Antagonize Me (6 page)

“
Dirty Dancing
?” he asks, his eyes raking over me still naked lying on his bed. I nod my head and climb under the blankets. He joins me and brings some chocolate for himself. I eat mine before the movie even starts. He notices and hands me his, his eyes still fixed on the television, not saying a word. I take it and eat his too.

“You can dance better than her,” he says near the end. I look at him and see he’s already watching me. I shrug my shoulders and don’t answer.

“I like to watch you dance. Can I keep coming?” he asks, surprising me.

“I don’t care,” I say and turn over, ending the conversation.

“You haven’t danced this week.”

“Can we sleep now? I’m not in the mood for small talk. This is just sex, remember?”

I wake before Kyrone does. I grab my clothes from the floor and start putting them on. He doesn’t move. I accidently kick my toe on the chair from last night and I swear quietly while I pull my shirt over my head and wiggle into my shorts. As I open the door, I hear voices at the end of the hall. I hope it's no one I know because I really don’t want to be answering questions right now. As I round the corner to go downstairs, Tanner is there with Katrina. He looks at me oddly, then looks past me. I turn around to see Kyrone behind me.

“You stay?” Tanner asks, looking back and forth. I nod my head and try to escape. It's what I am good at, avoiding questions.

“Was that you? Screaming?” Katrina asks. I drop my head and head down the stairs. Tanner is shaking his head and I don’t want to see Kyrone’s smug face right now. “I’ll see you later,” Tanner says quietly as I pass him.

I make it back to my dorm room without seeing anyone else. As I enter, I see Hillary on her computer.

“How come you never came back last night? I was looking for you everywhere.”

What the hell?
“Didn’t you have someone here?” I ask.

“What? Why would I have someone here?”

That prick, I’m going to kick him in his jewels. “Never mind,” I say making my way to get dressed in a new set of clothes. “Hold on, where were you?” She stands near me. I guess I should tell her because she’s going to find out anyway.

“I stayed with Kyrone.”

She gasps and I turn to her and her hand is covering her mouth. “You didn’t. Did you?” I nod my head again, not wanting to say the actual words. Just then my phone beeps. I walk past her and grab it from my bed.

Unknown number:
You didn’t have to run.

It takes me a second to realize who it is.

Me:
I did, and next time I see you, be prepared to cover your junk. Otherwise I’m going to kick it in.

I place my phone back down and look back at Hillary, who hasn’t moved.

“So, you just hooked up?” she asks, trying to work it out.

My answer is a simple one. “Never again,” I reply as my phone beeps again.

Unknown number:
Hillary was there?

Me:
Of course she was. You fool.

Unknown number:
It was so worth it.

He ends the conversation with a smiley face. I give up and don’t reply, I don’t need an argument with him today.

The shower feels good. My body is still sore. Kyrone might be a dick, but he sure knows how to use his dick. I understand now why girls go crazy over him; he is awesome in bed. He has a reputation of never sleeping with the same girl twice because he’s too afraid they will get attached. I’ve heard him joke about it on several occasions.

As I make my way back to my dorm room, I spot someone very familiar standing out front. I run to him and tackle him in a hug.

“I missed you too, Angel,” he says into my hair. I step back and look at him, he looks well for his age. He’s in his sixties and still works hard; he never sits still and is always doing something.

“You drove here?” I ask. He nods and I smile up at him and open my door. My grandfather won't fly, he hates it and refuses. I don’t understand why, but I won't argue with him. He’s my constant and my biggest supporter. “Let's have lunch,” I say, picking up my phone and noticing that I have a new text message. I chose to ignore it and place it in my back pocket as we walk out.

We take a seat at the local café that serves just about anything. We place our order and he starts his questions. “Have you decided what you’re going to do?” he asks, referring to me finishing college this year.

“I honestly don’t know. I’m thinking of looking for work in dance in New York, as well as at a magazine. Split it up, do a bit of both for now.”

He lights up at my answer. “You will go far, Angel, so far. Anyone that sees you dance is instantly hypnotized.” I blush and the waitress brings our food over. We stay quiet when we eat, just enjoying each other’s company.

“No boyfriend?” he asks wiping his mouth. “No,” I answer.

“Good, don’t ever settle. You will know when you met the one. It’s crazy, they become your every thought,” he says, referring to Grandma. She was his one true love. They were married for forty years and the way he looked at her every time she stepped into the room is how I want someone to look at me one day. I might not want to live with him anymore, only due to the fact that he can be very protective, but I truly do love him and have missed him terribly.

My parents couldn’t raise a kid because they were kids themselves. My grandparents took me in and I followed my grandfather around everywhere. He was my idol, the one person who I could always rely on. My grandmother passed away when I was sixteen. I know he’s never fully recovered from it either and the only time I see him smile is when he’s with me. I don’t want that to be the only reason because I want him to always smile, no matter what.

