Rescue Me

by Mia Ford

  “So,” Dan said after we settled into a booth. “What’s going on?”

  “I wish I had any idea,” I said moodily, slurping my Coke. “We’ve…started seeing each other.”

  Dan raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Tell me about that,” he said, leaning over the table and batting his eyelashes. I burst out laughing at his girlish manner – now that I’d spent a little more time with Dan, I was so embarrassed to think that I’d ever thought he was straight.

  I shrugged. “It’s…casual.”

  “So you’re having sex,” Dan said bluntly. He smirked as he took a long sip of his iced tea. “That’s fine. I do that all the time,” he said. “Although I haven’t done it as much as I should lately. This program is kicking my ass.”

  I frowned. “I really should be spending more time on work,” I said. “I know this program is only a year, but it feels like we’ve been doing it forever.”

  Dan laughed. “I know,” he said. He glanced over at the undergrads. “Lazy little fucks,” he said. “They act like they have it so hard. I’d kill to be back in undergrad.”

  “I wouldn’t,” I said, rolling my eyes. As unhappy as I was with myself now, it had been worse in undergrad. Rebecca and I had been friends with a small group of people who were just like us – bookish, boring, and naïve. A hot night for us had been staying in watching a Jane Austen movie and eating gallons of popcorn. I’d never even had a drink until my twenty-first birthday, and unlike Rebecca, I’d never gone to a party. I’d always been too afraid of people making fun of my weight, and despite multiple attempts to diet, nothing had ever worked.

  “Well, I had a lot more sex then,” Dan said. He smirked again and I flushed. “Although some of it, unfortunately, was with women.”

  I burst out laughing. “I bet that was very difficult for you,” I said, raising an eyebrow.

  Dan laughed. “Molly! Did you just make a joke? I’m scandalized,” he said.

  We laughed together. It felt nice to make a friend other than Rebecca – it had been so long, I’d almost forgotten what the sensation was like.

  “I guess so,” I said, still laughing. “Maybe I’m loosening up.”

  Dan snickered. “Or at least some part of you is,” he said, glancing down at my lap.

  I blushed hotly. “Oh my god, Dan!”

  Dan laughed. “That’s the second time I’ve gotten that out of you,” he said. “You’re too fun, Molly.”

  I smiled. “Glad you’re amused.”

  “So this guy…what’s going on? Give me good tea,” Dan said. “I’m so bored of studying that it’s actually killing me.”

  I cocked my head to the side. “Tea?”

  “Gossip,” Dan said. “Like you know, put tea on, I’ve got stories?”

  I laughed. “God, I feel out of the loop. And the guy…I don’t know. I’m so confused. He took me on a real date after last time, though. I mean, I asked him to. But he still did it.”

  “Ooh, fancy dinner? Twilight bay cruise?”

  “Ice cream.”

  “That works, too,” Dan said. “So you think he likes you as more than a friend with benefits?”

  I shrugged. “I’m afraid to think about that,” I said, biting my lip. “He’s never…well, he’s never been with anyone like me before, at least, as far as I know. All of the girls hanging around look like supermodels.”

  “So you’re self conscious?”

  I told Dan what had happened outside of Alex’s apartment complex and he laughed.

  “Oh, that doesn’t sound too bad,” he said. “She probably tried to ask him out and he said no and she’s irrationally offended. Don’t be upset, she probably would’ve done the same thing even if you looked exactly like her. Girls like that are used to getting what they want.”

  “I hate girls like that,” I muttered. “They make me so mad. They’re so entitled.”

  Dan shrugged. “They’re shallow, yeah,” he said. “But they’re probably just as insecure as you.”

  I snorted loudly. “I don’t believe it for a second,” I said. “There’s no way anyone could be just as insecure as I am.”

  Dan pulled out his phone and showed me a picture of a heartbreakingly pretty girl. She was pale with long dark hair that fell over her shoulders, a perfectly skinny frame, and cool clothes.

  “That girl cried herself to sleep every night and starved herself for years because Mom called her fat,” Dan said gravely. “That’s my sister, Eleanor.”

  “She’s beautiful,” I said.

  Dan nodded. “Yep. She is. But she doesn’t think so.”

  I frowned. Maybe Dan was right – maybe I did have a warped understanding of what it felt like to be normal. Still, the image of the blonde girl outside of Alex’s door doubled over with laughter made me feel like crawling under a rock and not coming out for years.

  Dan and I chatted for another hour before I realized it was getting to be dinner time. We parted with a hug and I waited for the shuttle bus, sweating in the late afternoon heat. By the time I got home, Rebecca had the table set.

  “I got your books,” I said, taking them from my bag and putting them on the table. “Sorry I’m late.”

  Rebecca blushed. “They weren’t in an envelope?”

  I shrugged. “Nope. Just had a rubber band around them.”

  “Ugh,” Rebecca said. “I’ve told my professor that the people who work in the mailroom are such thieves, but I guess he didn’t care about getting his books stolen.” She stood up and quickly swept the books from the table and into her arms, blushing as she strode out of the room.

