Chapter twenty one
The next morning I wake up and find Rodger’s arm tight around my waist and his chest against my back. His breath hits my ear slightly I shiver. I turn towards him and take in his features. His lips are slightly parted, a few freckles litter his sharp cheeks, his dark hair hangs in his eyes slightly. I move it away and smile when he begins to stir. His eyes flutter open and he smiles when he sees me. his hold becomes tighter and he pulls me closer to him.
Sometime afterward he had put on boxers and I underwear and a bra. I don’t quite remember when but we did. Now the other things, I remember.
I smile when I recall some of last night’s events and he smiles to.
“What?” he asks chuckling slightly, his hand making circles on the small of my back.
“Just remembering.” I say softly.
“Well let me help you make more memories to remember.” He says, his voice gruff as he rolls me over so he is straddling my waist. He leans down and presses his lips to mine and I wrap my hands around his neck, pulling him closer.
There is a loud knocking on the door and they try to open the door but I laugh as I remembered we locked it.
“When the hell are you two coming down!?” Thomas calls. I open my mouth, about to ask Rodger how he knew he too was in here. “And I know you’re in there Rodger, I went to your room! The last time we seen either of you two was when you came upstairs!”
“Yea! So come and get your rat!” Dalton calls.
“Squirrel!” I call laughing as I slide on some jean shorts and a tank top, waiting until Rodger too has pulled his on.
When we are both dressed I open the door and find the two standing there, staring back. Dalton thrusts the little gray ball into my hands and I laugh again.
“We just fed it.” Thomas says.
I smile, about to thank them but they smile at something, someone, that stands behind me. Rodger’s hands slide onto my hips as he stands behind me and I lean back into him. The two brothers in front of us exchange looks before bursting into laughter and running down the stairs.
“We win! Where is our twenty bucks!?” they call to the kids downstairs.
I turn to face Rodger and smile, he presses his forehead to mine and my smile widens. A smile stretches out onto his lips and me leans down, brushing his lips with mine. His hold on my hips tighten and he pulls me closer but I pull back.
“I need to put her up.” I say softly, gesturing to the ball in my hand. He pulls the rest of the way away slowly, regretfully and I walk past him and set the bundle of fur onto my bed.
“Have you named it yet?” he asks me as I walk back to him.
“Not yet.” I say, looking over my shoulder.
“You should name it Sandy, like off of SpongeBob.” He tells me as we walk down the hall and to the stairs.
“Sounds good to me.” I say, just as he takes his hand in mine.
“Brook! Brook! Wake up! School! School!” a little kid chirps in my ear.
I open my eyes and find Christopher standing beside my bed, a backpack strapped to his shoulder. Him and his brother Kale returned home a few days ago, due to the summer ending and all.
“Come on girlfriend! You have to get up!”
O right, I forgot. I was his girlfriend.
I chuckle to myself and pull myself out of bed. He wraps his arms around my waist and I pick him up off the ground and begin tickling him.
“You woke me up boyfriend!” I say as I set him down on the bed and continue tickling him. “And for that, you must pay.” I add.
He laughs loudly, squeals even, as he tries to squirm out of my grasp. He grabs my hands with his little fingers but then lose their hold and continues laughing. When I am done he shoots out of my room, giggles still escaping his mouth. I smile to myself and then remember why he woke me up and I groan.
I shuffle to my bathroom and take a quick shower and blow dry my hair, I put on some foundation, eye liner, and mascara before going to my closet and grabbing my outfit. I have decided on a pair of ripped skinny jeans, my purple high tops and a white and purple blouse. I take one look in the mirror and then grab my bags. I look down at my wrists and debate on a jacket but decide against it. They will judge me with or without them, I am the new kid living with the Parkers.
I hurry downstairs and meet everyone in the dining room, when their eyes land on my they all go wide and I feel my cheeks burn slightly. Wendy walks out of the kitchen and smiles while setting a plate of bacon and the table and taking a seat.
“Well don’t you look pretty.” She says and I blush again.
