" That's him," I confess.
To be totally honest, I barely remembered the short lived fling between me and Caleb Moore. He was the guest guy that I ever had sex with. And from the bits I remember, he was good with his dick.
However, a round of seven minutes in heaven with Kyler had me wishing that he was my first and only experience with a male.
But no, that experience was with Caleb Moore. Judging by the smug grin on his face, he seemed to remember that night more vividly than I did.
Caleb Moore was fairly attractive. He was tall, and had a model-like essence to him. He came from a wealthy family, he was educated. Everything that a high woman in society would tell their daughter just before introducing her to a suitor, Caleb Moore would check off all of those boxes.
" Voodoo pussy," Ayanna echoed her words from last night as she stared at the contents in her champagne glass.
I shrugged and faced the girls, giving my back to Miles and Caleb. Hopefully they took the hint and would stay in their lane. That being far the fuck away from me.
Over the years, I had accomplished staying out of Caleb's line of eye sight at these events. I made sure to avoid any confrontation and re-opening that can of beans because frankly, Caleb was just an end to a means and that was it.
He was collateral. He was there at the right time.
He just wasn't the right person.
" Why the fuck are they walking over here?" Skylar squinted her eyes in disdain. I didn't have to turn around to know that she was talking about Miles and Caleb.
" I can just tell by his eyes all that his parents had to pay off a few girls because he "took" things too far." Out of the corner of my eye, I see Audrey shift uncomfortably in her stance at Rhegan's comment.
I turned to face her, seeing her with a balled fist and her nails dug into her palms. Noticing my gaze, she quickly relaxed her hands and smiled at me. I returned the smile but I still studied her, making sure that she was alright.
Sometimes when topics like that came up, she got a little antsy, her body language, and mood shifted. For a split moment, she would disappear. She was there, but she wasn't. I just hoped that she...
I hoped that she never had to experience it.
" Long time no see." My train of thought is interrupted by Miles' voice. It sent chills down my back, and not the good kind. His presence made me feel uncomfortable and I never could quite pin-point why that was.
Maybe Rhegan was right.
" Miles," I spun around on my feet, a fake smile that displayed my annoyance at his undesired presence. Oh his cologne was awfully loud and he looked as if he spent a little too much time in the sun. His skin was peeling and irritated and blotchy.
He needed to make a good investment in sunscreen instead of those wretched white claws.
" What do I owe the displeasure?" I took a sip of my mimosa to hide the slight satisfaction of seeing a hint of embarrassment and irritation flash through his baby blue eyes.
He looked like your average frat boy who spent more time on the waves and partying than hitting the books to become CEO of daddies company. This is exactly why I wanted to become CEO. To prove to my father that I was deserving of it. To prove to him that he didn't have to hand it down to me like Miles' father would have to.
He would drive that company into shame and bankruptcy.
" You spend a few weeks with an untalented NBA player and all of sudden you're too good for us," Miles tries to joke to cover the sting of my rejection of his weak advance on me.
Oh boy, this was going to be fun.
" I don't think, Miles," I tilt my head, giving him a slow glance over just to make him feel good about himself before I knock a chip off of his alpha male mentality. " I know that I am too good for you. Always have been. Always will be."
Miles's face turns a few shades darker than the red from his sunburn. I can tell that he is itching to call me every verbal insult that he can think of. But he knew better. My dad had much more pull and swing than his father. Insulting me was basically asking for his trust fund to be snatched away from him.
" You weren't too good for him when you spread your legs like a w-" Maybe I underestimated him. He crossed a line and my father was going to be hearing all about it.
Skylar made a show of stumbling, sending smiles who was standing a tad too close to the edge of the pool, flying backwards before he could finish the insult. Heads turned to see what the commotion was as Miles came to the surface.
" Opps," Skylar covered her mouth with her hands, not even bothering to hide her amused chuckle.
" You bitch!" He sputtered, standing on his feet. " You did that on purpose!" He pointed his finger at Skylar, angry.
Skylar shrugged, unfazed by his tantrum. " You looked like you needed to cool off since you were acting like a bitch in fucking heat," she coolly responded.
