Joy, Pain, and All Between Ch. 08

Whew. So sorry to leave you guys for so long. I've missed this. It's just school and life and...(sigh). Well here you go guys. Chapter 8. I think that I'm going to start winding this thing down and finishing it. I love the characters, but I want to move on to other stories. I want to but all my focus on them and not try to write so many at a time. I'm no good at it.  So...here you go. Thanks for your patience.

"Why didn't you let me finish that bitch off?!" Skyler yelled, struggling to free herself from Joel's tight hold.

"You've done enough" he said placing her back on her own two feet.

"I did enough?" she scoffed. "Whatever. I'm not done with her yet."

"Skyler. Chill, okay? You beat her ass. The end. Leave it alone."

"Leave it alone? What, you taking up for her now?

"No!" Joel yelled. Skyler stood staring at him. Did he just yell at her like that? Joel took a few seconds to calm down. "Skyler, you don't know Brittani like I do."

"I sure as hell don't, playboy." Joel didn't feel like getting into it with Skyler, so he pulled her to him and ran his thumb over the reddened scratches on her soft cheek.

"Come here." He led her down the hall into the bathroom. "Sit" he said pointing toward the toilet. She knew he meant to drop the top and sit down, but...

"Ewww!" She laughed and he couldn't help the smile forming on his face. She knew how to get to him. Make him laugh. Piss him off.

"You know what I meant. Sit your ass down" he joked. He walked over to the medicine cabinet and she sat down. She couldn't help but smile as she watched him rummage through numerous bottles of rubbing alcohol and peroxide, and tubes of ointments and creams until he found what he was looking for. He walked over to her and squatted down in front of her. He studied her smiling face before leaning in and kissing her. He looked up at her and noticed her eyes were still closed. Joel couldn't believe how much had changed in such a short amount of time. He liked Skyler a lot. She was a little hard to deal with and get through to sometimes, but he felt he was ready for it. He was ready for all the personalities Skyler could throw his way. All this was new to Joel. He hadn't thought of settling with just one girl in a long time. Skyler came along and changed that. He just had to make sure Skyler felt the same way about him. "Skyler."

"Hmm?" she asked, smiling and eyes still closed.

This is your time, Joel. Just do it. Don't seem like a pussy though,he thought. "Skyler I really, really like you, and I want you to be my girlfriend" he rushed out.Oh my God. You sounded like a third grader, 'I like you Skyler, do you like me? Yes or no?'

Skyler's smile faded, and she slowly opened/cracked open one eye. She looked down at him. He was staring up at her with a confused look. One or uncertainty. Was he uncertain of what he just said, or uncertain of what her response would be. "Okay."

"Okay? That's it? Okay?"

"I mean..." Skyler covered her face with her hands, and in a very childish manner blurted out, "I really like you, too!" Joel stared up at her and saw her make a tiny hole with her fingers and peek through. Joel laughed loudly. That's why he liked her. She did the funniest, little weird things. Skyler uncovered her face and laughed too.

"You're so fucking weird" he whispered before kissing her again.

"But you said you liked me. Too late to take it back now" she teased.

"I wouldn't take it back. I meant it" he said staring at her. Skyler liked where they were now, but didn't like the awkwardness of him staring at her like that. Like he could see right into her soul. Know what she was thinking. Know that she'd liked him this whole time, but couldn't tell him.

"So, are you gonna use that, Dr. Walker?" Joel looked at his hands. He had forgotten all about it. He ripped open the alcohol towelette and dabbed at her cheek.

"Ouch!"

"Sorry, sweetheart. I gotta do this. We wouldn't want this getting infected."

"You act like the bitch has rabies or something."

He arched an eyebrow. "Maybe." They both laughed.

"Then maybe I'll infect you" she said before grabbing him by the shirt collar, pulling him towards her. He thought she was going to kiss him. She had other plans. She tilted her head and bit into the flesh of his neck.

"Fuck Skyler!" he screamed. Skyler laughed so hard her stomach hurt.

"I'm sorry, baby. I had to. It looked so delicious!" she joked. Joel stared at her. He couldn't help but laugh, even if it did kinda hurt. Besides, she called him baby.

"You wanna bite, huh?" Joel bent over and maneuvered Skyler over his shoulder.

"Put me down, asshole!" Skyler yelled with false seriousness. She didn't want him to put her down. She was excited.

"I'll put you down, Skyler" he said and smacked her bottom. He led them into his bedroom and shut the door.

