CHAPTER ONE - Summer is Over.
She couldn't even look at the martini glass in front of her. This was usually her favorite part of summer, but this year was different. Her stomach was in tangles and her brain was doing everything in it's power to convince her to keep her MAC Lip-Gloss covered mouth closed. But her pounding heart was putting up a good fight. Her mother's voice kept playing through her mind, "Live with your heart... not your head. You'll be so much happier."
Karly Peters had always been one to keep her feelings to herself. She didn't like when people knew she was sad or angry or disappointed. She liked it when people saw her as the "pretty bubbly girl in math class". And she'd always been that way. Even when she promised to stop acting like that at her seventeenth birthday. But it was three weeks later and that resolution had since dissipated.
But it wasn't that she wasn't trying! No, that's what this whole thing was about. She was finally going to tell Callie her feelings about Duncan.
Callie Kremer was Karly's best friend. She had been ever since the first grade when she moved into the biggest house in the neighborhood (which was pretty large considering all of the estates in the neighborhood were above and beyond your normal suburban home). Karly's mom had made her take cookies over and introduce herself. And the rest was history.
Then came Duncan; a little shrimpy kid with the messiest blond hair you have ever seen. That's all anyone could talk about for the longest time. "DID YOU SEE THE NEW FAMILY'S SON? HE LOOKS LIKE A DELINQUENT." But Karly took notice to the nicer side to the new boy. He had beautiful eyes that gave her a funny feeling in her tummy. They became quick friends, too. Even though Callie refused to play on the jungle gym whenever Duncan was around.
Puberty was good to Duncan. And every girl in a three-mile radius wanted to "play on the jungle gym" with him. But Karly still saw him for more than his rock hard abs and beautiful eyes and dreamy voice and perfectly disheveled hair and charming lines-- No, he was her best friend. Oh, how quickly she fell.
That's what today was about. Her favorite part of the summer had went from friendly reunion to world's biggest confessional. And Karly was nervous, oh ho ho, she was nervous.
Every summer the three friends split up and went to different paradises. Karly and Callie made it tradition to meet back on the day they both arrived home and spill all the details. And they always met in a bar. Why? Because it was illegal and fun and made them feel mature. But despite the dark lighting that once made Karly feel years older, she felt sick and young and inexperienced. She didn't fear getting caught drinking. The bartender and her parents were old friends. She just feared one thing; Callie's reaction. "What the fuck am I going to do?" She murmured to herself. Her mind was working double-time, thinking of all the excuses in the world not to tell Callie. Everything would be ruined. Callie would tell Duncan, Duncan would be grossed out. Her life would be destroyed. But then everything went blank.
In walked a tall, tan brunette wearing a violet silk slip dress. She sauntered right over to the barstool Karly was sitting at and ordered a Pina Colada. "Hey." the young woman said coolly. She looked like she could be twenty-two. But Karly knew she wasn't. She was seventeen.
"CALLIEEE." Karly screeched and threw her arms around her best friend. Callie hugged her oldest friend back. Karly immediately noticed Callie's new long locks and tanned skin. Spain really had helped her look more exotic. She was also speaking with a more elegant flow. She wondered if Callie noticed any changes in her. Probably not; Hawaii wasn't as majestic as southern Spain.
"I've got so much to tell you." Callie said, her face lighting up for the first time. Karly instantly knew she was in for some good gossip. Callie only got excited when something was extremely exciting. Because being overly happy was cool. "Me too!" Karly replied, grabbing her friend's hand. "But you can go first." A bead of sweat began to form on her auburn hairline. 'Thank you, Jesus.' Karly said silently and looked up.
"Well..." Callie began, "I get to Spain and there are so many hot boys. And they all start like, attacking me. That was a given though." She paused and winked for added effect. "No, but like, I wasn't interested in hooking up right away. I just wanted to chill and tan for a few days." She spoke slowly, placing her hand on her slender knee. "But none of these guys took my subtle hints. It's like, 'GO THE HELL AWAY' means 'HEY, LET'S GO HAVE SEX.' in Spanish. Yeah, anyway. One day I was getting completely pissed off. This guy was getting really creepy and started to like, grope me." Karly gasped and looked at her with an omigod-are-you-alright face. "No, someone saved me! None other than loser."
Loser was Callie's pet name for Duncan. Even when he got cute, she refused to act like she liked him. He'd always be the dorky loner back from the golden days. "His family was staying at the same hotel I was! Freaky, I know. I was kinda annoyed at first. But honestly, we got to talking. I finally see why you think he's so amazing."
Karly smiled triumphantly. This was all great news; her smile was pushing it's way across her whole face. Karly had never wanted to tell someone something this much in her life. She had to keep pinching her leg to remind her that Callie's story wasn't over. But by this time, she had stopped listening. All she could think about was the fact that Callie would approve.
"So, one night there was this fabulous soiree. I looked amazing. I was wearing this cute little black Valentino dress and the red Jimmy Choos. You know, the outfit you made me promise I'd wear.. And get this." Callie paused to make sure Karly was still with her. Karly shook herself out of the daze she was in and focused back onto her story. It was almost over, she could feel it. And the excitement swelled up again.
"The stars were bright. And Duncan was telling me how beautiful I looked. And you know what I did? I kissed him! And he kissed back! Kar, I finally found a boy that is worthy of me." Callie yelped pulling Karly into a bear hug. But Karly didn't feel anything. She was limp.
CHAPTER TWO - Cocoanut Allergies.
Karly gave out a small, silent gasp and slipped back on to her barstool when Callie finally released her. "It's cool…" Callie kept talking, but Karly had stopped listening. For real this time, though. Callie sounded like a higher-pitched Charlie Brown adult. Everything that was the last few months had been flushed down the toilet. Those few months of realization, the months or clarity… down the garbage shute.
Callie was so beautiful; her legs were like, three-thousand miles long, she was exotic and boys fell over themselves for her. What did Karly have against her? Silky auburn locks that fell to her mid-back, but they were just met by Callie's raven extensions that hung just above her butt. Callie's chest was larger because she was curvier. Karly was just the model-skinny flat as a board type. In all aspects, Karly felt that Callie was superior to her.
"You wanted to tell me something, Karls?" Callie finally stopped talking about herself and moved on to Karly's summer. You could tell by the tone of her voice that she didn't really care, but Karly was very much used to the tone by now. "I, uh, well…" Karly stuttered, trying to hold back tears. She'd never been a great liar and the fact that she was dying on the inside probably only highlighted that fact. She was trying with all her might to come up with a good lie and fast. "I found out that I'm allergic to cocoanut." Karly heard herself say. She immediately wanted to slap herself, but looked straight ahead, passed the old bartender and passed the many bottles of vodka. "That's unfortunate." Callie said as she dug through her purse in search of her compact.
"I have to go use the restroom." Karly said in an effort to escape. "Mmhm," Callie puffed her cheeks out and smeared some blush onto her high cheek bones. Callie was one of those girls who had been blessed with amazing bone structure. Karly got up and paused for a moment to see if Callie was going to accompany her. Thank god, she stayed seated and Karly clomped her kitten heels to the bathroom.
