A/N: Not sure if the disclaimer is necessary. If you don't know which characters I don't own, please slap yourself repeatedly. Xx Ella
P.S. A quick thank you to princessoffndrknes06 for being my one and only reviewer! You rock!!
Chapter 2
Six o'clock came around and Cee and I looked perfect together. I was wearing my flowery sun-dress, complimented with the pair of peep-toe pumps, a white handbag of Cee's that she claimed was vintage, and my signature Tiffany bracelet. I looked brilliant, if I must say so myself. Cee looked radiant in a pink sundress with a matching pink hand bag, and pink and black ballet flats. I had a feeling we were a bit overdressed but who cares right? We're Eliza and Cee!
One knock on the door later, I felt the butterflies in my stomach begin to flutter. I opened the door to see Reid, in his usual worn out jeans, black hoodie and matching beanie, and his oh so gay fingerless gloves. Even in rags, he looked pretty damn good. But we'll spare him that last detail.
"You two ready?" He was leaning against the doorframe. I wanted to speak, I just couldn't. Forming words is easy for me. Forming words when a six foot blonde beauty is standing in front of you, is harder than it sounds.
"Close your mouth, you're drooling." Cee pushed past me, speaking loud enough I know Reid had heard. I shook my head and shut the door, locking it. She was only feeding his swollen ego.
I walked in silence, as Reid and Cee walked in front of me, towards Cee's white Jeep Wrangler. Apparently Reid didn't have a his '67 Black Ford Mustang because his parents took it away from him. I couldn't hear him answer as Cee had asked him why they had taken it away. Instead, my attention was focused on Reid's swagger. He was overly confident, and the way he walked, exaggerated that. He walked as if he had a purpose, a destination to get to. I walked hoping I wouldn't fall flat on my face, because I was usually in heels. Did I forget to mention that I'm short?
"Do you want shotgun?" Reid turned and asked me as we walked up to Cee's jeep.
"You're actually going to give me shotgun?" I asked amazed.
"No." He said sitting down in the front seat. "I just wanted to know if you wanted it or not." He smirked.
I lit up a cigarette and sat in the back. This was going to one long night, that's for sure.
A few minutes into the car-ride New Kids On The Block's "Hang Tough" came on and Cee and I blasted it up and sang along to it, at the top of our lungs. I think Reid was annoyed, because not too long into the song he turned the radio off and told us that he needed a drink first.
I leaned forward so that my mouth was inches away from his ear, and whispered "I don't think you can handle the two of us if you're drinking." I know that boy was freaking out because he didn't respond. Instead, his gaze met mine through the passenger visor mirror, and I watched him bite on his lower lip. I sat back and lit up another Camel Light. The way I was smoking, I was going to need another pack soon. Very soon.
Cee responded to the tension in the car by turning the radio back on, just in time to hear Wilson Phillips' "Hold On." Another classic. Cee and I made eye contact in the rearview mirror before belting our hearts out. I could hardly hear Reid groan as Cee and I sang as loud and as horribly as we could. If only Nicky would have a Karaoke night sometime. His profits would shoot through the roof and Cee and I would finally be able to show off our mad karaoke skills. We were horrible singers, and we knew it. But it didn't stop us from singing that's for sure. Hilary Duff ain't got shit on us.
Talk about perfect timing. Just as the song had ended Nicky's came into view. Cee pulled into a parking space and the three of us got out.
"My ears, are they bleeding?" Reid asked just before Cee walked into the bar. I shook my head. I was nervous. I knew he was just kidding but I couldn't help let the anxiety get the best of me. Bordy was probably already inside, with another girl, dancing suggestively with her. They'd play a game of pool, have a few drinks (Bordy has a fake I.D.), and then head back to her dorm room and play naked twister. That's how Bordy was. Predictable. But I missed him so much. I missed the way he would kiss my nose in the morning, how he'd run down to the cafeteria and grab a cup of coffee, only to make it exactly how I liked it, not too much cream and just a pinch of sugar. I missed the way he held my hand, I missed the way he said my name, and I really missed the warm body laying next to me every night. Cee was awesome, but she could never be that warm body that I needed.
"You okay?" I looked around and realized that Cee had already entered the bar, and it was just Reid and I standing outside. I felt my face flush with embarrassment.
"Yeah, I'm fine." I'm a liar. "Do you have a fake I.D?"
