Once Bitten

Chapter 9

Maurice is definitely a big mouth, but he's sweet too. Whenever the group goes out somewhere, he always makes sure I feel included.

We walk to his cadillac cts, and he opens the door for me. Once we're both in and buckled up he starts the car. " You know what I love about your car Maurice," I say looking at him.

He looks at me questioningly out the corner of his eye, and waves his hand for me to answer.

I smile at him really big and turn the radio on." The bass is awesome."

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I laugh at Maurice, while stepping out of his car. We get to the Mcdonald's a few minutes after everyone else. Maurice just insisted on showing me this new water park nearby, and then he couldn't find his way back.

" What? Stop laughing at me. I couldn't have known not to feed the monkeys, if there wasn't a sign."

This was the reason, I was laughing. I can just picture, a little 6 year-old, dark-skinned Maurice being attacked by monkeys in India. Maurice just smiles showing off his dimples.

" If you don't stop laughing, I'm going to have my boyfriend Colt come out here and beat you up," Maurice says, attempting to threaten me. Did I mention Maurice and Colt were gay? Only our inner-circle of friends know.

" He may be your boyfriend, Maury, but he loves me more."

Just as the sentence leaves my mouth, Colt decides to come join the party. " No, I don't. He's cuter than you little lady."

I love these guys. When no one is around, they're fun to hang with. As we walk up into the restauraunt, I get in the last word.

" I ain't even mad. As far as I'm concerned, we are on two different scales of cuteness."

They leave me to go get in line, while I find Reese sitting in a booth by herself. When I ask why, she tells me her baby went to go order her food. It hasn't even been a day, and I'm already getting sick of their couple's attitude.

" So since we have this time to ourselves, why don't you tell me how you got that hickey."

Ignoring Reese completely, I watch Kyle play the couple game with Mary. They really do look good together. It's so unfair how he can play games with me one night, and have sex with her the next morning. I should feel bad for what happened between me and him because I like her. I should feel bad because he doesn't even deserve a girl like her, but I really just feel jealous. I want what Kyle and Mary seem to have. What I know for a fact Reese and Kyle have. Colt and Maurice are getting there, and I'm still just as alone as I was at the beginning of the year.

" God, aren't you happy Mary and Kyle finally got together?" Reese asks me.

I mumble some answer in reply and walk out the doors. I pretend not to hear my concerned bestfriend and her equally concerned boyfriend calling after me. I pretend not to notice Kyle staring at me, while hugging and kissing on Mary. I don't care that it's an 30 minute walk back to school. It may be really childish that I feel like crying right now. Every mention of Kyle and Mary brings memories of Kyle and I from Friday night. It hurts. It's not that I was stupid, that's to be expected I mean it's Kyle. But I'm actually hurting and shocked over this..... I don't get it

10 minutes into my walk, as I'm beginning to really feel the burn, I hear a honk coming from behind me.Habit and curiosity make me turn around. Kyle rolls up beside me and lets down his window.

 " Get in. It's dangerous for pretty women to walk alone don't you know that? ", he says.

I blink the tears out of my eyes and continue walking. Kyle being the extreme jackbutt that he is, parks in the middle of the street, and gets out to follow me. Laughing I resume walking. A hand turns me back around, and those eyes watch me intently.

"What do you want Kyle?" I say in my hardest voice.

" Why did you run out of there? You didn't even eat."

" Why do you care?"

He actually looks a bit stunned. " I- I don't. You just seemed upset, and you can never be trusted to be smart. No one else cared enough to come after you. I was actually doing you a favor seeing as girls like to be chased anyway. Woof."

" And that Kyle is the last time, you'll insult me. Gosh, you're such a inconsiderate, rude, arrogant, man-whoring jerk! And I hate you. I hate you so bad. Did you think it would be easy for me? I woke up greeted with a half-naked chick sneaking out of your bedroom, knowing that had things gone differently it would have been me. I'd never gone as far with a guy as I went with you, and screw me for thinking maybe it meant something to you. That you weren't just drunk and horny and... that I was just convenient. I really, really wish you'd leave me alone."

Astonishment doesn't come close to the expression Kyle is weariing right now. I can't find it in me to feel bad about what I've just said to him, or even embarassed. It actually felt pretty good to give him a real piece of my mind. Kyle's silence doesn't last for long. It never does.

" I just...ahem...I brought you some food. Uh, mcchicken, small fry, oreo mcflurry. I knew you'd get hungry later . Everyone will probably be heading back to the school now anyway. Just get in the car, please."

It was all very awkward, but I couldn't disagree with his logic. After pulling back into the school parking lot 5 minutes later, we sat in silence waiting for our friends to arrive. I still wasn't speaking to him. I didn't want to, afraid of what would come out of my mouth next. He ended up breaking the silence first.

I sat facing the window, watching other students walk back into the school. Suddenly, his hand brushed against the side of my face, before pushing my hair behind my ear.

Then, he leaned over gave me a quick kiss on the forehead, and got out the car. Our friends had arrived. Getting out the car, I watched Kyle walk over to Mary and engage in a war of tongues. Leaning back against his car, I just watched. Reese had walked over and begun talking to me, no doubt saving her real questioning for later. Kyle broke from his make out session long enough to look up and wink at me. I'd make it though the week if it killed me. Kyle meant nothing.