Thank you for the reviews! Raunchy bits here too. Heartbreak. Good times. Enjoy.
"Beatrice!"
I close my eyes and stop walking. I count to ten before turning down the hallway stopping in front of Christina. Two months have passed and this is the first time she's spoken to me. Funny how she picks the last day of school for this.
"Yes?"
"How are you?" She looks around, almost like 'how dare I be the one to approach her and talk to her?' Almost like she's afraid of being seen with me.
"I'm fine. And you?"
"Listen, Beatrice I'm-"
I open my locker, and leather catches my eye. Four's jacket. I reach in the pocket and pull out the note he left in the mailbox:
Had to go back to Chicago to help with something
Sorry I couldn't tell you in person
Have you seen my jacket? Did I leave it with you?
Keep it safe for me. Any chance you can use it?
Don't wanna see it collecting dust. Be safe.
No more fights in the street okay? Not until I get back.
Because when I do I'm teaching you how to fight.
-IV
"Beatrice?" I blink, folding the note up and sticking it back into the pocket.
"Hmm?"
"Where you listening to me?" Christina seems a little upset.
"No. Not really." I admit. What's the point of lying.
"I said I was sorry."
Sorry.
I grab Four's jacket out of my locker I put it on then I grab the lunch I made this morning. Not for me.
"Sorry for what? The day you accused me of racism or the week after where you ignored me? Because it can't be the day with Peter now can it? I mean you and Susan and Al were all just shoving each other out of the way to help me. Or is it any of the days of the past two months?" I turn and smile. "It doesn't matter. Enjoy your summer, Christina." I hand her the lunch and with out thinking I squeeze her arm.
Caleb told me that Christina was probably acting on all the hate that was going on around town. My mother told me that she probably was trying to find a place to fit in and the fact of who my father is makes it seem like she's sucking up.
Doesn't matter because I'm done. I forgive her.
I'm tired of not having my best friend.
I leave out the front door. I make it a block from the school when I hear running. I look over and see a blonde headed boy running down the street. He stops next to me.
"Hey can you help me out for a bit?" His eyes are green, bright, like celery.
"Sure?" I look around and notice a group of men running towards him.
"Aw, fuck! Never mind. We're gonna have to run!" He grabs my arm and pulls me down an alley way. He's laughing and, before I know it, I am too. When we come out of the alley way though I collide into a heavy body.
Lemongrass and sage.
Al.
"What the?"
I wave at Susan and Christina. "No time to stop, come on we have to run!" The boy continues to tug me. Soon we're running again, I hear feet follow us then a breathy yell.
"Why are we running?"
"Because ma'am those men back there are probably gon' try ta kill me 'fore the day is over. An' I was goin' to have this young lady here pretend I was with her all day." He turns down another street. "Quick!" He jumps over a small hedge and lies in the grass using the hedge to hide his body. We all sit down hugging our knees to our chests. We hear feet run past us.
"WHAT WAS THAT!" Susan yells after a moment giving me a sour look.
"I may have taken some money from their jar." The blonde nods. "They had this jar to donate to stop the blacks from over running this town. Hey you guys wanna go do som'thin'?"
"Where are you from." Al looks at him then the hand that's still wrapped around mine.
"Name's Will Matthews. I moved here with my folks from Ohio. My older sister lives in Chicago with our aunt." The boy, Will, smiles wider. "How about with this stolen money I get you a drink?"
Al's face falls and Susan huffs. Christina just nods and stands up.
"See you later, Beatrice?" She whispers.
"Whoa whoa wait! I was talking to all of you. Especially you pretty lady." He quirks an eyebrow at Christina. "Or do you have somewhere you have to be?"
Christina's face looks so bright, "no. No! I mean yes I'd love to... yes!" She giggles.
Will drops my hand then offers his arm to her, which she gladly takes.
"I have to get home." Susan states before walking off in the direction we came.
I nudge Al, "let's go. I think I'm witnessing a crush developing. See you, Christina! Nice meeting you Will!"
"Wait, Beatrice there's this movie playing at the drive-in later and I was going to ask if you wanted to see it. Al you wanna join too?" Christina looks at us.
"Sure." I nod to which Al agrees too. She gives him two thumbs up and a wink. Strange. "See you at Dolly's at five!"
Al and I leave them be and as we're walking home he looks at me. "Beatrice, I'm sorry about-"
"Don't sweat it. You probably thought I was mad at you for telling. I was a bit angry but I wasn't mad at you. More myself for the way I snapped at Christina." I shrug.
We continue to walk in silence. "Do you want me to come get you? Before the movie I mean? I should've asked are we having dinner together too like afterward? Or are we eating there then going to the movies?"
I laugh. "It's up to Christina I guess we'll see when we get there."
I wave him off when we get to his turn and I continue on to mine. "Hello?" I call through the front door.
"I'm in the back!" My mother pokes her head through the back door. "How was school?"
