Saving Toby (9 page)

“Ouch.” He leaned back for a beat. “Okay, Claude. I get it.
You have big plans, and I’m not part of them.”

Rattled, I sighed. “I didn’t mean to come off sounding so
condescending, but I’m leaving for college in a few months. Getting involved
with someone now wouldn’t make sense.”

“Who needs to be involved? Friends with benefits works for
me.”

“Okay, now you’re just being an ass.”

His smile told me he wasn’t taking this seriously at all. “I
should kiss you again. I have a feeling I can change your mind.”

“No!” My breath caught, and I held out my hand in case he
tried to come any closer.

Instead, he leaned back, crossed his long legs, and sighed.
“Whatever. I know a shitload of other available girls who definitely wouldn’t
say no to me.”

My heart twisted. I was the one snuffing the fire so I
shouldn’t have been affronted by the taunt.

But still.

“Well, then! I’m glad I didn’t damage your ego!” Stooping, I
quickly reclaimed my bag from the floor.

“That’s the good thing about getting thrown around most of
your life. You learn how to take a knock.”

I frowned at his comment. “I’m not trying to knock you. I’m
just drawing a line.”

“Line acknowledged.” His clipped tone ended the
conversation.

13. Toby

I got home from work a few minutes earlier than normal
Friday afternoon and waited for Claudia in the foyer. I decided to ignore the
balk she played last night. Our kiss had leveled our playing field, and the
only game I wanted to keep playing was to make her want to kiss me again.

I watched as Claudia made her way up the steps and how she
immediately halted as she came through the door. I positioned myself across the
doorway with my arm out so she couldn’t pass. Her eyes flicked to mine, and,
clearly annoyed, she sighed.

Her hair was down, not up in the usual ponytail. I liked it
that way, and I wondered if she wore it like that for me. The trail of freckles
across her nose drew my attention, and I itched to trace them with my finger.
Yet, I only touched her with my eyes, wandering over her face to her long,
appealing neck and back to her mouth. I saw her lips part on a breath, and my
mouth went dry.

“Back for more?”

Her eyes flashed, and she put a hand on her hip. “Why don’t
you go find one of your other ‘available girls’ tonight and leave me alone?”

Ohh
, jealousy. Home run.

I leaned in close and whispered, “I’m not used to having to
try this hard, but the chase is kind of exciting.”

“I’m here to work. Please, get out of my way,” she glowered.

“Toby.” Julia’s warning voice came from the other room.
“Leave the poor girl alone.”

“Ah, saved by your mother.” Claudia pushed my arm away, smug
with satisfaction. Turning stiffly, she walked towards the back of the house.

I was embarrassed that Julia might have overheard what I was
saying, but I didn’t let on. “There’s always later,” I called to her, and she
waved an irritated hand at me. Whistling, I left the house.

I had to let her do her thing with Julia, so I planned on
keeping myself busy for a few hours, hanging out over at Ray’s. I called to let
him know I was coming over after I went to the store. Without Dev there, it
would be an uneventful night. Suited me fine.

On my way to Ray’s, Dario called and asked about hanging
out. We made plans to meet back at my house later. I told him to bring April. I
wanted Claudia to stay, and April, my secret ally, would ensure that.

I couldn’t stop thinking about Claudia. She was really quite
the challenge. Our little sparring felt like a tie score in the deciding game
of the World Series. Just like a worthy opponent, she was pushing me to
concentrate and play hard.

I was saving up my fast pitch, and I was sure I’d take the
win. I wanted it so bad, I could taste it.

When I got to Ray’s, no one answered the door. I found both
Ray and his mother stretched out in lawn chairs on their sagging back deck.
They were both lit, passing a roach back and forth.

Diane smiled when she saw me and told me to join them. She
offered the clip to me, but I shook my head and sat down. Next to me, Ray was
completely and thoroughly cooked.

“Is he okay?” I asked his mother.

“Yeah,” Diane said. “When he’s on his meds, the weed makes
him even more sleepy.”

The anti-depressants Ray took were supposed to help his
stutter—and some of his other issues. When he was on them, he never drank more
than a beer or two, but weed was another thing. It was his poison.

“Got anything to drink around here?” I asked.

“Beers are in the fridge. Help yourself,” she said, her
smoke-addled voice particularly harsh.

I entered the house through the back door and found a half
case of cheap canned beer in the refrigerator. I was pulling a can out when the
back door opened and Diane slinked in.

I hadn’t noticed how she was dressed before, but now I
couldn’t help it. Skintight jeans and a thin blouse left open a few buttons too
low.

“Grab me one, would ya?” she asked.

