FORCE | topper thornton

FOUR

I typed, then deleted, then retyped a message to Topper before finally deciding to send it.

"I had fun last night."

I chewed my lip anxiously, he read it almost instantly.

"It was just a show, McKenzie, don't get attached."

I could practically see the smug look on his face, what a jerk. I locked my phone, throwing it to the edge of my bed as I decided to have an unplugged day with my friends. I threw some clothes on, luckily my ankle felt a lot better, still sore but I was able to walk.

"Hey guys." I sighed walking into the chateau, sitting between Pope and Kie, "how'd the date go?" Kie questioned, playing with the bracelet around my wrist. "Well it went great, then I rolled my ankle, but then it got good again, like he was so sweet, then this morning he went back to being a dick again." I explained with an eye roll, Sarah and John B stood wrapped in each other's arms, looking at me with sad eyes. "That sucks." Pope spoke from beside me, nudging me with his shoulder, "sorry." He added, I gave him a soft smile, "it's fine, I should've known better." I answered truthfully, but that didn't make it hurt any less. "So, what's the plan for today?" I asked, breaking the awkward silence, "hmm boat day?" JJ suggested, emerging from the kitchen, a half moldy sandwhich in his hand, he took a bite and instantly spit it out. "Disgusting." He mumbled, shaking his head. I laughed, "boat day sounds good." I looked around the room everyone nodding in agreement, we got up, gathering whatever things we'd need for the day, somehow packing it onto the boat with all of us.

"Shit." I muttered seeing Topper coming by on his boat, his ridiculously over priced boat, that's really his mother's since she coughs up the money for it. "He's got a girl on there!" Pope whisper shouted making my eyes shoot in his direction, and sure as all hell, he had a girl practically glued to his side. I scoffed, I've seen her around, she's a regular summer tourist, she's definitely all beauty and no brains. "JJ, can I borrow you for a second?" I called, it felt like slow motion as he approached me, as soon as JJ reached me I wrapped my arms around his neck, his eyes went big. "Just go along please." I whispered as Toppers boat went by, his eyes fixed on me as I connected mine and JJ's lips. JJ didn't move, I pulled away once Topper was passed us, "thanks, J." I smiled at the blushing blonde, "uh yeah sure, you can do that anytime." He winked, I gently smacked his arm, "just this once will do." I laughed at his disappointed face. "That son of a bitch, I can't believe he had another girl with him." I sighed plopping down next to Pope who was reading a book, "that was the deal, remember?" He looked up from the soft cover book, meeting my eyes for a second. "You don't have to remind me." I rolled my eyes, sighing at the fact that he was completely right and I had no reason to feel like this. But I still did, and it hurt.

It's been a couple of weeks since that incident. "Mom, we agreed that you would stay out of our relationship." I sighed as I was laying on my bed, my mom trying to pry some information out of me, I was just as stubborn as she was, so this could go on for a while. "I know, honey, but you guys always look so cute together! I just want to know if he's treating you right? You two sure do look happy." She explained with a smile, it killed me to lie to my mom, but I did it anyways. "He's a real gentleman, mom, you'll be happy to know." I assured her with a smile. "Speaking of, that's him now, I should get going." I rushed hearing the doorbell ring, he comes once a week to get me, we leave and do our own thing, then he brings me home, all for show. "Have fun!" She called as I rushed down the stairs, I opened the door, surprised to see him standing there with flowers. I raised an eyebrow at him as I walked outside shutting the door, "what are these for?" I questioned, he's been awfully quiet lately, "for show, why else?" He muttered, handing me the bouquet, I held up a finger in a hang on motion. I ran inside and asked my mom to put them in water for me before rushing back outside. Topper gave me a soft smile, but I didn't reciprocate the action, "so where are you dropping me off this time, Topper?" I sighed climbing into the car before he could open the door for me, I chucked my bag in the backseat, I always bring a change of clothes and a swimsuit in case I decide to go to the beach. "I'm not leaving you anywhere, you're going to the beach with me." He explained, glancing at me for a second before returning his eyes to the road. "Why? Wanna attach another girl to your hip and make me watch?" I couldn't keep the words from coming out of my mouth, I gasped when he hurriedly pulled over on the side of the road. "I could say the same to you, McKenzie." It hurt that he called me McKenzie instead of his usual Kenzie, "kissing JJ? What the hell was that about?" He snapped, I flinched at his tone of voice, then my anger bubbles up. "I only did that because you had some bombshell wrapped around you, I was jealous is that what you want to hear?" I shouted, it sounded even louder in the closed in car, "yes!" He slammed his hand against the steering wheel. "Yes," he paused looking at me, a little more calmly this time, "I wanted to make you jealous, okay? I freaked out when I had such a good time with you on that date, I panicked and wanted to see if you felt the same."

He met my eyes, they were searching mine for a reaction, "of course I feel the same way! Topper I've thought you were hot for two years! But you always treated me like a piece of trash!" I snapped at him, his eyes went blank, like I had just knocked all the emotion out of them. But I was too fired up now to stop, "and it hurt, Topper. It hurt like hell, when you were so sweet to me that night, fuck! And the way you looked at me when you unzipped my dress, it was just the sexiest most intimate thing and then you went and-" he cut me off with a harsh kiss, his hands shooting to either side of my face. "What the hell?" I gasped once he pulled away, "I'm sorry, I'm such a dick to you." He muttered, leaning his forehead against mine, "when I helped you that night, normally I would be all over a girl if she was that open around me, that vulnerable, and damn don't get me wrong, the things I wanted to do to you, but I couldn't because I respect you too much, I feel different when I'm with you." He rambled, still in the same position. I nodded against him, "I feel different when I'm with you too, Topper, really. We need to take it slow, get to know each other really, okay?" I whispered, resisting the urge to kiss him again. "Like I can't kiss you slow, or spend hours talking while we hold each other slow?" He questioned, the difference between the two being huge. "The second one." I assured him, smiling against him when he kissed me.

"Can we still go to beach?" I questioned when he pulled back out onto the road, "of course." He answered with a smile, directing it towards me. I laced our fingers together as he drove, I kept sneaking looks at him as he drove down the road, the music playing softly, filling the silence. "You know, my peripheral vision is pretty good." Topper smirked as he pulled into the parking lot at the beach, "I would apologize but I don't even care." I sighed, reaching behind the seat digging out my swimsuit, the bathrooms were easily a mile away and I didn't feel like walking. "Can I change in the backseat?" I asked with a flushed face, "you can change right there, I don't mind." He smirked at me, I rolled my eyes and told him to get out as I climbed into the backseat. I changed as quickly as I could with the limited space. "Wow, look at you." Topper grabbed my hand as I stepped out of the car, he spun me around, "nothing you haven't seen before." I laughed at him, "doesn't mean it isn't just as exciting every time." He kissed the top of my head before pulling me towards the sand, "let's go." He whined like a little boy. "I'm coming." I mimicked his tone, following after him, "oh god, please tell me you didn't bring me here to hang out with them?" I sighed seeing Rafe and Kelce out on the sand, talking to some random girls who were just giving them the time of day. "No, I didn't know they were here." He glanced in their direction, "let's go this way." He started walking in the opposite direction, thankfully they didn't see us so we reached the more secluded side of the beach in peace. Then I saw him, Matthew Johnson, my ex boyfriend, aka the asshole who ruined me mentally for a year. Young love isn't always everything it's cracked up to be.