Jaded

He hugged me tightly and smoothed a hand down my hair.

Neither of us said a word and Corrigan pressed a quick kiss to my forehead before he darted up the stairs to his room.

I headed downstairs.

Bryce wasn't in the hallway or in my room. I didn't think about it and stripped down to my underwear and tank top. When I heard the bathroom door open, I slid out and met Bryce in the hallway.

We both stopped, stared at each other, and I moved around to the bathroom.

Bryce let me go.

When I came back, his door was shut and the lights were off. I stood there from indecision and finally just went to my own room. I crawled underneath the covers and flipped to my side.

To my surprise…the first nightmare ripped through me at breakneck speed. When I gasped awake, my heart pounding, I looked at the clock and saw I'd been asleep for two hours. I shook my head weakly, trying to clear all thoughts, but the shiver still ran down my spine. The goose bumps on my arms weren't from the cold. I didn't think about it. I didn't plan it—nothing. I just got out of bed and crawled into Bryce's.

I slipped underneath his bedcovers and heard his deep breaths. He was still asleep.

I scooted closer and nuzzled into his side, needing his warmth.

"Hey," he murmured, tiredly, as he wrapped an arm around my waist. Bryce nearly pulled me over his body then. He nuzzled against my neck and promptly fell back asleep.

That's when I closed my eyes and I welcomed the fog that settled on my mind.

The next time I woke, someone pounced on me. It wasn't Bryce. I opened my groggy eyes to see Corrigan beaming back at me. He laid down on me with his clothes, my clothes, and the blankets between us.

He rested his chin on top of his clasped hands, right on my chest and smiled.

"Go away," I grumbled and tried to roll out from underneath him.

Corrigan countered my move and merely spread his legs, entrapping me within his hold.

"Corrigan." I yawned as I tried to wrestle my arms out from underneath the blanket. I was paralyzed and gave up. Corrigan's weight held me captive.

To my surprise, Bryce moved awake beside me. He yawned as he placed one hand on Corrigan's shoulder and shoved him off.

"Get off," he mumbled and tucked me underneath his body. He placed a protective arm and leg over me as he glared at Corrigan on the floor.

"Morning, guys," Corrigan said cheerfully and he threw himself on top of us again.

"You are too damn cheerful," I complained and nestled against Bryce's chest.

"Get lost, man," Bryce scowled, but he bit back a grin. The effect was gone.

"Do you guys ever do it doggie-style?" Corrigan asked.

And I came awake. "Get out of here!" I shoved out from underneath Bryce and tucked my body to throw Corrigan to the floor.

Corrigan laughed, "Thought that'd wake you up." He jumped to his feet and exclaimed, "Let's go. Come on. Morning's a-wasting."

Bryce cursed and grumbled as he sat up against the headboard, "I forgot you were a morning person."

I rolled back underneath the blankets and glared.

"I feel very intimate with you guys," Corrigan remarked and flung himself back on the bed. He squeezed into the middle and glanced at us both. "Is this how it's like when you two do your thing? I feel like I'm a part of something. I think my life has been changed forever. I'm going to marry the next girl I bang. I swear it. I want to feel this intimacy."

"Shut up," I growled.

Bryce didn't say anything, he just flipped and rolled Corrigan under him. As the two started wrestling, I went in search for the bathroom. The two were still going at it when I emerged so I headed upstairs to the kitchen.

Katrice was cleaning dishes and said brightly, "Oh! There you are. I'm just finishing up here. Corrigan told me that you like coffee. Would you like a cup? I know that Harve said you seemed to enjoy it yesterday."

"Thanks, Mrs. Raimler."

"Oh. Please," she huffed and poured a cup for me. Setting it on the countertop, she reflected, "You're doing me such a favor, honey."

Huh? "What do you mean?"

"Well," she blinked. "I get to see Corrigan around the house. He's usually out of the house after he's grabbed a quick bite to eat. And heavens know when he gets home at night. He's always gone spending time with his friends. You know, he really adores you and Bryce. He talks about you guys all the time."

I didn't know what to say.

"You two are such a good influence on him."

My mouth dropped, "Huh?"

"You are. Both of you just calm him down. Corrigan used to get so riled up in school. We got called so much because he fought all the time. Harve and I noticed a change in our Corrigan when he started talking about Bryce and Sheldon. The calls stopped after that."

