Page 46 of Rebellious

“Oh, shit.” My head bows forward, lying on top of Bennett’s, completely forgetting about Vee and Drew in the pool.

Bennett’s pulls start out slow, but as my body inches close to his, they become harder—aggressive. Like he’s capitalizing on every second of his insanity.

My entire body vibrates as his grip on my wrist loosens and drops to my hip, skimming over the tied bow of my bathing suit. A wave of chills breaks out along my spine as his finger lingers, swiping up and down, fighting the urge to slip underneath.

“You guys owe me.”

What? The words take a minute to register, but then the lights go out and I know Drew is getting a damn good Christmas present this year. That’s my boy!

Bennett, unaware of the lighting change, sucks harshly. My free hand goes to his head, knotting his wet hair in my fingers. He pulls me closer to the edge, the road rash on my exposed skin registering only a bite of pain.

“Why you?” He says from around my finger. “Why—”

I shush him and pull his hair, tugging his head up so I can meet his eyes. “Don’t talk right now. Don’t take this moment from either of us.”

He nods slowly, holding my gaze while he closes his lips around my finger as it disappears with a long pull. The feeling is too much. My eyes close and my legs tighten around his chest, holding him captive.

“It can be like this—”

The lights flicker on. “Who the fuck turned out the lights?” At the sound of my father’s voice, Bennett drops my finger and tries to step back.

“Aspen?” my father calls.

“I’m here,” I say, watching as the insanity drains from Bennett’s eyes and is replaced by fear. “I think Bennett’s sugar is low,” I lie about why I’m holding onto my neighbor like he might need attention.

“Bennett?” I look at Bennett, willing him not to shut down as my father calls for him. “You alright? Want me to get Anniston?”

It’s too late.

I can feel Bennett pulling away with every word my father speaks.

“No, sir.” He swallows. “I’ll be fine.”

My father stands there for a minute. I can’t tell if he doesn’t believe us or if he’s worried about Bennett. Either way, it adds one more cement brick to my already drowning relationship. I straighten out my legs, allowing Bennett to back up the way he’s wanted since the lights turned back on.

“Let me walk you home, son,” my dad says finally.

Bennett nods, clearing his throat, and becoming the Bennett I’ve known since that day my father pulled me from his bed. “Yes, sir.” He gives me one last look. It’s pained but final. Tomorrow we’ll both bear a rule. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I let him go without a parting remark. There’s nothing to say that would change his mind. I’ve lost him and I won’t get him back until I cash in his promise of twenty-four hours without the rules.

His window was locked.

I wasn’t surprised, but the deep searing pain that pierced my heart told me it hurt deeper than I thought it would. And that pain only angered me. Who was Bennett to decide when he could check out of this shitshow of a relationship?

I slam a baseball into the back of the fence. The batting cages have served me well growing up. I might not love baseball as much as football, but I sure love hitting the dog shit out of a ball when I’m mad.

“I waited for you tonight.”

I flip around and find Cade standing on the other side of the fence.

I shrug and turn back around, waiting on the machine to launch me another ball.

“You know,” Cade says, unlocking the gate and walking in, “I think tonight is the first time I haven’t seen you tread through the fields and climb through his window in twenty years.”

I smack a ball and it feels extremely satisfying when it smashes into the chain link. “I came earlier,” I answer on a sigh. “You weren’t out here yet.”

At fourteen, I realized that the strange sensation of someone following me was actually Uncle Cade making sure I made it through Bennett’s window safely.

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