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  “Hey, Car, what’s up? Did you get lost or something?” Anderson asked, making room for her between him and Alli.

  “No, um...I got called to the office. They wanted to change my schedule around a little.”

  “Oh yeah? What for?”

  She just shrugged. “Nothing really, switching one with another.”

  “Cool beans.”

  She nodded and tried to eat some of her food but found herself looking at Beck. He wasn’t looking at her though. He was on his phone texting or playing a game or something.

  The rest of the lunch felt awkward to Carmondy. She couldn’t take her eyes off Beck. He had glanced at her a couple times, and she looked down right away. She was acting silly and knew it, but this sort of thing was new to her. She didn’t know what to expect.

  Once lunch was finished, everyone went to dump their trays. As Car was setting hers on the counter, Beck did too. His arm brushed hers and she jumped back, knocking into a stranger.

  “Oh! Sorry.” Car scurried into the hall and toward her locker, only to be grabbed from behind.

  She squeaked as she was pulled into the PE storage room with Beck.

  “Uh...what are you doing?” she asked, putting her arms around herself.

  “Funny, I was about to ask you the same question.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  He rolled his eyes and took a step toward her, causing her to step back, bumping into shelves that held red dodge balls. “You made such a big deal about no one finding out about us having sex and then you are practically screaming it at lunch.”

  “I was not.”

  “You were. You are hella uncomfortable around me and you keep giving me funny looks when you think no one notices.”

  She sighed. “Yeah.”

  “Look, I don’t care either way. I don’t care if the whole damn school knows, but if you want to keep it a secret then I suggest you relax a little and stop acting like I’m going to jump you.” He took another step toward her.

  He was close now...too close for comfort...or maybe not close enough. God, he confused her.

  “I’m not being that obvious,” she said defensively.

  “Oh, you are. If you keep this up, Alli will catch on in no time and once Alli finds out, the whole school finds out.”

  She gulped. “Okay...okay, I’m relaxed now, no more weirdness.” She wasn’t relaxed though, of course. He was so close and he only seemed to be getting closer.

  He took one more step so that their bodies were only a few inches apart. He rested a hand on the edge of the shelf behind her head.

  She gripped the shelf behind her with both hands for support. “What are you doing?”

  “You are far from relaxed.”

  “Yeah, well...you’re all...up in my face and stuff.”

  “So are you...?” he trailed off.

  She waited. He seemed a little anxious now. “What is it?” she finally asked since he wasn’t saying anything.

  Just...you’re sore, I can tell.” He looked pained all of a sudden and she was confused.

  Yeah. A little.” She tilted her head up to get a better look at his face. “What is it? Now you care?”

  “I’m not a monster.”

  “What are you...wait you think...no, no, you didn’t hurt me. Not like that.”

  “You just said that I did.” He seemed angry, but at himself, not her.

  “No, I’m sore, just from me, from my...you know...my thrusting? I haven’t...used those muscles in a while so yeah...they’re sore.”

  “So I didn’t...”

  “No, it’s a muscles thing...not a...bruise thing.” She felt awkward but his pained expression had disappeared. “Sorry...that you thought that, but yeah...that’s not...it’s not you.” Her hand automatically came up to touch his arm, feeling like she needed to reassure him.

  “Good. Good.” He nodded, back to looking like his normal self.

  “Yeah, wow, you seemed really worried.” She was surprised.

  He jerked his arm away from her grip. “Believe it or not, I have a heart,” he said harshly, obviously offended.

  “I didn’t—”

  “Yeah, I got it.” He turned away.

  “Beck.” She grabbed his arm again and pulled him back to face her.

  He was suddenly in her face, pushing her against the shelves with his body. “What is it? Ready for another go? Is that it?”

  She gasped when his hands slipped around her to grasp her ass, pulling her hips against his firmly. Wow, he had just shifted gears in a split second.

  “Beck.” She bit her lip when his hips pushed against hers. What was going on? She was not getting turned on in a supply closet, no way. This wasn’t happening.

