Joy, Pain, and All Between Ch. 05

Hello guys…here it is. Bye!!!! lol

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Skyler awoke the next morning to find a monster-like creature standing above her. As her vision became clearer, she realized it was Lacey.

"Go away," she said before throwing to pillow over her face.

"Nope. It's time for you to wake up."

"What time is it?" she murmured under the pillow.

"Umm…a little after four."

"What?!" she screamed. "Why did you let me sleep so late?" she asked snatching the pillow off her face and sitting up.

"I thought you needed your sleep. I saw ol' dude's car out there when I got in this morning. And I hears you guys up in here" she motioned with her finger while laughing, "and I saw ya'll…"

"No you did not!"

"You left the door cracked. I took it as an open invitation. Ride 'em cowgirl!" Lacey joked while playing with her invisible lasso.

"Oh my gosh," Skyler said trying to cover her face with her hands. "I don't know what happened, Lace."

"Were you drunk?"

"I may have had to many of those Sneaky Suckers. I wasn't drunk, though. I was definitely buzzed."

"A drunk man's words area a sober man's thoughts."

"What?"

"What soberness conceals, drunkenness reveals."

"What are you trying to say, Lace? I wanted to fuck him?"

"Precisely. The alcohol just helped it happen. It's something you've been wanting to do." Skyler thought about it. She thought Joel was cute, yes. But he was an asshole. A cute asshole. A damn fine asshole. He could be sweet, though. Like when he told her she was cool, her awkwardness and all. And fucking him had crossed her mind many times. She just didn't expect it to happen. And so soon at that.

"Lace, he's gonna think I'm some slut or something. One of those girl's that sleeps around with any and everybody."

"You're not like that Skyler."

"Damn right, I'm not. But the way I acted knocked that out the window. I so came on to him Lacey. I don't know what to do. I don't know what to say to him."

"Don't worry about it. I come on to guys all the time. And if I were him, and you came on to me looking the way you did last night, I would've jumped your bones too" Lacey joked. "But seriously, I don't think Joel will think any less of you. You put up a good fight up until last night. Anyway, if you're a ho, what does that make him?"

"Thanks a lot, Lace. I feel so much better" Skyler joked.

"I try."

"Oh yea, I saw Gaelan last night."

"Did you?" she asked interested.

"Yep, and he was looking scrumptious."

"You know what? I think I still have his number.

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"You don't know for sure, Brittani. He may not have had sex with her."

"Are you kidding me? It's Joel we're talking about."

"We just saw them at the restaurant."

"Well, he's never taken me out to a restaurant. He's never taken me anywhere for that matter. The only places we've been together is my place and his. He acts like I don't even exist at school. I should have seen the signs. I just can't believe Joel would do this to me" Brittani cried, dabbing her eyes with tissue. She had invited her best friend Amber over to vent. Amber invited other girls as well. She figured the more the merrier.

"Well, he wasn't really yours so…"

"Amber shut up! Whose side are you on anyway?" she questioned wiping her mascara stained face with the back of her hand.

"Yours, Britt. I'm just saying. You know how Joel is. You knew that before you started screwing around with him. I tried to warn you. You can get any guy you want, Brittani. Look at you. You got him, you can get someone else."

"I took him. From that Frankein-face Spanish chick. What was her name…Maria?

"Lorena."

"Yea, whatever. She was no good for him. She's beneath him. So is that black bitch."

"Hey! Cool it with that shit" Amber's friend, Tracey spoke up.

"What? I'm taking about her, not you. Besides, aren't you only like one-third black or something? That doesn't count."

"Third black? How the fuck is that possible?"

"Anyway, what does she have that I don't?" Brittani asked choosing to ignore Tracey.

"Ass and a brain" Tracey quipped.

"What? You know what? You can get your one-third black ass out of my house. I didn't invite you anyway."

"Fine. I didn't come here to hear you bitch and moan, cry and kick over a dude who doesn't want you. It's pathetic. Maybe Skyler is better for him" she said before slamming the door closed.

"I'm sorry, Britt" Amber offered. "I shouldn't have invited her. I thought maybe she could help, but…"

"She did" Brittani said as her sniffles became less apparent.

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"Joel!" his boss barked when the glass slipped from his grasp and shattered on the floor.

