Chapter 1-2
2850 Words
He’s an asshole who just hides in mouthwatering packaging.
I roll my eyes. “Remington.”
“Awe, come on, Aussie.” He opens his arms up to me. “Give me a hug.”
I arch an eyebrow at him. There’s no way he forgot the way he’d left things. When he went to college four years ago, he left after kicking a hornet’s nest into my life.
It’s been four years, but I’m not even close to being over what he did to me. It was bad enough that he stole the reverse harem e*****a I’d written for my eyes only, but he gave a copy to his brother Will, who made more copies and distributed them around the school. The material wasn’t safe for work, much less for my close-minded schoolmates. To say I was horrified would be putting it lightly. Being called ‘freak’, ‘w***e’ and ‘p*****t’ was one thing. Being sexually accosted in lonely hallways was a different ball game. Hence, my baggy clothes and don’t-give-a-f**k attitude. It keeps the assholes at bay.
And that’s all thanks to the twenty-three-year-old i***t standing in front of me. Even though I know that, even though he made my high school experience a nightmare, I can’t shake him from my head. He’s older, he’s a d**k, and I haven’t seen him for a long time, except in my dreams. So why is it hard to resist the temptation of his arms?
“Why would I hug you?” I mumble anyway.
He arches an eyebrow and his smile drops. “What the hell’s gotten your panties in a bunch? Is this the way you greet an old friend after so long?”
“I think ‘friend’ is a very strong word, Remington. You know it, too.”
He’s still frowning, like he has no freaking clue. “From what I recall, we still are... did I miss something?”
Yes, you f*****g asshole. You made me the laughingstock of the entire school. You made me the target of the biggest assholes around. “You’ve either had amnesia while you were away, or you’re completely out of touch. But let me jog your memory a little. Remember that little story you stole from my bag?”
His face brightens as the memory dawns, and then he laughs out loud. “Damn, Aussie. Are you still pissed about—”
“Yes! I’m still pissed!” I lower my voice and shake my head. “Do you know what that did to me, you f*****g d**k?”
“I’d say to watch your language, but I know how what you write.”
“I will actually slap the s**t out of you.”
“You can try.” He smirks. “Give me a chance to explain-”
“Shut up.” I shake my head at him. I know I should go inside, because Brett always has an explanation for his actions that makes perfect sense and makes him seem like a saint. It used to twist me up, but I won’t give him the chance anymore. “Just... don’t bother me,” I say, moving off.
“Hey.” Brett catches my wrist and I stop, but refuse to look at him. I don’t want his puppy-dog eyes affecting me this time. “I wanted to say congrats.”
“On what?”
“Finally being able to leave this hell hole.”
“You’re the one who made it a hellhole.” I pull my hand away. “You shouldn’t have come back.”
His smile disappears, and he has the nerve to look hurt by my statement. I refuse to feel bad or take it back. Serve him right for f*****g up my life. I turn away from him and head inside, then shut the door and close my eyes. Even though I’ll never say it to anyone, I want to believe he’s really happy to see me. That he wants to be in my good graces. I want to think a million things to stroke my ego. I want him to stroke me.
Oh, boy.
I shake my head and glance to the living room. Jolie’s perched on the couch, batting her eyes at my brother as he talks. It’s obvious he’s trying not to notice her attempts to flirt. For an instant, I consider leaving him in his misery, but I’m not that cruel. I beckon to Jolie, and she gives him a smile that sends a clear message to him before she hops over to me and takes my hand.
“Come on, let’s kiki upstairs. I want to hear all about your reunion with your gorgeous hunk of a neighbor.”
“It’s nothing to talk about, trust me.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.”
She literally pushes me up the stairs, and I’m sure she can see the frustration on my face even if anyone else would say I look bored. She can read me like a book and is never afraid to poke and prod for more info. Usually, I wouldn’t mind, but I don’t feel like talking today. Especially not about Brett. She shuts the door behind me as I groan and flop on my bed after tossing my backpack on the futon near the window.
“What happened, Austin?”
“Brett Remington happened.” I groan, pointing out the obvious. “He’s a dick.”
