Chasing the Stars, page 9
He squinted his eyes. “I’ll check and if I find out your lying, you’ll get it tomorrow.”
“Okay,” was my response as he loosened his grip on my hair.
I stepped backward until I found the doorknob and shakily opened the door. I turned and jogged to the Jeep. I needed to get away from my dad before he let his anger get the best of him. I didn’t want him to ruin my first real date with Hayes.
“Are you all right?” Hayes asked as I slammed the door.
“I’m great.”
He cupped my chin. “Look at me. What did that bastard do to you?”
I placed a hand on his arm. “Nothing. He was just making sure that I did my share of the housework.” It was the truth even though I was leaving out the part about pulling my hair. In my world, a little hair pulling felt like nothing.
“Did he do his fucking part? Because last time I checked you work and go to school. What the hell does he do or even your mom?”
I sighed. “I really don’t want to talk about them. I don’t want to ruin tonight.”
“Fine,” he said as he pulled out of the drive. I could tell that he was upset but I hoped he wasn’t mad at me. I wanted this night to be perfect and I knew it wouldn’t be with Hayes thinking about my parents.
“Please stop. If you keep thinking about it then tonight will be ruined. This is our first date as a couple and I want it to be amazing.”
He lifted my hand and kissed it. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
Hayes pulled into his driveway a few minutes later and cut the engine. “I’m giving you twenty minutes. I don’t want to spend our date at my parents’ house.”
“That’s plenty of time,” I told him as I grabbed my bag from the backseat.
We walked into the house and up a set of stairs to be greeted by his father. “Hey, kids,” he said with a smile. With one look you could see that he and Hayes were related. He looked just like Hayes but with a few more wrinkles and a couple of gray hairs.
“Hello,” I replied.
“Y’all going out or staying in?” he asked as he stared at Hayes with those same striking green eyes.
“We’ll be going out in a few.”
“Staying in town?” I knew what he was really asking. If Hayes remembered to keep me a secret.
“No,” Hayes replied as he took my hand.
“We don’t have to go out,” I blurted.
“Mackenzie…” his dad started with an apologetic look.
“It’s fine dad. She knows and you don’t need to worry,” he said leading me to his room. I was sure my face was beet red from embarrassment. I felt like a freak show that needed to be kept in private.
Hayes closed the door behind us. “I’m really sorry. I promise that he really does like you.”
“It’s fine,” I lied.
***
Hayes drove us to the next town over and parked in front of a Harold’s Burgers and Fries. I smiled as my heart warmed at the thought of this now being our place.
“Is this okay?” he asked sounding nervous.
I grinned at him as I leaned over the console, planting a kiss on his lips. “This is perfect. I still remember our conversation from the first day of school.”
“Me too.”
We went inside and ordered then slide into a booth. Hayes sat next to me and I suddenly became nervous. “What if someone see us?”
“I’m sure no one will see us,” he replied cramming a few French fries in his mouth.
“We could easily be caught. Maybe you should set on the other side? I mean, we just drove up the road.”
He mixed his ketchup and mayonnaise together. “Don’t worry about it. Just relax and enjoy this.”
I swallowed my bite. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” I told him as he leaned over and nuzzled my neck. “That’s disgusting that you mix your ketchup and mayonnaise.”
He dipped a few fries in the mixture. “Delicious,” he said smirking. After he swallowed the bite, he kissed my cheek. “I can’t wait to be alone with you.”
“Are we doing the same thing? Having a star-studded date?” I asked giggling. He had been right, calling himself a stud all those nights ago.
“Yes and no. Same thing different place.” He took a drink and continued with a wink, “Now hurry up and eat.”
After we had eaten, Hayes drove us back to his house. I felt let down because I had imagined a romantic, almost fairytale date. I tried not to show my sadness because what really mattered was that I was with Hayes.
He walked us around to the backside of the house, but instead of going up the patio stairs, we kept walking to the back of the yard. Once we had walked through a line of trees, a small pond with a dock came into view. It was beautiful.
“I thought this might be a nice change.” He shrugged.
“I love it,” I whispered, taking in the dock that was lit by tiki torches and the moon.
He put his arms around me from behind. “I love you,” he whispered in my ear.
I looked to the side where a couple of blankets and a sleeping bag sat. “You thought of everything.”
“I didn’t want you to get cold. Although, I plan on keeping you very warm myself.”
“How so?” I asked breathless.
He kissed my neck. “Turn around and I’ll show you.”
Later, after he had kept his promise of keeping me warm, we lay snuggled up in the blankets. I felt content to be in his arms as we looked up at the sky. “You know, I’ll never be able to look at the stars again without thinking about you.”
“Then my plan is working,” he replied as he kissed my head.
“And what plan is that?”
“To make you think of me.”
Chapter 14
Hayes
I walked out of third period feeling happy. I always left that class content because I spent it with Mac. I had just opened my locker when Candy leaned against the one next to me. “What do you need?” I asked. I didn’t feel like talking to her.
