Serenity (7 page)

“Let it r-r-rest. We’re p-p-partners.”

“Holy shit.” Akeo did an impromptu hundred and eighty turn around and ran smack into Jolin. “Red alert. Red alert. Abort the mission.” Akeo stepped into him trying to reverse their direction but really only tangled them up. “She’s coming. The eagle has landed. Retreat.”

“What?” Jolin stumbled doing a weird back and forth dance with Akeo while he tried to escape the oncoming on-slaught of cheerleaders. Elizabeth was in the lead. Jolin swore they had their own soundtrack marching down the hall like a bad teen movie. “G-g-get off me.” Jolin shoved Akeo behind him.

“Every man for himself,” Akeo said dramatically leaving Jolin on his own. Akeo wasn’t a fan of Elizabeth’s and since he didn’t play sports…he wasn’t her favorite person either. He was, however, Jolin’s semi-geeky friend who stood by him whether he was the star of the school or not.

Elizabeth heard the rumor. Daggers glimmered in her eyes.Her high black pony tail, tied up with a bow making her look like she was Minnie Mouse, swished when she dismissed her entourage. “Hey, Joli.” He cringed at the nickname she used.

“Hey.” He hesitated.

She reached up and ran her hand through his hair. “I hear you had a study date.” Her eyelashes fluttered. She had a rocking body. One he’d explored on many an occasion. Jolin moved away from her, leaving her hand hanging in the air.

“We aren’t t-t-together.” He looked down the hall after Akeo. He should have run when he had the chance.

“I told you…”

Jolin cut her off. “Stop.” He looked at her gigantic bow, avoiding her eyes. She was like Medusa. If he made eye contact with her, he wasn’t sure what would happen. It sucked being frozen out, and if she believed the rumor, she could destroy him. She was the key to the door back to popularity.

“Is it true?” She ran her hand under his letterman jacket and petted his chest.

He grabbed her hand. Hewasn’t sure he could do it. The taste of Ren’s lips, the feel of his hands around her hips made him question whether he could sell his soul to the devil for empty popularity. She’d dumped him in his time of need. “Lizzie. You br-b-broke up with m-m-me. It’s not your concern anymore.”

She stuck her bottom lip out in a pout. “I explained why we had to break up,” she whined. “Why do you want to hurt me?”

Jolin rolled his eyes and looked at the ceiling. “Hurt you? Shit Liz. I g-g-got to go.” He let the crowd engulf him even though he was heading in the wrong direction down the hall.

In the past, students would have moved to the side when they saw his arm draped around Elizabeth’s shoulder making their way to class. He’d always thought she was tagging along on his popularity, but now he wondered if all along he was tagging along on hers. With the rip of a tendon and a brain bruise, he’d become one of the masses. He bounced from one person to the other as he was pushed and shoved down the too crowded halls. Diverted from his intended route, he had to loop around the office and back track.

He’d broken free of the crowd and had a glimmer of hope he wasn’t going to be late when he heard his name.

“Daniel! Hey Daniel! Wait up!”

Jolin stopped. His shoulders fell when he realized there was no way he was making it to class in time.

“Daniel, I want to talk to you.”

Jolin didn’t turn around, but he also didn’t walk away.

Quill came around to face him. “What’s the deal with you and my sister? You banging her.” His body came in close, their chests almost touching.

Jolin knew Quill from football, but he was second string so didn’t share in the teams popularity and special privileges.

“Depends. Who your sist-t-ter is?” Jolin wanted to step away but didn’t want to give the impression Quill intimidated him. However with his new stutter, intimidation wasn’t his strong suit.

Luckily, Quill stepped back first after Jolin’s question seemed to take him by surprise. He shook his head and let out a sarcastic laugh. “You’re such a fucking asshole.”

“Seriously. I d-d-don’t know who your sist-t-ter is.” Jolin tried to brush him off.

“Dude. Ren? Ren is my sister.” He put a hand on Jolin’s chest stopping him.

Jolin stiffened. Why was everyone touching him?

Jolin remembered Akeo saying something about Ren having a twin but he hadn’t really been listening. Akeo was right. He had his head so far up Elizabeth’s ass he’d ignored anything that didn’t flow through his circle. Namely Ren.

