The Good Girls (8 page)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Cara

F
or the first time in as long as I could remember, I truly enjoyed myself. I didn’t need to pretend and put on a front. The past meant nothing, and all I could think about was the here and now. But I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Trust didn’t come easy for someone who’s been abandoned and betrayed as many times as I’ve been.

I put down my window and held my arm out in the warm wind as I relaxed my head against the seat. Ellie lay down with her head in my lap. I stroked her hair, and she fell asleep before we even made it home.

I woke her up as we pulled up to the end of our long driveway. She stretched with a loud yawn before we got out and slowly made our way down the driveway with her library book in hand.

When we opened the front door, Dawn was in the kitchen, and her attention turned to us.

“Where have you two been?” she asked as she washed a plate and set it in the dish rack.

“We went to the library,” Cara said. Dawn put her hands on her hips, glaring at us.

We both burst out laughing when we realized we’d forgotten to change out of our outfits.

“Oh…we stopped at that little thrift shop in town. We were just having some fun,” I said as we walked into the kitchen and grabbed two plates from the cupboard.

“Well, you should change before David finishes his shower,” she warned us, and I rolled my eyes as I dished spaghetti onto each of our plates.

We both ran up the stairs and changed out of our silly clothes before returning to the table to eat, only a minute before David’s heavy footsteps descended the stairs.

“Ellie, I wondered where you’d gotten to,” he said with faked enthusiasm that seemed to be more for Dawn’s benefit.
Don’t worry about me. I’m safe, too.

“I went to the library with Cara, and we checked out a few of the stores,” she said as she neatly cut up the strands of pasta before twirling her fork against her spoon. This couldn’t be the same girl who was dipping fries in her ice cream cone and walking around all day wearing a shirt that proclaimed she loved wieners.

I giggled, and David’s glare cut to me. “Something funny?”

I cleared my throat as I spun my fork in my noodles. “I was just thinking of how gross it was that Ellie ate french fries with her ice cream.” I wrinkled my nose as I saw her trying not to smile.

“Just like your mother. She always was weird,” he said. He cleared his throat like he hadn’t intended to speak aloud.

Her smile faltered as she looked down at her plate, and I knew she was struggling to suppress her tears.
We had such a great day. Way to fucking ruin it, David.

“I thought it was unique.”

She glanced up at me, and the corners of her mouth turned up.

“Well, you don’t exactly conform to society’s standard of normal, do you?” He muttered as he pulled open the fridge behind me. “What the hell would you know?”

“David!” Dawn scolded him.

“I’ll be in my office if anyone needs me,” he said as he cracked open a soda and disappeared down the short hall behind the kitchen.

“I think I lost my appetite.” I shoved my chair back causing it to screech loudly across the wooden floor before I dropped my fork on my plate and stormed up the stairs. I’d finally found someone who liked me for who I really was, even if she didn’t know the whole story, and David was going to take that away from me.

I took the stairs two at a time and slammed my bedroom door behind me when I was safely inside.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Ellie

I
looked to Dawn, who was still standing by the sink, her mouth agape as she tried to process what had just happened. I picked up my napkin and wiped my mouth before I stood, leaving my plate on the table as Cara had, and hurried upstairs.

I froze with my hand just inches from her wooden door as I heard her muffled sobs coming from the other side. I took a deep breath and knocked before turning the knob and slipping inside, closing it behind me.

Cara sat on her bed, her knees pulled to her chest. Her cheeks were stained with tears. She was far from the confident, outgoing girl I’d seen.

I sank down beside her on the mattress and wrapped my arms around her. She released her hold on her legs and wrapped her arms around my body, pulling me tightly against her as she wept.

“It’s okay,” I whispered as she shook her head against the crook of my neck.

“No. He’s right.”

“Cara, don’t say that. He just doesn’t know you.”

“He doesn’t
want
to know me, Ellie.”

I pulled back from her slightly and put my hands on either side of her face as I looked into her shimmering green eyes that glowed against the redness from her tears. “
I
want to know you.” My eyes searched hers as her lips parted and a small sigh escaped her.

