"Sure you don't want me to go?" I repeat for about the millionth time as I watch him go through his room for his stuff. "Because I can. I'm not doing anything today, just hanging out."
"I know Ten," he nods shoving his wallet in his pocket.
"And if I'm there maybe after we can go get ice cream or to a movie," I suggest and feel my heart start to race quickly. "I hear that new superhero movie thingy is coming out."
"Never refer to Avengers as that superhero thingy," his eyes lock onto me and I just give a one shoulder shrug. "But I'm good, Ten. No worries…"
"But I am worried," I tell him and looking at the strong boy in front of me and grow nervous. "Because I don't want you to get hurt," I confess and he frowns.
"Ten…"
"And I know you're super tough Bubba but…but you don't have to be," I rush to tell him. "You can be mad or scared, or freaking out if you want. Are you any of those?" I ask as he walks over and sits next to me.
"Nope," he shrugs. "Because all I'm thinking is…is if this doesn't go right I still come home to my family," he reminds me and I slowly nod. "To my little sissy who will always be there," he shrugs and I bite hard on my lip looking at him.
Max is strong, probably the strongest person I know and I'm so scared. I'm scared because I can see in his eyes how scared he is. He may not admit it, he may not vocalize to me that he is scared but I know my big brother, I can look in his big brown eyes and see just how scared he is.
"You're going to the park?" I wonder and he slowly nods. "Can I drop you off?" I question and he lets out a laugh. "Colton is there with Raine, so I won't bother you I promise. I'll just hang out with them," I rush to tell him, because this is his thing. He needs to do this.
"You can drop me off," he agrees and relief washes over me.
"And if at any point you don't want to do it, tell me and we can just keep driving," I promise and he laughs.
"Alright, crazy girl," he stands up and reaches for my hand. "Let's go then," I place my hand in his and he tugs me up. Grabbing his phone of the bed, I follow him and out the door and to the car.
"And up!" Raine giggles as I push her on the swing. Her pumping her little legs out as she flies through the sky, her giggling all the way through before I give her another push.
Tossing a look I see Max through the trees and at a picnic table with a large man. He is big, huge even and when you see him you can tell he helped create Max. Even their body language is similar and the both have the very same stubborn look on their face. And then I turn my head just an inch and see something else. I see the small girl with her arms wrapped herself as she watches her brother in the distance, such worry over her I freaks me out some.
"Ten…" I call and her head snaps over to mine and she chews her lip. "Come over here, play with Raine and I," I wave my hand and she slowly moves her feet towards me but keeps her eyes locked in the other direction. "Will you stop," I tug her into me and wrap my arms around her slender waist. She standing in front of me and I stand behind her as her eyes narrow. "He is literally a yard away from you. Nothing is going to happen."
"He looks mad, doesn't he? I think he looks mad," she mumbles, giving Raine a push but still watching her brother.
"Baby he just laughed," I look wondering if she is seeing what I am. "I mean seriously he is laughing."
"What do you know?" she pushed me back a step and I roll my eyes.
"He is a big ole boy, Ten," I point out but know she doesn't like hearing that. "I know you want to, but you can't protect him from the world."
"Not the world, just…evil people…" she barely mutters and I laugh.
"Will you relax?" I place my hands on her hips and rest my chin on her shoulder as I talk in her ear.
"I can't relax, Colton. You don't know all he put him through…"
"I know more than you might think, Ten," I inform her but not sure she is even listening as she chews her lip. However it is true. I talked to Max while we were at the cabin over the weekend and he mentioned how nervous he was. Said he didn't know what to expect but he did know he wanted to speak to the man before he let Tenley meet him.
He told me some stuff that Tenley actually doesn't know and Max doesn't want her knowing. He loves his sister, and because of that there are just certain things about his life and childhood he doesn't want her knowing. I swear he still sees her as this naïve, sweet, innocent little girl. And because of that he doesn't want her to think some childhoods aren't as perfect as hers was.
