Into dark water Read online

  “True. But she had a good point when she told me that you don’t actually know someone if you’ve never spoken to them.”

  I never saw my lack of a social life as a bad thing, and I didn’t understand why other people thought it was. So what I’d rather keep to myself? At least I wasn’t in constant trouble like some people.

  “I get that,” I shrugged. “But when the town is barely big enough to make a U-turn in, you’re going to know everything about everyone. You don’t have to speak to someone to know them. Like…” I pointed across the yard. “Cody Taylor. He’s been on the basketball team since he was old enough to play. He’s a jock. He’s an only child with a stay at home mother who spends most of her time at the nail salon.”

  “So true,” she agreed. “My turn. Talon Webb.” She nudged her head to the far right side of the yard by the fence. “His father owns the electronic shop in town, and his mother volunteers for everything. He dates Lacey and plans to someday marry her and take over his father’s business. He does well in school, but has been known to use the guy’s locker room for more than just changing. Lacey has been spotted coming out the locker room looking mighty felt up.”

  I was cracking up. “That was perfect.”

  “Oh wait. There must be a locker room nearby, because it looks like his fly is down right now. Maybe we will all get a glimpse of Tiny Talon”

  “Oh shit!” An ungraceful snort burst out and I quickly slapped a hand over my mouth and nose.

  “I’ll be here all night,” she joked. “I think I’ll go grab us a couple of bottles of water. You want to come with me?”

  I shook my head no. “I’ll stay here and save our spots.” Not that they were going anywhere.

  When she walked away, I turned around and faced the fence, tucking my legs under the table. With all the chaos going on, I hoped Lo wouldn’t get sucked away in the house. I probably should’ve gone with her.

  Dammit!

  As I moved to the edge of my seat, someone’s shadow towered over me. Looking up, I found an unfamiliar face. I mean, I knew who he was, but chances are he didn’t know me.

  “Mind if I sit down?” He asked. His voice was a little gruffly but not too deep.

  “Umm…” I hesitated. “No, go ahead.”

  Tyler James was sitting in front of me.

  Weird.

  “I’m Tyler.”

  “Yeah.”

  Duh dude, everyone knows you.

  “Jenny right?”

  I guess he did know me. It shouldn’t surprise me, since everyone knew everybody. “That’s me.” My tone was a bit sarcastic. Conversation wasn’t my strong point. No wonder I was single. I probably scared most guys away and didn’t mean to.

  “I’ve seen you around school, but I believe this is the first time I’ve ever seen you at a party.” He shook his shaggy blonde hair away from his face, and I realized just how attractive Tyler James was.

  A smug, popular, trust fund baby is how I’d describe him. But I’d add cute to that list. He had light blue eyes, a bit of a crooked nose, and the most beautiful set of teeth. Yeah, he was definitely cute.

  “I guess it was time to see what all the fuss is about. Parties aren’t really my thing,” I admitted.

  Gosh Jenny. I cringed. What a dorky thing to say.

  He smiled. “As a guy who has been to a few I’ll tell you that they are all the same.” His eyes twinkled as he spoke and my stomach did a surprising little flip.

  “Then why come?” I asked. My head tilted a bit to the side as I was trying to get a full glimpse of his face. His hair had swooped back over one of his eyes, and I could barely see it.

  His shoulders dropped a little. “I don’t know. I guess I just come to hang out with my friends. There’s not a lot to do here on the weekends, you know? Small towns suck sometimes.”

  I agreed with a smile. It didn’t feel so bad having a conversation with a person I’d never spoken to before.

  “You know maybe sometime we could…” He paused.

  Well crap. Scratch that. This conversation just took a left turn into awkward town. Was he about to ask me out?

  We said hello, you’ve been here all of two seconds, and now you ask the big question!!

  My thoughts were screaming at me. The guy was cute yes, but sheesh. Maybe he had a few too many beers.

  Although with that smile, I probably would’ve said yes.

  “I’m back,” Lo called out as she climbed into the seat next to me.

