The boardwalk at night was truly a beautiful sight that I figured I would never get used to. Even after living here for nineteen years of my life, I still found the bright lights and streets teeming with people of all backgrounds one of the most interesting things to see. You would walk past girls in bright pink with blonde hair pulled back, high heels stuck on their feet, and then you would pass by another girl only this time wearing a flashy all-black outfit with her hair spiked and messed up in every directions. Boys ranged from cocky surfer boys that loved to terrorize people to goth-punk ones who would kneel so children could touch their jackets. Everyone came to Santa Carla, it seemed.
My eyes ran over everyone easily, taking in everything with wide eyes. It seemed that I barely had time to be out on the boardwalk anymore, and it was crazy to me every time.
Marko still had his arm around my waist, and I was slightly thankful for it because there had been a few times where I had forgotten what I was supposed to be doing and tried to walk off in a different direction. Thankfully, he was there to pull me back, laughing every time about how 'I paid less attention than Paul.' I'm guessing I'll be meeting this Paul, and we can zone out together.
I leaned a bit against Marko as I heard a voice call out his name. I turned to see the three boys from the other night, though I hadn't been able to truly take in the other two.
One was another blonde while the other was a brunette. The blonde seemed to be the most confident as he leaned against the railing of the boardwalk, not paying the slightest attention to us. He had a mullet of sorts that looked unnaturally blonde, almost like the tips of my hair were. He was wearing all black and multiple layers. He had on a t-shirt, a leather jacket, and then either a tuxedo jacket or a trench coat, I couldn't tell. He was also wearing a pair of jeans and tall boots like the blonde from before's.
Next to him was a boy who was darker than the others like he came from native American descent. He wasn't wearing a shirt at all, but he wore a black leather jacket, jeans, and boots like the others. A tooth from an animal dangled from his ear, and I took note of the fact that all the boys had an earring dangling from their left ear, something I hadn't even looked at earlier.
"Marko!" It had been the blonde from the second night who had called out. He was grinning ear-to-ear, and he opened his arms. I could make out a joint lit in his hand that seemed to be on its last leg. "Where'd you go, dude?"
Marko grinned and hugged me closer to his side before letting go completely, pushing me towards the guys in front of us. "I went to go get this girl right here."
At that sentence, the leader looked toward us and locked eyes with me. He faltered for a second before a smirk slid across his face. "And who might this be?"
"I'm Evangeline." My voice was so quiet compared to Marko and the blonde's at the moment, but it seemed that the leader was a bit thankful for it. He probably had to deal with them yelling quite a bit, it seemed.
The blonde laughed and pulled me forward, throwing his arm around my shoulder like Marko had done before. "That's quite a mouthful. You got a nickname, girl?"
I shrugged. "Not really. People just call me Evangeline."
Marko scoffed and crossed his arms. "Excuse you. I have been calling you Angel!"
"You've called me Angel twice! I didn't think it'd be a recurring thing. I'm sorry," I retorted, rolling my eyes a bit, laughing so he knew I was joking.
"Angel's cute. I can dig that." I rolled my eyes, turning to the other two who hadn't talked much. The brunette seemed to be analyzing me, his eyes roaming over every inch of me, though I couldn't find it in myself to care. I wasn't sure what he was looking for, so I ignored it. The blonde was watching as well, but he seemed a bit more amused, the smirk still on his face.
Why did everyone in this group have to be so hot?
"So," I started, turning to the blonde with his arm around my shoulder. "Do you guys have names or am I going to have to keep calling you dumb things in my head?"
Blondie laughed a bit, and I watched as he took another drag from his joint before dropping it on the ground. Damn, I should've asked for some. "My name, beautiful, is Paul. Pleasure to be of your service," he teased, cracking another grin.
I turned to the other two. "My name's David, sweetheart," the leader spoke. I was going to melt into a puddle if he called me that again.
"And I'm Dwayne." I did not expect for his voice to be as deep as it was, but it was definitely a nice surprise.
I mumbled their names quietly, trying to put it to memory. Paul shook her from her thoughts by squeezing her shoulder a bit. "How'd you meet my boy, Marko?"
"He walked into my shop and invited me out," I motioned to the bouquet in Marko's hand.
"A flower shop? That's cute," Paul stated, laughing as I swatted at his arm. He let me go, and I moved back to Marko. He immediately wrapped his arm around my waist, and I rolled my eyes. If the other two are as touchy-feely as these two were, I was either going to feel very annoyed or very appreciated. I guess I would find out soon.
David spoke next, curiosity laced in his voice. "How do you keep a flower shop open in Santa Carla of all places?"