"You did what?" Lacey asked ecstatically while Skyler told her what happened.

"I don't really remember everything. I was so mad. You know how you kinda blank out and see red when you get real upset?" Lacey stared at Skyler.

"No. That's just you and that anger issue you got going on up there" Lacey said motioning to Skyler's head.

"Whatever." Skyler laughed. "Anyway. I do know she scratched me." Lacey stared at the fine red lines on Skyler's cheek.

"Oh my God, Doodle! I would've fucked her up!" Lacey said bouncing up and down on the couch.

"Don't you think I wanted to? I got a few good hits in before Joel snatched me off of her."

"He did what? He stopped it?"

"Yea. I wanted to lay into his ass too. But I'm good. It's over unless she wants some more."

Lacey gave Skyler a knowing look. She didn't blame Skyler for wanted to beat Brittani's ass. She just wished she could've gotten in on a piece of the action. She stared at Skyler. She seemed different. Happy. Skyler hadn't gotten home until early that morning.

"So...what's up with you two love birds?"

Skyler gave a sheepish smile before looking up at Lacey.

"Did you fuck him?" Lacey asked bluntly.

"Lace!"

"What? I'm just asking. I know you did. Dragging all up in her wee hours of the morning."

"He told me he liked me." Skyler didn't want to get into detail of what happened. Lacey had always been really protective over Skyler, and vice versa. They both knew what kind of person Joel was. He was a sweet, funny guy when he wanted to be. Other times he could be an egotistical playboy. She knew the risks of being with a guy like Joel, but she felt it was a risk worth taking. She want Lacey to see her as just another one of Joel's groupie girls. She didn't want to tell Lacey that she had told him that she liked him too. She didn't want to tell her that they were together now.

"And?"

"And...the end." Skyler said getting up from the couch , and walking over into the kitchen.

"The end, huh?" Lacey got up and followed Skyler to the kitchen. Skyler was looking around in the refrigerator for an excuse. Maybe Lacey would walk away and leave it alone. But that wouldn't be Lacey. If there was anything Skyler had learned about Lacey, it was that she got what she wanted and was stubborn as a bull. That made two of them. "So where do you insert the chapter about him walking you to the door this morning, and ya'll having a mini make-out session out there this morning? Before or after your 'the end'?" she emphasized with air quotations.

Skyler smiled widely inside the refrigerator. She didn't want Lacey to see the goofy school-girl grin she had on her face. She wasn't one of those girls. She slowly lifted her head and peeped above the refrigerator door. Lacey burst out laughing. "I told you didn't I? I told you you liked him" Lacey said walking off.

"Lace?"

"Yea?"

"That's it?"

"Yea. That's it. You're a grown ass woman, Skyler. You know what you want. You know everything about him that I do, and a lot more. You know what kind of guy he is. If that's what you want, go for it. Who am I to stop you, Doodle? Maybe you'll be the one to set him straight. Besides, I have other things to attend to" she said disappearing into her room. Skyler stood there shocked. That's it? She tiptoed to Lacey's bedroom and peeped inside. Lacey's back was towards her and she stood there in her 'sex bomb' boyshorts and a tanktop.

"Lacey!" Skyler yelled scaring Lacey. "Are those your fuck me drawers?" she asked laughing.

"Doodle, get the hell out of here!" she laughed and threw a flip flop at Skyler.

"No! Where are you going?" Skyler asked, plopping down on the bed.

"I'm going to meet Gaelan if youmustknow" Lacey said pulled her jeans up over her bottom."

"Mmmhmm..."

"Well...more like I'm going to pay him a visit. He just doesn't know it yet" Lacey said smiling wickedly.

"Lace...please don't..."

"Skyler, no. I got this okay? We talked about it... a little. I told him how I felt...kinda. We're good now. I just wanna go see him."

"Sure you want to 'see' him."

"In so many ways."

"Go easy on him, Lace" Skyler said walking out.

Lacey stood outside Gaelan's apartment. She wasn't expecting a half-naked little girl with blonde pixie hair to answer the door though.

"Is Gaelan here?"

"Yea. Gaelan!! Door!!" she yelled and walked back into the living room.

Gaelan finally came to the door half-naked himself. Lacey wanted to snap the little bitch who opened the door in half. "If you're busy I can just come back some other time" she said irritably. Gaelan let out an audible sigh before stepping back and motioning her in.

WowLacey thought. Empty beer cans sat around everywhere and piles of dirty clothes were scattered out on the floor. The little bitch lay stretched out on the couch watching old cartoons.

