And Catch the Fly

by Cleo Fox

  Sai glanced back at the others. I could hear the wheels in their heads, trying to figure out what it was. "C'mon, I'll show you." I moved to lift the suitcases from my bed, but Bon and Sai took them from me before I could have any say in the matter. "Thank you."

  They nodded lifting the suitcases as if they were nothing. I glanced around my room, doing one last mental check and couldn't think of anything else I needed or desired. I had the things I couldn't go out and buy, and a trip to a store could replace whatever I forgot.

  Sprinting past my dad's office and down the stairs, I led them back out the front door and across the round driveway to the garage. Pressing the button on the wall, the doors rose. Going to the covered car, I pulled off the tan tarp to reveal the Shelby Cobra beneath. Light blue, two white racing stripes, and a tan leather interior. I motioned to it. "Meet George. My dad left him to me, but It's a stick and I have no idea how to drive a manual. Do any of you?"

  Sai nodded, eyes gliding over the car as if it was the most magnificent thing he'd ever seen. "We all can, but I'm the best. I could teach you if you want."

  I nodded, running my hand over the tan soft top. "I'd love that. But I don't want to leave it here. Isn't there car storage somewhere around here? Where they keep the cars in pods underground?"

  Rhett nodded "Car Pods off of twenty-fourth and Wentworth. They aren't cheap. One car costs five-hundred a month. My father uses them for his collection, he likes to change his car depending on the season and his mood."

  My gaze went to the car. That neared expensive for a rental space big enough to fit just one car. It'd only be for a little while. Sai would teach me how to drive a stick, and then I could replace the BMW with it. I could afford it for the time being. I just needed to pick a lucrative career field to make it back. "Sai, would you please drive this over to the car pod place. I'll follow in the BMW."

  He frowned. "Are you okay to drive?"

  The edges of my world still sat hazy, but I could drive. "I meant what I said, I won't do anything until graduation. Besides, I need to make sure my baby George is in a safe place away from the she-devil that is my mother." I'd never been so honest about her to other people before. I guess I felt fine telling them because I'd already reached the point of accepting my fate, mostly. I'd give them a chance though, or I wouldn't rest easy knowing I hadn't tried all avenues.

  Sai stared at me for a long time. "Are you sure? We all have our licenses."

  Can he see the haze around the edges of my world? I glanced at Rhett and the Beauf. It would probably be better to have one of them drive my car and then I could either ride with Sai or one of them. "Rhett can drive my car."

  Zeke rolled his eyes as if offended I didn't pick him.

  Rhett nodded and looked to Sai. "Since I know where the storage place is, do you want to follow me? It's not too far from here."

  Sai nodded. "That sounds like a plan." He looked at me. "Who would you like to ride with?"

  I suspected they thought I would pick Sai since he would drive my dad's car, but I found myself curious about Rhett. "I'll ride with Rhett."

  His blue eyes widened. "Really? You want to ride with me?"

  I nodded. "Yeah."

  A small smile tugged at his lips. "Okay."

  Turning around, I opened the door of the Shelby Cobra and leaned across the seat to the glove box. I took out the key. Turning to Sai, I handed it to him. "There's also an updated insurance card in the glove box. I kept it up to date just in case I decided to take a class on how to drive it."

  Sai smiled and nodded. "I'll be extra careful with it. I've never gotten to drive a car this fancy before. I'm going to treat it with all the respect it deserves."

  I almost wanted to hug him, but I knew that would probably freak all of them out. "I appreciate that.

  Rhett led the way to the storage place in my BMW, while Sai followed, and Bon came up the rear. I side glanced Rhett, silence still taking over the car. He drove well, taking precautions and not exceeding the limit. Probably due to it not being his car. He drove a lot safer than I ever did.

  The fantasy I had of him while Jason fucked me entered my mind. My body warmed to the idea. Was he still a virgin, or had someone taken it? I knew he'd dated some girl the year prior, but she no longer went to Woodside. Ire rose in my chest at the thought someone might've taken his virginity. I held tighter on to the door handle. Needing to rein in my thoughts.

