BRUISES AND EXCUSES

"Hey dad," Jon said, like always.

"Kids. What've you been up to?"

"Not much. Had a game Friday"

"Yea? You win?"

"Yea, smoked 'em"

"Good, you do good?"

"Yep"

"Good, that's my boy"

"Jairyn had a basketball game and they won," Jon said happily but pointlessly.

Dad just nodded and took his bag upstairs. He likes basketball, but only when it's boy's basketball. Jon looked at me sadly and I just shrugged. I was used to it by now.

"What're you doin tonight?" he asked quietly.

"Dunno. Probably nothing, unless he leaves. Maybe go back over to Lex's"

He nodded. "Think he'll care if I go back to Thane's?"

"Probably not"

"Think I could just go right now?"

"Probably"

"Want me to stay here with you?" he asked honestly. He'd always stay if I wanted him to.

I just shrugged. "Nah"

Whatever dad might yell at me for was gonna come if it was going to come. Jon wouldn't be able to stop it, as hard as he'd try. If his yelling at dad did anything, it only frustrated him more, so there wasn't a big point to it. Jon would just feel guilty and horrible and pissed for a few days, which wasn't fun. I liked Jon happy and excited, not angry and sorry.

"You sure? Like, totally positive?"

"Yea, he'll probably just sleep or something. It was probably a long drive"

"Alright. See ya tonight, call if ya need to. Luv ya,"

"Yea, see ya"

"Bye" he waved over his shoulder and left.

"Where's Jon?" Dad asked when her came down about 20 minutes later.

"Went back over to Thane's house"

"Alright...what've you been doing the past few days?"

"Just hanging out. Went to Jon's game"

"Alright...been hanging out across the street a lot?" he asked scornfully.

"I've been hanging out with Alex, yes"

"She's Toretto's cousin?"

"Yea"

"Don't piss them off, Jairyn," He warned, pointing his finger at me when I got up to get a drink in the kitchen.

"Dad, I won't. They like me"

"Oh they like you?" he asked, getting up from his chair.

"Uh...yea..." I said uncertainly, backing up and trying to quickly figure out what I'd said wrong.

"And why's that?"

"Um...cuz we get along, I dunno"

"Hmm...maybe you're a little too friendly with them, huh? I told you if I thought you were slutting around with them, you'd regret it..."

Shit.

"Dad, it's not like that...shit!..."

The back of his hand connected hard with the side of my face, making me stumble to the side.

"I told you," he said loudly. "I warned you, so don't act all surprised, Jairyn!" He glared at me and took a few more steps toward me, effectively invading my personal space.

"Dad, I didn't..."

"Shut up!" he roared.

I closed my mouth, not wanting to anger him further.

"How the hell did I raise you!" he screamed, grabbing me around my waist and throwing me up against the counter. If connected with my lower back and i winced, knowing there was going to be a bruise there for sure. "Now I have no proof, but if I get any you're gonna regret the day you ever stepped foot on their property...HEAR ME?"

"Yea, I hear you," I said quietly, nodding.

"Good. Jeeze...I'm leaving. I'm going to stay in a hotel tonight and tomorrow afternoon I'm leaving again for a day or two. You behave!" he gave me a shove before storming back upstairs to get his bag.

I didn't move and he was soon pounding back down the stairs and out the garage door. I heard the car start up in the garage and pull out and I sank down to sit on the floor.

It scared the crap out of me when he yelled so it was 10 times worse when he was like that. I put my head in my hands and winced a little when my hand hit my sore cheek. Shit, that'd leave a bruise. I'd need to find an excuse for that...

I got up and made sure I wasn't bleeding before going out to my car. I'd go to Courtney's for a while and then, after that, I could tell anyone who asked that I got elbowed playing some basketball or something. Courtney was the only person who knew what my dad was like, and that was only because she'd been over when Dad came home unexpectedly one time and freaked out about something. I told her everything and she'd promised not to tell.

I got to her house a little while later and told her what happened. We went up to her room and laid around and watched TV until it got dark.

"Sure you don't wanna stay? Cuz my mom probably won't care"

"Nah, it's good"

"Alright...see you tomorrow maybe, but definitely Tuesday, k?"

"Yea, later. Thanks for letting me hang"

"No problem, anytime and you know it. Bye"

I nodded and let myself out. Courtney's place was like a second home for me so I walked in without knocking and all that good stuff.

I got home a little while later and was immediately met by Jon at the door.

