Pretty Toxic - A New Adult Romance (Imperfectly Yours)

by Gardner, A.

  I wait eagerly as Aunt Scarlett drives in the same direction as the ambulance. I rub my sweaty palms as we turn a corner to see flashing lights. I hate it when I’m right.

  My chest sinks. Aunt Scarlett jumps out of her car and runs up the winding driveway. Dane lives in one of the largest houses in Seaside. House? I guess it is more of an estate with a backyard facing the ocean and a private beach. The windows are illuminated with twinkling lights and the sound of music is faint on the porch.

  “What’s going on?” Her hands cover her face as Mr. Haskell is rolled out on a stretcher. The police lights start hurting my eyes. I search the crowd for Dane. “Matt,” Scarlett gasps.

  “I’m alright,” he manages to say as the paramedics lift him into the ambulance.

  “What happened?”

  “Just an accident. No big deal.”

  Mrs. Haskell pushes her way through the crowd just to stare daggers at Aunt Scar. Like mother like daughter. Mrs. Haskell looks tall and thin in her champagne cocktail dress. Ruby heels costing more than our month’s rent grace the soles of her feet and her long, blond hair is curled to perfection.

  “I’m so sorry,” Scarlett replies. The ambulance door slams and the sirens ring through my eardrums.

  “Well,” she says, looking at the wrinkled apron around her waist. “I guess we won’t be needing your services after all.” Her smug look makes Scarlett frown. She glimpses in my direction. “Good night, ladies.”

  Paige pokes her head out the door. One look at me and a mischievous smirk spreads across her face. She folds her arms. Her party dress looks similar to her mother’s. Sparkling diamonds hang from her ears.

  “Want to come in?” she smiles. My stomach churns. No. But I’m desperate to see Dane. To know that he’s okay. I feel Scarlett staring.

  “Well,” she whispers. She’s grinning. “Go on.”

  “Are you serious?” I reply. Paige shrugs.

  “On second thought,” she does a once-over of my serving uniform. “Don’t come in. Wouldn’t want anyone seeing you like that.”

  I look down at my outfit. I don’t own anything nearly as glamorous as what she’s wearing.

  “Well if you change your mind.” She tilts her head and raises an eyebrow before joining her friends back inside.

  “Scarlett,” I sigh. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t stress it.” She clutches her stomach as she walks back to the car. “I should’ve known she’d pull a stunt like that.”

  “But Mr. Haskell-”

  “I know,” she continues. “. . . anyways.” She pauses.

  “Don’t even go there.” I hop into the passenger’s seat.

  “What? It might be fun?”

  “I thought you said the Haskells where a bunch of selfish liars.”

  “There will be other people there,” she answers. “And when was the last time you were invited to a party like this?” How about never. “And . . . I do sort of owe you.”

  “No. I have nothing to wear.”

  “Borrow something of mine.” She starts the car, shaking her head. “What the hell am I going to do with all this food? Matt better still plan on paying me. We can’t afford to let this stuff go to waste.” I put my seatbelt on and stare out the window. “At least you have your Friday night back to do whatever it is you were going to do.”

  “Homework,” I lie. “Oh and there’s something I need to tell you. I got that internship.” Scarlett nods. “I know that means I won’t be around as much but it’ll help me get a job when I graduate.”

  “Don’t worry,” she responds. “I’ll find a way to manage.”

  My phone buzzes in my pocket. I eagerly pull it out and take a deep breath when I see Dane’s name on the screen.

  “Who is it?”

  “Oh,” I gulp. “Uh Zanna.” My eyes skim over his message. My chest is starting to tighten again. I quickly read his text.

  Our spot. One hour.

  DANE

  Chapter Four

  “If you don’t tell him . . . then I will.”

  “Out robbing another cradle are we?” Andrew chuckles. I keep typing on my laptop, ignoring his pathetic ploy to get me to yell at him some more. He’s the world’s worst roommate and his mouth is as big as my sister’s. “What no come back today?”

  “She’s eighteen.”

