My Boring, Shitty Life Ch. 08

RoninMaximus Presents: My Boring, Shitty Life 8

Riley is just starting out in life, but thus far, is unimpressed. He's still in high school and having trouble finding himself in a world where everyone around him feels like they have it all together. In the past few weeks, he's joined a motorcycle club, gotten his first tattoo, rescued a damsel in distress, crushed on a few different girls, and gotten into a few fights. Most recently, he was used and abused by the older woman next door as repayment for saving the damsel. Things will heat up bit by bit along the way. All characters mentioned are over the age of eighteen, because, reasons, and as always this is a work of fiction.

I was walking on cloud nine getting ready for school the next day. Everything felt new, or renewed or whatever. I don't know, I was in my own little world without a care at all. That's probably why I didn't notice my dad sitting at the table when I walked in. With my head buried in the refrigerator, he popped my bubble, making me bang my head on a shelf as he startled me.

"Smells like pussy in here." He said bluntly.

I whipped around to face him. "I uh, hi. Hey."

"Care to explain?" He asked me, sipping his coffee but keeping his eyes locked on me like I was his next meal. He kind of looked like a Bond villain if I'm honest.

Here's where things get tricky. See, dad and I had a weird relationship. He was a disciplinarian, and a provider, but besides that, we didn't interact much. I always felt like I was in his way, keeping him from living the life he wanted. Asking me that question, with him having disappeared on me when we were supposed to talk earlier this week, not that I usually wanted to talk to him in the first place, it all just kind of compiled. Suddenly I DID want to talk to him. In fact, I wanted to fight.

I stood up straight and boldly asked, "why do you think?"

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Really then. Ok Hot Shot, sit." I rolled my eyes dramatically, probably laying it on too thick, but sat down none the less. "There a lot to cover?"

I folded my hands on the table and met his gaze. "Depends if you're gonna tell me how you know Rhett and Trash."

I don't think he was expecting me to ask it outright like that, but he nodded before continuing. "Fair. What happened, and with who?"

I shook my head. "Too vague. How do you know Rhett and Trash?"

"They're old friends. Who did you bring into this house?" He asked, matching my tone and demeanor blow for blow.

My eyebrow raised similar to his from earlier, two could play that game. "A friend. How do you KNOW them?"

I could tell he was suppressing a smirk. "Through the club. Which friend and are they at least 18?" Before I could answer, he added, "no bullshit. You and I could both wind up in a lot of trouble if she wasn't."

I nodded. "She was. Trying to keep her name out of it, but she's a neighbor. How did you get involved with the club?" I hurried to add, "are you a member?"

"No. I'm not. But the club has been around since before I was born. Your grandfather was a member, a founding one, or maybe just after founding. Either way. I think I know who your girlfriend is so let's move on here. Did the club give you that truck outside?"

I nodded. "It's not mine to keep, just to borrow until I get my own wheels. So grandpa huh, you don't talk about him much. Why is that?"

I could tell I struck a nerve there, it wasn't my intention as the conversation had been cooling. "I won't get into that. Just suffice it to say we had a disagreement, and he went against my wishes. We haven't talked much since. We NEVER spoke until you had a take your grandparents to work day in elementary school. How are you repaying them for the truck?"

Ok so that was more information than I had ever gotten about their relationship, it kind of scared me actually. "Don't we fight like that all the time? Is that what's going to happen to us?"

He shook his head. "This was bigger. Now what do you give them to use the truck?"

I shrugged, "it's already done."

He nodded and put his hand on mine, noting the obvious injuries on my knuckles. "If you get in too deep, or they ask you to do something you can't or won't do, I need you to tell me. Okay?" For the first time in a long time, I could see that my dad really cared about me. I nodded. "I'm here if you need me."

I didn't want to fight my dad anymore. If I could just get the damn smoke out of my eyes. I'm not exactly an emotional guy, so I'm not sure how I went from angry and sarcastic to scared and tearful like that.

He chuckled and slapped my back as he headed out. "Buck up biker boy." I chuckled despite myself, and he was gone.

I drove myself to school, elated at the nods and looks people were giving me in my new/old truck. I was late, but not too late. No one was around the parking lot, but the halls were still emptying into first period when I got in.

Sitting down, I opened up the rumor mill on my phone to see what was new, catching my reflection on screen and suddenly remembering that my face was a little messed up. Guess dad had the upper hand this morning, since I had forgotten all about it. The mill was buzzing about a bunch of different things, and I put my two cents in for a few of them. When I got to the picture of myself in the hallway I stopped scrolling and turned my attention to class. I didn't want to know what people were saying about that.

