Life Altering Beautiful

by T. A. Hardenbrook

  “Want to get out of here?” She nods her head and stands to leave. “Well nice to meet ya Trent, Tammy you ready to go?” Tammy holds up her cup still filled with ice-cream “Does it look like it?”

  “You drive?” I turn and look at Seven standing further away from the table. “Yeah” she says quietly. “I can take you home Tammy” Trent says with a cocky smile. Yeah like that’s going to happen as I frown at my sister. “Here I’ll drive you home, Tammy will you take Seven’s car back to the dorms when you’re done?”

  “Sure big brother” she says while narrowing her eyes at me. “We really should just get back Tammy” Seven pleads with her. “Go I’m a big girl Seven. Besides it’s not like you don’t know who I’m with” she giggles at Trent. Seven reaches into her gigantic bag and pulls out her keys. She leans down and whispers something into Tammy’s ear then looks up to glare at Trent. “I’ll see you soon half-pint” calls Trent laughing. I watch Seven swallow hard and begin to leave, walking right past my outstretched hand for her to take.

  “Hey my trucks over there” I call to her as she speed walks ahead of me. She instantly stops and lets her shoulders deflate. “You okay little one” I ask cautiously. She shakes her head and starts to shuffle her feet on the sidewalk. “Let’s go home” I reach for her hand once more. This time she doesn’t pull away, yet holds on to it like her life depends on it. Looking down at our fingers interlocking I smile, I am going to breakthrough to her and it is just a matter of time before it happened.

  I open Ol’ Red and help her up; a meek smile spreads across her face. “Shitty day?” she asks.

  “You have no idea” as I close the door. “Yeah I actually do” she says quietly as I climb into my side and start the old girl up. I’ve had a shitty enough day that I decide she isn’t going home tonight, I just need her in bed with me.

  “Um this isn’t the way to the dorm” she fiddles with the strings on her purse. “You’re right it’s not” giving her a smirk. “I’m confused?”

  “We’re going back to my place; I just want to have you next to me tonight.”

  “Stone I can’t” looking defeated and broken right now. “Seven, I just want you in my bed, nothing else I promise. I’ve had a crappy day and having you lay next to me while I sleep is really the only way I can turn my mind off” my eyes begging her to say yes. “Okay” she says while tapping out something on her phone. I can’t help but feel like I am 8 years old again waking up on Christmas morning, my mind might feel that young again but my dick totally tells a different story.

  Unlocking the door to my dark apartment I let Seven wander in first, reaching my hand around the corner for the light switch. Suddenly I am being pulled over the threshold and her lips are instantly on mine. I can’t help but surrender to her spell, parting my lips to allow her tongue to slide into my mouth. There is something different about her; the need for my touch was almost desperate and forceful. I am backed up into the wall, completely at her mercy for whatever she plans on doing. Running my hands through her long hair I hear a little moan escape, this woman is going to bring me undone right here. Pushing back slightly I catch my breath and grab her chin “wait this isn’t what you wanted tonight.”

  “What I can’t change my mind?” pressing her body back against me. Tipping my head back till it meets with the wall I let out a sigh. “Seven you know I want you, more than anything but not even five minutes ago I practically had to beg you to come home with me.”

  “Fuck you Stone, maybe you should try to get to know me before you start telling me what I want” she storms off to the bathroom. “You won’t let me get to know you, you keep yourself so fucking locked up that I would need the CIA to break into that little head of yours” I yell after her.

  I punch the wall when I hear the bathroom door slam; this wasn’t how today was meant to end. All she had to do was tell me what was going on in that pretty little head of hers, there would be no judgment on whatever it was and I couldn’t love her any less because of it.

  I softly knock on the bathroom door and wait for her to answer it. “Seven let me in, I’m so sorry baby” hearing the soft cries on the other side. Pressing my forehead against the door I stand and wait, shit I would wait forever for this girl.

