Page 12 of Savage for You

They laugh, talking a bit more about anything and everything. Xander walks over to where we are, and he sits down next to Talon and I, frustrated with the whole situation.

“Bro, who is that and who is she to you?”

“That is the bane of my existence. Her name is Marley Battle. I hate her, she is nothing to me,” he scoffs as he shakes his head.

With that, he doesn’t say anything else, and I drop it. When he wants to talk about it then he’ll come to me.

The girls walk back, sitting next to us by the fire, but they are whispering amongst themselves.

Chismosas.

I turn to them and they both smile.

“What?”

“Nothing,” they both say together.

Well, this just got interesting. I know they know something. I guess we’ll find out in time. They have their s’mores stick loaded with marshmallows, and I swear Montana and Autumn are like night and day. Montana doesn’t like her marshmallow burnt, while Autumn does. Autumn likes extra chocolate on hers, while Montana doesn’t have any on hers.

Just when I want to talk to Montana, the fireworks start, and she looked up in awe. She looks like a child seeing them for the first time.

“I love fireworks, they’re my favorite. I used to watch them with my parents all the time. It was something we loved doing. If they were still alive, I know my dad would have found the best in the state to take me,” she says with a sad smile.

What I wouldn’t give to bring back her normal happy smile. I want to see that all the time. What this girl does to me, I want to give her the best fireworks in the state too.

“If we walk over towards the lake more, we can see different sets of fireworks lighting up the whole lake. Walk with me?”

“Okay.”

We’re watching them together and she’s standing close to me. If I move just a centimeter, our hands would be touching.

I move my hand and our pinkies link. I look down at her and she’s looking up with wide eyes and I want to kiss her so bad. I lean in, and her breath hitches. I don’t think she will stop me from kissing her. Suddenly, she puts her freshly manicured hand on my chest.

While still looking up at me, she starts saying the words I never want to hear.

“Look, Rocky, you seem like a nice guy, but I’m not one to go for players. I saw you with the blonde girl, and it looks like she’s into you. I’m not here for drama. I just got out of a shitty relationship where I was cheated on. I don’t want to be one of many, I want to be the only one.”

I stand there stunned, and ask myself what the fuck just happened? Oh no, this won’t do. I need to show her she has it all wrong. It’s okay, I'm a patient man.

five

Montana

Dickface: Baby girl, will you please talk to me.

Me: Does a bear shit in a toilet?

Dickface: wtf, Montana.

It’s been a week since I saw Rocky at the Fourth of July celebration. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted to kiss him, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I’m just not ready to put my heart out there yet. Especially when he seems like a player. He fits the profile—tall, jock, tattoos, and muscles. I know one heartbreak shouldn’t have made me closed off, but it’s the betrayal that locked my feelings. When Dylan slept with my best fucking friend without even remorse, it broke something inside of me.

I mean, yes, Rocky is a dreamboat but that’s the problem. He looks like the bad boy waiting to crush you. I could be totally wrong but how can I not go there? Sometimes, when you judge a book by its cover, you end up being correct in the end.

But sometimes you’re wrong. Hush up brain, not now.

The one person who promised to not hurt me did. I trusted him, I loved him, and in the end it meant nothing in his heart. Do people understand that you can’t claim to love someone, then cheat on them with their best friend?

Groaning, I get up and get ready for the day. I go for my run a little faster than usual due to my racing mind. I almost ran right past Autumn because of my blinding thoughts. I walk the rest of the trail with her, where we talk about anything and everything. It feels great to distract my mind for twenty minutes. Leaving her brother out of our conversation, of course. As we reach the end of the trail, I roll my eyes remembering I have to get my new computer today.