  “Barely,” he laughs again. I feel something stir deep in my chest. I stare at my computer. I see him smirk and walk closer, he flexes his biceps like something intimidating is there. I roll my eyes. I have to get out of here. I need to see her.

  “Whatever,” I mumble. “Just leave me alone alright.”

  “I’ll do what I want . . .” his hand hits the back of my laptop and slams it shut. I jerk my fingers away just in time. “. . . when I want. You got that?” His smirk is even wider as he laughs and leaves our room. I put up with him all semester and all I got for it was two written warnings, and a threatened suspension. I remember the words of the Dean’s Assistant like it happened yesterday. Your dresser isn’t an alcohol storage unit. It wasn’t mine it was all Andrew’s. And the pot was Andrew’s too.

  What am I still doing here? I can’t concentrate. I’m sucking at all my classes. I can’t get her out my head. I can’t not think about her. It’s like I need to get my fix. I close my eyes and think of home but the thought soon makes my stomach queasy. When I go back, I’ll have to tell her.

  My chest stirs again. Just do it Dane. Do it and go home.

  Most nights I don’t sleep. When the sky is black and my dorm is engulfed in silence, my mind is awake. What am I going to do? Dad’s already ashamed of me. He probably wishes he could trade me in for another kid. I can tell by the way he keeps his head up and calls me son. He uses the same tone of voice as the time I fell riding my skateboard and screwed up my shoulder right before that college scout came to soccer practice.

  He’s going to give me hell if I do this. If he finds out.

  I stand up letting a rush of pure anger boil inside. It runs through my torso and branches down to my fists allowing the adrenaline to pump through me. I can feel my face getting hotter, my forehead getting sweaty, and my jaw clenching. I run down the hall, hearing my footsteps pound in my ears.

  I run past a group of students and burst through the door into the chilly breeze. Andrew is laughing with his lameass friends. The ones that think Pluto is just a cheesy cartoon character. The closer I get the better it feels. Andrew turns around with a stupid grin on his face. He has no idea what’s coming.

  “Sup Assface, back for more-”

  My arm is on fire as it cuts through the air, targeting the side of Andrew’s face. It plays in front of me in slow motion and I don’t regret a single part. My knuckles collide with his jaw. I can hear the gurgling of the fluids in his mouth. My fingers feel the ridges of his teeth. His head turns and his body goes with it. He falls to the pavement. His mouth, now hanging open, blurts out a whimpering gulp.

  I look down at the cut on my hand. His posse stares, speechless. The turmoil in my chest starts to die as if satisfied for the time being. Andrew looks up at me. You did it. Now get the hell out.

  I’m going home. Home to her and I’m not coming back. I rub a patch of stubble and let myself laugh. Andrew is wide-eyed and struggling to make sense of it. I glance at his loser friends.

  “Later.”

  I walk away with a smile permanently ingrained on my face. I’m going to be suspended after this but I feel relieved. Maybe I’ll join Paige at Seaside Community. I rub my bruised knuckles. The adrenaline is still pulsing and I start jogging. A voice in my head tries to break into my thoughts but I push it away.

  But the voice echoes through my head, and I can’t get rid of it. You have to tell her. The longer I wait the worse it will be. I can’t keep it a secret anymore.

  I have to tell Mikki.

  * * *

  I walk down the street, my chest beating like a MMA fighter pounding into a punching bag. I couldn’t do it. I sa
w Mikki and immediately my entire self was hooked. My secret lingered in the back of my head when I kissed her. I still couldn’t tell her. She’d hate me, and I can’t lose her.

  I brace myself as my house comes into view. Paige is going to give me an earful and Dad is going to start the night off with an in-depth interrogation. Experience has taught me to answer with silence. Dad hates that. But he’ll hate me even more when I tell him I’m not going back to school next semester.

  A shoulder bumps against mine like a brick smacking cement. The hooded moron keeps walking, now picking up his pace.

  “Seriously, Man?” I throw my arms up in the air but keep walking the other direction. He’s not worth the energy. I approach the front door but and see blinking lights through the bay windows. Paige got her way again. Mom let her plan me a surprise party. I drag my feet and end up sneaking through the side gate to the back door. If I had to sit through a night pretending to be amused at least I could ruin the “surprise” part. The backyard is dark. I stay close to the shadows and pull the house keys out from my pocket.

