The Summer of Me & You (20 page)

“Rebekah, please tell me that Needles isn't here,” Sheri said.

She crossed her arms over her chest. “What if he is?”

I whispered to Kaleb, “Why do you guys call him Needles?”

“Don't ask,” he said. That explained it all.

Rebekah spoke to me again. “What did you do to my kid? She's been asking about you. Something about sock puppets and shit.”

Kaleb answered for me. “Kayleigh volunteers down at the daycare center doing puppet theater.”

“How fucking sweet,” Rebekah sneered.

“Well at least someone spends time with Alison because we all know you don't,” Kaleb said.

“You really shouldn't act the way you do,” I told Rebekah. “Your jealousy is starting to show.”

“Whatever. I don't care if you play dollhouse with Alison when she's at daycare. It's nice having a break from the brat every once in a while.”

“I wasn't talking about Alison,” I said, giving her a knowing look. She glowered at me. I stood up and Kaleb followed me.

“Mom,” he said. “Kayleigh and I are leaving since the wicked witch is here.”

“Okay,” Sheri said, flipping the channel. “When are you coming home?”

“Later,” he said.

“How unambiguous of you.”

He slid past Rebekah and said, “By the way, the only brat under this roof is
you.
Can't believe you'd refer to your own daughter like that. It's not like you even know her. You're never around.”
 

“Get the hell outta my face.”

“Gladly,” he said, and we left.

He held my hand as we strolled across the lawn, but it wasn't for show. He held it genuinely. I thought it was a sweet gesture. He swung our hands back and forth. “So,” I asked. “Where are we going?”

“You'll see. It's my favorite place.”

“Interesting.”

“It's down the road a ways, but the walk will be nice. It'll give us time to talk.”

“It's nice out here,” I said.

“I know.”

The sky was bright, but the sun was hidden by the clouds. It looked like there was a good chance that it might rain later.

“It's quiet and peaceful way out here,” he said. “Don't get a lot of that back at home.”

“It's the exact opposite at my house. It's
too
silent, unless my mom's bitching at me about something,” I gave a half laugh. “It's why I like coming over to your house when I can.”
 

“Oh,” Kaleb said. “I see. I was under the impression it was because you wanted to see me,” he joked, and flashed a smile.

“Nah,” I bumped his hip with mine. “That's an insane theory. Why would you ever think such a thing?”

We both laughed. He was still holding my hand. It felt nice. I liked the way his hand felt. It wasn't soft and small like mine, it was thick and strong. He had small scabs and tiny scars along his fingers and knuckles where he'd punched things or wrapped barbed wire tightly around his hand, causing it to bleed. I wished he wouldn't do that anymore.

Even though I was comfortable around him, he still had a way of making me nervous. I had a mini freak out and worried that my palm would sweat and he'd notice.

“I think Rebekah still likes you.” I'd blurted it out before I realized what I'd said. But Kaleb didn't react the way I thought he might.

“Well if that's true it's not gonna do her any good. That was a long time ago.” He dropped his hand from mine and took off running.

“Why are you running?” I shouted.

“You'll see,” he said. “C'mon.”

I raced quickly behind him. It was hard to run in sandals. I'm not sure how he managed it either. He was in a hurry to get somewhere, I didn't know where or why. “Almost there,” he said.

We arrived in front of a vehicle burial ground.

“Welcome to the wasteland.” He lifted up the torn fence. “Dip down and crawl under.”

“A junkyard?”

“Yeah. Why not? ”

I ducked under the fence, careful not to snag my shirt on it. Kaleb followed me inside. He took my hand into his again as he helped me navigate through the metallic maze. “I come out here a lot to think,” he continued. “Sometimes, I just need concentration and some alone time.” He led me to an orange car. The paint was faded. It'd been bleached by the sun. I think this car was the only one that wasn't crushed or mangled.

He opened the door for me and I slid into the backseat. He raced around to the other side, opening the door and crawled in beside me. I didn't know why he did that though. I could've scooted over and he could've got in from the same entrance. He was quirky like that.

On an ordinary day, I would've never thought to visit a place like this on my own. I tried to remember if I'd had a tetanus shot and reminded myself to be extra careful not to accidentally step on any rusty nails or anything. But I knew I'd be safe with Kaleb.

In the tiny space of the car, it was just me and him. We breathed the same air.

“Kaleb,” I said. “Why did you walk all the way around? Most people would've used one door.”

He shrugged. “I dunno. Didn't think about it, really. I don't think about the same things you do, Kayleigh.” He glanced at me.

I wondered if that was true.

I rotated sideways to face him. I was thinking about kissing him. Was he thinking about kissing me, too?

“Yeah? What are you thinking about right now?”

His eyes swept over me.

“How gorgeous this place is, even though it's really just a rundown area in town where people toss their junked cars. I guess it's because of the feelings it gives me, the idea that something useless can still be beautiful in a grunge way. Like, a grime or dirt aesthetic. Ever since the wreck, I've realized that all of these cars have stories. Some of their owners must be dead, too. In a strange way, the junkyard is sorta like a cemetery.”

Wow, I'd never heard Kaleb talk that much. That's the most he'd said in a while. I uncovered something new about him each time. It only made me want him more.

“That's an unique way of looking at it,” I said.

“You're only saying that,” he exhaled, tilting his head and staring into the ceiling of the car. “You think I'm crazy.”

“Not all the time.”

 He continued.

“I find a lot of the inspiration for my films here in this junkyard,” he said while scratching his fingers across the roof. He said it as though he was already some famous movie director being interviewed. I found that fascinating about him.

