For Crying Out Loud by J. Preston
13Plenty More Fish
When life gives you lemons, put them in your bra! It won’t solve your problems, but the extra attention is nice.
- Jenny
Aiden
The drive from the airport back to the house is pretty quick, considering it’s Friday afternoon. The closer I get to Starwood, the quicker my heart beats in anticipation of seeing her again. Will she even want to look at me? We’ve had no contact since our exchange last weekend, where I apologised for the kiss, which doesn’t surprise me. I was an asshole. Dismissing what we shared like it didn’t mean a thing, like it was a mistake, like it wasn’t the hottest damn kiss I’ve ever had. I wonder if she knows that the words I typed hurt me as much as they did her. If they hurt her at all, that is.
I press my foot harder against the accelerator, not really caring about speed limits, wanting to get to her as fast as possible. Minutes tick by as I get stuck in traffic, so close… It’s infuriating knowing that if I just left my car in the middle of the road now, I could walk faster than the crawling speed I’m currently driving at. The irritated drivers around me beep their horns like it’ll help. It doesn’t; it just makes everyone else that much more pissed off. When I finally arrive at the house, what feels like decades later, her car is parked outside. She’s here.
I breathe in and look at my reflection in the small mirror. My bruises are almost gone, there’s just a slight yellow tint around my eye and on the side of my jaw. My father nearly flipped out when I arrived in London, all beaten up. Serves him right for luring me down to attend board meetings pretending that Grandma was sick. When she found out he did that, she screamed at him for thirty minutes straight. I smile, remembering. Not that he was bothered.
“Have you declared your major yet, Aiden?” He kept on pestering me. “You’re in your second year, you’ve got until Christmas to decide on a business degree. If you don’t— Let’s just say you’ll be back in London before you know it.” I clench my fists, remembering his words. Should I just suck it up and go for the stupid business degree, live the rest of my life unhappy and following in his footsteps?
And then there’s Jenny.
I run my hand through my hair, exasperated. Jason has been my best friend for so long. He was so angry when he found Jenny and me kissing. That kiss. That Earth-fucking-shattering kiss… I can never repeat it. But I can relive it in my head over and over. I close my eyes, doing just so. The door to the house is unlocked and, when I walk in, the living room is empty, so I go to my room and drop my bag on the bed. I’m trying to figure out my next move when I hear laughter from Jenny’s room and decide that it’s probably for the best to get our ‘talk’ over with. Hoping that she’ll be able to forgive me and still be my friend, I knock on her door. I need her in my life, even if it’s just in a friend’s capacity.
“Look who decided to grace us with their presence,” Hayley mocks. I’m not even bothered. Instead I peer above her shoulder into the room, Jenny is sitting on the bed surrounded by books.
“Can I talk to Jenny?” I ask. She’s avoiding looking my way and, at the sound of my voice, her fists clench.
“Jenny is busy,” Hayley replies, narrowing her eyes at me.
“Right… When will she be free?” Hayley turns her head to look at her. Jenny sighs, gets up from the bed, and walks towards me. My heart skips a beat.
“I don’t really have time for jerks these days,” she says.
“Jenny, I’m so-”
“Don’t,” she interrupts me. “I’ve heard enough of your meaningless apologies in the last few months. You acted like a child.” She crosses her arms over her chest; my eyes are instantly drawn to the area. Before I make an even bigger fool out of myself, I look back up at her face. “And I don’t really want to talk to you right now. In fact, I don’t even want to be around you. You need to figure out what you want.”
She turns around and walks away.
“Kitten-” I start, but Hayley interrupts me.
“Babe, you want to stay at my place tonight?” she asks Jenny.
“That would be great, thanks,” Jenny replies, gathering a few books from her bed and dropping them in her bag. There goes my plan of trying to talk to her later once she’s alone and her Hayley-shaped bodyguard is gone.
They leave without a goodbye, and I can’t help feeling responsible for the situation. I acted like a dick. As soon as I’m back in my room, moping, my door swings open and Jason strolls in.
“Get ready!” he says excitedly. “We’re going out!”
“Hello to you too,” I reply grimly.