"Sorry, sir." Joel found it hard to concentrate on work lately. His mind kept going back to what had happened two nights ago. Skyler. Her body above his. The kiss that left him wanting more of them. The cries, whimpers, and moans of pleasure that spilled from those beautiful lips. Sure, she could be a bitch at times, but the Skyler that he got to know that night could quickly make him forget that. He just couldn't understand why she was getting to him so quickly. It's not like he'd never done it before. But this time was different. No girl had ever made him feel like this. She was unlike most girls. Most girls he went for had body and no brains. Skyler had body, but she had the brains to compliment that. She was witty and always had a smart remark. He liked that. He liked the fact that she didn't lie down and down like others did. 'Yes Joel. Whatever you say Joel'. Skyler was more of a 'Screw you Joel. Go fuck yourself, Joel'. He was down for a challenge. She also wasn't clingy like other chicks. Two days and no Skyler. No call, no text, no nothing. That was new to him. He was used to fucking a girl, her blowing his phone up, and him not calling her back. Now he knew how they had felt. There was only one exception. He had to talk to Skyler. He was her tutor. And she had left her jacket in his car. He noticed it when he was leaving her house. He figured she'd call him to get it, they'd fuck, everybody happy. But that wasn't the case. She had to know he had the jacket. She was just trying to avoid him. He decided he would have to go to her house and give it to her given she wanted to act as though he didn't exist. "Yea, I'll pay her a visit" he thought to himself right before he heard another crash.

"Damnit Joel!"

"Sorry, sir."

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"Skyler? Okay. I remember now. It's coming back to me. I've seen her around campus with Mikeal. Mikeal had tried to hook up with me a few times" Brittani wracked her little brain to glue the pieces to the Skyler puzzle together. "How could I forget? They were a couple. The way he was always all over her, a blind man could have seen it. He's gonna flip when he finds out, and I'm gonna make sure he does. He's pretty hardcore."

"Yea. He'll beat Joel's ass good. He deserves it after the little stunt he pulled on you the other night."

"I don't want him to hurt Joel. I want him to hurt her. I just want him to scare Joel a little. Make him realize Skyler's no good for him so he'll come back to me." Amber looked at her best friend like she had grown another head or two. Maybe she should. She'd be a lot smarter.

"Britt. Get over him. Once this gets out, everybody's gonna know. Everybody's gonna find out he blew you off for her. You'll look like a complete idiot. You don't want that."

"You're right. I don't. I'm better than that. I'm better than him. Nobody makes a fool out of me and gets away with it. They'll both pay."

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Skyler knew she had left her jacket in his car. She just couldn't pull herself together to ask for it back. Why did she always feel that way around him? Like she was at a loss for words. She was even more nervous now given he had fucked her into another stratosphere.

"Ugh. I want my fucking coat! But I don't wanna face him yet. Pull your shit together Skyler. He's just a guy. A cute guy. With a cute smile. Piercing deep blue eyes. Sexy lips. Stop!" Skyler was still talking to herself when she opened the front door and saw the black Dodge Charger parked out front, and Joel leaning ever so casually against it. "Shit." Run back inside. Maybe he didn't see you. Dumby, you're still standing here. If course he sees you. Shit. He's coming this way. Too late to turn back. Don't just stand there. Meet him half way. Here he is…

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Joel pulled up in front of Skyler's apartment and still had no idea what he was going to say. He wanted to try to keep his foot out of his mouth and shy away from being his usual asshole self. Skyler was different. She made him laugh. She made him nervous. When he got nervous he rambled and said the first thing that came to mind, and most of the time it wasn't appropriate. Yes, she was different. She would make a perfect girlfriend. He was still leaning against his car gathering his thoughts when he saw her mumbling while coming out of her apartment. Fuck. Too late now, she sees you. She's walking towards you. Walk over to her, pussy. That's it. Don't forget why you came here. Wait…

"Hey, Joel." Skyler looked down at her feet then past him at his car. Anywhere other than his face.

"Hey." Tell her what you have to say. You didn't have to call me, Skyler. It's alright. No its not. Why didn't you call me? "Don't be shy. I've already seen you naked." Good job, dumbass. Mouth insert foot.

"Whatever. What do you want?" Jackass. Coming up here looking all sexy and what-not. I knew you were gonna bring it up. Gosh, I was so stupid.

"Sorry. I didn't mean that. What I meant was, I" God you look good "umm came here to give you your jacket…."

