4. Creed
Chapter 4
Creed
(AGE 18)
T he chick currently kneeling between my legs is giving an over-enthusiastic, yet less than spectacular blowjob. Her nails are digging a little too hard into my thighs through my jeans and her mouth is oddly dry. She’s got almost no gag reflex, so at least she’s got that going for her. I haven’t had sex in weeks and blowing my load is a fucking need at this point.
Before she has a chance to rub my dick raw with her tongue, I grab a fistful of her long dark hair and pull her mouth from me, her lips coming free with a pop. It’s dark in this janky shed but I catch the look in her eyes that’s practically preening and screaming for approval for the job she’d done. She won’t get it from me.
Without a word, I pull at her hair forcing her to stand. When she does, her eyes drop to my lips like she’s silently asking for me to kiss her. Oh, hell no. She won’t be getting that from me, either.
“Turn around and put your hands on the wall.” I grit out, fisting my erection and giving it a few pumps.
She keeps making these needly little mewling sounds that sound like nails on a chalkboard.
Thinking quick because I need to fucking come and her making noise is not going to help, I clamp a hand over her mouth and lean down, whispering into her ear using all the words I know girls like her love to hear. “Be a good girl for me and keep this pretty little mouth shut.”
It’s not a request, but a command. She shivers at my words as she nods, panting through her nose.
I reach down and lift her little skirt up over her hips and pull her bright red thong to the side. Who the fuck would wear this to a bonfire in the woods? I can’t complain though, she looked hot enough in it and it’s clearly working to both of our benefits right now.
Ah , now I get why she wore it.
I pull a condom out of my wallet and sheath my aching cock. The girl—whatever her name is…Jessica, Jennifer, maybe? —wiggles her ass, pushing back against me, silently begging me to fuck her.
I line myself up with her pussy, but I don’t even get to push inside before the door to the shed bangs open and Janine squeals, quickly righting her skirt and hugging closer to the wall as if she’s trying to disappear. I look over my shoulder to see a panicked looking Asher standing there, Dani right behind him frantically running her fingers through her hair and pointedly looking anywhere but my exposed cock.
“The fuck, Asher?” I growl as I tuck myself back into my jeans before turning to fully face him.
The look on his face doesn’t falter, doesn’t fade, but it almost looks more grave and that has my hackles rising. “What?—”
“I can’t fucking find Collins!” He shouts, tugging at the roots of his hair.
“What do you mean you can’t find her? The fuck did she go?”
“I don’t fucking know, Creed! ”
“Again, what the fuck do you mean, Asher? Was she not with you at the fire? Did she wander off?”
Even in the dark of night, I see his face blanch as he swallows, his throat bobbing nervously. Before he gets to answer, I hear shuffling behind me.
Oh, yeah. Jolene is still standing there, looking a little lost.
“You should go…”
“Jericha,” she finishes for me.
“Right, like I said.” I gesture to the door. She gives me an awkward smile and moves in like she’s going to kiss me, so I turn my head and offer my cheek. She makes a dejected noise but pecks it anyway before sauntering out of the shed.
I don’t do soft. I don’t do affection. Or romance, or anything of the sort. None of the girls in this Podunk town have ever appealed to me like that so I never bothered trying. I’m getting the fuck out of this town soon anyway, so starting anything would be a waste of time.
Once Jericha is out of sight, I turn my attention back to Asher as I exit the shed, closing the door behind me. I make my way down the path, Asher right on my heels, and Dani follows at his side.
“Fuck, man, I was with her at the bonfire making her s’mores and she was fine. She wanted to make her own and seemed distracted enough that I could… step away for a minute.” He says, his voice strained.
“ Step away?” I turn to look at him as we approach the bonfire site and see the guilt marring his and his girlfriend’s faces. “You left your sister alone so you could get your fucking dick wet? It was your turn to watch her! What, you couldn’t fucking wait so you left your nine year old sister alone in the fucking woods ?!” I question, fucking livid that he was thinking with his dick to ever think leaving her alone in these goddamned woods would ever be okay.
