Chapter 4
Somehow, I had gotten the house to myself for the weekend. After a long summer of hounding my ass about college, I think my mother and Gerald needed a break. They had left on Thursday for an extended weekend trip and forgotten to have any of the staff there to babysit me. Oopsie.
I wasn’t going to be stupid and let things get out of control, but I figured I was due to have a teensy bit of fun. Besides, the rest of my friends who had planned on leaving for school were preparing to head off again, and I figured they would need one final send off, courtesy of me.
I hadn’t heard much from Marley and Madison since they left, and really, it wasn’t surprising. Those two were all about status and now that they weren’t living here again, they were probably busy sinking their claws into someone else who had some kind of pull around there.
“Adelaide. O-M-G. You look freakin’ hot. It looks like someone’s been getting their tan on this summer.” I smiled as I held the door open for Rachel Simmons. She had always been someone that hung around in my group, but we weren’t really close. She pressed a bottle of Ciroc into my hands and brushed past me, herding herself into the small group that was already there.
I guess laying out almost every day this summer had done my body good. I had a nice deep tan and with the white strapless sundress I had on, it only helped to set it off even more. I moved to shut the door when a hand popped in, blocking the way. “Um, excuse me. Did I invite you?” I pasted a sweet smile on my face but narrowed my eyes at the body that belonged to that hand. I had thought I had seen the last of him for awhile, at least.
His blond hair looked to be just a bit longer than I remembered, and those blue eyes widened, smiling back at me as he slowly looked me over. “Damn Addy. Do you really have to be like that? Don’t try to tell me that you aren’t going to miss me. I figured you’d at least want to see me before I took off for the semester. Please?”
Great, just what I needed, an ex-boyfriend who doesn’t know how to take a hint. I didn’t think I could get much clearer. I guess I should have started drinking earlier. I let out a loud sigh and moved aside so he could step through. He leaned down and placed a quick kiss on my cheek before sliding past me and yelling out to a friend of his, who was probably the one who had invited him. Traitor.
I walked into the kitchen and poured two shots of the good stuff that I had hidden from everyone else. The burning of the liquid seemed to stuff down the memories that were trying to break free at the sight of Chris, so I poured out a third before walking back into the game room.
Luckily, through blurred vision and a very incoherent mindset, I was able to keep the noise to a dull roar. I really didn’t need any of the neighbors to call the cops so they could bust a bunch of minors. That definitely wouldn’t have made mommy dearest very happy.
“Bye, Adelaide.” Rachel gave me two air kisses before stumbling out with the help of Mason Jeffries whose hand was resting squarely on her rounded ass. At least someone was going to have a fun night.
I shut the door with a loud sigh, seeing that it was only one a.m. I wasn’t totally wasted, and I knew if I went to sleep now all I would do was toss and turn, so I headed towards the kitchen.
“Addy,” I heard whispered behind my back, and I spun around with the glass raised to my lips, my eyes widening as I saw Chris standing in the entryway.
“I thought you left with everyone else. You looked like you were getting pretty cozy with Chloe with the way she was grinding her ass all over you.” I tried to keep any jealousy out of my voice, but it was almost impossible. I might be trying to avoid him at all costs, but there were still some feelings left there that just wouldn’t go away.
I think I would always have feelings for Chris because he was my first love, but we would never be able to be together again. Too many things had happened that couldn’t be changed.
“Come on, Addy, you know I couldn’t give a shit about anyone else but you. I just wanted some alone time before I left. Is that all right, or do you want me to leave?”
Wow, he was actually giving me a choice. I guess some things did change after all. I chewed on my lip so hard, I thought for sure there would be blood, before answering him.
“Yeah, I guess that’s all right,” I took a deep breath, not believing what I was about to do, but Chris just seemed to bring back so many memories that I just wanted to keep away. “But I’m really not in the mood for talking.” I closed the small space between us and instantly mashed my lips against his. He let out a startled noise because I’m sure there was no way he was expecting that, but he, of course, didn’t pull away. His mouth tasted so familiar and comforting as I tangled my hands in his hair.
That had been one of my favorite things about Chris: even though all around he was a good looking guy, I just always felt so in control during our heavy make out sessions when I had my hands twined through his hair, controlling the next moves.