“She sure does.” Dalton pipes and he yelps in pain and grabs his leg, glaring at Rodger who sits across from him. “What the hell was that for?” he growls.
“What?” Rodger asks innocently, looking around as if he thought Dalton was talking to someone else. “O that, sorry, my leg must have twitched.” He says and the table erupts in laughter.
“You look pretty girlfriend.” Christopher tells me as I take a seat beside him.
“Thank you.” I say smiling.
“Girlfriend?” Rodger asks smiling.
“Yea, she’s my girlfriend.” Chris says as he reaches with his little hands for a piece of bacon and I slide the plate closer.
“Well I think she already has a boyfriend.” Rodger says, still smiling as his eyes meet mine.
“Yea, me.” Chris sings, chomping on his piece.
Everyone laughs, and I smile. If this wasn’t going to be the first day of school I would say it was going to be a pretty good day. But I can’t.
“So you got your schedule?” Thomas asks me from the front seat.
“Yep, got it.” I say, reaching into my messenger bag and pulling it out. I read my classes out, waiting to hear what ones I have with them.
“You have second and fifth, with me.” Thomas says,
“Third with me.” Dalton says.
“First and sixth with me.” Rodger says, giving my hand that he is holding a squeeze.
“What about lunch and fourth hour?” I ask slowly, hoping I have lunch with them so I don’t have to be alone. “I have second lunch.” I add.
“You have lunch with us but fourth hour alone.” Thomas calls.
We pull up to the huge school that is made out of rocks of all shapes and sizes. High schoolers litter the parking lot, standing in groups on the sidewalk or against cars. All of them watch our car pull into a parking place, followed by Garran’s group. Personally, I am surprised they even made it here alive, Garran can’t drive to save his life.
Thomas shuts off the engine and the other boys from Garran’s car pound against our windows as they pass. I watch as they all stride onto the sidewalk, all of them receiving flirty smiles from the girls as they place and handshakes from the guys.
Thomas and Dalton climb out and follow the others, the same thing happening to them. Rodger watches me, I can feel it.
“You okay?” he asks softly, his breath hitting my neck. I turn and find him inches away from me, closer than what I thought. My breath hitches in my throat with the sight of him and I nod slowly.
“Just a little nervous I guess.” I choke.
“Don’t be. I’ll be right here for you, okay?” he murmurs, brushing his lips against mine.
“Okay.” I whisper.
He gives me a quick kiss and then pulls away, opening his door and hurrying around to my side and opens mine. I step out and clutch the strap of my bag tightly. People begin to murmur as they lay their eyes on me and I quickly feel uncomfortable. Rodger grabs my hand and leads me to the sidewalk and to the people. He walks until he has reached a huge group, most of them are the boys from home but about half of them aren’t. There are a few girls standing with them, the guys have their arms around their waists, claiming them as theirs. The girls look me up and down and then roll their eyes before looking away.
I’m not going to fit in here.
I pull my hand away from Rodger’s and walk into the building, looking down at my schedule to find out what locker number I am so I can put some of my things away. I hurry away so Rodger won’t follow, so he will stay with his friends and not try to bring me back to stand with them.
345, that’s my locker number. I follow the black numbers that mark the lockers down the hall until I stop in my tracks. He stands there, putting his things in his locker also. His blond hair hangs in his eyes and he flips it away. I am about to turn around, about to face Rodger’s crowd instead of having him see me but it is too late, he turns to me and a small smile spreads out onto his face.
“Hey Brook…” he says softly.
“Hey Tanner.” I find myself whispering.
Just the sight of him makes my chest ache, makes all the memories flood my vision and I shake my head, pushing them away.
“You here to put your stuff up too?” he asks, laughing breathlessly, trying to ease some of the tension.
“Yea.” I say, looking down to my paper and then to the numbers on the lockers. I follow them down until I find mine and then stop.
You have got to be fricken kidding me.
The locker right beside his was labeled: 345. I groan inwardly and he laughs slightly.
“Now you can’t really avoid me.” he says softly, more to himself than to me.
I ignore him and slowly open the door and begin putting my things inside. I feel his eyes on me and I look up, when his eyes meet mine he keeps my gaze, his eyes pleading for me not to look away.