  Rhett cleared his throat. "I just want to say thank you for earlier today. I don't think my laptop could've taken a blow on the concrete. My dad might be loaded, but he gets really pissed when he has to share that wealth."

  I nodded. "I'm glad it worked, and that he didn't dump it after the fact."

  He flipped on the blinker to make a right turn. "I know frap is code for something, I hope you're okay and didn't have to suffer because of me."

  My gaze went to my lap. "You made it more bearable," I muttered.

  He side glanced me as we stopped at a light. "What?"

  I cleared my throat and looked up as the light turned green. "It was fine. Don't worry about it. I'd do it again if he was messing with you. You don't deserve the way he singles you out."

  "I just wish I knew why he did it. I've never done anything to him, but even in middle school he was on me all the time."

  He turned the car into the parking lot for the car pod place and I watched in the side mirror as the others followed. "I have a theory he wants to fuck you, but is too suppressed to do anything, so he takes out the pent up feelings other ways."

  Rhett frowned and parked the car. "I'm not into dudes, but if I were, he'd be the last one I'd go for. He's notorious for fucking girls all the time though. You really think he's suppressing something?"

  I snorted. "Him fucking girls doesn't mean anything. We've always done it from behind. I have a theory he likes it that way because he can imagine me being a dude easier, but it's just a theory."

  With the engine off, he sat back. "Honestly, it kind of makes sense."

  I cleared my throat, again. "Also, you should know, even cold your dick is bigger than his. He's not gifted in that department at all. I'm sorry about the nickname thing. I was trying to be more something I'm not then, and didn't think he'd run with the comment for so long."

  "Yeah, that was shitty of you. I haven't been able to live it down. It's one of the reasons I can't wait to go off to college." He laughed. "But it's good to know my dick is bigger than his."

  A knock sounded on the back window, and we turned to peer over our shoulders. Zeke stood on the other side and motioned for us to get a move on.

  "He's a hard pill to swallow, isn't he?" I peered at Rhett.

  He shrugged. "He'll get easier to deal with once he warms up to you." He opened the driver's side door and followed suit with mine, making sure to grab my backpack from behind the seat, it had my wallet.

  I watched as a man got in my baby George and drove it off toward where they kept the cars, no one but the workers were allowed in that area. It was pricey to keep him there, but at least I knew he was safe from my mother.

  Sighing, I looked at the others. "I suppose I should go get a hotel room somewhere. I still have homework to do tonight, too." I went to take off my sunglasses, so I could rub at my face, but then remember the black eye and thought better of it.

  Bon stepped forward and rubbed the back of his neck. "You don't have to go to a hotel. My house has three guest rooms. You could stay in one of them. I doubt my parents would notice. They work more than they're home, and when they are home they never look up from their phones. Plus there will be no paper trail, just in case."

  Rhett nodded. "Or you can stay at my place. It's gated and a lot of old people live around us. My dad is either always away on a business trips with one of his girlfriends or he never comes out of his office. Even if he realized you were there, I doubt he would care or even know who you are. He'd probably just be glad I have a girl in the house and not a guy."

  Sai clea
red his throat. "Or you could switch who you're staying with every day, to keep your stalker on their toes. Zeke's is probably the safest bet. I doubt they would ever suspect you to be on that side of town.

  Zeke held up his hands. "Woah, you can't just volunteer me and my house to board her. Are you nuts?"

  Sai shrugged. "Why not? The basement is finished with a guest bedroom and bathroom. You have girls over all the time, you're parents won't even bat an eye."

  I ran a hand over my ponytail. "I don't want to put anyone out. A small hotel really isn't an issue. I also don't want any of you to get in trouble if I'm found out."

  Bon shook his head. "It's no trouble. Hell, even if my parents did notice, I doubt they would lose their shit. It's safer for you to be able to move around and not be alone. That way, you won't get jumped again."

  Sai nudged Zeke. "C'mon, dude. It's only for one night. Be chivalrous for once."

  Zeke pushed his glasses up his nose. "One night, and your stuff better not explode everywhere."