He smiled and pushed me inside.
xx
An hour and three apple martini's later, I was having a blast. Reid and I were playing a game of pool against Cee, and Reid's friend Tyler. They were winning, mainly because I was sloshed and kept hitting in solids, when we were playing stripes. It also just so happened that Bordy was not there. But I found myself glancing at the door every so often, hoping I'd see him walk in alone, and then profess his undying love for me.
I turned around, and grabbed Reid's hand. "Reid, darling," I wasn't purposely slurring my words. "One more martini, please?" I asked blinking my eyes, hoping I'd look irresistible.
"Are you okay?" He looked at me, worriedly. "You keep blinking your eyes, do you have a tick?"
"Just shut up and get me that damn martini!" I shouted. Why couldn't I pull off those irresistible blinking eyes all the movie stars could?
Reid obliged and ran off towards the bar.
"You should really go easy on the drinks." Tyler spoke, as he sunk in a solid. Tyler was the lost puppy of the group. I say that because he tagged along with his three other friends, like a lost puppy would do to a group of friendly strangers. Tyler was cute, in a youthful way, and I was sure he would grow up to be quite attractive. However, as friendly and nice as Tyler was, he still looked like he was fifteen years old.
"You should just shut up, blue eyes." I answered him. Maybe I was an angry drunk. Or maybe my anxiety was getting the best of me. But my good mood turned into a sour one when I noticed Bordy trailing into Nicky's with that blonde bimbo on his arm. Ashley.
"Here's your martini, darling." Reid said, handing over a clear glass full of a yellow liquid. I drank it down in one gulp.
"I need a smoke." I said to no one in particular and let myself out of Nicky's back door.
xx
I sat down on the ground and leaned my head against the wall, yes I was still wearing my Georgio Armani dress, but I was too hammered to care. I just saw the man I still love walk into Nicky's with a slut attached to his arm. I'm surprised I didn't cry right then and there. I took my last cigarette from the box and lit up. A few puffs later, Reid had made an appearance and sat down next to me, lighting a cigarette up for himself.
"Am I pretty?" I was still hammered and I'm sure it sounded more like "am I purdy?" but I don't care.
"You're beautiful."
I turned and looked at him. Reid must have known I was shocked because he shrugged his shoulders and kept on smoking. "I know you only wanted to come with me because you saw Bordy in the elevators at school today." I took another long puff and let the smoke linger in my lungs before exhaling. Reid was right. Ever since I saw Bordy today all I could think about was him. "And I noticed the moment you left for your smoke break was the moment he arrived with Ashley." So Ashley was her name. What a common stupid name that was. Ashley. How original.
"He broke up with me because he said I was too clingy." Another puff and another exhale. "I told him I loved him and he told me he didn't want that type of commitment." I'm not sure why I'm telling Reid this, but he doesn't seem to care, and I'm hammered so I might as well tell him everything. "A few days before we broke up, I saw him making out with Kira. I sort of knew then that what we had wasn't going to last. And when we broke up, I thought I was going to be okay. So for the past three months I've been telling myself that I don't miss him and that I want to move on." I threw the cigarette stub in the middle of the street. "But I saw him walk in here tonight and I guess I just realized that I missed him more than I thought." I leaned my head back against and closed my eyes.
"Maybe you don't miss him. Maybe you just miss being in a relationship." I opened one eye and noticed that Reid, was staring off into the alley as he spoke. I studied his features. Reid wasn't such a badass as everyone thinks. This boy does have a sensitive side. I would know because I've seen it many times before. I sat there wondering if he's let his guard down with anyone else? Maybe he just hasn't found anyone to share that side of him with yet? Maybe he already has...
"Alright baby, guess what I have?" I looked over at Bordy who was holding out a small black package. It looked like some sort of candy wrapper.
"Umm. What is it?" I had never seen anything like that in my life. I wondered if it was some sort of new Salt Water Taffy-like candy. I love Salt Water Taffy.
"I'll give you three hints." His voice was high with excitement. He reminded me of a little kid on Christmas day, wanting to open all of his presents but had to wait, for his parents to wake up. "One, it's cherry flavored."
Cherry salt water taffy is delicious.
"Two, it's said to never lose its flavor."
So what? Was Willy Wonka making taffy now?
"Three, it's ribbed for your pleasure."
"Reid!" I started laughing. He looked over at me with a blank expression. "That's the gayest thing I've heard you say!" He started laughing and that only made me laugh even harder. "Seriously, Reid Garwin is supposed to be this womanizing play boy but I think deep down you're really queer." I teased him.
"I'm not gay Eliza." He was serious. One minute he was laughing the next he wasn't. This boy has like split personalities.