Her soft lips pressed against mine, unmoving. My fingers slid into her hair, tangling in the long strands as I held her against me. I had no idea what I was doing. The first time we kissed I told myself we’d had too much to drink. Now I had no idea why she’d done it. Her lips parted, and she ran the tip of her tongue over my lower lip. I felt it through every inch of my body. I let my lips part, allowing her access.

Cara’s tongue swept against mine before she pulled my lower lip between hers, sucking it gently before we broke apart. Her forehead rested against mine, and she kept her eyes closed as she struggled to calm her breathing.

“I’m so sorry, El.” She shook her head, her eyebrows pulled together like she was in pain.

“It’s okay,” I reached for her but she stood, backing herself up against her wall next to her bed with her arms wrapped around her waist.

I pushed from the bed and took a step toward her, but she pressed herself farther into the wall as if hoping to disappear. Guilt consumed me. She was disgusted by what we’d done, and even though I was confused, regret was the last thing I felt.

Humiliation began to creep into my subconscious as Cara refused to meet my eye. I pulled open her door and slipped into the hallway, begging myself not to break down until I reached my room.

When I did, the emotions flooded me like a broken dam. It was all too much to take in. Cara was being kind to me, and she was the only person I had. That’s all this was, and now she was sickened by me. I had no idea how I’d be able to fix this, but I had to do something.

I lay on my bed for hours, my face buried in my pillow before the doorknob creaked and Cara slipped inside of my room. I had to force myself to look up at her. She smiled weakly as she wrung her hands together.

“Are you still mad at me?” she asked as she tucked her hair behind her ear.

“I was never mad at you, Cara.” I turned on my side to face her. “I thought…” I struggled to express what I was thinking, but I was so confused; I had no idea what to say.

“I don’t want to be alone,” she said quietly, her gaze dropping to the floor. I patted the empty space beside me on the bed.

Cara walked toward my bed and pulled up the quilt before slipping underneath and draping her arm across my waist. Her face was only a few inches from mine. I could barely make out her features in the dark, but the mint of her breath washed over my face rhythmically as she hummed the same haunting melody she had so many times before. Soon it evened out, and I drifted off to sleep beside her.

I awoke a few hours later, burning up. My legs were tangled in Cara’s, and my arm was slung over her small stomach, our foreheads pressed together.

I pulled back slightly, preparing to roll over as her arms tightened around me. I glanced over her shoulder to my alarm clock on the table beside my bed. It was nearly four o’clock in the morning.

“Cara,” I whispered, and she groaned, pulling my hips against hers, rolling back slightly so I was half on top of her. “Cara.” I slid my hand over her cheek as her eyes fluttered open. She looked confused before recognition washed over her and her expression softened.

“You have to go back to your room before David and Dawn get up.”

With a sleepy smile, she stretched her body underneath me before I slid to my side and let her up so she could leave.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Cara

L
ong summer days never seemed to last, and soon the weeks blurred by as if it had been one big long kegger. Ellie and I never spoke about the times we’d kissed or about the many nights I’d slipped into her room so I didn’t have to sleep alone. I loved having her close. She was the only person who looked me in the eye and saw past my bullshit.

I dreaded having to go back to school, and I wanted to make the most of the time we had left. I’d been trying to figure out a way to break it to Tristan that I was going to be a senior and I wouldn’t be joining him in college, but he’d been growing more withdrawn after his parents told him they would be getting a divorce.

Tonight we were on a personal mission to make Tristan have fun, and El and I were going to pull out all the stops. I called up Brody and the other guys and told them to meet us at the local swimming hole for a barbecue.

I didn’t have a grill to drag out there, so instead I picked up burgers and fries from Larson’s Deli and a milkshake for El, because ketchup wouldn’t work for her fries like a normal person.
I love that about her.

She tried to pretend to be offended when I gave it to her, but I knew she was happy that I’d remembered. And she drank the entire thing before Tristan even came for us.

Tristan picked us up outside of the restaurant, and I gave him directions to the local swimming hole where we were met by the other guys.

“Why didn’t you tell me this was where we were going, babe? What’s all this about?” Tristan looped his arm around my neck and pulled me into his side as he placed a kiss on top of my head.

“You said when you were little you loved to go camping and have cookouts with your mom and dad. This was the best I could do. I wanted to see you smile for a change.” I shrugged as he took the bags of food from me and kissed me on the lips.