Tears flooded from her light blue eyes into the sink. She prayed that no one would walk in. She knew that she looked like a raccoon; her charcoal mascara was running down her perfect chin and she probably looked rabid.
It's not fair, Karly thought. I love him. I love him for the way he looks at me when he tells me I'm his best friend. I love him for the way he hugs me from the side and says "cute" even though it's not very masculine. I love the way he ditches his girlfriends to hang out with me. I love how he went to prom with me last year even when he already had a date because I was more important. And most of all I love how I love everything about him. Karly kept reliving the moments over in her head which sent the tears even more vigorously.
After about ten minutes of sobbing, Karly began to reapply her makeup. She took out her MAC products and scattered the across the sink. "Be happy," she told her reflection. This was a tactic her mother had taught her. Karly's mom being a shrink and all, had really helped with the self-confidence thing-- not. "I wonder why Callie hasn't come to check on me." Karly said aloud to herself. With a few more hints of bronzer and eyeliner, Karly threw herself out of the bathroom.
She plastered a fake smile on to her face as she walked back to her friend, but stopped dead in her tracks. Her smile faded as she recognized an extra familiar blond tousled head sitting next to Callie. It was typical that Callie would invite Duncan over to meet them. It was a tradition for years that the two girls met alone after their summer trips to gossip and tell each other how much they missed one another. But leave it to Callie to mess everything up.
Karly's immediate reaction was to go over and slap Callie across the face. But there were two things standing in her way; her inability to hurt people and the fact that she rather jump over the bar and start kissing Duncan. Instead, she coughed a fake obnoxious cough to warn the duo. Heaven forbid they start to kiss right as she walked over there. That sort of this could send her spiraling down into a morbid depression. And how cute is morbid depression? Not very.
Duncan looked her direction instantaneously. His familiar smile pierced his lips as he stood up, all six-feet-two-inches of him happy to see her. His happiness would have seemed inappropriate for any other guy whose girlfriend was sitting so close to him. "Karly! Dude, I missed you," Duncan spoke genuinely, looking straight into Karly's eyes. Karly hated when Duncan called her dude. She much rather him opt for Sweetheart or Doll Face, but at that moment Dude seemed perfectly romantic.
He took a step forward and wrapped his strong arms around her. She tried not to sniff his Ralph Lauren cologne, but failed. The whiff of fragrance made her calm and made her want to throw him down on a bed. This was a feeling she was getting used to, considering she'd felt it for about what, twelve years?
"I missed you too, you idiot. I see you got a little sunburned." Karly said, smiling with her eyes, a trick she learned from Tyra Banks. "You love it." Duncan replied poking her on a cheek. Karly smiled up at Duncan and they stayed that way for awhile, just standing and smiling at each other. It could have been one of those movie moments, where the main couple finally realizes the love they share. But there was one problem: Callie.
"I'd say get a room, but that's our specialty." Callie finally interjected. She wrapped her perfectly manicured hand around his wrist and pulled him closer to her. "Isn't that right, Baby?" Callie stared right at Karly when she said this. Karly tried to tell herself that Callie wasn't being malicious. She didn't even know that she liked Duncan. Why would she be with him just to hurt her? Ah, it was all in her imagination. She knew it.
Duncan let out a nervous chuckle and kissed Callie on the top of her head. A sharp tingle seared down Karly's back. That was their thing. "Uhh, let's get out of here. We should go see a mo--" Karly started, trying to break the awkward moment, but was quickly interrupted. "Duncan, we should get out of here. My parents aren't home. I have candles. We can pretend we're still in Spain." Callie's voice was sultry, but had hints of coldness hidden inside. Duncan turned his attention to Karly. He frowned a little and asked, "You don't mind if we, er, bail… right?"
"Not at all." Karly answered back, monotone.
But that was the exact opposite of what she was screaming on the inside.
CHAPTER FOUR - Adorable Flats.
His lips felt so soft against her own. Her calculus teacher and the rest of the students in the classroom stared at them in a mix of jealousy and disbelief. Karly and Duncan? Together? Finally!? Karly didn't pay any mind to the gawkers. She just kissed the boy that she loved her whole life in the hall of their high school. It was a declaration, a new era. The kiss was better than anything that she had ever tasted. It was like heaven… only better. His touch felt electric while he held her close around the waist and kissed her like she was the only girl in the world.
Just when she felt weak in the knees, Duncan pulled away abruptly. "Dude, do you hear that?" He uttered looking around the now empty hallway. "No. Don't call me dude. Kiss me." Karly said, already missing him. "No. Really, man. Listen." He replied cupping his ear, trying to hear something that definitely wasn't there. And like a wave from the ocean, music flowed into the hall. A strange woman's voice screeched, "SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THESE…"
Karly's eyes popped open immediately and slammed her hand down on the snooze button. She often wished there was a pause button on dreams, and she could replay them for nights and nights. That one was definitely a keeper.
She slowly uncovered herself, feeling hot under her Egyptian Cotton sheets. She out one slender foot down onto her beautiful, yet cold mahogany wood flooring and then another. Karly told everyone that her favorite part of her family's home was the beautiful floors. But on this morning it just made her usually warm room, dull and hallow.
Tissues scattered all over the floor, Karly running her hand along her desk trying to knock some space free. Last night had been tough; she couldn't sleep for hours. Every time her eye lids would droop down into proper sleep position, images of Duncan and Callie doing extremely vulgar things blazed across her mind. And no matter how much she told herself to move on, think of something else, a tactic her mother taught her, she couldn't will herself away from thinking about them. Karly never worried about Duncan's other girlfriends. She knew that she was more special to him. But Callie was different. Callie was Callie, eater of hearts, amazing sex-kitten, her best friend. She didn't even hold a candle to Callie.
Karly sat down on the cute vintage chair that stood in front of her desk. "Just three days until school starts," Karly smiled, "Studies will MAKE me forget about the disgusting display of affection that will be playing throughout the school." Her powder blue eyes flickered across the calendar that laid on the desk. She poked her fingers at the three days marked with sad faces. The words, SUMMER IS OVER. CRY CRY, were written across them in bold red marker. She sighed at looked at the box that symbolized that day's date. Maybe she had something scheduled, something like a fun spa day! But instead, in messy cursive, probably the worst fragment possible was written in the corner.
"Ice cream with Duncan!?" Karly yelped. "Twelve-thirty… shit!" Without another word, Karly flung herself into her walk-in closet. A sea of dresses formed on the ground as she hastily threw out acceptable choices. She had exactly thirty minutes to get dressed, get out, and get there. But she wasn't exactly looking forward to it. She knew Duncan hadn't forgotten about the plans. They started their own tradition of meeting up after vacation last year and he had promised that the two of them would stick with it. Karly dreaded being alone with him now. She didn't trust herself. She didn't know if she'd burst out into tears (a talent she'd mastered in the last twenty-four hours) or pounce across the table and rip off all his clothes.
