It had been four weeks since we were dragged home like naughty kids. Four weeks since Jamie and I had breakfast together. Four weeks since Callum told me to talk to her. And what have I done in those four weeks?
Hidden away.
I have avoided Jamie at every chance possible. She called my dad once and I wrote Mono on a piece of paper to avoid talking or seeing her.
She's texted me asking to come over, my message back was always the same. 'Can't Coop.' Either my dad needed help, I was training ready for when we go back to school or I was feeling ill. Shit excuses I know but... I'm a coward. After two weeks or so, she stopped calling, texting, facebooking... Complete silence.
Until.........
"Hey Dyl, what's going on?" I asked as I answered my phone.
"Dude, party at mine tonight. Gina's going to be there and she's dying to hook up with you." He sang down the phone.
"Um, I don't know." I hesitated.
"Look, I know you are avoiding Jamie so I haven't invited her. I haven't told the girls and Harry is under orders to do the same. She will not be here. So you in or not?"
"I'm in." Dylan cheered down the phone. "See you tonight." I cut him off as he started talking about how this will be the party of the summer. Maybe he's right. His house backs on to the beach, so the party will too I guess.
*****
Later that night, after a shower, I dressed in my 'lucky' jeans and a white button down shirt. After saying goodbye to my dad (who was enjoying a night without me) I got in my car and drove to Dylan's.
The party was already rocking. Jason Derulo's Don't Wanna Go Home was playing throughout the house. Dylan had a cousin in college who was Dj'ing. It's like the whole party was pleased to see me. Everyone stopped me to say hi. I finally pushed through the crowd into the kitchen and grabbed a beer from the freezer. Girls were running around in their underwear.
I spotted Dylan and Harry on the beach starting a bonfire. After saying hi to what seemed like our whole grade and more, I finally reached them. "What did I tell you man, party of the summer. And no sign of Jamie or the girls!"
We hooked up with a couple of girls that night before the party moved back on the beach. There were a couple of girls talking further down the beach who I didn't notice earlier. I staggered down there pleased I'd found them and not the guys. "Ladies, wanna party?" I knew I was slurring my words but who gives a fuck.
The girl in the middle didn't look at me. Her body was smoking. She was toned yet had the most amazing curves. She was wearing a black bikini top with a pair of shorts. "Baby girl you are so freaking hot, hmm... Let me take care of you." I whispered in her ear and slapped her ass. Slowly she turned around.
I was sober in an instant.
"Jamie!" It came out as a yelp. She glared at me.
"Maybe you should stop 'taking care' of girls. Mono sucks huh? Wouldn't want that again." Oh god she hates me. "Why have you been ignoring me?" She pushed me, hard! "Well!" She yelled. I turned to see Dylan and Harry acting like they don't know what's going on. "Your such a dick Trey." She shook her head and walked away.
I ran. To her. My legs just moved. I called her name. I called it again. She carried on walking. I passed a guy and grabbed his drink, downing it needing some dutch courage. "Coop wait!" She stopped suddenly. Her shoulders hitched. I knew she was crying. I knew it was my fault.
I walked to the front of her and wrapped my arms around her. "Please don't cry Cooper." I whispered in her ear.
"You hurt me Trey. You are my best friend and you have hurt me so much." She sobbed in my chest. My heart broke listenening to her quiet sobs.
I swallowed my pride and took a deep breath. "Coop, we need to seriously talk."
*****
We sat in my car. Dylan had my keys so we weren't going anywhere. It had been twenty minutes of silence. "So." She whispered. She hasn't looked at me since I pretty much dragged her back down the beach and through the house. "Let's talk."
"Jamie Rae Cooper. I have avoided you because I'm a coward. I'm scared of you. How you make me feel. How bad I am for you." She looked at me puzzled. "Coop. When I'm with you, you do something to me. You make my heart beat louder than anyone else. I'm scared of falling over my words. All I want to do all the time Coop, is just hold you and never let you go."
"Trey -" I put my finger on her lips.
"No girl has ever done this to me but you aren't other girls Coop."
"I love you." She blurted out, then looked away blushing. "I've loved you forever Trey." Her eyes met mine. Those beautiful, amazingly hot blue eyes. They sparkled as she began to smile. I brushed my fingers lightly on her cheek. She wrapped her slender fingers around my wrist. Then suprisingly, she kissed me. She pulled away for a second before I crashed my lips to hers.
