Playlist: Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer
Dialogue Flex: "He was caught red-handed," she said.
Chapter 16
"You're a cheater," Bella says beneath me, hands on my back. It's Saturday night; my family's bugging me at home, so I came to Bella's. Charlie's out on an emergency job, so it didn't take us long to tangle ourselves up on the couch. It's a big couch. I like it.
"I don't cheat," I say, licking her neck and making her heart rate spike.
"That is not true," she says, poking me in the chest. "Remember that time you palmed that ace?"
"You are never going to let me live that down," I say, fully recalling the incident. It's the last memory I have of Gran Swan, who died not long after from liver cancer. She had decided to stay home with her family once she was diagnosed.
We were playing cards. I hid an ace in my sleeve, waiting for the right moment to pull it out and win. She couldn't prove it, but she could yell at me.
"You're a cheating cheater," Bella shouted, her spindly arms, dangling at her sides, hands clenched in fists.
"I didn't cheat," I swore. I did.
"You did cheat. And I'm not playing with you anymore until you tell me you're a cheater, you cheater!"
"Bells," Gran Swan called from the back room, where she spent all her time now that she couldn't walk well.
At the sound of her voice, I ran. Gran always knew when I was lying.
I bolted through the backyard and catapulted myself over the block wall, scraping my knee as I tumbled down the other side. The stabbing pain only worsened as I ran inside, collapsing on the kitchen tile to cry.
"What do you want?" Garrett asked, milk carton at his lips, glaring at me.
"Nothing," I whimpered, holding my bad leg. I didn't want him to see. He'd probably make fun of me. But it was his fault; he taught me that card trick.
"Did Mom get any lunch meat?" Katie asked, checking the fridge.
"I don't know. Don't you have food at your own home? I thought we got rid of you," Garrett said.
"Shut up. You know, you're always acting so ugly to everyone, I hope karma bites you in the ass. And don't ever say that word, Edward, or I swear—"
"I don't even know what karma is." And Mom would ground me if I said ass.
Garrett snickered, but Katie began to explain, coming down to my level. I was pretty tall for an eleven-year-old, but she was still taller. "Karma is like . . . if you do something awful . . ." She stares at Garrett as if she's talking about him. "Then something awful happens to you back."
My ears perked up at her words, and I worried. What would happen to me? I cheated and lied to my best friend. Karma sounded bad, real bad.
I got to my feet and made my way back to Bella's. I wasn't a very good friend. She hadn't done anything to me. I needed to make it right.
I climbed the wall slowly, being sure not to make my leg worse on the rough concrete.
I went inside, but Bella wasn't there. I wandered down the hallway, following muffled voices. Bella was in Gran's room.
"But he doesn't even see me. What if he never does? I say things, and he doesn't pay attention. And then like today, like I said . . . he was so mean."
"I know, but you have to remember how different boys are from girls. You remember what I told you, right?"
"Yes, but how long do I have to wait? John Kerner was staring at me all week, and he said I had shiny hair and smiled and gave me a piece of gum. And I bet he wouldn't cheat at cards."
Bella was trying to replace me. Was this karma? Was this what would happen? She'd be friends with John Nose-Picker Kerner and drop me? He had pimples on his face (like Garrett) and was super tall. I did not like him.
I knocked on the door immediately. "Bella?"
"Come in, dear," Gran said.
"Do you want to play catch?" I asked, toeing the carpet and feeling lousy.
Bella looked to her grandmother, then back to me. "Fine."
"Let's fix up your knee first," Gran said, and she sat up, pointing to the bathroom. "Go fetch me a wet washcloth, Edward, will ya?"
I nodded and got her what she wanted. When I came back, Bella was gone, most likely getting her glove and a few balls. Gran patted the spot next to her, so I hopped on the bed. She dabbed at my bloodied knee and blew on it. "That's not so bad," she said. "See how easy that was?"
I nodded. It was easy, cleaning up my knee and getting Bella to do something with me again. I just had to ask.
"Bella just wants life to be fair, dear. But she doesn't know how hard it is to be a boy. To have feelings but not understand them or to notice something but not know what you're seeing. Not for a long time, anyway."
I nodded, but I didn't really get it.
"Go play, and you be nice to my granddaughter."
"I'll try," I said as I hopped off the bed.
As I played ball with Bella, I kept wondering two things. One, what would she have played with John? It made me angry she'd even thought about it. And two, how had I never noticed how shiny her hair was before? I wanted to touch it to see how soft it was.
But now I know. My hands slip through Bella's hair as she writhes beneath me, angling herself upward so I can kiss her neck and make her feel good. She hitches her hips up, encasing my waist with her legs and making me feel everything. There's nothing better than Bella beneath me. Except for maybe Bella on top of me. But other than our first kiss, we haven't really gone there yet.