“Kaleb,” I laughed. “You haven't made any films, yet.”

“Of course I have,” he said. “I've made at least a dozen in my head. But one day, though...One day.”

“I like how you're telling me all of this,” I said.

“I like how you're listening to all of it like you care,” he turned his head, shifting his attention back to me. His hand reached out and his fingers waltzed over mine, as he held me captive in his gaze.  

“I'm not going to lie, though. I brought you here so I could be alone with you.”  

He drifted closer to me, reaching over to remove my glasses. He placed them on the rear deck below the windshield.
Dusk was approaching.

Dust motes from the tattered ceiling swirled around in the space of the old car.
 

He slid across the torn leather seat, inching his lips to mine. I breathed in his intoxicating scent. His head dipped down.
 

“I'm always wanting you.” His words buzzed against the hollow of my neck. I shuddered from the low depth of his voice. “Always.”

 His fingers slowly coasted down my back. A glowing beam of summer light flared through the window, highlighting the strands of Kaleb's hair, bringing out the golden browns. I ruffled it back.

I was woozy. He eased me back against the seat, pressing his body atop mine. I couldn't see all of him, but I felt him. Heard his unsteady breathing, felt the thumping pulse of him as he gripped my hands with his. The summer haze lulled me deeper into the moment. The world outside quietened. Shadows leaked in as the afternoon faded to dark, the scene transitioning into the next.

I promised myself that I wouldn't fall all over him. That I wouldn't give in. But I was about to lose. I knew it. And I never wanted to lose at something so damn badly in my entire life.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Iron Rust Lemonade

*

Kayleigh and I weren't kissing. Not yet. I hovered over her, our bodies touching.

“I come here—to get away from
them
, to get away from myself—” I gazed into her eyes—“to get away from you.”

“Me?” Kayleigh sunk into the seat. Her eyebrows furrowed. “Why would you need to get away from
me
?”

 I drove my knuckles down into the seat, turning them white, as if that action was going to anchor me down, keep me from doing what I really wanted,
needed
to do. “I'm a wreck, Kayleigh. But you?—I don't want to ruin you.”

She reached up, her hand wrapping around the base of my neck, she tugged gently on my hair, sending a fissure through my veins. She looked me directly in the eyes.

Before I could stop myself, I fell into her, pressing my lips against hers. She pulled me closer,
triggering my outburst. I couldn't hold it in anymore.

My hands lifted up off the seat, the blood rushing back into my fingers as I grasped her.

Oh shit.
 

Ohyes.

 I'd wanted this to happen so damn badly. With fierceness, my lips moved against hers, begging for more. I'd never waited for a kiss this long in my entire teenage existence. Our mouths moved together rhythmically. She parted her lips and I kissed her using my tongue. I hitched her legs, wrapping them around my waist. Her bottom lip quivered but I pulled it into my mouth, gently biting it. I kissed it and then kissed her some more, thrusting my tongue deeper into her mouth, kissing her with burning need. She kissed me with demand, urgency. More, more. She moved her hips against mine and I instantly went hard. Her fingers played in my hair. This was the hottest thing ever. I couldn't breathe. I didn't care.

Bittersweet demolition.

Iron rust lemonade. Her scent mixing into mine.

No longer could we deny ourselves of this pleasure, this desire. We would dissemble no more.

Her fingers clasped my shirt, pulling me down even closer to her. I was frenzied. I had to pull away, just for a second, to catch my breath. She'd caught me by surprise. I'd never been this alive before, or in want of someone so badly. Every filament in me sparked. Her hands reached up and touched my face. Her fingers felt like silk against my skin and I immediately imagined what it would feel like if she touched my dick.

“Oh fuck, Kayleigh. Why'd you do that?” I wrestled to breathe, to inhale air back into my lungs.

“What?”

“This—” I dashed back in for another kiss. I crushed my mouth against hers, nearly exasperated. It was like the oxygen had been sucked out of the tiny universe of torn leather seats, cigarette burns, broken glass, and rusted metal. A universe where I kissed Kayleigh and she kissed me back. A universe, that until now, I deemed non-existent.

I was coming undone.

“I'm so fucking in love with you.”

Tumble, spiral, fall. I was there. No sense in denying it.

She pulled me even closer. “Say that again.” Her lips moved against mine, our breaths mingling.

I thought I was a wreck before?

Total disintegration.

I tangled my fingers in her hair. Just a kiss and already, this girl had elicited grunts from me. I'd submitted to her. For a second she moved her lips off mine and licked the salt off my neck. She seemed to know exactly how to drive me crazy. I dipped down and kissed her ear, breathed into it, nibbled it, driving her crazy, too. She rolled against me and I about lost it.

I throbbed all over.

It started raining. The rain drummed against the roof of the car, slid down the windows. It hit against the metal, a silver clashing. I loved how the sound of the rain made me feel.

I detonated. My hands were all over her. I couldn't stop there. I didn't want to stop there. I needed to free my dick from my jeans. I wanted her to touch me, I wanted to touch her. And I wanted her to want me. I rubbed her from the outside of her shorts and she let me.

“Does this feel good,” I asked.

“Yes,” she said.

“I can make you feel even better.” I kissed her again. God, I couldn't stop kissing her. I was so turned on. I played with the zipper on her shorts, sliding it down and up, down and up. I wondered if she'd ever done this before. I figured if I wanted to get anywhere, I should probably ask.

“Kayleigh, are you a virgin?”

“Why?”