Inevitable (16 page)

The
evening passed too quickly. She ran through her shopping trip and
her relief that her mom acted ‘normal’ throughout. Then she whined
for a good half hour about our ‘shit American food’, complaining
that she couldn’t find some kind of chocolate called a Malteser
anywhere at the grocery store. She huffed as she told me she
settled for some Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups but then after tasting
them decided they tasted like vomit.

She was
so adorable. I made a mental note to Google British candy and get
her as many as I could find. Hell I’d have them shipped over if I
had to.

She then
went on to tell me she’d bought two new t-shirts which she tried on
for me - naturally this lead to me pulling them straight off again
so I could tease those perky, sweet tasting little nipples with my
mouth. She’d also picked up a couple of applications for jobs – one
at a coffee house and one for a fried chicken joint. I didn’t like
the idea of her working some place cheap like that. But she
insisted she needed the money and it wasn’t my place to stop her
anyways.

Pausing from a
pretty spectacular make out session she traced the lines of my
tattoo with her fingers.

“
Are you even old enough for a tattoo?” she asked
inquisitively.

“
You’re old enough for anything for the right price,” I
replied, winking at her. She rolled those familiar big brown eyes
at me. “
What?
”

“
You’re just…”

“
Amazing? Sexy? Smart? Damn near godlike?”

She punched my
shoulder and I let out a fake cry.

I hadn’t
planned to stay the whole night but before I knew it we were being
woken up on the couch by her mom. Maddie was curled in my lap and I
bolted upright, expecting to be thrown out. I was surprised when
Annie simply smiled at me and said ‘good morning’, completely
unaffected by the fact I had been draped over her daughter all
night. Still, I suppose I should’ve suspected morals weren’t very
high up on her list of priorities.

After
breakfast I got Maddie to text Lori to tell her she didn’t need a
ride today and then I dropped her off at school before going home
to change and making sure the house looked presentable for my dad
and Trudy’s return today. I knew I was going to be in the shit. I
tried my best to talk him out of it but Coach told me yesterday he
had no choice but to inform my dad that I skipped practice last
week.

My dad was all set for a successful career in football when
he was yo
unger. But then, fresh from completing his scholarship he
got injured and would never play professionally again. So now he
kept his hand in by subsidising various school teams around the
country and making sure I was ‘the best’, whether I wanted to be or
not.

I hated
him.

It was lunchtime before I made it back to school. I gave
Mrs Jenkins on reception some phoney excuse about a doctor’s
appointment and headed straight to the cafeteria to see my
girl.
I met
Jason’s eyes first when I pushed through the glass doors and he put
his finger over his lips and motioned for me to join him. When I
reached him he discreetly pointed behind him where Maddie and Sky
were stood talking.

Instinctively I stepped towards Maddie, knowing she’d want
me to
wrench
her away from the prized bitch standing next to her, put Jason
tugged me back by the arm.

“
No, man
, it’s just getting interesting,” he whispered. I was about
to tell him to get fucked when I heard my name being tossed
around.

“
He clearly likes you, which makes me think I may have
misjudged you. And Lori obviously sees something in you too… but
then Lori is a little slow on the uptake sometimes. So anyway, what
I’m saying is… I think we should start over. I think you and I
could be great friends. What do you say, Maddie?”

What the fuck?
There was no way Maddie would fall for this
bullshit, surely.

I
watched from the corner of my eye, trying to remain hidden behind
the rest of the student body going about getting their lunch, as
Maddie leaned across so her mouth was level with Sky’s ear. For a
second I thought she was going to hug her. But then she whispered,
loud enough to make sure everyone heard…

“
What I say, Sky, is that I would rather suck shit out of my
own arse with a straw, than ever be friends with you,” then she
stood back up straight and smiled before continuing, “now, if
you’ll excuse me, I have a date with people who aren’t pond scum.”
Maddie turned away from her
prey, whose jaw practically slammed onto the toes
of her shoes.

I swear she
amazed me a little more every day.

“
There’s my girl!” I said, proud and enthusiastic when she
bumped into me. She offered me a shrug before a gratified smile
took over her lips. She was pleased with herself and so she should
be. Sky is a bitch of the highest order. Hell, she’s even too much
of a slut for Jason to fuck with a barge pole and that’s saying
something coming from the man whose life motto is ‘any hole’s a
goal’.

“
You need to find a new friend,” Sky seethed in the
background. Maddie and I both spun around and saw Lori looking
confused and…
guilty
? She didn’t get to respond before Sky stormed off,
signalling her clones to follow with a click of her
fingers.

“
What was that about?” Lori asked Maddie.

“
I’ll tell you later. Maybe you could give me a ride
home?”

“
But I drive you home,” I interrupted like a pathetic and
desperate idiot.

“
Aww, you jealous, baby?” she teased, rising on her tiptoes
to plant a quick but erection inducing kiss on my lips. When she
pulled away I traced her swollen lip with my thumb. Man, she landed
that bench
hard
yesterday. “It’s just one day, and it’ll give you longer to
catch up with your family.” My body tensed automatically at the
thought of seeing my dad, but I nodded, resisting the urge to drop
to my knees and beg her. I wouldn’t be
that
guy - the hopeless moron who couldn’t live
without his girl for just a few hours.

Who was I kidding? I was
so
that fucking guy.

When I got
home I flipped the switch for the garage and eased my car inside
once the shutters had rolled open fully. I sighed when I saw my
dad’s car.

They
were home.

In the
kitchen, Kara greeted me first with a sharp nod. Gone were the days
when she would bound over to me and jump into my arms. If it wasn’t
for the fact she was almost a teenager I would have thought
something was bothering her.

