Serenity (37 page)
Authors: Ava O'Shay
Ren stopped at a stop sign and thought about Quill’s prediction of the upcoming evening. “You don’t think he’ll hang out and soak up the homecoming high with Liz?”
“No. And seriously, do you? I am in shock my sister…excuse me…my bad ass sister let the stupid girls at the school run her off
again
. You know you’re fooling yourself if you think for a second he doesn’t completely love you in a totally not high school crush sort of way.”
Ren continued to drive without responding.
“Ren.”
“Okay I know. I don’t know why I let her get to me. I was being stupid.”
Quill let his head fall to the side again and smiled. “I may have done a shitty job of protecting you, but I am an awesome relationship fixer.”
Ren reached over and smacked him on the arm.
Quill laughed then yelled. “Stop fucking hitting me.”
-oOo-
Ren had pulled all the pins from her hair, scrubbed her face clean, and was sitting in shorts and a T-shirt eating ice cream with Quill when Jolin finally showed up.
When Jolin burst through the door, Quill stood and swayed to the side. “You asshole what did you do to my sister!”
Ren buried her face in her arms and tried not to laugh, but her shaking shoulders were a give away.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Jolin said to no one in particular.
“You’re screwing with my sister…” Quill started to giggle.
Ren totally lost it and laughed at Quill’s lame ass attempt at defending an honor that didn’t need to be defended.
“Ah fuck it. I love you man.” He grabbed Jolin around the neck in a quick hug then wandered toward his bedroom. “I’m out.”
Ren wiped the tears falling from her eyes and walked around the counter to where Jolin stood, very confused, in the small room.
“What in the hell was that about?” he asked.
Ren grabbed his chin and pulled his face back to hers. “I am very sorry for leaving tonight. I let Liz get into my head, and I didn’t give you a chance. I hope you can accept my apology.”
Jolin continued to look confused.
Ren trailed her hands down his arms until her finger tips touched his. “Please do me this one honor and dance with me.”
The lights turned off and a few flickering candles sent a shadowy glow through the room.
Ren stifled a laugh when Quill, who was in charge of the lights, ran into the wall on his retreat to his room.
“I take it the two of you have been smoking.” Jolin scowled down at her.
Ren stopped and looked into his eyes. “No. I haven’t done anything.”
Jolin’s expression was grim. “Liz told me…”
Ren let go of his hands and stepped back. “She told you what?”
“That Quill called and you left to get high.”
Ren’s happy mood dissolved. “And so you came here to see if she was telling the truth.”
“Well yeah. You left me at the dance. To get high with your brother.”
“Get out, Jolin.” Ren went to the small table holding a candle and blew it out.
“No.”
Ren stood tall and put her hands on her hips. “Go back to Liz and all her honesty.”
Jolin grabbed Ren’s arm as she moved to blow out another candle. “Why would you leave like that?”
Ren struggled to get free, but he held on.
Quill’s voice stopped them both. “Get your God damn, fucking hands off my sister.”
“Quill,” Ren warned, but it was no use. Jolin released his hold in time to meet Quill’s fist across his cheek.
Jolin went down on a knee, his cheek split open and blood trickling onto his shirt.
“Quill!” Ren yelled.
Quill grabbed Jolin by the collar of his tux and lifted him up toward his waiting fist.
“You asshole. I defended your stupid ass and here you stand in my house and accuse my sister of leaving you for a quick high. You’re an idiot. You don’t even ask the girl you supposedly love why she has a hand print across her cheek.”
Ren’s hand shot up to cover the bruise from the cheerbots slap.
Jolin slowly turned to look at her.
“You take her to the dance and promise her you won’t let anything happen to her, and she ends up bruised and walking home in her barefeet until I happen along.” Quill pushed Jolin away from him. “I, my dear sir, am drunk. Ren drove me home. She is not high or drunk or anything except stupid enough to wait here with candles and some stupid ass romantic song so you two can have your precious homecoming moment. You both need to learn to communicate, or I swear I will beat both your asses. Now I am taking mine to bed.”