  Seven

  There is a man on the other side of this door wanting for me to open up to him. The moment I feel like I can let him in; have him see the real me, flash backs of what happened replay in my head. Why can’t I just hit the restart button on my life and move on from this tragedy. Is there a reason that I must relive it day in and out without the slightest bit of compassion for my own wellbeing? I feel totally broken once again, and I’m sick and tired of feeling like a whiny little bitch.

  Slowly I reach up and unlock the knob, letting my arm fall to the floor again. I can’t keep running from him, he deserves to know about my past. Just how much I should tell him is the problem currently moving around in my head. Stone’s warm body joins me on the floor yet I can’t bring myself to look at him.

  “Seven I’m so sorry baby, I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I can’t make you tell me what’s wrong but I can ask you to share with me. Baby if I could take all this pain you’re carrying around I would gladly take it. Please let me share the burden; trust me that I’m here for you.” A single tear rolls down my face as I look at him. This beautiful man deserves to know some of my secrets, to know why I am always so distant; the reasons that love doesn’t come easy to me.

  “I promise you I wasn’t always this much of a wreck” I say as I let out a small laugh. Stone takes my hand in his; the overwhelming feeling of comfort urges me to tell him more. “I was dating this guy for most of high school; you know first love kind of thing. Anyways there was an accident on prom night and I lost him” my voice starts to crack. Biting my lip to keep from crying again I can’t help but realize the words I’ve just spoken. This was the first time I’ve ever admitted to losing Anderson. I really thought we would be together forever, and the one stupid fight we had torn the only man I’d ever loved away from me. “It was my fault and now I’ve got to live with the consequences of my stupid actions that night” the tears are flowing heavily from my eyes now.

  “Baby don’t cry” Stone wraps his arm around me, slowing rubbing his hand up and down my rigid arms. “Don’t you see Stone; it was my fault that he died. I killed the only man I’ve ever loved. No one else is to blame for that night but me” I hang my head in pain. “Shh, Seven it’s going to be okay. I’m going to help you through this, you are never going to be alone again I promise.”

  I haven’t even told this man the whole story yet, how can be possibly say he is going to stay with me, without really knowing the very ugly parts of my life. Stone pulls me into his lap and I don’t fight the close contact of our bodies. It hurts all over from the pain I am reliving; something I haven’t talked about with anyone before. Basically it feels like a hot knife being dragged across my skin over and over. I only hope I have enough courage left to bury the remaining details deep down inside and let those secrets still hidden die inside my soul.

  I have no clue how long we sat on the bathroom floor or even what time he carried me into his bed, but I do know how amazingly calm I felt when I woke and opened my eyes. There was no panic when I came around, almost like a huge weight was lifted off me by just letting someone into my broken black heart. I can feel his warm body pushed up against my back, the hot breath of him against my neck, and the weight of his strong arms still around my waist tightly. Rolling over to face him I carefully place a kiss on his nose, watching his eyes flutter yet still remain closed.

  “Good morning beautiful” his rough voice emerges. This man can make me smile with the simplest of words, how am I ever going to sleep alone after nights and mornings like this? Stones eyes slowly open and bore straight into mine, it’s like he is touching my soul without even uttering a word. “How am I ever going to be able to sleep in my own bed knowing how absolutely amazing yours is! Not to men
tion mine comes with the lack of company and your sister.” Pulling me tighter into his chest Stone nuzzles his face into the crook of my neck, kissing me with enough passion to make the Lifetime channel blush. “You don’t have to leave, just stay here” he breaks between kisses. “That’s not an option Stone, if we are going to try a real relationship I can’t be attached to you twenty four seven.”

  “Why not?” he looks me straight in the face. Pulling myself out of his grasp I stand up to break the connection between us, Stone is getting too serious and that’s something I can’t deal with yet. Shaking my head I walk to the bathroom door to brush my teeth, “You’re going to fall in love with me Seven, just you wait and see” he chuckles. I already do love that man, just as much as my shattered heart will allow me to.