He let his gaze trailed over Quill. Other than identical green eyes the only indication he was Ren’s twin was his like of body art…a few tattoos peaked out from the edges of his t-shirt and a piercing sparkled below his lower lip. Jolin’s stare lingered on the black stud before he met Quill’s stare again. He drew his eyebrows together trying to decide if Quill looked like the kind of guy who would knock his sister around. Finally he decided it was best if he didn’t get invovled…but he wasn’t in the mood to make this conversation easy either.

“Why don’t you ask her?”

“Why don’t I ask you?” Quill moved into him again.

“We’re lab p-p-partners.” Jolin held up his hands, tired of defending his study date.

“That’s not the word on the street.” Quill pushed against him. “I don’t want you messing with her.”

“We’re lab p-p-partners,” he repeated for what seemed like the millionth time. “I g-g-got to g-g-et to class. You know better than to b-b-believe rumors.”

Quill seemed to be thinking, then nodded and moved to the side to let him pass.

Jolin tilted his head back looking at the ceiling. ‘Fuck,” he muttered. He was screwed.

Serenity

Thursday, October 17

7:00 a.m.

The minute Ren entered the school she’d been bombarded with the news she’d banged Jolin yesterday. She guessed all she really had to do was get in his car to start the rumors. But now she had to sit next to him in Bio and act like nothing happened and everyone wasn’t talking about them. She hadn’t thought this through before she agreed to it. Why had it never occured to her she would still have to be his lab partner after she followed through with the plan? It was one thing to see Brock every day. They had an arrangement. It was a means to an end. He helped her, and she helped him. It was only until she could get out of here. But she couldn’t shake the feeling she was turning into her mother. Her and Brock’s arrangement hadn’t bothered her before. Why did Jolin’s presence make it any different?

“Ren!”

She sunk into her locker hoping it would teleport her away.

“Ren,” Brock said again as he sauntered up to her, brushing his chest against her arm.

“I thought I was social suicide? You better step away or you’ll catch the plague,” Ren snapped.

“I don’t have time for your PMS. Did you get it done?” Brock kept his voice low, the expression on his face could have easily been mistaken for harassment. He was better at this game than her.

“Your girlfriend’s watching,” Ren mumbled. “Or did you already get rid of her?” Brock sort of dated one of the many cheerleaders. Ren thought she came with his position of second string quarterback. Every player was paired with a cheerleader, but Brock’s promotion to first string left him wanting a first string girlfriend. Namely Elizabeth. The only problem was Jolin was in some weird high school social status limbo and even though Elizabeth said they broke up Ren wasn’t sure what they were…and apparently Jolin wasn’t sure either.

If news of Jolin’s and Ren’s study date got to her it would only be a matter of time before Brock’s plan worked, and she was on his arm, making Lisa old news until the line up shifted and she was assigned her next boyfriend. Lisa and Elizabeth were gorgeous in a cheerleader sort of way. Ren had to appreciate beauty even if it came wrapped with a gigantic bow on top of its head and a pair of pom poms. They were bitches to most everyone at school, but they must have had some high moral standards because if Brock was getting something from Lisa he wouldn’t be coming to her. Apparently they weren’t giving anything up. She couldn’t complain, their frigid personalities kept her job intact and made her afternoon with Jolin a huge deal to the virgin cheerleader. Jolin was used goods now, and Elizabeth would turn to Brock to get her popularity back up to par before homecoming elections began. Everything went according to plan except Ren hadn’t actually done anything, and she still felt like shit about it.

Brock looked over his shoulder and winked. “Whatever. So you went to Jolin’s house yesterday.”

“Since you used your magical powers of persuasion to get Mr. Carson to change groups we’re behind on the assignment. I can’t do your bidding and forget I still need to graduate.” Ren balanced her books against her hip.

“Yeah, whatever. So
did
you?” He raised an eyebrow.

She wanted to slap him. “Did I what?”

He leaned in way to close and overwhelmed her with his Mento breath. His girlfriend was going to torture her later. “Suck his dick?”

“You’re so eloquent with your word choice.” Ren wanted to push him away. “Does it matter? Everyone already thinks I banged him. All I needed to do was get in his car and the rumors started.”

“I don’t care what the rumors say. It matters. We had a deal. I’m not paying you to spread rumors I could have done that for free. Did you do it?”