"Good, Christina and I made up. Susan and I not so much. Ran into a boy named Will and I think Christina is in love. We're all going to see a movie tonight, so I'm going to take a bath."
As I'm sitting in the tub I stare at my toes, I remember the rush when Will grabbed my hand and had me run from that group of men. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed what I said to Christina in the hallway. I also can't wait until Four gets back because what exactly does he mean I'm going to learn how to fight? I scrub myself with the soap and rinse off before draining the tub and getting out. I wrap a towel around me and march to my room shutting the door.
Is he going to be handsy? Touching me as he corrects my posture? Before I know it that familiar fire is in my gut again.
No I don't have time for this.
But I ignore that part of my brain because it's losing as I slide my hand between my thighs. I lean against my closed door. Two fingers sliding in and out of me. I continue to hold the towel with the other hand, knuckles probably going white.
How many times have I done this in the past two months?
With my fingers moving inside of me and the pressure of the heel of my hand against myself I have bite my bottom lip to keep from crying out. My breath is coming out in harsh pants and my head hits the back of my door.
I let out a quiet moan, hand working faster. I press the towel into my mouth to muffle my cry as I finish. For a second I think I hear foot falls on the steps.
I straighten up and clean myself with the towel before getting dressed, deciding pants and a shirt would do. I brush my hair and put it up in a pony tail. I run down the steps, almost tripping on the last one.
It's only four what am I supposed to do for thirty minutes?
I hear laughing from the back yard and I follow the sound out. I see my mother holding the base of a ladder and Caleb on the other side. A splatter of paint across his face.
"What's going on?" I raise an eyebrow.
"I was painting the fence and your brother scared me so bad that I smacked him with the brush and then threw it onto the roof." My mother starts laughing again.
"I can't believe you did that, and I'm the one that has to go get it!" He starts to climb up the rungs.
"Hey, Caleb? We're going to a movie tonight and I'd like for you to come." I yell up after him.
"What time?"
"We're meeting at Dolly's at five." I walk over to the fence, half painted with a fresh coat of white.
"Oh, Albert was over here not to long ago. Poor boy ran down the steps and out the door." My mother wipes her hands on her ruined shirt.
I bite my lip, thinking back to the foot falls I heard descending on the stairs. "Oh?"
"Mmhm, he's such a nice boy." My mother looks at me then puts a hand on my cheek. "Let him down easy if it's not going to work, dear."
"What?" I look at her confused. Let him down easy?
"It's alright to say no. And it's also alright to say yes." She looks the the fence.
I stare at her for a while longer before Caleb comes back with the brush. "Let me go change, Beatrice and we'll go."
I nod and go back inside just to sit on the front step, that's when I notice it next to the mail box. A small box with a bow. I walk over and get it there's a note on top.
I didn't have enough time to give you this personally
saw it and thought of you.
-IV
IV. Four.
Four was here?
Four was here!
I look around wondering when he left this. I open it and inside is a necklace, a simple silver chain with a locket on it.
"Where'd you get that from?" Caleb puts a hand on my elbow. "It's pretty."
I smile, "was Four here earlier?"
"Not that I know of." He fastens the clasp behind my neck, I tuck it underneath my shirt.
We talk as we walk down to Al's, Caleb retelling the whole story of how he scared mom and how his classes were. How he wants to transfer to Chicago but, at the same time, he wants to stay here.
"Hello, Susan, Robert, Amanda." He says and I look up seeing them standing with Al.
"They wanted to come with." He shrugs looking a bit uncomfortable. We walk to Dolly's where Christina and Will are already at a booth waving us over.
"Well this is more than expected." Will stands up. "I'm Will-"
"Will Matthews." My brother smiles. "I know your sister and your Aunt."
"Oh? And you are?"
"Caleb. Prior. Caleb Prior." He shakes Will's hand. "You sister and I are friends."
"Caleb? Oh Caleb! That Caleb! Hey how are you?" Will smiles and Caleb sits down across from him.
"I'm good! I'm good." He then looks at me. "Beatrice how come you didn't tell me you were friends with Will Matthews?"
"Uhm, sorry?" I look at Christina confused she shrugs.
"My aunt is a well known psychologist in Chicago. She also teaches a couple of classes on medicine." Will smiles at the rest of the group.
The waitress comes over and takes our orders. As we eat Will and Caleb continue discussing his aunt's work, Christina listens in complete awe of Will. Susan stares at the table like if she looks away it'll come to life and attack her. Amanda and Robert are talking quietly. Al leans over to me.
"I kinda feel out of place. Don't you?"
I nod. I do, I always have felt out of place here. I catch Christina's eye and she frowns a bit.
Will smiles,"I brought my car. Thought lovely night to go to the drive-in. Come on I'm sure we all can fit."
It's a convertible. And it was red. Not a light blue Cadillac like Robert's this one was Mustang.