  I unlock the door and see Dad on the floor in his study. It’s an unusual sight to see him flinching with pain.

  “Son?”

  My fists clench tight and the stirring in my chest starts up again. His weathered face grimaces as he grabs his leg. He’s covering the wound.

  “Dad?” I gasp. “What-”

  “Matt?” Mom bursts through the dining room doors. “Someone call an ambulance!” Dad shakes his head as she kneels by his side, covering her mouth when she sees the stream of blood leaking onto the carpet.

  “I’m alright darling,” he reassures her. “I can handle it.”

  “Handle it?” she protests. She stands placing her hands on her hips. “This doesn’t look like handling things to me. I mean, just look at the mesh you’re making on my brand new designer rug.”

  Dad glares at her.

  Paige walks in behind Mom with a phone in her hand. She covers her mouth, then turns to keep her party guests out of the way. I hear sirens blaring from down the street and Dad shakes his head.

  “You said-”

  “I know what I said,” Dad mumbles. He shoots Mom a harsh look. She lifts her chin.

  “We’ll discuss this later,” she mumbles. She looks up at me with a scowl on her face. Man, she looks exactly like Paige sometimes. Psycho stare and all. “And you . . . you’re late.”

  “Ran into some traffic,” I lie. The sirens grow louder. “Hmmm.” She tosses her hair over her shoulder and returns to her whispering guests.

  The sirens are coming from the driveway. A team of paramedics enter the room. Dad looks up at me. He holds my attention with an intense stare.

  “You and I have business to discuss,” he says in a low voice. “Remember that.” I nod in agreement.

  “Sir,” I gulp. The team of paramedics start checking his vitals as they move him onto a stretcher. Dad makes a face when they touch the wound on his leg but he doesn’t make a sound. Not even a quiet yelp. He holds his stare as they roll him away. The hairs on the back of my neck stick straight up.

  “Where were you?” Paige chastises. I barely realized she’d been standing right behind me the whole time. She tightens her jaw and smacks the side of my shoulder.

  “Like I told Mom,” I roll my eyes. “Traffic. And I said I didn’t want a homecoming party. What part of that didn’t you understand?”

  “You were supposed to be here,” she says through her teeth. “None of this would have happened if you’d have come straight here.”

  “Don’t blame any of this on me,” I reply. “I don’t even know what happened.” I clear my throat, afraid to ask. “What did happen?”

  She shrugs.

  “I don’t know,” Paige snaps. “I was somewhere else entertaining your guests. I even invited-”

  “No Paige, you didn’t.”

  “Someone had to,” she mutters with a pleased look on her face. “Now stop embarrassing yourself and come to your party.”

  “No,” I laugh. “I just traveled halfway across the country. I’m not going to waste the rest of my night in a room full of your idiotic friends.” I twirl my house keys and head for my bedroom. I grin, hearing the sound of Paige’s heels stomp against the hardwood floor.

  “This is all your fault you know,” she continues. “Mom and Dad have been fighting for weeks and what a surprise! They’ve been arguing about you.”

  “What else is new.” I keep my back towards her.

  “And then you just run off to wherever the hell it is you were and leave me here to rot.” Mind games. Her way of messing with people to get what she wants. That won’t work on me. “Dane!” She stomps her heel again. “You were supposed to be here. I needed you.”

  “Sorry your little plans didn’t work out,” I respond. I’m almost out of earshot. I hear her follow me. I take a deep breath. She isn’t going to give it a rest, even with Dad on his way to the hospital. Spoiled brat. “I’m going to take a shower, and then I’m going to see Dad.”

  “You were with her weren’t you?” Her words gutted me. I stop and turn around. Her eyes are bulging and her cheeks are the color of her red lipstick.

  “What?”

  “You heard me,” she says quietly. “You were with that girl. Mikki.” I try not to make a face when Paige says her name but my entire body freezes. I’ve given too much away. Her angry glare turns to a smirk when she realizes she’s reeled me in.

