Day After, PT. 3

She didn’t have high hopes that her backpack had been turned in, but to her immense relief, some angel had turned it in. She immediately plunged her hand into the front pocket and said a silent prayer of thanks when she found her phone. As they walked out of the office, she scrolled through her messages and was relieved not to see anything out of the ordinary. By some miracle, the atomic bomb that went off in her life yesterday had gone unnoticed by anyone else. That was what she wanted, right?

“Vi.”

She looked up with a frown. Jesse was looking down at her with a strange look on his face. “What?”

“Any word from Tucker?”

“No.”

Jesse nodded. “That’s good.”

When the bell rang, he squeezed her arm. “I’ll see you later.”

 He was gone before she could respond. She watched him walk away. Faithful Marissa materialized at his side. Jesse hadn’t dated after he broke up with Madyson. He’d been single for some time, which had caused quite a bit of gossip and had girls fighting over him, but he seemed unaffected by their wiles.

She turned her back on him and went in the opposite direction to her first class. She wasn’t sure why her chest was tight or why her eyes began to water. She dabbed at the corner of her eye and fixed a smile on her face. All was well. Yesterday happened. She couldn’t take it back and if she could, would she? Today, she was wiser and more mature. She crossed the threshold into womanhood.

So why did she feel so lost and lonely?

***

Want to get lunch somewhere?

She didn’t respond to Jesse’s text for two periods. She wasn’t sure whether she should keep her distance or not. He had taken everything in stride, but that feeling of calm acceptance she woke with was beginning to wane.

Her friends were talking and laughing around her, but she felt disconnected, like her normal frequency was off. It was clear that they hadn’t heard anything about what happened between Jesse and Tucker. They would have bombarded her otherwise. Georgia asked about Tucker during recess. She said they’d had a fight and were on a break. Her friends rubbed her back and gave her sympathetic hugs. The urge to confide in them was so strong, she had to excuse herself from their huddle.

In her next class, she noticed she was still getting odd looks like she had the day before. She kept her attention on her assignment and tried to ignore the paranoia that everyone could see right through her. If anyone knew that she, Violet Carr, had lost her virginity yesterday, no one would be giving her intense stares. They would be gawking. And if they knew who she’d lost it to…

“Are you sure?” someone whispered. “No. Violet?”

Her back stiffened as someone a row back gossiped about her. She reached for her phone and accepted Jesse’s invitation to get lunch off campus. She had to get out of here.

The moment the bell rang, she dashed to the door and jogged to the parking lot. Jesse was already behind the wheel. She wasn’t hungry, but the strain of appearing normal when she felt anything but was taking its toll. She was terrified she would accidentally blurt out something to her friends and once that happened, there was no taking it back. Better to be with Jesse. At least she wouldn’t have to pretend with him.

“Hey,” he said as she tossed her backpack on the floor and hopped into the passenger seat.

“Hey,” she replied and rolled down the window for some fresh air.

 “What do you want to eat?”

“Anything.”

“Mexican?”

“Sure,” she sighed.

“Are you okay?”

“Yup.”

Jesse stopped by a well-known taco place. She surveyed the menu and jolted when Jesse touched her back.

“Know what you want?” he asked.

“Uh, can I get chicken tacos, and I’m going to grab an iced tea from the fridge.”

He nodded and jerked his head, indicating for her to sit. She nabbed her drink first before she sat at a glossy round table. Jesse stood behind two stocky construction workers. She found herself comparing Jesse’s build to the grown men. Jesse’s broad shoulders and military stance made him appear much older than his eighteen years. He had also put on some muscle while helping to rebuild the church this summer. He had a knack for it and had been working with a contractor on the weekends.

Her eyes moved over him, taking in the well-fitted jeans and trim waist. As her eyes moved up, she spotted something above his collar. She leaned forward and, once she realized what she was looking at, half rose from her seat before she controlled herself. She sat, hands over her mouth, as she stared at the scratches she’d left on the back of his neck. The urge to lift his shirt and inspect his back was overwhelming.

As Jesse stepped up to the counter, the cashier adjusted her black hat and blushed. Jesse smiled kindly at her and gestured at the board as he ordered. Jesse was back to being the nice guy. The helpful guy who held doors open for people and was always willing to lend a helping hand. No one would believe that he had an explosive temper, one that could ignite without warning. Thinking of the heat in his gaze as he pinned her to the bed made her clamp her legs together and slant them to the side as her core pulsed. He’d been ruthless yesterday. Determined. She was still having trouble believing it had happened. There was no visible mark on her to prove it hadn’t been a bizarre figment of her imagination, but her mark on him was confirmation of the intense battle they’d waged.

Jesse set his drink on the table and cocked his head to the side. “What?”

She bit her lip and gestured for him to sit before she reached out and gingerly touched his neck. She traced the mark, knowing he’d bled for it to still be there today.

“Did anyone ask you about your neck?”

“No.”

“There’s a mark.”

He held her gaze as he rolled his shoulders. “That’s not the only one.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I deserved it.”

She flicked water droplets from her sweating can of iced tea. “It must hurt.”

“It was worth it.”

**This is a raw draft of the prequel for Corrupt Idol. Please do not share or distribute.

Copyright © 2024 Mia Knight. All Rights Reserved.