Chapter 3

3

Ryeson

I hear the sound of Baylor’s diesel engine pulling into my driveway, and I’m practically rushing out the door. It’s stupid that I’m this stoked about hanging out with my buddy, but it’s been so damn long. We used to chill every day: going out to the field to practice our throws, hitting the wrestling mat, playing video games. Always coming up with stupid pranks to play on Kyler and Chase. It was fun just working on homework with him. But for the last three months, I can count on one hand how many times we’ve hung out just the two of us.

I lock up the house and turn, nearly tripping down the front porch steps when I see inside his truck. “What the fuck is she doing here?” Taya waves at me through the passenger window, and my jaw clenches up, unable to force the smile. I sure as hell hope he’s just giving her a ride back to her house on the way to the theater.

“Hey, man!” Bay smiles as I open the back. The least he could’ve done was send me a text and given me a heads-up that we are going to be dropping his girlfriend off on our way.

“Hey, Ryes!” Taya says, and her bubbly voice sets off that jagged emotion I detest. Jealousy is now raiding my conscience. “Hope you don’t mind me tagging along on your guys’ night. I’ve been dying to see this movie.”

The door slams harder than I intend. Are you fucking kidding me? The one fucking night we were going to hang out— the one night after months of him ditching me—and he had to bring her along. He didn’t even check in with me to make sure I was cool with the change of plans. He just blindsided me.

I’m not even in the mood to go see the fucking thing anymore. I won’t be able to see past the red in my mind. It’s one fucking night. One night.

“Ryes, dude, you good?” I look over, wondering how he could be so fucking clueless. No, I’m not fucking good. I don’t know what the hell happened to my best friend, but the guy I’m staring at isn’t him. He’s changed. He used to make fun of Chase for being so wrapped up with Cassie, but at least Chase still comes out for guys’ nights. Baylor is pussy whipped and puts his girlfriend above all else. Even if I was head over heels for someone, I’d never do this shit to him. I’d never cut my friends out of my life no matter how in love with her I was.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I say, hearing the gruffness in my voice that makes my answer unbelievable. The ragged edge of my anger slices through each word. He and I are going to have words later, but I won’t make a scene in front of Taya. She’ll go back to her bitch squad and who knows what rumors will be spread. Besides, what I have to say is not for her ears. I don’t like the girl, and it’s time I let my opinion be known to Bay. That way he won’t pull this shit again in the future. If he wants to hang out with her, he can cut me out of the equation.

He pulls out of my driveway, and I focus on the scenery out the window, the trees passing by, so I keep myself from glaring Taya down. This isn’t her fault. Sure, she knew this was supposed to be a guys’ night and yet she still imposed herself into our plans anyway, but my beef is with Baylor. This is about him not setting boundaries and telling the girl no. This is about him not giving a shit about me or our friendship. He’s decided that sex is more important than the ten years we were inseparable. And if that’s the case, I’m out.

“Dude, you sure you’re good. It looks like something’s up.”

The fact that he’s asking me that digs the anger in deeper. He can’t be that fucking clueless. It’s not that hard to figure out. I’d shoot him a text, but it will show up on his dashboard screen and Siri will read it out loud.

“Just got shit on the brain.” I turn my attention back out the window.

“I’m hungry,” Taya states, ignoring my comment. Her whiny voice is like a razor shaving down my spine. “Are you going to buy me food at the theater?”

After what Bay told her at lunch, you’d think she’d back off and pull out her own wallet, get herself whatever the fuck she wants. But she’s back to expecting him to buy her ten-dollar Twizzlers and an eight-dollar soda. I’m sure she’ll want a twenty-dollar pail of popcorn too. If Baylor stays with the girl, his trust fund will be drained dry before he even gets to college. Honestly, it’s not even about the money. It’s about the principle. The girl thinks she owns him. And by the way he acts, she does.

“Yeah, I’ll get you food. Sorry I didn’t feed you before we left.”

“You fed me something else.” She smirks, and the angry knot in my stomach takes the shape of jealousy again. Now, I know why he was late picking me up. He was busy getting his dick sucked. Maybe I should start sucking him off, then I might actually get a night with him alone. Fucker.

For once, I’m happy that Taya is monopolizing the conversation, not letting anyone else get a word in edge wise because I’m not in the mood to speak. She drones on for the rest of the car ride, talking about what she should wear to Chase’s party on Friday so she looks just as good as the other girls. I stare out the window, burning one tree down at a time. I’m never making plans with him again. He’s made his choice, and I’m no longer interested in spending my time with the selfishly absorbed girl. Nor do I like to watch them make-out all the time. In the hallway, in the cafeteria while I’m trying to eat, in the back of the car when we’re heading to meet up with everyone. If they start going at it during the movie, I’m walking out.

I go straight to my seat when we get to the Cineplex, not bothering to wait while they buy their food. They show up to their seats well into the credits, Taya causing a raucous as she sits down. Bay holds out a box of peanut m the girls our age aren’t worth it.