  Stone walked me to my dorm before he headed off to class, holding my hand from the moment we got out of the truck till he deposited me in front of my dorm room. I noticed some of the looks we received from fellow students and it did bother me a little, but it was something I was going to have to work on in order to have a future with this delicious man. “I’ll text ya once I grab my phone from the frat house, okay?” he leans down and kisses my cheek, instantly sending a heat through my entire body. “Yep” I manage to mumble and tried to grab the door knob, missing it by several inches. Stone just laughs and gives me the panty dropping smirk of his as he walks off down the hall. Most embarrassing moment number one hundred and three with this man I think as I shove the door open.

  “Oh crap” I quickly turn my back to my naked roommate and a guy who had graced me with his bare ass first and not his face. “Shit Seven, I didn’t think you were coming home anytime soon” Tammy says as she scrambles to put clothes on, at least that’s what I’m hoping she is doing. A cool sick laugh comes from the naked male, fuck a duck it’s Trent. “Don’t worry baby, Seven has seen my ass plenty of times before.” Tammy giggles at the comment; it takes everything in me not vomit all over our door.

  The thought of this man being in my personal space, let alone naked with my roommate is enough to make the little life I was starting to put together crumble again. “I’ll call ya” Trent says as I hear a smack against flesh, which I’m praying was an arm and not her ass. Keeping my back to them I side step over to the closet, trying to keep as calm as possible in the situation. “See you later Seven, we really should catch up” the snakes voice trails off as he closes the door. Hearing the latch sound I instantly drop to me knees, breathe I replay in my mind.

  “Don’t be so dramatic Seven” she says while pulling clothes out of the closet. Seething I turn around and glare at her. “Fuck you Tammy, you have no idea who that jerk is! You meet him once and you give up the goods the same day, way to be classy” I snap. Tammy stops in front of me mouth gaping in shock. I push past my frozen roommate and sit myself down on my head, burying my head in my hands. “First off speaking to me that way is unacceptable. Second I can do whatever I want, I don’t care if you like him or not. After all you’re just my pathetic roommate who is lusting over my brother the man whore” she turns and stomps out of the room.

  Looking up before the door slams I catch my lip between my teeth to keep it from trembling. Things were going too good lately for me, the fuck up Seven had been bound to make a showing anytime now. Apparently she decided to make an appearance for the only girl I’ve called a best friend and the man who knows all her dark secrets. Great fucking timing Seven, way to make it in this world.

  I don’t know how the next couple weeks went by, but I managed to survive. Stone is nothing but amazing with me; sending me little texts each morning and before I go to bed, meeting me for lunch on campus and taking me out at night, and he’s never once pushed me to tell him more of my past. I am so grateful that when I am with him he takes all the pressure away from the hostile situation with my roommate.

  Tammy has not even said a word in passing these last couple weeks; I was willing to let her in on some of my world if she would only stop and listen. The real hurtful part is that she has continued to see Trent. I tried to keep my distance, yet somehow the monster always finds a way to get under my skin. It’s taken everything in me not to scream at Tammy when he comes to collect her; he is a controlling, manipulative, horrible creature. She is slowly changing with him too; she just doesn’t possess the magical charm that I met the first day here. She no longer accompanies Stone and I on his trips home some weekends, and all her spare time is taken up by Trent. If I could only share with her that this man will suck her soul dry, stomp on every dream she has ever had, and is willing to lie to get his way to the top. I lost my boyfriend and now the only girlfriend I’ve had in over a year to Trent. To hell I’m letting him have my happiness anymore too.

  Walking to my first class of the morning I feel my phone vibrate in my coat pocket. The air was crisp this morning and the feeling of fall was transitioning in the air. I instantly knew the text was from Stone, considering he is the only person who has my number and would use it. Waving to a couple of girls in my math class I quickly walk into the building and take a seat in the classroom. Pulling my phone out of my pocket I smile when his name reads across the screen.