"I think that was around the time of puberty," I said dryly. "Corrigan noticed girls."

"The Harve and I thought about that too. We thought that was the change in him, but Stephen told us about him one time. He saw his older brother at the mall with you two and it was a new Corrigan."

Who would've thought it? I was a good influence. I wasn't buying it.

Katrice busied herself cleaning the counter as she muttered, "At least we don't get calls from the police anymore. That was stressful. We got calls almost once a month, sometimes two times. If we only get one a year now, we're grateful."

Corrigan in jail? Never.

Just then Corrigan sprinted up the stairs, breathless.

"Hey, mom," he greeted and stopped abruptly at my chair.

I noticed two red gashes on his chin and saw another long red scrape that wrapped around his neck. Rug burn.

"Bryce beat you, didn't he?" I laughed.

Corrigan flushed. "He did not. It was mutual."

"Oh, honey." Katrice rolled her eyes to the heavens above and sighed, "You're always getting yourself into these scrapes. We've talked about this. You don't always have to be the alpha male. Sometimes, it's okay to be the beta. You actually have more personality—"

"Mom!" Corrigan interrupted. "We're not talking about this."

"Honey. You have my family's wild side in you. I have atoned for this. Really. I'm to blame, but I've seen your friend, Bryce. He is not a beta male. And you grew up being comfortable as the alpha male in this household. I know that sometimes you're going to rebel, but I really think you'll benefit in the long run when you're flexible and can adapt to being the beta or the alpha male."

"Mother," he hissed through clenched teeth.

I bit my lip. A laugh would not be appropriate, but…I couldn't hold back.

"Shut up."

"Oh my god." I normally hated giggling, but wow.

"See." Katrice patted her son's tense arm. "Sheldon agrees with me."

"Mom." Corrigan shook his head, glaring. "She's laughing at me. You humiliated me in front of my best friend."

"She's not laughing at you. I'm sure Sheldon's seen Bryce without a shirt. She probably agrees with me."

I lost it.

"Get out," Corrigan said through gritted teeth. "Get out while you can."

I got out and moved downstairs just in time to see Bryce leave the bathroom without a shirt.

I started laughing again.

"What's with you?" Bryce asked as I walked in front of him and sat on his bed. I laid down as he started dressing.

"Corrigan's mom is hilarious."

"Really?" Surprise flashed in his eyes. "I always thought she was a little weird."

"Oh, she is. But she's hilarious. She just commended me for being a 'good' influence on her son and she's probably still lecturing him how being a beta male is beneficial."

"What?" Bryce stopped and looked at me, dumbfounded.

"Never mind." Still chuckling, I stretched out on his bed.

I didn't see any similar marks on Bryce like Corrigan's carpet burn. He really was magnificent and the Mohawk accentuated his presence.

"We have to get all of our cars today," Bryce mumbled as he looked for his shirt.

I groaned, "Can we not? Can we stay here? Have Katrice be our mother and forget all about high school?"

Bryce sat on the bed as he pulled a shirt over his head. As he poked his head through the opening, he replied, "That'd be awesome, but my mom would have a fit. I'm supposed to make the money—" He bit off the next word.

I sat up. "What are you talking about? Why do you have to make the money?"

Bryce just sighed.

"Bryce," I said sharply. "You're going to college…that's why you stopped playing soccer. They don't want you to play. Are you supposed to get a job now?"

"Let's go. I think Corrigan said something about waking up Stephen."

"No." I scrambled off the bed and stood in front of the door.

Bryce was avoiding me. He was avoiding my questions and it pissed me off. I may not like to talk about stuff, but I wanted to talk about this—I really wanted to talk about this.

"What is going on?"

"You're not my girlfriend. I don't have to tell you a thing." Bryce cursed and shoved past me.

Stunned, I stood there. What had just happened?





Chapter 17





I was greeted with blatant stares as I entered the hallways on Monday. I didn't care as I made my way to first period. Mr. Aldross sat at his desk as he waited for everyone to sit and the first bell rang. After it did, he didn't write his twenty questions on the board. Instead , the speakers crackled as an announcement was given to us.

"At this hour, please place all your books in your lockers and attend the auditorium."

I didn't have to hear the sudden whispers to know what everyone thought. This was the announcement about Leisha's death.

"Sheldon," Mr. Aldross spoke up. "Can you wait a moment please?"