Me : Dude, that sucks. But don’t fucking worry about it. She’s a bitch and everyone knows it. Let me know what time you get out of detention and I’ll order food for us.

“Are you going to get out?”

I look up from my phone at the sound of Taya’s snotty voice. I hadn’t realized we were at my house. My phone buzzes with another text, and my eyes drop back down.

Brennon : Sounds good.

I type my return text, ignoring the bitch who’s huffing up in the front seat. I had to wait on their asses earlier, so they can wait on me. And I’m hoping they both think I’m texting about them.

Me : See you tomorrow.

“Thanks for the ride,” I tell Bay. This time I slam the door intentionally.

My phone buzzes with another text as I make my way inside my house.

Baylor: Are you going to tell me what the hell you’re so pissed about? And don’t tell me it’s because of Taya because you were pissed before the movie even started.

A vicious chuckle rumbles out of me. Unfuckingbelievable. The guy gets straight As in all his classes. This isn’t a chemistry formula; it’s fucking common sense.

Me : The fact that you haven’t figured it out yet pisses me off. Go fuck your girlfriend and stop blowing up my phone.

I put my phone down on the kitchen counter, then head to the basement, stripping out of everything besides my boxers before I start hitting the weights. I need to work the anger out of my system. I don’t think I’ve ever been so fucking furious. Even when we were out on the field, getting dogged dirty by our rivals with the refs not calling squat, I wasn’t this pissed. I drop the forties and pick up the fifties, doing another twenty shoulder presses.

When my doorbell chimes, not twenty minutes later, I grit my teeth. I was just starting to calm my shit down. Just starting to feel the tension loosen its grip around my nerves, but I’m positive I know who’s standing at my door.

“What the fuck, Ryes?” Baylor grits out as I open the door. “What the fuck is going on with you tonight?”

Apparently, he hasn’t just given up his manhood to the girl, he’s given up his intelligence too.

“Are you really that fucking dense that I have to spell it out for you? Why don’t you try to use that brain on top of your head for once and take a guess.” He shoves his way past me, giving me one hell of a stare down. He looks like he’s ready to go to blows. By all means, I’d be happy to go a few rounds with the fucker. Knock some sense back into him.

“You’re pissed I invited her.” He finally takes his head out of his ass, stating the obvious. “She’d just sucked me off and was telling me she wanted to come. What the fuck was I supposed to say?”

“You could’ve told her it was a guys’ night. That you made these plans and would catch up with her later. You could’ve told her that you haven’t hung out with your buddy in ages and wanted one night off.” There are a million fucking ways he could’ve let her down, but he chose to bring her.

“Fine, I shouldn’t have brought her. I fucked up. But Chase always brings Cassie along and you never give him hell about it.”

He’s wrong. I’ve hung out with Chase a ton when Cassie wasn’t around. If it’s a guys’ night, she’s never invited. Unlike Baylor, Chase hasn’t dropped his friends for a girl.

“I’ve seen him a lot lately. He, Brennon and Kyler are always up for hanging out. They haven’t become pussy whipped like you.”

His entire frame stiffens and he cracks his jaw as he steps up to me, getting right in my face.

“You want to take it to the mat?”

I’m all fucking in. The anger is pumping through my veins, and I’m ready to take him down.

I step even closer, staring right into his narrowed eyes. “Two hundred says I pin you down in sixty seconds.”

“It’s a fucking bet.”

We both stalk down to my basement, and he strips, tossing his clothes to the side, leaving him in his boxers like me. I get in position on the mat, and he crouches in front of me. The clock on the wall says eleven forty-eight. When the minute hand crosses the twelve, I say, “Go.”

His body shifts to the side, the two of us circling the mat. “Fucking pussy whipped.” He shakes his head. “Don’t you ever fucking call me that again.”

“I’ll stop calling you that when you stop acting like her pet.” I shift forward, removing some space. “She chews your ass out at lunch for not getting her sushi, then you’re bringing her to the movies and buying her ass whatever she wants.”

His eyes widen and I make a lunge forward, gripping him around his neck. His emotions gave me an opening. He doesn’t want to face the facts, but it’s the truth. He struggles against me, trying to flip me to my back, but I anticipate the move and get him pinned down. His body locked under my weight. My eyes glaring down. “That’s two hundred.” I look up at the clock and see that I have ten seconds to spare.

I release my hold and back off, getting reset into starting position.

“She apologized for her behavior,” he defends, shaking out his shoulder and getting back down in front of me. “Forgiving someone doesn’t make me a pussy.”

“Go.” I look at the clock, though this time I’m not playing for money. He needs every cent he has to pay for his girlfriend’s every desire. “And what about for the shit she pulled at the theater? Did she apologize for acting like a brat and being rude to that guy tonight? The girl smacked your arm and got pissed at you for having some decency and manners.”

He lunges forward, but I dodge his move, switching sides of the mat.

“She’s on the rag.”

