by Gia Riley
Maybe distance really does make the heart grow fonder.
But as relieved as I am that my relationship is going strong, whoever said senior year was a breeze must have been seriously drunk. Each class syllabus is stocked full of assignments, tests, and projects. I have more work piling up than I know what to do with. If it wasn’t for the fact I have Fridays off, I’d be stressing way more than I already am.
“Sophie! Your phone’s ringing,” Cara yells from the hallway. I open my door to get it, and run smack dab into Cara. She flies backward, bouncing off the wall and onto the floor into a puddle of red liquid. “Jesus woman. Did you turn into the Hulk overnight?”
“I’m so sorry,” I tell her, as I help her up from the floor. “What were you drinking?”
“It was a frozen margarita,” she says as she shivers. I hand her one of my bath towels, and she accepts it quickly, wrapping it around her shoulders. “My nipples could slice through glass right now.”
She pulls her tank top over her head and tosses it onto the top of the hamper at the end of the hallway. Drew stands next to me with his eyes wide. “Is it time to get naked? What are we doing?”
“You’re just in time for the naked Jell-O wrestling,” I tell him as Cara snorts. Poor Drew always gets his hopes up.
“Sophie!”
I look around on the floor around us. I hear Kipton through the receiver¸ but I can’t find him. “Where’s the phone?”
Cara pulls it out from under her bent leg. “Right here. You might need to wipe it off.”
I take it from her hand, wiping the screen on my shorts before I put it against my cheek. “Kipton? Can you hear me?”
“You better have your clothes on, Sophie,” he says in all seriousness.
“I thought you like me naked?” I slide down the wall and break into a fit of hysterics. Cara’s still wiping the sticky mess off the hardwood floor. “Your sister lost her shirt, but other than that we’re all clothed.”
Drew contradicts me when he yells into the phone, “Sophie’s tits are perfect, Kipton. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Sophie,” Kipton warns.
I smack Drew in the chest, the same time I give him a warning glare. He’s not helping the situation at all. “He’s joking, Kipton. Calm down. When are you getting here?”
“You know I love you right?”
What kind of question is that? “Of course I know that.” If he’s not telling me how much he loves me, it’s usually because he’s busy showing me.
“Well—”
I don’t like the sound of that. “You’re not coming are you?”
Kipton sighs and I know I just hit the nail on the head. “Sophie, you know I want to be with you more than anything. This has nothing to do with not wanting to see you, okay?”
He better have a good explanation. “Okay.”
“Justin, the head coach, asked me to join him and the seniors for a conditioning retreat this weekend. They’re leaving straight from school tomorrow for Lums Pond. From what they’ve told me, they do a lot of trail running and drills.”
“And you’re going.”
I get it, that it’s part of the territory with his job, but I don’t have to like it. I knew he would have team events on the weekends from time to time, I just wasn’t expecting one so soon—before the season even started. Especially since he’s made no mention of it until now.
“Beautiful, what I want to do is see you, but I feel like I can’t say no to him. With being new to the program, it won’t look good if I say no.”
“Okay.” He’s right. It would look bad if he declined the offer. I understand the politics involved in sports programs better than most.
“Okay?” He questions. “You’re mad aren’t you?”
“Why would you think I’m mad?”
“Because you’re a girl, and okay never means you’re actually okay. It means you want to rip my balls off and stuff them in a blender.”
“I forget you have a sister sometimes,” I tell him, as I laugh at his accurate analogy. “I’m not mad at you, Kipton. I’m disappointed I won’t get to see you for another week.”
“Baby, I’m sorry. You were right. It’s a lot—teaching and coaching. I’m trying to manage all of my responsibilities the best I can, but either way I end up letting someone down. And I never want to let you down. You know that, right?”
“I do, but I want you to enjoy your job without the guilt. You worked hard to get where you are. I’ll be here.”
“I have my dream job, and my dream girl.”
