Trouble Maker

Chapter Four: Chlorine kisses and Whiskey Morals

————

It’s Sunday, late in the morning when Kate finally comes home, instead of rushing to her room to sleep, she walks straight up to me and gives me a big hug. I’ve been avoiding her since last week when she grounded me. But today she has me cornered.

“I’m so sorry I wasn’t here last night.” She says, kissing my cheek and squeezing me, “Will told me everything this morning. We’re going to bring those kids in and call their parents. Why didn’t you tell me, Lucy? Why did I have to hear it from my co-worker?”

“Well after I got suspended again, I didn’t think you wanted to hear that I was at the centre of more drama.”

“Lucy, these kids broke into our home and harassed you. Of course I want to hear about it.” She bites her lip and a look of guilt crosses her face, which then makes me feel guilty for not trusting her. Kate’s put up with a lot from me, she deserves better. So I lean forward and give her a hug.

“So did you find out who it was?” I ask.

“Two minors. Lindsay Lorne and Matthew O’Reilly. They’re kids from your school, but a few years younger. Called their parents to bring them in this afternoon. I’ve never heard of these kids so I assume one of the year twelves put them up to it?”

“Yeah,” I nod, “Well Lindsay is Micah’s younger sister. So, I think we can guess who.”

Kate nods, mouth in a thin line, “Yeah. But unfortunately we can’t just accuse Micah of that. So we’ll just have to keep on waiting for him to try something again, or see if his sister says anything when she comes in. Then we’ll take him down.” She looks so determined, it’s kind of amazing. A burst of love pushes through my chest and I realise I am so lucky to have a sister like Kate.

Even after everything, she supports me. But I know nothing will come of any of this. We can wait for Micah to slip up again, but it’s not going to happen. Even if he does something stupid, he’s not going to suffer the consequences because there are five solid facts in this case:

One: Micah’s dad is on the Local Council

Two: Micah’s dad is on the school board.

Three: Micah’s dad is a fancy litigator

Four: and Micah can do no wrong in his father’s eyes.

Five: I’m the tarty, little sister of a cop with no parents and a consistent record of trouble in school.

So yeah, I don’t have confidence in her statement.

“It’ll sort itself out.” I muffle into her shoulder as she hugs me right back.

“And if it doesn’t, I’ll shoot him with my gun,” She says playfully, giving me a kiss on the cheek.

I don’t care about Micah – I’ve learnt my lesson for the final time with him. All I care about is the fact I have my sister back. The ceasefire is over. We’re friends again.

————

It’s been a week – I’ve been back to school and everything has gone by smoothly. Except for the fact that Sister Crick is now my only friend at school, because she’s scared even Ash away. I use the term ‘friend’ here lightly by the way, because after the whole thing with Micah behind Block D and having to be my chaperone at school, I’m fairly sure Sister Crick fucking hates me.

Actually I know Sister Crick fucking hates me because when we eating lunch on Wednesday she took a moment to look at me from her salad and said, “Lucy, I fucking hate you.”

Aside from that, the week went along smoothly. As a reward for my awesome behaviour, Kate has allowed me to go early to our Aunt Jane’s birthday barbecue to help her set up. I know, it may seem like a chore, but it’s four hours of company with someone else.

Utter bliss.

Things are going pretty well when Kate walks through the backyard of our Aunt’s house. I’ve had a few beers, the barbecue is going and I’m having a good time. When I spot Kate she looks giddy and excited, and that makes me giddy and excited because nothing makes me happier than to see Kate smiling. But I can feel my heart dropping because following her through the door is Will.

I feel like my chest is going to explode.

Kate’s brought him to our aunt’s birthday lunch? I guess they are dating. I’m angry at myself, because I was the one who gave them both the green-light to go ahead. I was the one orchestrating this entire thing. And now I’m the one left with a bitter taste in my mouth because my sister is dating the guy I may or may not have a ginormous crush on.

I give them both my best smile, and I make it as big as I can.

Smize you self-centred bitch. They don’t need to know that you’re a hateful cow.

“Hi Katie,” Aunt Jane coos, coming out from behind the barbecue and wraps Kate in a huge hug. She turns to Will and I can see the wheels in her head turning, “And who’s this man?”

“I’m Will,” he introduces himself with a handshake, and I want to laugh because Aunt Jane doesn’t know what to do with that and settles for a half-handshake/hug thing that looks really awkward.