"Man, I love you," I whisper into her neck as she pulls me by my hair to kiss me.
"It's time for you to go home now, Edward," Charlie says, voice loud and clear.
Shit! How did we not hear the garage door?
I stand up immediately, Bella nearly falling off the couch.
"I'm sorry, Coach," I say quickly, hoping politeness and sucking up will keep me from getting kicked out.
"Dad, we were just kissing and—"
"And nothing. There are rules in this house, young lady."
"I know, and we weren't in my room." She sat up and folded her arms across her chest.
"His hand was —"
"No, it wasn't!" I yell defensively. Maybe too defensively, but it wasn't.
"Dad, it wasn't," Bella protests.
"He was caught red-handed," he says, pointing at me.
"He didn't do anything," Bella says, protecting me. I didn't not do anything, but I didn't do what he's accusing me of.
"He was about to," Charlie says, cheeks red. "I said fix it, not put your hands on my kid."
"Just go," Bella says to me, and I edge my way out of the living room and into the kitchen, heading for the back door. They continue to argue. I hate to leave Bella to deal with this, but I'm not sure what else to do.
I shut the door behind me once I'm outside and breathe a sigh of relief. But not for long because it swings open just afterward. Charlie is scary like this, and he could totally kick my ass.
"I know where you live. I know your parents' schedules. I'm really good with a baseball bat." What's with these Swans threatening everyone with bats?
"Yes, okay, uh huh," is what I manage. Then add, "Would you like to join my family for dinner on Sunday? Bella's coming." That's a good peace offering, right?
"That's," he starts, eyes narrowed, but they soften, "that would be fine."
"Okay, I'll tell my mom."
"You do that. And you keep your damn hands off my daughter."
I shove my hands in my pockets and nod. I figure that's safer than saying anything else. I walk backwards a bit before turning and going home.
Before bed, I check the old iPhone my mom set up for me. Bella's sent me a text. I miss the moo from my previous phone.
I'm sorry. He got my mom pregnant young, and now he's freaked out karma will bite him in the butt or something. –B
Karma doesn't know about condoms; I do. –E
She doesn't respond, and I get nervous.
I'm joking. I mean, I know about condoms, but I'm not saying we'll have sex. It was a joke. –E
I am so stupid.
I know. :) –B
A few minutes pass before my phone lights up one last time. That thing you do with your tongue is amazing. Night, Edward. –B
All I can think about is getting her back for the state she put me in with that text. It's right before bedtime; that's just rude. Then again, karma's a bitch. I'm sure it can come up with something.
-NSID-
I button up a shirt Mom bought me, and my door opens. In walks Katie, Caleb free. Greg must be here already. That's good.
"Ever thought of knocking?"
"I was hoping to catch some Edward bum. You always had the cutest little bum. I used to hide your towel."
"This is gross."
"You were six." She rolls her eyes.
"Can I help you?" I ask, sitting down on the bed and running my hands through my wet hair. Bella and Charlie will be here for dinner shortly, and I want to look nice, so I shaved and showered.
"What are you gonna do about Charlie?"
"What? How do you—"
"He just left. He was talking to Dad outside his study."
"Great, so Garrett knows."
"He was taking a nap in there."
"Yeah, right."
"Well, anyway, so what are you gonna do?"
"I don't know."
"You need to be a perfect gentleman when you're around him. Let him see you doing things for Bella."
"Okay, yeah, good idea."
Mom passes by, a vase in hand, and stops in the doorway. "Oh, honey, you look so nice in that shirt. I knew it'd bring out your pretty eyes."
I want to roll my pretty eyes at my mom's compliment. It's just so . . . motherly.
"Just be sure not to get caught again," Katie continues like Mom's not even there.
"Oh, we talking about you and Bella making out on the Swan couch? Really, Edward, that's in poor taste."
"How do you know about this?" I ask, pulling at my hair.
"I'm your mother," she says, like it's obvious. "Anyway, dinner's ready. We're just waiting on Charlie."
"Wait? Bella's here?"
"Yeah. She looks nice," Mom says.
"She curled her hair for you," Katie adds. "And she's not wearing cleats."
I push through the door to find Bella sitting on my couch, chatting with Garrett. Her smile's huge. Is he flirting with her?
"Garrett, no," I bark and sit next to her, wrapping my arm around her. She smells of vanilla, like she does early mornings before school. "Your hair looks all shiny. Pretty," I whisper in her ear, earning a shy smile.
"What?" Garrett asks, arms wide. "It's not like I'm going to defile her on the couch or something." I throw a magazine at his head, and he catches it. "Besides, I already have a girl."
"A blow up doll doesn't count."
"Ha ha. As a matter of fact, I'm dating this hot blonde from the office."
"Oh, what happened to Lauren? I thought you guys were so sweet together," Bella says, lips in a pout.