"Oh please!" I chuckled. "How else would you explain what you just said?" I teased him.
"Maybe I just haven't found someone I wanted to settle down with?" Touche.
"Or maybe you have and you just won't admit it?" I burped. It wasn't like a girly, hiccup burp. No, it was a loud man burp. It was disgusting and totally ruined the moment. And after I burped, I laughed, which only made Reid laugh. And then I passed out.
I'm a light social drinker.
xx
I woke up the next morning, in my bed which is located in my dorm room.I leaned over and squinted at the light. Cee was up and was writing furiously in her journal. "What happened?" My voice cracked and came out deeper than I had intended it too.
"You passed out cold last night. Thankfully you were with Reid and he was able to carry you to my car and then to your bed." Cee didn't even look up once while writing. Cee kept a journal, which I had tried to read once only to get slapped in the face, that she wrote in every night or morning in this case. I wondered what she was writing down now.
"Is that it? I passed out and Reid carried me here?" My voice was starting to sound like my normal, upbeat, squeaky-like voice.
"Yes, that's it." Still, no glance up. When she wrote it was as if she was in a trance. I wished I had a hobby other than shopping to keep me occupied like Cee had her writing.
"Did he say anything to you while I was passed out?" I'm not sure why I was so eager to know every little detail. Reid Garwin, was well Reid Garwin. And he wasn't really boyfriend material… and did I just say boyfriend material? What the hell was going on with me? Why am I thinking about Reid like this? I needed a smoke and a bourbon STAT.
"He mentioned something about buying you aspirin and coffee in the morning but he was unusually silent the entire ride home." Cee looked up and must have noticed the expression on my face. "Oh my god! You like the rebel!" She shouted.
"No!" I could feel my eyes grow wide. "No I do not. I would never allow myself to like a slut like that." It was true, Reid was known around school for getting into the ladies pants. I mean, he was hot so I'm sure it wasn't any trouble for him to do so, but I'd prefer my men without any sexually transmitted diseases. I don't really remember much of last night other than telling Reid about Bordy.
"Alright fine, you don't like Reid. But you're only fooling yourself." I hated Cee sometimes.
I decided to fight my aching head and pulled the covers away from me. It was Saturday morning, err mid-afternoon, and I had the rest of the day to wallow in my self-pity. I decided to throw on a pair of BEBE sweats, tie my hair back, and grab a quick cup of coffee in the cafeteria. Hopefully, I'll be just in and out and no one will recognize me.
I opened the door and peeked my head out. Coast was clear. I ran down to the cafeteria, paid for my coffee, and ran upstairs. Thankfully, no one saw me on my trip back either. Maybe the stars and planets were aligned for me today. I opened the door and nearly died on the spot. Reid was in my room, staring at me, and I had no make up on. I hadn't even showered either. I felt like a mess and I was sure that I looked like one too.
Reid was dressed in all black (go figure), looking sexy, chic, and did I say sexy? His hair was actually combed, and slightly gelled, no gloves, no jeans, just a black button down shirt and black dress pants. He looked like he came straight out of a rebel-like Abercrombie and Fitch catalog. I wondered where he was going dressed like that.
"Good Afternoon Sunshine." He smiled a stupid Reid smile and sat back down on my bed.
"Good Afternoon Sunshine." I mocked him and took a sip of my coffee, sitting down on top of him.
"Get off me!" He practically screamed. I tried to hide my shock. Why would Reid get upset over a girl sitting on top of him? I'm not that bad, am I?
"You're on my bed." I reminded him. I liked teasing Reid.
"Fine, but if you're going to sit on me, then I get to do this." He said while running his free arm down the length of my back, cupping my backside, and giving a not so light squeeze.
My eyes grew wide and I shot straight up, coffee flying all over the carpet in front of me. "Dammit Reid, look at what you made me do!"
"I didn't make you do anything." He stood up and walked over to Cee's bed, picking up a paper bag. "I brought you a muffin, muffin." He smirked, while handing out a gigantic blueberry pastry that smelled delicious. Does he really think that smirk can fix everything? Mmm, I want that muffin!
"Oh honey, you shouldn't have!" I teased, while grabbing the muffin, and shoving a huge portion into my mouth.
"I'm gonna go out for a smoke." Reid stopped playing along. He was weird like that. One minute he's one way, the next he's completely different.
"Wait," I still had a huge piece of muffin in my mouth. "Can I bum off of you. I need to buy a new pack." Without waiting for him to answer, I linked my arm with his, and set off towards the exit.