  When she came back, she looked a little calmer. “Sorry,” Rebecca said. “I’m just hungry.”

  “Well, I’m here now. We can eat.”

  Rebecca set out the tortillas, ground beer, shredded cheese, sour cream, and lettuce. I loaded my plate and settled into my chair with a beer.

  “This looks good,” I said appreciatively. “Thanks for putting all of this together.”

  Rebecca nodded. “You’re welcome,” she said. “It’s been days since we ate together.”

  “Yeah,” I said. Before I took a bite, I glanced up. “Hey, Rebecca?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Has Alex ever…has he ever had a girlfriend?”

  “Not that I can recall,” Rebecca said. She narrowed her eyes. “You know him – he’s Mr. User. He only likes to sleep with girls. The only people I think he actually enjoys spending time with are the other firemen.”

  “Oh.” I hadn’t exactly been expecting to hear different news, but I couldn’t lie – Rebecca’s unsettling words had put a knot in my stomach. I took a taco in my hands and took a bite, but the food tasted like ash in my mouth.

  “Why? You want to be his girlfriend?” Rebecca laughed before I could reply. “Don’t get too hopeful, Molly. He’s not that kind of guy.” She shook her head.

  “I don’t know what I want,” I said. I bit my lip and frowned. I didn’t like the direction this conversation was veering in, but I felt powerless to stop it.

  “Well, if you’re thinking that he’s going to actually date you, you have to get that idea out of your head.” Rebecca stabbed at a pile of refried beans on her plate with such force that the table shook.

  I frowned. “I’m sorry, did I make you angry with me? Did I say something?”

  Rebecca sighed. She propped her elbow up on the table and rested her chin, looking moody and peevish.

  “I don’t know, Molly,” Rebecca said. “Maybe I’m just having PMS or something.”

  “Well, if I made you mad, I’d like to know,” I said slowly. I sniffed. “You know I’m not great at reading people.”

  Rebecca shrugged. “I don’t really want to talk about this anymore. How was the rest of your day?”

  I looked at her. “Rebecca, we talk about everything,” I said. “We’re best friends. That’s what best friends do.”

  Rebecca nodded. “I know. I’m sorry. I just…I really don’t want to hurt your fee
lings, Molly. I know you’re having fun right now and I don’t want to rain on your parade.”

  “Well, just say it,” I said crossly. “Because now you’re making me paranoid. Did Alex say something about me? To you? Or did you hear something?”

  “Molly, you really need to dial back this…obsession, or crush, or whatever it is that you’ve suddenly developed on my emotionally unavailable brother,” Rebecca said. “I mean, yeah, I’m glad you’re getting out and feeling more confident.”

  “If you knew this was going to be a problem, why the hell did you suggest it in the first place?” I asked angrily. “It’s not my fault if he likes hooking up with me!”

  “You’re going to get your heart broken,” Rebecca said. She sniffed and tossed her pale hair over one shoulder. “And honestly, I don’t know if I feel up to the job of keeping you in one piece when that happens.”

  “You don’t know what’s going to happen,” I said. “You hate your brother! You’ve told me yourself, like a thousand times.”

  “I do,” Rebecca said. “And for good reason. Molly, I’m not trying to tell you what to do. I just really don’t like this. I don’t like that you’re mooning over him all the time, and spending so much time with him.”

  “We’ve hooked up twice,” I said. “And went out for ice cream once. That hardly counts as ‘so much time’!”

  Rebecca sighed. “Look, I told you, I really don’t feel like talking about this anymore,” she said. “How was your trip to campus?”

  I rolled my eyes and stood up, grabbing my plate. “You know, I think I feel like having dinner in my room tonight,” I said. “Unless you’re going to get mad about that, too.”

  Rebecca gave me a wounded, angry look. “I can’t believe you,” she said. “I’ve supported you forever! And now you’re suddenly getting all bitchy and entitled with me because I’m trying to be honest with you?”

  I narrowed my eyes. “You’re one to talk,” I snapped, whirling on my heel and stomping down the hall to my room. I knew I was acting like a child, but I couldn’t believe Rebecca! She was acting like she knew everything in the world – when had that started? And what was her problem? Why did she care so much about who I was sleeping with?

  “Don’t walk away from me!” Rebecca yelled. “We’re not finished yet!”

  “You said you didn’t even want to talk about it anymore!” I snapped loudly before slamming my door.

  Behind the door, I heard Rebecca’s muffled response. But I didn’t care.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Alex

  Days passed. I couldn’t stop thinking about Molly – the way she’d shaken so violently during her orgasm, the way she’d dutifully dropped to her knees and sucked me off better than a porn star could.

  And getting ice cream with her – which hadn’t been bad. I might’ve even had fun.

  I didn’t feel like myself at all, and I knew that wasn’t a good sign. So when my Monday shift rolled around, I strolled into the firehouse, determined to have a good time with the guys…or at least fake it until I could make it.