About twenty-five minutes later, Karly twap'ed up to the quaint ice cream shack. It looked old and rusted, but in reality the small shack was a host of gourmet frozen yogurt flavors from around the world that ranged 15 to 25 dollars a scoop. Karly looked around and didn't see Duncan. A quick sigh of relief escaped her. She felt confident in the colorful Chanel sundress she was wearing. It was a classic and fit her perfectly. Her hair was loose and waved naturally in strategic surf curls. Her flats were adorable and her sunglasses were humongous. What more does a girl need? But Karly still felt insecure which wasn't a foreign feeling for her.
She found a seat and waited for the familiar sound of Duncan's car door slamming shut.
CHAPTER FIVE - Commitment?
Duncan easily slipped into a pair of his favorite jeans. They were the jeans that you'd pay a hundred dollars for at Abercrombie. Each knee displayed a perfectly disheveled hole and scuff marks sat in all the right places. But each rip wasn't manufactured. Duncan earned each of his tears. He wore these jeans to concerts and when he played field hockey with his buddies. He wore the holes like a badge of honor. Yeah, they were his favorite pants.
It was only another fifteen minutes after he had slid on his brown checkerboard vans when the ice cream shop came into view. A memory of Spain pushed itself into his mind. He remembered Callie laying on the beach with the hottest purple bathing suit on and a bright pink popsicle. That was the first day that he realized that Callie would make a splendid girlfriend to add to the list. She was perfect; hot, a little slutty, and too cocky to ever keep a serious relationship.
Duncan went through girls like he went through beers on the weekends. Whenever a beer-- or ahem, girl-- got the least bit clingy or love struck, she'd be in the garbage like an empty bottle. It wasn't that he was a jerk; okay, maybe he was. Duncan was just afraid. He was the nicest guy ever and a jerk all rolled into one person, an attribute he wasn't proud of.
It wasn't long until he spotted Karly. She was the most radiant girl in the place. And the best part about her was that she wasn't even trying. All the other girls there were sloshing around their frozen yogurts as if they were rancid, trying to appear thinner or something superficial like that. Some girls surrounded themselves with guy friends so they looked popular. And others just circled the place flaunting their new shoes and any other ridiculously expensive article of clothing that draped off of their grossly thin frames.
Karly immediately saw him and rose from her seat. A smile flashed across her gorgeous face, complimenting her amazing bone structure. "Hey baby!" She screeched and threw her arms around his neck. He could smell her perfume; it smelled like heaven. He could kiss her at that moment. He wanted to, too. It was almost like he had already forgotten which of the two best friends was his girlfriend. "Dude, you look great," He answered her a little less than gracefully. Every time he called Karly "dude" he wanted to shoot himself. She deserved much more than that.
The beginning of summer (before he and Callie had met up) Duncan was almost positive that when he returned back to California he was going to confess his love to Karly. But that word -- love -- scared him more than anything. Commitment? What was that? He was only seventeen, he didn't want to be tied down. Anyone could understand that, right? He was perfectly content being in lust. He really didn't need love. And he was trying his best to convince himself that love was just a mere hallucination. Callie shoved away any other doubt.
But he couldn't help it. He saw Karly and all those shameful emotions and feelings flooded back to him. Which quite frankly, made him feel like a pubescent school girl. He hated it and loved it all at once.
"Thanks," Karly said softly. She looked up at him with her sparkling blue eyes. "I'm glad you didn't forget about our little tradition. It means a lot to me that we could chill alone before school started." She had a hint of insecurity in her voice. It made him want to scoop her up and tell her that she was the only girl for him.
Too bad that couldn't happen considering he was dating her best friend.
"I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I heart you, Karly." He said, smiling before planting a kiss on the top of her head. Whispers could be heard around the hut. The girls that had been earlier flaunting, sloshing, and faking had their sidekicks out, typing furiously. Duncan could imagine the gossip being spread; "LOLZ. DUNCAN IZ ALRDY CHEATING ON CALLY. POOR GURL."
But he didn't care one bit. He was with his best friend in the best ice cream shack in all of the United States. If that didn't say, "Good Times" he didn't know what did.
CHAPTER SIX - Rosie Pink.
Empty chairs paraded themselves around the now-vacant ice cream shack. All the former customers had long since gone. Everybody knows that are far better places to be when the sun goes down. All the teenagers flock to the hottest club of the moment, all of them underage, but allowed in anyways (you don't spend $250 on an unauthentic fake ID). They threw themselves through the doors of the swankiest cinemas or spent thirty dollars per plate in ridiculously ritzy French restaurants.
Even with the janitor sweeping at her feet, Karly couldn't lose her smile. She couldn't say that she would rather be in any of those places. Karly could honestly say she was happy. In that last six hours her emotions had completely shifted. Walking into the frozen yogurt shop, she felt awkward and sad. Insecure was a big feeling. She knew that Duncan was only going to be hanging out with her alone because of the prior plans. He'd only talk about Callie and how great she was in bed or something else equally repulsive. But that wasn't the case at all.
Her perfectly straight and white teeth (Thank you, Dentist Kelly!) hadn't been covered at all in the last few hours. She smiled with all her might, genuinely enjoying catching up with Duncan. Every reason that she had ever fallen in love with him rushed straight to her head as if she were hanging upside down. Everything she looked at it seemed to have a new life to it; it seemed a warmer shade of rosie pink. And even better, the boy she loved didn't even utter a word about his so-called girlfriend, not once.
He told her about going to Spain and how he mistook everyone for a Mexican. He told her about how much he missed her. He told her about one day going out into the middle of the street wearing a large sombrero and shouting "Ole!" at the top of his lungs. He told her about how much he missed her. He told her about the necklace he bought her and how it got stolen by one of the maids. He told her about how much he missed her. And not one single itty-bitty word about Callie.
"Alright, naw. You twos lovebirds gotta get out of here," the janitor spoke happily in a southern drawl. He had already swept, washed, waxed, and locked up everything in the store. He was pretty much begging them to let him go home. "I gotta clean that table, Miss. It's the only thang left."
Karly could feel the heat in her cheeks, she was sure they were bright red. "We're not… He's not…--" Karly tried her best to correct the poor janitor, but was quickly interrupted. "Okay. Thanks, man. We appreciate you for letting us stay so late. See you later." Duncan chuckled and took Karly's hand and turned his attention to her.
His green eyes were sparkling as if to say, 'Karly, I love you more than you know.' and spoke softly, "Let's get out of here." California beaches are known for their sun-swept beauty. Girls and colorful umbrellas are plastered in the sand. The sky is dotted by luscious clouds. The sun is perfect; not too hot, not too overcast. A tan is easy to come by. Everyday is a scene out of Bay Watch -- without the drowning idiots.
But once the sun sets, all of the life guards go home to run in slow motion in the privacy of their own bedrooms. All the beach bunnies disappear and all the umbrellas fade. A tan is virtually impossible. Many argue that Californian beaches aren't anything special after dark. They look just like every other beach; a strip of soft sand with some waves. Karly would bet money to prove these people wrong.
