Tucker
"Did that motherfucker show up at school today?" my eldest brother, Fuller, asked. I smirked as I pulled a slice of pepperoni pizza from the pie. The mozzarella was gooey and stretched across the table to my paper plate, stained with grease from the previous cuts.
"Nope," I admitted proudly.
"You're welcome," Colton mumbled around his pizza. "We fucked him up," he bragged.
"To be fair. I didn't ask y'all to do that," I reminded them.
"We know, but you're our little brother. If someone fucks with you, then they fuck with us all," Colton commented.
"Too bad we didn't get to meet the girl," Fuller commented.
"What do you mean?" I asked curiously.
"We sent Jezebel a text asking to meet up," Fuller explained.
"Why do you look so constipated? Is the pizza getting to you already?" Colton asked.
"I'm not constipated. I'm confused. Why the hell would you text her?"
"Relax, Tuck. We just wanted to meet her and see what all the fuss was about," Fuller said. I wanted to believe him, I really did, but the smirk on his face created reasonable doubt. It didn't help that Colton couldn't look me straight in the eye.
"Yeah. If you're gonna be getting your ass kicked over some bitch then she better be fucking worth it," Colton added.
"When are you going to tell Ma and Pa about her?" Fuller asked before slurping down the remainder of his fizzing Coke. I shrugged my shoulders.
"Don't wait too long. You know they're gonna want to meet her," Colton mentioned. I had to hold myself back from squirming in my seat under their watchful gaze. Jezebel meeting our parents would be nearly impossible.
Scratch that. They might meet her, but they won't like her.
Jezebel Holmes didn't fit my parents' vision of who I should have as a partner. She wasn't the right skin color, and they'd never approve. I should give up pursuing her. It would be the right thing to do.
"I'd introduce her if we were a couple," I lied. "But Erik's an issue, and she's playing hard to get."
"I hate when bitches do that," Colton commented with a scoff.
"Agreed. They're all fucking cock teases. It doesn't matter, though. I'm sure I'll find something to keep me preoccupied for a little bit at the Halloween party. That Ashlynn chick is coming, right?" Fuller asked.
"Most likely," I confirmed.
"Cool. I heard she gives super head," he commented, darkly chuckling at his statement.
"Super? Nah, it's passable, but nothing to write home about."
"Are you gonna invite Jezebel to the party?" Colton asked.
"I'll invite her, but I doubt she'll come. That's not really her scene," I explained.
"Why?" Fuller questioned. Colton shoved him.
"Remember Tucker said she was super Christian or something?"
"Oh, that's right. She dresses like she's from Little House on the Prairie or some shit, right?" Fuller asked.
"Yep. That's Jezebel."
"And I bet she's a freak, too. That's how those quiet Christian girls are. They're all closeted freaks," Fuller exclaimed before snagging another slice of pizza.
"True. It has to do with them repressing their sexual nature and...."
I stopped listening to Colton's theories about Christian girls and their repressed sexuality and focused on my next move. I looked up from my pizza when the bell above the door rang, alerting the arrival of a new customer. My mouth and my pizza dropped on the table at the same time. I repeatedly blinked, knowing my eyes were playing tricks on me.
"No fucking way," I whispered.
"What the hell is your problem?" Colton asked. Fuller turned around in the booth and nearly gasped.
"Shit. She's so fucking hot. I know we aren't supposed to color outside the lines, but I'd make an exception for her. I'm gonna go get her number," Fuller announced, wiping his greasy fingers on a crisp white napkin.
"No, you can't fucking do that," I nearly yelled.
"Why the hell not?" he challenged.
"That's Jezebel."
My brothers' eyes widened in shock.
"That's Jezebel?" Colton asked in disbelief. I nodded solemnly. "Tuck, you gotta be pullin' our leg. Come on. That can't be her. She don't look nothing like Little House on the Prairie."
"I-it is her. S-she doesn't dress like that at all. She wears her hair in two afro puffs on her head. She doesn't wear makeup or jewelry. Her dresses are long, and she wears white stockings and Keds."
Fuller elbowed Colton. "She got him stuttering," he joked.
