I take a long-awaited breath. Unsure how long I was holding it.
Damn it.
What is this girl doing to me?
I pull myself away from the window when I realize she’s not coming back. I satisfy the hunger she built up in me with my hand and then call it a night.
A restless night, lost in thought about life, my new school, and my new neighbors, had me tossing and turning. After a workout at the gym, I’ve spent the majority of the day in solitary, avoiding confrontation downstairs. I can hear the commotion in the living room as Val coordinates Knox and all his friends for pictures. I’d rather stare at the blank screen on the television than go down there and see their happy go lucky faces. I’ll pass on that dance. I toss the tennis ball in my hand at the wall above the television and catch it when it comes back, over and over again, until a knock at the door breaks my concentration and it rolls off the bed.
“Who is it and what do you want?”
The door opens and Dad walks in. “Hey son, can you come downstairs for a few minutes. Knox and his friends are getting ready to leave for the dance, and Val wants a pic with you and him.”
If the look on my face doesn’t say it, my words will. “Hell no.”
I don’t understand what the deal is with this family and pictures.
“Boy, you better watch yourself talking to me like that. What’s gotten into you?” Dad shuts the door and I let out the sigh of all sighs because I know I’m in for one of his drawn-out lectures on respect and attitude. “Ever since we’ve gotten here, you’ve been distant and disrespectful. I thought we agreed this would be a new start after that stunt you pulled at your old school. What gives?”
I straighten myself into a sitting position and throw my legs over the side of the bed. “What gives? Let’s start with your girlfriend's annoying kid.”
“Knox is a good kid, Jasper. You could learn a thing or two from him.”
“Yeah, ok. Like how to choke myself in a turtleneck sweater. No thanks.” The boy is the avatar of a tailored prep. Khaki pants, button up shirts and those god-awful sweaters. I can’t wrap my head around what B sees in him. She’s certainly not his type, she's more of a Marilyn, while he’s a Vanderbilt.
“I was thinking more along the lines of compassion and helpfulness.”
“Let’s just forget all this nonsense and go back home. The house hasn’t sold. We can move back and forget this ridiculous idea of being a happy family with these people.”
“These people are part of our family now and you better get used to it real fast. I’m proposing to Val next week.” Dad exhales. “I thought you were on board with this?”
“The proposal, yes. The Partridge family, not so much. Besides, when I said that I didn’t object to you proposing, it was when I thought you were waiting until after graduation to move in here. I planned on being gone by then.”
“That’s on you. If you could get a hold of that temper of yours then you’d still be at Las Verdes.” Dad raises his voice in an attempt to throw this at me, again.
I scoot to a sitting position and shake my head, “It's not my temper, it’s know-it-alls like Tommy—like Knox. I’m telling you, Dad, if he pushes my buttons, I may not be able to restrain myself.”
Dad points his finger at me. “I don’t even want to tell you what happens if you pull a stunt like that.”
He turns around and steps toward the door
“It won’t be a stunt, it’ll be epic.” I laugh devilishly, but Dad isn’t impressed in the slightest.
“Get your ass downstairs, take the damn picture and keep your mouth shut.” He walks out, slamming the door behind him. For someone who always tells me not to slam the door, he sure does slam mine a lot. Hypocrite much?
I fall back into the bed and let out a few groans of hesitation. Then I pull myself up to head downstairs. Ready to face Knox and his posse, including his girlfriend who basically stripped for me through her bedroom window last night. If he knew that I’d jerked off to the image instilled in my brain of her peach skin, he’d be the one wanting to knock my ass out.
With every step down the wooden stairs, I let out a gasp. I run my fingers through my hair, looking down at my black joggers and white t-shirt. These preppy kids will all be suited and dolled up, one look at me and no one will want the damn picture—I hope, anyway.
I glance around the room looking for her, but she’s nowhere in sight. Knox has his arm around a petite little brunette with freckles on her nose. Axel and Kip with some random chicks I’ve never seen before. Knox’s eyes burn into me, and I want nothing more than to pour some gasoline on him and watch him burn.
I’m not exactly sure what it is about this guy that I don’t like. Maybe it’s because he’s the son my dad has always wanted. Maybe it’s the fact that he comes from money, and I don’t. Or, quite possibly, because his best friend is the girl next door, and he knows all of the things about her that I want to know.
“Over here, Jasper.” Val points me to the left of Knox, while his actual friends all line up on the other side. Damn, this lady and her desire to take pictures of every fucking move her child makes.
I just stand there. Arms flat at my side, no smile. “Where’s B?” I say, with my expression blank and my eyes on Val’s phone.
“Who?” Knox turns his head and confusion sweeps over him.
Right. “Blakely, where’s Blakely?”
“Nicknames already, that’s cute,” he snickers dryly.
“She’ll certainly be screaming more than my name when I’m inside her.” I mumble under my breath, though he heard me loud and clear. I keep my focus straight and avoid movement.
Val continues to snap pictures as if she’s completely unaware of the tension in the room.
My words must have cut deep, though, because Knox displaced himself in line, upsetting mommy dearest. “Stay the hell away from her.”
“She was pretty hungry for me last night. If she was in the same room as me, I probably would have fed it to her.” My voice isn’t loud enough for Val and Dad to hear, but I make no attempt to whisper.
“If you even put a hand on her, I’ll, I’ll…” He trails off, unable to complete the sentence.
“You’ll what? Come on spit it out, choir boy.” Nose to nose. I can smell his designer cologne. He gives me a shove, but my feet stay planted where they are. “Nice try, but try harder.”
“Knox!” Val shouts, tossing her phone on the couch and bolting in our direction.
Dad positions himself between us and for good reason, one more shove and I would have buried his face in the carpet. “Knock it off you, two,” he shouts. “Jasper! Outside, now!” He points his finger, and I’m feeling intimidated. When Dad gets pissed, he gets pissed.
“Happily. Thanks for the pics, Val. Can’t wait to see them on Knox’s grad board.” I walk outside, feeling the cold cement through my socks.
Dad follows behind me, and he’s pissed. His cheeks are an angry shade of red and his jaw ticks with each smirk I throw his way. He doesn’t speak, he just does laps around me like I’m his own personal track.