In 9 Days
By
Red Phoenix
SMASHWORDS EDITION
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PUBLISHED BY:
Red Phoenix on Smashwords
Sensual Erotica: In 9 Days
Copyright 2012 by Red Phoenix
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. Your support and respect for the property of this author is greatly appreciated.
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental.
Adult Reading Material
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In 9 Days
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Day 1
When he walked in, the class gasped and then looked away. The new kid definitely made an impression. Tessa couldn’t help staring, even though she could hear her mom’s voice in the back of her head saying that it was rude. The boy had blond hair, average build, nice clothes, oh and terrible scars over the right side of his face. Whereas her classmates turned away in disgust, Tessa found him fascinating. What happened that he was burned that badly?
Mr. Steele introduced him to the class. “Students this is Kevin Reese. He is a transfer student from our neighboring state of Kansas. I hope all of you will welcome him to our school.”
There was general groaning and shifting of feet. Nobody liked being told what to do, and no one wanted this freak in the class - except Tessa. She spent the class period sneaking glances. The boy looked straight forward, ignoring the snickers and pointing going on around him. Tessa had a good view of his burns. The shiny red scars went from his temple, across his cheek covering part of his lip and continued down to his neck. The neckline of his shirt covered the rest of it. Tessa wondered if his chest was covered in scars, too. She figured they must be, because his right hand was scarred and he was missing his index finger and thumb.
Whatever happened to him, it was bad. He was probably lucky to be alive, but that matter little to the others. They only reacted to his appearance and Tessa had to admit he looked pretty shocking.
When the bell rang, Tessa got up to introduce herself. Brian pushed in front of her and mumbled to the new kid. “Freak, you should have stayed in Kansas.”
Kevin didn’t acknowledge Brian, but rushed out of class before Tessa could talk to him. Samantha came up beside her. “Isn’t he gross? I can’t believe they let him come to school.”
Tessa kept her feelings to herself. There was no point in talking to Samantha about the new guy. She wouldn’t understand. Although Samantha was her friend, Tessa knew her limitations. Being open-minded was not in Sam’s character.
The rest of the day, Tess heard people talking about the new kid, calling him The Freak. Most of the girls just made fun of his looks, but the guys seemed to take his existence as an affront to them personally. Tessa didn’t understand it. Why would they care?
That night in bed, she closed her eyes and imagined Kevin turning towards her in class. She could see the sparkle in his blue eyes and imagined a lopsided smile on his lips because his scars prevented a full smile. Her heartbeat increased. What was it about him? It was as if some unknown force was drawing her to Kevin.
Day 2
Tessa held her breath when he walked into class. She hoped Kevin would look in her direction, but he kept his head down and sat slumped over his desk. Brian hit him in the shoulder as he walked by, but Kevin didn’t respond. Tessa flashed Brian a dirty look.
He looked at Tess and shrugged his shoulders, looking all innocent. “What?”
Class started, so Tessa resigned herself to staring at him again. The kid had sandy blond hair, it wasn’t just one color of blond like hers but a plethora of shades from white to strands of light auburn. The color reminded her of the beach.
“Psst…” Samantha said. When Tessa glanced in her direction, she saw Samantha scowling at her. Sam nodded her head towards Kevin and then frowned.
Crap. Samantha had noticed her obsession with him. Tessa blushed and looked at Mr. Steele. She worried the rest of the hour what Samantha would say. Sometimes friends could be crueler than bullies - Sam was such a friend.
When the bell rang, instead of getting to talk to Kevin, she found herself surrounded by Samantha and Brian. “What’s wrong with you?” Samantha hissed under her breath. Tessa sighed inwardly when she saw Kevin get up and walk away.
“Hey, Tess. Don’t tell me you have a thing for that freak?” Brian joked. “I couldn’t help noticing the way you stared at him the whole class period.”
Tessa mumbled, “Just curious is all.”
“How can you even stand to look at him? He’s grotesque.” Sam visibly shuddered.
“Yeah, I really think he needs to stay home. No one should be subjected to his hideous face,” Brian added angrily.
Tess looked towards the door; sorry she had missed another opportunity to talk to him. It sucked that she would have to wait yet another day to connect. Brian noticed her longing stare and growled on his way out, “The fucker asshole needs to learn a lesson.”
Samantha grabbed her arm. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing. Why?”
“You know Brian has a crush on you. You won’t give him the time of day, but you’ll show interest in The Freak?”
Tessa pushed past her. “Leave me alone!”
She spent another night daydreaming about Kevin. This time they were in the lunchroom. He came up to her and asked to sit. Naturally, Tess scooted over and made room. His smile was enchanting all lopsided and sweet. In her daydreams, he didn’t mind her staring. So she looked long and hard at his face. She even put her hand on his scars to see what they felt like. Then Kevin leaned forward for a kiss. Tess met him halfway, curious how it would feel with the right corner of his mouth being scarred. However, she couldn’t imagine after that, her mind wouldn’t let her go that far.
Tess sighed heavily and buried her face in the pillow. She really needed to meet Kevin to see if these fantasies even had a chance. It might be that the new guy was a total dweeb or a snob. Her infatuation was based solely on an irrational attraction. She had no idea if this Kevin guy even had a personality, and what if he did? There was no guarantee he would be interested in her.
Day 3
Nothing was going to stop her from talking to Kevin today. Nothing! Once again, he entered the classroom with his head down. Tessa gasped when she noticed that he had a black eye. She turned to Brian and saw him slapping his friends and pointing at Kevin. The other boys grinned and nodded their heads in approval.
Asshole!
“Hey,” Tess said softly, trying to get his attention. There was no response. “Hey, Kevin.”
Kevin slumped further in his chair and did not turn around.
Mr. Steele began class and Tessa had to stifle a cry of frustration. Why wouldn’t he look her way? Did he think she was going to tease him? Probably...