Plus he knows if she knew what he went through, what he father did, what his mother did, then she would definitely go into over protective mode and not let him ever leave the house. It's crazy to me how close they are without evening being blood. Guess that saying is true, blood doesn't make you family, just like birthing a kid doesn't make you a parent.
But back to the point. The main reason I missed the first half of school today was because I promised Max I'd keep Tenley entertained. I've tried everything, even brought Raine thinking that would help but nope. Her eyes haven't left Max since he walked over to the table across the way.
"Tenley…" I sway her body forward a step and she bites hard on her lip. Rolling my eyes and spinning her to face me and before she says anything just crash my lips hard against hers. Sucking on her bottom lip just a bit before slipping my tongue past her soft lips. Wrapping my arms around her small body, I feel it curl into me and finally enjoy when I feel her smile. Pulling back with a smirk and then suddenly my eyes narrow when I realize she isn't grinning because of me…or my kiss…but because her brother is walking toward us.
"Max is coming…"
"Seriously?" I glare at her and she tilts her head at me confused. "I work especially hard to distract you and give you a kiss, that has never got a complaint from anyone before and you are watching your brother?"
"What?" her left brow kinks up before slowly shaking her head. "Right, the kiss. Great kiss baby," she gives me a quick peck and starts to skip off. "Maxie, what's up?"
"It was better than great," I grumble, reaching in the swing to tug Raine out. "It was kick ass…"
"Kick ass," Raine mocks with a nod and I look at down at her.
"That's what I'm saying? I had great lip and hand placement," I tell my all-time favorite girl, who just giggles clearly not having a clue to what I'm talking about. Yet balancing her on my hip and follow the other girl, I might just break up with as she slowly starts to reach her brother and the large man beside him.
"Ten…" Max waits until he makes sure I'm by her side and places his hand on her shoulder. "This is Will," he introduces the larger man beside him. "My birth father…" he says slowly and watches his sister's reaction. "And Will this is my baby sister Tenley…"
"Nice to meet you Tenley," he outstretches his hand and I watch as Tenley slowly slides hers into his. Max relaxing a bit as he slowly nods his head.
"You too," Tenley lets out a nervous sigh and bites her lip as she steps beside her brother.
"Your brother has spoken a great deal about you," he informs her and when he smiles I swear I just saw Max in about twenty years. "You sound to be a hell of a young lady."
"Ten's the best," Max tosses his arm over her shoulder and gives her a hug. "Except for cooking…suck ass at that."
"Bubba!" she squeals, reaching back and slugging him as I let out a laugh. "You are such a jerk," she pouts and the older man laughs as he watches them interact. A look of happiness and pain all mixed in one. Almost like he is happy with their bond, but it crushes him to know he's missed a hell of a lot.
"Pink berry!" Raine squeals and points toward the ice cream truck moving through the park.
"Princess you can't squeal like that," I wiggle my finger in my ear, swearing she just busted my eardrum.
"I sorry," she blushes a bit and curls into me. "Pink berry," she whispers out quieter and the group laughs as I roll my eyes.
"Will," Max shakes his head. "This is some guy Ten brings around, Colton," he nods his head at me and I again roll my eyes and stick out my hand.
"Nice to meet you…" I say and he gives a smile.
"Is this…" he trails his eyes to Raine and my brows crease until they trail back to Tenley.
"No!" we all speak at the same time and Will laughs.
"Raine is Colton's little sister," Tenley tells him quickly. "Not mine, not even close to mine. I do not have a kid with him, no kid at all…" she repeats a little too much and my eyes narrow on her. "What?"
"A kid with him?" I raise a brow and she shrugs. "Glad my girl is so proud to make that known," I roll my eyes at the fact it freaked her out. I mean, I don't want a baby. Hell no do I want a kid right now but still. Could have been nicer about it. I'd make bad ass babies.