“I was just thinking… Since I’m single and of course you’re single, I should wear your jersey Thursday for Homecoming. I mean it just makes sense.”
I slammed my locker shut. “Why does that make sense?”
“You’re the quarterback and I’m the Captain of the cheerleading squad.”
“I don’t know. I’ll let you know,” I told her. I wanted Mackenzie to wear my jersey but I knew that wouldn’t work. People would start thinking she was more than just my chemistry partner and friend. Rumors would fly and my dad would be in a panic over his election more so than normal.
“It makes sense, Hayes. Unless you have someone else you want to wear it.” I didn’t answer her and I noticed the moment she thought of Mackenzie. Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t tell me you want that trailer trash to wear it. I thought she was just your friend? Someone you feel sorry for.”
I fought back my anger. “She is just a friend, but I don’t feel sorry for her. She’s nice.”
“Right. I heard she was a whore,” she said placing her hand on my bicep.
I eyed her. She was a stupid bitch. A stupid bitch that would start rumors without a second thought. I had to stop her. “I don’t think she’s a whore but who knows, right.” I leaned in close as I looped a piece of her hair around my finger. I fought away the thought of hitting her. She made me angry, but I knew that everyone would see us in this position and think that we were flirting with each other—effectively ending all talk of me dating Mackenzie. “You know what? You’re right, it does make sense that you wear my jersey. I’ll give it to you tomorrow morning.”
“Great. Maybe we could hang out tonight?” she asked with a flirtatious smile that made me want to vomit.
“I’d love that but I have to help my dad with something. Rain check?”
“Of course. We can always find each other at the Homecoming party.”
I nodded as I saw long curly hair round the corner of the hallway. “I better get to class.”
I walked down the hallway and looked around. The hallway had thinned out so I reached Mackenzie’s hand and pulled her into the janitor closet. I locked the door and pushed her up against the wall. “What are you doing?” she asked as her beautiful blue eyes widened.
I pressed my lips to hers, kissing her hard as she opened her mouth for me. I tangled our tongues together as I let my hands drift down her body. Shit, she was an amazing kisser. I had never kissed a girl that was as responsive as her.
I pulled back. “I just wanted to kiss you. And to tell you to meet me at my Jeep at lunch.”
“Huh? Why? Won’t people see me getting in your Jeep?”
The idea had just popped into my head. “We’re skipping this afternoon and doing something fun together. As far as people seeing you, just walk to the block I drop you off at each morning and no one will see us.”
“What are we doing?”
I grinned before I gave her a quick kiss. “I have no idea. I just know I want to be with you and not stuck at school.”
“Okay but are we just leaving or…?”
“I’ll have my mom call both of us out. The secretary loves my mom and won’t question her.”
“Okay, but I have to get to fourth period right now.”
“Give me another kiss first,” I told her and she did.
***
I waited for her at the corner a block away from school. Even though everyone knew we were friends, we had decided to hide it for the most part. That way no rumors about us could start. It had become our routine that each morning and afternoon I would either drop her off or pick her up there. It was a street that wasn’t used much so the odds of us being seen together were slim.
After a few minutes of waiting she opened the passenger side door and hopped inside. “It’s such a nice day out. We need to do something outside.”
“Okay, let me think,” I told her as I started driving.
“Was your mom okay with calling me out of school?” she asked looking nervous.
I grabbed her hand and kissed it. “I texted her earlier and she didn’t even ask questions. She just said okay and to be careful.”
“Your mom is so sweet.”
“She really likes you. I think… Never mind.” I wanted to tell her my suspicions about my mother being abused as a child but didn’t want Mac to think about that right now.
“You think what?”
“I just think she’d like to spend more time with you.”
She bit her lip. “I’d like that.”
“I’ll set it up,” I told her as I drove out of town. “Do you have to work tonight?”
“Yeah. I have to be there at four.”
Her work limited our time together so I made a U-turn and headed back to my house. I figured we could be alone there with both of my parents working. Well, my dad was working, my mom was volunteering at one of the hospitals.
I started scanning through the radio stations as she yelled, “Turn it back.”
I turned it back to the previous station as she started singing the old country song. “What in the hell is this?”
“It’s Conway Twitty. Do you live under a rock?”
“Umm…”
She smiled. “It’s a song about sex. Just listen.”
“That’s my kinda song.”
I pulled into my driveway. “I know this doesn’t sound fun but I thought we’d just hang out at the pond. We can’t really go anywhere since you have to work.”
“Don’t you have football practice?”
“Not on Wednesdays. Coach is a pastor or something so he lets us have Wednesday nights off. I’m sure we’ll make up for it tomorrow though since it’s Homecoming.”
I unlocked the door as she remarked, “Tomorrow’s the big parade and pep rally, right?”
“Yeah,” I replied.
“Why aren’t you nominated for Homecoming king? I mean you are the senior quarterback.”
