Protecting Love - Chapters Seven and Eight

Chapter Seven

***Mallory's POV***

I glared at Jeremey. It was my fault in the first place, but he ended up getting us lost in a way even I couldn't comprehend. I'd lost Aiden, I was stuck with a guy who hates me, and I wanted Joey. I missed her smiling presence so badly that I wanted to cry. Plus, it started to rain. I was stuck in these stupid clothes I decided to wear.

I had always regretted what I'd done if it were negative. My stepmom Karen, a thirty year old Barbie beauty, had told me to succeed in life, you had to stomp over other people. I had been twelve at the time so I had taken the advice. I didn't want to end up like Cheri, My real mom, an alcoholic who lived in a trailer.

The worst part was that when my dad died I would be loaded off on my mom because Karen sure as hell isn't going take care of me. This thought made me cry. I'm so stupid! Why couldn't I listen to my gut? You would have never met Joey, I told myself.

We'd met at a park. Joey went to Seaside with Brittney and I went to Northbridge. I had decided to run away because my dad had just told me the news: He's engaged. I didn't want a mom. I was doing fine on my own. When I met Karen that night I ran away.

It was like 7 o'clock and Joey had similar thoughts as me. Her parents had fought that night after dinner. I'd seen her staring at the tube slide and crying. Normally, I would have brushed it off but I was curious. It was late and getting dark. I went up to her and on impulse hugged her. She hugged me back. She had pulled back and looked up with wide hazel eyes.

"It's okay," I soothed her and led her to a wooden bench that had been donated a year before. We sat down and I smoothed her hair out.

"I'm sorry." She hiccupped. I shook my head.

"Tell me what's wrong." I ordered her and patted my lap. She laid her head down. It was amazing not to care about my problems and focus on another's. At my middle school I helped everyone. I even started an organization with my dad to save the birds from our poor eco system. It made me happy, then.

"Alright. I saw my mommy with someone other than my daddy. He was away again. He's off on a plane a lot. My daddy heard about it and came home. It was supposed to be happy. 'Daddy's home!' Mommy was supposed to say. Instead they argued. I didn't want to listen so I ran away."

She seemed done. I decided to give advice, "Things'll get better. They've just hit a rough patch."

"Are you sure?" She asked and I shook my head.

"No. No one can decide for another. I'm sure they love you, though." I told her and she nodded, sniffling.

"Why are you crying." She asked.

"Had I been?" I lifted a hand to touch my cheek. Wetness. I was confused for a moment. It was a foreign feeling. I had never cried before. Not during the ugly divorce my parents had five years ago and not even when my dad told me he has cancer.

The realization that I was crying hit me and I let out a sob, "I don't want to." I told her over and over. She sat up and put an arm around me.

"Tell me about it." She whispered quietly and I did. We'd been best friends since. I even pestered my dad into transferring me to Seaside.

Currently, I stood outside a bar with Jeremey. He had forgotten his phone in his jeep and my shorts didn't allow my iPhone to fit in the pocket. Jeremey had said his buddy came here often but we weren't allowed in. Me, because I'm not of age and Jeremey, because he forgot his I.D. We had to resort to waiting. I kept quiet while shaking in the rain. Jeremey turned toward me and saw me crying. He blanched.

"It's going to be fine." He told me. He was obviously awkward with crying females. I rolled my eyes and tried my best to wipe my face off the tears.

My clothes were thoroughly drenched from the rain. I'm pretty sure I looked hooker-ish and that is why I stuck close to Jeremey.

"It's been like an hour," I ground out from gritted chattering teeth. An hour of searching for the damn bar and another for waiting. A fantastic evening.

The back door opened and out walked a devilishly handsome man. He looked buzzed and had an arm around a giggling blonde. I looked to Jeremey. He looked at me and nodded grimly.

"Yo, Jaden!" Jeremey called and I snorted. Jaden's eyes widened as he took us in, "Can you give me and my girl a ride to my house?" Jeremey said and my heart fluttered at "my girl". Jaden nodded curtly as his eyes lingered on me. A heavy arm dropped around my shoulders and I felt a burst of heat go through me. I looked up to see Jeremey grinning.

"We'll be out of the rain!" He said. I nodded glumly. We piled into a car with Jeremey and I in the back with the couple in the front. Out of the fire... and into the frying pan.
************************************************************

***Joey's POV***

Aiden was sure they were fine. Mallory can take care of herself, I told myself. She'll be fine. I told myself. She'll be fantastic. She has Jeremey. I wasn't sure, though. She had seemed off when they left. But we're lost! I had no clue where we were headed but Aiden seemed relaxed about it. I was so worried about Mallory that I couldn't focus on Aiden.

"Calm down." Aiden told me but instead of doing that I panicked. What if they're lost? I looked to the sky. It had just stopped raining and if she were caught in it then she could get sick. We were in the jeep and normally I would have been ecstatic about it. I was so worried that all I could provide was slow dumb responses.

