X-Treme Measure (29 page)

Nodding, he followed me up to my door. I opened the door, thinking he’d follow me in, but when I didn’t hear the door shut, I turned around to see him standing in the doorway, his arms on the door jamb.

“You coming?”

Chapter 4

Penelope

“Will you get in trouble if I come in? I can park my bike around the block if I have to.”

Would my parents find out? Maybe. But this boy saved me from bullies. I wasn’t going to be ashamed to have him in my house.

“I don’t know. I’m not ashamed to have you in my house, Deke. So it’s up to you. Whatever you want to do.”

He gave me a once over and nodded. “For safety’s sake, I’ll go ahead and drive it home. It’s only a five minute walk from here anyway.”

I shrugged. It was his choice. If my parents said anything, I’d have to deal with it when it came. I went to the kitchen and took out my ruined blouse. I wrapped it in a plastic bag and tossed it in the trash. I needed to take a shower, but I had to wait for Deke to come back. I was about to walk to the front door to wait for him when a knock on the back door in the pantry room startled me.

I turned around and walked up to the door, shifting the curtain aside. Deke’s startling grey eyes looked back at me. I smiled and let him in.

“Why didn’t you go to the front door?”

“It’s better this way, Penelope.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want you to get in trouble. And your house is one of the last houses in this neighborhood before you get to mine.”

“Uh. Okay.” Was he embarrassed to be seen with me or something? Whatever. Today was just a day I was going to be appreciative. Tomorrow was a brand new day. “I need to take a shower. You need to tell me the price of the shirt so I can pay for it.”

“Keep it. It’s not a big deal.”

“Okay. What can I get you to drink? We have water, sweet tea or soda.”

“Water’s fine, Penelope.”

I passed him a Great Value brand bottled water and I said, “Feel free to look around. Back there is the laundry and pantry room. Next to that is my parents. Kitchen. Ha. Uh. Bathroom as you can see is right there. My bedroom is through that door and living room. Uh. I just need to grab some clothes for my shower. Won’t take me but a few minutes.”

He nodded and took a long swallow of water. His Adams apple bobbed and I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He was so good looking. His eyes flashed open and caught me staring. An awkward laugh stumbled out of me and I hurried to my room. Which, thank God. I cleaned last night. I don’t know if he’d mind if I wore my pajamas. I would have worn what I was wearing but since it was all ruined, I didn’t want to put on another clean outfit.

O’well. He was going to have to deal with it. I grabbed a black dorm tee, my green mermaid leggings and under clothes.

He was still in the kitchen, looking like he was out of place.

“Deke?” His eyes centered on me and his brows raised high. “Everything okay?”

He smiled and nodded, then he walked to the kitchen table and sat down.

I made sure not to keep him waiting long. Scrubbing the dirt and grime from my body and hair took longer than I thought. My hair had been a fright and I didn’t even look in the mirror. I was afraid to. How bad was it going to be? What would my parents say when they saw my face? My face hurt to wash it in some places and my stomach still hurt from where Geoffrey punched it.

I reached out for a towel and shut off the water.

Stepping out and onto the worn rug I took a deep breath before bracing myself to look in the mirror. When I did, I gasped. My lip was a little busted. My left eye was a little bruised and I had a small cut above it where I landed on the ground. Cleaned up, it didn’t look too bad. I opened the towel to see my stomach and yup. A hand size bruise had formed on my stomach. It wasn’t hard to breathe and nothing really hurt too badly, but it was sore.

I dressed and took out my contacts, replacing them with my glasses. I didn’t like wearing them unless I was at home. Bullies, you see. As if I was the only kid at school who wore glasses. Since he’s already seen me without a bra…well he’s seen my naked boobs, I forgone a bra. The shirt was black anyway.

Barefoot, I opened the door, and there he was. So handsome and tall. But he didn’t look comfortable.

“Deke, what’s wrong?”

He seemed agitated.

“I haven’t had a smoke since earlier.”

“I’m sorry! You really don’t have to stay if you don’t want, Deke.”

“I’m staying, Penelope. I’ll be fine.”

“I’m making a ham and cheese hoagie. You want one?”

“Sure, Penelope.”

I asked if he wanted anything on it and he said just the ham and cheese. It quick order I pulled out two Styrofoam plates, had our sandwiches and brought a bag of chips to the table, while under my arm I had two more water bottles.

I set them down and watched him scarf down the sandwich and chips like he hadn’t eaten in a while.

“Another one?”

His eyes flickered over to mine and he shook his head.

“Deke? It’s no trouble.”

Before he got a word in or another shake of his head I was up and making him another one. I set it down on his plate and this time he ate slower.

“It’s good, yeah? I love hoagies. I don’t know why. I never really liked just regular old bread. Too soft. But hoagies?” I dramatically rolled my eyes to the back of my head and said, “YUUM!”

