When my mom said we had new neighbors, and it was time to introduce them into the neighborhood, I didn’t particularlycare, but I would do it for her. Until we arrived, and Scarlett was standing there looking every bit terrified of this new house, new road, and new neighbors. When my eyes first landed on her, my first thought was of how obliviously beautiful she is. She had the kind of innocence about her that shied away from attention. Then, her brother swaggered on over, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulder, presenting himself just like an alpha would, protectiveness radiating from him, blanketing her petite frame, meanwhile giving me a death stare that screams, keep your dick in your pants. Once I gave him a nod of silent acceptance and understanding, he backed off, and I admired his strength in protecting what he loved.
My dad would think that is badass. I used to get squeamish when my dad would kiss my mom in the morning on his way out to work, or grab her and dance in the middle of dinner; it annoyed me, like, 'Get a room.' Until I started going over to friends' houses, I got a front-row seat to the different dynamics between spouses. I began to cherish the love my parents had; many families aren't as close as mine, and that’s a shame. If anything, it made me want to love a girl like my dad loves my mom—endlessly, shamelessly, and without haste. He takes in every moment with her and savors it. I told myself, when I found the one, I’d slow my roll on making out and occasionally getting blow jobs behind the school shed. I’d be faithful because too many people aren't, and what a punch in the gut to give someone everything and for them to crush it.
After spending every day with Scarlett and Levi for the better part of three months now, they have become like family to me. Being an only child can get lonely. Not that my parents ever made me feel alone, because, believe me, my mom is always hovering. I don’t have a choice but to be sad for longer than five minutes before she rushes in with cookies, begging me tosmile big. All I want to do is play baseball and hang out with my friends, with a few happy endings thrown in. But otherwise, I just want what I already have, and that's enough, or at least it was, until they moved in.
Now I have the best friend I didn’t know I needed. I think we challenge each other in a good way. I push him to have fun, and he pushes me in training, like pretending to enjoy flying ninety down the back road. I try to be a good kid, which is easy for my parents, because I know they work hard to give me a decent life. That doesn't mean I don’t like to be reckless. I enjoy smoking cigarettes, partying, speeding a little over the limit, and throwing punches, because it is unexpected behavior for me. The forbidden part is just enough to give me a thrill, but not enough to land me in jail or worse.
Levi, on the other hand, loves his sister like my family loves me, without end. He protects her to the utmost, always ensuring she is well and doesn't need anything. He is safe with her, yet he is so reckless with himself. He is currently getting his dick wet with Jessica, Haley, my math teacher, and Emily, the volleyball coach, on a rotation basis. The way the boy drives when Scarlett is or isn't in the car makes me want to jump in the back seat and tie myself down with all three buckles. He doesn’t drink much or at all, honestly. Every time we go out, he has one or two beers and calls it a blessing because drinking and driving the way he does would not end well, at all.
I text Scarlett and tell her I’m here, yes, I know I could knock, or ring the doorbell like an ordinary person, but this isn’t the 90s, we text and say we are here, then we sit awkwardly looking around while we wait for them to text us back telling us to come in. That is precisely what I do. My phone beeps, and immediately my palms sweat.What is wrong with me today?
Scar
It’s open, you can come up, I'm in my room.
In her room, it's cool. I can hang out alone with a girl who looks like Scarlett—no big deal. Why am I acting like girls don't throw themselves at me? I'm used to hanging out with girls, right?Jumping out of my truck, I make my way into her house.
Walking up the stairs to her bedroom, I had to remind myself that this was normal, just hanging out with a friend. Can’t say I have ever had a girl be this good of a friend, but shit happens. “Scarlett, can I come in?” My voice comes out gruff, and I swallow down the awkwardness and feelings.
She opens the door in her baggy black sweatpants, oversized t-shirt, with her hair in a messy bun on top of her head, and fuck, she's never looked better.What the fuck, reel it in, Spencer. Thankfully, Levi can’t read my mind, or I'd be screwed.I give her a big smile and hold out a goodie bag filled with Sour Patch Kids, her favorite, and two bottles of 7-Up; my mom says the carbonation is good for upset stomachs. She reaches out and takes the bag. I continue to stand, smiling like a dweeb, mesmerized by how sick someone can look and still be so damn pretty. When I’m sick, I look like Shrek.
She takes a step back, “Are you going to stand in the hallway, or would you like to come in?” I can’t help but look around her room; her large king bed sits in the middle, with an old-school box TV sitting on top of her eight-drawer dresser. I look back at Levi’s room, which has a futon set up along the window for when we play Mario Kart, and not a big king bed. “Scared to come in?” She smirks as she places her hand on her hip.