I took out a second can. I popped both open and held one out
to her.

Rather than take the beer, she moved closer. “Thanks,” she
said.

With my height advantage, I had a clear view down the front
of her shirt. Her black lace bra seemed to be suffering under extreme duress,
barely holding onto those radically modified mammaries, the material was
begging for mercy. A quick flick of the straps would set them free. For a brief
moment, I wondered if they felt real.

Playful, she walked her fingers up my chest, “Want to fool
around?”

I laughed. “Wow, you’re really stoned, aren’t you?”

“No. I’m really horny.”

Holy shit.

I pushed her hand away. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

With a man-eating smile, she arched her shoulders back,
pushing her rack into my airspace. “You’re not a little boy. We’re both
consenting adults.”

I couldn’t help but look down at what she was offering me. I
exhaled sharply.

“You’re not afraid of an older woman, are you?”

“Afraid?” I laughed darkly. “No, I’ve been with older women
before. Just not my friend’s mother.” I let my eyes drop again, openly admiring
her jugs before I looked back at her face and said, “If it weren’t for that, we
wouldn’t be talking right now.”

“Oh, my,” she cooed. Pulling at the hem of my tee shirt, she
smiled. “It’s really too bad you and Ray are
such
good friends. But
then, you were always a better friend to Ray than that other one.”

As if on cue, I heard a distinct loud engine out front.
Dev’s Cutlass. Moments later, he stalked into the house, shouting for Ray, his
heavy footsteps echoing through the Rudacks’ small, one-story house. He filled
the kitchen doorway and eyed Diane and me. Diane moved away.

“And speak of the Devil,” she said under her breath. “Hi,
Dev. Ray’s out in the yard,” she told him, all sweetness. Before she left, she
looked at me and lifted an eyebrow. “If you change your mind, I’ll be around.”

She left us alone in the kitchen and went out back.

“Fuck me. What was that?” Dev reached forward and clapped my
shoulder. “Women are just throwing their panties at you. You are my goddamn
idol, man.”

“It was nothing,” I insisted. This was our first
face-to-face since the fight at the party.

“Yeah, right. I’m just glad to see you, you piece of shit. I
missed you, bro.”

I ignored him and started towards the door.

“What? You still not talking to me?” Dev moved fast and
stood in my way. I tried to go around him, but he blocked me.

Steeling myself, I looked straight ahead. “I’m leaving. Get
out of my way.”

The backdoor opened, and Ray shuffled in. Dev turned to
look, and I used the distraction to pass by and head out the front door.

Dev followed me outside, Ray not far behind.

“Tell me this is not over that girl at the party, your mom’s
helper,” he demanded.

I hesitated to answer just a split second, but he caught it.
“Holy shit. It is.”

“Shut up,” I snapped. “This is not about her.”

“Then what?”

I halted, took a breath, and swung around to face him. “It’s
the way you went after that guy that night. It was fucking unprovoked, man. I
can’t be a part of that kind of shit anymore.”

“Ah, stop being a fucking girl,” Dev chuckled. “You used to
love nothing better than a good fight. That’s all it was. Forget about it,” he
said, reaching out to shake my shoulder again.

“Stop,” I warned him, but he smacked me upside the head in a
gruff jokey way instead. Aggravated the shit out of me. I raised my fists in
front of me protectively. “Leave me the fuck alone.”

“What the hell is up with you? The Faye I used to know never
gave a shit about laws, screwing with a girl, or busting a guy up. What
happened to him?”

Ever since I’d been home, I’d allowed myself to be sucked
back in. I didn’t want this.

“Last time I hung out with you, I got hauled into a police
interrogation. Christ, stabbing someone—that’s serious shit.” I gritted my
teeth. “And honestly, man, I have enough to deal with. I don’t want to hang
with you anymore.”

Dev sucked in deeply and spit out a thick lugie. “You’re
afraid.”

He was so pathetic, his big, slow brain didn’t get it. I
found it kind of funny and laughed.

“You laughing at me?”

“Oh, yeah, I am.”

“Fuck you,” he barked. Leaning forward, he spat down at my
feet. A large glob of his disgusting dribble landed perfectly on top of my left
sneaker.

Before I let myself react, I tried to remember that was
exactly what he wanted. I wasn’t about to give it to him.

“Whatever. Just leave me out of your fucking stupid,
ass-backward shit.” And then I made a mistake; I turned my back on him.

The next thing I knew, my head was bouncing off the wheel
well of my Jeep, and I was on my ass in the dirt driveway.

“That’s for last Saturday. And just a little reminder that I
can take you down whenever, and if ever, I fucking want to.” Dev’s upper lip
curled with a sneer.