"Thanks. I was just about to call you about that…"

"Sure you were." Skyler rolled her eyes.

"Can I have it?"

Of course you can have it. You don't even have to ask."

"What?"

"Huh?"

"My coat?"

"Oh. Oooh" Joel said once realization kicked in. "your coat. It's right…fuck." He had been so busy trying to figure out what to say to her, he had left her coat in his apartment. "I think I left it."

"Left it? Left it where?"

"At my place." Skyler stared at him before speaking. He looked so cute and childish. Avoiding eye contact. Head hung down. Balancing himself on the outer edges of his sneakers. Did she make him…nervous? She smiled.

"So you came all the way here from your apartment to give me a coat that you accidentally left back at your apartment? Gee, thanks pal" she laughed.

"I…shit" he laughed too.

"Wow. I didn't know I had that effect on you, Joel" she teased. That's what she liked about Joel. He was cute and funny, and able to bring her out of her 'shell' she sometimes wore. She would never tell him that though.

"Whatever, Skyler." More than you know.

"So… are you gonna get it?"

"Yea. Yea I can get it. Umm… how about you come with me? We can go up there and get it, and maybe hang out or whatever." His voice was full of uncertainty and his palms began to sweat. What the fuck? Why are you so nervous?

"Umm…" Why not? He's already seen you naked. What more can happen? Joel saw the hesitation on her face, and when she saw his expression, her heart dropped. Awww…he looks so sad. Maybe he does have a heart, and feelings…and a soul. "Sure."

"Sweet. Let's go."

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Skyler and Joel sat at the table of AMF bowling alley eating their pizza. He had found coupon for free games of bowling and decided that would be a good place to chill. Skyler had beat him in one game of bowling and a game of pool already.

"Are you sure you wanna play again? I've already schooled you once, playboy" she joked.

"Well, first off you didn't school me. You didn't give me a chance to warm up. I haven't bowled in a while and so my game's a little off, that's all. Once I get some grub though, it's on like Donkey Kong." Skyler laughed, and then her laugher faded into a sigh and stare. "What?"

"Nothing. It just surprises me how well we get along when you aren't talking smack and getting smart with me."

"Oh, really. I'm the one with the smart mouth?" he joked.

"You know what I mean. Once you get past that little bullshit phase you got going on."

"Yea, I know. You're not half the bitch I thought you were." Skyler laughed. She knew she could be a bitch. She felt she had to be. But Joel was turning out to be a good guy, unlike the others. Funny how things work out. Other guys she'd be smitten over and they turned out to be jerks. Joel on the other hand, she hated at first. Now, he was turning out to be an okay guy. Irony.

"You know what? I'm ready for another game. Wipe your greasy face and fingers and come get this ass-whipping" she joked and walked over to get the machine ready for another game.

"Whatever, Skyler. You may have beat me once but you won't do it again. By the end of this game, you'll be calling me Daddy." Skyler froze.

"You'll never be my Daddy" she said angrily. Joel smiled. He thought she was kidding. That was until she continued to stare at him with a crazed look.

"Chill Skyler. I was just kidding. Let's just play, okay?" Skyler continued to stare at him. Then her lips turned upward and she laughed.

"Let's bowl."

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"So what happened back there? I thought you were going to redeem yourself" Skyler teased. They were on their way back to Skyler's apartment. She had beat him twice more before they decided to call it a night.

"Hardy har. Laugh it up. I didn't wipe my hands good enough. I think I still had grease or something on them. The ball kept slipping."

"Excuses, excuses. Cry me a river. You lost. Face it."

"I didn't lose, but whatever." They laughed.

"I had a blast bowling with you, loser" she joked.

"Yea me too, loser."

"How am I the loser if I beat you?"

"'Cause you had an unfair advantage. Besides, I let you win."

"Okay. You let me win, Almighty one."

"Thanks."

"Can we listen to the radio?"

"Sure. Turn to whatever." Skyler flipped through the stations for something good to listen to. She quickly turned from the slow, love songs. Wrong impression. She needed something upbeat. That's when she heard the perfect one.

It's too big, it's too wide
It's too strong, it won't fit
It's too much, it's too tough
He talk like this 'cause he can back it up

He got a big ego, such a huge ego…

"Hey…this song wouldn't be directed at me would it?" he joked.

"Why this song? Never" she laughed.

