Page 6 of His to Save

“Ellis’s new flavor of the month—” I don’t miss the way her lip curls at the mention of Carrie—or maybe her name’s Kelsey? “—wants to check out some rock band, and he so kindly volunteered us to tag along.”

Spending hours in a crowded bar sounds like fucking torture, but even so, I find myself nodding along. Sometimes giving in to her is less of a headache than arguing. “Give me fifteen to shower and change.”

“Or…” Scarlet leans down, thrusting her tits into my face as she licks her red-slicked lips. “I could join you and we can make it twenty.”

You’d think I’d be all over it; she’s hot as sin and a sure thing, but still, nothing. Maybe a night out isn’t such a bad thing. Hell, after a few drinks, I’m betting I’ll be begging her to sneak away to the bathroom or my truck for a little fun.

But here and now, it’s not happening. “Don’t wanna keep Ellis waiting, right?” I stand from the bed and press my lips to hers, hoping the kiss softens my refusal.

Sure enough, she melts under my touch and pads back out to the living room to wait.

I make quick work of showering and dressing in a pair of well-worn jeans and a button-down shirt. A quick glance at my phone tells me I have five minutes to spare.

Logically, I know I should just head on out to the living room so we can get on the road, but instead, I find myself reaching for Nora’s diary. I’m not sure why, but I feel—Fuck, I don’t know, compelled?—to read it or something. It’s like this itch under my skin, and the only way to scratch it is to get to the bottom of why she left it for me, and so, with sure fingers, I flip to the next entry, and let myself fall into her words.

DIARY ENTRY, AGE 13

Dear Diary,

Today was weird. Carson Childress told me I was pretty and asked me to sit with him in the cafeteria while we were studying in the library, but then at lunch when I approached his table, he said I had to give him a kiss to sit down.

I don’t want to kiss Carson. I barely even know him. Mama says he’s probably trying to show off or impress me, which makes it double dumb. There’s nothing impressive about forcing a girl to kiss you.

Even worse, Kelsey and Eliza laughed at me instead of having my back, and they’re supposed to be my bestfriends. After lunch, they told me I couldn’t sit with them anymore because their table was for couples only. No one told me getting a boyfriend changes your personality. I don’t really get it, but a part of me can’t help but wonder if I’m missing out. Then again, if Carson Childress is my only choice, maybe I’m better off alone.

Mama says it’s called peer pressure and that if I don’t like Carson, I should stand my ground. But I don’t know which sounds worse: having a boyfriend who’s a jerk or sitting all alone.

I guess since it’s Friday, I have the weekend to think about it.

Doubtfully, Nora

Dear Diary,

After two days of Carson pestering me during our shared classes and eating all alone at lunch while my so-called friends pointed and laughed, I gave in and told Carson I’d be his girlfriend.

That good-for-nothing snake said he’d only date me for a kiss and a boob squeeze. I told him to kick rocks and then he called me a Goody-Two-Shoes fire crotch.

Mama says I hurt his “masculine pride” by turning him down. But if he’s that dang fragile then I’m definitely not interested.

But the whole thing got me thinking about what I want in a boyfriend. So, here’s a list:

-Smart

-Funny

-Kind

It seems like a short list, but Dad was all of those things, and he made Mama happier than anyone else on the planet.

He’s been gone for three months now, and she’s still so sad. I wish I could do something to help, but the only thing that would make her better is him not being dead.

But he is, and I haven’t seen Mama smile since. I miss her smile. It was wide and toothy, and just the sight of it felt like the best kind of hug.

This got off track pretty quick, huh, diary? I don’t know. I guess I just needed to vent.

Annoyed, Nora

CHAPTER 2

---