"Um, we uh, college crap happened and we split, and I haven't seen her since. Don't even know where she is. We've emailed a few times, but I don't—"
"She lives here," Bella says, folding her hand in mine.
"What?" Garrett asks, dumbfounded.
"Yeah, she works part time doing books at that accounting firm on Robins, but she still sings. Just saw her in the community production of Les Mis, oh, about a month or so ago."
"Huh," Garrett says, and I echo the sentiment He looks stupid. Like Lauren has made him stupid. He is stupid.
When Charlie shows up, we all enjoy the pot roast Mom made and have an easy going conversation about her new job. Charlie asks her loads of questions that had never occurred to me. He's really attentive. It's weird. But I guess I haven't seen him interact with a grown woman conversationally before. I need to hang out with him more often. He could teach me a thing or two that my dad can't: how to pay attention and genuinely care.
After dinner, he plays with Caleb, rough-housing with him, and a pang in my gut tells me he would've liked to have had more kids. A boy, at least.
"You gun kill Unca Ed?" Caleb asks Charlie, and everyone bursts into laughter but me.
"Not if he's a good boy," Charlie answers.
"He's gun be good. Mommy said uh so 'cause he don't wanted to get died."
I think it's the most I've ever heard Caleb say before. And it's about my death. Awesome.
"Sounds like a good idea." Charlie side-eyes me, smiling. He's not so scary with tiny Caleb next to him. He just looks like a dad. I can handle a dad.
The peach cobbler is delicious, and Charlie and Bella head home shortly after finishing it.
Katie and Greg are on their way out, I think, when Greg appears in my doorway asking for a minute. He shuts the door behind him and pulls out his wallet. "Look, I know I'm not your dad or your mom or even your brother or sister, but I just feel like I should . . ." He pulls out a foil wrapper and hands it over with a "here."
"Thanks," I say because what else do you say when your brother-in-law hands you a condom that was meant to be used with your sister?
"If you need more or advice or whatever or anything really, just . . . well, you have my cell. And I won't tell anyone. I promise."
"Okay. Thanks, Greg." I pocket the condom and can't keep the grin off my face, knowing that if I wanted to have sex right now, I'd be covered. Literally. It's an awesome feeling. And it makes me miss Bella, so I text her.
What are you doing?
Laverne and Shirley marathon.
Sexy.
I've got my socks on.
Damn. Which ones?
Dark gray.
With the little bow?
Those be them. She sounds like a pirate.
I want to come over and roll them down.
No you don't. You want to feel them up.
And up and up. I admit it; I can't help it.
You're a pervert.
Never said I didn't.
And an idiot.
Come on, it works.
No, it doesn't.
It's romantic?
Yeah, that question mark works there.
I can be romantic. I'm a little defensive about this. I'm not sure how true it is. I hope it's true.
I'm sure you're real suave when you want to be.
Like now?
Sure?
That question mark doesn't belong there.
It doesn't? I'm fairly certain I used it correctly. She would know. She's a punctuation nazi.
Uh huh.
I wait a moment to see if she'll continue this stupid conversation, but she doesn't. I don't want to be done yet, so I blather on.
My parents are doing better. She's been here this whole time, and before that she was staying Sunday nights.
That's sweet. Like they're reconnecting.
Yeah, but my mom deserves so much more than my dad gives her. I wish he could see what I see.
And what do you see?
A beautiful, talented, loving woman that needs to be cherished and adored.
Sigh . . .
What?
You're right.
About?
You are romantic.
I wasn't even trying.
Gran always said you were sweet.
What else did Gran say? This could be good.
That a boy who loved his mother as much as you did would be worth the wait.
And . . . I love Gran, by the way.
You're worth it?
Screw you and your question marks.
Ha ha ha!
I'll show you ha ha ha!
?
I slip out my back door and hop the fence. I tap on her window, and she peeks out, eyes shocked. She comes to her kitchen door and tiptoes out silently. I don't say anything. Instead, I sweep her hair over her shoulder, fasten my hand to her neck, and lean in for a slow, deliberate kiss.
I move my lips at a languid pace, never diverting from it, warmth building between us. With my hands cupping her cheeks, I seek out her eyes and smile softly before one last, smooth kiss.
And then I head home.
In the quiet of my room, my phone chimes.
!
I cover my mouth, laughing. She always puts a smile on my face; I love that about her. I love so many things about her. I just want to lie here staring at my stars, thinking about her all night, but I can't. I have homework to do.
I don't have much, so I finish it quickly. Mom and Dad are arguing in their bedroom—which is quite shocking since they've been getting along so well—but there's nothing I can do about it. Hopefully, they're working things out. I try to stay positive for them, but it's difficult at times. I go to bed and try to focus my thoughts on the pretty girl with shiny hair next door and the fact that I get to hold her hand tomorrow at school. Maybe while we're there I can get her to send me some more exclamation marks.