“You’re fucking amazing, you know that?”

“Of course I know that,” I joked as Brody ran over and lifted Ellie over his shoulder, causing her to scream. This was quickly becoming their thing. He would pick her up and scare the hell out of her—any excuse to touch her. She would pretend to be offended, but I knew she liked that he was so playful. It shouldn’t have bothered me, but it did, and I noticed myself slowly taking on Tristan’s dislike of him.

He finally set her down gently at the edge of the water, and she smacked him on his bare chest, but the blush in her cheeks let me know she enjoyed it.

“Babe, where are all the fries? There’s like half a container in here.” Tristan held up the cardboard box with a confused frown.

“That would be El’s fault.” I took it from him and pulled out a fry, shoving it in my mouth.

“You didn’t want to see me smile, El?” he teased as he looked over at Ellie, who was peeling off her T-shirt and shorts to reveal a baby-blue bikini I’d lent her. Brody’s eyes were fixed on her body, and he didn’t even pretend that he wasn’t gawking. She shrugged, causing the other guys to laugh. “Send her overboard, Bro.” Brody ran for Ellie, grabbing her around the waist as they both fell into the murky water with loud screams.

As they broke the surface, Ellie was cursing Brody, trying to smack him and cling to him for dear life at the same time. I laughed, loving how her prim and proper vernacular was now more suited for a sailor.

“Don’t let her drown,” I called out, shaking my head with my hands on my hips.

“She’ll be fine.” Tristan held out a burger for me, and I took it as I rolled my eyes. “I’ll kick his ass if he hurts her.”

“Oh, sure.
Now
you trust Brody.” I sank down on a fallen tree trunk and unwrapped my food as Tristan settled next to me on the log.

“I just know he likes to play with a lot of girls, but El’s different. She’s one of us now. None of us would let anything happen to her or you.”

Cameron walked over and grabbed a burger, sitting down on the other side of me as we ate and looked out over the water.

“Where the fuck are the fries?” he asked. Tristan chuckled as I let out a frustrated groan.

“Again, El, with the fries?” Cameron yelled. “That’s coldhearted, woman.”

“I got it,” Brody shouted as he pushed Ellie’s head under the water.

Her arms flailed as she came back to the surface.

“I’m going for a swim. You coming?” I pulled off my shirt and slid my shorts down my thighs before adjusting my white bikini. Cameron’s eyes traveled up my legs and over my chest before Tristan punched him in the arm.

“What the fuck, Bingo?” Tristan growled, his temper now being triggered much faster by everything going on in his family. I sighed as I walked closer to him, straddling his legs so his eyes were level with my chest.

“I’m going to go get wet.” I bent down and kissed him, feeling him relax under my touch.

“Let me make you wet.” He winked as he reached around my waist.

Pulling back from his hold, I ran and jumped into the water, splashing Brody and El as they both cursed me. Seconds later Luke swung in on the old knotted rope that hung on a tree on the other side of the creek, splashing the rest of us.

Tristan didn’t take long to join us as the guys began to talk about playing chicken. He sank below the surface of the water and lifted me onto his shoulders as Brody did the same with El, his fingers sliding up her thighs.

“I don’t know what to do.” El giggled as Tristan stepped closer to them. I reached for her hands. Sliding my fingers in hers.

“We are just going to try to push each other down,” I explained as the guys began to talk trash from under us, although I was sure neither was eager to have us off them.

We began to fight as the guys stumbled back and forth, struggling to outlast the other. I was so wrapped up the fun of it all that I didn’t notice Luke coming up from behind Brody until the knot on El’s bikini string sprang free. She struggled to unhook our hands and grasp at her top, bending over to shield her chest and throwing Brody off-balance. They fell forward fast, not giving Tristan enough time to move us out of her path. Our heads collided with a thud before both guys sank under the water, submerging us in the process.

I swam to the surface, gasping for air as I spun around, looking for Ellie. Tristan stood and then Ellie, causing me to sigh in relief as she stayed ducked low to retie her string. I looked around for Brody, calling his name but he’d yet to come up. All of a sudden, El screamed, her arms flailing as she disappeared under the water, and Brody popped up, laughing as she stumbled, trying to catch her footing in the silt.

