Chapter 8 – Age 16
CHAPTER EIGHT
Jameson
Age 16
Bryce Savage - My Type
T he bonfire was crackling in the distance, flames shooting from the sticks that were placed there to help control the fire. I cradled a beer in my hand, reveling in the cool breeze that drifted through the air, causing ripples in the lake a few yards down. The cool thing about having a rich best friend who was relatively popular, was that he could talk people into anything. Especially older women. He just had to slap on his best panty-dropping smile and ask for whatever he wanted. This time, it was alcohol.
Crystal and Kash were huddled up on the ground with her between his legs as they watched the fire, his fingers moving through her hair. On the other side, Ashton was in a lawn chair with Everleigh in his lap. I’d never felt more fucking alone. The sun was setting, giving the atmosphere around us a peaceful vibe. The leaves rustled in the wind, and I almost lost myself to the mere sound of it. I’d have to come out here and draw sometime. Maybe it would be inspirational for more artwork ideas for my portfolio.
My eyes dropped to the ground, settling on a small worm wiggling through the moist soil. I knelt so I could watch it more closely. But then, an idea struck me, and I couldn’t even help but snicker at it. Scooping the worm between my thumb and forefinger, I put my arm at my side so I wouldn’t draw any attention to it. The little thing kept wiggling around, trying to break free, and I almost felt guilty.
But it wasn’t like I planned on killing the damn thing.
Once I reached Everleigh, she glanced up at me, skepticism already written into her features like she knew I had something diabolic planned. To her credit, I usually did.
“Whatever you’re thinking of doing, don’t.” She gave me her best stern look, but it looked cute on her if anything. She couldn’t intimidate me even if she tried.
I placed my free hand to my chest in mock innocence. “Why, I would never .”
Her eyes narrowed, not buying my shit for a second. Ashton chuckled, his hands resting on her hips. I couldn’t even fight the pang of jealousy that slashed through my chest at the sight of them, even though I only knew her because they started dating. Shoving those thoughts away, I shot her a boyish grin and satisfaction swam through me when her eyes darted to my lips for half a second.
“I just had a question. It’s innocent really.” I smirked. “No need to get all bitchy over it.”
“Don’t think I won’t castrate you in your sleep, Jameson. I do know my way around a knife.”
I snorted, getting off on the bickering between us. “But then you’d have to see my dick, and I’m not so sure you’re ready for that.”
Her eyes widened in disbelief, shocked that I’d say something so crude out in the open. In front of her boyfriend of all people. But I didn’t miss the flush that had coated her skin.
“Get a room!” Crystal called out from the other side of the bonfire.
I turned to flip her off and Kash snorted, shaking his head in amusement.
Ashton’s words pulled me away from the bitch and back to the girl I’d come over here for. “Oh, she can handle it.” He smirked, squeezing her hip. This time it was my turn to be surprised. Not because I thought she couldn’t, but because he was indulging in my sexual comment, playing off it. And fuck, if it didn’t give me sinful thoughts to jack off over later.
“Do not encourage him,” she hissed, slapping her hand against his chest. Shaking her head, she turned back to me. “What was your question?”
A slow smile stretched across my face in the same way it had when I first concocted my plan. “Do you like worms?” I asked.
“Why?”
I took a casual step forward. “Just curious. I was thinking I could tattoo a worm on you or something.”
Ashton laughed, like the idea of her wearing around an art piece of a worm was hysterical. I had to agree. Who the fuck tattooed a worm on their skin?
“You’re an idiot.” She grinned. And shit. It was breathtaking.
I’d become infatuated with Everleigh as soon as Ashton brought her around the first time. It was innocent then. I’d just thought she was pretty. But as I got to know her, and she started coming around more, she started becoming irresistible. It had been their six-month anniversary when I realized I loved her, not that I’d ever admit it.
Dad had started drinking early one night, going on and on about how much of a fuck up I was. He cracked my ribs that night, beat my face bloody, and then spit on me for good measure before stumbling back to his room for the night. I knew it was coming though. That was his anniversary with Mom. He always got extra pissy about it, and I was the one who suffered.
I remember lying on the ground, wheezing, hot tears stinging my eyes. I couldn’t tell Kash. He’d want me to come over and his parents already thought I was a bad influence on him. Ash was gone for the weekend for some away game, so I dialed the one person I could.
Everleigh.
I told her not to come into the house. I’d never forgive myself if she became a target of my father, and Ash would kill me for getting her hurt. So, I stumbled outside and slid into the passenger seat. The look on her face had been a mixture of agony and rage. When we got to her house, she took me upstairs. Her parents were horrified at the mere sight of me. But they didn’t judge me like Kash’s parents did. They let Everleigh take me upstairs to her room. She had me strip down to my boxers, and under other circumstances, I would have joked about it. But it had hurt to breathe, let alone make snide comments. After I stripped, she warmed the tub for me and had me sink down. Her hands were gentle as she wiped the blood from my body, not showing any sign of disgust at all, just anger and determination. She was especially careful around my ribs, noting how swollen and bruised they were.