I mean, I let my dick steer me tonight, too, but fucking Christ, I at least made sure that Asher had eyes on Collins before I left her for my lack-luster bit of fun .
“The fuck are you getting mad at me for? You did the same fucking thing!”
Is he fucking serious right now? Deflecting motherfucker.
“She’s your sister, Ash!” I yell in his face. “And I made sure you had her before I ever left the bonfire!”
He huffs a defeated sigh, then hangs his head in shame at my shouting. Good.
I look over to Scott—Bear and Ayla’s adoptive brother who threw this party, who’s also just sitting in an old lawn chair watching the whole debacle. “Scotty, did you see which way Collins went?”
“The kid?” He asks and we nod, but he shakes his head, “Nah, man. The fire was empty when Bear and I got here. We did hear commotion in the woods a while ago and he went to check it out. He hasn’t been back since.”
Without another word Asher, Dani and I take off, calling for Collins along the path back to the house.
“Collins!” I yell out, Asher doing the same.
We walk the paths a few more minutes before we split off to look in different areas. Asher heads toward the guest house, Dani to the front yard, and I head for the main house.
I pull out my phone to see if anyone’s tried to contact me about her.
No signal.
Shit.
“Ash, has anyone tried calling you?” I ask as we emerge from the woods, picking up the pace to get to the house.
He pulls his phone from his pocket and shakes his head. “Nothing, I’ve got no service out here, so I’ll have no clue if someone tried to call me until I get service.”
“Why the fuck did we even bring her?” The question is meant more for myself and I don’t think Asher even heard me with how far ahead he’s jogging. We should’ve left her at home with a phone to fucking dial 9-11 if there was an emergency.
Having to drag her everywhere is such a fucking inconvenience .
I nearly stop in my tracks at the horrible thought that just materialized in my brain. My stomach twists and I feel like a piece of shit for even thinking it.
Collins is the sweetest little kid and I’ve never once thought of her as a burden or an inconvenience. It’s not her fault that she’s got garbage for parents and it’s certainly not her fault that we have to take her with us on occasion when we go places. That girl would sooner suffer alone than to make anyone feel obligated to care for her.
If anyone is to blame tonight, it’s Asher and his fucking asinine plan to drag Collins to this rager of a party tonight. I knew it was a fucking horrible idea to bring Collins here, and he pushed to do it anyway. Asher was so desperate to sleep with Dani tonight that he was thinking with his dick instead of his brain and now she’s fucking lost somewhere and we can’t find her.
Fuck!
She’s not my sister but I feel just as protective of her as her brother. Though right now he’s on my shit list for the way he left her alone.
I turn just a few feet from the house and stare at the expanse of the back yard, scanning for any signs of her little blue jacket standing against the moonlight.
“ Stardust , you out here?” I call into the darkness. I listen for a response, but I don’t hear anything other than the distant sound of the residual partiers and the thump of music coming from inside the house. Nausea roils my stomach at the thought of her being scared and alone.
Heading inside the house through the basement I scan the room for her but it’s hard to tell with the dim lighting. “Collins!” I call out over the music.
I walk up to a group of guys sitting on a couch, each with a water bottle in their hands. I figure they’ll be the most sober enough to answer questions without giving some form of drunken response. I run a hand down my face as I approach them and ask if they’d seen her. I don’t bother giving a description because she’s the only fucking kid here at the party. They all shake their heads but one of the guys said they hadn’t been sitting there long enough to know if a kid had walked by at some point, but he’ll keep an eye out for her if she comes through.
Doesn’t make me feel better though. I grip my hair before shoving my way through the intoxicated partiers basement and get to the stairs. I take them two at a time, calling out for Collins the whole time.
Guilt starts to course through me that I can’t find her. I should have stayed with her. Her sweet soul is too fucking innocent and kind to be left alone like this. Her own fucking mother and father don’t give two shits about her well-being, so all she has is Asher to raise her, and basically me, too, with as much as I’m around them.
“ Stardust ? You up here?” I yell as I round the top of the stairs. Still no sign of her and I’m officially fuckin’ panicking. My heart starts pounding and all I can hear for a moment is my own pulse whooshing in my ears.