  “Beck.” She leaned back a little so that her cheek wasn’t resting against his chest.

  “Hm?” He lifted her easily and spread her legs to settle around his hips, just like last night. He didn’t kiss her but his breath was cool on her ear as he leaned forward.

  All she had to do was reach between them, unbutton his jeans and pull down her sweats, and she could get what she had been craving since their encounter last night.

  He chuckled into her ear. “You want me. Again.”

  She shook her head even though his statement was true. Beck pressed his lips against the skin beneath her ear and she forgot about protesting, letting out a quiet moan instead.

  One of his hands remained under her, supporting her while his other hand moved to the front of her sweats, slipping inside and fingering the drawstring. She gasped when his fingers brushed her lower abdomen, and he grinned against her skin.

  “You’d do it here? In a supply closet?” he teased, still speaking into her ear.

  She shook her head. “No...no.”

  “That wasn’t very convincing.” He fiddled with her drawstring some more. “Go on. Tell me to stop,” he taunted her, letting go of the drawstring to slip his hand under the waistband, stroking her hip slowly.

  She didn’t want him to stop. That was last thing she wanted, but they were in a supply closet, at school, right before classes. She needed him to stop even though she wanted him to continue. She took a big breath and it took all of her willpower to get out the word, quiet as it was. “Stop.”

  He smirked and set her back on her feet before stepping back.

  She felt suddenly cold without his body heat. “That wasn’t funny.” She straightened her shirt and tried to get in a good breath.

  “What wasn’t funny?” he asked smugly.

  “You know what. Getting me all...hot and bothered in a closet.”

  “Oh, get over it, you know you liked it. Besides, all I did was touch you...you’re just easy.”

  Her head snapped up, pinning him with a glare. “I’m not easy.”

  He rolled his eyes. “You know what I meant. It’s easy to get you turned on.”

  “I wasn’t turned on,” she lied.

  “No?” he asked. “Not the right word then? Would you prefer...Hot? Ready? Horny? Willing? Wet?”

  She flinched at the crude remarks, even though he was right. “Shut up. You don’t know me.”

  “Maybe not, but I know your body pretty well,” he said confidently, letting his eyes run up and down her.

  She wanted to squirm under his gaze. “I don’t get you. One minute you’re all caring and then the next minute you’re...like this.”

  “I wasn’t caring. There’s a big difference between being a human being and a monster.”

  She knew that he wasn’t going to admit to actually caring. “Whatever you need to tell yourself, Beck.”

  He rolled his eyes. “So anyway, are you going to relax now or what?”

  “Yeah, you were a big help,” she said sarcastically.

  He smirked again. “It’s pretty amusing, actually. One little touch and you melt.”

  “That wasn’t exactly a little touch,” she argued.

  “Oh, you have no idea.”

  “O
h, really?”

  “Yeah, really. You wanna find out what a real touch feels like?” he asked, the sexual undertone making her want to say yes.

  She shook her head firmly, not trusting her voice.

  “Good choice...for now. But I have a feeling you’re gonna find out eventually.”

  “No, Beck, we’re not going there again.”

  “We damn near just did,” he pointed out.

  “I know but...I mean it this time, it was a mistake and...not again.”

  He just looked amused. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I won’t hold you to that.”

  She wanted to scream. She needed out of this closet right now or she was afraid she wasn’t going to be able to control herself.

  “Do you...do you need help tonight? With homework?” she asked as calmly as possible, needing to avoid his place at all costs.

  “It’s Friday,” he said bluntly.

  “Yeah?”

  “I don’t do homework on Fridays.”

  “Okay, do you have homework that you’ll need my help with this weekend?”

  “Yeah...how about Sunday, my place, after the shoot-around?”

  She nodded in agreement. All she wanted right now was to get out of this closet. “Yeah, okay, Sunday then.” At least she would have a couple days to cool off.