On that night, it was special. The sand seemed to sparkle beneath her feet like jewels. She swore she could actually see her happiness reflecting back at her. Each grain winked at her for every step she took. The waves crashed, quietly whispering to her. The sun was not needed for their was an equally magnificent moon dangling in the air. And she didn't need any beach-goers gawking at her. This night was perhaps the most romantic night of her life. She was alone -completely alone- with the boy she loved and he was seemingly just as excited as she was.
"Let's go swimming." Duncan suggested, peeling his shirt off over his head. He wasn't too beefy, you know, body builder gross. He was buff to the point of apparent strength, but that was it. Not at all too showy. His muscles were perfect, his tan was perfect, he was perfect. Karly had to hold her hand at her side to make sure she didn't reach out and rub his six-pack.
"Sorry Charlie! I'm wearing a dress, not a bikini." Karly squealed, playfully slugging Duncan's hard bicep. She was ready for his counter, knowing he wouldn't let her get away that easy. "We could always skinny…" Duncan winked at her, a giant smile forming. He looked like a little kid who just got a gigantic lollypop. "No way!" Karly laughed, "Once a horn dog, always a horn dog." The moon reflected down onto the waves with such grace, the visual was astounding. Karly tried to take in everything, remember it all. Even if the night ended with their relationship the same as it had always been, it was the best night of her life.
When Karly turned her attention back to Duncan he was intently rolling up his jeans. He was so focused, trying to roll them up perfectly. 'What a dork,' Karly thought to herself. Without thinking for a second longer, Karly kicked off both of her flats and stepped out of her dress. Duncan's eyes were still trained to his pant legs (God, was he in love with those jeans or what?).
She didn't wait any longer, stepping up to Duncan. Usually she would have been mortified standing half naked in her pink polka dotted bra and undies set. But tonight she was completely at ease. Nobody could see her, nobody but Duncan. And it was the same as wearing a bikini, right?
She slung her arm around his shoulders and whispered into his ear, "Last one in the ocean is a rotten egg." With that she took off down the beach toward the black water. Duncan looked at her, d dumbfounded. It was a few moments before she could hear him bounding down the beach after her. She could only imagine the state of shock he had been in in the last two seconds. Karly's head start didn't help at all, Duncan caught up easily.
Karly looked over her shoulder and winked. She wondered if he would let her win. She didn't have much time to think about it because once he was close enough, he grabbed her around her waist and spun her around, placing her in a patch of sand behind him. He only stopped running when his toes hit the water. "Cheater!" Karly whined, hands on hips. She ran up to where he was and poked his chest, "I win by default." Her tone was playful and joyful. He sarcastically frowned, "I won fair and square." He was so cute. His smiled was even brighter at night. A few stray blonde hairs dangled in front of his eyes making his look so flawlessly model-like. Karly couldn't stand it. "Fair and square my ass!" She yelped before playfully jumping on him, tackling him to the cushy floor. Karly couldn't help but play the famous movie scene in her mind: couple is completely in love and rolling around in the sea, yeah you know it.
There had been many times when Duncan and Karly were hanging out and things got a little more than friendly. They didn't need to kiss or sleep together for the love to be understood. There wasn't a single thing different about this time. This was a usual activity in the Duncan-and-Karly coloring book of friendship. But Karly felt something. Maybe Duncan knew. Maybe he could feel it too.
"I really won, you know." Duncan said softly, looking up at Karly. He tenderly stroked her wet hair, pushing a few behind her multi-pierced ear. That was the last straw, Karly felt like she was going to explode. She moved quickly; more speed, less thought. She leaned in and touched her lips to his. And to her surprised Duncan didn't shove her off, he didn't throw up. No. He kissed back.
They stayed like that for awhile, exchanging passionate kisses in the waves. Karly had never felt more alive in her life. This was better than graduating high school. All of her dreams were coming true right before her eyes: the boy she was in love with had his arms wrapped around her and his eyes closed. His lips were just as soft as she had imagined and she was melting into his embrace. She finally knew what heaven was like.
Karly finally pulled away to catch her breath, but instead of taking a gulp, she heard herself say something. "I love you. I've loved you since I knew what love was. Duncan, you're my soul mate." A thousand pounds were lifted immediately from her shoulders. She couldn't help but grin. She meant every one of those words, each word was so real. It almost scared her. Duncan though did not look as happy. His eyes grew sad and he scooted out from under her.
"Karls," he said in an almost inaudible whisper, "I have.. I have to go."
With that he stood up, collected his clothes and walked home.
CHAPTER EIGHT - No Bedroom Activity.
Callie punched the keys of her trio as hard as she could. Maybe if she tried with all her might, she would be successful. But up to date, that theory was falling through. Her fingers had memorized the seven digits and dialed them repeatedly. The sound of his voice saying those six words was making her furious: "Hey, I'm not here. Leave one." How dare her supposed "boyfriend" ignore her calls. Callie had never been ignored, never. Not once in her entire seventeen years of living had she been written off, especially by someone of the opposite sex. It had been almost a twenty hours since Callie had last seen Duncan and to think that she had no idea where he was was killing her.
She remembered handing him his cute, vintage polo the night before and kissing his neck good bye. Their night had been good, oh, very good. He begged her to let him stay, but she knew her dad would kill her if he found another boy sleeping in her bed. So, she pushed him out the front door and went to bed. And that was the last she saw of him.
Callie hated herself for feeling so clingy, but who the hell did Duncan think he was? He wasn't anything without her. He should be doing anything he could to spend constant time with her. Did he not know how many doors she was opening up for him? He was pretty much just a charity case. Callie slammed her fist on her antique oak desk, her eyes seared with anger.
Callie learned at a young age that she was probably one of the most gorgeous individuals ever created. She had her mother's model features and her father's exotic looks. It was a deadly combination and believe me, she knew how to work it. Callie got whatever she wanted with just a flip of the hair. She knew how to use every single body part to her advantage: she had a 4.0 GPA. So to think that maybe Duncan was the only person immune to it made her want to destroy him. And that she couldn't made it worse. As much as she hated to admit it, Callie needed Duncan.
All summer, Callie knew that Duncan was in Spain. It did not cross her mind to go visit Duncan, she hardly liked him. Every time she thought of him, she cringed. He was so gross when he was little. She couldn't forget that, even if he did grow up nicely. But she had been receiving these weird texts from Karly. At the beginning of the summer, she sounded sad as usual. Karly had always been a little overdramatic. But the messages got increasingly happier and happier. She kept mentioning how she had big news and how she couldn't wait to meet her at the bar. Callie's heart sunk.
It wasn't exactly confidential news that Karly was madly in love with Duncan. Everyone knew about it… everyone. People made bets about how long it would take for them to finally get married. They were like the star couple of the school, without actually being a couple. And when Callie sensed that Karly was finally secure enough to tell him, she felt her world collapsing.