He chuckled and I just loved that sound. I didn’t know what to say to him so I finished my dinner in silence. Afterwards, I got up and disposed of our trash and washed my hands. He came up next to me, silent and cleaned his own hands.

“If you are going to stay, then you’re going to have to deal with me playing my flute. Then we can watch some Netflix.”

“Do you always practice your flute?”

“Yes. Everyday.”

“Sounds great. I don’t mind, Penelope. I actually look forward to it since you say nothing compares.”

I knew a blush crept into my face and I led him to my bedroom. I had a small desk in one corner, my dresser with my TV and Blu-ray I got from ‘Santa’ last year straight across my bed that had a grey comforter and pink sheets. I had my music stand by my desk and I went to it, flipping to the song I was auditioning for the spring solo.

“Please. Sit down.” I pointed over to my bed and he scuffed off his shoes before sitting back on the bed frame. I put together my flute and cracked my neck, and took a deep breath. “You ready?”

“As I’ll ever be, Penelope.”

Nodding, I smile and looked to my music sheet. Before I began I warmed up. Then without looking at him, I concentrated on my sheet in front on me, began tapping my foot and let the music roll. I didn’t even need to look at the sheet. It was pure magic. My eyes closed on their own and the music felt so right. I could do this forever. The song was only three minutes but it still felt like a lifetime in one little song. The first time I heard it play, was Elvis Presley. Somehow ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ was just that song that made me feel so at ease. A piano accompaniment would be awesome for this but it was a slow love song. Beautiful and majestic.

I took a deep breath, held my flute in my lap and opened my eyes to see Deke staring at me like I blew his mind or something.

“Deke?”

“That was beautiful, Penelope. You are beautiful. Please, play more for me?”

One? O. M. Gee. He thought I was beautiful. Two? He wanted to hear more? This time I couldn’t contain my smile and nodded. Happy he didn’t grow bored in the few minutes I played the song.

I turned back to the sheet and of course I didn’t need to look but it was always good to get a good start. I flicked my eyes over to see him staring right at me like I was the only thing in the universe. Here. In my room? This was my universe. I nodded and began playing once more. When it felt just right I couldn’t help but close my eyes and let the music take over. It was like I was born to do this. The streaming was flawless. I continued to play, repeating the song over and over. I was one of the first chairs in band class and as a freshman, that didn’t happen too often. I didn’t like being the center of attention, but when it came to playing, I excelled. I wanted to be the best. I proved it to my teachers and I earned that spot at the top.

I kept playing for about twelve minutes and when I finally opened my eyes, it was not immediately to see Deke laying in my bed like he hadn’t slept in weeks. I didn’t have the heart to tell him it was probably time for him to leave. So I cleaned my flute, put it away and walked over to him, lifting up my fleece blanket over his long frame. I quietly turned on Netflix and choose to begin a Criminal Minds season four episode. I left the room to make sure everything was locked up tight and the outside lights were on. I left the stove light on for my parents and I walked back to my room as the theme song ended.

I didn’t know if I should sit on the bed, but I knew the floor was way too uncomfortable. Hoping not to wake him, Deke looked really exhausted, at least he was laying close to the edge, his hand had propped up his head as he had listened to me. I got under the covers as best as I could and whispered goodnight. Hoping he at least get a few hours of good, undisturbed sleep. I turned, giving him my back and made sure I set my alarm. It was a school night so being in bed at such an early hour wasn’t too hard for me. It’s not like I had a social life. After two episodes my eyes began to droop and before I knew it, I finally fell into slumber. With Deke closed in behind me on my twin size bed. I just met him, but it felt like I’d known him for years. That…and he loved hearing me play. It relaxed him enough to fall asleep in a bed not his own. A place that was strange to him.

I didn't know it, but I gave my heart to that boy. And ever since that day, he became my rock, and I was his solace.

Chapter 5

Penelope, senior year

I was sitting in my bedroom ready about to go to sleep when there was a tap on my window.

Deke.

The past two years have been the best of my life. Since that day Deke saved me, we’d been inseparable.

Did my parents know? Yes, they knew he was the boy who walked me home from school. While they didn’t really like him, they didn’t see the harm in it since I ended up telling them what happened when Geoffrey Romoth attacked me. My father was pissed but since he worked for Romoth, he didn’t do anything. There wasn’t a lot of job opportunities in Lilton and Romoth’s steel mill was the only place in town that paid enough.

Summer before sophomore year, I got a job at the only family restaurant in town, Chili’s. It was surprisingly busy. Our town has grown over the past few years. More neighborhoods, and more jobs but you still had to drive to go to a Wal-Mart or to the mall.

