Chapter 7
CHAPTER 7
Presley
“ S top,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
Evan’s breath, heavy with the sharp tang of alcohol, brushed against my cheek as he nibbled on my ear. He reeked of beer and Fireball, and I wished I had never let him take me here. His hand, clumsy and impatient, slid down, fingers grazing the waistband of my jeans.
“You know you want it,” he slurred, his lips hot against my skin. “You’ve been teasing me for weeks.”
He fumbled with the button on my jeans, his hands shaking from the booze. I shoved his hand away, trying to slip out from under him, but his arm coiled tighter around my waist, trapping me against his weight.
“Evan, please,” I pleaded, my voice breaking.
He buried his face into my shoulder, his breath coming out in ragged bursts. “Dammit, Presley. You can’t keep doing this to me. We’ve been together for months, and you act like this is some kind of one-night stand.”
“I’m not ready,” I said, my voice barely more than a whisper.
He groaned in frustration, his grip tightening. “Jerk me off, at least. I want your pretty little hands around my dick.”
I stiffened at his words, my stomach churning. “And what do I get?” I huffed, trying to mask the discomfort that was creeping in.
Evan sat up, eyes glazed, his expression incredulous. “Christ, Pres, I wanna do so many things to your hot body, even if it’s short of fucking. Let me make you come with my mouth.”
His tongue darted out, wetting his lips, and I felt my chest tighten. Part of me knew I could keep him if I just gave in, but why? Why did I even want Evan? He was arrogant, entitled, and the very definition of a privileged asshole. But I knew the truth—I wanted everything that came with him.
The status. The security. I didn’t want to spend my senior year as an outcast. But deep down, I knew if I gave in fully, I'd end up just another name in his stupid little notebook.
“I can jerk you off,” I muttered, feeling the weight of the compromise as the words left my mouth.
Evan’s face lit up, the glaze in his eyes clearing as though the promise of sex had sobered him. He quickly unzipped his jeans, standing up to push them down to his ankles. His cock sprang free, the tip already slick with precum.
I wasn’t a stranger to this. I had done it before with Deke, and the internet wasn’t shy about showing you everything there was to know. Evan reached for my hand, guiding it to him, wrapping my fingers around his heated shaft. As I started to stroke, he leaned back on his elbows, his eyes fluttering shut.
“That’s it, baby,” he moaned, his voice low and husky. “Squeeze me.”
I tightened my grip, my small fist working up and down his length. His breathing quickened, hips lifting to meet my rhythm. The slickness of his precum coated my hand, making it easier to move. His groans filled the room, and I felt the tension building in him.
“Damn, Pres,” he grunted, his chest rising and falling faster. “You’re gonna make me come.”
He jerked his shirt up just in time for thick jets of cum to shoot across his stomach and chest, leaving streaks of white across his skin. He collapsed onto the bed, breathless, his chest heaving as he came down from his high.
I got up, my legs feeling unsteady, and made my way to the bathroom. Washing my hands, I found a washcloth in the closet and returned to him. Evan’s eyes were open, watching me as I handed him the cloth. He wiped himself off, the damp fabric dragging across his skin.
“Thanks,” he murmured, sitting up. “Let me get you off now.”
“You don’t have to,” I said softly, though my body betrayed me. My core ached, my panties already damp with need. I couldn’t deny the arousal coursing through me, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted him to touch me.
Evan stood, pulling his boxers and jeans back up, tucking himself in with a practiced ease. He looked at me, concern flickering in his eyes.
“Presley?” His voice was soft now. “Are you okay? I know this is a lot... Do you want me to touch you?”
I bit my lip, torn between what I wanted and what I should do. The act had turned me on, no denying that. I nodded, the heat between my legs becoming unbearable.
Evan came to me, his hands gentle as he led me back to the bed. He kissed me, soft at first, then deeper as I sank onto the mattress. His fingers were on me before I could second-guess it, slipping under my waistband, finding the heat of my arousal. His touch was skilled, practiced, and I let him make me feel good. I let him take me over the edge.
When it was over, he kissed me again, this time pressing his lips to mine as if sealing the moment. My eyes drifted closed, but my mind wandered—to Hudson. His kiss had been different, electrifying. There was a spark between us, something that had never died, not even after all this time. This—this wasn’t the same. Not with Evan. It never would be.
Mondays—I loathed them. The weekend seemed like a distant memory, and the gloom outside matched my mood. I waited until the last possible moment before dragging myself out of bed. Through the thin walls, I could hear Neil bouncing around in the next room, full of energy, as usual. It was strange watching my little brother get deeper into the popular crowd.