The girls and I couldn't hold back our laughter as Skylar, being the queen that she is, destroyed way more of Miles's ego than I intended. " Next time, show some respect instead of acting like a little bitch when a woman is clearly uninterested in your weak ass attempt at trying to get with her."
She went to turn around, but paused, looking over her shoulder at a stunned Miles. " And I'll make sure to tell my brother, you know, the " untalented" NBA player as you called him, all about this little encounter. If I were you, I would pray that you two don't bump into each other."
" I-I didn't know." He was shitting his pants.
Skylar smiles. " Well now you do, Chad. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a phone call to make."
I shamelessly chuckled as Skylar walked off with her phone in her hand. She sent me a wink as she walked off to the side entrance of the house and held the phone to her face.
I turned, ready to join her and speak to Kyler. I hadn't spoken to him all day. But before I could, a hand pulled on my shoulder and I mentally cursed.
" No hello." Obviously not.
Turning around, I crossed my arms over my chest and squinted my eyes, the sun blaring in my face. " Hello, Caleb. Goodby, Caleb," I smile and wave, turning on my heels again.
" Oh c'mon, Jora," he grabs me again, coming up to my front to block me from moving. " You can't tell me that you don't think about that night."
I lifted a brow, fighting the urge to scoff. Was he kidding me right now? Was he seriously wasting the time that I should be spending talking to Kyler to have this discussion? Was he not embarrassed?
" Caleb, you do not want to have this conversation with me right now," I sighed, rubbing my temples because I didn't know what was worse, my lingering hangover, or headache that was forming because these privileged pricks were being just that... privileged pricks that refused to take the hint that was screaming at them in bold
letters.
" Jora," Caleb begins. " I know that it was a long time ago. But I still think about that night. Don't you?"
Oh, bless his poor soul.
I pursed my lips, humming as I shook my head. "Wasn't worth remembering. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go speak to an " untalented" basketball player."
Part of me felt bad shooting Caleb down like that. But I wasn't going to add on to whatever hope that he held onto after a little fling. I mean, did he not fuck or have relationships after that night. If that we the case, that was pretty fucking pathetic.
The other part of me was not about to be harrassed to remember sex that I soon learned was mediocre after my first time with Kyler. And if I had to be a bitch about it to escape a conversation like that to do it, then so be it.
" You were my first!" He calls out.
Well fuck.
Turning around, I walked over to Caleb and slapped him. "Caleb, I'm going to need you to pull your big boy pants on and move on. You are a handsome guy and from what I remember, very funny."
Caleb held a hand to his face, confused yet he listened to me talk. " Stop hanging out with people like Miles. He's an asshole. Go out and find a girl worthy of your love and affection because I promise you, I am not that girl for you."
Caleb nodded his head. " O-okay."
Sighing, I smiled. And this time, it was genuine. " And you were my first too. I'll always remember that, Caleb."
Caleb smiles softly, his hand still pressed against his cheek. " That's nice to know," he says, turning on his heels. I watch as he walks away, but then pauses and looks over his shoulder. " See you around, Jora."
" See you around, Caleb." I waved, grateful that the conversation went better than expected.
Well, partially.
Sighing, I turned around and made my way over to the girls. Elizabeth made room for me next to Skylar and I popped my head into the frame, smiling brightly at my man.
My man. Mhmm. That sounded so nice even if he was so wrong for me.
" It's about time you come give me some attention," he grins as I flick him off.
" I gave you plenty of attention when you were here," I said, taking the phone out of Skylar's hand.
" Not enough," he quips.
" You left me," I pouted as he shook his head, smiling as a blush forms on his cheeks. He was so adorable when he wasn't being annoyingly cocky and sexy.
" I'm sorry, Cat. I'll make it up to you," he promises. " Next time, I'll make arrangements to bring you back with me if you aren't busy with school."
Moments like these, I wanted to say fuck school. Everyday, the void in my chest from his lack of presence hit me hard. He was with me or around me nearly everyday last year, and now, I had to depend on facetime calls and phone calls. They weren't doing it for me.
I craved more from him.
" I'd like that," I smiled, blushing as the girls teased me
because I was such a fool in love. He wouldn't be hearing that from me for a while though.
" Like?" Kyler jerks back, offended.
I rolled my eyes. " I'd love that."