"Love you," she does a voice like speaking to a child and I glare at her as she touches my nose.
"That's it!" I pull back and move Raine to my other hip. "I am breaking up with you, you…you mean mean person," I grumble, spinning on my feet and hearing laughter behind me as I stomp off. "My kids would be awesome…"
"Awesome," Raine nods chewing her finger. "Colty, we get pink berry?"
"Yeah Princess, I'll buy you the damn truck. Just like I would my own kid," I inform her and she just giggles as we reach the van.
"Colton…" I tilt my head to the side to look at him. His eyes focused on some book he is reading. "Colty…" I wiggle closer and curl my arm around his. "Baby…" I rest my chin on her shoulder with a pout.
"I am not that," he flips the page casually and I pout more.
"What?"
"A baby, nor a significant other with which you would use that name," he explains and my eyes narrow. "I broke up with you," he reminds me and I roll my eyes. "So you may leave…"
"Colton Wells you be nice to me or I swear you will be servicing your own needs for a very long time," I threaten and he pulls in a long breath before placing his book in his lap and turning to face me.
"I am a single man," he states, and I swear he almost sounds like a damn robot. "I can really get anyone to serves my needs at this point," he informs me like he is just some damn god or something. "Bet I could walk into that school right now and get at least five numbers."
"But would any of them be like me?" I kink a brow and slowly slide my hand up his thigh. "Make you feel as good as I do," I lean up and press a hot kiss to his neck and feel him shiver.
"Maybe not, but I bet they won't fear my child making skills," he shrugs me off and I stump my foot.
"Colton I was not meaning it like that!" I toss my hands up as he flips back open his book. "I'm just saying I didn't want a baby."
"A baby with him. I don't know if you recall Tenley Brady but if you happened to get knocked up, it would only be with me," he points to himself and I tilt my head to the side with a small grin. "I don't want a kid now or any time soon but if that happened you better not even hold a little possibility of it belonging to someone else but me."
"So in let's say," I flip my hand around thinking, "five years, I popped up pregnant. You would be upset if it wasn't your baby?"
"I'd murder him but first I'd cut off his dick," he states with such seriousness my heart explodes in my chest.
"Colton…" I lean forward and place a sweet kiss to his lips. "There would be no other way for me to get pregnant unless it was by you," I tell him, not wanting to point out that he just mentioned he was planning on still being with me in five years. "And I'm very aware of how lucky that baby would be if you were their dad."
"They would be so lucky," he says and I laugh a bit. "I mean, I'm bad ass. I'm great at most things and look how perfect Raine is," he reminds me and I shake my head, however he is right. I think Raine is pretty close to perfect. "I'd be good at that."
"The best," I reach to run my thumb over his bottom lip. "But does that mean you can be my baby again?" I kink a brow and watch him play that in his head.
"I guess," he shifts a bit in his seat and grabs his book back. "But just want to state, you are my baby. I'm your boyfriend that you just happen to call that sometimes. And you call me it in a very manly way."
"I love being your baby, almost as much as I love being your love," I tell him and watch his lip twitch up a bit before it going to a straight line.
"Good…" his hand drops to my leg and I curl beside him. Knowing he is doing the best to fight his smile.
"You're so cute," I wiggle close and drop my leg over his lap and rest my chin on his shoulder. "So Raine's birthday is this weekend," I comment and he nods as he still reads his book. "Anything going on?"
"Dad and Leah are throwing her a big party," he explains and I nod. "Whole family is coming," he tells me and I shift a bit. "You are coming," he turns to look at me. "Because I might go insane if I'm alone."
"You want me to go with your whole family there?" I wonder and he nods like he doesn't get why that would be an issue. "Colton…" I let out a nervous laugh and bite my lip.
"What?" his brows crease confused. "What's wrong?"
"I just…I mean…your whole family is there," I repeat and he slowly nods, still not getting it I see. "Don't take this the wrong way, because I love you, you know I do but I just…"
"Just what?"