"I don't have a big ego. I'm just…confident."

"Is that what they're calling it these days?" They pulled up in front of her apartment and he turned off the engine. He turned to face her totally ignoring her question.

"I had fun, seriously." It scared Skyler how serious he was being. She didn't get to see this side of him often.

"Yea. Me, too."

"Let's do it again sometime?" It was actually more of a statement than a question. She would go out with him again one way or another.

"Maybe. We'll see. But I gotta go. Lace might be waiting for me."

"Yea. Alright. Later." Skyler grabbed her coat from the backseat and walked towards her apartment. She turned and waved at Joel because he hadn't even turned on the ignition yet. Joel started his car and waited until she was inside to pull away. This girl was really getting to him.

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Skyler came home to find Mikeal sitting on her couch.

"What the hell are you doing here? How'd you get I here?" She had noticed Lacey's car in the driveway. Her eyes shifted from him to Lacey's bedroom door.

"Don't worry. I didn't do anything to her. In fact, dear ole' Lacey let me in." Skyler stared confused. "She figured we needed to talk, and you needed to come to your senses."

"Talk? We need to talk? You never could take a hint, could you?

"I guess not" Mikeal laughed out. "but I figured I had to come here to get you to talk to me. You keep ignoring my calls, so…here I am." He stood and smoothly strolled over to her.

"Well, sad to say you came all the way here for nothing. I don't have anything to say to you, and I don't wanna here anything you have to say to me. So, you can leave" she said opening the door. Staying calm and controlling her anger was getting harder by the millisecond. Mikeal closed the distance between them, and reached behind her and shut the door. "You always were a stubborn S-O-B, huh? she asked.

"And you always were hardheaded."

"Same thing, dumbass." Mikeal bent down and hovered over her face. He knew she hated when people got in her face. "Get outta my face!" Calm went straight out the window. Cool be damned. And to hell with collected, because she was starting to get really pissed off. Mikeal knew she had a quick temper, and him testing her patience made her see red. She hated getting mad, because it was really hard to turn off. He knew that.

"Whatcha gonna do about it, Skye?"

"Stop it!"

"What's the matter, Skye? Hate it when I call you that, huh? Bring back bad memories?"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!!

"What are you gonna do about it?" he asked smiling. "Get your big, bad, preppy white boy on me. Oh, I know all about him. Tutor. He's tutoring you alright. Teaching you how to throw it back while he--"

Mikeal's rant can to an abrupt stop when Skyler's open palm connected with his beige cheek. That cheek turned scarlet, and his eyes filled with rage. He slapped her back, slammed her against the wall, and positioned his lower arm into her neck. A picture of the two girls crashed into the floor. "What Skyler? Not so tough now, huh? Didn't wanna give it up to me, but more than willing to give it up to him, huh? What would your mother say? What will your mother say when I tell her? She's gonna be so pissed. Think she's gonna protect you this time? Save you? Come to your rescue like she did all those years ago when her boyfriend crept in your bedroom and tried to…"

Lacey heard the commotion and ran from her bedroom.

"What the hell?" she started. She saw the compromising position Mikeal had her best friend in. Skyler's face was changing into colors she'd never thought possible on a black girl. She went into a different state of mind. She ran back into her room and fetched the aluminum baseball bat she keep stored under her bed. She ran back into the living room and swung, barely missing her target. Mikeal immediately ducked and backed out of the way. Skyler slid limply to the floor. He gave the girls a once over before mumbling and heading towards the door to leave. Lacey ran to Skyler and embraced. Lacey studied her, but Skyler's expression remained emotionless: stoned and trancelike, as a small stream of tears fell down the contours of her face.

"I'm so sorry, Doodle. I'm sooo sorry" she said as her voice began to crack. "I didn't know. He said you two had talked it out. I would have never…are you okay?" she asked as she used Skyler's shirt to dab at the blood forming in the corner of her lip.

"I'm gonna kill him."

"No. No baby. It's okay. It'll be okay" she assured.

"No. I promised. I have to."

"What are you talking about? Promised who?"

Skyler got up and walked into her bedroom, softly shutting the door behind her. Lacey walked to her door about five minutes afterwards and pressed her ear against it. She heard nothing. Maybe Skyler was going to go to sleep and forget all about Mikeal. Maybe she would, but that wouldn't be Skyler.