Gravity (9 page)

"Where's Pete?"

"What do you mean? We broke it off."

"Find another way." I end the call. There's
no way I'm showing up with her—is she crazy? I smile in the
rearview. I feel more confident than usual. I have a feeling my
dream has something to do with it but I can't remember at the
moment.

When I get to Jake's, I park in my reserved
space in the driveway. Herds of girls head to the front door. Most
of them won't be leaving with their friends. One of them will come
home with me later—if I'm lucky, two. I leave my car and retrieve
the extra beer out of my trunk. Hunter's Crew immediately greets
me. My stomach flips recalling a part of my dream I was humiliated
by them.

"Alex!" Hunter's broad smile and hard pat on
the back centers him.

"I got a little extra for you guys." They
surround me but not to beat me up, but to praise me for extra beer.
They leave howling and I make my way to the front door.

Jake's parties are known to go all night, attracting
college hotties and occasionally cops show up and tear it down. His
parents are never home, leaving Jake a giant empty house to trash
every other weekend. The loud music is
my focus most of the time, drowning out everyone;
making a crowded room worth it. I'm able to enjoy the drinking,
dancing, hijinks and focusing on individuals better. Individuals
like Madison.

I spot her with her friends pretending not to
care that I'm watching her; pretending to enjoy the beer which she
hates the taste of; pretending to love the song played while moving
her hips; and pretending she is hard to get. Like the others, she’s
not hard to get. Her off the shoulder top accentuated her breasts
and reveals nothing to the imagination. Her short pencil skirt was
picked it out especially for me.

She bats her eyes and sips her beer—which she
hates, but it’s the only thing to gets her drunk fast enough to
shut off her annoying conscience. Only then will she be ready for
me. Her thoughts are little, but loose which I like. She’s buzzed
enough, giving me an early start on the night incase college girls
show up.

"No den!" Jake shouts from across the
room.

I don't waste any time, making my intentions
known. I approach her from behind and lower my lips to her ear,
"Hey."

"Hey", she sips her beer.

I lightly caress her waist. "Upstairs," I
whisper.

She separates from her circle of friends as I
take her hand and head upstairs. Except for the line for the
bathroom, it’s quiet. Listening to Madison's unwound mind run on
half drunken thoughts, I find an empty bedroom and close the door
behind us.

She’s nervous. I ignore it. She won’t be for
long. She’s just another girl who wants the same thing I do.

My lips meet hers without a single word. I
will get to know her and she'll let me. Her submission is my
addiction. There’s something about wanting it and the thrill of
getting it.

Her hands find their purpose. I gasp as she
reaches below my belt.

Pete is right. She’s as much of a notch in my
belt as I am to hers. I'm not looking for a girlfriend. I think
being young isn't about love; it’s about living in the moment and
seeing how far I can push it. Knowing everything about everyone, I
can see their flaws; their dirty laundry makes them not worthy to
love. It’s not like the movies and romance novels; they're pretty
much lies. Madison wants what I want. No one loses.

“Alex!” She murmurs. They always call my
name.

Sexual gratification is everything. A good
reputation is the reward. Who you are is what you do and who you
fuck. Madison isn’t top shelf, but after tonight she will be. She
can thank me for that. There’s nothing more important to a
Rembrandt high school girl than to say she hooked-up with Alex
Aisling.

She proves her worth by going down on me. The
act makes me feel like a king.

I reward her with a kiss for her efforts and
I place my hands under her skirt. No underwear is helpful. It’s
pleasing to think she went through all of this trouble for me. They
always do.

Her wet warmth between her legs jumps starts
my need pleasure. I lure to the bed. Lift her skirt and slide down
my jeans. I rush our connection. I thrust deep without hesitation.
I watch her face as I do what I do well. She tries to kiss me but I
bury my face in her neck and press deeper into her. I can't be
distracted.

I make no effort to please her and instead
focus on my own peak. Pleasing her involves emotions which I have
none for her. She can take what she wants and I can take the same.
There is no heart in the matter. I'm absorbed in my own pleasure
and ignore hers. I listen in on the actions of my neighbors in the
room next door acting on similar instincts.