Once I was all cleaned up, she led me to her bed, covering me with a blanket and cuddled up behind me. Her arm snaked around my hip instead of my waist, so she didn’t accidentally hurt me. She didn’t ask questions, knowing it was all so fresh. And then we slept.
Jerking myself out of the memory, I stared fondly at the girl perched on Ash’s lap. I hated that I wanted her. It was wrong. I’d never betray him like that, but not having her was just as bad as if I did have her and lost him because of it.
I schooled my features, not wanting them to even come close to guessing what had just gone through my mind. “You never answered my question.” I grinned.
She huffed a frustrated sigh. “They’re okay, I guess. Just not enough for me to get one tatted on my body.”
“Maybe this will change your mind.”
I lunged forward, dropping the worm down the front of her shirt. She squealed, jumping to her feet and dancing around, attempting to shake it from her body. Ashton and Kash were howling with laughter, even Crystal’s annoying laugh reached my ears.
“Get it out, get it out!” she chanted, pulling at her thin shirt.
I laughed. “I would, but then Ashton would probably break my hand.”
“Oh God,” she said again. “It’s in my bra!”
Ashton was still laughing when he moved toward her. He reached down the front of her shirt, his fingers grazing her breast way longer than necessary before he retrieved it and dropped it in the grass.
After Everleigh composed herself, she rounded on me. “Asshole,” she growled, marching her short little legs toward me. She shoved at my chest, but I didn’t even stumble. She was cute when she was mad. When she came at me again, I wrapped my arms around her and hoisted her up, pulling another scream from her. I threw her over my shoulder and started toward the lake.
“Put me down, Jameson,” she screeched, pounding at my back.
Footsteps sounded from behind me, and I knew it had to be the guys. They always enjoyed it when I tormented Everleigh. It was great. I never did anything to actually hurt her, but getting on her nerves had become one of my favorite hobbies. Especially when it meant I got to touch her. Anything for her to look at me, to pay me an ounce of attention. Fuck. I was addicted.
“I’m so getting this on video,” Kash called out, making her squirm harder against me.
I started walking through the water, not giving a damn if my sweats got wet. As soon as we were in a deep enough part, I threw her off me, watching as she plunged beneath the surface. I glanced behind me and Kash indeed had his phone in his hands, a grin splitting his face. Crystal stood off to the side, a scowl twisting her features. She couldn’t stand it when she wasn’t the center of attention, and in our group, Everleigh would always be in the center.
When she emerged, she was sputtering and coughing dramatically. I was about to make another comment when she pounced on me, pulling me down with her until we were both beneath the water. My hands were on her hips, her arms around my neck. I don’t think she thought this through when she attacked me. We were now in a very compromising position, and I never wanted to come up. I tugged her against me, letting her think it was to hold her under. But really, it was so I could feel her pressed against me.
When she patted against my chest, I let go and then followed, popping my head above the surface. She shot me a cocky little smirk, thinking she won this round. But she was wrong.
I got to hold her. Therefore, I was the real winner.
She was drenched from head to toe, her black hair matted against her skin. “You’re lucky I forgot my phone,” she snarked. “You’d be selling your bike to replace it.”
I snorted in response. She knew damn well that I wouldn’t give my bike up for anything. It was my only form of transportation, and I’ve grown to love the damn thing. My father clearly didn’t think that through when he pushed it off on me. He thought I was too stupid to figure out how to drive it, and then when I learned, he hoped I’d wreck it and kill myself in the process so he didn’t have to deal with me anymore. I was convinced that his fists would kill me before some tragic accident took me out.
The first time he’d hit me, I’d been in complete shock. We’d just gotten back from burying my mom and that’s when his drinking habit formed into alcoholism. I was heartbroken, only twelve years old. My mom had been my best friend, so when she died, it felt like a piece of me went with her. Dad was grumbling about my shoes being in the walkway, but that’s where Mom had always told me to keep them. I couldn’t bear to change anything yet. When I opened my mouth to explain how I felt, he backhanded me so hard, I fell. My relationship with my father had always been strained before that. He’d never been abusive, just extremely strict and worked long hours. We never had heart-to-heart conversations, or anything like that. But when he hit me that first time, it felt like my world completely shattered.
Water splashed up around my ankles as I walked back toward the bank. Ashton’s hand was clasped in Everleigh’s ahead of me, and Kash was standing in the sand with his phone still out, a grin splitting his face as he fucked with the screen. He was probably posting the damn video for everyone to see.
When we got out of the water, Crystal placed her hands on her hips and glanced between me and Evie. “Remind me who’s dating who, again.”
Kash shot her a warning look, but she dismissed him entirely, her jaw ticking with annoyance. Fury danced within her blue eyes, like Ashton’s relationship with Everleigh had anything to do with her. If Ash had a problem with our friendship, he would have said something. He wasn’t the type to just sit back and ignore something that was bothering him. For a while, I thought it was because he was just that confident. But I’ve seen him beat kids up for less when they made a move on his precious girlfriend. So, I was at a loss. Not that I’ve ever made a move on her, but I’ve definitely touched her, hugged her, cuddled with her. Right in front of Ashton. That just made me want to do it more, to see how much I could get away with before he lost his shit on me.