“Now you’re just sucking up,” I joke, although it doesn’t get old hearing how much he loves me. “I guess I know what I’m doing this weekend.”
“What’s that?”
“I’ll probably check out the gym and join a couple practices.”
“That sounds like a great idea.”
It’s quiet for a few seconds, and I can hear his car alarm chirp as he unlocks it. I think back to the first time I rode in his car. Between the smell of the new leather and his cologne, I was hooked. I still am. His car is damn sexy, and when he’s behind the wheel, it’s even sexier.
“You still there, Sophie?”
“Yeah, just thinking.”
“About?”
“When you come see me next week, will you take me to the treehouse?” It’s the perfect place to reunite with my man. “You said we could go back whenever I wanted.”
“Shit, Sophie. You were so fucking sexy that night. I almost lost my shit when I climbed up there and saw you naked.”
“I’m about to get naked now,” I tease. Cara got me all sticky.
“Fuuuck. Are you trying to make me crash my damn car, Sophie?”
I try to hide my laughter, but I fail miserably. “Sorry, don’t crash. I’ll need you in one piece for what I want to do.”
“Sophie, fuck.”
“You said that already.”
“Then stop turning me on. I’m hard as a rock right now. It’s not very comfortable.”
“What fun is that?”
“If I didn’t promise my dad I’d play racquetball with him at the club tonight, I’d be coming to set you straight.”
I like the sound of that. “Will you send me a picture before you go?” I was hesitant when he first suggested pictures, but now he has me hooked. I blame my newfound freakiness on him.
“Do I get one?”
“Yeah, check your phone.” I have a few set aside for moments like these.
He growls, and I’m positive if I was with him, he’d be pulling over to the side of the road to take care of me. Or maybe that’s my car fantasy talking again.
“Baby, I’m not home yet. I’m still driving.”
“Then you have a surprise waiting for you when you get there.”
“Shit! You’re trying to kill me aren’t you?”
“Did you look at it?”
“I’m at the red light by my parent’s development. You didn’t expect me to wait, did you?”
“You have no self-control, Kipton.”
“When it comes to you, no, I don’t.”
He has no idea how good that makes me feel—powerful even. “Then it’s a good thing I love you. I sent another one. But don’t look at it until your inside—and when you’re alone. Definitely alone.”
“That good, huh?”
It’s the hottest yet. “I’d die if someone saw these. You don’t leave your phone laying around do you?”
“There’s not a chance in hell anyone will see you, beautiful. I don’t share.”
“Neither do I.”
“Then it’s a good thing we agree on that. I’m pulling in the driveway.” There’s a brief pause before he continues, “And holy fucking shit, Sophie. Let me call you back in a few minutes.”
He peeked again. “Take your time.” He might need a few minutes alone, or even a cold shower after that last shot. Hopefully this will teach him not to cancel on me again. He could have the real deal, in person.
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“Send me something back.”
“I will. Give me a minute. I’ll call you back.” I hear him fumble with his keys before the line goes dead. Talk about flustered.
Mission accomplished.
“I’LL BE WATCHING YOU, SOPHIE,” Blaine warns, as he leaves me standing on the side of the curb a mile away from our home. It’s my punishment for not giving him what he wanted—for not being the girl he demands me to be.
“Please take me home. I’m sorry,” I beg. I want to shout at him that I don’t deserve to be treated this way, that I have real feelings. He doesn’t see it that way, so of course he doesn’t care that he’s breaking my heart by leaving me here. All he cares about is making a point so I won’t make the same mistake twice. But I know in my heart, he’s the only mistake I’ve ever made.
Dean’s malicious smile shines off the hood of Blaine’s car. I spin around, desperate to figure out why he’s here, too. My two worst enemies are together, and they’re teaming up on me. “What do you want, Dean?”