“Will works as a detective down at the station.” Kate chirps, “His family is in Adelaide, so he’s alone a lot. Thought I’d bring him along for a bit of fun. Besides he’s been babysitting Lucy – I owe him at least a meal.”

Aunt Jane turns to give me a cheeky smile and wink and turns back to Kate.

“She’s a handful, but don’t we all love her.” Aunt Jane’s grinning hysterically, must be all the champagne she’s consumed on account of the fact it’s her birthday and she’s been chugging them down since I arrived to help set up at ten this morning.

I love Aunt Jane – she’s perky and happy. She’s also hilarious and has a perverted sense of humour, which is probably why I am the way I am. After mum died a few years back I spent a lot of time with her. I don’t know how her and dad are genetically siblings, because she’s nothing like he was when he was alive. Drunk Aunt Jane is even better than normal Aunt Jane. She’s even funnier, louder and likes a good dance; music or no.

Uncle Bernie comes down to give Will the fifth degree, and Kate and Aunt Jane follow back to the barbecue. I can hear them whispering, again on account of the fact that Aunt Jane is super drunk and her version of whispering is a half-yell.

“He’s gorgeous,” Auntie Jane trills, “Are you dating?”

Kate laughs, “No, but I’m working on it.”

I feel my heart go into a pitter-patter of relief. They aren’t dating – a part of me feels smug about this, but the other half is sad for Kate and guilty for how I feel. Then it’s followed by a spurt of jealousy; ‘working on it’? What does that mean?

The possibilities rolling through my head are endless and I have to take a big swig of the beer in my hands to stop my brain from short-circuiting and exploding right there in front of everyone.

———

I decide the beer I’m drinking isn’t strong enough so I take matters into my own hands, locating Uncle Bernie’s whiskey stash and pouring myself a healthy drink. If this doesn’t stop my brain from going into psycho mode, nothing will. I take a swig of the whiskey and put on my best smile. I know I shouldn’t be drinking so much, but who cares at this point? Everyone’s drunk as skunks and I need some liquid courage. Besides the sun is starting to set and most people are inside now, so it’s not like anyone is going to see me pour a quarter of a litre of whiskey down my gullet.

“You shouldn’t be drinking like that,” Will says as if he can read my mind, coming to stand in front of me. He’s wearing board shorts and a shirt like the other men here tonight, except instead of a beer gut he’s sporting a flat stomach and broad, strong shoulders.

“I’m eighteen,” I can’t stop myself from rolling my eyes. Of course he notices.

“That doesn’t mean you need to get drunk off your ass,” He grabs the glass from my hands and takes a mouthful.

“That’s mine!” I can’t help the outrage from burning across my face, “You already have a drink.”

“Now I have two.” Will smiles. And it’s a real smile, ladies and gentlemen.

Heart-stopping.

Devastating.

Unreal.

It makes me pause and I forget everything I was going to say back. Will’s little upwards tilts have me unprepared for the mass annihilation of a real Will Decker smile experience. I’m reminded once again that Will is fucking hot. The little creases at the corner of his eyes do nothing to detract, in fact I think they might make him more handsome if possible. What a freak.

I must look like I’m super drunk or something because then Will says, “Do you need to lay down? You look red.”

Oh god. ‘You look red’. Yes, that’s exactly how I want to look in front of my crush. Red. Very sexy.

Pull it together, Lucy.

“It’s hot,” I manage. I almost say ‘you’re hot’, but thank fuck, my brain arrives in time to save me, “I’m going to have a swim.” I nod to the pool.

Like a woman possessed I find myself stripping my dress off and running for the pool like I’m on fire. All I know is that I need to gain distance between me and Will or I’m going to do/say something I’m going to regret; like ‘I think I’m in love with you’, or ‘let’s go to pound town’. I don’t know which one is worse.

I dip into the pool, relieved to find that it’s pleasantly cool against the heat of my skin. The water ripples and I turn to see Will walking down the steps of the pool.

Fuck me dead.

He’s shirtless, and yes, I can confirm that there is evidence of abs. He’s not Channing Tatum, but I it’s pretty clear that he takes care of himself. If it were possible, the water now feels like it’s going to boil. Why is he tormenting me? I’m starting to wonder if he knows I’m into him and is messing with me. This. Is. Bad.

“This was a good idea,” I can hear him say just before he ducks under the water completely.