"Where were you...oh shit!" he took one look at my cheek, which was bruised, and knew. "Damn it...damn it! You should've called me!...shit, I never should've left...fuck!"

He threw up his hands and mumbled a few things before going downstairs. After a few moments I heard the rhythmic 'thump' of Jon hitting the punching bag. 'Venting his frustrations.'

I kicked off my shoes and walked into the house to find Thane sitting on the couch.

"Hey Thane" I mumbled

"Hey J...you ok?"

"Yea...that rhymed, ya know"

He rolled his eyes with a smile and I went to the kitchen for food and something to drink. I heard Jon come running up the stairs while I waited for popcorn to pop and he came into the kitchen and gave me a big hug.

"...ow...Jon, that hurts my back..." I mumbled into his chest. He left go and looked at me sadly for a few minutes.

"You ok?"

"Yea"

He waited for me to get the popcorn in a bowl and I sat between the two guys while we watched a movie...or should I say the two pigs. They ate most of the popcorn, leaving me just as hungry as I had been. I glared at them playfully before making a sandwich and taking it OUTSIDE to eat.

I was half way through my sandwich when something in the street caught my eyes. Jesse. He sat next to me on the little patio-couch thing that we have. He waited till I was done and commented on his finding.

"What's this?" he asked, turning my face towards him.

"Nothing, just a bruise"

"Well how'd you get it?" he asked curiously with concern.

"Get elbowed in the face over at Courtney's"

"So you went to Courtney's but couldn't hang with Lex?"

"Shit...no...well...it's a long story, but it's not like that...damn it..."

"It's ok, I won't tell. Just think up some kind of story to tell the others, k?"

"Sure...but it's really not like I didn't want to hang with Lex. I did..."

"You don't have to explain. It's obvious you like her so I don't think you ditched her..."

I nodded and sat back with a sigh. Jesse's arm was around my shoulders after a few quiet minutes and I looked up to see him staring right at me. I was about to say something when his lips were suddenly covering mine. It took me a moment to get over the shock, but I kissed him back as soon as I could get my lips to do what I told them to. His mouth was soft and gentle and it just felt great. His tongue slowly entered and explored my mouth and I wasn't able to successfully hold back a small moan.

We pulled apart when air became an issue and he was about to say something when the front door opened.

"J, what're you...oh, hey Jesse," Jon said happily, spotting Jesse. He must not have seen how close our faces had been moments before.

"Sup Jon?"

"Not much. Sorry...didn't know you were over. Ummm...yea, never mind then J," he nodded at Jesse and went back inside.

Me and Jesse just sat in silence after that. Jesse left alittle whileand then I went in and up to bed. Jon and Thane were still up but they would be for a long time.

I woke up the next day around 9:00. I decided I'd hang out with Alex to make up for leaving so quickly the day before, but I needed to think of a new excuse for the bruise. Not being able to think of much, I went out to my car and left. I drove around for a while and stopped at McDonalds for a late breakfast before going back home.

Jon and Thane were already awake and in the living room fully dressed, and the first thing out of their mouth was complaints that I didn't get them anything.

"Jairyn! You couldn't have got us anything? Not even hash browns!"

I shrugged and ignored them, eating it all happily. I took a shower when I was done and stood in front of the mirror when I got out. The bruise on my cheek really wasn't all that horrible, but it was plain to see. Some makeup would make it better, but not unnoticeable. Great. I turned around and craned my neck to see behind me, clearly seeing a dark bruise on my lower back. Wonderful.

I went back to my room and changed into loose, black cargo pants and a gray beater that was long, so I didn't have to worry about it showing my back at all. I jogged across the street and up to the door. I saw people in the kitchen so I didn't even bother knocking.

"Hey Jairyn," Mia said happily, barely looking up from her homework.

"Sup"

"Ooh, Jairyn, what happened to you?" Leon asked.

"Played basketball over at Court's this morning and got elbowed in the face."

"Ow"

"Yea, tell me about it. Where's Lex?"

"She just got out of the shower a while ago. She'll be a few minutes," Mia said off handedly.

I nodded and took a seat at the table to wait. Dom walked downstairs into the kitchen a few minutes later and did a double take after glancing carelessly at me.

"How'd that happen?" he asked, sounding dead serious.

"Got elbowed playing basketball this morning at Courtney's"

He nodded but stared at me long and hard before getting a beer from the refrigerator. Alexa came down a few minutes later and smiled when she saw me. "Hey, what's up?"