If Karly and Duncan got together all of the focus would be off of her. Instead of every girl at school swooning on how wonderful she was and asking her where she bought her newest micro mini skirt, they'd be asking where D and K were. All the boys would stop fantasizing about her and move their perverted thoughts onto how great Karly was treating Duncan-- which was preposterous. Callie knew that Karly was the biggest prude around. She was still a virgin. Who's a virgin after junior year!? Losers and goths, that's who. Actually, even the goths got ass.
So, Callie hatched her plan: the ol' switch-er-oo. She would be the talk of town when school started back up and instead of Karly, she was the one on Duncan's arm. She almost felt sorry for Karly. They had been best friends since they were like, born… but Callie valued her popularity much more than a best friendship that could be refilled in the blink of an eye.
Callie tried Duncan's number one last time. She had already mentally planned his repercussions. First off, there would be no kissing. Duncan was a kisser, not a hugger. She knew that would dent his ego. Then she'd take away the cutesy dancing they were always doing. Duncan was a big goofy dork who had to dance, shuffle, and grind every time he heard a music note. And finally, there would be no bedroom activity for at least three nights. Which was a strain because she enjoyed the "horizontal dance" as much as any teenage guy, but Duncan needed to be punished.
She almost hit end on the third ring before Duncan picked up. His voice was rough like he had been smoking or something and he sounded tired. He was ignoring her because he was too busy getting high!? What the hell? It wasn't that she hadn't smoked her fair share, it was that she was never the one who was being ditched.
"Hey, baby. I'm sorry. My phone's been off--" Callie heard through the receiver. She quickly cut him off and hissed, "Where in the god damned world are you? Oh, I'm not kidding. You better have a better excuse than that." Her anger was so apparent it was pathetic. "I'm on my way to your house. I've been, um, well. I've been sleeping all day. I needed a big rest after last night," She heard him force a chuckle, "But I need to see you. We have to talk." Callie didn't smile or say another word. She just closed her phone and walked to her bathroom. She delicately took out her makeup supplies and began skillfully applying her face.
She needed to make him regret not answering his phone.
CHAPTER NINE - They Didn't Know He'd Seen Their Daughter Naked.
Duncan couldn't help but dance a little. Everything he had ever wanted was unveiling right in front of him. When Karly kissed him all his preconceived notions about love seemed to melt. He had something that some people couldn't even find after searching a lifetime. He knew he was in love with, truly and deeply in love with. He had a soul mate; he could see Karly by his side for the rest of his life. And she had been under his nose forever. Duncan felt light. He felt like he could just float away. It was a good feeling.
That good feeling was flushed away when Duncan came to Callie's house. Her house had always been on the creepy side. It was a monstrous brick building, modern and classic at the same time. The expanse between him and the front door seemed as wide as the Sahara dessert. The heavy dark mahogany door that was meant to look warm and secure just made the house look even more forbidden.
Duncan couldn't imagine his problem. He considered himself a pro at breaking girls; he practiced as often as possible. And he was setting himself up to do the same boring routine to Callie. But something about her tore his stomach apart. Maybe it was because he had known her before she had boobs. Or maybe it was because she was one of the most gorgeous people he knew. Or maybe it was because this wasn't a girl that he could let roll off his shoulders. No, this dumpage would have consequences. But he was in love with Karly, right!? I mean, dumping this meaningless action tool should be easy.
He shuffled up to the door and let himself in. Duncan assumed Callie's parents would be out; they always were. And even if Mr. and Mrs. Kremer would have welcomed him with open arms. They still didn't know that he had seen their daughter naked.
Before he even reached the master staircase (that looked like something straight out of Titanic), he heard Callie's light feet on the wood flooring. "That better be you, Duncan. Because if it's a robber, I'm really not in the mood to deal with you. Take the TV and leave." Her voice was angry still, but she seemed to be loosening up. Well, enough to incorporate some humor into her speech.
"It's me, Cal." Duncan said surprisingly sheepishly. This was not the time to get insecure with his future ex-girlfriend. He needed to remain confident; dump her and go make out with Karly some more. Ah, how he wished he hadn't left her on the beach. He just didn't feel right still being with Callie and rolling around on the beach with Karly, however hot it may have been.
"Fuck you." Callie said in a baby-esque tone and turned her back to him. Damn, she was cute when she was mad (hello, understatement). He just wanted to reach out and hug her. He suddenly wished they were in bed, cuddling. He wanted to kiss her, and play with her hair. The last thing on his mind was cutting her loose. "Baaaabe, I'm sorry. Really sorry. I was extremely tired. Extremely!" He begged her to turn to him. Callie's whole family was known for being stubborn as mules.
"What did you want to 'talk' about, Duncan?" Callie sighed finally turning to him. She refused to lose the scowl, though. As fast as he had forgotten, Duncan remembered why he had ran to her house. And the same sad twinkle from earlier glazed in his eye. Duncan knew that he had to break someone's heart. And Callie's name was boldly printed on the roster.
"Oh, yeah. Um, let's go to your room and sit down." Duncan stuttered, putting his hand on her lower back as if to guide her down the hall. She quickly shook his hand away. There was no way in hell that she was going to let him touch her. Nope. He was screwed.
Callie's room was stunning. Shades of purple danced around charmingly with professional poise. The best designers from all over the world had come in to make it perfect for a princes, i.e.: Princess Callie. Her bed was made of some luscious material that had to be illegal or something because once you fell asleep it felt like you were never getting up. Her room was pretty much the equivalent of… Heaven.
Duncan's hand was on her thigh as she sat down next to him. She didn't object or anything. She looked truly interested in what he had to say. It almost broke his heart, but he dove into it as fast as possible. "Callie, when we met up in Spain, I saw you in a way that I never saw before. You're a great girl, but--"
Duncan was quickly interrupted by the feeling of Callie's soft lips on his neck and small hand on his belt buckle.
CHAPTER TEN - Catharsis.
Sunsets were never anything special to Karly. She never forced herself to wake up at dawn or drop everything at dusk. They weren't metaphorically moving or spiritually uplifting. She didn't have a catharsis when she watch one and she didn't get the sudden urge to write pages and pages of poetry. The sun, some big orange ball, rose and sank. It wasn't a big deal. It wasn't a big deal at all.
But Karly stumbling home as the sun began to light the sky was a big deal. She wasn't one of those club goers, who stay out all night and get completely intoxicated. But after Duncan had left her heartbroken, she had no where else to go. She headed to the first club she could find and spent four and a half hours drinking as much as her little body could handle. She didn't dance with anyone. She didn't eat. She just took sip after sip of vodka and Jack Daniels and tequila and anything else she could buy.
"Hello Sunshine," She heard herself slur groggily, "You are so beautiful. I really should watch this whole sunrise thing more often. Maybe I could write a song about you. Wouldn't that be a total cliché." She erupted with chuckled as she walked up the front steps to her gigantic mansion of a home. She clicked open her clutch purse and dug through the tiny compartment in a desperate search to find her keys. "Ah ha!" Karly congratulated herself, lifting up a platinum keychain. She pierced the key through the lock and slammed open the lock. She intentionally made as much noise possible and flung open the door.