Ren hesitated, then nodded.

“That’s my girl.” He slid a small envelop into her biology book. “See ya later babe.” And he was gone.

She leaned back against her locker and sighed.

Technically she’d done what he asked. He never asked if she’d finished the job. Okay so maybe she was walking the thin line between what constituted a blow job. Did the final outcome define blow job or just the act of sucking it?

She walked into Biology as the bell rang.

“Ms. Diaz, can you please come here.” Although it was phrased as a question, Mr. Carson didn’t leave any room for anything but compliance.

“Shit,” she said under her breath. She kept her back to him and pulled in a deep breath. She’d been up most of the night listening to mom and her asshole getting it on. Then got up early to get her homework done and out of the house before they woke up. Ren had no doubts Mr. Carson heard the rumors of her afternoon sex with Jolin. She didn’t live her life by regrets. She’d been paid, and she needed the money. She’d been delusional to think the news would be for Elizabeth’s ears only. Ren was so not in the mood for a hassle. She put a friendly smile on her face and turned around.

“What can I do for you, Mr. Carson?” Ren purred.

His teacher mask fell for just a minute and his cheeks turned a little pink. He pulled himself together quickly and cleared his throat. “I’m sure you spent many a minute putting this little ensemble together but it violates the dress code. You’re out until you get something that covers up more…” He cleared his throat and pointed up and down her body. “Covers more skin.” He stumbled over his words.

Ren was totally covered up. No boobage at all. She dropped her head to see what he was talking about. Did she forget a button? “I’m not sure I understand.”

His eyes refused to meet hers. “Your shorts are too short.”

“My shorts are too short,” she repeated, then laughed. “And you want me to find something else to wear…” Seriously where was she going to find a pair of pants sitting around?

“Ms. Diaz. I find your attire today to be skirting the very limit of the dress code. I don’t believe those shorts go to your fingertips.” He cleared his throat again and dropped his gaze to a stack of papers on his desk. “You will need to check yourself out of the office and go home and change.” He busied himself shuffling papers.

“Sir, I don’t believe the cheerleaders’ skirts reach their fingertips.” Ren dropped her voice and slid a hip onto the corner of his desk.

“Uniforms don’t fall under the dress code.” He continued to organize his desk in an attempt to avoid looking at her.

“So the school will purchase distracting clothing for their cheerleaders, but not allow those who do not participate in the activity to wear equally distracting clothes? I might mention my ass is not hanging out under these shorts.” She turned around and stuck her butt in his direction. “Is it?” She was going home anyway, she might as well make it worth it.

“Uniforms do not fall under the code. And your shorts are too short.” His face was getting redder.

“Sir, I feel the dress code not only discriminates against those of us who do not have the flexibility to be a cheerleader, but also against those of us that have unusually long arms and fingers. I believe my shorts, if measured by the standard length of a girls arm would be adequate.” She winked.

Mr. Carson blew out a breath and closed his eyes. “The dress code is standardized, Ms. Diaz. It is in place to make the learning environment less distracting. Your outfit is distracting. Go to the gym and put some sweats on or go home, but you cannot remain in my class.”

“You’re kicking
me
out?” Ren leaned in close and stuck her chest out toward his. “Because my shorts are…? Too distracting for
you
? I’m sure we can find a solution without me having to leave.” She lowered her gaze to his crotch and let her words flow out softly. “I don’t have a car.” She reached out to touch his hand. “Please, Mr. Carson. I have assignments due today. I won’t wear them again.”

He jerked his hand back. “Go.” His voice cracked.

“Shit,” Ren muttered under her breath. She hated the stupid ass hierarchy of this school.

Jolin

Thursday, October 17

7:10 a.m.

Jolin reached Biology as the second bell rang.

Mr. Carson looked up from his desk when Jolin walked by, distracted by the surge of rumors after a simple study date. Well a study date that ended with his dick hanging out, but he hadn’t told anyone anything. Shit. Had she said something?

Mr. Carson was notorious for being tough on tardies. Most of the teachers gave the football team huge latitude on being tardy, but in the last few weeks it had been made perfectly clear Jolin no longer was privy those luxuries. Everyone within the hallowed halls of the high school made it perfectly clear that his worth relied on his ability to throw touchdowns.