“Does he know I’m in your room?” He starts to climb from the bed and fetch his pants off the floor. “Shit! I knew I should’ve gone downstairs. He’s never going to let me come over again, and now that the damn tree is gone, sneaking in the window is out.”

  I’m almost laughing. He’s in a panic. He probably thinks if he steps out of my room my dad will be waiting with a baseball bat or worse. Laughter erupts before I’m able to calm his concerns. “I’m sorry. It’s not funny, but it kind of is. I mean, we talked about you moving in. My dad said he could use the help and that you can have the room across the hall. Of course there will be ground rules and he doesn’t want us frolicking around the house, but...”

  “Hold up. Are you being serious?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  “Your dad wants me to move in here?”

  I shrug but smile. “Yeah. He isn’t thrilled about us having sex, but what father would be? I’m surprised he didn’t freak out when he opened my door earlier.”

  “What? He saw us in your bed? Shit!”

  “He saw us in my bed and went downstairs anyway. He didn’t yell at me or grab you by the throat. When I confronted him he suggested maybe you’d want to move in. He thinks you do good work and said as long as you helped him with the remodel and pitched in with groceries he’d call it even. Oh and he likes that you make me feel safe, especially when he can’t be here.”

  “This can’t be for real.”

  “Garver, my dad found out someone was watching me. They were squatting in our attic. He doesn’t want me here alone, and we are all adults now. He’s trying to make amends with me.”

  Garver sits on the edge of the bed holding his shirt. He looks up at me with uncertainty.

  “Why are you being weird?”

  “Did you ask him if I could live here? Did you tell him I didn’t have a place to live?”

  “I didn’t ask him anything. He knows you’ve been sneaking in my window staying here. I guess he figured you may as well have permission instead of hiding that you’re always here anyway.”

  His shoulders relax, and I watch relief wash over his face. It figures he would worry I’ll tell everyone about his shack. He doesn’t even need it now. Garver has a real place to live where he’s wanted. I still don’t understand what’s wrong with Frank’s house, but that’s a topic of discussion for another day.

  “So,” I begin. “Will you move in with us?”

  “I thought you were trying to get out of here.”

  “I am, but I’m nowhere near being able to afford it. With everything that’s happened lately, I’m sort of more concerned about getting through each day. I don’t feel comfortable here without you. I’m not trying to force you into anything or pressure you into making what we are more serious. It can be temporary if that’s what you want. It doesn’t even have to be about us. You’ll have your own space. If we break up you won’t have to leave either. I’ll make sure of it.”

  “So, you don’t think we’ll work out? Are you just riding this out until you can escape?” He’s back to being weird again.

  Facepalm.

  “I have no idea. We don’t really talk about serious things.”

  “So you keep saying. What you don’t understand is that I haven’t had to explain myself in a very long time. Before you came along it was me against the world, and yeah I have secrets and shit I don’t want to talk about, but they have nothing to do with us, or how I feel about you.”

  “Sometimes I just wish you’d trust me enough to tell me everything you have bottled up.”

  He sighs heavily out of frustration. “Sometimes I wish you’d respect my privacy,” he counters.

  “Whatever! Forgive me for trying to make your life better.” Starting to walk away, he takes me by the arm and stops me in my tracks.

  “Soph, don’t be like that.”

  “You won’t even tell me how you feel about me, so I don’t know why I thought you’d want to live with me.”

  “I never said I didn’t!” he argues.

  “Then what’s the problem? Dad said we couldn’t fight and we can’t even agree on you moving in. This is going to be a catastrophe.”

  “What happens if you change your mind about me?”

  I can tell from the way he’s looking at me that he’s being sincere. It’s almost like he’s afraid of being thrown out like the garbage. I hate that he fears not being wanted. How awful was his childhood for him to act this way? It breaks my heart.

  “Garver, I’m not going to toss you out regardless of where our relationship goes. You’re the first person to truly be supportive since I lost my mom.”

  “You had friends where you lived before.”