“Addy,” he moaned into my mouth before spinning me around and slamming me into the kitchen wall. “You have no idea how much I missed this. How much I missed everything about you.” He worked at a frantic pace, his hands pushing up the hem of my dress until it was bunched up at my waist.
“Just quit talking.” I wrapped my legs around his waist and latched my lips onto his neck, sliding my tongue up the length until I reached his strong jaw and then dragged his bottom lip in between my teeth. I moaned into his mouth when he thrust his hips forward.
I could feel his hardness through his shorts push against me, and it set me off with a need that I had to have filled right then and there. I let my legs drop briefly and fumbled with the button on his shorts. He helped out by pushing those down, along with his boxers and reached down to grasp my hips.
“Wait, hold on,” I gasped out. Just because we were in the heat of the moment, I had certainly learned my lesson the first time. “Condom.” I held out my hand and waited. He must have known I meant business this time because he had one out of his wallet in record time, and I was once again wrapping my legs around his waist. With one thrust, we were both moaning out each other’s names and falling into a rhythm that seemed all too familiar.
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I flopped onto the middle of my bed, and Chris rolled in next to me, both of us catching our breath after the workout we had in the kitchen and then on the dining room table. I knew I had just made a huge mistake, but I felt guilty for thinking that by the dopey smile that was spread across his face.
He laced our hands together and traced my bare stomach with his other. I avoided his eyes though. If I looked into them, I knew I would definitely do something a whole lot stupider than had just happened.
If that was possible.
“See, Addy, you and me just works. I knew if you just gave it a chance again, it would be like nothing ever happened.” I stifled a groan and squeezed my eyes shut. Of course he thought sex could solve everything. Typical guy. I think that was the whole problem to begin with.
“Can we talk about this in the morning? My head is pounding, and I’m super tired.” I asked quietly, which really wasn’t far from the truth. Just thinking about what he said made me exhausted.
“Sure, I’m just happy to be right here with you.” He turned to bury his nose in the crook of my neck and I instantly stiffened. Cuddling was certainly not part of the equation. “You know I won’t be that far away when the semester starts up.” I let out a loud sigh hoping he would get the hint, but he just continued talking.
“We could always try a long distance thing or maybe you could get accepted to a college nearby. The place I have would be big enough for two, you could always move in there. We could have a fresh start; leave our past behind.” I cracked one eye open, my heart beating through my chest as he laid our whole future out in front of us. No grin crossed his face. He was being one hundred percent completely serious. F*ck me.
“Mmm hmm, we’ll talk about things in the morning,” I murmured, turning onto my side to face away from him. He answered with a kiss to my bare shoulder, and luckily didn’t say anything else. A tear dripped down my cheek as I stared into the darkness of my room, and I soon heard Chris’s light snores behind me.
I wish I could leave my past behind, but I knew if I tried to start any kind of new future, it couldn’t be with Chris. Every time I looked at him, I remembered the night that had changed my life. Tonight was supposed to be about forgetting, about letting go, but all that I really did was give him renewed hope for something that would never be.
A crash woke me up from my restless sleep and I immediately sat up, pushing at Chris’s limbs that were tangled around my body. I looked up just in time to see my mother storming towards my bed with a look of fury that I didn’t know she had in her.
“Get out of that bed this instant, Adelaide McGregor. I have had it up to here,” she screamed, her face turning beet-red, I was sure her head was about to explode any second like one of those cartoon characters. I casually made my way out of my bed, scooping my discarded bra off the floor and hooking it into place.
“And you, Mr. Zander.” Mother poked Chris in the chest who had yet to even flinch and was still passed out. I watched as she stomped to the bathroom in her heels and returned with a tall glass of water, promptly throwing it straight in his face. “What the hell was that for, Addy?” He sputtered as he sat up and opened his eyes through the stream of water. “Oh, excuse me, Mrs. Conklin. I, uh, didn’t…we weren’t doing. We just fell asleep.”
“Yeah, we just fell asleep…naked,” I added sarcastically. Geez, Chris be a freaking man about it. We are twenty years old. “What are you doing home so early, Mother? I thought you were gone through Monday.”
