A Look Back: Rennillia Series - Prequel (9 page)

With a dead stare he said, “You tell me.”

“My father doesn’t know you dropped me off,” I shared, waiting for him to relax.

“Then why?” he asked, pulling the comforted down.

Shrugging, I replied, “Apparently you’re not the only one that doesn’t like Jackson,” before saying, “He said it’s all over town that I went out with him.”

“Are you hurt?” he whispered, looking at my arms and shoulder then to my eye.

Shaking my head, I admitted, “Just my pride.”

Hert gave me a strange look as I explained, “I said I was sorry.”

Exhaling loudly, he closed his eyes and shook his head.

“Are you gonna stay?” I asked, hoping he would.

Appearing as though he wished he could, Hert replied, “I can’t.”

Nodding, I said, “Ok, see you tomorrow,” forcing a slight smile.

Hert nodded back and climbed out of my window.

Curling up in my comforter, I rolled onto my side. Hoping Jackson would be okay with just hanging out at Emerson’s, I still wanted to see him but I wasn’t sure he was worth getting my ass kicked just to do it. I really did like him. More than any other guy I had ever liked like that.

Chapter 14

Excited and a little nervous when Emerson and I pulled into the parking lot at school, Jackson was already there. Em looked over at me as I looked at him smiling wide. Shaking his head with a slight laugh, he let go of my hand. As the car came to a stop, I watched Jackson walk up and open my door. I smiled at him before I grabbed my books and his hoodie from the back seat. Hopping out, I handed Jackson his hoodie. Flashing his incredible smile at me he took my books and set them in the bed of his truck before putting his hoodie on and wrapping his arms around me.

Jackson leaned against his truck, holding me against him. Glancing around to make sure no one was looking first, he quickly kissed me.

Emerson walked past us, saying, “I’m going to go find Helena, see you two later,” with a smile.

When we both turned our heads to say goodbye, Jackson looked at me, asking, “What happened to your eye?”

Not realizing it was noticeable, I didn’t think about anyone being that close to my face.

“Oh, it’s just a little cut,” I replied, fluffing it off.

“Does it hurt?” he asked, sounding concerned.

As I shook my head, he asked, “Has anyone kissed it?”

I gave him a strange look before he softly kissed the corner of my eye. I really wanted to kiss him back but since we were at school I couldn’t.

“Thank you,” I whispered, smiling at him.

Jackson frowned slightly, saying, “Your friend is here.”

Turning around, I saw Hert walking up to us.

Even though I had turned my back to Jackson he didn’t let go of me. Adjusting himself lower against his truck he rested his chin on my shoulder with his arms snug around my ribs.

“You alright?” Hert asked, completely ignoring Jackson.

With a nod, I said, “Yea,” as Hert walked past us.

Quickly kissing my cheek, Jackson asked, “Why wouldn’t you be alright?”

Shrugging, I fibbed, saying, “Maybe 'cause some guy has his hands all over me in the parking lot.”

I could feel his smile on my cheek as he said, “Lucky guy, I wouldn’t mind having my hands all over you.”

Turning to face him, I blurted, “Jackson,” and popped him on the arm.

Pulling me close again, he asked, “What are you doing after school?”

“I might go to Emerson’s,” I said, hoping he wanted to go there too.

With a light smile he offered, “Since you said you would go out with me again, how about tonight?”

“It’s a school night,” I stated.

Nodding, he looked around then quickly kissed me saying, “That’s why I’m taking you to my house.”

“Your house?” I questioned, raising an eyebrow at him.

Nodding, he smiled, sharing, “My parents will be there.”

Not only was I the exception to his one date rule, now he was taking me to see his parents?

I didn’t know what to say but an involuntary, “Okay,” slipped out through a smile and I thought to hell with my father.

Wrapping his arms around my neck, Jackson tucked his face between one of his arms and started kissing down my neck. Assuming he was trying to hide this very inappropriate display of affection with the sleeves of his hoodie, I leaned my head against his shoulder so it looked like we were hugging. He pulled away slowly at first then quickly let go.

Confused, I took a step back as he blurted, “What the…” then stared right at me, asking, “What happened?”

Shaking my head, I said, “What?”