“What’s that sad face for?” Jason asks. “You still upset about having that conversation with my fists a few weeks ago? I’m over it if you are.” I sigh. That’s the thing about guys. We don’t hold grudges. “C’mon, Aideypoo. Best way to not think about my sister is to go out and have a good time. Doctor Jason is in the house and he wrote you a prescription for fun times!” I shake my head at my best friend but get up reluctantly. He gives me a big hug. “You know, man, my sister might be off limits, but there’s plenty more fish in the sea.” I know that, but all the pretty fish look bland next to Jenny…
At eleven, we pick Carter up and all go to the Star, a local club where most of the students go. The fact that they are shit about checking IDs might have something to do with it. By the time we get there, most girls are already drunk. Jason will have a blast picking his arm candy for tonight. I, however, can’t seem to focus on anyone in particular.
I go to the bar and down two shots of tequila. I hate that stuff, but it makes me relax pretty quickly, so it’s my poison of choice.
“Hey stranger.” Someone runs their finger down my arm. I turn around to see the blonde bob chick. The ‘she-devil’, as Jenny calls her. I smile, thinking of Jenny. The she-devil smiles back at me. Crap, she probably thought I was smiling at her…
“Hey yourself,” I say, trying to remember her name.
“Forgot my name again?” She arches her brow at me.
I sheepishly run my hand through my hair. “Busted.”
“Should I be offended?” She laughs.
“I’m sorry…” I scrunch my face apologetically.
“It’s Chloe.” She rolls her eyes and puts her highly manicured hand on my arm. Her long red nails look like talons covered in crimson blood. I shudder from under her touch. “I’ll tell you what, if you buy me a shot I’ll forget all about it.” She smiles at me. What the hell, I might as well…
I buy a couple shots and two rounds of drinks. We down the shots, then the Mojito’s.
“Why don’t you get another round?” Chloe slurs a bit. The girl can’t hold her drink for shit. “And I’ll run to the ladies’ room.”
“Sure,” I say, then turn to the bartender, ordering a drink for her. With a nice buzz already, I’m done drinking for tonight. It’s good enough to keep me entertained, but not strong enough to be hungover tomorrow. I turn to the dance floor, and all my cheerful buzz disappears when I see Kitten, dressed in a gold sparkly dress—which is way too short even for her slight frame—and gold heels. She looks out of this world as she strolls towards me, her hands on her hips. She turns the heads of pretty much every single guy in the club, some girls too… She’s fuming, her cheeks are red and she’s breathing through her nose like she’s ready to charge me. I love how I can still bring up emotion in her, even if it’s anger. Passion often follows anger, I think hopefully.
“I thought you said that you don’t hang out with Chloe!” she throws at me accusingly, and I revel in the fact that she’s close to me, talking to me. If I can keep her here, shouting at me, at least I can be near her.
“Since you didn’t want to talk to me, I had to find someone else to keep me company.” I smirk. Jenny is getting more and more aggravated.
“And you chose her?” she spits out.
“I didn’t. I was by myself, minding my own business, when Chloe joined me. It seems some people like talking to me,” I reply with a bite. If this was a cartoon, steam would be puffing out of her ears right about now. She looks furious. I bite my lip, trying to stop myself from smiling.
“You find this funny?” Jenny asks, exasperated. She drops her hands to her side and looks up at me in disbelief. I’m trying hard not to be obvious about how her striking beauty affects me. Her gold, sparkly dress shimmers in the dim lighting of the club, reminding me of a mid-day sun reflecting in the dark of the ocean.
“No, kitten,” I say, the alcohol in my veins urging the words to come out. “You look iridescent tonight. You’re like a vision. No other fish would ever compare…”
“Did you just call me a fish?” Jenny asks, scrunching her face, perplexed.
I’m about to reply, but I get interrupted.
“Grasshopper, fancy seeing you here! What are you up to?”
“Just catching up with this guy.” Jenny nods in my direction.
“Hanging out with VonSchmuck?” Carter asks. I guess the nickname has spread. Great.
“Uh-huh. Asking him when he sold his soul to the devil.” Jenny shakes her head.
“Kitten, she’s just a friend,” I try to appease her.
“Is that so?” Jenny narrows her eyes and takes a step closer to Carter, distancing herself from me. I feel her absence straight away. “Funny. You see, Carter is also just a friend,” she says, smiling up at him, and the bastard snakes his arm around her waist, nodding. “He’s a very good friend. In fact, say Carter, how about we drop off Hayley at her dorm and go to your place?” she asks innocently.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Carter looks down at her, his eyes searching hers. I have a bad feeling about this.