Tess watched the second hand move at a snail’s pace the last five minutes of class. She had her books gathered and ready to go. As soon as the bell sounded, she popped out of her seat and walked up to him. “Hey, Kevin. My name is Tessa. Do you mind if I walk with you to your next class?” Kevin didn’t even look at her. He just walked out of the classroom. Tessa followed, figuring he hadn’t said no.
Samantha hissed behind her, “What are you doing? Get back here!”
Tessa picked up her step to catch up with him. Kevin growled, “What, need to torment the outcast?”
“No!” She put her hand on his right arm. Kevin violently jerked out of her grasp. She stopped where she was, stunned by his reaction. Maybe he was a snob. But no, Brian had punched him in the eye - of course he was defensive. She ran to catch back up. “I’m sorry for touching you. I really just wanted to talk.”
He snapped, “Why? Want brownie points for being nice to The Freak?”
Tessa rushed ahead and turned in front of him, blocking his path. “No. I want to talk. I have since the first day.” Kevin glared at her with steel blue eyes. It was not anything like her daydreams. Not even close.
“Why!” he snapped.
It wasn’t a question it was an accusation. There was no way Tessa could confess her obsession with him, so she kept it simple. “Why not?”
Her answer must have surprised Kevin, because his eyes softened a bit. “Hmm…well, I’m headed for Earth Science. What about you?”
Tessa’s class was in the opposite direction, but she wasn’t about to admit it. “Cool, it’s on my way.”
They walked together in uncomfortable silence. “So, you said your name is Tessa, huh?”
She smiled brightly. “Yes, and I hear you are from Kansas.” He suddenly frowned and turned his head away from her. Obviously, Kansas was off-limits. She tried to rescue the moment by blurting, “So, do you like our school?” Dumb question!
“Can’t say that I do,” he mumbled.
“Not all of us are assholes.”
Kevin looked at her and snorted. “I suppose not.”
His classroom came up way too soon. “Would you like to meet after school?” Tessa asked, crossing her fingers behind her back.
“Nah, I need to head home.”
Tessa turned away, hating the rejection she felt. She continued down the hall, keeping up the pretense that her class was this way.
“How about tomorrow?”
Tess turned around and grinned. “Tomorrow then!” As soon as Kevin disappeared into his class, she did an about-face and made a beeline to the other end of the building. She couldn’t stop smiling. Tomorrow she was going to get the chance to talk with Kevin, really talk.
That night she made a list of things not to talk about. She didn’t want to stumble into landmines that might set him off.
Don’t Talk About
All things Kansas
School when it comes to other students
His scars
How he got those scars
How he got the black eye
Mr. Steele’s class
So what did that leave? Well, she could talk about herself, but that would make her seem conceited. Maybe she should stick to world events; that should be safe. Regardless of what was said, Tess was going to be close to Kevin. The thought made her tremble in anticipation.
Day 4
Tessa’s heart was beating wildly while she waited for Kevin to show up. When he arrived, he kept his head down and sat at his desk without looking at her. Tess was hurt. Had everything gone back to the way it was?
She heard Brian snickering under his breath. Of course. Kevin was just trying to avoid Brian’s wrath. Well, that made sense. Tess couldn’t help glancing at him from time to time. He was wearing a button-down shirt and tight fitting jeans. His hair looked more styled than before. Tess wondered if he had done that for her sake. It made her smile. Would he notice that she had curled her hair and was wearing a short skirt that showed off her legs?
Unfortunately, Brian did. “Hey, Tess.” She ignored him.
Soon wads of paper pelted her. It was embarrassing, so she turned around. “Please stop.”
“Come on. Don’t be that way. I see you flashing those creamy thighs at me.”
Tessa burned in mortification, while the kids around her giggled and scoffed. She was grateful Kevin’s gaze remained intent on the teacher. Tessa pretended that he hadn’t heard.
Tessa couldn’t stand the thought of being harassed by Brian after class. Just before it ended, she asked if she could leave for the bathroom. Mr. Steele was a strict teacher, but he had a soft spot for the straight-A student and let her leave. Tessa took her books with her and headed to the nearest one, intending to wait there until the bell rang.
She burst into the girl’s bathroom and was greeted to Penny giving head to Jordon, the basketball center. Tessa stood there stunned. Jordon’s jeans and underwear were pooled at his ankles. She could clearly see his dark muscled buttocks and his exposed shaft. His hands were gripping Penny’s head, pushing her back and forth on his dick.
Penny was on her knees with her mouth wide open. Jordon’s black cock snaked in and out of her bright pink lips. Penny made little grunting sounds each time he pushed her head deeper onto his shaft.
Jordon turned his head. “What? You just going to stand there and watch?”
Tessa’s entire body flushed as she rushed out; the image of the two of them planted firmly in her brain. She’d never seen a real penis before and even though she’d heard about blowjobs, she’d never seen one in action. Before she got far, she heard Jordon groaning. The sexual sound that made Tess tingle in her nether regions.
Not knowing what else to do, Tess headed to Kevin’s science class and waited for him. She stood there feeling confused and embarrassed. Tess was a good girl. She studied for tests, never stayed out late, and had only kissed two boys in her life. Her friends called her a prude, but she convinced herself that she was just picky.
Tess was relieved when the bell finally rang. She scanned the crowds, looking for Kevin. He was easy to spot. The other students were scared of him, so there was a literal void of space around the guy. When Kevin spotted Tessa, she saw a glimmer of that half-smile she’d dreamed of. It disappeared by the time he reached her.
“Wasn’t sure I would see you again today,” he said gruffly.
“I couldn’t take another second of class. Sorry about that.”
“No need to apologize. Those guys are jerks.”
She smiled sympathetically, unconsciously staring at his black eye. Kevin noticed and turned away from her. He must have been embarrassed, because Kevin headed into his class. “Wait!” she cried.
“What?” he asked with a slightly amused look on the left side of his face.
“Where do you want to meet?”
“You’re locker?”
Tessa grinned. “Sure. Do you know where it is?”
“No…”
She blushed. Why would he? Number 242.”
“Okay. See you there.”