I didn’t like it.
He was fourteen, hanging out with seniors who had four years on him. Too impressionable, too eager to fit in. Neil was the only freshman on the varsity football team, and though he rode the bench most games, he was still proud of it. At least when I was a cheerleader, I could keep an eye on him, but now? I worried. Seniors like Evan and his crew—guys who thrived on picking on the younger kids—were trouble.
Neil, though? He idolized them.
My gut told me it was only a matter of time before the hazing started, or maybe it already had, and he just wasn’t telling me.
A bang on the door pulled me from my thoughts.
"Mom said to get out of bed before you’re late!" Neil’s voice cut through the quiet.
“I’m up,” I mumbled, rubbing my eyes.
I glanced at the clock. Maybe I had enough time for a quick shower. If I didn’t dry my hair, I could make it. A few minutes later, I came downstairs with my hair tied in a messy ponytail. Neil was already in the kitchen, munching on a chocolate Pop-Tart, his backpack slung over one shoulder.
“About time,” he said, raising an eyebrow at me.
"Sorry, I was tired," I muttered, heading for the fridge.
Mom, sipping her coffee at the table, gave me a curious look. “Were you up talking to Reagan again last night?”
“No. I just couldn’t sleep. Tossing and turning.”
Truth was, what happened with Evan had my mind spiraling. I dropped him off after everything, barely speaking, still processing. Then, I spent the entire weekend avoiding people. Saturday, I dodged the victory party at Randy’s house. Instead, I binge-watched mindless reality shows. Sunday, I put my phone on silent and ignored Hudson’s texts about the latest round of dares.
“What’s up with you?” Neil asked as we got into the car. He usually joked around during the ride to school, but today, I wasn’t in the mood.
"Nothing," I said, gripping the steering wheel a little too tight.
"Is it Evan?"
I paused, my stomach flipping. Neil had been at the party on Saturday—he came home drunk. I knew because I heard him retching in the bathroom later that night. I should’ve gone. If I had, maybe I could’ve kept an eye on him. But instead, he was hanging with guys like Evan, setting himself up for trouble.
“Did he say something to you?” I asked, keeping my eyes on the road.
“He said you’ve been acting weird. He asked about Hudson.” Neil’s tone was casual, but the way my heart skipped told me it was anything but.
I shot him a quick glance as we pulled up to a red light. “What did he say?”
“He wanted to know if you were messing with him.”
I frowned. “I’m not.”
"That’s what I told him."
The light changed, and I hit the gas, my mind racing. "Did he say anything else?"
Neil hesitated. "He just said you seem… different. Like you’re hiding something."
A humorless laugh escaped me. “Not really. You ever feel like your life’s going in a direction you didn’t expect?”
Neil shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "What do you mean?"
"Like you imagined things would be different, and now you’re not sure if you even want what you have."
He was quiet for a moment, chewing the inside of his cheek. "You don’t want to be popular?" he asked, finally.
I shrugged. “I think about it.”
Neil glanced out the window, his brow furrowing. "They talk about you, you know. I told them to stop."
I pulled into the school parking lot, my heart thudding in my chest. We had a few minutes before the bell, so I parked and turned to him.
"What were they saying?" My voice was sharper than I intended, but I needed to know.
Neil wouldn’t meet my eyes. "You know how guys talk."
"Yeah, I do," I growled. "What did they say?"
“They were saying… stuff. About what they’d want to do to you.”
Anger simmered beneath my skin. “Was Evan there?”
Neil shook his head. “No. But they said you were hot.”
"Neil, it’s just words. But they say those things because they don’t respect girls. Dad doesn’t talk about Mom like that, and you shouldn’t either."
"I know. I wouldn’t."
I softened, glancing at him. But inside, my worry deepened. I didn’t want Neil falling in with guys who saw women as objects.
"You should stick with friends your age," I said, trying to keep my tone gentle. "Those guys are too old for you. They’ll get you into trouble."
He scowled. “I like hanging out with them.”
"And I’m telling you—it’s not worth it." I sighed as he grabbed his backpack and opened the car door.
“Whatever,” he muttered before walking ahead of me, disappearing into the school.
I watched him go, my stomach knotting. He had plenty of time to grow up. But right now, he was in a rush, and I wasn’t sure how to protect him from what came next.
I avoided Evan until lunch, hoping he wouldn't notice. But as I stood in line, waiting for a slice of pizza, his arm slid around my waist, warm and familiar. His lips brushed my ear as he whispered, “You’ve been avoiding me.”
