Chapter 17
17
R AIN
“The food is in the oven, sweetie.”
My mom’s voice echoes in the other room.
“I’m good, Mom. I already had a salad at Eve’s,” I say, rushing through the foyer and dashing away from the living room where Mom, Dad, and Daria are watching a movie.
I walk straight into the bathroom, strip off my clothes, and check my neck for hickeys.
Someone raps on the door.
It can only be one person.
“I’ll be out in a minute,” I say, turning the shower on.
I let the water run, waiting for her to walk away, my heart beating in my mouth.
She stops knocking.
Thank God.
I breathe a sigh of relief before slipping into the stream of water. I wish I didn’t have to wash his scent off me.
I take my time in the shower before reluctantly stepping out, patting myself dry with a plush towel, shrugging into a white robe, picking up my clothes, and walking away.
I stop briefly to drop my clothes into the washing machine and sneak into my room.
Quietly, I open my laptop and start typing.
My ears perk up, trying to catch every little noise.
Maybe she's given up on me.
Footsteps echo outside, trailing from one end of the corridor to the other. A door swings open and closes, and then another one.
She pushes through my bedroom door.
“Hey.”
“Hey,” I say, raising my eyes.
She leans against the doorframe, a hand hidden behind her back, a smirk plastered across her lips.
“Where were you?” she asks cunningly.
My pulse spikes, panic soaring through me.
“Eve’s,” I say evenly.
She walks in, dragging an annoying smile with her. She slams the door shut behind her.
“Does Eve have a dick?” she mocks.
Her arm swings, and a scrap of fabric lands on my shoulder, the scent of James filling my nostrils.
My panties slide off my chest and land on my keyboard.
“What’s this?” I ask, playing dumb. “Oh... Where did you find them?”
“You left them in the bathroom, or perhaps they fell on the floor when you rushed to throw your clothes into the washing machine. Care to explain?”
“Explain what? You’re not my mom.”
“Oh, okay. No problem.” She closes the gap between us and snatches my panties. “I can ask Mom.”
She heads to the door.
“Wait,” I bark.
She stops and spins around to face me. Pacing herself, she nears the bed.
“So, who’s semen is this?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Let me tell you something, sweet little sister. I was doing what you’re doing now when I was sixteen. The friend excuse, the slipping into the bathroom, the frantic rush to erase the evidence from my body and hide the sperm-smeared panties. Playing stupid doesn’t work. Plus, I could help you.”
“I don’t need your help.”
“Really? What about birth control? Are you using any contraception? Or are you just playing it by ear? Is he allergic to condoms? Do you at least know who you’re getting in bed with? You have no fucking idea how to do this stuff, Rain. You just went out there and opened your legs.”
“Oh. Look who’s talking,” I retort, glaring at her.
Another step brings her closer.
She looks at me, her hands locked on her hips.
“I’m not clueless,” she says, searing me with her eyes. “I know what I’m doing. You, on the other hand, believe in stupid shit and trust all sorts of people. Men are not what you think they are. You think they’re some deities who rock your world. They can rock your world, all right, but not in the way you think. And after having enough of you, they turn their backs on you, and off they go to chase some wilted flower they make babies with before going out there, looking to score some more. They don’t need women like you, Rain—women with big dreams and ideas. And you know why? Because it’s tiresome to keep up with some idealistic nymph’s view on men.”
“I’m taking care of it. Don’t worry,” I say curtly, keen to cut her tirade short.
“Really? How? You’ve always advocated against the pill, and apparently, the man is too much of a god to use condoms.”
I move my eyes to my laptop.
“Don’t worry about me. I’m good. And it’s my private life, after all. I don’t need to tell you everything. You don’t share your life with me, so stay out of mine.”
“Well, we’ll see if this works for you. I hope you use something. Does Mom know about it?”
I raise my eyes.
“Nobody knows about it.”
She tilts her head to the side.
“Which doctor did you go to, then?”
“My private doctor,” I mumble, shifting my eyes back to my computer.
“Your private doctor?”
She huffs.
“You don’t have money for a doctor,” she says.
I evade her eyes.
“Oh... I see,” she continues. “He paid for it. Good for you,” she says, amused.
She throws my panties in my face.
“Wash your damn clothes, Rain. I don’t want your boyfriend’s cum on my dresses.”
I wait for her to get out of my room.
“That’s right. If you knew whose cum it was, you’d want to swallow it, dumb bitch,” I mutter to myself.
* * *
RAIN
“Mmm... That went well,” Eve says, letting out a small moan.
I’m not sure if it’s because of the cantaloupe or my story.
“I hate her,” I say, chewing on a piece of fruit.
“I hear you... This gets worse and worse,” she comments before a small smile lights up her face. “And the sex gets better and better,” she adds, rubbing her hands, satisfied.