“Well, that’s what the plan was,” she seethed, “until I got a phone call from Mrs. Weathersby about the noise coming from our house and the stream of teenagers coming in and out. So thanks for ruining our time away. What were you thinking Adelaide? That I wouldn’t find out? A mother always finds out.”
Mrs. Weathersby, of course. Nosey old bitch with nothing better to do. “I’m an adult now, Mother. If I feel like having a few friends over, I don’t see what the issue would be.” I put a hand on my hip to challenge her. Poor Chris looked like a bobble head the way he kept looking back and forth between the two of us.
“The issue is that you’re out of control and apparently not acting like an adult.” She jabbed Chris in the chest with her manicured finger. “Point in case being him. You can leave now, Chris. I believe you left your clothes in the kitchen.” I watched as Chris fumbled around awkwardly with my bed sheet until it was wrapped around him like a toga, and I couldn’t help but smirk. “Oh, and I’ll be making sure your mother hears about this at the club. I know she’ll be so disappointed.”
“Sorry, Mrs. Conklin,” he muttered without looking back at me, practically running out of the room.
I walked over to my dresser drawer and began to pull out clothes for the day. I really needed a shower. I could feel my mother’s eyes boring into my back and eventually turned around, knowing that she wasn’t leaving anytime soon, and I would just have to deal with her.
She shook her head at me as soon as I whipped around and crossed her arms over her chest tightly. “I didn’t think it would have to come to this, Adelaide, but this was the final straw. I cannot believe I would catch you with him of all people. Did you not learn your lesson the first time?”
“Oh, please, Mother. Do you think he has some kind of super sperm or something? I wasn’t being stupid about it, we were completely safe.”
“That’s not the point and the fact that you can’t see it that way, only helps me know that I’m doing this for the best. As of tomorrow you no longer live here.” My mouth dropped open, and I gaped at her when I didn’t see any kind of humor in her face. “Excuse me?”
“You’ve not made any attempt to change your ways, no plans for a job or to finish up school at a four year college when most semesters start next week. You’re on a downward spiral, and while I know I haven’t done the best job at parenting you, I think this will be for the best.” I thought I almost saw a glimmer of tears in her eyes but I was probably seeing things. My mother had turned all of her emotions off years ago.
“Fine, I’ll pack my things and stay with a friend until you change your mind then.” I walked over to my closet and began to pull out my luggage. I would most likely only need one bag before she changed her mind and gave in. It always happened.
“Oh, really? And who will you be staying with? Aren’t all of your friends heading off to school?”
I froze as I unzipped my suitcase. Of course, I hadn’t factored that in at all. “That’s all right, I’m sure I can stay at a hotel or I could always rent an apartment. As long as I’m out of your hair, right mother?”
She chuckled lightly and strode across my room, pulling dresser drawers open to empty them into a pile on the floor. “Well, I don’t know how that would be possible. All of your credit cards have been deactivated, and your car has been taken away.”
“What the hell?” I screeched as I jumped up and literally stomped my foot on the ground. Yeah, I know I was acting like a spoiled brat but it wasn’t my fault. It was my mothers. “Why would you do that? Would you like to have your own daughter living on a park bench or something?”
“Oh, please. Don’t be so dramatic. Your father and I talked.” This made me pause from ripping all of my clothes off their hangers. She and my dad never talked. Like, ever.
“We decided that you’re out of control and certainly aren’t acting like an adult. Drinking, doing drugs, and hopping from bed to bed. You barely made it through community college, and you and I both know you don’t have any plans as of right now for continuing on with your education.” She took a deep breath while I remained silent. I really had no idea what to say. I was fuming inside, feeling like I was a ticking time bomb, about to explode any second.
“It’s time for you to get your life together, Adelaide. As of tomorrow, you will no longer live here. You will be boarding a plane at six a.m., so make sure you have all of your things together, I’m not sure when you’ll be returning.”
“Are you serious? You think you can just make these kinds of decisions without even including me when it’s my life?” She just stood there, silently, while I was pretty sure I was going insane. My life was being practically ripped out from underneath my feet and she just stood there, still as a statue, not one emotion crossing her face.
“And where will I be going, Mother? Am I at least privy to that information or is that a surprise as well?”
“North Carolina,” she answered simply before turning on her heel and shutting the door behind her.