I closed my eyes and let the music drown out any doubts. I could feel him hovering above me and I wasn't too sure he knew what he was doing either. I silently wished we had waited a little longer, but temptation was too seductive. He was irresistible.
Hips against hips, lips against lips, the two of us were in sync with each other. Gasping and moaning could probably be heard down the halls but I didn't care. All I cared about was this man, above me. Bordy was my everything. I looped my arms in between his and held on to his shoulders, pulling him closer to me, and moaning out his name. This was perfect. We were perfect together.
As soon as it had started, it had ended. I didn't feel any different the next morning, just sore from the waist down. I turned around and stared at his perfect form laying next to me. He looked peaceful when he was sleeping.
He looked marvelous.
"Why are you so quiet?" I asked a silent Reid, sitting next to me on the cement steps outside. He was staring off into space and I wondered if he too, had a vivid imagination.
"Just thinking" he handed me the cigarette he had just lit. He looked so different, dressed in black rather than just in jeans. Suddenly I was aware of the fact that I was wearing sweats and no make up. I pulled my hoodie up over my head and prayed that he didn't notice.
"Why are you all dressed up?"
"Have things to do." So he was being evasive. I felt like prying.
"What sort of things?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Things with the family. Why all the questions?" He was the one to raise the eyebrow.
"You're not talking much." It was true. His answers were short and he was unusually quiet. He changed the subject. Obviously, he didn't want to talk about his family thing.
"Feeling any better?" He took a long drag on his cig.
"Just a killer headache but I'll live." I was the one to take the long drag on my cigarette.
"I brought over some aspirin. I left it on Cee's bed, so you should be set." He stood up.
I was getting nervous. Why? I'm not sure. Reid was always just a friend to me. Sure, he was a pain in the ass most of the time, but he was never more than just a friend. Since I've known him, we'd tease each other mercilessly, and that was sort of our thing. And I could never see that changing. Even if Reid had grown up into quite a beautiful man. "Thanks for that." My voice never faltered.
"Yeah, sure." He looked off into space again. "I only did it because I promised Cee I'd bring some stuff by for you last night, so that's why I came over today." Okay, so maybe Reid was a beautiful man. But he was still an ass.
I rolled my eyes and stormed off back into the dorms. The nerve he had! Who the hell did he think he was? I'm Eliza, I'm funny (sort-of), I'm smart (sort-of), I have a flawless sense of fashion (I really do), and when I want to be, I can be extremely pretty. Sure, right now in my BEBE sweats and unwashed hair, I was a little questionable, but I clean up nicely. I clean up very nicely! I was no Tori Spelling.
xx
I'm not sure why I noticed this but Kira's hair looked like it hadn't been combed in weeks. It was frizzy, dyed a fake red, and her ends were totally split. I could probably throw in a piece of balled up paper and she wouldn't find it for a good few weeks or so. But for some reason, she had something that Bordy wanted. Something I didn't have. The feeling in the pit of my stomach, when I saw him making out with her a few days befre we broke up, was a feeling I hoped to never feel again. Unfortunately, every time I look at either Kira or Bordy I feel that disturbing pain in my tummy and my heart breaks all over again.
I was sitting in first period math, in between Cee and Naveed, not paying attention to the lecture. All I could think about what Kira and her ugly hair. What was it that she had that I didn't? Sure my boobs could be a little bigger but they were still bigger than hers! And perky too! Was it my ass? Could it be my ass?
I needed more cigarettes, badly. Reid was my hook up. I wasn't eighteen yet and all the store owners around Ipswich knew my family. Reid was the only go to guy to get that sort of thing. He'd been supplying my Camel Lights for three years now. But I still wasn't on speaking terms with him since Saturday. It was Tuesday now and my withdrawals were starting to get the best of me. I decided to suck it up and satisfy my nicotine fix.
xx
I found Reid sitting with his "friends" at a table outside during lunch. It was freezing, being Mid-January, but that didn't seem to stop them. The sun was out, shining bright despite the chilling air.
"No man, I'm telling you the new swimmer from Hastings is overrated." I heard Pogue spew out between chewing his salad.
"Dude, I've seen him and he really is good." Tyler counter argued. Who knew Tyler Simms had the balls to argue with anyone? That boy would blush furiously and run if he made eye contact with the female species.