There were no parents in robes with empty coffee cups, worried sick. Marta, her Spanish maid, wasn't even there waiting for her. And she was more like a mother anyway. Ha, how funny. No one loved her. Not a single person in the whole deluded world cared enough to even wonder where the hell she was after not coming home all night. Karly was on the verge of hating her life.
She made her way upstairs, slamming both feet hard on each step. She wanted to wake up her parents. She wanted to wake up Marta. She wanted to wake up the whole county.
Karly stopped in 'the angel bathroom' before going into her room. It was the first door before her own, the guest bathroom (made to look especially expensive), and her secret haven. Though she had her own private bathroom attached to her room, Karly liked this one much better. Maybe the subtle paintings of angels on the walls made her feel safe in an insecure setting or maybe she just felt like she was going to get stabbed every time she stepped into her private restroom, either way; she loved the dark maroon and gold of 'the angel bathroom'.
Her reflection stared hard back at her. "You told him you loved him. Do you know what he did? He left. He left!" It told her, angry with tears in it's eyes. She had never imagined being in so much pain over being rejected. But she wasn't just rejected by any boy from school. No, she was rejected by her supposed soul mate. It was normal to be in excruciating pain, right?
Karly sighed and clicked off the bathroom light. She looked forward to the hours of severe depression, crying and vomiting to come. She'd have to move the trash can to the side of her bed. She'd have to wear ugly pajamas. She'd have to drink a bunch of orange juice in the morning. She'd have to try to forget about Duncan; seventeen years worth of erasing.
But as she opened the door to her bedroom, she knew she'd have to do something else. She'd have to change her plans. Like a prayer, Duncan sat cross-legged on the middle of her bed.
CHAPTER ELEVEN - More Virginal Than Mary.
No words were exchanged. The speech Duncan had written fell out of his head. There wasn't any recollection of the many words he had stockpiled on the quick walk to Karly's house. In fact, there wasn't any recollection of anything that had happened earlier that night. All Duncan knew was that he had somewhere made a right decision because now, with the sun flowing through the curtains, Karly had never looked so beautiful.
Her hair fanned around her clean face, her blue eyes shining. Duncan half expected her to walk out the door. He half expected her to slap him and never talk to him again. And that seemed like a major possibility as she took one graceful step after another towards him. And as she moved her hand closer to his face, it turned into something not at all like a smack.
Duncan watched her lean into him, caressing his prominent cheek bone. "Thank you for coming back." She whispered still inching her face closer to his. "My pleasure," Duncan answered softly, bringing his own hand forward to push back some of Karly's light bangs. "I've got something to tell you."
But Karly didn't let him finish. She pressed her lips up against his and pushed him onto his back. Duncan would have argued if this was any other girl. You don't just write a lengthy piece of literature for someone and then not even tell them. Instead, Duncan wrapped his arms around Karly and kissed her passionately. When else would he get the opportunity to make out with the girl he loved (who happened to be more virginal than Mary) in her bed?
Karly half pulled back in response to him. "I don't want to hear it right now, Duncan. Just kiss me." She said without taking her lips off of his. Her eyes were shut as she kissed him. Duncan noted this happily. Callie always kissed with her eyes open-- oh, crap.
Duncan suddenly remembered the last part of his speech. "Karly, no really. I--"
Karly shook her head. She honestly did not want to hear what he had to say. There was only one thing that felt certain about this moment. She was sure of it. She wasn't going to let the perfect time pass without doing what felt right. And with that, she slid the thin t-shirt that covered her thin torso, off. Duncan could see it in her eyes; she was ready. And somehow that made him feel like more of an asshole than he already was.
Duncan gently pushed Karly off of him. He picked up her shirt and gave it to her. "Put it on," He sighed, sitting up. "Are you kidding? Do you realize what I just did? Duncan… I want you. I need you. Please." Karly whimpered, putting her shirt back on and touching his shoulder.
But Duncan couldn't do that to her, wouldn't do that to her.
"I didn't break up with Callie."
CHAPTER TWELVE - Not a One.
There is only a few things in life that makes every single person in the world uncomfortable. And one of the biggest inconvenience is the dreaded awkward silence. There's none more embarrassing or mood shattering as an awkward silence. That brief moment of absolutely nothing kills every brain cell, every ounce of thought a person has. And these terrible catastrophes are brought on by such random things.
But Karly knew exactly why this silence was so deafening. The seconds grew into years and after a minute had passed, she could almost feel the wrinkles forming. "Wait… what?" She finally managed, immediately regretting it. She couldn't bear to hear him say it again.
"Karly," Duncan reached for a strand of her hair, but Karly didn't want him touching her. She was convinced that his hands would burn her. She moved away quickly, sliding to the foot of her bed. She sat with her legs crossed not looking into his eyes. Those would most likely burn her too.
"I'm sorry. It's just she-- no, I don't want to talk about her. I want to talk about us. Karly, last night… on the beach… I realized something. Probably the most significant thing of my life, actually." He said, willing her to look his way.
"And what was that? That you got to make out with Karly Peters in her bra and underwear? Does that make you Big Man on Campus? You can tell all your friends. You can tell everyone that you were the first." Karly's voice broke. "Kar, you know me better than that. You know me better this. Karly, you helped me realize that I am madly in love with you. You helped me realize that we were meant to be. I can gladly say that you are the first girl I have ever felt this for." Duncan begged. Duncan wasn't one to give up, especially on something he loved. He treasured the way Karly fit in his arms and he was dying for her to crawl back to him.
"You're a liar. You show up in my bed practically screaming that you broke up with her. That we could be together. That you felt the same as me. HA! You probably figured you could get me to have sex with you because it was such a romantic gesture. Almost, Duncan. Almost." Tears streamed down her face, hot tears. Karly's mom's nurturing voice overwhelmed her thoughts; Karly's mom was never wrong. Except this once. Duncan was definitely worth the depression.
"It's not like that at all!" Duncan immediately argued. "I TRIED to dump Callie. It's just hard. She's a really good friend. I can't hurt her just like that. It's going to end. And you can trust me there. It has to end. I'll die if I'm not with you. I'm incomplete without you! No matter how cheesy it seems, I love you."
Karly turned her head toward Duncan. She tried to force the anger out, but she couldn't. She wished her frustration would just go away. She wished she could start kissing him again, but that wasn't right. She was stronger than that. She had to be stronger than that.
"If you love me like you say… If you love me like I love you, come back when we can be together. Because no matter how much I want this to happen, I won't have some sort of an affair with you. No." Karly heard this mature voice echo out of her throat. She couldn't believe how much like her mother she sounded.
And this time, Duncan listened. He got up, his eyes welled up with sadness and nodded. He couldn't say anything. He knew he was wrong. So, again a silence filled Karly's room. But not one of awkwardness, one of loneliness. Once again, Karly was alone to contemplate her life and how much things were changing in a matter of hours.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN - Arneza, Marie, Elktie?!