After some rearranging Christina sits in the front with Will, tucked up against his side since it's a bench seat. Susan sits in the front next to them. I'm on Al's lap in the back seat and Amanda sits on Caleb's while Robert is in the middle of us both. On our way there I notice Amanda and Robert take each others hand. I look up and I see Caleb look at me and give a slight shake of his head before looking over Amanda's shoulder.
We park and get out to stretch, Christina and Susan run off to go to the bathroom. Caleb and Will continue to talk about Will's Aunt who I've come to learn is named Jeanine. Amanda and Robert disappear and Al keeps giving me these looks.
"I have to go to the restroom." I blurt out backing away. Though I really don't so I turn the corner like I am but I walk straight past the door. Into the group of trees surrounding one part or the lot. I hear giggling and a breathy moan. I duck under a branch and freeze.
Pinned up against a tree is Amanda and between her thighs is Robert. His face pressed into her neck. I flinch, aren't they cousins? Suddenly the looks through out dinner, the whispers and nervous glances, and hand holding in the car make sense. Then I think of Caleb does he know? He has to right?
A part of me wants to make my presence known and threaten to tell someone because it's wrong. But I see the look on her face when their eyes meet, the way he smiles and says I love you. I back away turning to leave.
I make it to where I can see the restrooms.
"Beatrice?" I turn and Al is leaning up against the wall. "You were gone for a bit I came to find you. The others want to know if you've seen Robert or Amanda anywhere?" I think about telling him. I do.
"Al are you alright?" I change the subject. He looks flushed.
"Beatrice, can I ask you something?"
I nod.
"Do you like me?" He takes a step closer.
"Of course, you're a good person, it's hard not to like you." I smile, a nervousness bubbling in my stomach.
"That's not what I mean." He looks at me walking closer.
No.
"What?" I tilt my head. No don't make this awkward. I don't know. I can't tell him no. I can't hurt him.
He reaches me. "I like you a lot, Beatrice." I'm barely aware of people walking towards us. He cups my face and pulls me towards him. Kissing me.
I jerk away. "Stop, Al."
"What why?" He looks at me. "I like you, Beatrice. I like you a lot. Don't you like me too?" He looks so sad.
I shake my head, "I'm so sorry, Al. I don't like anybody right now."
"I could love you, you know." He looks at me. "We'd take care of each other. We could get married. I could work for your father. I can love you. You can learn to love me like I do you."
I shake my head again. "Foolish, Albert. It's foolish. And I can't." I stare him down before he turns and walks away.
"Oh you poor thing." I feel arms wrap around me. Amanda. "Looks like nobody is winning."
I laugh and look at her. "yeah, I saw you."
"We know. And it's horrible. But I love him really do, and he loves me. And love may be foolish, Beatrice Prior but true love makes everything make sense. Nobody is lucky tonight. Will and Christina are doomed, they can't marry, she's of a different colour. Robert and I can't be together, even though I'll tell you a secret, I'm not his cousin by blood. We're still family. Caleb doesn't see Susan as anything more than Robert's little sister. So poor Susan. And Al. Oh Albert. Anyone could see that that boy was head over heels for you. But you. But I also see the way that boy who just left looks at you too and they way you look at him."
"Al?"
"No, the one with the accent. The one that broke Drew's nose that day they ganged up on you. The one who more than once this week would walk past your house. Waiting to see you. I told him to give you a week, to give Al a week. And part of me knew that you'd turn him down. Christina had hoped you'd tell Al yes. I knew you'd say no. Al isn't your type. You're too strong for him."
"What?" Four was here?
"Though I didn't know he'd kiss you. I'm sorry, dear." She hugs me. "How about you go find your friend, Robert and I will deal with everyone else." She lets me go with a smile and then runs off in the direction of where Robert was waiting.
"Beatrice, he went that way." Robert points away from the drive-in. Towards the road, and I take off running.
There's a motorcycle parked in the grass. A body leaning against it. Ears that stick out just a bit.
"Four!" I yell and he stands up looking at me. I slam into him arms, wrapping mine around him. "You're back! When did you get back?"
I hear him laugh. "This morning. Did you like my gift?"
"I did!" I pull it out of my neckline.
"I believe I made you a few promises but first, if you want to leave, how about I show you how to skip stones?" He climbs on the bike.
I look at him then it. I take a deep breath and then swing my leg over settling in behind him. He starts the engine and my arms wrap around his waist, fingers gripping his shirt.
"By the way nice jacket!" He calls over the roar.
"Thanks a friend told me to keep it safe for him!"
"Your friend is real lucky and must be pretty special to have someone like you to watch his favourite things." I can see his cheek pull up in a smile.
"He is but I think I'm more special for him letting me keep it as long as I did!" We hit the road going away from the drive-in.
"I'm sure he'd let you keep it as long as you like, besides you look good in it." I bury my face in his back smiling. I think he may have just been flirting with me.