It wasn’t until a year later when I decided to taunt him, to see how much he’d let slide. We’d just gotten back from running around, playing with a soccer ball out in Ash’s yard. Everleigh was talking about how much her heart was racing, so I put my hand over it to feel the pounding of the organ. Then, I slid my hand down to playfully grab her breast. I remember Everleigh gasping, Kash choking on his spit, but the reaction from Ashton was the most surprising one. He didn’t say a goddamn thing.
It wasn’t until later that night that he suggested we fuck her. If I hadn’t seen their relationship blossom firsthand, I would have assumed he didn’t give a shit about her. But that wasn’t the case at all. He simply just wanted to watch me and Kash have sex with Everleigh.
And fuck. I’d die if I didn’t at least try.
My knees were folded beneath me as I stared down at the cheap headstone my father insisted on buying my mom after her passing. He’d said that there was no point in buying something expensive for someone who wasn’t alive to appreciate it. I disagreed. She deserved better than some slab of stone with her name engraved on it. The overgrown grass tickles my fingers as they rested in my lap, my chest feeling hollow and heavy.
She’d been gone for years, and I was still no closer to letting her go than I was back then. The memories of her were fresh, but the way she spoke had become vacant, and I couldn’t even remember her voice anymore. I’d come out here twice a month, or when I was missing her more than usual. I’d bring flowers, talk to her about my day, tell her about Dad, ask her questions I knew she’d never be able to answer.
Blowing out a breath, I ran my fingers along the rough ridges of the stone that now defined her. “Hey, Mom.”
It was peaceful out here. The only sound was the birds chirping in the distance. But the heavy fog that weighed on me every time I stepped foot through the gate was ominous, reminding me that this was a place for the dead.
“Ash finally let me tattoo him,” I continued. “His girlfriend, too. You’d like her if you were here.”
When I first started coming here, it felt weird to talk to her as if she could hear me. I knew she couldn’t. I liked to think she was somewhere in heaven, but if heaven was real and God was too, then that meant the dead couldn’t hear us until he came back to take his people. They were in an eternal sleep until he woke them.
“I’ve never said this out loud before,” I admitted. “But I’m so fucking in love with Everleigh Knight, and I don’t know what to do about it. She’s Ashton’s girl. It’s a line I should never even think of crossing, but I can’t help it. Sometimes I think she feels something for me, too. But she’s hard to read.”
I could picture it now. If my mom were still alive, she’d scold me for even saying such a thing. Hell, if she could hear me, she’d be turning in her grave. It wasn’t like I wanted to feel this way about her. I wanted to tell my friends, but I couldn’t. Not when one of them was dating her.
She was invading all of my thoughts—the only thing I could think about. Especially at night. It was the most painful thing I’d ever experienced. Even more than my father’s beatings. Everleigh had woven her web around my heart.
“But don’t worry.” I sighed. “I’m not going to do anything about it. How’s the afterlife treating you?”
Silence.
“I brought you more flowers.” I smiled. “They’re daisies this time. I put them next to the red roses.”
I continued to talk to her until the sun started to sink. I pretended that she was replying, telling me things she used to say, or what I thought she’d say. I rolled a blunt and smoked it until the pain ebbed away, and then I got on my motorcycle and made my way back to hell.
A breath of relief fled from my lungs when I pulled into the empty driveway, tugging my helmet off and tucking it beneath my arm. I wasn’t sure how long Dad would be gone for. If he was at the casino like I presumed, then he’d be out all night.
When I reached the house, I hurried down the hall and slipped into the bathroom to take a quick shower. The hot water pelted my skin, splattering across the purple and yellow bruises that were in various stages of healing. My muscles were relaxed from not only the high, but the warm water, too.
Once I was finished, I made my way to my room, making sure to lock the door behind me. I dried off with my towel before crawling into bed naked, letting the comforter pool around my waist. My breathing was heavy, my mind flashing back to the girl like it always did when I was alone. Slipping my hand beneath the blanket, I gripped the base of my dick and started working it up and down.
I started fantasizing about what it would be like to have her. To have her cry out my name when I made her come. I wanted to feel her warm, needy pussy clamping around me while I drove up into her.
My mind flashed back to the lake. Where I’d gotten to hold her close to my body, to feel her warmth seeping through our clothes. Her clothing was plastered against her skin, allowing me to see her narrow waist, the curves of her breasts, and even the roundness of her hips.
My cock twitched in my hand, forcing a gasp from my lungs. Fucking shit. What was this girl doing to me?
I pictured her on her knees, her mouth around my dick as she stared up at me with those big, brown eyes. I wanted to coat her face with every drop of my release. To see her tits bounce while I fucked her so hard she forgot her own name.
That thought was my undoing. Hot liquid spurted from my tip, coating my hand and thighs. My legs trembled from the powerful orgasm, leaving me breathless.
I had to fucking have her.