Appearing as though I had hurt his feelings, Jackson suggested, “We still have about fifteen minutes, let’s sit in my truck.”

Nodding, I didn’t understand what had happened until we were inside the cab. He pulled the top of my sweater to the side, revealing that it wasn’t just covering a thin tank top.

“Was it that jackass?” he questioned, sounding angry.

Thinking yes, my father is a jackass, I questioned, “Who are you talking about?”

“Is that why he asked if you were alright?” he asked.

With a heavy sigh I replied, “No.”

“Then what the hell happened to you?” he demanded.

Feeling very uneasy about the situation, I scooted back.

The look on his face was hard to explain. It was somewhere between hurt and pity. Scowling at him, I crossed my arms in front of my chest. Searching my mind for something to say without directly lying to him I thought, who the hell did he think he was? I had known him for about ten minutes and he was already questioning me. So what if he took me out and so what if I had let him kiss me. That gave him no right to demand I tell him anything.

Narrowing my eyes, I snapped, “Nothing.”

Reaching his hand out to me, Jackson asked, “Is that why he asked if you were okay?”

Shrugging his hand away, I stated, “Hert didn’t do anything to me.”

He shook his head, rephrasing, “He asked if you were okay because he knew you were hurt?”

Clinching my teeth, I nodded.

“Do you need to go home?” he asked, appearing to be considerate.

Making a face at him, I blurted, “No!”

“Did you fall or something?” he questioned.

Rolling my eyes, I fussed, “I guess, something like that,” as I recalled losing my balance after hitting the table.

With a light sigh Jackson leaned his head toward me, saying, “I can take you to my house some other time.”

And there it was.

As Jackson continued his sympathetic gaze, I sat up tall. Hert and I understood each other when it came to these matters. In fact, when we were kids we used to compare bruises and of course Hert always came out ahead. Emerson, although he probably had never been in trouble a day in his life, was understanding and never pushed for an explanation. That was just his way. There was no way Jackson would or could understand and already I could tell no normal guy wanted a damaged girl.

Shaking my head with a slight laugh, I shared, “You don’t have to be nice about it. I understand.”

Confusion spread across his face as he asked, “What am I being nice about?”

“If you don’t want to …” I started to reply before he stopped me, asking, “Do you have anything important in your classes today?”

Shaking my head, I answered, “No. Why?”

“You wanna skip?” he asked.

Shrugging, I questioned, “You’re gonna skip?”

“No, you are. I mean if you want to. I don’t have classes today,” he replied.

Confused, I asked, “Then why are you here?”

Smiling wide, Jackson informed, “So I can see you.”

I had to bite my bottom lip to keep from smiling wide.

Tilting his head to the side, Jackson asked, “Is that a yes?”

With a soft smile I nodded.

When Jackson left to tell Emerson we were leaving, I assumed Em would tell Hert. After a brief thought of, ‘I am going to get in so much trouble for this’, I wondered where we would go. It was crazy how happy Jackson made me. His smile was so infectious, it was nearly impossible for me not to be happy around him. Glancing out of his truck window, I watched him jog back to the truck.

As he got back in he asked, “You ready?”

Nodding, I scooted right next to him. Jackson quickly kissed my cheek before starting up his truck. Placing his arm around me, he pulled out of the school parking lot.

Driving down the road, Jackson asked, “Still up for wherever I wanna take you?”

“That depends on what you plan to do when we get there,” I replied.

“Whatever you let me,” he assured with a smile.

Shaking my head and rolling my eyes at him, I wondered where he would take me that he hadn’t taken another girl before.

When we came upon a little wooded area, Jackson pulled his truck between some trees and pulled around to a small clearing. Leaning back slightly, I gave him a suspicious look.

Stopping the truck, he pulled the keys out of the ignition, saying, “No, this isn’t a place I take girls to,” before sharing, “My house isn’t far from here. My cousins and I used to wander around back here.”

Smiling back, I raised an eyebrow, asking, “So why are we here?”

Leaning in, he kissed me before saying, “I didn’t know where else to take you, you’re supposed to be at school.”

Taking a deep breath, I nodded, wondering if that was the only reason.

“Look, I’m just gonna say it. If you fell or had an accident okay, but if someone did that to you, Ren that’s not okay,” Jackson informed.