"It makes me nervous," I mumble, toying with his hand and lacing our fingers together just to un-release them. "What if they don't like me?"
"Ten…" he chuckles, shifting back some and shaking his head.
"I mean, I know it doesn't matter. I don't think you would break up with me or something if they aren't crazy about me but still…I'd want them to kinda like me…"
"Oh Pretty Girl," he shifts around and looks me right in the eyes as he leans in close. "I don't give a rats' ass what those people think," he tells me honestly and I bite hard on my lip. "But I don't doubt they won't like you. Plus Leah and dad already think you are great."
"Really?" I grin a bit and trap my tongue between my teeth. "Your dad likes me?"
"Yeah," he chuckles, knocking back a piece of my hair. "It's weird a bit, but he really seems to like you. He keeps telling me how much you remind him of mom," he glances down a bit and pulls in a long breath.
"Colton…" I frown, tilting my head to the side and running my hand through his hair. "I'm sorry…"
"It's whatever," he recovers quickly and dismisses whatever he was feeling. "But of course everyone will like you. You don't need to be nervous," he repeats and I nod. "Plus I mean, did you miss what I just said a second ago?" he tosses his finger up and my eyes squint a bit lost. "I'm bad ass and always do great things. Clearly my picking of a girlfriend is going to be perfect," he smirks leaning in and kissing along my jaw.
"Colton," I giggle, curling my arm around his neck, his trail leading up behind my ear and my eyes flutter shut. Colton gripping his hand on my leg and pulling my body into his, a chill crawling up my spine as I suck harder on my lip.
"Well…" a throat gets cleared and Colton's head drops to my shoulder with a growl. "Isn't this just adorable…"
"What do you want Gaby?" I roll my eyes as Colton pulls back from me and at the girls before us.
"Nothing, I was just stating how adorable you two were," she places her hand on her chest to fake offense and I let out a dry laugh. "Aren't they adorable Riley?"
"So adorable," her eyes narrow on me and I shift a bit uncomfortable. "Whole new level for ya, isn't it Colt?" she glances at my boyfriend who lifts his brow confused.
"Fine, I'll bite," he tosses his hand up annoyed. "What is a new level for me Riley?"
"This whole public display of affection," she tosses her hand around the court yard and I roll my eyes. We aren't very public, not really. Yes we are in the courtyard but we are positioned behind some trees. Plus on top of that, there is practically no one outside. Most upperclassmen are now going off campus for lunch and the ones who don't just hang out in the cafeteria or hang in the gym. So it's not like Colton and I are having at it in a group full of people. He is getting better, but it still weirds him out some.
"Well up until about two annoying minutes ago, it was just me and my girl," he states and I watch her lip flare upward and I grin. I love being his girl. Every time he calls me it my entire heart does a flip in my chest. "And even if it wasn't, it's really none of ya'lls business."
"I'm just making a little observation Colton," her tone sharp and I roll my eyes so over her. I don't know who didn't hug her as a child so it permanent left a stick in her ass, but she needs to get over it.
"Then stop making observations!" I toss my hands up completely annoyed. "What my boyfriend and I do, are really none of your business," I stand to inform them and both sets of eyes narrow.
"Ten…" Colton places his hand on my arm but I don't care. I'm tired of these girls.
"This is my boyfriend," I stress once again. "No matter how much you hate it, no matter how much you don't understand or how it started. No matter the number of times you try to hit on him. He is my boyfriend. This is what couples do! I'm not going to walk on eggshells around you damn people in fear you might give some smart ass comment or whisper of a slut, because I don't care."
"Oh sweetie," Riley laughs shaking her head. "That's so cute. You think Colton will actually stick to this. He might be around now but I give it a month before he disappears. Being alone is what he does, it's who he is…God, he will probably die alone," her eyes trail over my shoulder at the blonde behind me and for reasons I can't even explain in the moment, my hand comes back and slams hard into her face.