Tess made a silent cheer when he turned away, then scampered down the hall to her class. Normally, she would have been mortified when Principal Lewis stopped her and lectured about running in the halls. Instead, she just smiled and apologized before running off again.
The end of the school day couldn’t come soon enough. Every class dragged on and on. Unfortunately, Samantha was in her last class period. “Where did you run off to this morning?”
“I had to pee. Give me a break.”
Samantha rolled her eyes. “That’s not what Jordon said you were doing.”
“What did he say?”
“Doesn’t matter. Brian hoped to ask you something after class. You shouldn’t have run out like that.”
It was Tessa’s turn to roll her eyes. “Whatever it is, the answer is no.”
“Don’t be like that. Brian really likes you and wanted to know if you could hang out this weekend.”
“Like I said, the answer is no.”
“Why? You got a hot date with Scar Boy or something?”
“Sometimes you don’t know when to shut up.”
“Oh my god, you do have something for The Freak.” Samantha grabbed her arm and squeezed hard, digging her nails into Tessa’s skin. “Don’t you dare start something up with that guy. I won’t have it. No friend of mine is going to humiliate herself by hanging around that…thing.”
Tessa gave her a long, hard stare. “I guess you are right. No friend of yours would do that.” She turned away from her and ignored Samantha the rest of class. She smiled to herself thinking, Get used to it, Sam. I’m done.
With her heart beating like a freight train, Tess waited for him after school. The building had pretty much cleared out by the time Kevin rounded the corner. Tess broke out in an all-out grin. She couldn’t help it; she had no control over her feelings when he was near. “You finally made it!”
“Yep, had to talk to the math teacher after class. Apparently, the schools in Kansas suck because he claims I’m six months behind you guys.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.” She looked down at the ground, wondering if she had the nerve to suggest being his tutor. Yep, guess I do. “I could maybe help you. I’m not a whiz or anything, but I hold my own.”
“I might have to take you up on that. We’ll see how things go.”
They stood next to her locker. For some reason, she felt suffocatingly shy. Tess needed to say something; she was the one who invited him to join her after all. “Um, so what do you think of our current president?”
Kevin looked at her oddly. “Is that the best you can do? Do you really want to talk about the president?”
Just then, Jordon came down the hall in his basketball uniform. When he saw Tessa, Jordon grinned. “Hey hot stuff, wanna meet in the bathroom again?”
Tess looked at him in horror. He’s not spreading rumors that I sucked him in the bathroom, is he? But it would explain Samantha’s strange comment. Tess felt like she was going to puke. She stared at Kevin in desperation and then ran out of the school as fast as she could. Tessa barely made it to a row of bushes outside the school grounds before she threw up.
Day 5
Tessa opened her eyes, covered in sweat. She had been dreaming of Kevin. Instead of Jordon in the bathroom, she was on her knees taking Kevin’s dick in her mouth. In her dream, his shaft was red and scarred like his face but she didn’t care. He grabbed her head, forcing her to take him deeper into her mouth. She made little grunting sounds like Penny and Kevin groaned just like Jordon.
Her panties were wet. What is wrong with me? Tessa didn’t know the guy and couldn’t even hold a decent conversation with him, but here she was dreaming of him sexually? It was shameful.
Besides, what chance did she have with Kevin? The whole school was probably talking about how she gave Jordon a blowjob in the bathroom. Would anyone believe that she hadn’t? Samantha would. She knew how prudish Tessa was, that’s probably why she didn’t make a big deal of it. However, the rest of the school would not be as kind. What made better news than the prissy schoolgirl getting nasty with the basketball star in the bathroom - of all places.
“Mom!” she called from her bed.
Her mother appeared at the door. “What’s wrong, sweetie?”
“I don’t feel good.”
Julie immediately walked into the room and felt Tessa’s head. “My poor baby. Why don’t you stay home today.”
Having straight-A’s helped when a girl wanted to stay home sick. “Okay, Mom…if you insist.”
“I do, Pumpkin.” Her mother planted a kiss on her forehead. “Do you want me to come home for lunch and check on you?”
“Nah. I don’t feel good but it’s not like I’m dying.”
“Okay. Well, I’ll call you from work. Don’t hesitate to ring me if you change your mind. I can come home at noon, but I have a late meeting tonight. I doubt I will be home before nine.”
“It’s okay, Mom. I am almost eighteen. I think I can handle being sick.”
Julie smiled and looked at her wistfully. “I can’t believe my baby girl is becoming an adult in four days.”
“Oh well, it had to happen sometime.”
Her mom’s eyes twinkled in excitement. “I can’t wait for your party, Pumpkin. I promise it is going to be a huge deal. Nothing but the best for my little girl.”
“Not so little now, Mom.” Tess didn’t want a huge party. Her mom always overdid things to compensate for never being home.
“Whatever. You’ll always be Pumpkin to me.”
“I better not see any pumpkins at my party.”
Julie laughed mischievously as she walked down the hall.
Tess sank into bed and wrapped the comforter around her. A whole day alone - she was always alone. Her mother’s job as a criminal lawyer was Julie’s life. It killed her marriage and left Tess to raise herself, but Tessa wasn’t exactly resentful - it was all she knew.
Day 6
Tess had to face Kevin. One day home convinced her that whatever happened, it was better than sitting at home bored. It didn’t help that she missed a quiz in Social Sciences. Missing even one day meant hours of makeup homework.
She trembled while waiting for Kevin to come through the classroom door. Brian tried to egg Tessa into talking to him. “Tess, I don’t believe Jordon.” Tess was glad Brian had some class, but then he added, “I know you didn’t do it in the bathroom.”
Dick! She whipped around and snapped, “Shut up. Nobody wants to hear what you have to say.”
His friends started snickering and his buddy Rob said condescendingly, “Somebody’s a little sensitive today...”
Brian leaned towards her. “I’d take you in the bathroom anytime.”