I nod my head. “Actually, I am. Your brother would kill me dead if he caught me anywhere on your big, spacious king bed.” I can feel my eyes widen at the thought of fooling around onher bed. If I don’t pack that thought away, I will spring a boner, and then my life will be over.She is your best friend's sister—Bro code.Scarlett laughs and winces. “You okay? Are you going to throw up?” I cross the threshold into her room, reaching out. Maybe Levi has rubbed off on me, because all I want to do is keep her safe and protect her.
She shakes her head, “No, just a stomach cramp is all. I haven’t been sick today, but my stomach is still not one hundred percent. Look at that, you're in my room. It only took you thinking I was going to vomit on you to get you to move. Don’t worry, Levi trusts you; he wouldn't have sent you over if he didn’t.” Nodding my head, my thoughts laugh at me.Yeah, he trusts you, Spencer, so I should stop thinking about her plump, round lips crashing into mine and more about bro code.I follow her over to her bed, where she slides onto the bed, tucking herself back in. “So… Do you have my homework, or are you going to stand there and look like my beds on fire?”
I drop my head and chuckle, giving her a slight smirk. “Isn’t sick Scarlett funny? I was just making sure you got comfy before I sit down. Move over, Beauty Queen.”
She shakes her head no and pats the bed gently next to her, moving the TV remote and empty bottles of water. “What’s with the head shake?” I slide in next to her, steadying my racing heart.I need to release some tension and thoughts clearly, because why is this making my dick hard?
“That nickname doesn't work today.” She opens the folder I set on her bed and skims over the assignments.
I made a tsking sound. “It works every day.” Her deep green eyes find mine, and I wanna get lost in them. I wonder what she sounds like when she comes. Immediately, I look away.Shit, shit, shit, I shouldn't have said that. I watch as pink spreads across her cheeks. It’s cute when she blushes, and it makes mefeel warm inside, too warm. Quickly, I redirect our moment. “The teachers said, If you can get these done and turned in by tomorrow, then you won’t be behind. So, let's get them done.” She takes out the first paper, still smiling. I am losing my damn mind here. She smells intoxicating, and that sounds crazy because, according to Levi, she was shitty and puking her guts out.
“Thank you for bringing these over and getting them for me. You didn’t have to.” She writes her name at the top of the paper and begins to write. We discussed the last couple of days of school and what has been going on. Knocking out two assignments, she grabs the candy. “Thanks for the goodies too, my fav!” Excited, she opens the sour little people and devours a handful. I can’t help but laugh because she is so laid-back and relaxed. My phone rings, startling us both. Lifting my arm quickly to grab my phone, I notice Scarlett flinch. I grab my phone from the bedside table, keeping my eyes solely on her.
I quickly answered, “Hey, Mom.”
She damn near yells into the phone. “Hey, sweetie!” Scarlett quietly laughs and goes back to her homework. “I saw your truck at home and couldn’t find you anywhere. Did you go off with friends?”
I pace Scarlett's floor. “Yeah, I’m over next door, I’ll be home in a bit.”
“Okay, I love you, you can ask your friends if they’d like to come for dinner!” I smile because the thought of bringing them into my home and having my family love them fills me with happiness.
“I’ll think about it. Gotta go, love you too.” I hang up quickly before she goes on about what's for dinner and if they have any allergies in case they come.
Sitting back down, Scarlett lies back against her mountain of pillows and smiles shyly. “She is sweet.” Her face falls into a deep thought as she chews her bottom lip. My heart sputters because, one, I want to know what she's thinking, and two, when she bites her bottom lip, it makes me want to show her I can bite it better. Bringing me back to my best friend's sister's senses, she sits up and pushes the papers forward, “Spence, will you tell me what Carson said?”Fuck, I knew she wouldn't be able to drop it. I secretly love it when she calls me Spence.
Looking at her, I can see her sadness, and it picks at my heart. “I don’t want to hurt your feelings.”
“You won’t, unless you lied and beat the shit out of him for no reason.” She stares at me, watching my body language instinctively.
Tossing around the way to say it, and coming to the realization that no way sounds better than the other, I just chose to say it as it was, “He was talking about you putting out.” Her face drops, and she shakes her head.
“What a fucking dick.” A laugh bursts out of me, “What, it’s true, he seemed so nice and all he wanted was in my pants. I should have known.” My eyes grow in confusion as frustration sets in.
“You do realize that has everything to do with his character and not yours, right? He is a player; it's his MO to get with as many girls as he can. You didn’t do anything wrong.” I reach my hand, placing it on hers.