I shake my head at his weak-ass excuse. He sees the opening and makes another attempt. This time wrapping himself around my back. He’s got the upper hand, fighting hard to take me down. He’s the only one out of our friends who’s capable of doing it. But I think that’s because he’s known me for a long time and can read me so well. I used to think I knew him too. But lately I’m not so sure I know him at all.

“I think you’re fucking jealous,” he grits out. The strain is in his voice as he fights to battle against me. His comment makes me rage and my strength overpowers him, taking him down to his back.

“Jealous of fucking what?” I fight against his struggling arms. “Jealous of having to listen to her selfish ass drone on every day about unimportant bullshit, never letting you even speak?” I get a lower grip on his forearms and finally have leverage to across them over his chest, but he still puts up a fight. My lower half is straddled over his waist, pinning down his hips. He tries to buck up against me, but I bear down, taking the ride back and forth like I’m riding a bucking bull. He won’t be able to buck me off, but if I don’t bear down, I’m going to get a bruising in my balls. “Jealous of having to pay for every little thing and having to apologize for her bitchy behavior?” I finally get his arms pinned down. “I’m not fucking jealous,” I breathe, hovering right above him, glaring down into his eyes.

He finally goes limp and just stares up at me. The anger is burning bright. But too fucking bad. It’s about time he heard the truth.

“That’s two,” I state, shifting back and sitting up. My dick comes up against a hard ridge. The adrenaline must be taking over. It’s definitely working through my system. I’m stiff as an iron bar. It always happens after a football game or when I’m amped up with aggression. Afterwards, I always come so fucking hard.

I climb off and sit back, waiting to see if he wants to go again. He stays on his back, his chest heaving. “I think you’re jealous that my dick is getting so much action. How long has it been for you?” His head turns to the side, meeting me with a snide smirk. “Six months since you’ve been with a girl?”

I reach out and grab ahold of his hard dick. “I could get laid if I wanted to. But I’m not willing to settle for a bitch like you are.” I squeeze around his girth. “She jerks you around by this thing.” I jerk him up and down over his boxers, emphasizing my point. “And you just fucking take it.” I stroke him faster. “I’d rather fuck my hand then turn into someone’s pet.”

His hand comes out, grabbing between my legs, putting me in the same vice grip. I groan as the ache pulses in my balls.

“Call me that a-fucking-gain and I will shove my cock down your throat and make you swallow your words. Show you what a fucking alpha I am.” His grip tightens even more, but it’s not causing me pain like he intends. I always jerk off with a rough grip. I almost like it to the point of pain.

“I’d like to see you try.” I thrust up into his hold. “I’d be happy to pin you down and fuck you in the ass for real. Show you exactly what it looks like when you’re around Taya. You acting like her dog, taking it up the ass.”

He lets out a groan and I realize my aggressive stroke has taken on a mind of its own, working him faster. He’s about to come. My dick is leaking at the slit too. My balls pounding with the beat of my need.

“I bet you want to fuck me in the ass, don’t you?” He heaves on a breath. “Judging by how hard this cock is, it’s proof you like the idea.”

I reach inside his boxers, pulling his cock through the slit, showing him his own glistening tip. “I could say the same about you. You’re frothing at the slit.” I run my thumb up over it, swiping away his warm seed. “I think you like taking it up the ass, otherwise, you’d break up with her.”

His breathing is getting heavier. He’s about to come. I start working him faster, wanting to prove my point—that his own fist can get him off just as good as any girl can. When his cock erupts in my hand, his cum shooting up onto his abs, mine follows his lead, making a mess inside my boxers. The pleasure swarms my system. Shocks are pulsing through every nerve, singeing me from head to toe. It’s the hardest I’ve ever come. Then again, it’s the angriest I’ve ever been.

The tension finally recedes from my body, as the aftershocks slowly rumble through. I unlatch my grip, slumping onto my back, taking a deep breath.

“Fuck, I’ve never come so hard.” His hard rasp has me chuckling. I shake my head back and forth staring up at the ceiling.

“Me fucking either.” Just goes to show how raving mad I was. “Now, I get why they say makeup sex is the best.” Fuck. I needed that. He’s right. My dick has been in a dry spell for far too long. Maybe it’s time to change that. But the second I think of the options at our school, my dick shrivels.

“Did we make up?” He turns a raised brow on me, and I chuckle again.

“I think we at least both know where we stand.” I sit up and look over at him. His glistening cock is still sporting a semi. “Next time we have a guys’ night, you better not show up with her.”

He smirks, sitting up and tucking himself back into his boxers. “Deal. And the next time you call me a pet, you know what’s going to happen?”

He laughs and I shake my head, tempted to say the word just to see how he reacts. I’d love to see him try to shove that thing in my mouth. I’ll make good on my threat and pin him down. Fuck some sense into him.

“Come on.” I stand, holding out my hand for him. “Let’s go get cleaned up and grab some food. Then I can beat your ass at Call of Duty.”

“Two hundred says I get you in a point-blank on the first round.”

“I’ll take that bet.” I smile, and finally the tension releases.