  “Hey, man,” Rob said, slapping me heartily on the back. “I didn’t see you all weekend!”

  “Uh, yeah, I was busy getting my dick wet,” I said. “Unlike you, I have priorities in life.”

  The other guys roared with laughter and Rob threw me an annoyed glance.

  “I bet you do,” Rob said smugly. “With who?”

  Shit. I can’t say Molly. They can’t know I’m fucking some chick the size of a heifer!

  “Her name is Hannah,” I lied. “Blonde sorority girl. She just moved into my building.” I closed my eyes and struggled to remember our brief conversation by the mailboxes. “She’s a tri Delt, you know how slutty those girls are. She sucked me off like a pro.”

  The guys cheered and clapped. “Whoa, bro! Alex, you’re a champ,” one of them yelled.

  Rob grinned. “Doing God’s work,” he said, shaking his head and laughing. “You get all the luck, man. I’d kill for your leftovers.”

  I smirked. “They call it sloppy seconds, bro,” I said. “And she’s yours if you want her. You know I don’t like fucking the same girl more than three or four times.”

  “Asshole,” Rob said, but he was grinning. “Man, show me your skills. It’s been ages since we went out. When our shift is over, let’s go into the city and pick up some hot bitches. I want a girl to blow me like that.”

  I shrugged. “Maybe.” I smirked. “Who knows, Hannah might’ve blown up my phone by then. She was awfully thirsty,” I said, remembering the delicious way Molly had slurped up my cock and balls like they were the world’s most delicious food.

  “Let her wait,” Rob said. He reached into a small fridge and tossed me a can of beer. “Girls like that – they like waiting around for us to call.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Savage,” I said. I popped the beer open and poured half down my throat. “Rob, no wonder you can’t get any pussy with that attitude.”

  “Like you’ve never made a girl wait?”

  I laughed. “Well, you learned from the best, after all.”

  Rob smirked. “Hey, how’s that sister of yours?” He leaned in close. “She’s a virgin, right? Ever fucked a virgin, Alex?”

  I snickered. “I try not to,” I said, rolling my eyes. “They’re usually not very good.” Except for Molly , I couldn’t stop myself from thinking. “Why? You think she’ll let you get your dick wet?”

  Rob laughed. “We should double date. You, me, your sister, and that hot foxy blonde. Maybe she can blow us both under the table.”

  “You’re a dog,” I said, but my voice was tinged with admiration. Every time I thought I was the world’s biggest pervert, Rob always outdid me.

  “Like it wouldn’t be fun,” Rob said. He smirked. “Besides, you and your sister have such a…sweet relationship,” he added.

  “Yeah, tell me about it,” I said dryly. “I have no idea how we made it out of adolescence without burning our parents’ house down.”

  Rob threw his head back and laughed. “I’m sure there are plenty of people who would be more than willing to pay just to witness that,” he said.

  “No shit,” I said. I slurped down the last of my beer and reached for another can. Technically, I wasn’t supposed to drink on duty – but no one listened to the rules. Everyone drank, anyway. We just made sure not to get too plastered if we thought things were going to be busy that night.

  “I never had a sister,” Rob said thoughtfully. “I always sorta wanted one, though. An older sister, though, like three or four years older than me. That way I could spy on her and check out her tits after she hit puberty.”

  I laughed. “You’re one sick fuck, you know that?” Besides, it was nothing like that. Rebecca hated me from the moment she came sailing out of the womb. She was always jealous of me.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I was a total shit to my parents so I got more attention,” I said, grinning smugly. “I acted out all the fucking time. And Rebecca totally hated me – she was jealous.”

  “So why didn’t she act like a little bitch just to get more attention?”

  I shrugged. “She tried, but she couldn’t compete with me,” I said with a snicker. “There was one time when she ripped up all the flowers in Mom’s garden. That probably would’ve gotten her a spanking, but I came home suspended from school for kicking some geek’s ass. So Mom pretty much forgot about it. Rebecca was so pissed – she stayed in her room for a whole week.”

  Rob laughed. “You really were a little shit, wow,” he said. “So, look, we should really go out later. I’m dying to hit the town with you.” He elbowed me in the side. “We can have some steak, pick up some girls. What do you think about that?”

  I shook my head. All I could think about was Molly – and talking about Rebecca had brought her closer to the front of my mind than ever before.

  “Nah,” I said. “I think I’m gonna stay in. I’m coming down with something.�
�

  Rob squinted. “Are you coming down with a terminal case of Becoming a Pussy?”

  I glared at him. “Dude, cut the shit. Why are you so butthurt that I don’t want to go out and find a couple of skanks to screw?”

  “Because you used to love going out and finding a couple of chicks to screw,” Rob said. He frowned. “I just don’t know what’s gotten into you, man. You’re a different dude now.”

  I sighed. “I told you, I think I’m getting sick. And besides, I’m pretty occupied at the moment.” I smirked, thinking of Molly’s pussy dripping juice all over my cock. “This girl, man, she’s something else. She’s like the hottest girl I’ve ever fucked. She really lets go.”