  She turned and fumbled with the door handle. It didn’t open the first couple of times but when she pushed hard enough, she stumbled out into the hallway. She didn’t wait to see Beck walk out behind her, just headed straight for her locker, trying to get the whole situation of her mind.

  * * *

  For the remainder of the day, Carmondy did her best to act normal around Beck. Their little closet encounter had thrown her for a loop but she was starting to accept that was just Beck. He was either dead quiet or up in your face. There wasn’t really an in between.

  She wanted to go home tonight, since it was Friday, but she had practice early tomorrow morning. It wasn’t that she didn’t like staying at Anderson’s, she just felt like she needed to put some distance between her and Beck right now.

  She stepped out of the gym with Kendall. They were both soaked in sweat and dead tired. They turned the corner to head into the locker room but stopped.

  Beck was standing directly in their path, arms crossed over his chest, looking murderous.

  Car groaned inwardly. What now?

  They discreetly tried to steer around him but he grabbed Car’s arm and pulled her in front of him. “I don’t think so. We need to talk.”

  “Hey,” Kendall slapped at his hand. “Hands off, big boy.”

  Beck scowled at her before turning back to Car. “What is this?” He thrust a paper at her roughly.

  She took it cautiously and looked at it. It was something to do with the scribe thing that the vice-principal had given her. Her name was written on the top, near Beck’s. The appropriate staff members had already signed it. “Well, I think it’s pretty obvious what it is.”

  He snatched it back. “So he talked to you already?”

  “Yeah, before lunch.”

  “And you didn’t tell me?”

  “I was too busy being turned on. Remember?”

  He scowled. “This is bullshit. I’m not doing this,” he said, shaking the paper.

  “I don’t think you really have a choice.” She leaned closer. “The teacher can’t grade your paper if he can’t read it.” She said this quietly because she knew he didn’t want everyone in the hallway to hear.

  Why was she being nice? He wasn’t nice to her.

  “What’s the difference anyway?” she asked with as much patience as she could muster. “Now I’ll just help you in class, as well as out of class.”

  “Yeah, but when we only meet out of class people just assume that I’m banging you, not that I need you to do my fucking homework for me.” He was getting irritated. He didn’t like his weaknesses being shown to the public.

  “I’m not doing it for you. I just write it. Stop being a baby.”

  He glared. Calling him a baby probably wasn’t her best idea ever.

  “Uh...what you are guys talking about?” Kendall asked. “Car does your homework for you?” She snatched the paper out of the Beck’s hands.

  Beck took the paper back. “None of your business.”

  “Uh huh, you know, this is a pretty elaborate scheme to get into her pants. Seriously, I don’t think you need it. She seems pretty interested—”

  “Thank you, Kendall.” Car cut her friend off. “We better get going and your practice starts soon, so Sunday, right? Good, see ya!” She pulled Kendall into the locker room before she could get another word out.

  Kendall laughed as they shut the door on Beck. “He’s such a tightass. So what’s the deal? You do his homework?”

  “No, I just write his accounting homework out for him. He does all the work. And now I’m going to be actually going to class with him.”

  “Ahh, he can’t write or something?” Kendall asked, pulling her sweaty T-shirt off her torso.

  “No, he can...it’s just, it’s difficult for him. He has a...thing. I dunno what it’s called. It’s sort of...private to him though.”

  “Yeah, yeah, mouth’s sealed.”

  “He actually didn’t seem that concerned that you read that paper even though he’s obviously upset that anyone else could find out.”

  “Yeah, well...he and I go way back, since elementary school, and that’s nothing compared to his other secret I got hanging out up here.” Kendall tapped her forehead.

  Car wanted to know the secret but knew it was none of her business, so she tamped down the urge to ask.

  “So you’re seeing him again on Sunday?” Kendall asked as they both changed into dry clothes.

  “Just homework.”

  “Uh huh.” Kendall nudged her with an elbow and wiggled her eyebrows. “Come on, I can tell that there’s something going on between you two.”