He smiles, showing off his dimples and irritatingly perfect teeth. " That's much better," he nods, satisfied with my answer.
" How was your day?" I walk away from the girls to a swing underneath the gazebo and out of the sun.
Kyler stretches his body, showing me that he was shirtless. I could see the band of his boxers and the waistband of his gray sweats. " It was pretty chill. We had a day off today."
Which I'm sure that they spent half of in the gym instead of relaxing muscles that had already been put through the ringer the day prior. " And what did you do?" I asked, giving him a stare that told him to tell me the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
" We worked out." Junkies.
" Of course you did," I scoffed.
Kyler lifted the camera. " I have to keep this body that you love to lick and scratch intact. It's one of my best qualities next to my charming personality and dazzling smile."
I croaked out a laugh as I placed a hand under my chin and stared at the screen. " It is a nice physique," I egg on him as the cockiness begins to seep into his smile.
" I know, Catalina. I know." My smile didn't want to be hidden as I talked to Kyler. While he spoke, I studied and memorized every facial expression that he had made, every freckle that wasn't pixelated. He was gorgeous.
He was mine. He is mine.
And I didn't ever want to let him go.
Ever.
__________________
" I'm stuffed," Elizabeth groans as we walk through our front door.
" Good! That means you're good to drink!"
Elizabeth whines, holding her stomach as she walks over to the couch and plops forward. " Uh. I don't think I can drink again. My stomach feels like it's about to pop."
" Well then be sober with Audrey."
Elizabeth held a thumbs up in the air. " I'll be designated driver," she concludes, fine with being sober tonight.
Me, on the other hand, after a unexpected run in with my ex and an ex-fling the next morning, I needed all of the liquor that I could get.
I walked into the kitchen and headed towards the fridge, I grabbed a water bottle and popped open the cap before retreating to my room, needing a little unwind time to myself before we went out later. When I entered my room, I closed the door and threw my heels that were hanging off of my fingertips to the side somewhere, planning to pick them up later.
Sitting the water down on the bedside table, I began to undo my dress and change into something comfy. When I was in a pair of leggings and a hoodie, I walked over to my desk and sat down to open my laptop. I began to knock out a few assignments for my classes and started my thesis for a twenty page essay that was due next Friday.
I fucking hated essays.
They were so pointless. Why would you want to read twenty pages of bullshit and words? I know I wouldn't. I didn't even want to write it.
My fingers were aching by the time I closed my laptop a few hours later. I had gotten so into writing, that I completed five pages of the essay and when I looked at the time, I decided that I could get a quick nap in before we went out.
I laid my head down and grabbed my phone. My thumb clicked on Kyler's contact before I could process that I was calling him. Even though my eyes were growing heavy from lack of proper sleep and socializing for the majority of the day, I still managed to give him my best smile when he answered.
" You look tired, baby."
" Mm," I hummed, turning my head into the pillow. " I was just about to take a nap before we went out later."
Kyler frowned. " Are you sure that you want to go out?"
I yawned and nodded my head. " I just need a nap. Take one with me."
I wasn't asking.
A small smile grew on his lips. " Funny, I was just about to take one before you called."
I smiled softly. Sure he was.
I set my alarm for two hours from now, giving myself two hours to get ready.
" Are you going to dream of me, McKay?" My eyes were fluttering shut and I could hardly hear what I was saying. But I heard him loud and clear before I slipped off into a deep sleep.
" I dream of you every night, Catalina."
________________
" Be serious for once and stop thinking with your dick, as magnificent as it is, and help me?" I whined, stomping my foot at Kyler's need to act like a raunchy teenage boy instead of helping me pick out my outfit.
Instead, he smirks and bends his arm behind his head.
" So it's magnificent now? No longer a shrimp?" He eggs me on, reminding me of my favorite insult to use when he needs humbling, but somehow it had the opposite effect.
He and I both knew that the ... thing between his legs was not a damn shrimp.
It definitely wasn't.
" Earth to Jora," Kyler calls out, his voice teasing because he knows where my mind has drifted off too.
Fuck him.
" All denim?" I clear my throat and hold up the hanger with the denim corset and matching mini skirt. " Or," I hold up this gray set. A one shoulder top with an asymmetrical cut out and a matching mini skirt. " All gray."