Where are you, kid?
I feel sick as I picture her big green eyes full of fear, frantically getting more and more lost somewhere on the property as she scrambles to find her way back to us. I shove the horrid visual out of my mind as I move as quickly as I can throughout the main level, checking each of the rooms and finding nothing. I curse and pull out my cellphone to call Asher.
“You find her?” he asks breathlessly when he answers.
“Fuck. No, I only just got cell service again, and I’m about to check the upstairs but no one should be up there. Have you seen Barrett or Ayla? Have they seen her?”
“No, I haven’t seen them, and Dani just came back from the front yard and she wasn’t out there either.”
“Okay, let me check the top floor, it’s the last place before I call the fucking police.”
Asher is quiet before he murmurs, “Okay. ”
“She shouldn’t have been here in the first place, Ash. We shouldn’t have been here with her. We should have fucking stayed home.”
“I fucking know, Creed. I. Fucking. Know.” I can hear the pain and regret in his voice, but I’m still fucking pissed at him for making shitty decisions when it comes to his sister.
As soon as I hang up, I head for the stairs. I’m halfway up the flight when I hear the sound of a guitar strumming a familiar tune. As soon as recognition of the song hits, a soft, raspy child’s voice floats to my ears.
I know that little voice.
Relief floods my body as I rush the remaining steps, taking two at a time, following the sound until I’m led to the last door at the end of the hall with a decorative plaque that has Ayla’s name on it.
“ Stardust —” I call out as I fling the door open and rush in. My words are cut off and I stop in my tracks when I take in the scene before me.
Barrett sits on the end of Ayla’s bed playing a familiar David Bowie song on his Gretsch while Ayla sits in the window nook with the little form of Collins tucked into her side. She’s singing the song word for word, but when her eyes lock onto mine, she stops. Her bottom lip wobbles and her eyes well with tears as she sits up and practically throws herself off the ledge and runs straight to me.
Before I get the chance to crouch down and scoop her up or even say another word, Asher rounds the corner into Ayla’s room, colliding with my back. I stumble forward half a step but quickly recompose myself. The effort isn’t worth dick when he practically shoves me to the side to get to his sister.
“Collins, God, there you are, Bug .” Asher breathes a sigh of relief as he rushes around me to her, scooping up her little form into his arms and squeezes her tightly to his chest. “You scared me! Why the hell would you wander off like that? You fucking scared me to death. You can’t do that.” He scolds her and it instantly pisses me off.
I’m shocked and appalled that this is what he chose to say to her now that he’s found her, when it’s his fucking fault that she felt the need to wander off in the first place. I want to snap at Asher, to tell him to stop being a prick to his sister, but I know Collins doesn’t handle yelling or confrontation well, so I begrudgingly bite my tongue and opt to shove Asher’s back with my boot to silently let him know he’s being a dick.
He staggers before falling back onto his ass and hugs Collins tight, rocking her back and forth and whispering in her ear.
Fucker better be apologizing to her.
But my anger is quickly replaced by some other really uncomfortable emotion when she pulls back and looks up between me and Ash with the biggest, saddest jade eyes I’ve ever seen. My heart cracks at the lingering fear festering behind her eyes. The confusion at why she’s being admonished by her brother. The guilt of being the cause of Asher’s anger.
Her bottom lip wobbles again and a broken squeak of a sob escapes her throat. She slaps a hand over her mouth like she’s trying to hide or take back the sound, but that one sound is all it takes for all of the anger Asher was feeling in that moment to disappear completely. I watch as she wraps herself around him, clinging to him like a lifeline while she buries her face in his neck and fully cries.
Her little hands grip his t-shirt so tight that her knuckles turn white. Asher shushes her as he sways side to side and pats down her hair that is now pulled back into a short braid.
My eyes slide over to where Bear and Ayla sit and while the latter has her eyes on Asher and Collins, the former jerks his chin to the door as he sets his guitar down and moves to exit the room and I follow him out, pulling the door shut behind me, leaving Ash and Collins alone for a moment.
“What the fuck happened?” I whisper-shout at Bear. I know none of this is his fault, but he just happens to be the person on the receiving end of my ire.