"We can talk in my room" he said before leading the way to his bedroom. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked up at Lacey who was standing, arms folded, near the door.

"If I had known you were robbing the cradle, I would have brought her a..."

"What do you want Lacey?" he interrupted.

"I came here to talk but..."

"So talk."

"I would if you stop interrupting me." Gaelan sighed again and looked away, running a hand through his silky brown locks. Lacey stared in awe as his pec flexed and his thick fingers disappeared in his mane before appearing again. Gaelan always had ten good care of himself. When he wasn't working he was working out. He was long, lean, and toned. She wanted to trace the outline of his abs with her tongue. She wanted to suck each of his long, thick fingers. She wanted to run her fingers through his beautiful hair. She could stare into his honey-colored eyes forever. "I didn't come here to argue Gaelan" she said once she found the words. "I want to start over." He said nothing but he slowly turned to look at her. "I'm sorry, Gaelan. I really am. I never meant to hurt you." Gaelan remained stone face and expressionless. "I was scared. And I dealt with it the only way I knew how. I'm so sorry Gaelan."

He stood and walked over to her. He cupped her face with his large hands and closed the space between them. Lacey closed her eyes and anticipated the kiss he was going to give her. Seconds passed and no kiss. She slowly opened her eyes and he was staring at her.

"I'm sorry too, Lacey" he said before leaving her alone in the room.

Skyler was nervous. She and Joel had been dating a couple of weeks now. Thanks to their busy schedules with work and school, they hadn't been able to spend as much time together as they had wanted. Joel proposed that they go somewhere nice. Not their usual drive-thru window meal and movie, but somewhere nice. A cat and tie type of restaurant. No guy had ever taken Skyler somewhere so...nice. She sat across the table from him, watching him browse over the menu. He looked so cute with his light blue oxford shirt and soft yellow tie as he tapped his fingers on the table deciding what to order. He had removed his suit jacket, and Skyler felt that goofy schoolgirl grin forming on her face. She couldn't get enough of him.

"You know what you're ordering?" he asked, looking up.

"Uh...no...not really" she stammered. "They don't have pizza or anything like that?"

"No, I don't think they do pizza here, doll" Joel laughed out.

"Just asking" Skyler mocked. She looked down at the menu and Joel took that opportunity to study her. She seemed a little hesitant when he brought up that maybe they should do something different. He felt she was worth more than a Whopper, onion rings, and a medium Dr. Pepper. Now she sat across from him. Her brows were knitted while she chewed on the inside of her cheek, something he'd noticed she did when she was in deep concentration or nervous. She looked flawless in her knee-length black cocktail dress with her elbows propped up on the table. She had even taken off her heels and kicked them to the side.

Skyler made looking good look effortless. True, she wasn't the type of girl he would have saw himself with. She was stubborn, obnoxious, borderline bipolar, andveryun-lady like. But he loved all of it. He loved how she laughed so hard, she snorted. How she could go from 0 to 60 in seconds. How she had the smallest insecurities. He just wished she would open up more to him. Let him in.

"Joel, I don't know what a... Portini dusted Mama is, but it doesn't sound very appetizing if you ask me" she said closing the menu, looking over at him with a lopsided smile.

"It's Porcini dusted Mahi Mahi. It's wild mushroom sauce, au gratin potatoes, and sautéed garlic spinach."

"That's what I thought but I didn't want to say anything" she joked.

"Skyler we can go if you want. If you want pizza, that's what you'll get."

"Joel, we don't have to. We can stay here. You went through all the trouble with reservations and stuff...."

"Come on. Let's get out of here" he said getting up. He didn't have to tell her twice. Skyler grabbed her purse, shoes, and jacket, and they left arm in arm.

"Umm...yes can I get one extra-large pepperoni, two Dr. Pepper's, and a side of hot wings?" Skyler asked the waiter. She and Joel sat inside the crowded pizza restaurant. The crowd was shouting obscenities while looking at the football game on the flat screen television.

"Yes you may little lady." Joel cleared his throat and stared at the waiter. He had unloosened his tie, removed his jacket, and rolled up his sleeves. If this little waiter wanted a beat down, he could surely give it to him.

"Oh, I'm sorry babe. Did you want something?" Skyler joked trying to lighten the mood. "He'll have a garden salad." The waiter walked off the get their food. "What's the matter, babe?"