I ran my tongue across her bottom lip, begging for entrance when she allowed. My hands never left her face. She ran her hands through my hair. She moaned a little, turning me on faster than anyone has ever done before. "Coop, we gotta take this slow." I whispered almost breathless when we finally pulled apart.
She nodded. Her fingers intertwined with mine as I pulled her into my chest. In that moment life was incredible. "Stay with me Coop." I whispered. She closed her eyes and nodded. We climbed into the back seat of the car. I wrapped my arms around her and closed my eyes.
*****
The next morning, a bang on the window woke me up. Dylan smirked holding a tray of coffee's from Starbucks. I smiled as I saw the most beautiful girl in the world asleep in my arms. "Hey Coop, Dylan has coffee."
"Two minutes." She mumbled as she snuggled further into my body. She fit me perfectly. "Coop, we need to get out of the car. Let's have a coffee and I'll take you home okay?" She groaned and reluctantly sat up. "You look beautiful." I opened the car door and for the first time in my life, I held out my hand to her.
We took our coffee's from Dylan once we were inside, and the teasing commenced. "Finally, so you spilled your guts huh? Mr lover lover." Harry grinned as Dylan shook his head. "Congrats you guys, took you long enough."
We ate breakfast and helped the guys clean the house as normal. Life was beautiful, my girl was beautiful. She put the last bag in the trash can and sighed. "I stink, I'm going to head home for a shower. Are you coming over later?" She smiled at me.
"You'll need SWAT to keep me away Coop. C'mon, I'll drive you home." I held her hand as we left the house. Being the reformed man that I am, I opened her door for her and held her hand as she climbed in. With a smile on my face I jogged round the car to my door. She was playing with the radio as usual when I sat down. "Jeez Coop, pick a song." I laughed, she does this all the time.
"Oh my god..." She said ever so slowly as we pulled up outside her house. A car I didn't recognise was outside. She smiled as she slowly climbed out of the car. Then she ran towards the house. She threw open the front door and let out an ear piercing scream. My heart stopped and I ran.
When I made it inside I let out a sigh of relief. She was doing the whole 'cheerleader bounce' jump of excitement with another girl. They looked kind of similar. "Trey, you remember Aunt Lucy?"
"Well well... Little Trey Lawler all grown up." Lucy did her evil grin thing that she's always had. She inched closer to me. I backed up until I hit the closed door. Shit, I'm trapped. That's when she pinched my cheek.
"Damn it, how could I forget. You tortured my face when we were kids." I batted her hands away from my face and jumped on the couch. "Nice to see you Lucy." It really wasn't. Flashbacks of torture came flooding back into my mind.
Lucy hadn't made it to her brothers wedding, she travels a lot writing for travel magazines. "So what have I missed?" She grinned as she followed Jamie into the lounge. "Except the wedding of course."
I noticed Jamie fidget with her hands, she's nervous. I laughed a little. My confident, perfect, popular, Coop was scared of telling her aunt about us. "I got a girlfriend." I said, relieving Jamie of the pressure.
"Please," Lucy snorted. "You mean you have an ass to tap this week?" I was shocked. Jamie looked away and mumbled something about needing to check on her brothers rabbit. "Jamie's kept me up to date with your sordid conquests Trey. We know you don't do girlfriends. Honestly, I shouldn't say this but...Jamie likes you."
Again I started to laugh as I shook my head. "Lucy, I'm a changed man. I've seen the error of my misbehavings. My girlfriend is the most incredible girl ever. And trust me, Jamie approves." I smirked. She still didn't trust me. "My girl, IS Jamie."
I stood up and walked outside into the sun. Jamie was talking with her neighbour over the fence. He had hold of his younger sister. Jamie stroked her cheek and made the young girl laugh. Coop would make a great mom someday. "Hurt her and you're a dead man Lawler." Lucy smiled as she stood next to me.
"Trust me, Coop is glass in my hands." She laughed at something her neighbour said then waved goodbye to him and the little girl.
"Hey Coop, I'm going to shoot, the guys are setting up a game." I kissed her cheek, not wanting to embarass her in front of here Aunt. She whispered she loved me and I grinned. I was a winner.
"Later Lucy." I pinched her cheek and ran. Paybacks a bitch.