Quill stomped off.
Ren went to the kitchen to retrieve a towel and ice while Jolin remained on the floor.
“Here.” She shoved the ice his way then sat down on the small sofa.
“Who slapped you?” Jolin stuck the ice carefully on his cheek.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It does because it’s the second time it’s happened, and I don’t want it to continue.”
She shook her head.
“Liz?”
“No. But she was there.”
“In the bathroom?”
Ren nodded.
“I told you to wait.”
“Just forget it. I’m fine.”
Jolin pushed himself up next to her. “So you were apologizing for letting the girls’ chase you away.
“Yeah.”
“You never fight back.”
Ren chuckled. “No. Not usually. But there were five of them and only one of me so the odds of getting out alive were slim.”
“Five?”
“Yep.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m fine. I’m sorry you didn’t get your dance.”
Jolin put the ice on the floor. “I hear you have a stupid ass romantic song for us.”
“The mood….” Ren stopped when Jolin cupped her cheek in his hand.
“Quill’s right, we need to communicate and listen to each other better.” He leaned in and brushed his lips over hers. “I love you, Ren. I don’t want anyone but me touching you ever again.”
Ren closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against Jolin’s chest. “I love you, too, and I don’t want anyone touching you ever again either.” She smiled.
“Only your hands on me baby, only your hands.” Jolin chuckled. “Now how about a stupid ass dance?”
Ren giggled then got up and put her phone on the dock, scrolled through until she found the song she wanted.
Jolin came up beside her, lightly touching her shoulder. “Can I have this dance?”
“You can have all my dances,” Ren whispered.
Jolin wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. Burying his nose into her her hair, he inhaled her scent. “God I love you,” he whispered as John Legend sang
All of you loves all of me.
Saturday, June 14
1:00 p.m.
“I am so proud of all you.” Jolin’s mother hugged Jolin, Ren, and Quill for the hundredth time.
The procession of students had gone by, awards announced, and caps thrown…they had graduated.
Quill shifted, uncomfortable with the attention. Jolin’s mom made him her personal project, and it had been weeks since he had dragged himself into the apartment drunk or stoned. Her attention had overflowed to his appearance as well. Quill’s hair was cut short and if he had been handsome before, he was breathtaking now. Out of respect for her, he had asked Ren for the money to purchase a long sleeve dress shirt so his tattoos would be covered for the ceremony. However, he was currently rolling each sleeve up to his elbow.
“You going to hang out at the party?” Ren asked Quill. Jolin’s mom was having a family and friends party in their backyard.
He gave her a cocky grin. “I got plans.”
Ren’s smile faded.
“Hey. I’m coming. I just have a few things to do first.” He rubbed her arm.
“Don’t you dare show up drunk,” Ren warned.
Jolin came up beside her and wrapped an arm around her neck. “Leave him alone. You’re his sister, not his mom.”
Ren elbowed Jolin in the ribs. “I want him to come to the party sober. Is that too much to ask?”
Jolin scowled. “Why wouldn’t he?”
Quill threw up his hands. “Exactly.”
Jolin’s mom joined the group, wrapping Quill in a tight hug
again
, whispering something in his ear that made Quill’s face light up in a giant smile.
He pulled away and took a step back. “I got to bounce. See you in a few.” With a wave, he left Ren standing confused in the mass of graduates.
“Dude! We are free!” Akeo came up behind Jolin, hoisting him in the air and twirling him around. “Finally!” he whooped.
Dropping Jolin to the ground, the two embraced with manly pats on the back then stood like two proud peacocks in front of Ren and Jolin’s mom.
Ren and his mom looked at each other and burst out laughing.
“C’mon we got a party to get started.” Akeo grabbed Jolin around the neck and dragged him off to the parking lot. Jolin reached for Ren’s hand as they passed by.