I began going through the cabinets to find us something to eat. “I was the king last year so I can’t be nominated this year.” I really didn’t want to talk about Homecoming since I had agreed to let Candy wear my jersey earlier. I wasn’t sure how Mac would take that bit of news.
“Oh.”
I found us some chips and drinks. “This okay or do you want something else?”
“I’m not that hungry so that’s fine.”
We walked to the backyard and through the tree line to the pond. It was a nice fall day with the sun shining so I had hoped we could take advantage of the hammock that hung from the trees. It was weird, but most of the time I just wanted to hold her. I mean, I loved having sex with Mac but holding her in my arms was perfection.
I led her over to the hammock and laid down. “Come here,” I told her.
She gently laid down beside me as we both looked at the tree tops in silence. It was nice laying with her and not worrying about hiding it. I hated that I couldn’t tell everyone she was my girl. I hated that I had to watch other guys check her out and I couldn’t say a damn word.
“So…do you like old country music or just that one song?” I asked after several minutes.
I felt her smile against my neck. “I like almost everything. But I really do like Conway Twitty. He was a great singer.”
“Are you really a seventy year old man and I don’t know it?”
She looked deep in thought. “I can remember my dad listening to Conway Twitty when I was a kid. Happier times.”
I stroked her back. “Happier times?”
She took a deep breath. “Yeah. He hasn’t always been like this. I can remember the first time he got laid off from his job. It was about my brother’s sophomore year of high school. They started fighting all the time, but he never fought with me. It was more like I was invisible,” she said shakily as I felt a tear land on my neck. “But after my brother left, he took all of his anger and frustrations out on me.”
“Why do you stay?” I whispered.
“Where would I go? I’ve had a plan for a while. Work my ass off in high school and hopefully land a scholarship.”
“Where do you want to go?” I asked staring at the blue sky as I stroked her hair.
“I don’t really want to get my hopes up or anything but I’d love to go to the University of Oklahoma.”
I grinned. This was perfect. “That’s where I want to go to. We’ll go together.”
“That sounds like a plan.”
“No really. We’ll do the whole dorm thing the first year and then we can get an apartment together after that.”
She laughed. “Maybe we shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves. Let’s just focus on today.”
“Fine,” I told her but I still couldn’t help but think about going away to college together. Thoughts of having an apartment together and coming home to her everyday made me excited about the future.
“Laying here in the sun makes me so hot. I wish the water wasn’t cold or I’d go jump in,” she said as she adjusted the way she was lying on me.
“You keep moving on me like that and I’ll show you hot…and bothered.”
“Oh, I don’t doubt it. Is sex all you think about?”
“No. You’re all I think about, but having sex with you does come up a lot.”
She slapped my chest and giggled.
I took my phone out of my pocket. I wanted to remember this perfect day with her. “Smile,” I said as I took a picture of us. I took several as I smiled at the camera with her and several as I kissed her.
“Why don’t we go inside and cool down? A nice long shower sounds really good. Don’t you think?” I asked.
“I think that sounds absolutely perfect,” she said but instead of getting up, she moved her hand lower on my body and I groaned. Fuck going in the house. I was going to have her right there on the hammock.
I pulled her mouth to meet mine and kissed her hard. She moaned inside my mouth which just spurred me on more. My hands couldn’t touch her enough. I needed to feel all of her body. I reached around to grab her butt when the hammock moved and we both toppled to the ground. “Are you okay?” I asked as I rolled to my back.
She giggled. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“You sure?” I asked enjoying that she was straddling me.
She giggled some more as I relished the sound. “I promise, I’m fine.”
I grasped the back of her neck, pulling her closer to me. “Then come here.”
“Right here in the daylight?” she asked looking around.
I chuckled. “We’re all alone. No one can see us.”
***
I threw her shirt at her as I picked up my clothes. “I really wish you could call in sick to work and spend the night with me.”
“I do too, but I need the money.”
“What are you saving for?” I was a trust fund child and had no problem buying her something.
“I’m not really. I mean, I guess I’m just making sure when I go to college I have some money. Most of it goes to my parents though.”
Anger flashed inside me. “What?”
“They need help with the bills.”
“Don’t take this the wrong way but how is that your problem? Maybe your dad could lay off the booze and he’d have a little extra for the bills.”
“I don’t want to fight about this. It is what it is, Hayes. We can’t all be lucky like you.”
I pulled her to me, wrapping my arms around her. “I’m sorry. I just want things to be easier and better for you. You don’t deserve those shitty parents.”
“Less than a year. We’ll go to college together and I’ll be away from them and never look back.”
“I really want to tell someone what’s going on. I don’t want you to deal with them another second let alone until August.”
“Please don’t.”
I didn’t understand. “Why not?”
“Because I’ll never see you again.”
“I’m sure they’d place you somewhere local,” I told her as I kissed her forehead.
“We better get going so I can get to work.”
We walked back to my house in silence as I thought about what she had just told me. I knew she had asked me not to tell anyone, but if I saw her bruised again, I’d have to tell someone. I loved her too much to let her keep getting hurt, inside or out.
