The Incident Read online

  “Oh baby, you look amazing. I knew this would look good on you.” She fussed with my clothes and her eyes filled with tears.

  I hugged her and rolled my eyes over her head at daddy, who came and got her.

  I headed outside to my guy who was leaning against the passenger side door of his truck. Arms folded, legs crossed.

  I put my shades on and struck a pose making him grin as he opened the door. I love the way he seated me and belted me in.

  The way he held my hand all the way in the truck with Landslide on repeat as we both sang off key at the top of our lungs.

  By the time we pulled into the parking lot at school I felt like I could take on the world. This time I didn’t mind the stares so much, or the whispers behind cupped hands.

  “You look gorgeous baby. I almost made a little side trip, but I guess I can wait until after school.” He winked and placed his hand in the small of my back as we turned to head into the building.

  I felt like I was walking on air, and couldn’t believe that just a few weeks I was dreading coming here. I knew having him at my side had a lot to do with it, but that’s all I ever wanted.

  Unlike the last time I was here, people actually approached me. Some were full of apologies, some genuine and there were some who didn’t even care one-way or the other.

  No one actually came out and asked me how it felt to try to hang yourself, but I’m sure it was the question on everyone’s mind.

  I’d added makeup to the marks on my neck, but I was sure they still showed a little. I’d played around with the idea of wearing one of my Hermes mini scarves, but thought better of it.

  No point in bringing everyone’s attention to my neck. If I wanted people to forget it, then I have to start doing that myself.

  Brandon’s friends made it easier, they came over and talked to him about football and what he’d missed. Which reminded me that the finals were coming up.

  I hadn’t even given any thought to cheerleading, but once I did there was no fear. Brandon kept my hand in his, or his in the small of my back, which somehow felt so protective, as we made it to the first class.

  I hadn’t seen Jill or Beth or any of the others, which was beyond strange, and I felt a pang of unease.

  Brandon took his usual seat next to me and by the time they came in I was ready.

  I didn’t miss the way their eyes flitted to us and away quickly. But today they were the ones looking nervous.

  It didn’t help that Brandon gave them the death glare as they hurried to their seats. “Those…they look guilty as hell.”

  “Okay Brandon, I’m sure the cops have already questioned them and if there’s anything there they’ll get to the bottom of it.”

  That seemed to placate him. The teacher came in and welcomed us both back to class, with genuine pleasure at having two of his star pupils back in the fold.

  By the time lunchtime rolled around I was relaxed. No one so far had mentioned the incident and I found that I wanted to talk about it, if only to get it out of the way.

  One kid kept staring at my neck and that was my cue. “Something on your mind Ashton?” Brandon turned from talking to his friends and looked from me to Ashton Banks, one of the school nerds.

  He fumbled under Brandon’s stare until I elbowed Brandon in the ribs. He gave me a ‘what’ look and I indicated that he should turn back around.

  I was sure his ears were still pricked though, when I turned back to the kid who I’d probably never spoken to a day in my life.

  “I just…I wanted to know what it was like, you know…” He pointed to his neck and looked down at the table miserably.

  “It was awful. I’ve never felt so alone in my life.”

  “But that doesn’t make any sense. You’re popular, rich, pretty, why…”

  “Because none of those things matter when you’re feeling alone and unloved.” I reached out and took his hand because he seemed to need it.

  I got the feeling that he really needed to talk, but here was not the right place. “Brandon I’m gonna step outside with Ashton for a second okay.”

  He looked from the kid to me and back and although he didn’t seem too pleased about letting me out of his sight, he nodded, kissed me on the cheek and whispered in my ear.

  “Take your phone, if you need me I’m here.” I nodded and got to my feet. “Come on Ashton let’s go for a walk.”

  “Really?” He looked at me like I’d grown another head. I walked off and he followed. I ignored all the looks as we passed on our way outside.

  I found a spot away from the building under a tree and stood waiting for him to catch up. “Are you thinking about hurting yourself Ashton?”

  He fidgeted for a bit, but then I got the truth out of him. He’d been playing around with the idea of taking his own life since he was fifteen.

  His home life was a mess; an alcoholic abusive father, a mother who was also a victim of that abuse and kids who made his life a living hell every day that he came here.

  Listening to him showed me how selfish I’d been. This kid had real issues, and though what had been done to me was horrible, it was nothing compared to his story.

  I spent the rest of lunch break trying to get through to him, saying all the things Brandon had said to me.

  I wasn’t sure how well I’d done, but I felt better for trying. “Why don’t you sit with us from now on Ashton? I was thinking of picking up guitar, I hear you’re pretty good at it.”

  “Really, you’ve heard about me?”

  “Well yeah.” Okay he didn’t need to know what I’d heard about him.

  He seemed pleased with that and when Brandon met us at the door like he’d been standing there waiting, I’d never been more proud of him as I was when he said hi to this kid that I’m sure he’d never even noticed before.

  “You wanna talk about it?” He asked quietly as we watched Ashton walk away down the hall. “Yeah, but not here, maybe at home later.”