Tessa growled under her breath and turned back around in her seat. She about died when she saw Kevin sitting down. He had to have heard their exchange. What was he thinking? Kevin didn’t even know who she was. Why wouldn’t he believe the rumors? Tess was too humiliated to approach him after class and just ran.
She barely survived the day. Whenever Tessa switched classes, she was forced to endure the hateful glances of snotty girls and the lustful looks of immature boys. She sighed with gratitude when the final bell rang. Tess gathered the extensive materials she needed to make up for her lost day and stuffed them in her backpack. It was ridiculously heavy. She groaned when she picked it up, slamming the locker closed.
“Need help?”
She looked behind her and saw Kevin leaning against a locker looking exceedingly handsome. He’d styled his hair a different way so that his right eye was slightly covered. It made him look a charmingly aloof. “I can manage,” she answered.
He didn’t ask a second time, he just eased the backpack off her shoulder and took it. “Where are you headed?”
“I was headed home. What about you?”
“Same. If you would like, you could stop by my place for a bit.”
“Yeah, that would be nice actually.” He was asking her out on a pseudo-date! She wondered what brought about the change. It certainly wasn’t her exceptional conversational skills.
They walked out of the school and he motioned towards the neighborhood to the south. “I live down this way. It’s a bit of a walk.”
“I don’t mind. I’m not the one carrying a ton of books,” she said, smiling foolishly. It looked like her fantasies were about to become reality. They walked together in silence, but it was draining on her. She wanted to find out more about Kevin. Tessa threw caution to the wind and asked, “So, do you have any brothers or sisters?”
Kevin stopped for a second and then shook his head. “No.” She could tell by the look on his face that she had hit another raw nerve. Why was she constantly sticking her foot in her mouth around him?
They finished the walk in silence. She could hear every footstep as they made their way to his place. Tessa’s innocent question had ruined their newfound ease and she didn’t know how to get back. Kevin led her to a small house with a large corner lot. There wasn’t anything fancy about the little house, but it had a feeling of “home”. Kevin directed her to go in first. The yeasty smell of fresh baked bread filled the place.
“Wow, your mom cooks?” she asked.
“Yeah, but no big deal. We have a bread machine. She likes there to be something for me to snack on after school. She’s funny like that.”
“My mom would never think of doing anything like that. I’m pretty much on my own.”
“You’re lucky.”
She chuckled. “No, you’re lucky. I would kill for fresh baked bread.”
He put her backpack on the floor and patted her on the back. “No need for murder. I’ll get you a piece.”
Tessa had to catch her breath. Just the simple touch of his hand on her back sent a wave of shivers through her. There was no way he could know the affect he had on her. Being here, in his house just talking to him was almost too much. Adding touch to the mix threw her into pure delirium.
She watched him take the bread out and slice a piece on the cutting board. “Butter?” he asked.
Tessa nodded, afraid to speak. Afraid of saying something stupid and ruining this. He handed her the buttered bread with a lopsided grin. Tessa about died inside. “Thanks,” she managed to squeak out. He watched as she took a bite. She smiled while she chewed. It was embarrassing.
“So, what’s all this talk about you and a bathroom?”
Tessa almost choked on the bread she was swallowing. She gagged a little and put the rest down on the counter. Her mind began racing. Kevin brought her to his home. Why? He thinks I’m going to go down on him! It was one thing to fantasize about a guy and something way different to actually do it. How could Kevin think she was that type of girl? She was disgusted and turned to leave.
“Tesse.”
The way he said her name was so sweet. No one called her Tesse. It was adorable. She stopped in her tracks and turned to face him.
“I know it’s a lie. I was trying to be funny. Sorry about that.”
Well, at least she wasn’t the only one sticking their foot in their mouth. “Yeah, well I’m not laughing.”
“Your school sucks.”
She snorted. “It’s your school now, Buddy.”
“Fine, our school sucks.”
Tessa laughed, releasing all the built up tension. “Yes. Yes it does.”
Kevin handed her the piece of bread back. “I won’t say anything until you finish. I don’t want you choking again.” He winked at her and her stomach did a flip. Kevin was far too charming for her own good.
He buttered a piece for himself and they sat at the table, chewing silently. When she finished the last of it, she admitted, “I’m afraid to talk. I am terrified of saying something wrong and upsetting you.”
Kevin sighed. “I know. There are just a lot of things in my past I don’t want to bring up.” She was surprised when she saw his eyes start to water. He blinked several times and regained his composure. “There’s too much that hurts.”
“Okay. Well, I won’t ask about your past,” and then she giggled, “or about presidents.”
He looked at her with those dreamy blue eyes and smiled. “Fair enough. Look, I have to ask. Why are you here? What are you doing with a guy like me?”
“Like what? New to the school?”
He snorted. “You know what I mean.”
“I don’t know.” She paused. It was still too soon to reveal her total obsession with him. “It’s just that when I saw you I knew I had to meet you.”
“It’s not a normal reaction.”
She brazenly touched his hand when she said, “I’m not normal.”
He looked down at her small hand on top of his and said nothing. Tessa suddenly felt stupid and took it away, putting both of her hands in her lap.
There was a commotion at the front door and Tessa saw a pudgy woman with a huge smile come through the doorway. “Hey, Kevin! I see you brought company.”
Both Tess and Kevin stood up. “Yeah, it’s the girl I told you about. Tesse, this is my mom Rachael. Mom this is Tesse.”
Tessa decided not to correct him. She kind of liked the name Tesse. “It’s a pleasure, Mrs. Reese.”
The large woman hugged her tightly. “No, no. It’s Rachael, dear.” Tessa smiled, accepting her warm embrace. She liked this large woman, even though Rachael was the exact opposite of the norm.
Rachael had short-cropped brown hair, a large muumuu type blouse, and sandals for shoes. But there were no strained smiles or pretended interest. Rachael genuinely liked Tessa and she knew it.
“The bread was delicious, Mrs…Rachael.”
“Oh, I am glad you liked it. Feel free to have more. In fact, I think I’ll grab a piece or two.”