Sun is plentiful in California. But on this very last day of summer as Callie lounged on her luxurious tanning float that slowly circled her endless crystal pool (which looked like it was directly out of MTV Cribs) on the south side of her family's manor, she wished it would rain. When Callie was much younger she absolutely adored summer showers. She would slip into her super trendy, overpriced rain boots and stomp in puddles triumphantly. Those were the single most happiest memories of her entire youth, puddle-splashing. And considering her senior year was starting in a day, the quote/unquote "best times of your life", she thought maybe old memories could mesh with future memories. It seemed to go hand-in-hand.
But something was missing. Right before school started, she was supposed to feel secure, fulfilled, ready. But honestly, she knew something wasn't right.
"ARNEZA!? MARIE!? ELKTIE!? Anyone who's the closest, damn it!? GET ME A PHONE!" Callie screamed, her voice straining, "I have to call someone right now. And do you know what would happen if I moved? I could severely fuck up my tan!" Callie knew that it would only take seconds for a plump woman to jog up to the pool with sweat trailing down her forehead. And if she didn't have Callie's phone in tow, she'd regret it.
Finding good help is so hard these days.
Karly was still trying to sleep when her cell started to buzz. , She thought, tossing her body over. In all reality she hoped beyond hope that it was. He could tell her that he'd done it, that it was going to be just them. But Karly knew the whole cleansing process could take awhile, weeks or months even. But she wished he'd speed it up and be ready in an hour. But the again, it would be worth it. When they were together, it would be real.
But Duncan's name did not roll across her LCD screen. Instead the name 'CALLAY' blazed through.
A pit already forming in her stomach, Karly answered. "Hello?"
"You don't sound very happy to hear from me, Babygirl. I haven't seen you at all this God forsaken summer. You should be overwhelmed with joy when I call." Callie barked in a half-sarcastic tone. Karly pictured Callie sitting in a lush armchair in her foyer calculating how much money her outfit was worth or something equally as obnoxious. That or she was getting her nails done by her personal manicurist/horoscope psychic.
, Karly wanted to say but willed herself not to. "I just woke up, Callie Cakes." She heard her voice say in a sickeningly sweet voice.
"Get over to my house. I give you five and a half minutes to get over here. You get three minutes to get dressed -be hot, you know I only surround myself with beauty- and the two point five minutes to run your skinny ass down a few yards to my house. Today is my self-proclaimed 'Talk Some Shit, Tan In Some Sun' Day. Ha!" Callie's voice seemed to grow more and more wicked with every word. She didn't even wait for an answer. She just hung up, knowing Karly would oblige.
Despite all the bad feelings already arising, Karly rolled out of bed and walked to her closet. Hanging out with Callie in the midst of her life's greatest drama did not seem like good times.
Karly's closet was the best part of the house, in her opinion. It was almost as extensive as her bedroom; specifically decorated to make you feel like you had just walked into a boutique. A section for her vintage dresses, a section for her Lucky Jeans and a section for her rather expensive collection of bags; the closet made her feel vain at times. She knew she was spoiled, but she also knew that she was miles away from acting like a spoiled brat. So, that made things a little easier to enjoy.
A new display had been set up to showcase her most-favorite article of clothing: shoes. Karly's stomach got all butterflyesque when she saw it. Her guilty pleasure was definitely cute Jimmy Choo flats.
She promptly found a tiny, ivory Marc by Marc Jacobs bikini that still had the tag dangling from it. String bikini's weren't really her thing, but she was only going to be sunbathing with Callie. Who cared if her swimsuit was a little revealing? There's be less tan lines. That's for sure.
Next to cover her body was a tangerine sundress; the fabric was a vaguely sheer so her white bathing suit shone through a little. She strapped on some wedge sandals and glanced up at an old oak clock that fit into the boutique-feeling of her closet. She had three minutes to "run her skinny ass" over to Callie's.
A brush through her blonde locks, water-proof mascara on her lashes, and some Lip Fusion slicked her lips, Karly was out the door and rounding Callie's mansion within minutes.
You didn't know the meaning of the word 'Lavish' until you saw Callie Kremer's backyard. It was ridiculous in every sense of the word, but it deeply fit Callie's personality. And smack dab in the middle of all the insanity was the princess herself, lounging lazily. Her eyes were closed; she knew better than wearing her oversized Dolce And Gabbana sunglasses while tanning.
"Hey!" Callie squealed, moving abruptly yet not a drop of water touched her olive skin.
Karly just lifted her arm and waved a little awkwardly. "Hey." She answered, not knowing what she was in for.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN - California is So Drab.
Most people had to make reservations three weeks in advanced at Urth Caffé to get chicken and pesto sandwiches like the few the chef had whipped up for the two girls. But when you've got parents like Callie Kremer's, Urth Caffé comes to you. Even the iced tea had that same cinnamon touch.
"It's so sunny outside," Karly mumbled into her sandwich. The last fifteen minutes had been the most awkward period of time in her life. She had listened to Callie go on and on about new Spanish designers, new Spanish couture, new Spanish trends, and the private (yet still Spanish) nude beaches. She'd kept her mouth shut when Callie told her a story of Duncan and her at dinner. Those were the things Karly used to live for. Anything that so eloquently spilled from Callie was sacred. But nothing seemed interesting anymore.
It was funny how three months changed everything. It changed the way Karly looked at Duncan. It changed the way Duncan looked at Callie. And it certainly changed the way Karly looked at Callie. It was like the last ten years of friendship didn't matter anymore. Everything was brand new. And not a good brand new. Like a scary, wrong, different brand new.
"Not as sunny as Spain. California is so fucking drab to me nowadays," Callie flicked her wrist, pulling the crust from her rye bread and plopping it in her heart-shaped mouth. "So, I was thinking…" She started.
Karly took another bite of pesto before realizing Callie was waiting for permission to go on. That was new. "You were thinking? Wow." Karly smiled, finally letting some personality into her side of the conversation. "You never told me about Hawaii. Just about something about papayas or whatever," Callie asked while untying her bikini top.
Nothing was more unattractive than a tan line. Right.
"Coconut. It was a coconut allergy. I got a nasty rash on the throat," Karly coughed up some tea when she noticed her friend completely topless next to her. She'd never been comfortable with nudity. Not even with a friend like Callie who was naked whenever she could. But she just could not choke it down. You weren't supposed to see someone's body unless you were in a committed relationship.
But then again, she'd never really been drunk before the prior night. And we saw what happened then. Slut alert.
"Hawaii was Hawaii. It was completely cliché with amazing beaches and toned boys. There were grass skirts and hula challenges. And I felt like a total tourist. There was even--"
"Sounds great. Um, so now. Tell me what you think of Duncan and me. As a couple." Callie cut her off mid-sentence. The girl wasn't much of a listener. She squirted some sunscreen on her chest and blinked her eyes at Karly. She was expecting gushes of compliments and stories of how they were always perfect for each other.
"You guys are… uh, well. I think you are both really good looking. So, um." Karly spouted. She wasn't lying. "And you guys both have a past of many partners. Athletic and travelers. And--"
But she was cut off yet again. This time not by Callie, queen of interruptions, but by the creak of the pool gate. In walked the blonde boy that both girls couldn't get off their minds.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN - Hit it and Quit it.