“Brooklyn…. I’m so sorry….” He begins but someone else calls my name from down the hall and I look over his shoulder.
Rodger is approaching us and his eyes fall into Tanner. His once soft gaze is gone and his eyes turn hard.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Rodger asks, forgetting to keep his voice down because he is in school.
“Same as you.” Tanner say, shutting his locker.
“But why? Did you follow her up here?”
Tanner is silent for a moment and I step forward and walk to Rodger. “Come on, let’s go back outside.” I tell him softly, grabbing his arm gently.
He shakes his arm out of my grasp, his eyes still on Tanner. Tanner stares back, his gaze just as hard as Rodger’s.
“Did you follow her?” Rodger asks his voice low but firm.
“It’s none of your business if I did.”
“Like hell it isn’t.” Rodger laughs bitterly.
“Rodger, please.” I say softly, grabbing his hand. His gaze snaps to me and his gaze softens slightly. “Let’s go outside.” I whisper, nodding to the door.
He nods and looks back to Tanner before turning away and walking with me to the door. We have just gotten back outside when the bell rings, telling us to get to class. Rodger’s body is still tensed as he holds my hand. He walks me to my locker and glares at Tanner the entire time. Even after Tanner has glared back and walked away from the locker Rodger follows him with his eyes.
When Tanner has disappeared from sight I grab Rodger’s hand and he looks down at me. The corner of his lips turn up to a smile and I smile with him. I want nothing more than to press my lips against his, for him to hold me to him tightly.
Instead he turns away and looks down the hallway before pulling me down one way. People stare at me and whisper, when they see mine and Rodger’s entwined fingers though their gasp and I know rumors are about to begin.
Rodger leads me to the science room, my first hour class and I walk to the desk at the front of the room that a old man sits at. When he sees me he doesn’t smile, his face remains unpleasant and rude.
“Your Brooklyn.” He says, his voice scratchy with age.
I nod silently and here giggles behind me and turn to find a group of girls staring in Rodger’s direction. One of them even walk over and sit on his desk, leaning forward so he can see down her shirt. I watch as he says something and she slides off his desk and back to her seat, where she continues to pout.
The old man fills me in and tells me some of the things we will be learning this year, which he is surprised to know that I learned it all last year.
“Well, I guess you will be making good grades in here Ms. Carder seeing how neither of us want to go through the trouble of changing your classes.” He grunts.
“I would like to switch classes, I’m sure it wouldn’t be to much trouble.” I say, shrugging slightly.
“Yes, well I don’t want to go through the trouble so please Ms. Carder, take your seat.”
What a way to start this class.
By the time fourth hour comes I am ready to dig a hole and die in it. I am tired of everyone looking at me and watching me with their hawk eyes. Can’t they get over the fact that there is a new girl at their school and leave me alone? Was Tanner getting the same treatment or just me because I live with the Parkers?
I walk back to my locker before fourth hour and put the books my past classes have given me away. Tanner comes to his locker too and when his eyes meet mine he smiles slightly.
“Is everyone staring at you too?” I ask him and he chuckles slightly.
“Yea.” he says still smiling.
I shut my locker and begin to walk away but he stops me.
“Hey, what class you going to?” he asks, shutting his locker and coming to walk by my side.
“History.”
“Me too.” He says nodding.
I stop walking and turn to him and then look at the floor. “Listen Tanner…. I guess I forgive you okay? But please… stop trying to be so nice… the past is the past and-….”
“And I want to fix it.” he finishes.
“But you don’t have to.”
“I know I don’t have to but I need to. I want to be like we used to be. I want us to be us again.”
“We will never be us again.” I whisper, I don’t know if he can hear me over the noises in the hallway but I guess he did.
“We can, if we just try.” He say softly, gently grabbing my arm.
“I don’t want to try.”
“Brooklyn… please….”
“Aren’t you dating Rodger Parker?” a snooty voice says beside me and I turn to find a blond, tan, girl in a short skirt and heels.
“Um…… I guess…..” I say, unsure on what the correct answer is.