“
Missed me then?” I asked Kara sarcastically.

“
Like a hole in the head,” she fired back with a smile so warm
it could’ve only belonged to my baby sister.

“
Blaine?” I looked behind me at the sound of my name and Trudy
was stood in the doorway. “Can I talk to you for a moment?” she
asked ominously. What the hell had I done now? I’d only been home
two minutes.

“
Sure.” Trudy cocked her head towards the hallway and I
followed her out of the kitchen and into the living room. After
peering down the length of the hallway she closed the door gently
behind her. I was clearly in the shit.

“
What’s up?” I asked, frustrated.

“
Annie tells me you’ve been getting rather close to Maddie
while we’ve been away?” This was entirely not the conversation I
was expecting and I was adamant we weren’t about to have
it.

“
So?”

“
So, I don’t like it.” Okay, so it turned out we
were
having this
conversation and I was about to become a very vocal part of
it.

“
I don’t give a flying fuck if you like it, Trudy. It’s got
nothing to do with you!”

“
It has eve
rything to with me. Maddie’s-” she abruptly cut herself off
as if she was about to say something she shouldn’t. Then she
dragged in a long exasperated breath. “I’ve known that girl since
before she was born. Annie is my best friend and I won’t have
either of them getting hurt.”

“
Some best friend you are. Have you got any idea the kind of
shit Maddie’s had to put up with growing up? Her mum is a fucking
fruit cake and she’s had no one to help her deal with that. She’s
done it all on her own since you decided to fuck off with the first
man – wait, should that be ‘client’ – who flashed you some serious
cash.”

The blood
visibly drained from Trudy’s face, pooling around her neck. She
looked like she was about to pass out and rightly or wrongly, I
enjoyed watching the patronising bitch squirm.

“
She told you…” she muttered solemnly under her breath,
refusing eye contact with me. “What are you going to
do?”

“
What do you mean ‘what am I going to do?’” I
repeated.

“
Will you tell Kara?”

Her eyes fell
to the floor and as much as I believed she deserved to feel like
shit for abandoning Maddie, for moving in so soon after my mom died
and for being an all round money-grabbing whore – I actually felt a
little sorry for her.

“
Of course I won’t.
” I meant it. I didn’t want my baby sister knowing
what a slut her mother was any more than Trudy did. “Look, Trudy, I
don’t give a crap what you used to be, or how you met my dad. I
shouldn’t have even brought it up. It’s just… Maddie and me… I’d
never hurt her.”

Her woeful
gaze met mine again and she looked me up and down as if she was
assessing my worthiness.

“
I’ve seen you with girls, Blaine. I know how you treat
them. Word gets around you know?” She continued to eyeball me. It
felt like a test. Like I was expected to say something poignant and
insightful.

“
She’s not like other girls.” I found myself grinning like
an idiot as I thought about Maddie. “In fact she’s like nobody I’ve
ever met before. She doesn’t feel the need to impress me, impress
anyone for that matter. She’
s sweet and funny. Strong and…” I trailed off,
balling my hands into fists by my side as I became irritated. “I
don’t need to justify myself to
you
.”

“
I’m sorry, Blaine,” she uttered, making me choke on the bile
rippling up the back of my throat.

“
What?
” I asked in disbelief.

“
I don’t expect you to understand, but Maddie is very
important to me. I thought you were just using her, but I can tell
from your eyes that she’s important to you too. So, I’m sorry for
judging you.” That had to be the biggest backtrack in history. I
was at a loss knowing how to respond. Just seconds ago I wanted to
rip her throat out, but then she started looking at me all
puppy-eyed and regretfully and I just felt insanely sorry for
her.

“
Yeah, well…” I shrugged, desperate for an excuse to escape the
mortifying awkwardness.

“
Your dad wants you by the way.” That wasn’t the excuse I
was hoping for. “He’s waiting for you in the gym.” Immediately I
felt like I was going to hurl all over the cream shag-pile but I
swallowed the painful lump in my throat and nodded before
hesitantly making my way to the gym. I knew what was coming so I
might as well get it over with.

“
Bolt the door,” were my dad’s first words to me as I entered
the gym. I made an effort to steady my erratic breathing and did as
I was told. “Sit.” He gestured his hand towards the red and steel
bench press and as I made my way towards it I slipped my trembling
hands into my pockets, refusing to let him see how weak I
was.

“
Four strikes, Blaine,”
Four?
“Are you deliberately trying to embarrass me?” I
swallowed forcefully.

“
No, sir.”

“
You know I don’t like punishing you, Blaine, but sometimes you
leave me with no choice. I want the best for you - you know this.
But when you behave irresponsibly the only future you’re heading
for is a failed one. You need reminding what is expected of you,
Blaine. Do you understand?”

I had to fight
to keep my eyes open, willing it to be over with but knowing if I
looked away from him I’d earn another strike.

“
Yes, sir.” My voice was hoarse like I was about to cry. But
I wasn’t… I
wouldn’t.
I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

“
Good. Now hang your shirt on the bars and lie down.” I did as
I was told and lay face down on the bench press. My stomach twisted
when I heard the flick of his utility knife and I swallowed back a
lump of vomit.

“
One…” he said in a callously cold, composed tone. “You
skipped practice last week. That shows a lack of commitment I am
not prepared to tolerate, Blaine. Showing such a blatant disregard
for football
is not
going to earn you a scholarship. Do you understand?” I felt
his flattened palm on my back and it felt like my skin was trying
to crawl away from it. I didn’t even
need
a scholarship. But apparently I wouldn’t work as
hard if I knew I could simply ‘pay’ for it.