It isn't long before I release. I suddenly
want nothing to do with her.

She kisses me, but my lips don't respond back
as the whole act is still incomplete somehow. I pull out of her and
stand to adjust myself. She lies on the bed, enthralled in her own
thoughts, replaying what transpired.

I kiss her once more to ensure her I'm not
completely heartless. I don't care what she thinks once I leave the
room. She’s history.

Gabriel

I'm still wondering what this is all about. I
haven't said a word to Violet, just followed her across town.
'We can help each other'.
Her words feel like they have
weight to them. Maybe she can help. Maybe I'm being hopeful. I'll
stay with her because I have nowhere else to go and nothing better
to do.

"Alexander Aisling is in there." She glances
at a piece of paper and folds it back in her pocket. I wonder if my
name was on it too. I wonder if Alexander has the same condition as
me. By looking at the loud house party, I figure this Alexander
must have a different problem. I can never be in a crowd without
everyone attacking me.

Violet takes her sweat shirt off and her ball
cap, revealing her face. I recognize her from a memory that decides
to unveil from the depths of my mind. My heart skips as emotions
for this complete stranger build up in my chest. I don't know her,
yet these feelings are hard to ignore. Red must have done something
to me. Maybe the clash into her messed me up.

"I can't go in looking like a bum." She drops
her sweater on the curb. "How old are you?" The question takes me
by surprise as I eye her figure.

"Ah, s-sixteen." Without an oversized sweat
shirt hiding her body, I'm distracted by her curves. She's
definitely older.

"So young," she says under her breathe.

"What?"

"I thought you'd be older." She adjusts the
hem of her top.

"Why? Does it matter?" I try not to sound
desperate, but my hands fumble my backpack to the ground.

“I’m not sure.” She combs her fingers through
her hair. "I'll be right back. Promise me you won't leave." She
fluffs her dark hair.

"I promise." I try not to stare. She's really
pretty. I can't believe I could have done it with her if I hadn't
held back. I should scold myself for thinking it. I could've hurt
her.

I want to go with her, but the party is
packed with people and I would be touching everyone. I wonders
what’s so special about Alexander Aisling and why does she need
him? Why am I
'so young'
? She doesn't look that old.
Watching her walk to the house, I already miss her. I take her
sweatshirt, bring to my nose for a whiff.

***

Alex

Jake nudges me. "Dude, look what just walked
through the door."

I catch sight of her. No one can miss her.
She’s more beautiful than all the girls at the party—any party; all
the girls in my school; this town, this... world. A whole flood of
memory comes seeping back—my dream; the one with Red; the one with
her
. Holy shit!

"There's your college girl," Pete raises his
beer.

"No way. This is my house." Jake backs away,
flipping us off. I'm awestruck by my own walking, talking dream
girl as she gets corned by my best friend. Jake introduces himself
to her. I try to focus in on the girl, but my mind's ear is too
distracted by the God damn music. The one time I wish this place to
be empty—just me inside of her head.

I saunter over, but Jake pulls her into the
corner—the bastard. He must be trying his best lines, but she
doesn't seem interested in him as her eyes wander the room.

He offers a beer and she doesn't take it.
She’s asks him something, but he shrugs. She walks away
disappointingly. Jake stops in front of her for another try. I hope
his persistence doesn't pay off as it usually does with hot girls.
Thankfully she's not falling for his charm and walks away. Jake
rakes his hair in frustration. My eyes follow her while my
peripheral sees Jake tell Pete something to make his jaw drop. I
wish the music would stop to give me a leg up with her thoughts. I
feel nervous which is not what I'm use to feeling. I want to
approach her, but I convince myself,
not yet,
I need
something to bait her.

Pete appears at my side. "Dude, Jake just
told me that the girl was looking for
you
. You know
her?"

"No. I mean—I don't know." I watch her cross
the room. I'm too shocked to move. "She's looking for me?"