  I shake my head. "Of course not, you won't even know I'm there." I had to agree. The thought of never being alone sounded less scary than getting a cheap hotel room somewhere.

  Zeke led us to the back of his basement to the spare room. He turned on the light, illuminating the painted white concrete walls, and a large rug depicting a tiger walking through a jungle. A queen-sized bed stood in the center of the far left wall, and a tiny rectangle window sat above it. Off to the right of the door stood a metal rack with a few metal hangers.

  He sighed and ran his hand through his blond hair. "Hopefully this will appease you. There's clean bedding in the closet, my mom washes it every month to keep it fresh. Don't make a mess in here, and leave it exactly as it is now."

  Chanel stood at the end of the bed. Bon and Rhett put her suitcases down near her. She nodded. "You won't even know I'm here and this is more than enough. Thank you, Zeke."

  I ran my hand over the back of my neck. "Do you want to get changed into something more comfortable, and then we can work on homework and get dinner?"

  She touched her throat but nodded. "Sure."

  I motioned for the others to follow me out of the room and closed the accordion-style door behind me. Allowing her some privacy. We went over to the bean bags with our backpacks. Zeke pulled over the coffee table we typically used for studying.

  Rhett sighed. "There's only four bean bags."

  Bon shrugged before a small grin spread on his lips. "They're huge, she's tiny. One of us can share with her."

  Zeke snorted. "Keep me out of that. I'm sure she'll complain about it the entire time and kick one of you doe-eyed losers off."

  I took my seat corner to Zeke. "I don't get the same impression of her that you do. She didn't bawk once about that room and it has creepy room in basement vibes."

  He shoved my shoulder. "My mom worked hard on that room to make it homey."

  The door to the guest room slid open and we went quiet as Bon took his seat across from me and Rhett sat in the one opposite of Zeke. I glanced over my shoulder at her. She wore a simple black t-shirt and a pair of black silk pants. Her flaming red hair fell to her shoulders. She'd taken off her sunglasses, her eye still puffy from the bruise. The closer she got, the more visible the marks around her neck became. Is that why she wears turtle necks or scarves all the time?

  The black leather backpack dangled in her fingers as she stopped next to the table.

  Bon motioned to the space next to him in the bean bag. "We don't have any more beanbags, but they're big enough to fit two people. If you don't mind sharing, that is. One of us can move if you want that instead."

  Zeke snorted as he pulled out his laptop. "Fuck off, I'm not moving for the princess."

  Chanel sighed at him. "I'm not a princess." She rounded the table to Bon's side and moved to sit next to him. "I'm perfectly fine with sharing as long as you don't mind. I can sit on the floor, too. It's not an issue."

  Bon shook his head. "It may look carpeted but it's just a thin rug over concrete. That cold will seep into your muscles. Not fun."

  I pulled out my phone. "What do you guys feel like eating? I'll order it now since it will probably take a bloody hour to get picked up and filled. Chanel?"

  Her green eyes widened as she peered over at me and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. She shook her head. "Get whatever you guys like to eat. I'm not picky."

  Zeke laughed. "Says the girl who never eats."

  Bon and I both kicked him under the table.

  She flinched and her gaze went to her lap before she reached for her bag and pulled a card out of the front pocket. "Here, you can use my card to pay for it. It's the least I can do for how much you helped me out tonight with George."

  I shook my head and pushed the card back toward her. "Don't worry about it. Besides, it's coming out of the money you sent me for our tutoring session over the weekend. What do you like to eat?"

  Her shoulder shrugged. "Honestly, I don't care, I'll eat anything. You guys know better about what's good around here than I do. Pick something that you know for a fact is good."

  Zeke rolled his eyes and looked at me. "Just get Bill's Wings. They're quick and send lots of food, and you can get up to five flavors with their family platter."

  Wings didn't sound half bad. I glanced at Bon and Rhett and they nodded. Chanel nodded as well when I caught her gaze again. Wings it was. I set to work ordering the flavors we'd found were good, along with the ranch and blue cheese to dip and some extra celery; I liked the cool crispness it brought to the meal.

