Between Us (all of us #1)

S E V E N

T R E N T O N

Diesel texted me this morning letting me know Roger was leaving this afternoon instead of the following day, so I headed over. Chloe was already hanging out there, so I figured there wouldn't be a sequel to the other night. He's not comfortable enough around her to act out, so I'll be stuck side eyeing the phony, average dad role he plays when company is around.

We sat outside at the patio set, Diesel snuck puffs of a blunt while we watched his parents walk through the house as Roger got ready to go.

At this point, I think Diesel just gets a rise out of being defiant. He could wait the thirty or so minutes for his dad to leave so that we could all smoke together, but instead he'd rather risk one of them walking out here and detecting the obvious scent in the air.

Aubree's wearing leggings and a shirt that ties in the front and shows a sliver of her bare midriff. Her hair is in long waves like she's just come from the beach. Her tan suggests that she probably did. Radiant and glowing like a bronzed angel.

I'm tired of her being so perfect all the time. She's making me hate her for it.

"So, when are you going to give us the details?" asks Chloe, sitting diagonally from me with her legs propped up on Diesel's lap as he traces circles into her skin. "You haven't said a word about last night and we all know you didn't take her up to Jessica's room just to talk."

"Uh...well." I shrug. "We made out a little bit, that was it."

"What? All those years of build up just for a weak little make out session?"

"She's a virgin."

"So?" Diesel arches his brow. "If she wanted it, it's cool."

"Nah. I didn't want her to be like, attached to me or something."

Diesel clicks his teeth, fanning away a big heap of smoke as if that'll really make the evidence disappear.

"No, I think he's right." Chloe sets her feet on the ground and pushes her chair in closer to the table. "Diesel was my first and I'm pretty sure that's why I can't stop coming back to him."

"That's bullshit." Diesel's lids are suddenly heavier. "I don't even remember my first. Who cares."

"It's different with girls." She says it like it's fact, and maybe it is. Something's keeping Aubree with Roger despite how badly he treats her. Maybe he was her first.

But dammit, I'll be her last. I swear.

I stare through the glass and see them in an embrace. Their lips are moving and she's smiling like he's said something sweet. Bullshit.

"Put it out, put it out," Chloe says in a sharp whisper as Diesel frantically pinches the lit tip of the blunt and seals up what's left in a plastic sandwich bag.

I shake my head, knowing the evidence is in the air. Roger's not stupid, he'll know as soon as he steps outside, and I swear if things escalate and he puts his hands on me again, I'm fighting him this time.

Roger knocks on the glass, gives us all a tight smile, and waves. We all awkwardly wave back before watching him leave through the window.

"That was a weird goodbye," says Chloe.

"Nah, he'll be back tomorrow. He has a quick meeting. Nothing to hug about."

He's probably just avoiding me because he's a pussy and doesn't want to apologize for being a dick to me the other night.

Looking in, I see Aubree combing her hair out of her face as she disappears into the kitchen.

"So, going back to the previous discussion, Trent," says Chloe, "you didn't have sex with Marina just because she's a virgin?"