He comes back up, and I try to busy myself by trying to climb on top of the giant floating lounge so that I don’t have to look at his muscular frame drenched in droplets of water. I know I’m going to want to lick them off, and after how much I’ve had today it is a real possibility.

“I only ever have good ideas,” I shoot back at him, proud of myself for successful climbing on the floatie and for not salivating at the sight of him.

He snorts, not even bothering to give the statement an answer.

I float around for a while, enjoying the breeze, doing my best to ignore Will, while Will does some laps. Fitness freak. Although I guess you don’t get nice muscles at the age of thirty-five by not working on it.

After about 15 minutes of snoozing I feel a creepy crawly cross my skin. My eyes snap open and I come face to face with a giant, hairy spider chilling across my stomach. It’s just laying there, having a great time sunbathing on my stomach apparently.

I feel my heart pounding, but I try not to make any sudden moves. I know not all spiders are technically dangerous but fuck it’s a ugly, huge spider and I want it off me. It looks like the kind of spider that eats birds whole. I turn to look around and see who can help me out. Looks like everyone is inside, except for Will who is furiously doing laps across the pool.

“Will,” I whisper-scream. I don’t want to disturb the spider, “Will,” I repeat, it comes out like a high pitched whine.

Thank god he has good hearing because he stops his laps and gives me a look, as if to say, ‘what?‘

“Will,” I whisper-scream in my most calm voice, “Will, there’s a fucking spider on me. It’s going to kill me and eat me.” I say it like I’m asking him if he wants cake. Will wades over slowly and peers over the floatie lounge and at my stomach.

His eyebrows actually raise, and Will mutters, “It’s a big one.”

“I can see that, genius, get it off me,” I manage, again sounding pleasant, like I’m asking him if he wants tea with his cake now. I don’t want to upset the spider, loud voices, unnecessary movement, rude manners. Anything could set it off.

“I don’t know if I want to touch it.” he says, eyeing the hairy monster currently taking up a holiday on my stomach. I don’t do a million crunches a day just so this thing could take a bite out of me.

Ok, ok, I don’t do three crunches a week and drink Coke Zero so this spider can take a bite out of me. I know I can’t fool you people into thinking I actually exercise with commitment.

Evidently he doesn’t know that this is an emergency that requires instant action, so I pin him with my best ‘damsel in distress’ look. I know he’s a sucker for helping a girl out, and I’m hoping this will push him into taking the monstrosity off my body.

It seems to work, because Will grunts and his hand gently smooths up the flotation mat and up my stomach. If there wasn’t a giant spider living there, I know I’d be covered in tremors of delight. But as it is, I can’t really focus on how good his touch feels, because I’m currently terrified.

With one quick swipe of his hand, he flicks it off. As soon as it goes flying off out of the pool and into the nearby bush, I leap off the floatie and fling myself at Will.

“Ew. Ew. Ew.” I can’t help the squeal come out of my mouth. I know I’m acting like a maniac, trying to practically climb over Will and out of the water.

“You’re fine, you’re fine.” Will says, trying to hold me down calmly by the shoulders.

“Are you insane? I almost died.”

“It was a Huntsman. They’re disgusting but hardly likely to actually hurt you.”

“It was big and hairy, Will. It looked like it was going to eat me.” finally I stop squirming, remembering that I probably shouldn’t be climbing all over my sister’s coworker.

“You’re fine.” He affirms calmly, large hands gripping me gently by the shoulders.

“Thanks,” I breath. A moment of silence envelops us as I assess what’s just happened.

I’ll tell you what’s just happened, you almost got eaten by a fucking spider and now you’re trying to play it cool.

I’ll be damned if I’m taken off this earth by a stupid eight-legged, disgusting, insect-thing. If I’m going down at this age, it’s going to be in some kind of poetic, James Dean fashion. I feel my heart slowing down, returning to it’s normal rate and I can’t help but sigh.

“Fuck, that was close. I don’t know what I would have done without you.” The words are out of my mouth before I can even think. To try and save myself, I add, “Probably would have had to let it eat me. Or learn its spider language and negotiate some kind of agreement.”

“You’re too funny, Lucrezia.” Will lets out a decidedly Un-Will like snort. I think the word he’s looking for is ‘weird’, but I’ll take ‘funny’.

“One of us has to be” I shoot back, “And don’t call me Lucrezia.”