While she cut herself a slice, Kevin motioned for Tessa to sit again. “Mom was wondering about your family.”
Tessa smiled. She wondered if Kevin was curious, too. “I live with my mom. My parents got divorced when I was five. She’s a lawyer and works all the time.”
Rachael asked, “So, any brothers or sisters.”
“Nope, just me.”
“That must be hard,” Kevin said with real emotion.
Tessa looked at him strangely. “No, not really. I like it. I’m my own boss. It’s nice to rule the world.”
“That’s a good attitude. Embrace what you’ve been given and run with it,” Rachael said with a sad smile.
Tessa sensed that they were stepping into treacherous waters again. Both Kevin and Rachael looked lost as they stared at one another. What terrible past were these two trying to recover from?
“Anyway,” Rachael said, attempting to sound cheerful. “I have been curious to meet you ever since Kevin mentioned you his first day of school.”
Tessa glanced up at Kevin in surprise. He noticed me? She saw his cheeks color. There was no doubt his mother’s comment was something he’d rather keep secret, but Tess was glad to know it. It seemed both of them had a “thing” for each other.
“Kevin is an interesting guy, Rachael.”
He gave Tessa a sarcastic look. “Using the word interesting to describe a person is usually meant as a hidden insult.”
Tessa threw it back at him. “No hidden insult, here, Buddy. It’s right in your face.”
Rachael burst out in a belly laugh. “Oh, I like your sense of humor, Tesse. Most people treat Kevin like he is made of glass.” When Kevin cleared his throat angrily, his mother stuttered, “Um, well… Anyway, do you have any pets, dear?”
Tessa spent the afternoon learning superficial things about Kevin. Even though he was a senior, he was already nineteen. She had to assume the burns had something to do with it. Kevin used to like the color black, but recently changed it to green (no explanation given). His favorite food was steak and potatoes, and his favorite band was Green Day.
Tessa tried to share about herself without sounding conceited. However, it was hard not to when Rachael peppered her with questions and seemed interested in everything she said.
Once, while Rachael was going on about what a good baseball player Kevin was in middle school, Tessa snuck a peek at him. She looked longingly at his lips and wondered again, what it would feel to kiss them. When Kevin caught her staring, she blushed and turned her attention back on his mother.
Tessa eventually forced herself to leave because of the ton of homework she still had to do. Kevin offered to drive her home, but she declined. “I could use the fresh air.”
She hefted her heavy backpack on her shoulder and headed out. Her home was in the opposite direction of his house, naturally.
Day 7
This time when Kevin came into the classroom, Tessa said loud enough for everyone to hear, “Hey, Kevin.”
He glanced at her warily and answered, “Hey.”
It wasn’t much of a response, but maybe he was still worried about Brian. Tessa realized a little too late that Kevin might end up with another black eye. She turned around and saw that Brian and Samantha were giving her ugly looks. Oh well, their stares weren’t going to kill her, although she could feel the heat of them on her back all through class.
Nothing else happened during Mr. Steele’s class and she let out a sigh of relief as she left. At lunch, Tessa sat down next to a group of geeks who seemed friendly enough. “Hi guys.” They made room for her. Soon, however, Brian stood behind Tess. The entire table became silent.
“We need to talk.”
She glanced at Brian dismissively. “No, we don’t.”
Samantha straddled up next to him. “Yes, we do.”
Everyone sat there in awkward silence for several minutes. The pressure was unbearable. Tessa finally relented, “Fine. Where do you want to talk?”
“Outside,” Sam said.
Tessa followed the two out of the lunchroom to the courtyard, fighting the sick feeling in her gut. Sam wasn’t her friend anymore and Brian never was.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Samantha accused, as soon as the door closed behind them.
“What? What am I doing?”
Brian got in her face and growled, “Don’t play stupid. We see what you’re doing with The Freak. It’s embarrassing.”
“I’m not doing anything,” she answered, backing away.
“Bullshit! I told you not to go near him,” Sam shrieked.
“What does this have to do with you? This is my life and I can be friends with whoever I want!” Tessa felt jittery when they approached her as a unit.
“Oh no, not when it involves us,” Samantha countered.
“How does it involve us? We aren’t even friends anymore,” Tessa spat.
“Oh really? That’s news to me.”
Brian demanded, “And what about me, Tess? How long are you going to play hard to get?”
“Are you really that dense?” Tessa asked.
Brian grabbed her arm and hissed, “I am so sick of you toying with my feelings.” Before she could stop him, she felt his hard lips on hers. Tessa struggled against Brian, but he held her head still with his iron grip.
When he finally broke the kiss, he looked at her lustfully. “There’s more where that came from.”
Tessa struggled to get away, but Brian’s hold was too tight. “Sam, help me!” she pleaded.
“I am. I’m helping you to hook up with the right guy.”
Brian pulled her into him, trying to kiss Tess again. She cried out, “Stop! I don’t want to kiss you. Stop it!”
“You heard the girl.”
Tessa looked in the direction of his voice. Thank God! Kevin stood alone with a group of students gawking from the lunchroom window.
“Don’t tell me what to do, Freak. I promise I’ll mess you up permanently this time.” After his warning to Kevin, Brian leaned in to kiss her again. Tessa wasn’t having any of it and bit his bottom lip. Brian grunted in pain and pulled away. His reaction was quickly followed by a hard slap to her face. The impact threw her off balance.
Kevin was already there, slamming into Brian. Kevin held him down, but the jerk kneed him in the chest. Kevin lost his grip and Brian immediately grabbed his injured arm, twisting it back. Tessa wondered why Kevin didn’t punch him in the face.
Brian jumped on top of Kevin and started beating him without restraint. She heard the sickening thuds as fist after fist landed on Kevin’s face. Tessa was disgusted to hear cheering coming from the lunchroom. The crowd was hungry for the fight. She tried to intervene, but Sam threw her up against the wall holding her in place.
Tessa cried, “Stop it!”
