I’d been in my room upstairs at the time, but cracked my bedroom door open to listen to what was going on down there between her and my dad. Whatever happened between them directly affected me and Gianna. I was a concerned party.
Plus, I’d been primed to go down there and protect him from her viciousness if I had to.
Instead, as I’d listened to her words, they were sugary sweet and mildly seductive. She’d been telling my dad how much she loved and missed him. How she just wanted things the way they were before. That they could be happy again and a divorce wasn’t necessary.
Unfortunately, my dad had sounded like he was falling for it. Until Julie mentioned it would be better off for everyone if I moved back in with my mom. That was when my dad had exploded in anger. I’d been so proud of him. Did she really think she could come over and manipulate him into seeing things her way?
The grin on my face was likely maniacal as I’d listened to him tell her off. He’d told her if she couldn’t accept me, then he wanted to go forward with the divorce. That was when her true crazy-ass colors had emerged and she’d started yelling about what a loser I was.
The words she spewed were offensive but my feelings weren’t hurt. No parent liked anyone badmouthing their kid, so I could imagine the look on my dad’s face.
She’d ended her tirade with threats if I ever came near her daughter again. How little she knew. I planned on coming near and inside her daughter as much as possible. She was just too stupid to realize that Gianna no longer belonged to her.
Unable to shut her up, my dad had yelled for her to leave and seconds later the front door was slamming shut. I’d quietly closed my bedroom door to give my dad some privacy. He’d done what he had to do as a man, but it’d probably still hurt him to do it. For some unexplainable reason, he loved Julie.
I was so lost in remembering the night before, I almost didn’t notice when Gianna walked past my table on her way out of the cafeteria.
Was the shake in that cute ass for me?
I was curious enough to send Gianna a text asking her.
She texted back: I’m surprised you even noticed me, with all those girls hanging on you
I smiled at her jealousy. What had been a turnoff in other girls was adorable in her.
I texted back: What girls? There’s only one girl in my world and that’s you
She sent back: Aw, I love you. Meet me at your car in two minutes?
Brushing off the girl who was hanging onto my arm, I tossed the rest of my lunch in the trash before leaving the cafeteria. I was contemplating how to convince Gianna to skip the rest of our classes with me as I walked out of the school and through the parking lot. Maybe we’d take a drive to the nearest park. That always worked well for us.
When I reached my car, Gianna was leaning against it, a naughty smile on her face. That was one of my favorite Gianna smiles. That smile usually meant good things for me. It was too bad I’d been so stubborn three years ago about meeting my stepfamily. I could’ve been on the receiving end of that smile years ago.
*****
For the rest of the school week, things pretty much went the same. We resisted ditching as much as possible, but didn’t resist the temptation entirely. On Tuesday morning, we went out to breakfast, but made it to school in time for third period. We took the entire day off on Thursday and went to Elitch Gardens amusement park before it closed for the upcoming winter. Gianna told her mom she was going with some of the cheerleaders.
Often I stared at her while we were in school. I felt better whenever she was near, like during the two classes we had together and at lunch. She’d be annoyed if she knew how vulnerable I saw her when I wasn’t around. When I was with her was the only time I could assure myself she was safe and happy.
We pretended we weren’t on speaking terms, but our eyes spoke to each other plenty. Sometimes they conveyed words of love, but a lot of the time it was pure lust. I couldn’t get enough of her and by her responses I figured it was the same for her. With a look she’d tell me how much she missed me or needed me.
Now it was Friday night and the football game was about to start. It was the last game of the season and my last chance until next year to see Gianna in her hot little cheerleader uniform. She was late meeting the other girls on the field because I’d talked her into the backseat of my car. We were parked at the far end of the lot where it was darkest.
She giggled as my hand crept up her thigh and under her skirt. I wanted to hear her moan. I liked the idea of her being out there cheering after I made her come. “Caleb, behave, I have to get to the game!”
“Shh,” I told her. “It doesn’t start for five minutes.”