I stiffened, forcing a casual tone. “I haven’t. I’ve just been busy.”
He wasn’t buying it. “Can we talk after you eat?”
The thought of sitting through lunch, pretending everything was fine, made my stomach twist. We’d taken a step too far, too fast, and now all I wanted was to slam on the brakes. I didn’t want to have this conversation, but I couldn’t avoid it any longer.
“I’m not really hungry. We can talk now,” I offered, glancing down at the pizza I no longer wanted.
Evan wasted no time, grabbing my hand and leading me out of the cafeteria, ignoring the hoots and hollers from his friends. I hated how they assumed we were sneaking off to hook up, like we were just some high school cliché. Instead, Evan guided me toward the weight room, the dim light from the high windows casting long shadows across the equipment.
He sank onto one of the benches, his expression guarded. “What’s up with you?” he asked, voice softer now, as if he didn’t want to spook me.
I dropped my backpack to the floor and paced the room, feeling the tension building inside me. “Nothing,” I mumbled, though we both knew that was a lie.
His jaw clenched. “Nothing? You let me touch you on Friday night. I didn’t force you into anything.”
I stopped, running a hand through my hair as I tried to form the words. “Evan, I’m not accusing you of anything. It’s just… it was a lot to take in.”
He stood up and crossed the room, wrapping his arms around me from behind. His breath was warm against my neck. “You’re almost eighteen. Don’t you think it’s time?”
I turned in his arms, cupping his cheek in my hand. “Age doesn’t matter. I’m not ready. Not emotionally.”
He frowned, searching my face for something—maybe a sign that I was changing my mind. “What can I do to get you ready emotionally? I’m committed to you. You know that. I mean, you’re the hottest girl in school. I’d be an idiot to throw this away just for sex.”
I let out a nervous laugh. “I’m not the hottest girl in school.”
He smirked, pulling me closer. “If not you, then who?”
I shrugged. “Reagan is pretty hot.”
His expression darkened. “Reagan? She has no self-respect. She gives it up too easily, and that just makes her… tarnished.”
The words hung in the air between us, and I felt a sharp twist of unease. “Have you slept with her?”
Evan’s grip on me loosened, and he stepped back, running a hand through his hair. “That was like two years ago. You can’t seriously expect me to apologize for something that happened before we were together.”
I folded my arms across my chest, my voice quieter now. “I don’t. It’s just… weird. My boyfriend slept with my best friend before me.”
He sighed, frustration edging into his voice. “I can’t change what I did in the past. But I never felt for her what I feel for you. Does that help?”
Maybe it did, but there was something else on my mind now—something bigger. I had to bring it up, even though I knew he wouldn’t like it.
“I want you to stop taking my brother to parties.”
Evan blinked, caught off guard. “Why? He’s fine. He’s practically as big as me.”
I shook my head, my voice rising. “That’s not the point, Evan! Neil is fourteen. He’s just a kid.”
Evan laughed, but there was no humor in it. “He was drinking like a champ on Saturday.”
I glared at him. “And he threw up when he got home. I want you to promise me you’ll stop.”
He raked his fingers through his hair, clearly irritated now. “Look, I can’t stop the guys from doing what we’ve always done. It happened to me, to Randy, to all the guys. It’s just how it works.”
I stepped closer, softening my voice as I batted my eyelashes at him, knowing how to push just enough. “You can protect him, can’t you? Please?”
He groaned, glancing away. “What do I get in return?”
I sighed, exasperated. We’d just talked about slowing down, and here he was, already trying to leverage this. “What do you want?”
His eyes gleamed with something like triumph. “Dinner. A real date. Not Fromby’s or Burger Barn. I’m talking about a place where I can dress up, bring you flowers—somewhere with real linen napkins.”
I raised an eyebrow, surprised by the suggestion. “Since when are you into fancy dates?”
He shrugged, his cocky grin making a return. “Since now. Saturday night. I’ll pick you up in my car. It’s getting detailed, so it’ll be spotless.”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help smiling a little. “Deal. But please, take care of my brother.”
Evan pulled me into a kiss, his hands roaming as he pressed his lips hard against mine, his tongue insistent. It was the kind of kiss that made me forget, just for a second, all the reasons I was hesitant. Damn it, just when I thought I could pull away, he did something to make me want more.
I broke free, resting my head against his chest, listening to the steady thump of his heart. Maybe he wasn’t always my favorite person, but right now, he felt steady. Safe, even.
“I promise,” he murmured.