" Denim." He doesn't even spare the gray outfit a glance.
I was such a whore for a corset top. They just made my boobs look extra perfect and lifted. Boobs were the best.
" Good boy!" He made the right choice.
I walked away from the camera and dropped my towel. "Where'd you go?" He called out.
I poked my head back into the camera, holding my hands over my breast and smiled. " You are on a time-out my friend."
Kyler's jaw slackened and he gasped in outrage. "W-was I n-not on a time out when you let me- or when we were in the shower?"
My smile widened as at his flabbergasted expression. "You were but I was feeling generous."
" This is... this is blasphemous behavior, Jora."
" Whatever you say big brain," my tone is full of laughter as I walk out of the camera frame and proceed to get dressed while he sulks like a child.
When I was dressed, I grabbed my phone, seeing him waiting there for my return like a lost puppy. " You are a cruel woman, Jora Catalina Marie Sanchez," he squinted his eyes, bottom lip poked out.
" Don't give me reasons to be cruel then," I wink, hoping that the deliverance of my comment was taken as a joke.
" Touché, Cat, touché," he grins, taking it with a grain of salt.
As I run around my room rampant, I listen to his horrible wailing to a SiR song. " Kyler, baby," I speak a little louder than needed because he swears up and down that he has a grammy worthy voice. Newsflash: A dying cat sounds better than him.
" I'm going to need you to do me a favor and stop screeching at the top of your lungs. My neighbors will call the cops."
Kyler sucks his teeth. " Stop playin'. I sound angelic."
In what universe? Certainly not this one.
" Keep dreaming," I muttered to myself, running my hands through my curls to make them look a little messy.
" Huh?" He pulled the phone closer to his face, showing me that he had porelwas fucking skin in his t-zone. How the fuck?
" I said dream big, baby!" I cheesed for him, opening my eyes to see the notification that he had taken a screenshot. He hums to himself, satisfied.
" Ms. Perfect."
Kyler was saying all of the right stuff. He always did.
But what he lacked was action.
This time would be different.
Kyler and I had the most random conversations while I finished getting ready. He asked me why I liked cool ranch doritos better than Nacho. I told him that there was always that one specific chip in the bag that was packed with seasoning and I always looked forward to finding it.
" Why fruity pebbles?" I asked as I began doing the ri fishing touches on my make up.
" They remind me of my childhood. That and I like when the cereal turns foggy and you suck all of the milk off of the spoon. It's the best cereal out there," he sighs, as if he can taste the cereal milk on his tongue.
" Lies!" I debunk his claims. " Frosted Flakes all the way!"
" Alright!" Kyler sits up tall, " I've heard enough. This conversation is over." I threw my head back in laughter as he shook his head, disappointed.
Standing up from my vanity chair, I walked over to my shoes and pulled out a pair of strappy, white heels that tie around the leg. " Okay!" I sighed, standing up with my hands on my hips. " How do I look?"
Another screenshot notification pops up.
" Gorgeous. Beautiful. Perfect. Mine. All of the above," he showers me with compliments, making my entire body blush. I couldn't help but get a little shy as I walked out frame to find a bag, hiding the growing smile that would stop.
" Nah! Nah! Come back to the camera, JoJo. Show me that smile," he demands.
" No." I deadpanned.
" No." He repeats, sounding like Mother Gothel.
" Somebody has been watching too much Tangled." I joke, popping back into the frame once I have everything that I need.
" Haha," Kyler chuckled dryly.
Brushing off his sarcasm, I grabbed the phone and blew him a kiss. " I've got to go before one of them breaks my door off of my hinges. I'll call you when I get home," I promised.
" Facetime, please and thank you. Have fun and be safe, baby," he waved goodbye, blowing me a kiss as well before we hung up.
Baby. I melt, holding my phone to my chest as I stare up at the ceiling. I missed him. Oh fuck did I miss the idiot.
Inhaling a deep breath, I grabbed my purse and spun in my heels. " Espresso martinis, I am on the way!" I pranced out of my room, ready to repeat all the same mistakes that I made the previous night!