  We held hands all the way to our next class. I still hadn’t had a chance to speak to Jill and the others since they seemed to be avoiding me and by the time the last bell rang, I figured it wasn’t going to happen.

  At least this time they were the ones looking in from the outside. I’m not sure what happened while I was gone, but people seemed to be shunning them.

  I asked Brandon about it on the way home and he played the innocent but I was a bit suspicious. “Brandon what did you do?”

  “Nothing, I was with you the past two weeks, when did I have time to do anything? Look the cops have been asking questions, it’s only a matter of time before people start putting two and two together.”

  That was true, but I still got the feeling that he had something to do with it. As much as I hated them at the moment, I didn’t want them feeling any of what I had those last two weeks at school. There was no benefit in it for me.

  “I don’t think we should do anything…”

  “Do you realize how fucked up this is? Do you know you could’ve been raped? We still don’t know who the fuck that guy was in that room with you, while someone stripped you naked and took pictures of you.”

  “You can forgive them, me, I want blood.” Well okay then that’s plain enough.

  15

  She might have a point, but fuck if I care. I want those bitches to pay for what they did to her. She seems to think that because she’s doing better that all should be forgiven, but hell no.

  Unbeknownst to her, I’ve been doing some investigating of my own. I don’t know what’s taking the cops so long, but I’m not hindered by their bureaucracy bullshit.

  It was plain as the nose on my face that at least two of them had a hand in this thing. Females or not, I wanna punch them in the face.

  I know I won’t do it, but I can fantasize. But more than that, I want justice for her. I want this chapter in our lives closed so we can move on.

  No way in hell I’m letting shit slide. “Dammit, fine. I‘ll tell my boys to go easy on
them.”

  “You… you told the football team to shun them?”

  “Damn straight. Let them see how that shit feels.”

  “You seem to be forgetting something here. They used me to hurt you. Those two weeks we weren’t talking, they were there, lending a sympathetic ear, rubbing that shit in.”

  “I saw your face everyday when you were sitting there alone and they were crowding around me. Now I know that they were just twisting the knife.”

  Son of a bitch, and I just played right into their hands. “I’m the worst boyfriend in the fucking world.”

  “What? Are you crazy? I could never have gotten through this without you. You’ve been nothing but amazing.”

  “Yeah well I want to kick my own ass.”

  “You can’t, that’s my job remember?”

  “Sure tiny!”

  Kristi

  He didn’t take me home but pulled into his driveway once we turned onto our street. I looked over to my house where the garden was showing some color and felt joy at that seemingly small thing that I’d once taken for granted.

  We barely made it through the door before we were tearing each other’s clothes off and I didn’t have to question why he’d brought me here instead of taking me home where my mother was waiting.

  We ended up in the pool with him inside me and my legs wrapped around his middle. The water protected my back somewhat against the side of the pool, but his powerful thrusts battered my insides.

  By the time I got back into my clothes I was feeling very relaxed and the stress of the day had been left far behind.

  “So what’s with that Ashton kid?”

  “I think he’s seriously depressed. Why don’t you have a talk with him?”

  “Babe, I can help you because I know you and I love you. I don’t know this kid, maybe he needs to see someone.”

  “He doesn’t want to. He’s embarrassed for anyone to know what’s going on. I think the only reason he talked to me is because I’ve already attempted to do what he’s thinking of doing.”

  “If he’s serious, then we’ve got to get him some help, but I know I’m not the one. Not that I don’t want to help. I’ll talk to him but he needs to go see someone.”

  “But you helped me so much, you knew everything to say.”

  “Again I know you, I love you. I’m not gonna fuck with this kid’s head because I haven’t the slightest clue. Why don’t you talk to your doctor? See what she says.”

  “Good idea! See, you always know what to say.”

  I didn’t panic when he left that night after dinner. Though I wasn’t looking forward to sleeping alone. In a couple weeks we’d be married and we’d never have to sleep apart again.

  I’d barely put my head on my pillow, already missing him, when I saw him climbing through my window. I threw back the covers and smiled as he climbed in beside me.

  “I missed you!” I kissed the words off his lips as he covered my body with his. It felt like the most natural thing when he slipped into me.

  Good grief I’ve turned into a teenage nympho. I can’t believe we’d gone almost two years without sharing this, when now it felt like I couldn’t live without it.

  “You’re in me so deep.”

  “Yes!” He searched for my lips again and I got lost in his kiss. I felt naughty and free. And when he licked a path around my neck I came.

  “No don’t leave, stay with me.”

  “I’m not going anywhere. I don’t think I can sleep without you next to me.”

  I cuddled in close with my knee on his junk, which was still hard and slippery from our juices. My engine was still revving, I wanted more.

  Though I haven’t thought much about the situation lately, when he’s inside me nothing else matters. It’s like my mind just centers on us and what he’s making me feel.

  “I wanna do it the way we did it in the closet.” I whispered the words in his ear.

  “The bed will make too much noise.”