-oOo-
Ren and Akeo settled in on a bench swing in Jolin’s back yard and watched grandparents, aunts, cousins, and friends congratulate Jolin on graduating and getting accepted into the State University. Jolin’s dad had shown up, and they were sitting on the porch deep in discussion over something.
“Big families are great for this kind of thing.” Akeo pushed the swing slowly with his long legs.
“Yeah.” Ren had her legs tucked up under her, sipping a lemonade. “Isn’t your family having a party?”
“My mom doesn’t really get the graduation thing so Jo’s mom just had us tag along here.”
“Is your dad any better about you going to State instead of Yale or Harvard?”
“No. But he’ll get over it.” Akeo smiled at her and winked. “I hear you got in.”
“Yeah.” Now it was Ren’s turn to smile. “Jolin’s mom helped me with the financial aid stuff. I guess being in foster care and a ward of the state has some benefits. Both Quill and I don’t have to pay much. I’ll still work, but tuition is covered.”
“Wow that’s great. So Quill is going, too?”
“I filled everything out for him so yeah.” Ren chuckled.
“You living in the dorms?” he asked.
“No. It’s close enough we’re staying at the apartment.”
“I’m worried I’ll have to kill Jolin after a semester of living with him,” Akeo joked.
“You’re always welcome to crash on my couch.” Ren reached out to touch his arm. “Thank you for everything this year. Jolin really needed you, and you were always there.”
Akeo looked serious for about a minute before cracking a joke about Jolin’s immaturity and need for a baby sitter. Their moment was interrupted when Quill burst through the door and stood in the middle of Jolin’s family ranting about something Ren couldn’t quite hear.
“Dammit the ass is drunk.” Ren unfolded her legs and went to save the party.
“Jesus Christ, Quill, you’re such an asshole.” She grabbed Quill’s arm and dragged him back into the house. “I can’t believe you’d disrespect Jolin’s mom like this.” Ren continued to chastise him as she pulled him through the house unaware of the crowd following them. When she got to the front door and swung it open to kick Quill’s sorry ass to the curb, she froze.
Quill removed her hand from his arm and stepped down the front steps. Since the haircut he had come to wear a black baseball cap almost constantly. Now he lifted it slightly off his head before pulling it down once again. A new nervous habit he acquired since he began facing the world sober. “Nety. You do so much for everyone else we wanted…well Jolin’s family…wanted to do something for you. No more walking home in the dark. No more relying on others to get you places.” Quill spread his arms out to his sides in front of a small red car with a giant bow on top.
“It’s all yours.” Jolin came up beside her and wrapped an arm around her.
Ren looked at him then back at the car. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Say thank you. My mom and dad got it for you. It isn’t new, but it runs well and will get you to campus and to my dorm when you need anything.” Jolin bent down to kiss her temple. “Just say thank you.”
“But I don’t have a license.”
“We have all summer to work on that.”
Ren turned around to find Jolin’s mom and dad standing behind her. She forced the tears back long enough to thank them, then couldn’t contain them any longer and let them flow.
“Come on. Let’s take a ride.” Quill and Akeo whooped and ran down the steps to check out Ren’s new wheels.
“I don’t deserve you.” Ren wrapped her arms around Jolin’s waist, burying her face into his chest.
“There isn’t anything I wouldn’t give to keep you safe, and this car will help keep you safe.”
Ren leaned back and gave him her best smile. “Take me for a ride.”
“Where ever and when ever, baby.” Jolin laughed. “I’m not letting you go.”
“I don’t want to be let go.” Ren pulled him to her and kissed him.
Jolin smiled down and cupped her face. “Where ever you go, I’ll always be waiting for you to come home. I love you, Ren.”
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After many years trudging through the social awkwardness of high school and the whirl wind of college romances I finally landed in the Seattle area writing about the hell, horror, and don’t forget hot romance of youth
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