  “Not one of them still talk to me the way friends should. They all turned their backs on me in order to stay friends with my ex. I guess they weren’t really my friends at all if it was so easy to let me go. Maybe they just didn’t know how to be my friend after I lost my mom. I didn’t want company, and I certainly didn’t want to hear how sorry people were. No one was sorrier than me.”

  “I think it’s easy for people our age to move on when they feel uncomfortable. It’s easier to do that then get to know someone and have to maneuver around their personal issues like you’re walking on eggshells. Don’t take it too personal. I’ve had friends come and go too.”

  “It’s just sad. With social media, no one should lose touch anymore.”

  “Yeah, or maybe it’s just how life plays out. I’ve heard the people I’m in high school with will mean nothing in my adult life.”

  I smile. “I’ve heard that too.”

  “See. It’s not you they’re letting go, it’s that the temporary connection you shared is severed. They can’t get anything more out of you so they move on. Typical. Female. High. School. Drama. Bet you’re glad I came along,” he says with a nudge to my arm.

  Our eyes meet, and he playfully shoves me again. When we kiss it’s slow and equally appreciated. My eyes shutter open when it ends and I’m lost in his tantric gaze. “I am glad. No one has ever made me feel the way you do.”

  “I guess I don’t really have a choice.”

  “Huh?”

  “I have to move in, since you can’t live without me.”

  He pulls me close, kissing the top of my head. It’s exciting, yet somehow I’m worried at the same time. Garver may stay the night a lot, but living under the same roof is a different story. He could have bad habits. What if my dad changes his mind? It would devastate my fragile boyfriend. I say fragile because his dark past haunts him. I can relate. I understand more than he’d like to admit.

  Chapter 15

  Graduation can’t come soon enough, and Garver can only protect me so much. It only takes a little jab for me to overreact when it comes to Cassidy and her little band of merry asshole companions. I’d call them friends, but they’d stab each other in the backs in a heartbeat if they had something to personally gain from it. It’s unfortunate that I have to continue to do labs with the two biggest idiots in the class.

  Okay, maybe I should just explain why I’m being such a bitch in the first place. Like every other school day, I enter the class knowing, at least expecting, that words will be exchanged. The bell rings and the students adjust in their seats to go over the itinerary for this particular days lesson. While the teacher begins to address the people in the room, an awful stench fills my nostrils. It’s so strong I actually take my shirt and pull it up over my nose to smell the fresh fabric softener instead. No sooner do I react when I hear giggling from around. Cassidy offers the first inclination that I’m being set up. “Told you she stinks.”

  The student behind me, Colby Granger, bellows a guffaw that disrupts the teacher.

  I’m fully aware they’ve put something under my chair to play this prank. It reeks of dog shit plain and simple, and the fact that it’s smelled like this for the length of time it took me to get to class after they’d set this up almost makes me burst into a laughing fit. To go to such strides in order to attempt to embarrass me. “Do you really have nothing better to bide your time with?” Waving my hands around at the rest of my peers. “Oh yeah, the jokes on me. I only bathe once a month, because I live in the old, dirty, Collinswood Estate. I bet you think we don’t even have electricity or running water.”

  She snarls while searching the room for one of our classmates to take her defense.

  I continue, because if I’m anything it’s relentless. “The smell is emanating from you. Did you actually pick up the shit with your bare hands? It’s probably still stuck in those fake acrylic nails of yours. If I were you, I'd make sure I washed them good, or else you’ll have a nice nasty case of the runs. Wouldn’t want those white capris soiled in liquid shit would ya? It’s no wonder Garver doesn’t want you.”

  Her reaction warrants full classroom attention. I don’t even think the entering teacher is aware of what’s about to go down. All eyes wide with shock, she shoves me. It’s not light either. My body hits the table behind me so hard it screeches as it’s moved from its place - wood against the linoleum floor. Righting myself, I don’t waste a single beat before giving the same gesture back. Her jock friend catches her before she can fall to the floor.

  Then it’s on, and even though her expression says she’s prepared, I know deep down within my gut she has no idea how to handle this kind of altercation.