  He rolled on top of me, licked my lips and bit my neck. I had the perfect answer for that.

  Slipping out from under him, I got on my hands and knees next to the bed and gave him the Bambi eyes.

  He was behind me before I could blink, slamming into me hard. I had to bite into the mattress to hold my screams at bay.

  My eyes crossed and my body was on fire. He went longer this time and I enjoyed every minute of it. It felt like after each time I regained a little bit more of me.

  “I like this new us. I can’t believe we waited this long.” We were back in bed under the covers and he was holding me close.

  “We waited as long as we needed to. I love this new us too.” He kissed my head and I had a sudden thought.

  “Brandon, have you done this before?”

  “Kristi.” I lifted my head and glared at him. “You have haven’t you?”

  “No, I’ve jerked off a lot, watched a lot of porn.” I looked at him skeptically. “But you’re so good at it.”

  “And so are you, but you never did it before either.”

  “So why did you wait?”

  “I always knew it would be you. From the day we left I knew I was coming back here one day for my girl. No one else ever tempted me and believe me I had offers.”

  I bet he did. “But I knew I wanted only you.” I felt stupid tears fill my eyes as I clung to him and his arms tightened around me.

  “I love you Brandon, so much.”

  “I love you too baby, now go to sleep.” I fell off easily now that he was here and didn’t stir until the next morning when the birds started chirping in the trees outside my window.

  For the next few days we fell into a routine. Brandon would pick me up for school, where nothing much had changed. Then bring me back to his house in the evenings to make love.

  My friends still hadn’t said anything to me, not even hello and though Brandon swore he’d had a talk with his boys no one would talk to them.

  I’d given Ashton my doctor’s number and he sat with us for lunch. He was coming over this weekend to show me how to play the guitar.

  Brandon flipped his shit until I told him that of course I expected him to be there, but inside I was tickled at his jealous streak.

  Today was supposed to be my first day back at cheerleading practice. I was afraid the coach would cut me but she didn’t even mention the incident, other than to say she was happy to have me back.

  I was a bit nervous but of course Brandon was there to walk me to the field before he too joined the team for practice.

  “Kristi, I just wanted you to know that I’m really sorry you were sick.” I’d imagined this moment a thousand times, but as Beth stood in front of me, none of what I imagined is what came out of my mouth.

  “Is that what we’re calling it now?” Her eyes opened wide and she took a step back.

  “What happened to me in your house?”

  “I don’t, I wasn’t…” Her mumbling only made me more certain that she knew something. “Just so you know, the cops know everything. They’re just tightening the noose so they can put you all away for a very long time.”

  I don’t know if any of that was true, but I just wanted it over with. She lost the color in her face and looked around for reinforcements.

  “They’re not gonna do your time for you, so if you know something you better start talking now.” I could see out the corner of my eye, Jill, April and Casey watching us.

  Beth started to tap her foot on the ground; a sure sign that she was nervous and I went in for the kill. “Since it was your house, your bed, you know who’s gonna get the blame right?”

  I checked my nails as I baited her. “It wasn’t me, it wasn’t my idea. I told those cops that.”

  “And you think they believed you?” I smirked at her like I knew something she didn’t and watched her sweat.

  “It was Jill, it was all her idea. She wanted Brandon. She said that it was just a joke, that no one would be hurt.” Her words came out in a ramb
ling flow.

  “Who was the guy?” My chest felt tight and I thought I was going to pass out. But I held my ground when it seemed like I was finally going to get some answers.

  “I don’t know him.” I pretended to walk away and she panicked. “No wait, I really don’t know him. He’s just some guy that Jill met at a party. He wasn’t really in the room with you, it was photo shopped.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “He was there to have sex with Jill. That’s why he was even in my room. You were out of it. They did it and then he left.”

  “Jill took your clothes off and that’s when she took the pictures with your phone and fixed it so it looked like you and he were there together.

  I looked over at Jill who was looking like she really wanted to know what we were talking about. I don’t even remember walking away.

  The next thing I knew, Brandon was talking to me, calming me down, and my knuckles hurt. Jill was being helped off the field, with blood dripping from her nose.

  Someone had called the cops and a few of my friends were being led away in handcuffs. “Brandon, what’s going on?”

  “Blacked out again huh! Well, apparently Beth told you what happened, and you lost your shit. By the way, nice left hook.”

  “How did you know what was going on? I thought you were at practice on the other side of the field?”

  “Did you really think that I’d leave you alone your first day? I was watching you the whole time. It took great strength not to haul you off when I saw you talking to Beth, but I figured you needed it.”

  “I can’t believe I hit her.”

  “I can.” He hugged me to his chest and ruffled my hair. I wrapped my arms around him and felt like my world was finally back to rights.

  “Did you hear?”

  “Yeah, I got it out of Beth before the cops showed up.”

  “How did they get here so fast?”

  “I called them what do you think. We only have another week left of school, I don’t want this thing following us for the rest of the summer.”

  “Do you think they’ll press charges against me?”