“Are you all right, Babydoll? You’ve seemed… I don’t really know how to describe it. Kind of jumpy, I guess?” he murmured, his free hand coming up to tuck a strand of hair behind one ear. As his gentle touch brushed over my cheek, I felt my body lighting up once again.
“I, uh,” I stumbled over my words, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation other than ‘I masturbated to thoughts about the three of you in the bath yesterday.’
“Really?” Kingston questioned with a sly smile, letting me know I had in fact said that very thought out loud. The signature burn of a flush spread over my cheeks, neck, and ears. Well, at least I didn’t blurt that little personal tidbit out when the hall was still full.
“Yes,” I admitted in a low voice, shrugging slightly. “Being around the three of you today has been hard because, well… my mind just keeps going back to that.”
“I can’t wait to hear more about it then,” Kingston murmured, leaning in closer until I was trapped between the cold metal of the locker and his heated torso, “when we’re alone, and maybe we can try some of it out.” His forward statement took me by surprise, and the sexy grin spreading on his face made me want to melt into a puddle, but his lips capturing mine kept me together.
Barely.
His lips were soft and warm, but they moved confidently. Over our months together he’d slowly grown more and more self-assured, each time making me more excited to see what would happen when we were truly alone. Reaching up, my fingers clutched the back of his neck as a new wave of desire started to build.
“Kingston, Emma,” Ms. Ester stated blandly, startling me.
Jumping slightly, I released Kingston like he was on fire which only made him chuckle. Well, those pink patches on his cheeks show that he’s at least got a little shame left too.
Ms. Ester’s head was tilted slightly as she tried to not laugh. “Try to stay out of trouble, you two. I don’t want two of my best students to get detention, or Lyla will never let me hear the end of it.”
At the reminder of Lyla and my American History teacher’s family relation, I felt my lips twitch. It didn’t completely make the embarrassment ease, but it at least helped make the ‘scolding’ from her more bearable. Steering me down the hall when the warning bell rang, Kingston gave me a sly smile telling me one thing.
Next time my sweet laidback boyfriend and I are alone, we’re going to see exactly what he has in mind to try.
3
February 9th
Mission ‘Try To Bridge The Awkward Gap Between Mom and me is a go! Here goes nothing… though it might need a better and shorter name.
#AllTheWords #WishMeLuck #NOTSundayFunday
Breathe, Emma, I told myself, trying to gather the courage to walk up the stairs to the main floor. The last two weeks had gone slowly, so much so I felt myself growing antsier by the day. I had tried everything I could to distract myself: homework, self-care, reading, music, movies, anything, and yet my sleep only got worse as my mood gradually plummeted.
With all this slow-motion misery came a lot of thinking time. As much as I felt like my mom wouldn’t listen to me, based on the several previous times we’d tried to discuss some high-stress topics, I hated the rift between us. So, with my grounding coming to end, I decided to make an attempt to bridge the gap that had grown between us since we’d started this new life together.
Swallowing the bile that tried to creep up my throat, I started up the steps. I had no idea why I was so nervous; once upon a time my mom and I had been able to talk about anything and everything, but since the divorce I felt as if I was a stranger in my own family. Though not if I had anything to say about it.
Step one to fixing it? Marching my nervous butt up to talk to her.
“Mom?” I called softly when I reached the top of the stairs, surprised to see her curled up on the couch reading a beat-up paperback instead of in her office where she’d practically been living since the trial.
“Yes?” she questioned, glancing at me with a smoothed over expression, covering how she was feeling in a mask.
“Uh, I know my grounding isn’t up until the end of school day on Tuesday, but I was thinking…” I took a steadying breath when her eyes started to narrow suspiciously. “I thought that we could have dinner together that night. I could make food since I know it’s a workday… but maybe we could talk? Like before?” By the time I finished, my fingers were tangled together, and my words were barely audible. It took everything within me to keep from trembling with my nerves.
“That’d be nice, Emma,” she said softly with a smile. With those few words, all my anxiety drained, leaving me giggly in relief.
“Okay, cool. I’m going to go finish my last bit of homework and then probably head to bed,” I told her, hitching my thumb over my shoulder toward the stairs. “I love you, Mom.”
“Love you too, sweetie.”
With a final smile, I practically skipped down the stairs.
We might be okay after all.
February 11th
One of these days, you’d think I’d learn.
#IMatterToo #AlwaysListenToYourGut #TickedOffTuesday
“Boo.” Jesse’s whispered word surprised me, making me jump slightly into Reid’s chest. My heart was galloping from the startle, but as they closed around me, it started to pound for an entirely different reason. Each of them laughed at my response, Jesse’s honey laugh mixed with Kingston’s warm chuckle and with Reid’s teasing snicker.
“Meany,” I huffed out, trying to calm my racing heart.
“Aww, did Jesse scare you, Cali girl?” Reid teased, holding me even closer as we started toward the lunchroom. Sticking my tongue out, I didn’t dignify their comments with a response, but when I stepped into the bustling space, my eyes fell on another person I didn’t want to remember.
Assistant Principal DeRosa.
Can I just say ugh?
“Don’t think about him, Babydoll,” Kingston soothed softly, his hand coming to rub my lower back. “We’re not doing anything wrong.”
“That’s never stopped him before,” I muttered, glaring at the man. Every single thing we ever did seemed to be wrong, but I couldn’t understand why.
“It seems like he’s always gunning for us,” Reid pointed out, his hazel eyes narrowing in thought.
“That’s the vibe I was getting,” Jesse added softly. “But… I don’t understand why.”
“That’s what I was thinking too.” I glanced over my shoulder at Jesse where he trailed behind me, his lips quirking into a tiny smile. “It’s not just one of us; it seems to be against all of us. Or at least anyone who associates with me at any given point,” I thought aloud.
“Honestly I’m starting to wonder if we need to talk to someone about it. Principal Rudley or my dad,” Kingston whispered, his words almost lost amongst the loud jumble of talking that filled the kitchens as we worked our way through the food lines.
“I definitely don’t think it would hurt. With everything coming up with the trial, your dad should be aware of everything… at least I would think. I’m not really a law person,” Reid rambled. Letting go of my plastic tray to hold it with one hand, I rubbed his back gently in an attempt to soothe the nervousness that was clear within his voice.