“You caused this, bitch! You just wouldn’t listen to me,” Sam jeered.
Kevin never cried out as he took the onslaught. Tessa wailed over and over, “Somebody stop him, please! Stop him!” until finally the teachers broke up the fight.
The four spent the rest of the afternoon in the office. Brian received a week of suspension and Samantha only got three days of afterschool detention. Kevin, on the other hand, received two days of suspension for “initiating” a fight that didn’t involve him. The principal insisted that Kevin should have handled the situation more maturely as a legal adult. “You go to the authorities, Kevin. Never take the law into your own hands.”
“I didn’t even hit the turd.”
“But if you had, you’d be looking at assault. I hope this is a lesson to you.”
As the obvious victim, Tessa was exempt from punishment. Her mom came to pick her up after school. Tess announced on the drive home, “I’m not going back. They’re all a bunch of creeps, Mom. Everyone one of them, except Kevin.”
“How come I didn’t know anything about this Kevin person?”
“He’s new to the school. Kevin’s been here less than a week.”
“I don’t approve of him, Tessa.”
Tess stared at her in disbelief. “What are you talking about? He was the only one who stood up for me, Mom!”
“Still, that kid obviously has problems and you don’t need that in your life.”
She looked out the window and mumbled, “You don’t know what you are talking about.”
“Look Tess, a kid as messed up as that has got to have serious emotional baggage. I see it all the time in court.”
Tessa turned on her and yelled, “Who doesn’t, Mom?”
“Don’t talk to me that way, young lady!”
“I’m practically an adult! You can’t treat me like a kid anymore.”
Her mother’s face got a scary color of red. It built up slowly like a kettle on the stove. When they got to the house, Julie exploded, “Go to your room, now!”
Tessa glared at her. “No.”
“I mean it, young lady. To your room, right now!”
“You’re acting like an idiot, Mother.”
“Don’t you dare talk to me like that,” she screamed. Tess could tell she was winding up for something big. “That’s it! I’m canceling your party.”
“Fine. I never wanted it in the first place!” Having no other place to go, Tessa ran to her room and slammed the door. She couldn’t fathom how the day had disintegrated into this. How could her mom possibly dislike Kevin when he was the one who protected her?
Tess wiped her hand across her lips angrily. The feel of Brian’s aggressive kiss still tainted her. How dare Samantha encourage him to do that! How could her ex friend think that forcing Tess to kiss Brian would make her want him? Gross!
She lay on her bed and closed her eyes. Her thoughts drifted back to Kevin. She wondered how hurt he was after the brutal attack. Did he regret meeting her? Maybe Kevin was angry with her for being stupid enough to acknowledge him in class. In the end, this was really her fault. Tess wanted to flaunt her relationship with Kevin. But why? She wasn’t even sure.
She hoped that Kevin could forgive her. Tess wanted to call him, but her mother had cut off all phone privileges. She lay there and imagined herself lying beside Kevin on her bed; his arms wrapped around her and his body pressed up close. Tess felt warm and safe in his arms and fell asleep pretending she was in his embrace.
Day 8
No amount of prodding could get Tessa to go to school the next morning. After a half-hour of heated arguments, her mother finally gave up. “I don’t appreciate this drama when you know this is a busy week for me. I simply don’t have time for this, Tessa.”
Tess couldn’t believe her mother was acting so selfish. Instead of responding, Tessa just stared at her mom with her mouth tightly shut.
It threw Julie off. This was the first time Tess refused to obey her. “Fine! Since I won’t be home until late, I expect you to stay in your room the entire day. Think on your future, Tessa. Nothing and no one is worth ruining your life.” Julie adjusted her skirt and brushed back her hair. “I’m not going to let this ruin my success today. You hear that?” She left abruptly. Tess could hear her heels clicking on the tiles in the kitchen before the garage door sounded.
What have I done wrong? Tessa wondered. Kevin and I are the victims here. Instead of demanding justice from Sam and Brian, her mother was punishing her and blaming Kevin. How messed up was that?
Tessa snuck out as soon as nine o’clock rolled around. Without phone privileges, she could claim “obedience” when she didn’t answer her mother’s phone calls. Because of the big trial, there was no chance her mom would surprise her during the day. That meant a whole day to do whatever she wanted - and what Tess wanted was to see Kevin. Would Kevin answer the door? If he did, would he slam it in her face when he saw who it was?
Tess approached his house with trepidation. She knocked lightly at first, but got no answer. Tessa knocked louder the second time and rang the doorbell several times. After an eternity of waiting, she gave up feeling completely dejected and turned to leave. That’s when Tessa heard the door creak open and she glanced over her shoulder. Kevin stood in the doorway. His poor face all bruised and swollen. “Oh Kevin,” she gasped.
He didn’t say anything, but moved aside so she could walk past him. She gratefully entered his house. “I’m sorry!” she whimpered when he shut the door.
“For what?” he asked irritably.
Tessa was thrown off by the sharpness in his voice. “I’m sorry for saying hi to you in class. It was so stupid of me.”
“What are you talking about? There’s no need to apologize to me. That asshole had no right to touch you. There is no excuse for what he did. Get real!”
Even though Kevin was upset, the fact he wasn’t angry with her made Tessa exceedingly happy. “Thank you, Kevin. Thank you for standing up for me.”
“How could I not?”
She mumbled, “Nobody else did.”
“That’s because your school sucks!”
“Our school,” she admonished.
She saw the slightest grin play across his face. “You shouldn’t joke, Tesse.”
“I have to. It’s either that or cry.” She threw caution to the wind and ran over to him, burying her face in his chest. Tessa felt his hands hesitantly embrace her. She closed her eyes and reveled in the closeness.
“Oh Tesse,” he murmured. His voice was like a second caress. Her whole body reacted to it and Tessa trembled. “Are you okay?”
She looked up, staring directly at his lips. She lifted her chin, not wanting to appear too forward but wanting him to know her desire. Kevin’s lips were close enough she could almost feel their warmth. Tess noticed the scar tissue in the right hand corner of his mouth twitch in anticipation. Kiss me, Kevin…
He broke the embrace and moved to the kitchen. “You want some water or something?”