I nodded, struck that he'd spoken my first name. Mr. Aldross only greeted me as 'Miss Jeneve.'

As everyone left and the door closed on the last gawker, Mr. Aldross stood up and sat at a table nearest mine.

"I'm sorry, Sheldon. I wanted to let you know that. I was told that you and Mr. Scout were the ones who found her. That must be…difficult, at the least." He cleared his throat. "Have you thought about speaking to Miss Connors? I'm sure she'd be an excellent listener if there were things you needed to get off of your chest."

I nodded and replied, "The cops said that we could do a group thing. Me, Bryce, and Corrigan."

"Of course. If that would be helpful, it might be the best venue for you." He nodded again and stood. "Well, shall we go?"

The teacher had given his sincerest condolences. Now that his obligatory support had been given, onto the rest of the day's agenda.

As we walked through the hallways, there was an overflow of students in the hallway. The auditorium's door weren't big enough for the sudden influx of students and the filtering slowed the onslaught.

Corrigan straightened from my locker as Mr. Aldross and I turned the corner.

Mr. Aldross gave us both a perfunctory nod as he passed by us with no comment or reproach.

"That was weird," Corrigan muttered, still watching the teacher. "I'm used to getting scolded by that dude."

I kicked my locker and deposited my books inside.

"Hey, so, the cops are here."

"What cops?"

"The ones for your protection. Remember?"

No. I'd forgotten.

"Oh." I glanced around. "Where's Bryce?" After a tense afternoon spent together, he'd gone home Sunday evening to face AnnaBelle's wrath. I was a little concerned if he'd been eaten alive.

Corrigan shrugged and remarked, "Can we skip this lame thing? All it's going to be about is the 'offer of counseling services. Everyone shouldn't walk alone at night. Use your buddy-system. And the faculty and staff wish to extend their greatest condolescences to everyone who has been touched by the recent tragic loss.'"

His words were meant for mockery, but they sounded bitter.

"Where's Bryce?"

"Mama dearest probably locked him in the dungeon." Corrigan shrugged carelessly. I'd yet to meet a fan of AnnaBelle Scout who wasn't her seven-year old daughter.

Just then, Bryce rounded the corner and said as a greeting, "The cops are parked across the street. They're watching your car, Sheldon."

I already felt protected. Not really, but I was a little relieved. Bryce didn't seem as tense as yesterday.

"Did your mom freak last night?" Corrigan asked Bryce.

A raised eyebrow was his response and Corrigan chuckled, "She's so predictable."

Bryce asked me, "Did you sleep?"

"On and off," I said dully and a yawn escaped me. I'd stayed at Corrigan's, but Bryce hadn't been there to help me sleep. I knew another sleepless night would make my pride too desperate and I'd beg for his company.

"Students," Mr. Adlross boomed down the hallway. "We're starting and you are not inside."

There were other lingering students, but he wasn't talking to them. Mr. Aldross looked straight at us as he gestured towards the auditorium doors.

"Today, Mr. Raimler, Mr. Scout, and Miss Jeneve."

The other students breathed in relief. They'd escaped Mr. Aldross' wrath.

"Whatever," Corrigan muttered as he stood and led our slow arrival past Mr. Aldross' disapproval.

A few seats were empty, but Corrigan led us towards the back sections and jerked his head at a few students. They scrambled and the three of us sat in the back row that was shadowed from the overhanging seats upstairs.

As we all waited for someone to approach the podium on the stage, Corrigan tapped his foot against the seat's backrest in front of him. It earned him an irritated glare from a junior girl that immediately turned into a self-conscious smile. Corrigan's eyes lit up and he leaned forward for some time-consuming flirting.

I slumped in my seat and closed my eyes until I felt Bryce's fingers slide onto my thigh.

I looked up and saw a faint grin as he stared back. He didn't look like he fared the night any better so I sat up and slid a hand around his neck. He leaned down and met my waiting lips. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the warmth as Bryce kissed me. It felt satisfying and pleasurable against a night of no sleep. His kisses pushed the coldness of reality away and I relaxed against him when he shifted me to his lap.

The microphone crackled as it was moved too close to a body and Principal Gregory spoke clearly and briskly, "When Miss Jeneve and Mr. Scout finish their morning 'hellos' we will resume with the agenda for this emergency convention."