she had anywhere to go.