  *Stone* So date night dance this Friday, please say yes.

  *Seven* What am I saying yes to?

  *Stone* Don’t make me beg woman, please be my date. I need u there with me.

  I couldn’t help but have a stupid grin plaster across my face. “What are you smiling about” Amber falls into the desk next to me. “Nothing” I slide my phone back into my pocket. “Right, I know who your boyfriend is, I’m betting it was really not just nothing” she says while rolling her eyes. I’ve never been to date night at a frat house, shit the only frat party I ever went to was the first weekend of school where I meet Stone.

  “Stone asked me to date night at his frat house.” Amber squeals as she shakes wildly in her seat. “You know that’s like epic status for you two dating right?”

  “Huh, we are already dating Amber.”

  “Um yeah I know but it like solidifies the relationship him brining you to date night!” Holy Flaming Cheetos this date night thing is apparently a big deal around here. Closing my eyes I lean my head forward on the desk. “What’s your deal, this is like major badassness!”

  “I don’t know if I can do this” I mumble while still face first in the desk. “Oh you will be doing this! What are you going to wear?” Amber giggles with excitement. “Wear? Seriously I have no idea what I need to look like” I moan. Flashing a mischievous smile Amber wiggles her eyebrows. “Oh shit we can take care of that easy, the sucky part is getting a wax!”

  Stone

  I don’t know why I felt so strung out when I asked Seven to date night. We have been seeing each other since the first week I brought her home, it’s not like it was a first date or anything. We seem to make our crazy messed up lives work with one another, she accepts that I disappear at times and I don’t pry into her past, basically a winning situation if you ask me.

  What I hate is my little sister acting like a total bitch over the Trent thing. I’ll never understand the logic of girl code, why must they be nasty and mean over something with a penis. Thankfully my sister’s sixth grade attitude didn’t deter Seven from coming home with me the other weekend. Tammy could pound sand for all I cared. I’ve put way too much effort into watching out for her and sticking my neck out when she needed it, the least she could do was suck it up for the hour drive home to see dad. She is a bull in a china shop; walking carelessly around until someone angered her. Then it is smashing time with everyone, she is on a destructive path and her life seems to hang in the balance.

  Glancing at the clock in Ol’ Red I know Seven will be heading outside any minute now. I can’t stop fidgeting knowing that any second the woman of my dreams will come walking out that door and be waiting for me to take her away. I notice the seat next to me has started to fray, causing me to instantly pick at the fabric. Hearing giggles my head shoots up from
the destruction I am creating to see the most beautiful creature coming down the walkway.

  Her hair is down in soft curls and the dress she has on left very little to the imagination. The green fabric clings tightly around her middle and stops short upon her thighs. I can see just enough cleavage from the loose halter top on the dress, basically making any man with eyes stop dead in their tracks and take notice.

  I stumble out of my truck and rush to take her hand. “Are you trying to kill me tonight woman?” Seven giggles and looks to the girl standing next to her. “Stone this is Amber, she’s in my math class and is the one responsible for this dress tonight” she gently places her hand in mine. “Thank you Amber, however next time something a little less sexy. I really have no clue how I’m going to keep my hands off you tonight.”

  “I never said you had to” Seven leans in and whispers in my ear. This woman could bring me to my knees, shit anything she said to me was sexy, but that right there had me almost come undone in my pants. “You’re welcome, and Seven you really look fantastic” Amber says while giving Seven a small hug.

  “Thanks, I’ll text you tomorrow” Seven smiles at Amber as she turns to walk back to the dorms. “I don’t think we should really go tonight” I pull her to the truck. “Slow down Stone, I’ve got heels on” she says while trying to match my eager step. Glancing down at the sidewalk I notice the slim black stilettos on her little feet, shit I knew I should have brought a change of clothes.