  I’m on top of her. She’s screaming and flailing her arms around, apparently attempting to get a handful of my hair. This may be a girl-fight, but I’m not about to lose a single follicle for this ridiculous excuse of a human being.

  The room erupts with voices, some yelling for us to stop, while others egg us on. Amongst those sounds is a desperate teacher doing her best to intervene. As soon as my fist finds skin I know I won’t be able to stop myself. Every dirty look. All of the whispering and mocking. The distaste fills me with an agitated adrenaline. The outcome of this could ban me from graduation, yet the payoff seems gratifying. I’ll have the last laugh. I’ll be above this petty bitch and there’s not a damn thing she can do about it.

  One shove turns into a full-blown girl brawl, with me on the winner side. There’s not a second that losing crosses my mind as I swing my hand around to make contact with her face. Retribution comes at the price of my long hair, which is gripped, twisted, then yanked, dragging me in the direction she wishes. Not too keen on fighting like a little bitch, I sweep one of my legs to take out both of hers. We both lose our footing, though I’m quick to find mine again, immediately backing away from her whining ass. When she rights herself, my arm cocks back in a fight position. I have no problem hitting her. If it gets her, and the rest of the people in this school, off my back then I’ve solved my problem.

  There’s blood apparent on a busted lip that she probably acquired from the fall and not so much my ninja fighting skills, but I’ll certainly take all the credit. As she feels it and takes in the surroundings, I’m being grabbed from behind. At first I try to free myself until I realize it’s the teacher and another administrator that must have heard the ruckus.

  One large fingernail scratch from her forehead to her cheek leaves a second trail of blood. Three punches in, one to her neck, another to her ear, and the last sending her jaw sideways, all before I’m pulled off and shoved across the room. A large man, the astronomy teacher from across the hall, holds me in place, while my gaze never leaves the crying victim. I say that because she’s already playing that card; making it seem as if I’ve attacked out of nowhere. Typical.

  An amused grin fills the deadpan void on my face as our eyes lock. Her face is already red and swelling, so I know it’ll leave a mark. She’ll wear my point as it bruises then finally fades, and in that time I’ll be smiling, even if I’m not here at school to see it.

  “She started this!” My screams aren’t helping.

  I have a couple scrapes on my arms from her defending herself, but that’s about it. They still sting as I examine the mood of the room. I expect people to be shocked, some not so much. I mean, we’ve obviously had beef between us since day one. It was only a matter of time before she pushed the wrong buttons and got what was coming to her.

  The school police officer shows up only moments after a teacher notifies him with a walkie. He takes in the scene, talks quietly with the astronomy teacher, then points for both of us to come with him. A part of me wants to jump her again, but I know I’m treading on ice as it is. He stations us at opposing ends of the waiting area outside the principal’s office and stands between us as if to keep us in our places. For a few minutes I stare at my nails and attempt to straighten my hair, until I hear the sound of a door opening and raise my gaze. Coming out of the guidance office, still talking about their apparent session, is Garver. He doesn’t see me, nor is he facing my direction to even know I’m there. Instead, they walk together until they’ve left the confines of the main offices. The only thing I heard was for him to keep his head up and stop worrying about the past so much. The counselor made a comment like his life would only get better if I avoid his past at all costs. Just more bullshit he’s probably keeping from me. I had no clue he met with a counselor, or how that had even begun, or when. I wondered if he talked about me. Am I the reason he’s speaking to a counselor now?

  I’m still able to graduate, but neither of us is supposed to be allowed on stage. I have a feeling my nemesis will have her family plead to the officials in order to overturn the decision. Her grandfather is the county Judge for Christ sakes. I’m sure he has enough pull to make it disappear on her permanent record. For me, well I’ll be glad to get my diploma and hightail it out of here. At least I won’t have to come to school until my added three day suspension is lifted. Unfortunately it will give Cassidy time to heal, which kind of makes this all a waste of time. Oh well, it’s not like I want to take it back. That bitch got exactly what she deserves.