"Tenley!" Colton's arm comes around me and jerks me back, Riley still holding her stinging cheek as Gaby stands with her mouth hanging open and wide eyes.
"You listen hear," I clench my jaw to grab her chin to look at me. "I might have let you talk shit about me, completely ruin my reputation, have assholes believe they can just do and say what they want to me, because I don't care! I know the type of person I am, I know what the people I care about think of me, so none of that matters. However you won't talk about people I love," I inform her, seeing the water swimming in her eyes.
"Love…" she lets out a bitter laugh, cutting her eyes at the boy behind me. "Colton doesn't love people…"
"No Riley," I take a step back from her and shake my head. "He didn't love you," I tell her with a shrug. "But that isn't my fault," my throat tightens a little, honestly so tired of all this high school bullshit. "Trust me, I know what it feels like to have someone you care about break your heart. It sucks ass," I let out a dry laugh because it does hurt. Hurts like hell. "But you can't forever fixate on them. You have to just move on," I toss my hand to the side. "Because as much as a true bitch you are, you and I both know you could stillhave anyone you want. You just won't ever have Colton," I shrug because it's true, she won't ever have him. He is mine and I definitely won't let him go. "So just get over it, because chasing someone who really doesn't want you is just truly pathetic," I shrug and lace my fingers through Colton as he starts to tug me.
"Come on Ten," he grabs his stuff and I just keep watching as Riley burns her eyes into mine. "Come on," he repeats tugging me harder and I finally start to follow. "You ok?" his arm slides over my shoulder and I quickly shake my head.
"No, my hand is stinging like a bitch," I cringe, looking at the red tingling skin. "I don't slap people often but I don't remember it hurting this bad. Maybe because I was just so enraged at the time I felt numb," I reason, knowing the first time I ever hit anyone was Jack. I couldn't even tell you how it happened, I swear I was seeing red and I really don't remember hitting him. Just remember after I did, I think I looked more shocked about it than him.
"I can't believe you hit her," he shakes his head, turning the corner of the building and quickly stopping to look at my hand. "You didn't have too, probably shouldn't have done it," he informs me. "I'm a big ole boy Ten. Shit like that doesn't bother me; you can't let them get a rise out of you."
"I was just so sick of it all," I mumble with a slight shrug. "I hate people talking about people I love. I mean to a point I feel bad for her because like I said it sucks. But damn she needs to get over it and move on. It's not like I stole you from her. You two weren't together when we started…"
"I know," he brings my palm to his lips and presses a soft kiss to it. "But trust me, all the shit Riley does you should never feel bad for her. She and I are so much the same person; I think the bad shit that happens to us is karma."
"If that is the case then I do feel bad for her," I state and his brows crease. "If you two are similar then it just means she's been through some shit and it made her cold. Sad to think she has to wait for someone who is amazing like me to fix her," I shrug and he chuckles giving me a sweet kiss.
"Cocky ass," he smirks and I just giggle as I bring my arms around his neck. "But I will admit seeing you all angry was sexy as hell…"
"Colton…" I blush, turning my face from him, always embarrassed when he says stuff like that.
"It was," he grins and I suck on my lip.
"Well thank you," I turn to face him and his head rest against mine. "I try…" I shrug and he chuckles bringing his arms around my waist.
"You're so cute," he tells me before giving me a sweet kiss that makes me grin. Completely ignoring the fact he once again called me cute because I don't care anymore. When he is kissing me I honestly don't care about much.
IMPORTANT!!!!!!
Authors note: Ayyyyy GUYS!! First I really wanna thank you all for reading my story since we have almost reached 3 k!!!
Also I'm not gonna post Tuesday but instead I will post on Thursday since I have birthday on Thursday but also that is when I'm gonna post the very first chapter of my new story "when August ends" I would really appreciate if you read it:))))
Love you guys, until next time;)