“No, you want his d**k. That’s not the same,” she teases. When I don’t respond, she sits next to me and brushes some tendrils of my hair from my face. “You want to forget him. I get that. But sitting around moping won’t help your feelings for him. You need to find a date, get dolled up and have the kind of fun that will make you say, ‘Brett who?’”
I snort. As if that’s possible. It speaks volumes that I want to screw a guy I hate. He has a hold on me I can’t shake, and I don’t know why.
“Forget him, Auz,” Jolie says, doing that mind-reading thing again.
“Because forgetting him is so easy.”
She affectionately rubs my shoulder. “I know he hurt you, but he doesn’t deserve the brain real estate you’ve given him. Plus, a lot can change in four years. Maybe he’s actually sorry.”
Rather than argue on that point, I switch to the other. “No guy wants to date me, Jo. One. Look at me—I’m not the girl all the guys want and two, I don’t want to be chained to someone even if they did want me.”
“Because you haven’t met the right person. And you won’t with your attitude.” She laughs. “You deserve to pop the date cherry before college. See what it’s like, at least.”
I laugh, but let her talk to me about dating for another hour before I give in just to shut her up. Jolie can be exhausting when she wants something and it’s not like I’m picking a husband.
She pulls out her phone and swipes through it before showing it to me. There’s a photo on the screen of a shirtless guy with an arrogant smirk immediately riles me up.
“Nope,” I say, before she opens her mouth.
“Oh, come on. You haven’t even heard his bio.”
“Don’t need to hear it, I can already tell he’s an asshole. I don’t want to suffer through a horrible date.”
She huffs. “Fine.” Then she returns to her phone, her fingers swiping like crazy across the screen. Her face soon brightens and she shows me another jock. I immediately shake my head.
“You are so goddamn hard to please,” she says.
“Just give it a rest, okay? At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I don’t think there’s a guy in his right mind who wants to date a girl like me.”
“How about Carson?” She turns the phone to my view once more, and I stare a little longer. He’s cute, definitely not a jock. He looks like the kind of guy who actually reads. Dark-haired, with soft eyes and a smile that would make any girl swoon. Well, except me. But there’s a little hope.
“Mhm. This is encouraging,” Jolie says with a pleased smile.
“He’s not a dog, so he gets a pass.”
“Which means?”
I sigh. “If he’s up for it, I won’t say no to a date.”
Jolie squeals and starts typing on her phone. I drop back on the bed, wondering what the heck I’ve gotten myself into. Oh, what the hell. I can deal with the idea of a boring date if it means she lets this drop.
Soon, she jumps up and gives the air a fist bump. “Great! So, Carson’s on board. In fact, let me read what he just sent me—”
“Please don’t.”
“Oh, shut up, Debbie Downer, and listen. Apparently, he’s been wanting to ask you out, but didn’t know how to get past your resting b***h face. Well, those last words are mine. I told you that standoffish attitude won’t get you a man.”
I give her a middle finger. She ignores me, jiggling around like she’s just won the lottery.
“So... tomorrow night you’ll go on your very first date.”
“It could be a double date...” I hint, crossing my fingers. I would feel better knowing she’s there with me.
She rolls her eyes. “It’s not middle school. You missed your window. I’m only a text away if he tries anything.”
As if her phone knows we’re talking about it, it dings, drawing her attention. She groans and exhales heavily. “I have to go. I’m sorry. Mom is demanding me home.”
I hold her hand and pout. As much as I don’t need other people, I like spending time with Jolie. Especially considering the countdown to our separation has started. “But we were going to do pizza and horror movies to celebrate the end of high school.”
“I know.” She rubs her thumb over the inside of my wrist and pulls me up halfway to kiss my cheek. “I owe you a full night of my illustrious company.”
“A full sleep over.” I barter.
“Fine. Fine.” She laughs, then kisses my other cheek. “A full sleep over.”
With that, she heads out, leaving me alone. I sigh and shake off the rest of high school by stripping and pulling on P.J.s. It might only be three in the afternoon, but I’m not the type to go out no matter the time or occasion.
I sit in front of my desktop, power up the computer and dive into the world I’m most comfortable with; computer programming. I practice some basic code writing and correcting and make some notes about things to research further. Time flies fast, and before I know it, the streetlights are on and the darkness quickly descends. Still, I lose myself into my work.