  Carmondy shut her locker and picked up her cell phone, turning it over in her hands. “You don’t think...I mean, I’m not like the other girls, am I? That Beck has sex with? I mean, I know he doesn’t have feelings for me or anything but I’m not like... a slut for it, am I?”

  “No way. You are nothing like those girls. Those girls practically beg him for sex and then they flaunt it all over the school the next day, plus, he never talks to them again. But you’re different, I mean...as far as I can tell it was more a...mutual thing than what he normally does, and you’re not flaunting it, and he seems...almost interested in you. Not like...I’ve never actually seen Beck like a girl but it’s pretty obvious he wants to do you again, that’s gotta count for something, right?” Kendall shrugged. “Look at the bright side, at least you know that you’re great in bed, ‘cause otherwise Beck wouldn’t bother.”

  Car laughed. “Yeah, that’s a little comforting, I guess.”

  “Yep, cheer up. We’re young. Just have fun and try not to make a big deal out of it.”

  “So did you and Anderson…”

  Kendall shook her head. “Oh, no. I’m saving myself for marriage.”

  Car almost laughed, but then she saw that Kendall was being truthful.

  “Wait so...you dated Anderson for how long?”

  “About five months.”

  “Wow, and Anderson went that long without sex?”

  “Yeah.” Kendall sighed. “Yeah that’s sort of... why we broke up.”

  “He broke up with you for that?”

  “No, I broke up with him. Well, it was kind of mutual? I don’t know.”

  “I don’t get it.”

  “I didn’t think it was fair...for him. We still did other stuff and he said that it wasn’t a problem but...” Kendall shrugged. “I felt bad so I told him that I didn’t like him like that anymore.”

  “But...you lied to him, Kendall. You do still like him.”

  “He doesn’t know that.”

  “You can’t do that! That’s not fair to him. He deserved
to know the truth at least,” Car argued.

  “Well, we’d talked about it, a lot, and he had insisted that it wasn’t an issue, that he didn’t mind not having sex. He never would have accepted it if I told him the truth.”

  “Well, if he said it wasn’t a problem then you should have trusted him.”

  “I did trust him but he’s a hot, popular, athletic teenager. Who am I to stand between him and sex?”

  “Umm, his girlfriend? What if he loved you?”

  Kendall flinched. “He told me that he did.”

  “Did you love him back?”

  She didn’t answer.

  “Kendall! How could you! You have to tell him!”

  She shook her head stubbornly. “No, it was a long time ago. He probably doesn’t even like me anymore.”

  Carmondy was dumbstruck. Kendall’s logic didn’t make sense to her. If they had been in love then they shouldn’t have broken up at all.

  Kendall sat down on the bench, looking upset.

  “Kendall, you should tell him. You never know, maybe he wants to give it another shot? It’s worth a try, isn’t it?”

  “No, because the problem is still there, Anderson isn’t the kind of guy to go without sex.”

  “It sounded like he was, for five months.”

  “It must have been terrible for him, and it’s my fault. No, I won’t do that to him again.”

  Car wasn’t accepting it. “You’re my friend even if we’ve only known each other a week, and I’m not letting this happen. If he doesn’t have feelings for you then yeah, that’s fine, but you obviously miss him and maybe he misses you too. I’m going to find out, okay? I’ll talk to him. I’ll find out.”

  “It won’t matter. I’m not going there again.”

  “Yeah, well, if I find out he still likes you then I’m going to tell him the truth, and you’ll have him to deal with. And if he knows half as much about girls as Beck does, you’ll be back with him before you could blink.”

  Kendall groaned. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

  Car grinned. “That’s what friends are for!”

  * * *

  What kind of coach scheduled practice for Saturday mornings? 9:00 wasn’t that bad, but on a Saturday? Car rolled off the warm couch that had become her bed and wondered what time Anderson’s practice was. She checked her phone and dragged on some practice clothes before stumbling down the stairs.