I smacked Luke’s arm hard, causing it to crack loudly from the wetness.

“Jesus Christ, Cara. What was that for?” he barked, and Tristan stepped in front of me like he needed to defend my honor.

“You could have drowned Ellie, and you made us bang fucking heads.”

“But he didn’t.” El stepped between the two guys with a bright, playful smile on her face. “It’s fine. I’m all right.”

“No, it’s not fucking fine. You think exposing her tits to all of us here is some kind of fucking joke?” Tristan reached around Ellie and shoved Luke. Brody was at Tristan’s side, shoving him hard, causing him to slam into me in the process.

“Don’t touch my fucking brother, Tris.” Brody’s voice was frighteningly deep, and the situation was quickly getting out of hand.

Ellie reached for me when she saw me get knocked sideways. Tristan stood tall, pushing his chest against Brody’s, and I knew this was going to end horribly. I reached for Tristan’s arm, which swung back to shake off whoever had ahold of him, causing his elbow to collide with my cheekbone. I screamed as the pain radiated throughout my face. Ellie grabbed me, pulling me against her chest as she stroked my wet hair, and the guys went nuts.

“Fuck, Cara. What the hell were you doing?” He pulled me from Ellie’s grip as she reluctantly released her hold on me. He pulled me into him, crushing me against his muscular body. “Look what the fuck you made me do,” he called over his shoulder to Brody who threw his hands in the air.

“Get her out of the fucking water so we can make sure she’s okay,” Brody yelled, but the anger had left him, and he was now concerned about me.

Tristan shook his head but turned and climbed up the bank, pulling me behind him as I held my throbbing face.

After assuring everyone that I was all right and agreeing that it was stupid to stand behind two men fighting, the commotion died down. Ellie wouldn’t stop staring at me with a sympathetic pout.

The pain began to fade after a few drinks, and the guys made sure I always had something in my hand.

We drank beer for hours, and as the sun began to set, the guys gathered old pieces of broken up wood and started a small bonfire. We sat on our towels around the flickering flames and told embarrassing stories. El had been quietly listening to everyone as she watched the fire.

“What about you, El? Any embarrassing stories to share with the group?” I cocked an eyebrow as she looked down at the ground.

“Um…one time I vomited my breakfast in front of someone,” she replied dryly, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“You were having breakfast together. We know what that means,” Luke called out, and the guys all laughed. I wanted to stand up for her and tell them she wasn’t a whore, but I knew it would sound weird coming from me, and she seemed to laugh it off.

“Someone you liked?” Brody sat forward, wanting to know more about Ellie as well. He was like a dog being teased by a bone when it came to her. She had yet to kiss him, and I knew the thrill of the chase was driving him crazy. But I was worried that once he got what he wanted from her, he’d break her heart.

El’s eyes flicked to mine before she tossed a small twig on the fire. “Yeah.” The corners of her mouth twitched, but she didn’t look my way again.

“We should get you guys back.” Tristan stood, stretching his tanned, muscular body before holding out his hand to help me from the ground.

“Are you coming back for us later?” I asked as he pulled me against his chest, his fingers on the bare flesh of the small of my back.

“Maybe,” he teased as he kissed me.

“Maybe?”

“I was hoping we could spend some time alone tonight.” He pulled my hips tight against his so I would know exactly what he wanted to do.

“But there’s the party over at Brasher’s.” I stuck out my lower lip, and he grazed over it with his teeth.

“Fine, but you owe me.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I looped my arms around his neck and pulled his mouth back against mine, kissing him deeply.

When we got back home, David had pulled me aside to question where Ellie and I had been as she disappeared upstairs to shower. “Getting in later and later.” His eyes settled on my swollen pink cheek.

I groaned as I turned to face him. “We were just out swimming with some friends.”

“Guys?”

“Would it make you happier if I said I took your daughter around a bunch of horny guys, David? Or would you prefer it was just her and me?”

He cleared his throat, and I knew I’d made him uncomfortable. David knew why I was here, and he did not agree with how my mother treated me, but that didn’t mean he was accepting of the things I’d done. In fact, it was more than obvious I was only here so he could earn points with Dawn. That’s why I made it a point to hug his precious little girl in front of him the moment I met her. He hadn’t stopped glaring at me since.