“I’m not having sex in high school, period. Not with you, or anyone else for that matter,” she replied frankly.
“Oh? And why not?”
“Um, because I’m not one of those stupid girls that believes the only thing she has to offer the opposite sex is her body. And because I happen to have a bright future ahead of me that I don’t want to jeopardize,” she returned defiantly. She was just glad Cole wasn’t there to laugh at her bright-red face.
“Okay then,” he was all but laughing at her. “Valuable information I’ll have to remember in the future.”
Tired of Cole’s amusement at her expense, Bri decided to turn the tables on him, and put him in the hot seat.
“What about you, Cole?” she asked smugly. “I mean, I assume you and Serena were naked wrestling buddies. Was she the only one, or were there others?”
There was dead silence on the other end of the line. Bri could practically hear Cole squirming.
“I... um... Look Bri, that was all in the past. I promise, it didn’t mean anything,” he floundered, sounding desperate. “Things are different now. I’m different now, I swear.”
Satisfied in her victory, she decided to go easy on him, and not prolong his misery.
“Cole,” she broke in sympathetically, “I’m not naive. I know you have a past, and that past includes many, many, many girls.” She couldn’t help throwing in one last jab. “But, to be honest, I don’t care about that.”
“Really? But, you’re a girl. Girls care about stuff like that. They care a lot.” He sounded skeptical.
“Yes, really! Listen. I don’t care about who came before me, just like I don’t care who you were before me. I care about who you are now, and what happens now. But, that being said,” she warned, “you need to understand that I’m not like all those other girls. I’m not going to cave to your manly wiles, or your bedroom eyes.” She heard Cole laugh. “I’m serious about the whole bright future thing, and I expect you to respect my decisions, and my boundaries. Okay?”
“Okay. But just to warn you, that doesn’t mean I won’t try to push those boundaries, just a little.” She could hear the sly smile in his voice.
“Well, you wouldn’t be a guy if you didn’t try,” she laughed. For a moment, her naked Cole fantasy floated through her mind. She really needed to stop thinking about that. Her heart picked up as she wondered what Cole’s “trying” would entail.
“Wow, you really are one of a kind,” Cole marveled. “I don’t deserve you.”
“Yes, you do,” Bri pressed softly. “You just need to start believing that.”
“I’ll work on it,” he promised. “Well, I’d better go. I think we’ve had enough awkward conversation for one night!”
“Yeah, it’s probably best to quit while we’re ahead! Goodnight, Cole.”
“Goodnight, Ambria.”
Bri hung up, flopped back on her bed, and thought about her unusual conversation with Cole. She was still on her bed when she heard the front door open, and she jumped up to go greet her family, oddly excited they were home. The twins barreled in and rushed her, almost toppling her over with their hugs. She squeezed them back and followed them into the kitchen as they told her all about their adventures in Fresno.
Chapter 20
New Year’s Eve was surprisingly chilly for California. And with Natalie’s party looming, Layla and Bri had to quickly revamp their outfits. After much deliberation, Layla decided that Bri should wear a red turtleneck, that set off her auburn hair, with a black and red plaid mini and black tights. Bri thought it made her look a little too catholic school girl, so she topped off her outfit with her knee high combat boots. Layla went with a black turtleneck and a nude pencil skirt with a black lace overlay. Her long legs were bare and ended in a pair of peep-toe stilettos.
The girls pulled up to Natalie’s house, and Bri got out with a sigh. She still wasn’t sure she wanted to be here tonight. The house was further inland, and not nearly as big as Trey’s, but that didn’t stop the majority of the senior class from cramming their way inside. Bri and Layla forced their way through the crowd, searching for Devon, Jess, and Maddie. The group had claimed a few chairs out on the patio, amid the numerous heat lamps keeping the chilly air at bay. Devon pulled Layla down to his lap and kissed her hello. Bri averted her gaze, and greeted Jess, Ethan, Maddie, and Corbin, before taking in Natalie’s backyard. The clear blue pool sparkled invitingly, and the chairs set up around the perimeter were full of people. As soon as the make-out fest was over, Bri turned back to Layla.