Mia

Six

Mia

Pierce totally knew what was up. But that didn’t mean much to me. I was pretty certain he wouldn’t arrest one of his best friend’s sisters. Unless he caught me in the act, which I would just have to be even more careful about it. 

            When he practically tackled me, the look in his eyes scared the s**t out of me. He had actually thought I was going to jump. But the scary part was that I had in fact considered it right before he grabbed me. So I put on the act again and called him an i***t. 

            The feel of his arms around me was burned in my brain. I was still on the fence as to whether I liked it or not, having him touch me. Mostly since I had to pretend I enjoyed the scum touching me for so long, I didn’t really want anyone in my personal space. But from that moment on, I felt like he cared for me as just me. Not Kai’s sister. Not some drug dealer. Just Mia. 

            When I got back to my room, I texted Kenny. 

            Me: No more big stuff. I’ll do my rounds, but I’m not doing the party tomorrow. 

            Kenny: Fine. Your missing out on a big haul tho. You will do prom. Period. 

            Me: It’s “you’re” not “your.” 

            I couldn’t help poking the beast. He was such a freaking i***t. Plus, it kept me from telling him to pound sand where prom was concerned. Like hell was I going to do that one. For the same reason I wouldn’t do the party. They were Ava’s gigs. They already trashed her car and her props. I wouldn’t ruin her big nights too.

            Kenny: How about f**k OFF. Was that spelled right? 

            Me: Great comeback, Einstein. 

            Poking at him was too much fun! Somehow, his ridiculous response helped me see him in a less intimidating light. While he may still have the upper hand with me, he had no control over me. He may have thought I was an i***t—which let’s face it, I was an i***t when it came to my poor choices—but he had no idea who I really was, that there were actually some brains up in my noggin. I may not be able to quit without them hurting Ava, but I might just be able to outwit him. There was a chance I could. 

*****

I didn’t go to Ava’s recital. When my parents asked me if I wanted to, I told them I didn’t feel good. Which wasn’t entirely a lie. The thought of seeing Kenny there did make me sick. He was planning for me to leave from the recital with him to go to the after party so I knew he would be there. 

            The funny thing was, only a few months before, that type of party was my scene. I would get piss drunk, fool around with Kenny, then sneak back in the house totally s**t-faced. Now the thought of taking one drink made me want to puke. 

            Halfway through my carton of rocky road and the sixth episode into Jersey Shore reruns, my phone went off. My stomach curdled, thinking it was Kenny texting to threaten me in to being at the party. But butterflies exploded in my stomach when I saw who it was. 

            Cop: Home for the night?

            Me: Yup. What’s it to you?

            Cop: Anyone else home?

            Me: Nope. All by my lonesome. What’s with the weird questions?

            Cop: Come get the door.

            From my spot on the couch, my gaze snapped to the entryway, as if I could see through the door to see if he was actually there. 

            Me: It’s a little creepy you’re already here.

            Cop: Just come get the door, Mia. 

            After running upstairs to change into some jeans, I put away my ice cream, not wanting him to know I was eating ice cream to reminisce our previous night. My heart pounded in my chest with every step that brought me closer to the door. Maybe I should have been worried he was there and that he was going to arrest me, or something, but only excitement thrummed through my veins. 

            The opened door revealed him standing there with his arms crossed and two deep lines between his dark eyebrows. Even in just a black T-shirt and worn jeans, he looked like a mean cop. 

            “If you’re going to be creepy and show up at my house unannounced, you could at least do it with a smile.” 

            His lips twitched, but the scowl remained. “You want to go for another drive?” he asked, but his eyes were guarded, so I wasn’t quite sure whether he would actually enjoy a drive or if it would bring him great turmoil.             

            As much as I would have loved to, all my instincts told me to stay in. “Nope.” The scowl deepened. Did that mean he would be happy driving around? I still wasn’t sure. “I’m staying in tonight. But since my parents won’t be home till pretty late, you’re welcome to come in and watch Jersey Shore reruns with me.” 

            “I think I’d rather stab myself in the eye.” He grimaced, earning a dead stare from me.

            “Then leave,” I told him bluntly. “It’s all the same to me. Either way, I’m watching Jersey Shore.” 

            Eyes closed, he took a deep breath while this battle went on inside me to either grab his hand and drag him inside or slam the door in his face. The latter seemed more appealing. There was no reason for him to be there. I hadn’t asked him to come. Obviously this encounter was not enjoyable for him. When he opened his eyes, he still seemed indecisive. 

            “Fine.” He sighed, as if he were actually heading in to have his eyes stabbed. “Lead the way.” He held a hand out. I stifled my eye roll.

            He stepped inside, closing the door behind himself. Once through the entryway, I stopped in the kitchen to get my ice cream back out. This situation was beyond awkward; I figured I might as well enjoy the rest of my ice cream to get through it. “Want a drink or something?” I asked, being an awesome host to this strange guy who stood by the island looking around the house with his hands shoved in his pockets. It wasn’t like the house was new to him. He came over almost every day before Kai moved away. 

            His gaze jerked to mine as if I pulled him from some deep train of thought. “I’ll take a bowl of that.” He nodded toward the ice cream.

            “I don’t believe in bowls.” 

            This earned a chuckle, breaking through his seemingly permanent glower. “A spoon then. And some water.” 

            Grabbing another spoon, I jerked a thumb at the fridge. “Water bottles in the fridge.” 

            “You’re a great host,” he snarked. 

            “You weren’t invited, jackass. You don’t get a server.” 

            He laughed this time, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge. That’s twice I got to witness how his eyes crinkled and a dimple adorned the opposite cheek of his scar when he smiled. The sight of it lit my limbs on fire. When I thought he couldn’t get any sexier, he whipped out a freaking dimple. 

            We moved to the couch where I had been watching my show before he so rudely interrupted. His close proximity on the couch in order for both of us to reach the carton of ice cream was almost too much. It was too weird having Pierce, my brother’s best friend there, at our house when Kai was thousands of miles away. Of course I had always had a crush on him as a kid. He was hot, he was older, and he was usually pretty kind. 

            When I was little, he always forced Kai to hang out with Ava and me while he was over. He would tell us the best jokes and play video games with us. It was the best. The man he was now was completely foreign, something entirely separate from my childhood crush.