" Oh! She's downstairs on time so we can pre-grame!" Rhegan yelled from the kitchen. I entered, seeing her making spicy margaritas rather than shots.
" Ou, what do we owe the pleasure of having the famous spicy margaritas to be brought out for tonight." The same spicy margaritas that caused a night that sent us spiraling down a path of amnesia. All that I remember is taking one sip of those margaritas and then the next morning I was accompanied by a bucket of rocket road in my arms.
That was a night.
" Drink up!" Rhegan cheers, filling my glass to the rim.
" Cheers sluts! We have to live our last year of college like it's our freshmen year all over again!" Skylar lifts her glass in the air.
" Cheers!" I grin, wanting to do it all over again.
Honestly, I had such an amazing college experience with these girls and I didn't want it to end. I wanted to hit reset on the clock and do everything all over again. These girls had changed my life in more ways than one.
" Enough with the sentimental crap," Sade spoke. " We have another semester left before we tear up and start walking down memory lane. Let's go get fucked up to the point that we have to get kicked out of clubs and freaking IV drip bags tomorrow. Let's outdo our freshmen year bitches!"
Screw it.
" Let's go get shitfaced!" I cheered.
_________________
The next morning, I woke up passed out on the couch and the taste of throw-up in my tongue. My hair was matted to my face and my contacts were still in. I lifted my body off of the couch but immediately regretted it as the room started to spin and throw up was ready to come back up.
I was prepared to run to the bathroom until I saw a trashcan next to me with a fresh bag already inside. I hunched over, throwing up into the bag as tears formed in my eyes, burning from the smell. " Aw, JoJo."
Hands held my hair back as I gagged into the trash can, wanting to stop but it just kept coming back up.
" Oh God. What happened last night?" I cried into the trash can, hearing ruffling from beside me.
" Well..." That was never a good sign.
" We got kicked out of two clubs last night and banned for six months from one. Skylar fell down a flight of stairs going to the bathroom. She's fine though. Ayanna and Rhegan, nearly got into a fight."
" Let me guess," I grumbled. " That was why we got kicked out?"
Elizabeth shakes her head. " We got kicked out because you flashed the security gaurd your asscheeks after he accused you of being a " belligerent" drunk. You told him and I quote..."
" To kiss my fat ass and get a good look because the only action that he sees is from pornhub." Yeah, that must've been an ego bruiser.
" You also told him that he looked like he needed help
from the little blue pill to get his already less than average dick up."
" He must've been a dick." That was the only answer to my behavior.
" Yeah. It was an interesting night to say the least," Lizzie sat on the edge of the couch and checked the time. " IV drip appointments are in two hours so I think we need to get you girls up and ready."
After fighting tooth and nail to get a hangover Skylar up and in the shower, I went into mine and took a nice, long hot shower. I washed the stench and remnants of throw up out of my hair, immediately starting to feel better. When I got out, I did my extensive skincare routine step-by-step to ensure that I looked better than I felt.
By the time I was ready, I was dressed in a light-grey workout set and some sneakers. I was running my hands through my wet hair as I stood in front of the fridge, filling my stanley cup up with ice and water. I needed all the hydration that I could get today.
In the midst of getting myself mentally prepared for the hell that I was going to go through today, my phone chimes with an alert.
I opened it and froze.
" What the fuck!" Not again.
My phone rang. His name flashing across my screen.
And I answered. " What the fuck, Kyler!"
" Before you start, let me explain!" He pleaded.
Explain? Explain?
He always needs to explain and I was so sick of it.
" No. I'm done. We're done. It's over. Fuck you!"
" Ba-"
" Fuck you! I hope the night out with your boys was fucking worth it! Fuck you!" I sniffle, wanting this to be a nightmare.
Please let it just be a nightmare and I wake up happy.
I just wanted to be happy.
With him.
Why couldn't that happen? Why did I always get the short end of the stick? What went wrong?
Maybe I should've heard him out. But I just couldn't. The pain filling up in my chest just wouldn't allow me to.
Did I make a mistake forgiving him so soon?
Ahahaha... it's or what you think.
Jora and Kyler's book is going to be about healing their relationship. And this is where the healing begins.
Don't be too mad! All will be explained next chapter!!
I love youuuu, alexis
Jora's fits