“I don’t know, man,” He scrubs a hand over his hair, mussing it. “I’d just sat down at the bonfire at the same time as Scotty when I heard what sounded like a kid yelling and crying in the woods. Shocked the shit out of me because I had no idea that Asher was bringing his little sister to a fucking party where people are drinking, smoking, and fucking in every corner of the property.” He grunts out the last part, clearly pissed at Asher’s dumb-fuckery.
I take a deep breath and exhale heavily because I’m also one of those fuckers. I just stare at him, trying to hide the turmoil looming behind my eyes, because I don’t know what to say. I’m just as guilty, even though Collins technically isn’t my responsibility.
Bear just shakes his head, looking down at his feet for a moment before he speaks, his voice sounding pained. “She was so fucking scared, Creed. It was a miracle I found her because she was completely alone in the dark of the woods, calling for Asher, for you .” Pain splices through my heart at the thought of Collins alone and crying out into the dark of the woods.
I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to rid myself of the awful images that float through my head of all the things that could’ve gone wrong. “Fuck!” I yell out wanting so badly to put my fist through the wall, but Bear’s hand on my shoulder stops me when my fingers curl into tight fists at my sides.
“Look, I won’t pretend to know what life is like at home for them. The way Asher talks, it sounds like his stepdad is a real piece of work, so I get not letting her stay home.” He sighs before speaking low. “I won’t pretend to know how to be a parent, but I know all about being a protective brother,” Something dark flashes in his eyes, a look of knowing. “Collins needs stability, and tonight for her was anything but. Maybe talk to Asher about that.”
I open my mouth to argue but he puts a hand up, stopping me.
“He’s your best friend, so he may listen to you. Shit like this,” he points at Ayla’s bedroom door, “Can’t happen again. Not only was she in danger but had anyone else found her tonight and called the police, she could be taken away. Not just from her parents, but from Asher, too.”
With a solemn expression, he rubs at the back of his neck with one hand as he turns and walks down the hall, disappearing down the stairs. I feel the blood drain from my face at what Bear had just told me. He’s right. Asher’s parents may be fucking shitty at raising Collins, but that little girl is his whole little world and if she gets taken…
Fuck.
Shoulders slumped as I give myself a half-second shake down to talk to Asher about what Bear just told me, I grab the door handle and push it open.
Words die on my lips with my body being knocked back at the knees by a tiny body slamming into me. My heart lurches when Collins’ little hands wrap around my waist and squeeze. I pull her back long enough to kneel down and wrap my arms around her in a tight hug. Hearing her little sobs and hiccups nearly wrecks my goddamned soul. But nothing compares to the ache in my chest than when she whispers seven little words into the crook of my neck.
“Please don’t leave me again.” She rasps. “Please don’t.”
My eyes lift to Ayla’s for a split second, noting her pained expression as she gets up from where she’s sitting and steps out of her room, I close my eyes briefly before shifting my eyes to Asher. He just gives a small shake of his head, and I know right then that we’re fucked.
This sweet kid just begged Asher and me to never leave her again, which tells me that she has no idea that he and I are leaving in a few weeks for California. Asher got into a University in California on a baseball scholarship, Dani attending with him as well, and my band and I are meeting with a talent scout and record label director who had spoken to me after a gig I’d scored three weeks ago.
I was fucking pumped and ready to finally make a name for myself somewhere other than this Podunk town I’ve been living in…until this very moment.
Asher knows we can’t take her with us. That we have no choice but to leave her behind. I can’t make Collins empty promises, so I hold her until her breathing slows and I can tell she’s drifting off to sleep. Asher scoops her from my arms as we silently make our way out of the room and out of the house.
On the way home, Asher is quiet, and I can feel the stress rolling off of him in massive waves. He pulls into his driveway, next to where I parked my Triumph Street Triple bike, and he exhales heavily. I watch him from the corner of my eye as he glances back at his little sister who’s sleeping in the backseat with her hood up and her head propped up against the window.