Every guy knew the rules; there were just some things a girl shouldn't do. Like pay or open the car door on a first date. She shouldn't have to tell you what she likes or doesn't. And she certainly shouldn't ever make you feel like a punk. Yet as Duncan pressed his head into his hands, that was exactly what he felt like: a punk.
Did he really tell Karly that he was madly in love with her? That they were "meant to be"? And what the hell was this whole incomplete business? He'd never felt less man before. He could feel the estrogen creeping through his veins.
Never in his life had Duncan wanted meaningless sex so much.
"Callie. Where's Callie?" He said to himself, standing up. He ripped off his shirt. Maybe the broad six-pack would make him feel more macho? Speaking of six-pack, he needed some alcohol in his system. Hopefully that would hold back his woman tears. Where in the hell was his damn cell phone?
Duncan searched his whole 700 square-foot skater-chic room. His mom was one of those theme freaks. Every room in their ridiculously large manor had its own "character" as she liked to say. Duncan just couldn't wait for graduation. He knew the second he could; he would buy a tiny apartment in Manhattan. The city life was just fast enough for him and it was virtually as far away from California as he could get.
Before he knew it, he felt a vibration coming from his left pocket. He slapped his forehead before pulling his sidekick out and checking the text. "CLN UR ROOM. MAID ON WAY," flashed across the screen. He loved those simple texts from his dad. Clean your room before the maid gets to the house… Now what was she hired to do again? Oh, right. Clean his room. Duncan deleted the message before punching the six down; Callie's speed dial.
Karly was number one.
After a few rings there was no answer. And a message saying, "Callie, I really need to screw you." didn't seem like a good idea. He could show up at her house. But then again, there was the risk of her not being home. And then he'd be roped into talking to the Kremer's for an hour. Or he could keep calling. But that was another guy rule. Let the chick be clingy.
Two seconds later, Duncan felt his finger jamming down the six and the sound of ringing fill his brain.
What a fucking pansy. Seriously, his penis was going to disappear if he continued on like this.
Duncan knew she wasn't going to pick up when he got the machine again. "I'm too busy for youuu." Callie sung and then there was a beep. But in fear of growing a vagina, he hit end before leaving a message. Things weren't going his way.
He knew what he had to do then. He was going to march into Callie's house. Push aside her mother, father, maids and butlers. Walk right into her room, where she would be naked and rehearsing a cheer routine (even though Callie Kremer would never be caught dead on some loser cheerleading squad). He'd grab her by the shoulders and throw her down on a bed. Like a man.
Duncan didn't really know what to wear when he planned to "hit it then quit it" as his buddies said. He decided on board shorts and a t-shirt. Easy on, easy off. Callie was basically his neighbor so, it didn't take long to get there. He walked in through the front door without knocking, like usual. He wasn't bombarded by a butler, so he headed straight upstairs.
When Princess Callie wasn't in her room… nude, Duncan's stomach fell. He was just going to have to wait for school to start. That was sure to suck. Everyone was going to make a big deal. There'd probably be pictures taken for the yearbook or the couples calendar. He'd get a lot of high fives and shit.
He didn't want high fives! He wanted something else!
Yeah, and whining was the way to get it.
"Is that all, Miss Kremer?" Duncan heard from downstairs. He knew the voice belonged to a thick Russian woman who wore a gnarly bathing suit and cleaned the pool from time to time. Callie probably wasn't naked, but if she was tanning, she was half way there.
It took less than two seconds for him to trip down the stairs and round the house. He wanted to create an air of mystery and surprise, so he skipped the sliding glass door and took the pool gate route.
But all the mystery and surprise was pinned on him the second he kicked it open.
Instead of a lonely girlfriend, he got bunch of innocent, beautiful, lovely, sexy, amazing Karly and some topless Callie. He could only imagine the awkward situations to come.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN - Highschool Boy's Game.
Karly never knew the meaning of bad timing until that very moment. There were just some things that should never mix. Nudity, a boy you love, your best friend and your presence were deadly in any combination. And she was experiencing all of the above.
Her first instinct was to "help" her friend cover up. She pushed away the knowledge that Duncan had probably already seen Callie naked and grabbed the nearest towel.
Growing up in California, Karly was more trained in color coordinating than the hand-eye sort. As you could imagine, her aim was worse than that of a blind man. And her range- bah, depressing. Yet, she flung the cloth anyway.
Anyone could have told her that her attempt would be unsuccessful. That didn't stop her from hoping with all hope. Everything was in slow motion. Callie didn't notice the heavy, damp terrycloth closing in on her. She was just staring at Duncan, starry-eyed.
Her breasts looked perky as usual and were certainly a big enough target. And some how the towel found its way to her face rather than her chest. When the salmon cloth met Callie's nose, both girls shrieked; Kremer's terror muffled. And in all the confusion, Karly and Duncan were left looking at a headless, topless, freckle-less model-esque body.
A few moments passed before anyone moved; they were all too shocked at each other. But Karly could tell she was definitely the most uncomfortable. She didn't realize until then how painful it was seeing Duncan so soon after that night. And his random appearance at the Kremer manor only suggested that he hadn't even made an effort to break things off. Stupid, stupid boys…
Was it possible to be this anxious?
Karly could imagine her parents showing up next; hand in hand, nude. Wouldn't that just be perfect? God honestly enjoyed mocking her.
"The hard times only make you stronger. You're going to be a brilliant being," her mom would always tell her. But damn, how hard does her life have to get? Wasn't she "brilliant" enough? Jeez.
"Well, helloooo…" Callie finally broke the silence from beneath the towel. She peeled it off slowly, a scowl on her face. She shot it at Karly then softened up for her boy toy. Mmm, to be Queen Bee.
"Is this a bad time?" Duncan wheezed, his eyes fixed on Callie's chest. Karly hated those perfect things… She didn't even have a tan line!
Karly gulped loudly. How could she even think Duncan would pick her (flat as a board) over Callie (not)? Then again, how was even attracted to ? She could practically see the drool dripping from his mouth. He was just like every other boy. But with charm and wit and best friend potential. She had never felt like such a fly. She was just caught up in the web known as a High School Boy's game.
"Of course not, Baby." Callie's honey voice sang. She said it to Duncan but she was looking at Karly. "Perfect timing if you ask me. I missed you." She lifted her arms in a come-hither gesture. He slowly stepped closer to the girls. Were they seriously going to pounce each other right there and then?
"Marta, we're going to need another lounge!" Callie shouted before Duncan was in her grasp. Her face was critical as she searched the pool for her maids. Then as if she suddenly remembered Duncan was there, her face changed back to an angelic beauty. "Marta, please."
Three pudgy women jumped up and began to drag another plush lounge over to them.
But Karly didn't wait. She stood up abruptly and slid her feet into her wedges. It was like, was the time she wished she could run out of there. She lifted her bag to her shoulder and placed her Chanel aviators on her nose.
Duncan and Callie were too busy inching toward each other to notice. How disgusting were they?
"Peace," was the only thing Karly could muster before shuffling away as fast as she could.