My face is warm with a blush.
“Yes, it does.”
“You want more?” she asks, pointing to my plate.
“No. I’m good.”
“Coffee?”
“Yes.”
We pick up the plates from the patio table and walk back into the house.
“Where are your parents?” I ask.
“Grandma’s place.”
She motions me to a chair before setting the machine for a pot of fresh coffee.
Moments later, she fills two porcelain mugs, pours cream in mine and sugar in hers, stirs them with a teaspoon, and brings them to the table.
The summer light filters through the open windows, getting caught in her hair.
“I love this time of year,” she says.
“Me too.”
She pulls out a chair and takes a seat.
“Do you remember what we were doing a year ago?”
“I sure do...” I say, melancholy seeping into my voice.
“It was the best time of my life,” she says, nostalgic. “And that thing we pulled off… At their house… Oh, my God. That was some adventure,” she says, her eyes twinkling as she relives the memory. “I was so scared when they picked me up that night. I had all kinds of scenarios in mind.”
She smiles, amused.
“You hoped something good would happen,” I say.
“Yeah. That too… Well, it wasn’t meant to happen. Not for me, at least.”
She looks at me.
I shake my head slowly, my smile fading.
“I don’t know if what happened to me was that good.”
“I think it was,” she says, optimistic as always. “It makes you look great.”
I smile.
“Maybe it’s my tan.”
“That’s what it’s called?” she jokes before lifting a chocolate cookie from the plate and taking a bite.
“Try one,” she says. “They’re delicious.”
Following her advice, I pick up one.
“So... The story wasn’t true, then.”
“What story?” I ask, the chocolate melting in my mouth.
“The Night of the Kings thing.”
“Mmm...”
Blood rushes to my face.
“It was?” she asks, her eyes widening with surprise.
“Mm-hmm.”
“Have you, um… had one?”
Her eyes twinkle with mischief.
“It’s not a scoop of ice cream.”
“So what is it?” she asks, smiling.
“It’s them... with one woman,” I say, having a hard time swallowing the last bit of cookie.
“You mean as in... fucking the same woman?”
“Yup.”
“At the same time?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Holy fuck. Are you kidding me?”
“No.”
“How do you know?”
She looks straight at me. I avert my eyes.
“It came up in a discussion...” I say.
I dust off the crumbs from my fingers and sip coffee before I raise my eyes.
Her face beams with curiosity.
“And?”
“And nothing.”
“He doesn’t want it,” she says.
“Who?”
“James.”
“Yeah… He doesn’t want it. What about me? Aren’t you curious if I want it?”
“Who wouldn’t want it? With them? Are you serious?”
A small laugh falls from my lips.
“You have a boyfriend, Eve.”
“That doesn’t mean I can’t dream about it.”
“You’re such a big mouth. Reality is different.”
“I bet it is. It’s much better, I suppose.”
We both chuckle.
“So what did you say when they brought it up?” she asks.
The memory of that night comes back to me.
“I sort of agreed.”
Her eyes almost pop out of their sockets, her eyebrows pushing up to her hairline.
She claps her hands while my face melts.
“It wasn’t serious, though. And it happened before I hooked up with James. He’d probably kill them before letting them touch me.”
“Okay. All right. I can understand that, but who knows... Never say never, right?”
“Yeah...” I murmur absently. “Listen, I want to ask you something,” I say, serious this time.
I stare out the window for a few good seconds, my eyes following Eve’s dogs as they run around, barking and playing in the grass.
“How expensive is life in New York?” I ask, shifting my focus back to her.
A questioning look slides over her face.
“Do you want to move or something?”
“I’m looking at different options.”
“Why not live somewhere closer?”
I shrug.
“I don’t know... I think it makes sense. You’re in New York, and James does a lot of business over there. Plus, there are more opportunities in New York.”
“You’re right, but life can be quite expensive. No matter how modest the place is, the rent runs high, and the situation is not much better in the boroughs. The only good thing is that you don’t need a car. So if you get a roommate, you might be able to live over there.”
“How about the jobs?”
“Entry-level gigs don’t pay much. And even to get a job like that, it’s mostly word of mouth. A friend of mine manages a bookstore, and I could ask her if they have any openings. It’s a small place, and they have a high turnover, but it’s not because of her. She’s not a bad boss. They can’t afford to pay much. It may be something to start with before looking for better opportunities.”
“Can you call her and ask her for me? Maybe she knows someone who has a room for rent too. I could get the deposit and a couple of months upfront.”
“Sure.”
Her eyes darken as she studies my face.
“Jesus, Rain. You’re truly desperate.”
“I am,” I say quietly.
“He could help you with money.”
“Yes, he could, but I want him. I don’t want his money,” I say, my voice strangled as I push my emotions back.