I figured the answer was pretty simple. "Easiest gift for the grieving. Flower shops thrive in places like this."
"And how come I've never seen you before?" David crossed his arms, leaning forward a bit as if he was trying to intimidate me.
"Keep your head down here, and maybe someone won't end up buying flowers for you," I replied. "I've lived in Santa Carla my whole life. I know my way around."
David seemed to like that answer, so he leaned back again, nodding his head toward Marko. I guess I had passed a test of sorts.
"Damn, Angel," Paul yelled. "That's hella dark."
I grinned at him and shrugged. "You gotta be dark sometimes, dude." Paul shrugged, and I watched as he fumbled around his jacket pockets before pulling out another joint and lighting it. "Can I get some of that?"
Paul coughed loudly as he pulled away, looking at me with wide eyes. "You smoke?"
"On occasion. Used to all the time in high school, but I don't have any connections now."
Paul grinned his broad grin and handed it over, watching as I took a long drag before handing it back. I felt the familiar tingling run through my body, and I breathed it out slowly, watching it with ease. "If you keep pulling out surprises like that, girl, I might just become your new best friend," he paused for a second, "or more." He shook his shoulders a funny way, and I giggled loudly. If I thought being around Marko made me feel like a schoolgirl, it was nothing compared to being around all of these boys.
"So," I dragged out, turning to look at Marko, the boy only slightly taller than me, "what are our plans for the night?"
"We were going to go back to our place, but we could do something else if you prefer," David drawled out. I turned to see his eyes trained on me, an easy grin on his face.
I hummed and leaned against Marko a little more. "I don't mind either way."
"Well then, princess, let's go," David stated, climbing onto his bike. Marko pulled me over to his with ease. He climbed on and then turned to help me. I got on only to pause for a second. "Hey, what about my bike?"
Marko huffed for a second. "I'll drive you over, and you can grab it."
"Don't worry, girlie! We'll wait on you," I heard Paul yell from his bike. I laughed at him and wrapped my arms around Marko.
"Give us a second," I yelled as Marko gunned it down the boardwalk, moving through the people with ease that I couldn't comprehend. He didn't have a care in the world.
The drive was only a few seconds long, and I quickly jumped off and unchained my bike. I wrapped the chains around the back of my seat that I didn't touch and turned on my bike, watching as it purred. I turned to Marko and nodded. He grinned and moved through the crowd, this time a bit slower so I could follow.
We arrived back at the boys, and I watched as David and Dwayne gave my bike an approving look while Paul burst into cackles. "It's like you were made for us, girl!"
"Maybe I was," I joked, winking at him.
Paul cackled again, and David revved his engine. "Let's go, boys and girl," David called off, and then he was off, moving faster than Marko had. I grinned at the challenge and followed the boys, jumping down the stairs like I had done plenty of times when Marigold was on the back of my bike. I followed them easily, having run up and down the beach with my bike multiple times. It had only been after we raced through the forest that I had to pay attention. I didn't know this area as well. The keep out and beware signs had kept me from riding through the area, and it was a lot foggier than the rest of the place. I took to staying near Paul, not near the front, but definitely not near the back. The boys slowed to an easy stop and cut their engines, so I followed, looking around the area.
I pursed my lips and walked toward Paul, holding my hands behind my back. "You guys plan on killing me or something?"
"Or something," Paul responded, laughing with me. "Nah, we wouldn't do that to you. You're too cool."
"Well, thank you so much. You're just a knight in shining armor."
"No offense," Marko butted in, walking up next to us, "but he would be a pretty shitty knight. Now, come on, princess, we should get inside."
Marko grabbed my hand, and I followed him toward the right side of the cliff where a set of stairs resided. Marko began walking down them easily, but I paused, hearing the rushing waves beneath the rickety wood. "Okay, I may be crazy for coming with you guys, but I am not walking down these stairs."
Marko rolled his eyes jokingly, stepped back up, bent down, and pulled me over his shoulder. I screamed loudly, my legs flailing. "Marko, put me down right now!"
"Oh, calm down, princess. I'm not going to drop you," I stated as he began descending the stairs.
"Somehow, I really do not believe you," I yelled, trying not to flail as much as I was aware that my underwear could be put on display if I moved too much. My bra, on the other hand, was a lost cause. My upper half was completely upside down which meant my shirt had ridden up to expose the lacy and revealing fabric. I cursed myself for ever feeling pretty. This outfit had been nothing but a mistake, it seemed.
Marko let out a loud laugh, and I felt him descend the final steps. I laid limp against his shoulder, whimpering weakly. "Can you put me down now?"