After the third time this happened Aiden pulled over. He looked at me seriously. His mussed brown hair fell across his forehead and my breath quickened. I stared into his cool blue eyes and I felt myself calm down. We were close. I'd hardly realized I'd moved closer to him. I tilted my head up and his soft lips came down on mine.

Then, I jerked away. Mallory would be hurt. I didn't like that thought.

"Joey?" Aiden said and I muffled out a 'sorry'. He doesn't like you, I told myself so I wouldn't be disappointed.

"I can't hurt Mallory." I told him straight on. Aiden frowned.

"I never liked her." He told me.
************************************************************

Chapter Eight

***Mallory's POV***

We got out of the car and I had to gape. We were close to the shore and his house dominated the area. It was so gorgeous. The house had a surrounding garden and even that took my breath away. I had heard Aiden and Jeremey's dad was the mayor of our town but it wasn't like I ever saw the guy.

"Welcome to my home," Jeremey announced. I rolled my eyes. There was no feeling of welcome. The house was huge and pretty but it held an air of authority. A commanding aura that left most depressed. The rain had let up on the trip to Jeremey's house. He started walking up the driveway path and I jogged to catch up with his long legs.

"Okay," I said, "Can I use a towel?" I asked and he nodded mutely as we entered a cold house. I shivered and followed him up him up a spiral staircase to his bathroom. He grabbed a couple off the rack and handed me one.

"Thank you." I said tiredly. I began to dry myself. He did the same. I refused to look at him and he did the same. It was awkward like our only date. He was my first date with a college guy and he'd asked me out.

I sighed after I was done drying my body. Then, I moved to my hair. Jeremey was done and he stood staring at me. I probably looked at medusa.

My hair was naturally curly. I had to straighten every night and morning. With the water I'm sure my hair had restored its former ugliness. I felt my cheeks flush.

I looked to the mirror on the wall and saw my face without makeup and my brown hair falling down my back. My blue eyes sparkled. It was so weird to see myself this way. I felt unnaturally shy.

"Jeremey," I complained, "Stop looking at me." He complied. I got done with my hair and I dropped the towel in the hamper.

"Where's your house phone?" I asked, "I have to call my dad."

"We don't have one." He said and my eyes widened.

"We all have cell phones." He explained. I nodded.

"We'll have to wait until Aiden gets back." I said and I followed him to his room. It wasn't messy, surprisingly. It was neat and tidy and I assumed they had a house keeper.

I sat on his bed and crossed my legs. He sat next to me. The room suddenly became hot and I shifted uncomfortably.

"Do you have any games we could play?" I asked him and he nodded. He got up and came back with Uno.

"Damn I suck at this game." I said and he settled onto the carpeted floors. I sat across from him and we started our game.

Like an hour later I caught him cheating. I gaped, "Hey, that's not right!"

"It is too!" He said and I shook my head. He leaped up and I jumped to my feet.

"Did you hear that?" He asked. I grinned at him and shook my head. He looked serious. I nervously shifted on my feet.

"It came from the attic." I bristled at the cheesy line.

"Totally." I said sarcastically.

"No, seriously." He said. I turned away from him.

"Then. Let's check it out," I heard no reply. I turned back to see nothing. He had disappeared. I looked around. Without me knowing, I was lifted up in a hug from behind. I didn't scream. I was let down and Jeremey turned me around.

"Most girls would've screamed." He said.

I lift a brow, "Most? Are generalizing us? We all have different reactions!" I went on to ramble on about how every female was different. He seemed unfazed.

When I was done he spoke, "You're sexier when you're mad." He said. This made me angrier and embarrassed. I was about to give him a piece of my mind when Jeremey's bedroom door opened.
************************************************************

***Joey's POV***

Aiden and I had a deal. If Mallory said she didn't want him anymore then we could go out. If Mallory still wanted him then he'd dump her in a week and a month later we could be together. I willed her to say no.

We opened the door to see them standing super close. Jeremey grinned and Mallory looked flustered and frustrated. Her mouth hung open and she snapped it close. She frowned.

Then, she turned to us. "Thank God." She said and rushed toward me in a bear hug. I hugged back happily. She pulled back and looked on with hopeful eyes.

"Do you got your phone?" She asked and I handed her my iPhone. She called her dad's number. Aiden had gone over to Jeremey to talk to him and I stayed near Mallory to ask her my question.

She frowned, "Karen? Where's dad?" Karen was Mallory's stepmom, but I never liked her much. I frowned, how mean of me.

Mallory gasped to whatever Karen said. Then she dropped the phone. The sound drew the boys attention and we all stared in shock as Mallory screamed.
************************************************************

Comment Replies:

Natalia S. - I just did.

TeeHee - Thank you for commenting. I hope you liked this one because you're awesome!

To Viewers - Thanks a bunch for reading.