Page 6 of Pieces of Me

“Is it good? Is he big? Tell me all!” Brenda and another girl gathered around Lisa, who didn’t bother to lower her voice.

“He’s huge,” she boasted. “But―”

“But what? Spill, girlfriend! Give us the deets!”

Lisa shrugged. “It’s not as good as you’d think it would be with someone as hot as him. He―I don’t know. It’s like sometimes he’s going through the motions, not really into it. But his face, his body―” She made a show of fanning herself. “I could look at him naked all day.”

“Besides, there’s really no future with someone like that,” Brenda pointed out. “His mom is a horror show. Can you imagine her at your wedding? Drinking up all the liquor and fucking the bridesmaids’ boyfriends?”

They all shuddered again, and Lisa said, “He’s hot as hell, and all the girls are jealous of me getting to fuck him. But beyond that, you’re right, he’s not good for much.”

Rylan had heard enough, and as he whirled away in disgust, he bumped into Scott standing right behind him. There was no need to wonder if he’d heard any or all of it since there were spots of red burning high on his cheekbones, and his eyes were glittering with embarrassment and hatred.

The others didn’t notice, as caught up as they were in their food and conversation, and it was easy to grip Scott’s bicep and pull him away.

“Hey,” Rylan whispered to him. “Forget those assholes, okay?”

Scott shook Rylan’s hand off roughly. “Don’t need your fuckin’ pity, man,” he growled. “I know what they all think of me, known it for years. Everyone thinks it. I told you, we’re the town joke.”

Rylan gaped at him. “Then why―why do you hang out with them? Pretend to like them? Have sex with that little bitch?”

Scott laughed, bitterness in every line of his body. “Simple. Because she’s hot and rich. She makes me look good. When people see me with her, they don’t see the trailer trash that I am.”

Rylan was appalled. “Scott, you―I―” He broke off, not sure what to say.

Scott heaved a sigh and slumped down onto a nearby bench. “Look, Rylan. This―” He waved his hand over his face and body. “―is all I got going for me.” Rylan opened his mouth to argue, and Scott slashed his hand in a “shut up” motion. “I got no illusions about anythin’ else,” he went on. “If I somehow manage to pull off a miracle and squeak through high school, what do I have to look forward to, man? Some dead-end, blue-collar job that’ll suck the life out of me until I wake up someday a ragin’ drunk like my mama, drinkin’ my bitterness and sorrow away?”

He stood. “No goddamn way that’s gonna happen to me. No way.” He spread his arms mockingly. “Lisa’s daddy owns a luxury gym, and since I’m with her, I get to work out all I want to for free. I was blessed with this, and sure as shit, I’m gonna take care of it until it pays off and gets me the hell away from Pensacola fuckin’ Florida.”

Scott stalked off, and Rylan threw a last glare at the oblivious group by the pretzel stand and hurried after him.

“Hey,” he called out, and Scott spun around. Rylan couldn’t help but be jolted again by his sheer physical beauty, by the perfect symmetry of his face and how everything came together in one stunning package. His mouth dried up, and he swallowed a few times before forcing the words out. “My―uh, my dad said to tell you that if you wanted to pick something out, he’d buy it for you.”

He winced as instead of seeming enthusiastic, Scott’s face instantly filled with scorn. “Your dad don’t gotta try and buy my love,” he said with a twist of his lips. “He don’t need to use me to suck up to Heather. In case you hadn’t noticed, she hates me.”

Rylan shook his head. “He’s not trying to buy your love, Scott, or use you. He’s trying to be nice. That’s all. He said it was a ‘welcome to the family’ thing, and he wanted to get stuff for the little ones, too. He wouldn’t offer if he didn’t mean it.”

Scott rolled his eyes, but he cast a quick glance toward a nearby athletic shoe store, a subtle wave of longing passing over his face. Rylan peeped at the ragged black boots Scott wore and wondered if they were some thrift store special. Had he ever had anything new?

Rylan did his best to sound casual as he said, “Well, I’m going to check out this store real quick. You can come if you want, or I’ll just meet you at the food court in a few minutes.” He walked toward the shoe store, elated when Scott followed.

“Hey, boys!”

Rylan looked over to see Bob hurrying in their direction with a huge smile on his face, and Rylan waved to him. “I know you’re dying for some coffee, Dad, but I’m dying to see if this store has these shoes I’ve been wanting, and I’m dragging Scott in with me. Can we look around in here for a second and then we’ll go? Please?”

“Sure.”

Forty-five minutes later, they left the shoe store, and Bob led them into a jewelry shop next. Scott cast him a dubious look when he exclaimed over some pretty earrings he thought would be perfect for Heather.

“She―she don’t wear jewelry much, man,” Scott said with a cautious note to his voice. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea.”

Bob scoffed at his concern. “One thing you need to learn about women, Scott, is that they love pretty things,” he replied, and even Rylan winced a little at the patronizing tone. Scott shrugged and walked back out into the mall, Rylan on his heels.

“She’ll pawn them for booze money,” Scott said bluntly. “Your dad thinks he knows women, but he sure as shit don’t know Heather. Not like I do. He should listen to me.”

“I’ll talk to him,” Rylan promised, and Scott shook his head.

“Don’t bother. I don’t give a shit about their marriage, and it’s obvious he don’t want my ‘help.’ Fine with me.”