"Not much. Just wondered what you were doing since I couldn't hang out last night"

"Oh, well...I don't think we're doing anything. What do you wanna do?"

I shrugged. "Dunno. Whatever is fine"

"Well, I dunno either..." she sat down at another seat and sighed, trying to think.

"J?"

I turned and saw Jon peering in the side door.

"What?"

"Guess who just called?" he asked, walking in.

"Do I wanna know?"

"Yea. It was Trey"

"And?"

"And he wants me and Thane to comeplay some basketball and he totally wants you to come too"

"Really? I never hang out with Trey"

"I know, but he said so. Now come on, you know you want to. You think he's totally gorgeous," he said, fluttering his eyes in a mocking way.

"Whatever. And I think you're making this up"

"3...2...1..."

I was about to ask what he was counting down for but then my cell phone rang. It was Trey and he confirmed what Jon said. "One sec, Trey..."

"Lex, you wanna go play?"

"Oh...no...I'm no good, you saw me the other day. You go ahead though"

"Nah, girl, come on. The guys are hot and they'll like you. Maybe you'll scam a date or something," I joked, winking.

"Well I'll go...but I won't be very good..."

"Oh well, you're coming anyway,"

"Do I get an apology? You thought I was lying!" Jon exclaimed in disbelief.

"Yea, sorry Jon...ok, Trey. I'm coming but Alexa is coming to...yea, that's her...ok, see you then...bye"

I hung up with a smile.

"What're you smiling about?" Alex grinned nervously.

"Trey is so hot...and so are his friends...this is gonna be fun"

"I dunno how I feel about Alex hanging out with a bunch of guys..." Dom commented, setting down his drink.

"Oh, they won't do anything, Dom. They're cool"

"Yea, and if they did I'd kick their asses...cuz I totally could. I'll watch out for the shorties," Jon assured him, throwing his arms around us.

"That actually does make me feel better. Have fun"

Alex changed quick and then I changed before we all piled in Thane's car and left.

"Dude, guess what!" Jon said suddenly.

"What?"

"I'm taking my driver's test tonight and then I can go get my license tomorrow...J, will you take me?"

"Sure thing"

"Sweet! Then I just gotta get my car from the garage. Oh man it's gonna be the best, I can't wait," He sighed after saying that all very fast and went surprisingly quiet for a while.

We got to the lot and played for a couple hours before people had to head home for one reason or the other. Thane dropped us all off and had to go home, so it was just the three of us. Alex went home to change and Jon and me were changed by the time she came back over. We ate lunch and hung around the house until I had to take Jon to his test.

He passed! That meant the only thing we had to wait on now was his car, then it was so long to giving him rides when he needed them. That saved me some gas money.

We went out to eat to 'celebrate' and then went home. Jon went up to bed, since we had to get up early for school, after I promised to take him to get his license right after school. I sat outside, hoping Jesse would come. I just had that feeling that I had to talk to someone, and I didn't want to bring Jon down from his good mood with anything. I didn't know what I wanted to tell Jesse, but I just wanted to talk or at least have someone sitting with me.

I sat for almost an hour before someone came out the back door. It was Jesse and he slowly trudged across the street, plopping down next to me.

"What's wrong?" he asked dully and automatically.

"Dunno, what makes you ask?"

"You've been sitting out here for a hour, call it a hunch"

"Oh"

"Yea. So...?"

"I dunno...what's the matter with you?" He was acting kind of funny and wasn't looking me in the eye.

"Who's Trey?" he asked bluntly.

"Trey? A kid in my grade. He plays football with Jon, why?"

"You two have some sort of thing?"

Oh...

"No! We're not even good friends. He's just good looking"

"Oh..." Jesse trailed off, blushing a little.

"Haha, were you worried there, Jess?"

He shrugged but the answer was yes; he'd been worried. That was kind of cute...

"Well it isn't like that with me and him"

"Ok..." he grinned and leaned over and gave me a soft kiss. "Then if nothing's wrong you should go to bed cuz you have to get up early"

"Yea, you're probably right..."

As much as I wanted to talk about something, I didn't want to say anything. I don't know how much sense that makes, but that's how I felt. He gave me another quick kiss and got up to leave. I went inside and locked the doors before going up and falling into bed, having no idea what the next day was going to bring. As I drifted to sleep, I had no idea what kind of week lay ahead of me.

R and R