“Creed,” Asher’s voice cracks, “I-I know I fucked up in bringing her tonight. In leaving her alone. But…I fucking can’t leave her here, alone. Those people in that house,” he waves a hand at his house, “May be her birth parents, but they’re not her fucking family.” He says through gritted teeth his voice wavering. “They don’t deserve her.”
“I know.” Is all I manage to say around the lump currently lodged in my throat.
He wipes furiously at his watery eyes with the heel of his palm. His emotions are all over the place, warring from fear, to anger, to heartbreak. He rears his fist back like he's going to punch the steering wheel but a quick sleepy gasp from Collins has him thinking better of the action. I glance back and she’s still asleep. I finally look into Asher’s eyes and my resolve wavers.
I reach over and pull him into a side hug that he leans into for a moment. I hug him until I feel some of the tension leave his body and I drop a kiss on his temple before he pulls away. He sucks in a quick breath, gathering himself before speaking again. “I fucking hate that I can’t just take her with me.”
“You know you can’t do that, man. There’s no way the dorms would allow it, let alone being able to shuffle her around to her own school, or pay for her care.” I try to reason with him.
“I know. Trust me, I fucking know.” He sighs, raking his fingers through his hair. “Doesn’t make it suck any fucking less, though. I don’t want to leave her.”
“Just work your ass off to get on your own two feet. If shit doesn’t turn around at home for her by the time you’re ready, we can come get her and figure out a plan.”
Ash ponders this for a moment. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He acquiesces.
After a silent moment of letting his mind settle, I step out of the car to remove Collins. As Asher takes her into his arms, he looks back at me. “Send me the address of your new place. She doesn’t have a phone, so I got her something to feel like she’s got a connection to us in some way, so hopefully it’ll make it easy on her when we leave.”
I nod. “I’ve got something for her, too. Maybe we can give it to her as a gift before we go. It might help soften the blow.” I say before straddling my bike and heading home. When I get there, I fire off a quick message to Asher that contains my new address for California before dropping onto my bed with my guitar. I strum and pick the new melody I’ve written and sing quietly.
Not sure why, my house is vacant. Again.
Though I don’t mind being alone. I never did. I was raised by my dad after my mom died when I was five, but he’s rarely around anymore. He’s always worked his ass off on multiple jobs just to make sure I wanted for nothing. I know his first job as a driver is what takes up the majority of his day, but he’s got this extra job that he works overnights that I have zero knowledge of. He won’t tell me and it sounds shady as fuck, but he tells me that the reward is worth the risk. I owe everything to that man because he’d shown me enough love in the moments that he was home just how much he loved me. He’s the best father a kid could ask for, but he works entirely too much.
I feel like I can’t complain because some kids have it so much worse.
My thoughts turn to a sad-eyed Collins and my stomach turns sour. I have no idea how Asher will handle telling her that he’s leaving, but what I do know is that if her parents don’t step up, she’ll really be up shit’s creek without a paddle .
The thought of her being taken away, going into the system. It fucking sucks.
My thoughts are interrupted by my phone ringing in my pocket. I pull it out and see that it’s Hanson, the talent scout I’d spoken to weeks ago.
“This is Creed.” I answer.
“Good evening, Creed. I apologize for the late night phone call; I hope I didn’t wake you.”
“No, I’m awake. What can I do for you, Mr. Hanson?” I try to keep my voice calm, but him calling so late at night has me nervous.
“As you know, we’ve got you and your band mates scheduled to fly out in a few weeks after graduation to meet with Cortland Shepard in regard to the possibility of a record label contract.”
“That’s correct,” I confirm, feeling wary.
Hanson clears his throat before continuing. “I just spoke with Mr. Shepard before calling you. He informed me that he’s reviewed some of your other gig footage of concerts past and, Creed, he’s really impressed.”
Relief washes over me and mixes with shock, and the weight on my chest feels a little lighter. I’m not sure what to say, so I settle for, “Thank you, sir.”
“He’s flying back to the states tonight and wants to move the meeting up to next Friday.”
I only have a week?
“That is correct.” Shit. Must’ve said that out loud. “Is that a problem?”
“N-no,” I stutter out quickly. “It’s just, what about graduation?”