"I don't blame him," Colton said, groaning when Jezebel flipped her waist-length hair over her shoulder as she approached the ordering counter. "I know it's not just me, but did it seem like she was walking in slow motion?"
"Definitely not just you. With a pair of lips like that, I know she can do some damage."
I tuned out my brothers while I drank in Jezebel Holmes. Hot wasn't even the word to describe her. Scorching was more fitting, but I didn't even think that did her justice. Her midriff tank top and skirt did wonders showing off her womanly figure, and I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't seeing things when I noticed the glint of a belly button piercing. What I loved the most about her makeover was the homage to her true self. Those white knee-high stockings had my dick springing to life. She was still Jezebel Holmes.
"Are you going to talk to her or keep staring at her like an idiot?" Fuller asked.
"Yeah, make a move, little bro, or we will," Colton warned.
"Stay away from her," I snapped, earning devious smirks from the fraternal twins.
"Go on then," Colton urged.
I inhaled a deep breath and slowly approached the counter where she deliberated over the menu items. I cleared my throat behind her, stealing her attention. I nearly melted when she looked over her shoulder at me. She peered at me with her brown doe eyes, and surprisingly, she blessed me with a small smile, giving me the confidence I needed.
"Jezebel?"
"Tucker?"
"Um...what are you doing here?" I asked uneasily.
"It's a pizza place. What do you think I'm doing here?"
I chuckled awkwardly as I rubbed my hands together. "Right...right. Um...you look...different."
She turned around and fully faced me. I used all of my willpower to keep my eyes on her face when she folded her arms underneath her chest, boosting her ample breasts in the air.
"Different good or different bad?" she asked softly.
"Different good. You look really...really...good. W-why did you change your clothes, if you don't mind me asking?"
"I didn't like how I dressed, and my father isn't around anymore telling me what to do."
Her father isn't around? What does she mean by that?
"Your father's not around?"
"He's in a skilled nursing facility."
"Oh, shit. What happened?"
"He passed out and fell down the stairs. His injuries were severe, and he'll be in the facility for six months."
"Damn. I'm sorry, Jezebel. He seemed like a really nice guy when I met him." She snorted. "I guess not?"
"You'd be guessing correctly. My father is not a "nice guy.""
"Fuck him, then, if that's the case."
"Agreed. Is the pizza good here?"
"Um, yeah. It's really good."
Jezebel cocked her head to the side. "Can you say anything else besides um?" she teased.
I laughed uneasily. "I'm sorry if I'm a little tongue-tied, but I'm still having difficulty processing this is you."
Jezebel dropped her arms and took a step closer to me. She sucked her thumb in her mouth and wiped below my bottom lip. Out of instinct, I licked the spot, swiping at the saliva she left behind.
"Pizza sauce," she explained.
"Right. Thank you," I said, blushing. If I had a mirror, I'd see that I was redder than a stop sign. I had it bad for Jezebel Holmes. I was damn near sweating.
Lies. My armpits are sweating like a sinner in church.
"You're welcome. Hold that thought," she said once her cell phone rang. She answered it and placed it on speaker. "Hello?"
"Bitch, what the fuck is taking you so long?!"
My fists clenched. There was no mistaking Erik King's putrid voice booming from the speaker.
"I-I'm sorry, but I'm trying to decide what to order. I asked you what you wanted, but you ignored me. I like Hawaiian. Will that work?" Jezebel asked in the softest tone I'd ever heard her speak in.
"You know. I didn't think you could get any stupider. What goes on a Hawaiian pizza, Jezebel?"
At that point, tears were falling from her lids.
"S-sauce, cheese, h-ham, and—"
"And what?" he interrupted.
"And pineapple."
"That's right. Pineapple. I'm fucking allergic to pineapple, you dumb bitch! Are you trying to kill me?"
"N-no. It was an honest mistake. I promise."
"Forget it. I don't want pizza anymore. Come back."
"But, Erik. I want pizza," Jezebel protested.
"I don't give a fuck. Get your fat ass back here," Erik yelled before hanging up in her face. She stared at her phone in disbelief. I couldn't believe it myself. But I had no room to talk, especially since I'd disrespected and bullied Jezebel for years. In the past, I'd always made fun of her weight. She was thicker than the other girls, but that didn't make her any less beautiful.