“CJ.” My head swings around to where my name came from and I watch as Tanner and Kyrone walk toward us. Granddad met Tanner before and liked him though he knows we are only friends.
I wonder if he will like Kyrone?
Oh, what do I care? I actually plan on castrating him later.

“Mr. Jones,” Tanner holds his hand out for Granddad to shake. Granddad stands up and shakes it and turns to Kyrone, whose eyes focus on me.

“Mr. Jones, this is Kyrone, the captain of the football team,” Tanner explains and Kyrone steps up to shake his hand. They smile and say hi and Granddad sits back down across from me.

“CJ, can we meet up later?” Tanner asks. Shit! He wants to talk about earlier. My eyes shoot to Kyrone’s and I see him still watching me. I nod my head and he says goodbye as walks off. Kyrone walks closer and smiles down at me.

“You going to dance later?” he asks. I look over at Granddad, who pretends to be oblivious to our short exchange and shake my head. “Okay, text me if you do.” He turns and faces Granddad. “Nice meeting you, sir. Beautiful girl you raised there,” he says then walks off. I drop my head and pick up my phone seeing the earlier text was from Kyrone.

“He is smitten with you.” My head shoots up and I shake my head.

“He is… both of those boys are,” he laughs to himself. “But I suspect only one of them interests you?” I don’t answer and stand up, throwing some money onto the table and we walk back to his car. “He watches you dance?” Granddad asks referring to Kyrone.

“No, not really. He kind of barges in uninvited and sits in the shadows when I don’t know.” He nods his head like he understands.

“It’s a beautiful thing to watch. I can understand him wanting to see you more.” I shrug my shoulder and smile at him.

“Do you need any money?” he asks and I shake my head no because he already does enough for me. He works too damn hard to support me as it is.

“Well, how about when you move to New York and once you’ve settled in, I fly out and visit you?”

I’m taken aback and my mouth hangs open. “What?”

“Don’t be silly girl, I’m not gonna drive there. It will be easier if I fly.” I nod my head and throw my arms around his neck. “I'll see you tomorrow before I head off?” I nod and walk back to my room, a huge smile on my face.

Tanner is sitting outside my door when I get there. He sees me coming and stands up. I smile and unlock the door. “You came early,” I say, going to my bed.

“Are you seriously going to see Kyrone again? You know he only wants one thing.”

“Yes, I know what he wants. He was very clear and so was I,” I say, wondering where this is coming from.

“He wants to see you again, he never does that. The way he was talking about you, I don’t think it's only going to be sex,” he says, running a hand through his hair.

“It will be, he knows this. Aren’t friends suppose to back each other up? You’re making him out to have the plague.”

“Just be careful, okay?” he questions, letting his hands drop from his head.

“I always am.”

“Do you like me?” he asks, looking directly into my eyes. I’m not sure how to answer that question.
Why is he asking that now?

“Of course I do. You’re one of my best friends, Tanner.”

“Okay,” he says and walks out the door. He gives me whiplash, serious whiplash.

School flies by and I realize that two weeks have already passed. I’ve been avoiding everyone and all the parties. Hillary is impossible to avoid, but I have successfully avoided everyone else. In that time, I’ve been speaking to Tick more. He interests me, but he also scares me, and I think I’m attracted to that. I haven’t danced for two weeks and my body hates me for it. As soon as I hear a beat, my foot starts tapping. I need to dance. Kyrone has texted me multiple times, but I have yet to respond to any since I last saw him. I make my way to the gym on Friday night and look around to make sure no one is here. Most of the people are out partying anyway, getting ready to celebrate finals.

“I could watch you all night long,” a voice snaps me out of my moves. I haven’t stopped dancing for an hour that is until his deep voice pulls me from it.

“Do I have a tracker on me?” I snap at him and look down at my dance clothes.

“I don’t know, but I could do a thorough search if you want me to.” He stands from his usual spot and walks toward me. I place my hand up, indicating for him to stop.

“Why are you here?”

“Because you’re here.”

“It’s not as simple as that, you don’t even know me that well.”

“Christina, we have had the same friends for over a year now. I know you pretty well.”

“We haven’t spoken for most of that though,” I fire back at him.

“Yes, ‘cause you were too into Tanner.”

“I was not,” I lie.
How does he know me so well?
“Besides, you only sleep with girls once. So unless you’re after a friendship here, please, just leave me alone.”

“I have blue balls!” he yells out to me as I grab my bag and start to walk away. I laugh, really laugh at him. His face looks pained, though.

“Why on earth do you have blue balls?”

“Because of your meat curtains,” he tells me, pointing to my lady parts.

“My what?” I laugh harder at him.

“It's not funny, woman. It's serious. I haven’t been with anyone since you and they are aching,” he says reaching for them and pulling a face that looks like he is suffering. “Will you just wrap your lips around?” he pleads with me.