“How do you feel about BJ?” she asks, looking at him through her lashes. My heart stops. What. The. Fuck.
“You know I’d love to,” Carter replies, holding her tighter and licking his lips. My hands are shaking. No, my whole body is shaking. Did I really just hear what I think I heard? “Later, Aiden,” Carter throws over his shoulder as they turn to leave. It takes all the self-control I can muster not to jump at him and shred him to pieces. She’s not mine. I had my chance, and I blew it. Fuck.
FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!
“Have fun with your ‘friend’,” Jenny says as they walk away.
My world spins out of control. Round and round it goes like a carousel, only faster and with no protection to break my fall. And I fall. Fuck, do I fall. Right onto my egotistical arse.
“Two more tequilas,” I shout at the barman, who nods and slides the shots towards me. I down one after another.
“Aiden, are you crying?” Chloe asks drunkenly when she gets back. I touch my face and notice the wetness around my eyes. Holy shit! What the fuck? Am I actually crying? No, it’s probably the tequila. Some lime must have gotten into my eyes when I rubbed them after the shots. I don’t fucking cry. Ever.
“No,” I say steadily, not looking at Chloe.
“Sure,” she drawls. “Smells like girl trouble to me.” She touches my arm again, and I fight with myself not to cringe away. “C’mon, Jason, you can tell me.”
“Aiden,” I correct her.
“Hmmm?”
“My name is Aiden.”
“I know that, silly.” She giggles drunkenly, downing her drink. I want to just walk away and leave her there, but the gentleman in me needs to make sure that she gets home safe. She reaches for her second drink and gulps it down. Soon, she’ll become a liability. “Jason, I’m…” She starts.
“Aiden,” I growl.
Chloe hiccups.
“C’mon, I’ll take you home,” I say, puffing the air out of my chest. So much for trying to forget about Jenny tonight. Images of her and Carter swirl around my head like locusts. What have I done? Chloe nods and gets up, unsteadily, to her feet with a triumphant smile. Hiccuping. Fan-fucking-tastic. She’s clinging onto me as I guide us outside of the club and grab the first cab I see, pushing her gently inside. I walk around and slide in next to her. Chloe is leaning against the window snoring. Just my luck. I shake her gently. “Chloe, where do you live?”
“Home,” she answers sleepily. I shake her again.
“Where is home?”
“Home!” she answers, irritated through her sleep.
“Where to?” the taxi driver asks impatiently. I sigh and give him my address. I can’t just drop her off in front of the school, hoping that she’ll find her way. Starwood can get shady at night, especially with drunken frat guys roaming the streets.
When we get to the house, Chloe is full on sleeping, so I pick her up and carry her inside. The house is empty and I’m half glad, half disappointed. Does that mean that Jenny is still with Carter doing god knows what? Chloe is so out of it that when I drop her on my bed and cover her with a blanket, she doesn’t stir. I take a couple of pillows and settle down on the floor.
“Jason…” Chloe mumbles through her sleep. Shit. This is not good.
I try to make myself comfortable, but the floor is hard and my mind can’t settle. Jenny’s face looking up seductively at Carter appears every single time I close my eyes. After an hour, I give up and go to the kitchen to get some water. Chloe and I are still the only people here. If Jason gets lucky tonight, he most likely will stay at the girl’s house since he doesn’t like bringing them here. He says they get too attached, even the ones who swear they understand it’s only a one-time thing.
I grab a glass and fill it to the brim with fresh water. Holding the cool glass against my face, I look around the moonlit kitchen. My gaze falls on a piece of paper attached to the fridge. I walk over to see it better; it’s a shopping list, written in Jenny’s handwriting. I scan through the items. Eggs, milk, orange juice, bread… My eyes stop at the bottom. Rocky Roadish BJ. What the hell is that? Some secret code to blow Kennedy? I wince. She wouldn’t put that on the shopping list. Would she?
I pull my phone out of my pocket and google it. Relief at images of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream makes me sit down on one of the stools. I take a deep breath of relief, a massive weight lifting off of my shoulders. I still have a chance with her. Walking back to my room, I decide to fix things tomorrow. Jason will just have to get over the fact that I’m in love with his sister. I will not mess up again. I slide back onto the floor and smile.