“Shouldn’t you be with him then and not him?” she asks, gesturing to Tanner as she gives him a grin and a wink.
“We’re just friends.” I say tiredly, I was going to be late for class if this noisy little bitch kept me waiting much longer.
“That doesn’t seem like a gesture a ‘friend’ would do.” She says, pointing to Tanner’s hand on my arm. He doesn’t take it off though and I pull my arm away from him.
“Well that’s all we are.” I mutter.
“Great, then I’m sure you won’t mind me telling Rodger what I seen, judging by the fact that you and Tanner are just ‘friends’. Rodger knows that, or he will now.” she threatens and turns away from me and walks down the hall.
At the end of the day I gather all my stuff and walk to the parking lot where I find the boys and their group. The girl that threatened me with the Tanner thing stands with them, a arm around her waist. When she sees me her lip draws up in a snarl and I turn and walk to the curb. Other kids pass me as they make their way to their cars, trying to flee from this hell hole fast. Tomorrow I am bringing my own car so I can do the same.
Suddenly someone comes and sits beside me, expecting to see Rodger I turn, already smiling but my eyes land on Tanner.
“What are you still doing here?” he asks while he makes himself comfortable on the cement.
“Waiting for my ride.” I say as I kick around a pebble.
“Do you need one? I could bring you home,” he says quickly, his eyes full of kindness.
“Nah, I can wait.” I say nodding.
I look back and see the others looking at us, I am sure they heard what has been said. My eyes meet Rodger’s. His are filled with anger as he stares at me. Suddenly another head appears beside his and whispers something in his ear that makes his fists clench. When she pulls away I notice the girl from the hallway.
Great.
“I think I will be needing that ride.” I tell him softly, turning away from them.
“Alright.” He says kindly and hops to his feet, he holds out his hand to help me up and I take it.
When I have stood I wait for him to let go but he doesn’t, instead he begins walking through the cars.
“Tanner…” I begin, pulling my hand away.
“O… sorry… I-…”
“Don’t fucking touch her.” Someone growls, His arms pull me behind him.
“Don’t tell me what to do.”
“I will when it comes to her.” Rodger snaps.
“Why? She isn’t yours.” Tanner hisses.
“Think again you little prick.”
“Well maybe if you treated her better people would know she was.”
“I treat her better than you do.”
“Bullshit. I have always treated her well, I have always been there for her. You have only known her a few months and probably only been there for her for only a few days.” Tanner growls.
Rodger steps forward and I grab his arm and hold him back. I take this time to step between them and look into Rodger’s eyes.
“Stop.” I say, placing my hands on his chest when he tries to lung forward. His eyes meet mine and his arms try to pull me behind him again. “Stop.” I say more firmly.
He does it anyway though, I am pushed behind him, safely behind his body.
“Stay the hell away from her. I already warned you once. I won’t warn you again, next time I will kick your god dammed ass.” Rodger warns.
“I will only stay away from her if she tells me to. I won’t listen to a guy that has only been in her life for two seconds, so fuck you.”
Rodger lungs again and I tuck my face in my hands, knowing what is about to happen, but when I don’t hear anything I open my eyes and find Rodger being pulled away by his brothers. Tanner stands alone and tries to step towards them but I pull him away by his arm.
“Come on, walk away Tanner.” I say softly, leading him to his black truck that I have rode in so many times.
“I’m not fucking scared to fight you!” Tanner yells as I open the drive side door and push him towards it.
“Get in.” I tell him firmly, making his eyes go back to me. he holds my gaze for a second before climbing in. I go around to the passenger seat and look over my shoulder before getting in. I find the boys still holding Rodger back, their eyes on me. Rodger’s face holds pure anger and his hands are balled into fists. I know I was going to regret this but I had to make sure Tanner went home and didn’t do something stupid.
So I look away and climb into the truck, letting Tanner zoom off of school grounds and away from the others.
Ugh! I am not proud of this chapter at all! It was to long and wasn't good, I am sorry! I needed something to put up for this story though.... I will make the next chapters better I promise!