  The others set to work pulling out their laptops and tablets.

  Bon leaned over toward her. "What are you going to work on first?"

  She turned on her tablet, and scrolled through the different textbooks we had loaded on them. "Probably English, for those speeches we have to analyze and take apart. I think I already have a solid plan in mind for it, but if you could look it over for me, to make sure I don't sound like an idiot, that would be great." Chanel picked up her phone. I can pay you for your time."

  Bon laughed. "You don't have to pay me for reading over an essay."

  She sighed. "But you guys are supposed to be my tutors. Tutors are paid for their time."

  Bon leaned onto the table with his laptop. "What if you help me out with something, and we'll call it payment for my services?"

  I glanced over the top of my phone at them. She frowned. "What kind of help?"

  "Model for me? Photography is a hobby of mine and I'd like to add you to my portfolio of portraits."

  Her hand went up to her chest. "You want me to model for you?"

  She sounded more shocked than haughty as if she couldn't believe he would want her to model for him. Did she seriously not know how gorgeous she was? Was the act at school completely that? An act. There was no way all of it was for show.

  Bon nodded. "Yeah, well, after your eye heals, but I want you to look the way you are now. No mask for the masses just being yourself."

  Something flickered across her eyes that I couldn't make out, between touched and shocked. Chanel cleared her throat. "If that is what you would like in exchange for helping me out. I can help you build your portfolio."

  A wide grin spread across Bon's lips. "Yes, thank you, I look forward to it."

  The other guys and I knew of Bon's plans to not become a doctor. He wanted to be a photographer and drop out of med school. But we also knew he had to keep up the facade to this parents that med school was still the end game, or they would kick him out before he left for college.

  Most parents would lay off on their kid after the eldest committed suicide after getting a C in Civics, but Bon's just got worse. I didn't blame him for not being honest with them.

  I finished the order for the wings and threw in two liters of coke and sprite, unsure if she drank either. There was always water if she didn't like soda. I put my phone down and pulled out my laptop, "Food's ordered. It should be here in forty-five. That should
give us enough time to make dents in our work."

  They nodded and Chanel smiled at me before she put her focus on her laptop screen and started typing away. She did seem to know what she wanted to say right off the bat, only looking up things every so often on her tablet.

  I tried to work ahead in the online MCAT Prep course to help me have the highest possible score. Not only did my parents want me to be the top in med school, but I wanted to be at the top, too. Unlike Bon, being a doctor didn't turn me off. I found the idea of becoming a surgeon to be appealing, and couldn't think of anything else I wanted to do more with my life.

  Normally getting into the groove of doing work wasn't hard, especially when the others were focused as well, but my mind wouldn't stop going back to the glass box I knew she had in the spare room. She had my letter in it, and she'd apologized for what she said that day.

  I glanced at her as she continued to focus on the project. She typed fast, she would be done with the essay before the food got there. It only had to be two-thousand words. At her speed that wouldn't be an issue, and she seemed to know the points she wanted to make.

  She kept the letter, and the envelope looked worn from a lot of handling. Had Brooks not been in the picture, would I have had a chance with her?

  I tried to focus on my screen, going over different Biology questions, but my brain refused to cooperate. She kept the letter. She read the words I'd spent a full weekend crafting. I'd so wanted her to be my girlfriend. I thought she threw it in the trash after they all got a good laugh. I wanted to ask her how many times she read it. Did it touch her? What did she think about me?

  Her gaze looked up and met mine, making me realize my stare had gone from the screen to her. Another small smile met her lips, and a flutter entered the beat of my heart. The feelings I had for her Freshmen year came roaring back with a vengeance. As if knowing she kept the letter gave them enough permission to resurface.

  What I didn't get was why she sought us out as tutors. She was smart and knew how to layout the assignments. Yet, she felt as if she was behind and too dumb to do well. Maybe she needed people to study with. The group she hung out with weren't exactly the academic type. What if she's playing us? What if this is going to end in some kind of horrible prank, and everything, including what happened at the library was a lie to make us let down our walls with her?