He smiles, and again, it’s a real smile. I don’t know if it’s the whiskey I had, the sunset playing against his features, or the fact that I almost died. But I find myself smiling back at him. Not just a fake smile either, I think this is just about the realest smile I’ve ever give him. And actually, I start laughing, I can’t help it.

I don’t know if it’s my imagination, but I could swear something crosses his eyes for a second, some kind of gentleness. Everything in me feels warm and giddy, like something’s about to happen.

But that’s ridiculous because we’re just two people in a pool smiling at each other. What could possibly happen?

Everything apparently, because one moment I’m laughing and the next his arms are pulling me to him.

I feel my heart stutter and my body takes on a fierce heat. Time is simultaneously speeding up and slowing down. Will’s eyes are focused on my lips, a hand slips to the back of my neck to cup the base of my skull and he’s leaning down. My hands come up to rest on his chest and I can feel my eyes lowering, fluttering closed.

There, in the middle of my aunt’s pool on her birthday, Will Decker kisses me.

First his lips are at the corner of my mouth, a gentle caress, almost a whisper against my flesh. Then they move to brush against my mouth. His lips are the faintest touch against mine, like he’s asking permission. He doesn’t need to, because I know I’m kissing him back urgently, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing my chest against his with all the fervour I can muster.

He seems to understand my need, deepening the kiss, bringing his tongue out to taste my own and I can feel my body sagging against his in heated relief. Luckily his other arm is holding me tightly against him, because otherwise I’d probably just float away with the water.

I pull away for a moment to catch my breath, because I’m feeling light headed. Will moves to press open mouthed kisses across my cheek, down my neck and shoulder and I can feel myself reeling against him. I know my breath is heaving out in short, little pants.

With Will pressed up against me, I can feel everything, every muscle, every breath, every inch of hard, smooth body. All it does it pore a surge of heat over me, pressing through my stomach and between my thighs. I can’t help it, I press myself against the hardness of his trunks.

“Lucrezia,” I feel him groan into my neck, a hand squeezing my hip. For the first time in my life, I don’t hate my name. When it comes from his mouth like a fevered caress it fills me with even more urgent need.

Will’s hand moves to rest on the underside of my breast, and I have to use every ounce of strength I own not to push his hand on my breast, because I’m scared it’ll break whatever spell has gotten Will to kiss me in the first place. Instead. I move my hands to bury them in his hair and bring my mouth back to his.

In the distance I can hear a voice calling out to me and my body fills with warning.

“Lucy! Will!” It’s Kate. Her voice calling out from inside the house, “Come inside we’re about to do cake.”

I have only one thing on my mind at the moment and it is most certainly not cake. For a moment my heart thrums with anxiety as I realise our position is a very precarious one and should Kate or anyone else for that matter decide to walk out the back door and down the patio at this moment they’re going to get a real shock. There is only a door, and some stairs hiding us from view.

Will either hasn’t heard Kate or doesn’t care, his lips are still pressed against my own, moving against them like he wants to consume me, which let me tell you, I do not mind. Although out of respect for the proximity of my sister I tilt my hips away from Will’s, no longer pressing myself against the hard heat of his trunks. I want to reach into his pants and touch him, but I know it’s too much.

And then, as if by fate, his fingers slip underneath my bikini top and he uses his index finger to find and tease my nipple. I can’t help but moan into Will’s mouth as he teases the little nub into a hardened, swollen peak. My noises seem to only encourage him, and soon his whole hand has snuck underneath my top and is squeezing the globe of flesh.

I now no longer care if my sister might see, I press my whole body against his, sneaking my hand down to squeeze the large erection pulsing against the front of his swimmers.

Will releases a soft, little groan, making no attempts to stop my touch. Actually, quite the opposite, he becomes more needy, passionate; his kisses are harder, tongue more demanding in my mouth. I give him everything I can, rubbing my hand along the straining fabric. Even through the material I can feel how hard, thick and hot he is – a surge of pleasure fills me because I know it’s me who is making him react this way.

Will’s fingers are back to teasing my nipple into a blissful frenzy, occasionally pinching it, until I release a little cry of need. Apparently done with tormenting my tits, Will’s hand travels to my ass, slipping underneath my swimmers to kneed my backside, and it sends me reeling, sends a zing of charged energy straight to my pussy. I want nothing more than to have his hand on me, stroking my clit – I can feel it throb with need for him. I wonder what his cock feels and tastes like, but before I get a chance to find out we’re interrupted again.