Scowling, I snapped, “Is that why you brought me out here? So you can question me some more?”

“No, I…” he started before I slid over and hopped out of his truck.

Why was this so important to him? I walked to the back of his truck. I didn’t have to put up with this. Why couldn’t he just be happy I wanted to skip school to make out with him and not care about anything else? What happened to the guy everyone said was just after one thing? Where was that guy? That’s who I said yes to. Leaning against the tailgate, I wished I had just gone to school.

It only took a minute for him to get out of the truck and walk towards me. Stepping to the side, I watched him drop the tailgate and quietly offer for me to sit. As I hesitantly accepted, he helped me onto the tailgate.

Standing in front of me, Jackson asked, “Why would you put up with someone doing that to you?”

Scowling at him, I questioned, “Why can’t you just drop it?”

Appearing upset at first, his expression quickly changed as he asked, “Has anyone kissed it yet?”

I held my breath for a moment shaking my head.

Hooking his finger into the front of my sweater, he asked, “Can I?”

“Why do you want to?” I questioned not quite understanding why his question made me feel the way it did.

Stepping closer, he placed his hands on my sides, saying, “'Cause when you’re hurt, someone is supposed to kiss it and make it better.”

There was a knot in my stomach and I couldn’t help saying, “Really?”

Nodding, he sighed asking, “Will you take your sweater off?”

Unsure of how to answer, I stared at him.

I really wanted to. I wanted him to kiss me to make me feel better and I knew it would. The problem was the dark bruise on my shoulder was only the beginning. If I took my sweater off, he would see all the others sprinkled down my arms. Then what if he asked if there were more? What if he wanted to kiss them too? Or what if he looked at them and was disgusted and thought I was weak. Thinking of how it could go either way, and how neither would be good, I shook my head.

“Then can I take it off?” he asked before slowly kissing me.

He didn’t wait for an answer this time. Sliding his hand from my side to the first button, Jackson undid it. After making his way down to the last one, he stopped. He took a step back and smiled before unzipping his hoodie. Taking it off, he tossed it into the truck bed and stepped right between my legs.

My whole body tensed up as he placed one hand on my side while the other held the top of my sweater on my shoulders, asking, “May I?”

Not wanting to see his expression, I turned my head away from him and closed my eyes. As I felt him pull my sweater down, I could feel his hand on my side stiffen.

I could only imagine what he was thinking. Ready to bail on him, I was surprised to feel a soft kiss on my shoulder. Removing his hand from my side, he carefully held my arm with both hands, gently moving it around to kiss every bruise.

Whispering, “I like your bracelet, green is my favorite color,” he continued.

He took my face in his hand and kissed my eye again before continuing to my other arm. My chest felt warm and as I opened my eyes, I watched him. Letting go of my other arm, he ran both of his hands into the back of my hair pulling it down. Wrapping my hair thing around his finger, he leaned in and softly kissed me. Suddenly I felt close to him. The warmth in my chest invaded my heart before it spread down my arms to my fingertips giving me a chill. Smiling wide, Jackson reached over and grabbed his hoodie before draping it over my shoulders.

“You should tell me who did that to you,” he whispered.

Shaking my head, I asked, “Why do you need to know?”

Wrapping his arms around me, he replied, “So I can stomp their ass into the ground, that’s why.”

Slightly smiling, I said, “It’s really not a big deal, I’m fine,” sounding very much like one of those ‘Social Awareness’ videos they made us watch in middle school.

Back to his pitiful gaze now, he asked, “This isn’t the first time?”

With a heavy sigh, I snapped, “Are we gonna spend all day on this?”

Appearing a little irritated, he said, “That’s up to you.”

Frustrated that he wouldn’t just drop it, I raised my voice, informing, “No it’s not the first time and I’m sure it’s not the last time either so unless you want to take me back to school, drop it!”

I could tell he was mulling over what I had just said.

Waiting to see what he was going to do, I thought seriously about continuing to see him. I mean really what was his deal. No one I had ever known in my life had such a problem with this. Granted he wasn’t the first person to see a bruise and ask a question but his persistence was irritating. Why would he care that much? It wasn’t like anyone was hitting him.