Don.” My beer froze mid-way to my mouth.
“That’s not why I came back, Pete,” I said defensively.
“I hope not.” He finished his beer then stood and retreated back inside.
I stayed outside until my bottle was empty and there was no more label left to tear off. The smell of meat cooking pulled me inside. The girls were in the backyard laughing and talking to each other while Pete laid raw meat on the grill. I slipped downstairs to change into a pair of worn out jeans and a white tank top. I zipped my leather bodysuit to my waist then pulled on my riding boots. Marching back up the stairs, I stopped on the final step when Christian appeared a few feet away. I hated the way my heart fluttered at his presence.
“Where are you off to? Isn’t this your party?”
I stepped slowly over the last step to be in front of him. “Party hasn’t officially started yet.” I glanced at the sliding door just to confirm I wasn’t missed. Clearly, I wasn’t. Jade and Pete were laughing with Ava and Vanessa. I had to leave for a while and shake off this pity party I was having. This wasn’t like me. “I’ll be back soon,” I told him. “But you’re more than welcome to go outside and join the pre-party.” Outside, I straddled my bike, surprised to see Christian had followed me.
“Let me come with you.” He held onto my handle like I would drive off. I watched him cautiously as I pulled my bodysuit over my shoulders and zipped it up.
“I’m not riding bitch on my own ride,” I told him.
Christian chuckled. “I wouldn’t think of it.” Cocking his head, he gave me a look. “Yeah?” he said, as another form of asking. I took in a deep breath. His weight would make my bike uneven, but not enough that I couldn’t handle it. Before I could rationalize this, I just opened my mouth and let my feelings speak instead of my brain.
“Hop on.”
His mouth twitched. I was sure he was trying to fight a smug smile. Suddenly I was feeling coy. I was thankful when he straddled the bike and sat behind me so he couldn’t see my face. I was feeling good about having him come with me until he snaked his arms around my waist and I was snug between his legs. My heart felt like it had dropped to my stomach and I was sure he could feel it when he chuckled.
“I thought we were leaving? Don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t mind staying here with you pressed against me if that’s what you wanted.”
I groaned, playfully elbowing him before starting the bike. It took me a few minutes to get used to the extra weight, but as soon as I did I accelerated and took off. I drove to Woodward Avenue right outside of Harden. There was an abandoned house we would go to party when we were younger. It was a Queen Anne style home with brown bricks and a tall black-shingled roof. The landscaping in front of the yard was overgrown with bushes and tall yellow grass. There was a massive hole in the middle of the roof and the foundation was missing pieces. Some windows were boarded up, but overall it was sturdy and safe to go inside. I turned off the bike and waited for Christian to hop off. When he did, he looked at me, concerned as he glanced at the house.
“Is this where you bury my body?”
I laughed. “No, I’d throw your body in a lake.”
“Good to know,” he said tensely.
“Come on.” I pulled on the front of his shirt. I shoved away weeds and pushed back branches as we moved in the direction of where the front door would have been. Inside of the structure, the bright early afternoon sun shone directly through the hole of the roof, giving it some much needed light. Dust flew by the sunbeam, illuminating every single speck.
“This is actually kind of cool,” he said, testing the wooden planks on the floor. Not much had changed since I was last here. There were a few more holes but that was about it.
“I know, right?” I pulled an old crate to the center of the room where there was better light. Pulling my knees to my chest,
“That’s not why I came back, Pete,” I said defensively.
“I hope not.” He finished his beer then stood and retreated back inside.
I stayed outside until my bottle was empty and there was no more label left to tear off. The smell of meat cooking pulled me inside. The girls were in the backyard laughing and talking to each other while Pete laid raw meat on the grill. I slipped downstairs to change into a pair of worn out jeans and a white tank top. I zipped my leather bodysuit to my waist then pulled on my riding boots. Marching back up the stairs, I stopped on the final step when Christian appeared a few feet away. I hated the way my heart fluttered at his presence.
“Where are you off to? Isn’t this your party?”
I stepped slowly over the last step to be in front of him. “Party hasn’t officially started yet.” I glanced at the sliding door just to confirm I wasn’t missed. Clearly, I wasn’t. Jade and Pete were laughing with Ava and Vanessa. I had to leave for a while and shake off this pity party I was having. This wasn’t like me. “I’ll be back soon,” I told him. “But you’re more than welcome to go outside and join the pre-party.” Outside, I straddled my bike, surprised to see Christian had followed me.
“Let me come with you.” He held onto my handle like I would drive off. I watched him cautiously as I pulled my bodysuit over my shoulders and zipped it up.
“I’m not riding bitch on my own ride,” I told him.
Christian chuckled. “I wouldn’t think of it.” Cocking his head, he gave me a look. “Yeah?” he said, as another form of asking. I took in a deep breath. His weight would make my bike uneven, but not enough that I couldn’t handle it. Before I could rationalize this, I just opened my mouth and let my feelings speak instead of my brain.
“Hop on.”
His mouth twitched. I was sure he was trying to fight a smug smile. Suddenly I was feeling coy. I was thankful when he straddled the bike and sat behind me so he couldn’t see my face. I was feeling good about having him come with me until he snaked his arms around my waist and I was snug between his legs. My heart felt like it had dropped to my stomach and I was sure he could feel it when he chuckled.
“I thought we were leaving? Don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t mind staying here with you pressed against me if that’s what you wanted.”
I groaned, playfully elbowing him before starting the bike. It took me a few minutes to get used to the extra weight, but as soon as I did I accelerated and took off. I drove to Woodward Avenue right outside of Harden. There was an abandoned house we would go to party when we were younger. It was a Queen Anne style home with brown bricks and a tall black-shingled roof. The landscaping in front of the yard was overgrown with bushes and tall yellow grass. There was a massive hole in the middle of the roof and the foundation was missing pieces. Some windows were boarded up, but overall it was sturdy and safe to go inside. I turned off the bike and waited for Christian to hop off. When he did, he looked at me, concerned as he glanced at the house.
“Is this where you bury my body?”
I laughed. “No, I’d throw your body in a lake.”
“Good to know,” he said tensely.
“Come on.” I pulled on the front of his shirt. I shoved away weeds and pushed back branches as we moved in the direction of where the front door would have been. Inside of the structure, the bright early afternoon sun shone directly through the hole of the roof, giving it some much needed light. Dust flew by the sunbeam, illuminating every single speck.
“This is actually kind of cool,” he said, testing the wooden planks on the floor. Not much had changed since I was last here. There were a few more holes but that was about it.
“I know, right?” I pulled an old crate to the center of the room where there was better light. Pulling my knees to my chest,
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