"Well, if you insist," Marko drawled out, bending down so I was on my feet again. I quickly fixed my shirt, ignoring the looks from the boys and the loud wolf whistle from Paul.
"Wow, you wear that just for me?" Paul yelled out.
I raised an eyebrow jokingly, placing my hands on my hips. "Oh, of course. I totally knew I was going to meet you, so I wore it specifically for you."
Paul laughed and sat down on one of the couches. The area surrounding me was as beautiful as the boardwalk, but it was a different beautiful. The place was littered with everything you could imagine and lit by candles and large burning barrels. Tapestries and posters hung up everywhere, beat down furniture made for comfort, and there seemed to be a bed or two in the back, though they didn't look like they had been used all too much. There were a lot of artistic stuff lying around. Sketchpads and pencils of all kinds scattered the floor, two or three guitars of different kinds were sitting around, and I could make out a collection of books and vinyls on the far wall. It looked like somewhere I imagined them living.
Paul broke me out of my daze as he yelled out again. "I don't know who else you would wear it for."
I hummed a bit. "Probably for my girl. Maybe I planned on seeing her tonight before I got dragged away by you guys.
Paul's laughter sounded a bit harsher next. "That that girl you were with last night? You guys girlfriend-girlfriend or something?"
I shrugged a bit, falling onto the couch beside him as I met David and Dwayne's eyes who were staring at me while they listened intently. "More like friends with benefits. It's nothin' more than fun most of the time." I stretched across the couch, popping my back before falling into the oddly comfortably cushions, my legs on Paul's lap.
"Most of the time," Dwayne prodded. I looked up in surprise. He didn't seem to really say much, did he?
I nodded. "Can't say I haven't wanted to be more than her, but she's a free spirit, and I can't stop her. So, we just fuck."
Dwayne seemed caught off guard by my language. I turned to Marko who looked curious and a bit jealous at the same time. "How does that even work?"
"Toys. Fingers. Mouths. You never seen two girls do it?"
Marko shrugged. "Not really my thing."
Paul tapped my legs. "Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait." He paused for a second like he had forgotten the question before popping back. "Who's the dude when you do that?"
I laughed a loud laugh that seemed to bounce off the walls with how loud it was. It wasn't even that funny of a question, but he seemed so curious and concerned. "Normally, it's her. She likes to be the dude. I cannot top. I'm way too self-conscious."
"So you like being dominated," Paul teased, dragging me closer to him by my thighs, my skirt riding up to where you could almost see my underwear. This was so not me. I was not normally this calm especially in the face of a boy this cute. What was happening to me?
I giggled, pushing myself up so I was face to face with him. "Maybe. What're you gonna do about it."
I heard a low, guttural growl behind me from one of the boys, a sound that should not be human, but I ignored it, wrapping my arms around Paul's neck while inching closer and closer. "Wouldn't you like to find out."
Paul inched closer, only an inch or two away from my lips, when I pulled away, a loud laugh sounding from me as a jumped from his lap, smoothing out my clothes as I walked over to the bookshelves. "You guys got any good music."
Paul groaned loudly, and I heard him fall against the couch. "You can't do that to me, Angel!"
I looked over my shoulder with a small grin, looking at all the boy's eyes trained on me. Well, mostly on my ass, it seemed. "I don't know what you're talkin' 'bout, baby," I stated matter-of-factly. "Now, someone needs to point me to the music before I go crazy. It's so quiet in here."
I heard the sound of boots moments after, and I turned to see a broad and very much naked chest in front of me. "Dwayne! You gonna help me out, buddy?"
Dwayne raised an eyebrow but nodded, grabbing my hand and pulling me over to a bookshelf that was filled with different vinyls and a player sat beside it connected to bigger speakers. "We used to have a radio, but someone hit it a bit too hard." He looked pointedly at Paul who simply shrugged his shoulders. "This is David's shelf, mine, Paul, and then Marko's." He pointed them out in order, and I thanked him quickly, looking through the various titles, some incredibly old, though most were fairly new.
I found my favorite artists with Dwayne's music. He had the mellowest ones while Paul and Marko had songs you would headbang to, and David had peppier tunes, surprisingly. I debated on grabbing a quieter artist, but I figured the boys weren't really in the mood for that. So, instead, I grabbed a Prince album and placed it on the record player. The familiar sound of Let's Go Crazy sounded quietly, and I saw Dwayne smile just a bit and David nod his head in appreciation.
"So, this is where y'all live," I questioned, sitting down beside Marko who was laying across another couch.