His face is ashen grey, and his hair has fallen out. The bones on his body protrude making him look more like a walking skeleton than an actual human being. Slowly, he walks closer to me, closing the distance between us. “I want you to learn a lesson,” he mutters grimly. “It’s time you pay, Sophie.”
His hand grips my arm, and although he looks emaciated, his strength is superhuman.
“No!” I scream. “I didn’t do anything wrong.” I back up as far as I can until I’m off the curb and backed against Blaine’s car. There’s nowhere for me to go to escape his wrath. “Leave me alone!”
Heads turn as cars drive by, and a few people stand on their front porches watching, yet nobody comes to my rescue. Blaine and Dean continue to taunt me without fear. As usual, they have complete control over me. “Don’t hurt me. I’ll do whatever you want.”
My next breath is a gasp of air so strong it shakes me out of the nightmare. I swallow over and over, struggling to keep the bile down. Like I’ve been screaming for hours, my throat is raw. It was just a dream.
The room is still dark despite it being early morning. I throw my comforter off my sweaty body, and stare at my phone on the nightstand. I want nothing more than to hear Kipton’s voice, but if I call, he’ll know I’m struggling again. I’ve been on top of the world each time he’s pointed out how well I’ve been doing. He doesn’t even realize he’s doing it, but the look on his face as he says the words is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It’s like I’m not fragile enough to break into a million pieces anymore. He finally sees the real Sophie, the one who can weather the storm without breaking down. And I don’t want to give that up.
Not now. Not ever.
Hoping water will help take away the fire in my throat, I pad down the hallway, careful not to wake up my roommates. The only light in the kitchen shines in from the window as the moon battles with the sun for control. But the longer I stand in front of the sink and watch, the moon slowly fades away, and the sun demands to be seen as it climbs the early morning sky. If only it were that easy to take control in real life—to push Dean and Blaine out of my way forever.
“You okay?”
My glass slides out of my hand and crashes into the aluminum sink. It doesn’t shatter, but it makes enough noise to make my heart race all over again. “I’m okay. You scared me.”
“Want to talk about it?” Cara asks. She stands next to me and stares at the same sky I’ve been lost in for the last few minutes. “We heard you scream, Sophie.”
“It was just another dream. I’m okay now.”
“It’s starting again, isn’t it?”
I shrug my shoulders because I have no way of knowing. “I haven’t seen Dean in months to know the kind of physical condition he’s in, but I saw him tonight, and he was like the walking dead.”
Cara exhales, and shakes her head. “I wish your dad wouldn’t have even told you.”
“He had no choice, Cara. And this dream, it’s just my imagination getting the best of me.” For all I know he’s at home living his last days much like he always has—wasted. It’s hard to imagine such a hateful man could make any significant changes to his selfish ways. But no matter how he has chosen to live out his last days, he’s gotten back into my head. Neither of them deserve that kind of presence in my life, yet they have it.
“I’m going to try to rest. I was up late talking to Kipton.”
“You sure you’re okay? We can talk. I’ll come lay with you.”
“No, it’s okay. Go back to bed. And tell Drew I’m sorry I woke him up.”
“Stop. I’m sure he’s snoring again. I love him Sophie, but holy shit. I’m about to plug his damn nose with a clothes pin.”
“You’ll get used to it. You complained last year, too, but it didn’t last long.”
“You’re right. I’ll remember that the next time I want to knee him in the balls.”
She opens her bedroom door, and as expected, Drew is sawing some serious wood. “Shit. You weren’t kidding.”
“If he wasn’t so hot, I’d rethink this whole thing.”
“You’re full of shit.”
“Yeah. I know.”
AFTER A FEW MORE HOURS of sleep, I’m more refreshed than I thought possible after my early morning nightmare. I had a lot of time to think as I dozed in and out of consciousness, and my thoughts were all over the map to the point they were starting to eat away at me. Because of that, and the possibility of meeting Dean and Blaine in my dreams again tonight, I’m thankful I won’t be left alone with my thoughts for the rest of the day. Instead of driving myself crazy trying to decipher the hidden message of the dream, I’m meeting my best friend for lunch. If anyone can keep me occupied, it’s Cara.