A sigh comes from the other end of the phone. “You are aware of Cortland Shepard’s success, no?” Before I get to respond, he pushes on. “He has never been known to have a failed artist associated with his label. And he has a good feeling about you. It’s a complete rarity that he actively seeks out talent himself, let alone rearrange his own schedule to secure a band or artist. So you tell me, Mr. St. James… what about graduation? ”
He's right. My bandmates and I have worked our asses off to perfect our own sound, to create our own songs, and make sure that our sound dynamic is always well-balanced. Too many new bands like ours sound just like we did when we first started. Messy. Unbalanced. Clumsy.
We may be punks, but we’re smart enough to know when and how to make changes and learn to adapt our sound so that we’re actually entertaining to listen to.
I’m hoping my bandmates can get onboard with flying out two weeks earlier than expected. Bear, our lead guitarist, is actually three years older than me. He works as an apprentice and receptionist in a tattoo shop in town, so he may have an easier time than the others at leaving earlier. Benjamin, our drummer, is my age, but he attends school a few towns over, and is supposed to graduate days before I do. And our new bassist, Tony, is a lazy fucking punk-ass who’s a year younger than Bear and still lives with his mom. When our last bassist flaked on us, this guy named Steve approached us and threw Tony’s name out there as a replacement. He’s annoying as shit, but he’s got skills, so we tolerate him. Barely.
“You’re right, sir.”
Hanson chuckles. “Talk to your bandmates. I’m sending over an email containing your new flight itinerary. Start packing, Creed. Life is about to look a little different for you all.”
“Uh—thank you Mr. Hanson. We look forward to it.” I try to not jump out of my skin with excitement.
“Alright, I’ve got to get some shut eye. Do you have any questions for me before I let you go?”
“Just one, I guess.”
“Okay, shoot.”
“The lease for our apartment was signed for three weeks from now, is there a motel nearby you recommend we crash until our lease is active?”
Another chuckle comes from Hanson. “That’s all taken care of, Creed. Mr. Shepard has four suites booked for you at La Barga hotel next to Cort Records. His treat to you boys for the inconvenience of arriving outside of your scheduled time for your lease. Is that all?”
“I—yes.” I answer, dumbfounded.
“Well then, I’ll see you in one week, Mr. St. James.”
He hangs up without another word. I stare blankly at my darkened phone screen for a moment. My body is vibrating with excitement at the fact that Cortland fucking Shepard came back early for my band. My. Band.
I run my fingers through my dark hair before pumping a fist through the air and whisper-shouting “Fuck yeah!”
After calling my dad to tell him the news, I call each of my band mates and let them know of the changes to the plan and how they need to start packing sooner. Once that’s done, I call my best friend. I was supposed to fly out with Ash and Dani in three weeks, but now that plan’s changed. Of course he’s fucking thrilled for me and says he can’t wait to finally hear our songs on the radio, rather than in noisy, smoky bars. I talk to him for a few more minutes as I walk into my closet, flipping on the light that’s inside. My eyes snap up to something sitting on a high shelf.
“Hey, Asher?”
“Yeah?”
“You said you’ve got a gift for Collins?”
“Yeah,” he says, “I got her this massive stationary set, complete with stamps so she can mail cards and letters to us.”
I smile at that, “That’s fucking perfect, actually. I’ve got something for her, too. I’ll bring it by next week before I leave, and you can wrap it up with the rest of her stuff.”
“Sweet, I’ll see you Monday, then. And congrats again. I’m proud of you, man.”
“Thanks,” I nearly choke out. Fucking emotions. “ See ya then.” I say, and hang up.
Collins may not be my sister, but I’ve always felt protective of her. She’s sweet and innocent, so I’ve fallen in line with Asher to protect her, to try and help her be strong because he and I are both afraid that her parents are just shitty and neglectful enough to break her, and she doesn’t deserve that.
My stomach churns at the thought of her being alone if her mom can’t get her shit together enough to give her a good life that she deserves. It makes me nervous that she could be taken away and put into the system where people really just don’t give a shit about the kids in it. Especially in our town .