  I let out a sigh of relief that I didn’t even realized I’d been holding in. Silently I thanked her for swooping in at the exact right time, before his smile hypnotized me into saying things I shouldn’t have.

  “Hey,” I smiled, before glancing back at Tyler.

  “It was nice seeing you, Jenny,” he told me as he stood up from the table. “Maybe I’ll see you later tonight.”

  “Yeah, maybe.” I nodded my head. Lo and I watched his backside as he strolled away. It was just as intoxicating as the front.

  “What the hell just happened?” She asked, before handing me an unopened beer. “That’s all they had. Now spill it.”

  I twisted the cap off, and took a quick drink. It was as nasty as it smelled. “I think Tyler James was just about to ask me out.”

  “SHUT UP!”

  “I know, right?” I swallowed down another drink of that disgusting beer, pretending it was something else. I suddenly felt the need to be out of the backyard for a moment. I had this urge to take off my hoodie, and air-out my sweaty pits. There wasn’t enough deodorant to save me from Tyler James. “I’m going to go see if I can find the bathroom.” I said, scooting my beer next to hers.

  “Do you want me to go with you?” She asked. Her face scrunched up from the aftertaste of her sip of beer.

  “That’s okay. I’m good. Besides, if you stay here you might suddenly get asked out. The picnic table seems to be the happening place to be.” I winked before stalking off.

  After asking three different people where the bathroom was, I finally just went on a hunt. No one seemed to know, or they just found it hilarious not to tell me. Searching vigorously, I managed to find a pantry, an office, and a room with a locked door.

  Wasn’t there supposed to be a line indicating that the bathroom was nearby? Again, I only had movie references to compare it too.

  A couple more doors, and an awkward –I’m sorry, and I finally found it. Locking myself inside the bathroom, I slid my arms out of my hoodie leaving it resting around my neck. I raised both arms high above my head, and started to swing them back and forth, airing myself out. Maybe a sweatshirt wasn’t the best idea.

  When I glanced up into the wide mirror, I couldn’t stop myself from laughing. I swear it was the funniest sight ever, me, standing in front of some random mirror, airing out my armpits. I was suddenly a member of the armpit-capades, with my synchronized hands waving back and forth over my head. Lo was going to die when I told her what I was doing.

  Lo, Shit!

  I had to get back out there, before something crazy happened.

  It was a party after all.

  Anything could happen.

  Draven

  We got to the party a little late, which was true form when it came to party crashing. You wanted to wait until most of the crowd was sloppy drunk so that they didn’t really notice that someone uninvited was there. In this case, I assumed everyone was invited by the size of it. People were scattered everywhere.

  Hopefully there were still some drinks left.

  Jett left my side almost immediately. I assume for some chick, and didn’t bother trying to stop him. He had a tracking device for hot ladies.

  A few people were scattered around the living room, but it looked like the happening place to be was outside in the backyard. At least that’s where all of the noise seemed to be coming from. I grabbed a couple of beers from a red cooler on the kitchen floor, earning myself a few nasty stares, before I made my way outside.

  M
ost people knew who I was, and glared at me like I was lost, but I didn’t care. I was a take me or leave me kind of guy. So what if I didn’t have many friends. The ones I did have were loyal. Screw everybody else.

  Scanning over the crowd, I noticed Tyler and his friends. I should’ve figured they would be there. These were his people, you know, the ones with more money than sense. You could smell shady-ass rich people from a mile away.

  The big surprise was seeing Jenny and her friend Lola. She was the last person I ever expected would be there, and the one person I really didn’t want to run into. I assumed she was still pissed off at me for missing our tutoring session.

  Look at her.

  She was wearing a hoodie.

  Most girls wouldn’t come to a party without showing off at least a little skin, but not her. She was covered from head to toe.

  “See something you like, Lepage.”

  Ugh. That voice. It made my stomach turn.

  “What the hell do you want, Tyler? Is there a reason you’re always stalking me? I mean I know I’m sexy, but damn.” My sarcastic tone didn’t go unnoticed.

  I could hear the evil grin spread across his face. I didn’t have to see it. I just knew that it was there.