"Go, before she leaves." Pete shoves me. My
legs bring me behind her. I raise my hand to her hair where her
chestnut tendrils hang a little past her shoulders. I imagine
entwining my finger around one of those soft curls. She turns
suddenly and I swipe my hand away as she looks curiously up at me.
Her kissable lips part, a reaction I'm used to with females who
find me attractive. She has the kind of face I could stare at all
day. She's beautiful, but I can tell she's the type that doesn’t
know it. Her clothes scream practicality, not personality. The lack
of make-up is surprising since I usually prefer it on girls;
they're usually unattractive without their faces on.

So this is natural beauty.

Her arms cross over her chest like she's not
used to dressing in tank tops. She can't hide that cleavage
anyway—she shouldn't.

The music fades suddenly. I can now focus on
the jackpot—her thoughts.

"Are you looking for Alex?" I sip my beer.
She's older, but a soft glow to her fair skin makes her look
younger along with her big brown eyes which suddenly shrink to a
suspicious stare.

"Yes. You know him?" She's aggravated and
somehow she knows I'm Alex.

"No. Do you know what he looks like?" I eye
her lips.

"No." She seems willing to play the game, but
I don't see why if she’s irritated. How does she know I'm him if
Jake didn’t tell her?

"I need to talk to him. I need his help."

"Maybe I can help?" I can't tear away from
her dark eyes. There's something innocent there. Something I want
to ruin so badly.

"Only if you can read minds?" She tilts her
head.

"Maybe I can, Violet." Saying her name is so
sweet in my lips I can only imagine what she must really taste
like.

Her forehead wrinkles. She's not impressed.
"Can we not play anymore? I really need your help. Red sent
me."

So that guy is real? I remember Red from the
weird dream, but the details are fuzzy. Her face is all I really
stands out. Staring at her now, it's like I'm dreaming again.
Jake's house fades away until all I can see is her standing before
me. I feel lighter than air and then I realize all the other sounds
are gone; only her thoughts are audible. A moment of bliss in one
head, finally. What triggered this? Her thoughts hover around a
dominating emotion—worry. What is she worried about?

The music interrupts the quiet like a fire
alarm, forcing me to resurface out my focus. It feels like my
temple will burst.

"Are you alright?" She steps a closer. Her
hand hovers close to my shoulder. "Maybe we should go outside. You
don't look so good. Come on.” She takes my arm. Hot blood rushes to
my face. A teasing sensation tickles my groin. I crush my beer can
from the sudden wave of unidentifiable emotions washing over
me.

"I'm sorry, Alex.” Violet drops my arm and
the sensation subsides. She steps away, but the air around me seems
to be pushing me towards her. “Please, let’s go outside. It’s kind
of noisy in here.”

I look around the room and spot Jake and Pete
raising their beers, mouthing the word
'score'
. Violet heads
for the door and my body is leashed along like a dog. Maybe it's
the alcohol but it's the same piss water I drink at every party and
getting hit like it's the good stuff has never happened before. We
step outside and Violet walks away from the house. "We're outside.
Are you going tell me how you know me?" I attempt to close the
space between us.

"Your dream with Red.” She backs away. “He
sent me to get you. Red can help you with your telepathy. There's a
lot you can control, Alex."

“Control?” I'd like to lose control on top of
that perfect body.

“Red told me you can’t control what you hear.
You must be hearing everything all the time. How can you stand
it?”

I feel the cord between us fizzle away.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about?” I
look away from her and at the guys on the porch who are getting
louder. I don't want to talk about that.

“Alex?”

Her voice is muddied with the voices of
others and the filter is gone. The music isn’t loud enough to focus
and the voices are causing my head to throb. I rub my forehead, but
there's no relief. “What?”

“Alex…” Violet’s voice fades and my eyes
blur. My stomach feels awful. The urge to vomit is so overwhelming
I lean over the bushes beside me and lets it all up. How
embarrassing. I never vomit.

“I don't know why you do this to yourself.
This place has too many people, Alex."