"Nothing. I'm hungry" he pouter. Skyler looked at him knowingly.

"Are you getting upset? Are you jealous of the pizza man?" she teased.

"Nope. I don't have a reason to be jealous. You're mine, not his. And besides, my dick's probably bigger anyways." Skyler laughed.

"I don't like it when you're a sour puss, babe."

"Would you like it better if you had a sore puss,babe?" he quipped.

"Don't get you're panties in a bunch,Walker" she retorted.

"Yours will be later,Henley" he emphasized, and finished it off with a schoolboy smile. Skyler gave him a challenging look. She felt wetness form in her undies before the waiter brought back their food. Skyler thanked him and gave him a toothy smile. Joel cleared his throat. "My man, I don't want this. Changed my mind. Get me a Mountain Dew. Thanks" and he shooed him away.

"That was rude" Skyler whispered.

"You think so?"

"You're a dic...never mind" she said before sipping her drink. The waiter returned with Joel's Mountain Dew.

"Ah...what was I thinking" Joel said mockingly slapping his forehead. "I don't drink Mountain Dew. Bring that Dr. Pepper back if you don't mind." The waiter stared at Joel for a long time. Skyler looked back and forth between the two; the waiter's face read a look of rage, while Joel looked amused. The waiter walked away, defeated.

"You're going to Hell, Joel" Skyler said staring down at her cup.

"What? I'm an angel. See my halo?" She threw a piece of her chicken wing at him and laughed. She couldn't be mad at Joel. She probably would have done the same thing. The waiter brought back the drink and quickly walked away. Joel reached for it before Skyler swatted his hand away.

"Babe, I wouldn't drink that. He might've spit in it." Joel looked up and found the waiter's eyes on him.

"You're right. Can I have some of your soda?"

The car ride back home was for the most part silent. Skyler couldn't wait to get back to his place so he could make good on his promises.

"Find something you like, I got to take a leak" Joel said once they were inside. Skyler laughed and fished through his CD collection. Green Day, All-American Rejects, Eminem, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, Daughtry, Jay-Z...

Perfectshe thought. When Joel when back into the living room, he heard Robin Thicke's "I Need Love" playing. He had thrown his jacket across the couch in his rush to the bathroom, and had taken his shirt, exposing his golden-tanned chest. The lights were off but his lamps were on. Skyler "come hither'd" him with her index finger and sat him on the couch. Skyler stood in front of him, but distanced herself from him. She began to sway her hips to the soft music.

I can do better than make love to you.
Better than make you scream my name.
Please, Please, Please.
Oh don't you make me have to beg.
I need love, love, love, love, love.
I need love, love, love, love, love.

With her back to him, Skyler looked over her shoulder and unzipped her jacket. She slowly shrugged it off of her shoulders and slid out of it. Throwing it over her head, she heard Joel let out an "Ouch" as it landed so un-elegantly near him. She then moved on to her cocktail dress. It was a cross-back number, so she decided to pull it off over her head. With her back still to him, she grabbed the edges of it and pulled it up slowly. Things didn't go so smoothly. It was caught with her earrings, and it was her turn to let out an "Ouch." She heard Joel snicker behind her, but she wasn't going to let that stop her. She pulled off the dress and not so gently threw it over her shoulder. Joel continued to laugh.

She stood there in her brown convertible bra and bikini panties. "Are you done laughing or should I let you continue?" she teased.

"Mmm...I'm done. Continue" she heard him shuffle around behind her.

She faced him, and then shrugged the straps off nice and slow. She then turned around, and looked over her shoulder, holding Joel attention and eye contact while doing so. She undid her bra and held it over her breasts. Skyler turned around to face him, exposing a sinful expression on her face. She held her bra in place with one hand, and with the other pulled the bra out from beneath and dropped it. She took her hand away slowly, gradually exposing her soft, brown breasts to Joel. She watched him as his eyes darted frantically, not knowing where they wanted to focus. She watched as his mouth hung slightly open and his tongue peeked out to lick his drying lips. Skyler smiled inwardly, tweaked her hardened nipples, and then covered them with her hands. Joel looked up at her and she quickly spun back around.

She put her hands completely inside the straps at the sides of her panties and then slid her hands and panties down her body before stepping out of them. Skyler bent forward slightly, looking back at him flirtatiously, and lightly slapped her bottom. She then slowly opened her legs, and bent so that her bottom was openly pointed towards him. She leisurely glided her hand up the back of her thigh until she reached her bottom and slapped it hard.