And Deke? Well, he came over. A lot. His father was still mean and abusive, and went to the town jail often, most of the time to sober up. I knew Deke felt an obligation to him since his mother ran off when he was just a kid. He often came over with bruises. My parents, thank God, still worked the night shift, because I let him stay here whenever he wanted. He never got extra friendly. Although I did see glimpses where he would look at me, his grey eyes were overtaken by the pupils, making his smoky grey eyes almost black.

He was the perfect gentleman towards me. To me. He was almost twenty-one now. He made sure to keep our relationship strictly platonic. Did I want that? Not really. After about a year of being friends, he came over several nights a week, he listened to me play my flute and I made him dinner where he ate like he always did. Like he was starved.

My eighteenth birthday was this weekend and I knew I wasn’t going to do anything, I didn’t many friends. Besides Deke, there was the new girl, Veradia. She was half white, half Mexican with a beautiful golden bronze tan and her long black hair fell in layers to the middle of her back. She had moved here from Houston when her mother got a teaching job at the elementary here in town. She was beautiful and tall, at least four inches taller than me. But still, she was quiet girl who played the clarinet and since she began school at the beginning of my junior year last year, we had a lot of classes together and we became close.

She knew I liked Deke more than I should. He still took me to school and had convinced me to walk to SoIn so he could make sure I got home. Like he was my big brother or something. But then, he didn’t’ have to convince me since I loved seeing him. He was still the bad boy though. Going out with any girl that came on to him, so instead of being labeled a trouble maker, he was quickly becoming the guy every girl wanted. It was like he turned twenty and every girl who saw him became enamored by his dazzling grey eyes and buff looking body and all that ink?

Sigh.

Another tap rapped on my window and I got up, not caring if I was just in my sports bra and yoga pants. He was going to have to deal with it. It was after midnight when he was usually here by nine-ten o’clock. So I was irritated when I shoved the curtains upon and the blinds upward.

I lifted the window with the scowl and said, “Yeah, Deke?” He turned and his nose and the corner of his mouth were bleeding, his eye a little swollen. Any irritation I felt melted instantly. “Oh, my God! Come in!”

I shoved the window all the way up and he was quiet and tense as he swung his legs over and into my room. He took off his shoes on the rug that laid underneath the window. Right outside my window there was nothing but a mud pile and we learned quickly that his foot prints should they get wet and muddy would be very problematic for me. He bought a rug and I put my band stuff on top so my parents wouldn’t question it being there. Not that they came into my room. They didn’t like Deke, but since meeting me, Deke went to church with us, not that I think he got anything from it, but him showing up was a plus in their book, so they allowed him to take me to and from school.

They had no idea I let him stay the night here most days. He always managed to leave before they got home and when it was time to take me to school, he’d wait in the living room with my dad, making only small talk before I rushed out to he didn’t have to stay long. He worked at SoIn full time after graduating. Which I helped him with some of his classes so that he would graduate.

Not that he wasn’t smart. Because he was. He was really smart. But he worked a lot, so he didn’t really care about school.

What was funny, Johnny had taken me aside and made me promise to make sure he graduated. That Deke deserved to walk that stage. Since I thought so too, it was an easy promise to make.

It also improved my grades. I was B+ student and being in the symphony group in band, I had an opportunity to get a scholarships to a few state universities. I didn’t’ know what I wanted to do, but I knew with all the UIL competitions I had won over the past few years, I could do anything I wanted.

When Deke came over the threshold, he stumbled, telling me he was in more pain than he let on. I tried grabbing a hold of him but ended up stumbling down with him. Before I face planted, his arms reached around my waist and he twisted me until his front was against my back, taking the brunt of our fall.

He hissed out in pain and I scrambled off of him and helped him sit up against my bed.

“What happened?”

“Nothing, Penelope.”

He still called me Penelope. Not Penny. Sometimes he called me Pen, but it was few and far between. Everyone and I meant everyone called me Penny. Even my parents, unless I was in trouble. Which I wasn’t often, but when they wanted to be heard they call me my full name. Him not wanting to tell me who done this to him made me want to shake him. I was always there for him. Just like he’d always been there for me.

“Deke.” Sigh. Don’t start an argument. Just be there for him. He might tell you later. “Fine. Come on.”

I stood up and held out my hand to help him. He looked at my hand and smirked.

“Think you can help me, sweetheart?”

I rolled my eyes and put a hand on my hip. “Stop being a jerk and let me help you, Deke Morgan.”

His eyes finally took in my appearance his mouth closed tightly, his nostrils flared and his eyes? Were almost black.

He closed them and shook his head.

“Deke, let me help you. Why won’t you let me help you?”