"Does he always talk to you like that?" I waited patiently for her response while she wiped away her tears, careful not to smudge her makeup.
"No. Not really. I mean...he was always rude and a meanie, but something happened to him the other day, and he's a completely different person."
"What do you mean something happened to him the other day?" I asked, playing stupid.
"I don't actually know. I saw him after school, and it looked like he was hit by a truck or something. I tried asking him, and he told me to shut up and mind my business. He's been so mean since then. If I had to guess, Erik finally met his match, and they kicked his butt."
"Sounds like it. The motherfucker deserves it."
"Language, Tucker."
"I'm sorry," I apologized quickly.
"It's okay. I forgive you. I gotta get going. I don't want him to call back and say mean things to me."
"Why don't you break up with him?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. He can be really sweet and nice sometimes."
"Jezebel, he's emotionally abusing you. You shouldn't take that from him," I said, trying to reason with her. She sucked in her mouthwatering bottom lip and released it with a pop.
"So, you're saying it's only right for you to emotionally abuse me but not anyone else?"
I sighed and scrubbed my hands over my face. "No, that's not what I'm saying, Jezebel. I've been trying to apologize for my behavior for the last six years. It was childish, and you didn't deserve the mistreatment. And if I'm honest, I don't know how I'll ever make it up to you."
She nodded.
"I hear what you're saying, Tucker, and I appreciate that you're apologizing, but I hope you realize it's going to take time to earn my forgiveness."
"Yeah, I get it. I got a lot of fucking making up to do."
"Language," Jezebel reminded me.
I rolled my eyes. "Erik can curse, but I can't?"
"Erik is a lost cause. It's like they say, you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Are those your brothers over there?" she asked, pointing her chin out in their direction. I looked and found them hanging on our every word from across the pizza parlor.
"Yeah, that's them."
"I wish I could meet them, but I really have to get going. Have a good night."
She started walking towards the exit when a thought came to me. I raced after her and skidded in front of her. "Hey, real quick. You've missed some classes. Do you need help getting caught up? I don't mind sharing my notes with you or explaining what you missed."
Her eyebrows slid to the top of her forehead. "Are you offering to tutor me?"
"Kinda sorta, yeah. We went over some shit-stuff in chemistry that was a little confusing. Maybe I can come over some time this week?" My eyes were drawn to her breasts again when she clasped her hands behind her back and rocked back and forth on her heels.
"I...I think I'd like that. I didn't mean to fall behind, but life has been a little crazy."
"Cool. Can I get your number in case you have any questions?"
"That's nice of you to offer. Depending on how complicated the new stuff is, I might have a few questions. Are you ready?"
"Go ahead."
One minute, I was plugging in her phone number, and the next, she was waving at my brothers as she left the restaurant. I returned to the booth and plopped down in my seat.
"What I tell you? Closeted freak," Fuller said.
"You might be onto something, bro," I murmured as I stared at her contact. I rattled off a quick text with my name so she'd have my number. She responded a few seconds later.
Jez: I'll save your number. Hey, I'm thinking about going to the football game this Friday. Can you tell me where to get tickets?
Tucker: I can, but that depends.
Jez: Depends on what?
Tucker: Are you coming to cheer for me?
Jez: I'm not a cheerleader. I'll save that for Ashlynn and them.
Tucker: You'd be so much better at it than them.
Jez: I'm glad you think so, but I'm just trying to enjoy my senior year, you know? I've never been to a football game before.
Tucker: For sure. If you want, I have an extra ticket with your name on it.
Jez: Really?
Tucker: Yes.
Jez: Aw. That's so sweet of you, Tucker.
"The fuck are you smiling so hard for?" Colton asked.
"Are you dumb? He's obviously speaking to Jezebel," Fuller commented.
"Tell her to send nudes."
"Go to hell, Colt," I spat.
"Fuck you. It was just a joke. I don't know why you're trying to fall in love with her in the first place. It's not like you can date her," Colton said, putting things in perspective for me again. It was true. Our parents would disapprove of Jezebel, but that wouldn't stop me from trying.
04/08/2023
Author's Corner
Whoops! I forgot to update yesterday.
Next update 04/22/2023
Happy Easter!