  “I want her. That’s all.” He said with a smug voice. His eyes glared at Jenny. “And I always get what I want.”

  It was true. Everything he’d ever wanted had been handed to him on a silver platter. “What if she doesn’t want you?” I countered, hating how sick it made me at the though of Jenny and Tyler. I didn’t even like her, not like that at least, but I knew a guy like Tyler would chew her up and spit her out.

  He was the worst kind of guy, worse than me. At least I owned what I was, and was upfront about it, but this guy was a slimy snake.

  “She does,” he replied all knowingly.

  The thought of Tyler and Jenny together was all wrong. She wasn’t his type. She was too good for him. He was scum, and she was going places. Anyone could see that. Not to mention those eyebrows. Whoa. Surely girls had to think that it was hideous. What man had perfect eyebrows? He had to get those babies professionally done. He was a man-scaping douche bag.

  “Good luck with that,” I spoke carelessly, before tipping back my beer and letting the cold drink ease my tension. What I really wanted to do was punch his teeth down his throat for acting like the arrogant bastard that he was. I couldn’t do that though. He wouldn’t fight back, he’d just go crying to daddy. I’d have charges pressed against me in the blink of an eye, and that was the last thing I needed.

  “I bet she’ll be good in bed, with those legs wrapped around me.” His creepy voice was edging on my nerves.

  “Shut the fuck up, Man.”

  He beamed. “You jealous Lepage?”

  I laughed out loud. “Of you? You’re crazy.”

  Jenny and Lola were walking towards us for the house, and I had the most brilliant plan. It just came to me all of a sudden.

  I’ll show you jealous.

  Taking a step towards them I stopped in her path. I could feel Tyler’s eyes glaring into me from behind.

  We stood eye to eye, Jenny and me. Her expression was hard, but it didn’t scare me. I knew she was still pissed. It was as plain as the nose on my face.

  I leaned in close to her and whispered, “If you play along with what I’m about to do right now, then I promise I won’t miss another study session. I’ll listen, and I won’t give you any shit. I’ll even get down on my knees and apologize later.” Geez, I was desperate. What the hell was I saying?

  Her eyebrows squinted together and I could tell she was toying with the idea, and her friend Lola was lingering on every word. I’d forgotten she was even there.

  “Cross my heart.” I stuck out my lip. My eyes looked into hers before slowly inching downward towards her mouth. She had pouty, pink lips that led me to dirty little thoughts.

  “Are you about to embarrass me in front of all these people?” She asked, a scared look on her face.

  “No,” I promised.

  She looked like a deer caught in headlights, but she agreed, surprising the hell out of me. “Fine.”

  I looked around to see if anyone else was paying attention. The only one that I cared to be seen by was Tyler.

  Reaching my arm around her tiny waist, I pulled her tightly against me in one swift motion. She sucked in a deep breath, and I almost regretted what I was doing.

  Almost…

  Gently, I lowered my head till my cheek rested against hers. She was as still as a statue. “Just breathe Jenny,” I whispered, before I leaned in and placed a slow, tender, kiss on her neck. When her shoulder moved upwards and her arm gripped the hem of my shirt, I knew I hit the right spot, the one that makes your eyes close, and your toes curl.

  Pulling away slowly, I raised my eyebrows with a knowing smile. I wanted to rub in the fact that she liked it, but I’d save that for another time. Her face was flushed, and her breathing erratic. She was clearly turned on by my touch.

  The look on her face would make most men weak in the knees, but not me. I was only doing what I had to do to piss Tyler off.

  She wasn’t my idea of a good time, but if Jenny and me had been alone, I would’ve gotten her panties off. The difference between Tyler and me, Jenny would be begging for me to touch her.

  Reaching my arm around her neck, I led us right past Tyler, giving him a little wink for good measure. I wanted him to know that I won. Even though, I wasn’t after Jenny. It just felt good to think that the one thing he wanted, he couldn’t have. Leaving him there to think he lost to me was priceless.

  “You want to explain that?” Jenny asked as she looked up at me.