A small growl rumbled in his throat and he put his hand in mine. I only had to pull a little because he did most of the work standing up by himself. Instead of letting go of his hand, like I should have, I kept it in mine, and led him out of room to the bathroom. I closed the door behind us and sat him on the toilet. He was silent but kept his smoky eyes on mine while I grabbed the first-aid kit.

I set it on the counter and turned the sink water on, grabbing the white hand towel on the clip. Getting it soaked, I went over to him, and he automatically let me between his legs where I tilted his head upward to clean off most of the blood caked on his face. Thank God nothing was still oozing from his face or this might have been harder than it looked. I didn’t really like seeing blood.

Yeah, I was a girl and I had periods and even think, I thanked God my periods were only three days a month. They weren’t too heavy and I dealt with it. But seeing it on Deke? I hated when he was bruised and beaten. Most of the time it was from his father. But then sometimes he liked started fights. Or ending them. He was big enough to stop a lot of fights but in between, he’d get hit once or twice.

Deke’s face was right in front my chest. Even sitting down he was still tall. His jaw tightened when I touched the cuts but he was so good at hiding the pain. To not let others see weakness. He was so strong and brave. The cops did nothing to his father. That’s how small minded our town still was. Our town grew but it still kept those small minded ‘not my business, not going to interfere mentality. But of course they gossiped and carried on letting everybody know everyone else’s business. I hated it, but I didn’t’ want to live anywhere else. Deke was here. There was a college close enough that I could drive back and forth, whenever I got a car. I was saving up for one. I wanted to get my basics done and then maybe go a state university. But then wherever I went, Deke wouldn’t be there. And I wanted to be close to him.

Pathetic I know because he sure as hell didn’t see me as anything but his friend. But he was such an important part of me that I knew once I left, that part of me would be missing and I wouldn’t be able to leave. It would be dream come true if he left with me. Just me and him against the world.

Yes, the silly day dreams of a teenage girl.

His hands fisted hard at his side when I began disinfecting the wound at his brow.

His knuckles were stretched tight and white. I set the stained towel down and reached down for his hands, settling them on my hips.

“At least you won’t cut your skin with them on my hips. I know it hurts, Deke. Just breathe for me okay.”

His hands contracted on my hips but he didn’t say anything. His eyes were still closed but his thumbs began to caress the skin above my yoga pants. I felt my skin break out in goose bumps. My boobs felt heavy. My nipples felt tickled as they became erect.

Whoa. First time that ever happened. Don’t react, Pen. Ha. It’s not like he was going to notice anyway. When the worst of the cuts were clean and dry, I butterfly bandaged them. He looked dirty enough for a bath. I sat the first aid stuff down and was going to turn around to get the shower on but his hands squeezed my hips, restricting my movement. Before I could ask him what was wrong, he leaned in and rested his head against my chest. Breathing me in deep.

“Always smell of lilacs.” He nuzzled his forehead between the materials covering my chest until he went over a hard nipple. He stilled for a moment, resting there against my throbbing nipple.

Why were they aching like this? Was it because of Deke? Did he like how I reacted to him?

His hands reached up the contours of my back until the tips of his fingers buried underneath the tight band. He pressed me hard against him. Breathing in deep. Then releasing that breath, the warm air skating over my belly making me shiver.

“Let me get a shower ready for you. I have some clothes of yours, Deke. I’ll put these in the wash.”

Was that his lips against my stomach?

Nah. Wishful thinking, Penny old girl. His hands flexed on my hips and he released me. His hands falling to his lap as I turned and got the bath ready.

I heard an intake of breath and I hurried to turn. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Just my eye. Thank you, Penelope. You always take good care of me.”

I turned back around and adjusted the shower head before saying, “what are friends for?”

I couldn’t’ look at him when I said that because then he’d see the disappointment and sadness in my eyes. I wanted to be more than friends, but I knew he’d never take advantage of me that way when he made himself my protector two years ago.

That was one promise he never failed to succeed in. As I grew more confident, he often argued over him being so over protective. Not all the time, but when he thought I might not be ‘thinking’ clearly, he always hounded me until I gave in and listened to him.

What was I talking about? I never said no to him. I argued with him so we could compromise but he was so demanding and dominating. His strong personality overtook mine and I did whatever he wanted me to do. And for the most part, I didn’t mind.

I shut the shower curtain and walked to the linen closet grabbing a beach towel. It was the only towel big enough that would wrap around me completely, and I know it was a sick silly thought but having him use the only towel I used made it feel intimate.

Idiot.

I set it on the counter and looked up to see him looking right at my chest…were my nipples were still prickling against my bra.

I tried not to notice and said instead, “I’m going to go grab some clothes, leave the dirty ones outside the door. I’ll place the clean ones just inside the door, ‘kay?”

He nodded but kept his black stare on my chest. I shook it off and left the room.

Woot. He really drove me crazy sometimes.