Tessa’s heart was still beating a mile a minute. So close! “No, I need you to hold me.”
He looked at her and shook his head. “I’m no good for you. I realize that now.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Tesse, you never would have been in that situation if it weren’t for me.”
She violently disagreed. “Brian has been hounding me all year! It was bound to happen. Only I wouldn’t have had my knight in shining armor to protect me.”
Kevin sounded pissed when he replied, “I’m no knight. Don’t even joke about it.”
“You are to me,” she insisted.
“You don’t know anything about me. Don’t be foolish.”
“Of course I don’t know anything about you. You won’t tell me. Why won’t you let me in?”
“I don’t want to go there,” he warned.
“I think we have to.”
Kevin looked at her with such agony it hurt her heart. “I don’t think I can.”
“Then I will give you my strength.” Tessa walked over and wrapped her thin arms around his waist.
He stroked her soft hair with his good hand while his right arm pulled her closer. She could tell he was building his courage, so she waited patiently. Kevin could take all day if he needed. Tessa was in his arms again.
Kevin finally took her hand and led her to the couch. He sat down. She joined him, anxious to learn his secret. Kevin gazed into her eyes and his lips twitched, but no words came out. “Tesse, I can’t look at you when I tell you. In fact, I don’t want you to say anything. Just listen.”
“Okay.” Tessa laid her head on his lap and curled her feet up on the couch. Being like this was just like the movies, so romantic and sweet. She felt the rough scars on his fingers touch the smooth skin on his arm; his missing fingers obvious but unnecessary. He’d never touched her with his right hand before. It seemed such an intimate gesture.
“I’ve lived in Emporia, Kansas all of my life. It is a good place to grow up. Well… I didn’t have any complaints. My father traveled a lot, so it was pretty much just the three of us, my mom, Randy and me.” Tessa ears perked up when she heard there was someone else in his family. “I had a good group of friends and a little brother who suffered from serious hero-worship. Randy followed me everywhere. I didn’t mind though, he made an effective chick magnet. I was fairly talented at baseball and thought I might get a scholarship if I played my cards right. Like I said, I had no complaints.”
He paused and his fingers stopped moving. Tessa’s heart rate sped up as she felt the tension in his body increase. “My da…father changed when I started my first year in high school. I don’t know what happened. Maybe it was a midlife crisis, another woman, or he just fucking went nuts, but when he came home he was abusive to all of us. He yelled at my mom and slapped her around. He even belted me a couple of times, but when he hurt Randy I went ballistic,” Kevin snarled. “I began dreading his return every month and dreamed of disappearing where he would never find us, but my mom insisted we stay in Emporia. It was all she knew.” He sighed and was silent for a moment.
“Our lives ended the day that asshole surprised Randy at his birthday party. The neighborhood kids were over to celebrate my kid brother turning eight. As soon as my father entered the house, I felt the air leave. But things seemed okay at first, my father was unusually jovial - until he started drinking. Things got dark real fast. I had to shoo the kids out of the house while Mom took the verbal abuse he was dishing out. I told Randy to go to his friend’s house…” Kevin stopped. “Why didn’t he listen to me?” Tess remained perfectly still, wanting him to continue.
Kevin started rubbing her arm roughly. “My parents had a huge fight. Randy and I went upstairs at Mom’s insistence. Something was different. Something had changed. I could feel it. I told Randy to hide in the closet if things got bad and then I snuck downstairs to check on my mom. He was beating the crap out of her. I didn’t even think, I jumped on his back and started punching him. He growled like an insane bear. I was on the ground before I knew it, his hands wrapped tightly around my neck. I could see the rage bulging in his eyes. There was no doubt his intent was to kill. It wasn’t until my mom broke my baseball bat over his head that I could breathe again. My father slumped on top of me and I honestly thought he was dead. I wish she had killed him.”
His fingers began hurting as the rough scars dug into her delicate skin, but Tess didn’t complain. She promised to be his strength. “My mom didn’t call the police. No, she made me help stuff the asshole in his truck and we drove to a nearby hotel. She left him there thinking once he sobered up things would be okay. I knew they wouldn’t, but I had no idea…”
Kevin finally stopped rubbing her arm. He said nothing for the longest time. When he spoke again, his voice was distant as if he was recounting facts. “We returned home, cleaned up the broken glass and overturned furniture. I went to check on Randy. He was watching TV in his room as if nothing had happened. I went to bed that night with my shattered bat next to my head. I was prepared to stab my father with it if he showed up.” Kevin suddenly clutched her arm and started squeezing relentlessly. “I woke up to the smell of smoke. I rushed to Randy’s room. Even though the smoke made it hard to see, I could tell he was already gone. I ran out of the house to check on my mom, but she was screaming that Randy was missing.” His words started falling out of his mouth at a rapid pace. “I ran back in, but had to drop to the floor. The fire had spread that quickly and the smoke was thick and black. I crawled up the stairs to his room. I knew exactly where he was, but it was difficult to find the closet. He was hiding in there because of me. I told him to go there if things got bad. It was my fault.”
Tessa opened her mouth to disagree, but he said, “No. Not a word.” She nodded her head on his lap. “It took forever for me to find it. The heat from downstairs was radiating into his room. It felt like a furnace and I couldn’t breathe. If I couldn’t breathe, I knew Randy was suffering. I finally found the door. By then the roar of the fire blocked out any other sound. I felt around for him and finally touched his hand. He rushed into my arms. I can’t describe the relief I felt. I held onto him and started back down the stairs. The hall was catching on fire. I tried to avoid the worst of the heat, but it hurt so fucking bad…I was running on adrenaline and pushed through the pain. We made it down to the first floor, but I was lost. I forced Randy to the floor, trying to grab the last of the oxygen, but I couldn’t see a thing. I had no idea where the door was. I dragged Randy with me blindly, desperate to get us out of there. Something fell on him. It burned, oh god it burned! I heard Randy then, above the roar of the fire. He was screaming. I’ll never forget that sound. I pulled at him, but Randy was stuck under the fiery debris... I ripped away at it, but I couldn’t save him.” Kevin choked, “I felt his hand go limp. I knew he was dead. I couldn’t save my little brother from burning to death. Then I felt someone grab at me. I tried to fight them off, but they dragged me out of there, away from Randy. They should have let me die. That’s what I wanted.”