  “Later,” I told her.

  “Well, we’re leaving so I guess I’ll see you Monday afternoon for tutoring?”

  “I’ll be there this time.”

  We said a quick goodbye, not lingering into awkward territory, and the two of them left.

  I had one last thing to do before I’d feel vindicated.

  I grabbed a couple more beers from the cooler, and hunted down Jett so we could leave. On our way out of the driveway, I stuck my pocketknife in Tyler’s right rear tire and listened as the air seeped out of it.

  “Oh Man, that was brilliant,” Jett laughed.

  “I know right.” I agreed. “Too bad I don’t have a hose, cause I’d siphon out his gas too.”

  He crossed the wrong guy. If he didn’t like getting burned, then he shouldn’t have poked the fire.

  Jenny

  The weekend passed by in a blur. We lasted all of two hours at the grand party. We didn’t fade away into oblivion, or grow two heads in the process. We did, however, witness a frozen hell moment, when Draven pulled a personality switch-a-roo. Lo and I spent half the night analyzing it, and I spent the rest of the night dreaming about it.

  No really!

  Draven Lepage occupied my thoughts. I never thought those words would ever be spoken in the same sentence.

  I’m blaming my raging hormones. Obviously it was hormones. Under no circumstances should I ever let that guy in my thoughts. He didn’t belong there. It was a –NO DRAVEN ZONE.

  But, and that was a very large but.

  I felt that kiss all the way to my toes. And if we hadn’t been standing in someone’s backyard, I would’ve mauled him like a rabid beast. Seriously. That was a scary, scary thought. The more I thought about it, the more I couldn’t wrap my head around it. The thought of lusting after someone you despise was unsettling. It made me question myself.

  He was an egotistical, bad-mouthed, no good jerk.

  He was not someone I would ever, under any circumstances fall in love with.

  Nope. I refused.

  When Lo went home on Sunday, I spent most of the day in bed binge watching Once Upon A Time, and trying to forget that the whole thing happened. It was no easy task.

  It wasn’t until around lunchtime on Monday that my mind felt fully occupied with something o
ther than him. It helped not seeing him all day, and I think I was finally coming to terms with the fact that I was just nuts. When my period showed up at lunch today, I knew that it was to blame for all my uncontrolled thoughts. It made me a lunatic. I could quite possibly rip someone’s head off and nurse them back to health all in a day’s work. Thanks, Aunt Flo.

  “When are you leaving for Florida?” I asked Lo as we walked together down the hall.

  “Thursday.”

  “I wish I was going with you.” She was visiting her aunt and uncle, and attending a beach wedding for her cousin. The thought of being anywhere other than Borders sounded like a dream. Maybe I could sneak myself into her suitcase. It was worth a shot.

  “I wish you were too. Four days without you will totally suck. We have to Skype.”

  “For sure.” I agreed. “Make sure you are on the beach when you do. I want to see it.” I’d never seen the beaches in Florida, not in person anyway. It made me super jealous that she was going without me. I tried really hard to talk Mom into letting me go, but she said no. Repeatedly.

  “We still have three more days before I leave. Let’s do something fun.”

  “No parties.” That was my only stipulation. I’d had my feel of the party scene, and it wasn’t my cup of tea. I’d rather alphabetize boxes of cereal than go to another one.

  “Agreed. We’ll think of something. Call me later.”

  “Okay,” I told her.

  She weaved her way through the crowd toward the school parking lot, while I walked over to the picnic tables to wait for Draven. We had tutoring today, and he promised he wouldn’t be late. Though, I guess a promise from him wasn’t something I should take seriously. He seemed to lack follow through.

  To my surprise, he was already there waiting on me. Guess he wasn’t lying when he promised me he’d be on time. It was kind of shocking, because I thought he was feeding me a line of crap at the party. Good to know that he was a man of his word.

  “Hey you.” He spoke first as I approached the table. “You look surprised.”

  “More like shocked. I didn’t think you’d keep your word.” I admitted.

  “So little faith.” He feigned hurt.