I coughed to make my presence known. Reid turned around and winked at me. "Not now, love. I just finished with Justine and I need my fuel." He pointed to his food. "Call me and we'll do it later." I heard a few chuckles from behind him. I wasn't a fan of his friends. Well, his friends were okay, it was their girlfriends I didn't like. Kate Tunney and Sarah Wenham are BITCHES. All capitals too because they don't deserve the lowercase letters.
"Do they know," I pointed to his friends behind him, "that our couplings consist of reciting Edgar Allen Poe, watching America's Next Top Model, and writing fan letters to Ryan Seacrest?"
Tyler nearly choked on his water, and I could have sworn I heard Caleb chuckle. Reid's face turned a light shade of pink and he stood up and pulled me out of earshot from his group of friends.
"Did I embarrass you?" I was amused. I had never seen Reid turn a shade of pink in my entire lifetime. Although it didn't last for more than thirty seconds I loved every moment of it.
"Shut up, what do you want?" He was annoyed. I loved annoying him too.
"I need my smokes." I pulled out a twenty from my dark olive Coach bag. Today was Coach day.
"Can't. I've got a meet after school and then I really am meeting Justine later." I frowned.
"Justine? Not Justine Baker? The brunette that had lice in the fourth grade?" Gross. I didn't mean to say that out loud.
"What? Are you serious?" He didn't look annoyed anymore. He looked pissed off.
"What do you mean?" I was confused. Reid never got angry with me. We always knew when to back off and shut up.
"Look, I can't get your cigarette's now, but I'll get them after the meet okay?" He had one hand in his pocket and the other was behind his neck. He looked frustrated. I wasn't sure why. How hard was it to stop and get a pack of smokes? I give him a twenty for a pack of smokes that cost only five and he keeps the change. What's the big deal? He does this for everyone. He's done this for me for the past three years. What's the problem now? Does little old Justine have a problem with me?
"Oh, look who's decided to show up!" Kate was a bitch. We were assigned groups in English class last year and I happened to be assigned to Kate and Sarah's group. We were supposed to meet in the library at five, but I couldn't decide if I should wear my hair up or down. It was 5:15 meaning I was only fifteen minutes late. I would have been thirty if I knew she was going to act like this.
"Sorry, something came up." I wasn't really lying. But I wasn't really sorry either.
"Were you with Reid?" Sarah giggled, while flipping to the next page in our English textbook. She was Kate's bitch. She was like Kate's Tyler. Kate being Reid. Why the hell am I comparing Kate to Reid?
"No, I wasn't with Reid. I have a boyfriend." I reminded her.
"Bordy really doesn't count as boyfriend material." Kate chimed in. "Plus, everyone knows how you've got this thing for Reid." Words could not describe how much I hated Kate Tunney at that very moment. I didn't have a thing for Reid. No way in hell!
"I don't like Reid." I simply stated. "And I sure as hell don't like you." I opened up my composition book and began writing furiously. Luckily, Kate didn't say much after that.
It was a few minutes past eleven and Reid had yet to show up with my smokes. I was trying desperately to not pull at my hair, pick at my nails, or bang my head against the wall. I could not focus on my homework at all that night. My mind kept wondering if Justine watched Reid at his swim meet. Did they meet up afterwards at Nicky's and have dinner together? Did he introduce her to his friends as his girlfriend? Was he with her right now?
My mind wandered the clock separating my side of the room from Cee's. Ticking away, 11:07 became 11:27. My night seemed only to be getting longer. No knock on the door. No phone call. Cee was fast asleep, snoring into her pillow. She was perfectly content being single. She was so confident in herself that she once told me she never wants to get married. She said she'd rather grow into an old maid than to turn into someone's housewife. And I admired her for that. I, on the other hand, was a miserable single. I loved loving Bordy. And I loved it when I knew he loved me. But he didn't love me anymore. I was destined to be all alone.
Sooner, rather than later, my eyelids started to flutter and I realized that I must have drifted off, into a dreamless sleep. A faint knocking was heard at the door and I sat up, glancing at the clock. 2:14 in the morning. Reid had never smuggled in my smokes this late (or early) in the night. This was an all-new record.
I slowly made my way to the door, my feet freezing as they padded across the cold floorboards of my dorm room. Without even looking through the peephole I opened the door and stuck my hand out. I didn't want an explanation. I didn't want to argue. I just wanted my smokes. A few moments passed and nothing. My hand was still empty when I brought it back into the room. I opened the door a little further and poked my head outside. My eyes grew wide as I took in the familiar sight of my ex-boyfriend, standing in a jean jacket and matching pants. He looked like a high-class hill-billy.
Bordy.