  Chapter 16

  Three weeks into living under the same roof, three days of it while being suspended. Dad wasn’t thrilled by my suspension from school, no matter how hard I pleaded my case. He took away my phone, but since my boyfriend sleeps in the same house, I didn’t really need it.

  That first week we got into a good routine. We’d come home from school each day, do our homework assignments, go to work and then repeat it the next day. Weekends were mostly free.

  Garver, my cryptic, moody, and secretive boyfriend decided to do something special for me. I suspect it was to cheer me up, but in light of recent events I wonder if he just knew it was only a matter of time before everything would come tumbling down.

  It was a Sunday morning, well before the doors to the bowling alley, also considered the town’s community center, opened for the day. I discovered him primping his hair in the bathroom mirror when I shoved him out of the way in order to brush my teeth.

  We’d been sticking to dad’s rules so much that Garver actually spent a lot of time doing small jobs around the place, and sometimes enjoying the confines of his own room. He liked to play video games, and once he had everything set up he’d disappear for hours, only resurfacing to use the bathroom or grab something to munch on. Sometimes I sort of felt neglected. In my heart of hearts I pictured us sneaking off for romps in the barn to escape Dad catching us. Instead, I’m bored out of my mind either waiting for him to give me attention or watching him do whatever he was doing at the time.

  On this particular day, I take my time in my room, only coming out when my stomach begins to rumble. Finding Garver up and dressed, I pretty much know where he’s headed. He’s been trying to make an appearance once a week at the hospital to see his mother, even though her basic catatonic state prevents them from interacting. Dad had encouraged it, and Garver wants to earn those brownie points.

  Often, they get along too well. Sometimes, it irks me. They’d get to talking about sports, or some project while I sat there watching them bond. Anyone would have thought they were father and son. As odd as it felt for me to watch, I wondered if Garver longed for a father-son connection again. I don’t know much, but what I understand is that his father wasn’t the best kind of person, not the type someone would call a role model. He was rebellious and committed petty crimes as a teen. It was part of the reason his mother was forbidden to be with him.

  Garver doesn’t reminisce about occasions with his father, but instead speaks highly of his grandparents on his father’s side, who have both passed away.

  I have a toothbrush in my mouth when he kisses the top of my head. “Morning, Soph. So, I was wondering if maybe you’d want to come with me this time. Your dad said I can take the truck. I figure it’s time I let you meet her. I mean, only if you feel comfortable about it. It’s not like she can talk or anything.” He shakes his head and hesitates before I can spit and respond. “Just forget it. It’s a stupid idea.”

  He’s almost down the stairs when I finish and wipe my face. “Hold up! It’s not stupid. I want to come. I’d love to meet your mother, Garver. It would mean a lot to me.”

  “You sure?”

  I meet him on the steps. “Of course. She’s your mom. I’m your girlfriend. It needs to happen, regardless of conversation.”

  “Are you sure?” He’s apprehensively changing his mind with each second.

  “Yes. I’m coming. Just let me change and do something with my hair. I can’t look like this,” I explain motioning to my attire.

  I smile against his suddenness like I’m gaining his trust for the very first time. “Give me ten minutes.”

  Garver drives in a silenced daze for the first twenty minutes. I fumble through my phone until boredom sets in. “Why’re you being so quiet?”

  “Because I’m worried what you’ll think of my mom. I know I haven’t been forthcoming about my family, partly because I’m embarrassed. I’ve lived in this small town my whole life. Everyone here gossips like their lives depend on it. I reckon it’s worse since there’s not much to do here, but it’s still annoying. It seems like the worse off your family is the more they want to shame you. I’ve just gotten to the point where I like living in the shadows. After my mom got sick I became the kid without parents. Back then all the families offered to take me in and give me, what they called, a better life. It didn’t last but a minute. When the time came for my distant relatives to step up they refused to respond to court summons. Frank stepped up and took me in, mostly because he was the only other option. I was a minor who just wanted to be part of a family. It’s not personal. You need to know that. It’s just hard for me. It’s tough to believe you and your dad actually want me around, because I’m not used to it. I guess I expect you guys to change your minds like everyone else did.”