David nodded as his hands fiddled with the sides of the wheelchair he was sitting in. "Yeah. We found it a while back. It was a big resort back in the day, but when the big one hit, it fell right through."
"It's really nice," I mumbled, leaning against Marko. "What time is it?" I knew I left the shop near my closing time, so it had to have been late.
"Almost three," Paul called out. "Want a joint?"
"Not if I have to go home," I mumbled, feeling Marko's arm wrap around me once again. "I need to be able to concentrate if I'm going home."
"You can sleep on one of the beds if you want. No one uses them," David spoke up, motioning toward the beds I had seen when I first showed up.
I hummed. "Then, yeah, hand one over, Paul."
Paul stood and stepped over to me, handing me an unlit joint. I placed it between my lips and watched as he lit a match and held it up to the joint before shaking the match out once I was good. I took a long drag and laid against Marko, my eyes falling closed just a little bit.
Marko pulled me farther up against him so I was basically sitting in his lap. "I like your friends, Marko," I mumbled quietly, hoping they wouldn't hear me over the music.
Marko grinned and kissed my cheek. "I think they like you, too, Angel."
I hummed lowly. "I like that nickname." I turned and kissed Marko's cheek as well.
"I'm glad."
"Hey, Marko," I mumbled after a few moments of silence. "Why do I feel like I've known you guys for-like-ever?" I took another drag of my joint, and the room became slightly dizzy. I felt at peace, and all my judgment seemed to be thrown out the window.
"I don't know, Angel," he replied, but I knew it was a lie. He knew something I didn't.
I shook my head but let it go, putting my full weight against him. "Hey, Marko," I mumbled again. I felt like I was going to pass out from how tired I was.
"Yes, Angel."
"I have a secret."
Marko paused. "What's your secret."
I turned a bit and whispered in his ear. "I think I like all of you a bit more than I should. Like, I like-like you guys."
Marko grinned a toothy grin, and his arm moved from my shoulders to my waist, and he rubbed small patterns into the exposed flesh. "I think we like you too."
"That's nice."
It was quiet again for another few moments.
"Hey, Marko," I whined out this time.
Marko laughed a bit, obviously enjoying my state of being utterly tired. "Yes, Angel?"
"Where did those flowers go?"
We both burst into a small fit of giggles, and I felt Paul take my joint from me and hand it to Marko before I could pull it to my lips again. I opened my mouth to whine at him until I felt him grab my thighs and lift me over his shoulder like Marko had done. Only this time, my underwear was definitely on display along with my bra.
"Paul," I screamed loudly, trying to contain my giggles, "put me down! What is with you guys and picking me up?" Paul laughed and twirled me before I fell onto a soft mattress. I grumbled lightly and fixed my attire. "If you wanted to see my underwear, you could've just asked."
"Really," Paul asked, his eyes lighting up like a kid on Christmas.
"No!" I hit him lightly, giggling a bit. "You're so inappropriate!"
"Not my fault! Have you seen yourself?"
I rolled my eyes. "There's nothing to see. I'm not special, baby. I'm far from it."
"I would disagree." Paul's voice was stern, full of true belief. "I think you're the most beautifullest girl I've ever met."
"That's not even a word," I yelled between giggles.
Paul pouted. "Whatever. You need to go to sleep."
I hummed and nodded. "Then, move."
"Why?"
"I can't sleep in clothes," I stated.
Almost instantly, Paul was moving, making room so I could slide off the bed. I thought about getting him to turn around before I just shrugged. Who cared at this point. Whatever happened happened, and I didn't care.
I shrugged my shoes off my feet and paused before slipping my skirt down my legs. Next went my leggings and then my top. I was bare except for my underwear, and I didn't care. Either this was some really strong weed, or I was gaining a huge amount of self-confidence.
I ran my hands through my long hair and tied it up into a loose ponytail so it wouldn't bother me before turning to look at Paul who seemed to be stuck looking at me in awe. "I stand by my statement before. You are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." I grinned at that and watched as he moved forward and placed his hands on my waist. "Can I kiss you?"
I hummed as if I was actually thinking about it before nodding. "You sure can."
Paul grinned and leaned down, hesitating for a moment only to bend down and kiss me softly as if he were afraid of something. "I won't bite," I mumbled as I pulled away only to push forward and kiss him again. Paul seemed to enjoy my confidence, and he kissed back a bit harsher this time, his hands tightening on my waist as mine ran up and gripped his hair, tugging a bit. "Unless you want me to," I stated as we pulled back again.
Paul chuckled and kissed me one last time before pulling away completely. "You should get to bed. The guys won't like that I kissed you first."
"First?"
"You'll see later, princess. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Paul."