A hard rap on my door alerts me, then another comes just as fast. I drop my headphones to the side and get up to open the door. My brother, Sam, stands there looking all dressed up, his brown hair neatly combed, the tips brushing the bottom of his ears.
He looks me over and arches an eyebrow. “Early night?”
“No. This is my party outfit - obviously.” I snort, waving over my pants that are a size too big.
“Well, it’s dinner time. Dad and Marie are expecting both of us.”
“Okay...” I glance at my computer again, thinking of trying to get away with eating dinner up here.
“Don’t even think about it,” he says, reading me like a book.
“Fine. Just let me go and change.”
“Into another baggy outfit? Uh-uh. Let’s go. Now,” Sam insists.
I shrug as if leaving my room doesn’t bother me as much as it does. Then I log out of the three chat rooms I’m in, and shut down the computer to follow Sam.
He shakes his head at me as we head downstairs. “Is Jolie your only in-person friend?”
“Who needs more than one if they’re good?” I jump, always skipping the second to last step, as Sam and I have since we were kids.
“A normal teenager,” he replies.
“How long have you known me, brother? Do I seem like a normal teenager to you?”
He rolls his eyes, but ruffles my hair in a little. We enter the kitchen to Marie’s warm smile and Dad’s skeptic glance at my outfit. But thank goodness, he doesn’t say a word. Which I know takes a little effort. Maybe it’s because Marie’s around tonight, but he usually harps on me about the clothes I choose to wear.
Dinner is easy. Marie and Dad have been dating for almost a year, but she’s never pushed for us to call her “Mom” or to move in or anything like that. Which makes me like her more. I appreciate that she enjoys having her own life, but she likes spending time with us, too. It means a lot that she doesn’t need to become one with our family and take on a role to give herself more meaning.
Marie’s pretty too, right up Dad’s alley, with jet back hair that sweeps her butt and a golden complexion I really envy. She moved her from her home in the Philippines ten years ago with nothing but a suitcase and a dream. Now, she has made a life completely on her own, running a small dental practice. She’s honestly an inspiration on the daily. If she can beat the odds and find success, I’m sure I’ll run my own company too.
Not to mention the woman can cook like no other person I’ve ever met. I fall more in love with her every time she makes dinner. Tonight is no different. I grin at her over a mouthful of the eggplant adobo she made especially for me and her eyes crinkle at me in reply. She and I don’t talk much, we don’t have much in common, but I make sure to let her know I appreciate her.
“Last day of high school for my baby.” Dad says, putting his hand on mine. “It’s like I’m an old man or something.”
“You’re only as old as you feel.” Sam assures him.
“I don’t know. I see some new gray hairs in there,” I tease, pointing at his hair, and he grimaces, running his hand through it.
“I think it’s time for a dye job,” he murmurs.
“I don’t know,” Marie joins in, reaching over to touch his hair, too. “I kinda like the salt-and-pepper look.”
“Well, I guess that seals the verdict,” Dad says, and we chuckle. We talk in general until dinner ends. Just as I rise to clear the table, my dad clears his throat, the sound alerting me at once.
“So... Austin, I invited the Remington family to your graduation.”
I instantly return the plates to the table. From the corner of my eyes, I see Sam’s fists curl on the table. There’s an ice-like feeling running through my veins. The last thing I want is Brett or his brother Will anywhere near our family. For years, Will did not miss a chance to f**k with me, and Brett and Sam came to blows after Brett stole Sam’s girl five years ago. So why ruin a good day with their existence?
“Why?” Sam gets out before I can say anything.
“Because we’ve known them since you all were kids. It’s normal that they want to see your success,” Dad says.
Sam and I share a ‘hell-no’ look. Sam and Brett have been butting heads since high school and Sam’s had it out for Will since he started giving me s**t. Will’s a year older than I am and he’s absolutely the devil. Brett, being the older brother, never did s**t to help me when Will made my life a living hell. Granted, he was away at college during most of my horrible experience, but he never helped when he could.
“We’re all going to be nice.” Dad says, interrupting me and Sam’s silent conversation. “And we’re all going to behave.”
But Sam gives me a look that says it will be a cold day in hell before that happens. I can’t help feeling the same.
- Writer