By lunchtime, I was adrift in my own little world again, right up until I saw my friends all grouped up at a table together. Brett was the center of attention, and everyone was laughing at whatever he was saying. I saw him, and he saw me. Suddenly, I wasn't interested in joining them. I also didn't miss the fact that Heather Sinclaire was sitting next to Brett sandwiching him between her and Bianca, laughing along with everybody else. So much for hating the guy.

I walked out of the cafeteria, dumping my uneaten food into the trash as I left.

I hadn't made it three steps out the door when I felt a soft hand land on my shoulder. Fearing the worst, I turned and saw the manicured hand belonged to a friendly face. Her eyes melted my heart and brightened my day instantaneously. My arms were wrapped around her without a second thought and I was giddy. "Darcy! Oh my god! What are you doing here?!"

I released her from the hug but held her at arms length. "Hello to you too stranger." She giggled.

I missed her smile. I missed her face. I missed everything about the pretty girl who was my first crush. "What's going on? Wait I'm so confused. How are you? No, when did you get here? No-"

Darcy pulled me in for another hug and stroked my back, melting me with her touch. "It's good to see you too Riley." Holding Darcy in my arms damn near brought tears to my eyes, must be smoke again. I hadn't seen her in three years, and I missed my best friend.

Her father was a military man, and had taken her with him when he got stationed in California. Up until then, Darcy had been raised by her aunt here in our little town. I don't know what I had done in a past life for the universe to reward me by bringing us together again, but I was extremely grateful. "I missed you." I told her honestly, still sinking into her warm hug.

I could feel her throat purring as she whispered back to me, "I missed you too." We broke apart and I saw that I wasn't the only one a bit teary. "Jerk." She said, wiping her eyes. We laughed.

Like a light bulb, inspiration struck. "Hey do you wanna get out of here?"

She looked a little taken aback, "like ditch?"

I nodded, "yeah, I mean. I want to catch up. I want to hear all about California, and what you've been up to."

She shook her head, smiling wide. "I didn't know you to be a rule breaker."

"I'm not, well. Maybe I am. Either way. I just got a truck and I haven't shown anyone. I thought we could go get a bite off campus."

She chewed her lip, just like I remembered, as she thought about it.

"No pressure ok. If you don't want to-"

"I do. I'm sorry Riley, I really do. Just maybe not today ok. It's my first day back."

I took her hand gently, "I said no pressure and I meant it." I really did. "Want to see it anyway? The truck I mean, we don't have to go anywhere. Have you eaten?" I asked.

I watched her look through the doors of the cafeteria while she chewed her lower lip. Her teeth made the skin turn from pink to white. While she was thinking it over, I noticed a few stray hairs hanging down in front of her ear. Without thinking, I brushed them over her ear back into place. She shivered, releasing her lip and meeting my eyes with a look I'd never seen from her before. She was... interested... in me? Her ear had flushed red at my caress as her gaze looked up at mine. My hand resting against her neck, she whispered, "ok."

With a thousand megawatt smile, I grabbed her hand and dragged her away like a caveman. She laughed for a bit until we slowed down. Her hand never left mine as we walked.

She LOVED the truck. "Oh my God Riley! It's beautiful. Wow. It really suits you."

She climbed into the passenger seat as I held the door. My eyes zoomed in on the dimples on her back above her jeans as her shirt rode up slightly. I ran over to the driver's side and launched into her story with her. Her dad got stationed in Korea, and let her come back here to finish out her Senior year. She was taking two college classes and working at a car dealership as an entry level secretary. On top of that she was going out for cheerleading, and volunteering at the library. I couldn't even fathom taking on that kind of workload without spontaneously combusting. She cracked up when I told her.

When the bell rang, I went to open my door, but felt her hand on my arm. I turned to her and saw her looking at me incredulously. "Aren't you going to kiss me?" She asked.

I was flabbergasted. Hell yeah I was going to kiss her. I just didn't realize. I mean. Shit. What do I mean?

She pulled away stiffly, looking dejected. "Riley do you know why I wanted to come out here with you?" I shook my head. "A girl doesn't spend her lunch hour in a boy's car without thinking they're going to fool around."

I was floored and supremely interested, but I really didn't want to fuck this up. "It's a new car." I mumbled, causing her to laugh again.

Darcy leaned over, then scooted her hip into mine. We both leaned in, carefully inspecting one another's eyes. I closed mine just before our lips made contact. It was soft, and sweet, but not lacking in passion.

We broke apart and stared at each other, and then heard a sharp rapping on the window behind me. I turned around in surprise, seeing the school principal standing there shaking his balding head.

Damnit! Just when I thought my life, my boring shitty life, was finally getting started.