“You made it!” she says, as I slide into the booth.
“Was there any doubt?” I joke.
Her smile fades as she glances between the table and my eyes. “Well, you had a rough night. I wasn’t sure if you’d be up for it.”
I reach out and take her hand. “I promise, I’m okay. In fact, I could really get used to having Fridays off. I hope I can finagle my schedule next semester, too.”
She tosses her chestnut locks over her shoulder, and leans against the back of the booth. “Rub it in you lucky bitch. The rest of us actually have to go to class.”
“I’ll help you. Maybe you can work it out next semester, too. Or if not, next year.”
“So what do you plan on doing with all this free time? More phone sex?”
Oh hell.
As she finishes her sentence, the only male waiter in the place stops at our table. His expression is comical. He’s not sure if he should celebrate or run in the other direction. I can’t say I blame him. You never know what you’re going to get when it comes to Cara.
“What can I get you to drink?”
I gesture for her to go first while I look at my options.
“I’ll have a waiter,” She says with a wink. “I mean a water with lemon, please.”
The waiter’s cheeks heat up, and his pen shakes as he finishes writing down her drink order. I’m convinced there’s not a thing in this world that would embarrass Cara, but she has no problem making other people suffer.
“I’ll have an iced tea, please.” He smiles, most likely thankful I didn’t say something to embarrass him anymore than he already is.
“Must you, Cara?”
She digs into the basket of tortilla chips sitting between us, popping one into her mouth. “Oh come on, it’s innocent fun.”
“Nothing fazes you, but that poor kid was as red as this salsa.”
“Hey, it’s a fact of life. Everyone experiences phone sex at some point in their lifetime. And if they say they haven’t, they’re lying. In fact, I’d be concerned if you weren’t.”
Now I want to crawl into a hole like the waiter. “I’m glad you’ve gotten over the weirdness of discussing my relationship with your brother and all, but I slept and then did a little home
work.”
“Pfft. I don’t buy that shit. You sure sounded busy last night when I got home. Or were you just doing your homework then, too?”
“Cara!” This conversation just keeps getting better and better.
“Don’t play dumb, Sophie. It’s not a big deal. I know you have to get creative with this distance and all.” She points a tortilla chip at me as she says, “I got very creative over the summer with Drew.”
I grab a chip out of the basket, just as the waiter puts our drinks on the table. “Can we please discuss something else?”
“Eh, I’m boring right now. But let’s get ass backwards drunk when Kipton visits. I know he’s not coming this weekend, but how about the following?”
“He better be coming.”
“I’m sure he is. He wouldn’t stay away two weekends in a row, and I want to try out Shooter’s. I’ve heard it’s the place to be this year.”
“Is Shooter’s the new bar near the wrestling house?”
“Yeah, that’s the one. Drew’s buddies told him there’s a ton of hot ass there. So I figure it’s gotta be worth the trip.”
“Why does Drew need hot ass?”
“He doesn’t, he has mine. But nobody wants to party with ugly people. I mean, you want to be where the hype is. This year, it’s Shooter’s.”
“Then by all means, we must get to Shooter’s to see all the hot ass,” I say sarcastically. Cara doesn’t even notice.
“See. I knew you would agree with me. They won’t know what hot is until we get there.”
“I’ll go, but I’m dressing myself this time.”
“Deal. You’ve come a long way. I trust your wardrobe now.”
“That’s because you made me buy stuff from all your favorite stores.”
“You’re welcome.”
We spend the rest of our lunch date eating and talking about our classes. Sometimes I forget she’s still a year behind Drew and me, but I know she hasn’t. It’s been eating away at her for a while now. But they’ve survived a summer apart, and as long as they can survive living together, I’m confident their relationship will stay solid.