I laughed again even as I felt my brow beginning to swell.
The trickle of blood tickled my face.

“Why the hell are you laughing?” Dev turned to Ray, who just
stood there, stoned and staring. “Can you believe this fucking asshole? He just
lost his best friend, and he’s laughing his motherfucking ass off.” I couldn’t
hear anything else Dev said as he walked away. I only stopped laughing when I
heard his car engine rev, and I knew he was gone.

Claudia was waiting in the living room ready to leave when I
got in. Prepared to make a quick escape, no doubt. Not far behind me, Dario and
April were just coming up the driveway as I wobbled into the house. The two of
them were probably wondering what had happened to me.

“Hey,” I waved to Claudia. Ignoring her startled stare at
the bloody rag I held to my forehead, I went to the kitchen to clean myself up.
Her keys jangled as she dropped them on the coffee table and followed, hot on
my heels.

“You’re bleeding! What happened?”

“Got clocked by my own Jeep,” I told her, pretending to be
embarrassed.

“Dude, you tripping? Like, for real?” Dario asked, coming
into the house. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw April go to Claude and give
her a hug.

“Yeah. Two left feet.”

“I’d say it looks like you were in a fight,” Claudia eyed
me.

I looked away knowing I was just confirming it. She muttered
‘
liar
’ under her breath and slipped in next to me at the sink, both of
us blotting at the cut.

“Do you think you’ll need stitches?”

“I don’t think so. It’s just bleeding like a bitch.”

“Let me take a look.” She pulled a chair out from under the
table and motioned for me to sit.

She wanted to play doctor. I sat. As she prodded my puffy
right brow, her warm breath fanned my face. I closed my eyes and tried to reign
in the urge to touch her.

“It’s a clean slit over your eyebrow. I think if we pinch it
together with a bandage and ice it, you should be okay,” she said. “Do you have
a first aid kit or something?”

Not waiting for an answer, she went into the bathroom in
search of bandages and antiseptic.

“Hey, now that we know the guy’s going to live, how about
April and I go get pizza and a six pack?” Dario asked.

“Fine with me. Just make sure you get bottles. None of that
canned shit,” I said, and looked to Claude as she reentered the kitchen.

“I’m getting an iced coffee,” April said. “You want one,
chica?”

“Yes, that sounds good,” Claudia nodded, and I was happy she
planned on staying.

“Cool. Be right back then,” Dario said. The two left the
house.

Claudia prepped a triage area. “Another fight, huh?” When I
didn’t answer, she shook her head. “Aren’t you getting too old for that?”

“Nah. I’m just getting good at it,” I smirked.

“My father thinks you’re just another young guy with raging
hormones. Maybe he’s right.” She doused some gauze with peroxide and held it to
the cut.

It burned like a blowtorch. Tensing, I slouched down in the
seat sliding my legs straight out in front of me, one leg between hers. I
nudged her knee with mine. “I’m surprised he allows you to be in the same house
with me.”

“Believe me, he’d rather I not be.” She picked up a bandage
and hovered over me. “The only reason he agreed is because I’m helping your
mother.”

After the fight and Diane’s proposition, I was feeling hyped
up and reckless. I looked up at her as she leaned over me. So close, I could
smell her and feel her skin radiating heat. Even if she wasn’t aware of it, her
body was calling me.

“You smell good,” I murmured, and I slid my hand around the
back of her knee, feeling the warmth of her leg.

She slapped it away like an annoying mosquito. “I’m not
wearing any perfume.”

It was true. She didn’t smell of flowers, vanilla, or any
other namable scents, but that didn’t mean she didn’t still get to me. I had an
urge to
taste
the smell of her skin.

“I guess I just like the way you naturally smell.” I admired
her body, letting my eyes travel slowly upwards, my gaze hanging on each curve.
I put my hand back on her leg and caressed her thigh. Our exchange suddenly
became less like a ball game and more of a hunt.

“Don’t start this again.” Grumbling impatiently, she pushed the
offending hand away. “We’re just friends, remember?”

“Right, the ‘f’ word,” I quipped.

Ignoring me, she leaned forward to apply the bandage. I tried
to snatch it from her. “I got this.”

“Just let me finish,” she said, refusing to give up the
bandage.

“You’re too close.” I sat up, continuing the tug-of-war. “My
hormones are
raging
.”

“Oh, come on.” She scoffed. “Seriously?”

I patted my lap. “Sit right here and see for yourself.” Her
eyes darted downwards. Releasing the bandage like the thing had just grown
legs, she practically hopped away. All I could do was laugh.