“Are you okay?” I laugh.
“Come on.” He grabs my hand, pulling me out of the chair. Most people are used to Linc and me at this point. We’ve been together forever and his overzealousness with me is nothing new to anyone. “I gotta get out of here.”
“I didn't notice you were in a hurry.” His fingers tangle with mine as he pulls me down the hallway. My strides try to match his, but it’s almost impossible. I’m not sure why we’re in such a rush, but something must be important.
“You grabbed all your books?”
“You grabbed all my books after lunch,” I remind him with a laugh.
“The parents are gone this weekend. Dad texted me he’s got work in Chicago and Mom is going with him.” I pick up my speed, suddenly able to match his.
“I’m thinking maybe some naked skinny dipping is in our future.”
“Fuck yeah,” he agrees. “There will be no party this time. That shit was a mess last time and I’m not spending half this weekend cleaning up after everyone when I can spend it in you.”
My cheeks heat for a second. Even though we’ve done everything together, I’m still a bit shy.
“Hey, Linc.” June tries to step in front of us. Well, in front of Linc really. She never pays me any mind. Her eyes are set on one thing and one thing only. I roll my eyes. It’s embarrassing how many times she’s tried to throw herself at my man. But I guess some people have no shame. I never blink an eye or doubt Linc’s faithfulness to me.
“Move,” he barks, trying to step around her.
“I wanted to talk to you about prom.” She cuts him off again. I bite my lip to keep from laughing because this is actually comical at this point.
“Prom?” He looks down at her with an adorable, confused look on his face. He glances at me. “Is she asking me to prom?”
I should save him. June wishes she could go to prom with him, but she knows he’ll never say yes. I don’t think we’re going to prom at all. We haven’t talked about it. Though if it meant a night in a hotel room together I think I could put on a fancy dress for that. I bet I could even find something at the thrift store for super cheap.
“I thought your band could perform?” June jumps back, trying to swing Linc’s attention her way again. This used to bug me. I’d be a liar if I said it didn’t get me worked up a few times. Now, I only feel bad for the girls who want to fall at Linc’s feet. The boy became mine long ago and now the man he’s turning into belongs to me alone too. Linc never lets me doubt that.
“If I’m going to prom I’m taking my girl.” Linc pulls me in front of him, shielding himself from June.
“Is the gig a paying one?” I ask her.
“You selling me off?” I look over my shoulder at Linc, who is pretending that he is appalled by my question. He is still as handsome as ever. No wonder girls throw their underwear at him. If they really knew my Linc, they’d know he has a thing for panties. But he only wants mine. He likes to keep them. After he peels them off me himself.
“You’d charge us?” The look on June’s shocked face isn't fake at all. “Oh that’s right. You’re poor.” Her face turns into one of fake concern. Jealousy doesn’t look good on her. She wants what I have, but she’ll never get it.
“Ugly on the inside and out.” Linc mutters
June’s mouth falls open. “Did you call me ugly?”
I elbow Linc. I don’t know how I manage to keep a straight face. I don’t like to hurt anyone, but she had it coming. It makes me love Linc even more. He doesn’t appreciate her trying to disrespect me and him saying what he did lets her know it.
“What?” He grabs his side as if it really hurt him. “That hurt.”
“You can’t call her ugly,” I tell him. “At least not to her face.”
“Can we go?” He’s already pulling me away from June before he finishes his sentence. He wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me into him as we head for the exit doors. Anticipation pools in my belly, knowing that we’ll get to be together at his house alone all weekend. Relief fills me that I won’t have to spend the weekend at home with my deadbeat parents. Linc stops suddenly, breaking me from my thoughts. He turns toward me, placing his finger under my chin before he takes my mouth in a deep kiss. Giving me a little taste of what's to come.
Chapter Three
Linc
“Too much snare,” Benjy yells.
Nick keeps playing.
Benjy slaps his palm against his bass strings and tries again. “Too much goddamn snare.”
Nick still doesn’t pay attention. Benjy yanks the aux cord from the bottom of his base and stomps over the drum set. He bangs his hand against the hi-hat, which finally gets Nick’s attention.
“The fuck, dude?” Nick snaps.
“Too. Much. Snare,” Benjy says through gritted teeth.
“Why didn’t you say it in the first place?”
“I did—“ Benjy cuts himself off and rubs his callused hand over the top of his buzz cut. “Never mind. I’m taking a smoke break.”
Before anyone can say anything, Benjy pulls the guitar strap over his head and leaves. Nick is half off his stool when I hold up my hand. “His dad got laid off today.”
“Oh fuck.” Nick slumps back into the stool. “When did you find out?”
“My dad told me.” Dad is the foreman of Benjy’s dad’s crew. He texted me this morning on his way out of town with Mom.
“I didn’t realize things were shit over at the plant.”
“Neither did I.”
“You think your dad…” Nick trails off.
“I don’t know. Guess I don’t want to think about it.”
Nick trades his sticks for a flask of vodka. He dumps a good portion down his throat and shakes like a dog. “Damn. Okay. I’ve got some liquid courage. Let me go apologize to Benjy.”
“He’s not going to do anything to you.”
“I know that. It’s just I feel bad, you know, and this”—he gestures toward the flask—“makes me feel less bad.”
I drop onto the ugly corduroy sofa that we got from Nick’s mom when she redecorated their family room and tap Cherry’s foot. She blinks owlishly at me over the romance book her nose has been stuck in for the last hour. Pulling off the noise-cancelling headphones, she glances around. “Where’s Benjy? and Nick?”
“Outside having a smoke break.”
She puts down the book and stretches, the action jostling her nice tits that are barely visible under the oversized WorldWired Metallica tour T-shirt she stole from my closet. Nick asked me once if I minded that Cherry was always wearing my clothes. The answer was an obvious no. I mean, what’s the point of having a girlfriend if she’s not going to steal a shirt or ten?
“How’s the new song coming?”
“It’s coming.” I slide a hand up her leg. She’s got nice legs--gently sloping calves and solid thighs. Her skin is always warm and my hands are always cold, but she never pushes me away. “I might need some inspiration.”