Tessa hugged his knees, tears rolling down her cheeks. “No.”
“It would have been better if I hadn’t tried to save him. Randy would have died from asphyxiation. It would have been easier on him.”
“Can I talk?” she whispered.
“I don’t want sympathy.”
“Kevin… if I were your brother, I would rather die knowing my brother came for me than alone in a closet.”
“But don’t you get it? I’m the reason he hid in that damn closet.”
“You couldn’t have known what would happen. It’s not your fault.”
Kevin stiffened. “I told you, I don’t want your sympathy.”
“Fine. But there is something I have to say and you may not like it.”
He paused before answering. “What?”
“You can’t change what happened. But you are alive and you owe it to Randy to live a full life. Living in guilt doesn’t honor him.”
Kevin pushed away from her and walked to the kitchen. He leaned over the counter, looking utterly crushed. “You know what I really think, what I feel every day? Randy should be the one alive not me.”
“Stop.”
Kevin’s face contorted in anger. He looked at Tessa and shouted, “You don’t know anything! Don’t pretend you do. You have no idea what we have been through, the pain I have suffered. Get the fuck out of here!”
Tessa was shocked at the explosive rage Kevin was directing towards her. “I just…”
“Go!”
She got up slowly with tears in her eyes. Was it really going to end this way? “Please, Kevin.”
“Get out!” he shouted venomously.
Tessa didn’t look back as she ran from his house. She stumbled and fell several times as she ran home, tears blinding her way. Tess never imagined the heavy guilt Kevin carried, but having him turn on her was frightening. Maybe her mother was right. A guy like that was dangerous.
When Tessa finally made it back home, she buried her head in her pillow and screamed. All the pent up love, tension, and anger rolled out in waves of grief and pain. It was over. Kevin warned her, but Tess insisted he reveal his terrible secret. Now she knew - and the cost for such knowledge was their budding relationship. It didn’t feel like she was losing a simple high school crush. No. It felt like Tess was losing her soulmate.
The phone rang several times, but she refused to answer it. Around four in the afternoon, she heard a light rap at the door. She wondered if it was one of her friends from school, but she didn’t care to answer it. Tess wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone.
The person wouldn’t leave. When the knocking didn’t garish a response, the person switched to ringing the doorbell repeatedly. She growled in anger as she tromped down the stairs. That’s when she heard his voice.
“Tesse, open up.” She ran to the door quickly unlocking it. Kevin stood there, still battered and bruised but never looking more handsome. Tessa ran into his arms and started crying again. “I’m sorry.”
“No, Tesse. I’m the one who is sorry. You didn’t deserve that.” He slowly moved the two of them into the house and shut the door without breaking the embrace.
“I didn’t mean…”
“Shh…it’s okay. I’m not mad at you.”
“Still, I shouldn’t have…”
“No more apologies from you.” He put his finger to her lips. She looked up and then held her breath as his mouth came down on hers. Her whole body became an electrical current when their lips touched. His deep-throated groan sent chills through her. The key finally found its lock; it was meant to be.
When he pulled away, she looked into his blue eyes. “I love you, Kevin.”
He gave his characteristic lopsided grin and caressed her cheek. “You can’t possibly.”
“I do,” Tessa insisted.
Kevin kissed her again, this time teasing her with his tongue. Tess moaned, never having felt such an intense sexual attraction before. She tentatively licked the outline of his lips and felt him tense. She moved from the left to the right corner of his mouth. She ran her tongue over the scar tissue. It was smooth with an almost metallic taste to it, she wasn’t sure if she was imagining it. Tessa darted her tongue into his open mouth. He groaned again, much louder this time. She felt her insides contract as a tingling sensation took over. “Oh Kevin,” she breathed into his mouth.
“Tesse,” he said gruffly.
“Yes?”
Kevin repeated her name and moved his lips to her ear, whispering, “I love you.”
Everything stopped - the world, time, her breathing. Kevin loves me. She was not alone in these intense feelings. “Oh Kevin, I love you so much! I have since the first day we …”
The ringing of the phone interrupted her declaration. She was tempted not to answer it, but knew her mother would be angry and it was getting late. Tess picked up the receiver, expecting a rant.
“Hello?”
A rant she did get. Her mother questioned where she had been and then scolded her for not answering sooner. None of it mattered. He loves me. “Okay, Mom. I will. No, I learned my lesson. Never again.”
She hung up the phone and smiled at Kevin. “My mom’s mad.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It’s okay, but she’s headed home.”
“I’d better go then. I don’t want to get you in any more trouble.”
Tessa looked at her beloved. “Kevin, I love you.”
He smiled and grabbed her. “I love you, too, Tesse.” Kevin planted another kiss on her lips before leaving. Tessa sighed when he shut the door. Every fiber of her being wanted to follow him.
Tess ended up having a pleasant evening with her mother. Julie’s day in court had gone better than expected and that always put her in a good mood. The two didn’t talk about Kevin or school. Her mother went on and on about her big birthday party, the one she decided to reinstate. Tessa kept smiling throughout the evening. Her mother misinterpreted it as excitement about her 18th birthday party. Tess didn’t bother correct her.
She lay in bed that night thinking about tomorrow. The big party was planned for the weekend, but nothing special was scheduled for her actual birthday. It didn’t matter to Tess, there was only one thing she wanted and it had nothing to do with parties or presents. Tessa hoped Kevin would be willing to grant her only wish.
Day 9
She called him early in the morning. “Morning, Kevin!”
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