  “How did you-”

  “Oh come one, I’m not a complete moron. I’ve known for a while.”

  “Who told you?” I demand.

  She chuckles.

  “No one. It was obvious.”

  I take another deep breath and clench my jaw.

  “Dad’s going to figure it out eventually,” she goes on. “If he hasn’t already.”

  “What do you want?” I ask. She’d played her cards. Now she’d name her price. “Well?”

  “I want you to tell Dad.”

  “No.”

  “If you don’t tell him . . . then I will.”

  “No you won’t.” I keep a straight face, holding in the frustration boiling inside. I can’t let her get to me. All she wants is to see me upset. “You tell Dad, and I’ll tell Mom you’ve been skipping your sessions with Dr. Caldwell. She bites the corner of her cheek and folds her arms.

  “Fine.” She runs her tongue over teeth. “Have it your way.”

  Chapter Five

  “Let’s run away.”

  My dad sits quietly on a hospital bed, watching the nurse stitch his skin together. His expression barely changes. I look down at my phone. I sent a text to Mikki on my way here telling her to meet me at our spot.

  “You were late,” Dad mutters as the nurse nods and leaves the room.

  “What happened?”

  “Exactly forty-three minutes,” Dad continues. “You made an unscheduled stop didn’t you?”

  “You’re worse than Paige,” I roll my eyes.

  “Your sister went through great lengths to plan you that homecoming,” he scolds. “The least you could have done was show up on time.”

  “Really you’re going to lecture me right now?” I stare down at the bandage on his calf. “Your leg was sliced open and all you want to talk about is how I was a few minutes late coming home?” He scowls. “Dad, what the hell happened to you?”

  “Just an unfortunate accident,” he says quietly. I shake my head. He may be a hardcore negotiator but I can always call his bluff. He gets the same look on his face as me when he makes something up. He expects me to come clean, but he can lie to my face whenever he wants.

  “Fine,” I respond. “You tell don’t me . . . I don’t tell you.” Dad clears his throat then grins.

  “So you did take a detour on your way home.” He raises an eyebrow. My hand fiddles with my cell phone. And the questions begin. From this point on it’s best to stay silent. “Listen Dane, I know what you’re thinking. It’s none of
my business.” I tilt my head. He’s right, it isn’t. “But see it actually is my business.”

  “Dad-”

  “Dane,” he raises his voice. “It’s time you grow up.”

  “Whatever,” I mumble. “I’m leaving.” I turn towards the door, thinking of nothing but Mikki’s face and how much I want to get out of Seaside. I’ve only been back for a whole of two hours tops.

  “You’re not.” Dad stands up though the nurse told him to take it easy. He limps in my direction, a head taller and muscles just as firm. I stop still. “I’m not finished with you.”

  “Dad-”

  “Sir,” he corrects me. “And speaking of growing up I have a job for you.” He glances up and down the hallway, making sure we are definitely alone. “Tonight I was paid a visit by an old . . . colleague.”

  “A colleague huh,” I respond.

  “Don’t interrupt.” Dad places a firm hand on my shoulder. I clear my throat, avoiding his deathly glare. “There’s an urgent matter that needs to be taken care of, and for that I need your help.” I nod in agreement, feeling like I don’t have much of a choice.

  “Yes sir.”

  “Where ever it is you’re going, stay close to home. When I contact you . . . you must respond immediately, you understand?”

  I went to a school I hated because of him, studied a subject I didn’t care for, put up with a roommate that’s an absolute dick. I went through the trouble of making sure I’d never be able to return once I left, and all for what? To keep on doing what I’m told. Not anymore.

  “Actually . . .” I glance down the hallway and wait for a few hospital staff to linger near the door. Maybe if there are witnesses, Dad won’t punch my lights out for refusing. “You’re on your own.” I watch him lift his chin and intensely study my expression.

  “Sir,” I add.

  He exhales.

  “Just think how disappointed your Mom will be when she finds out.”

  No, not him too.

  “What?” My throat tightens. How did he know about me and Mikki? Paige, you idiot.