“Black Velvet”

Chapter Four

Gage wiped off his elaborate eye make-up, smirking, “You sure had fun tonight.”

I felt my face blossom with heat. Just the memory of Cordell’s hands on me was enough to make my heart skip a beat or two. After we danced to Blaqk Audio (he so lovingly informed me that that was the name of the band), Cordell led me to the bar. We, of course, weren’t twenty-one yet, so I we just ordered waters and went to sit down on one of the couches they had.

Cordell gulped his drink, and then pulled me into his lap. I remembered how hard my heart rammed against my chest. I had kissed boys before (namely Gage, and namely on the cheek), but nothing came close to the electricity that had sparkled between my and Cordell’s lips.

We stayed lip-locked for a good ten minutes before Tucker broke us apart. He said that Pa had called, and wanted us to be home at midnight…. Well, need I say that it was about five minutes to midnight?

Cordell looked crushed, and it tore at my heartstrings.

I do not, and never have, believed in love at first sight, but when I thought back on the way Cordell made me feel that night, I knew that’s what it must’ve been.

Gage waved his hand in front of my face, eyebrow quirked, “Hello, Earth to Peyton. I’m teasing you here, aren’t you going to respond?”

“Oh,” I murmured. “Sorry Gage. I was just…”

“Thinking about him?” Gage laughed as I flushed. “He’s a hottie, Peyton.” He eyed me in the mirror, rubbing the make-up off of his cheeks.

I couldn’t fight off the smile that took over. Yeah, Cordell was pretty amazing. Not only was he good looking, but I had fun with him. He made me feel special, too. With just one look from him, I knew that I was the only one he had wanted to dance with tonight.

But then realization hit me. We’d probably never be in Collierville again. And, even if we were, what were the chances that I would see Cordell again?

About the same as the chance that I would have seen Cade.

And look how that turned out.

“Don’t look so fucking gloomy,” Gage turned to me, hands on my shoulders. “You just had a great night. Cheer up. Did you at least get his number?”

I nodded. But… long distance relationships hardly ever worked out. Hell, it was hard enough just being friends when you were over fifty miles away.

“Cheer up, PeyPey,” Gage clapped me on the back before heading back out to the bedroom.

I promised myself that I would, of course, but… the thought of never seeing Cordell made me feel heavy with regret. I shouldn’t have gotten so attached to him…

--

“Peyton, get up, we’re not going through this again.”

I groaned as the morning sunlight assaulted my eyelids. Could I not, just, for once, sleep in?!

Tucker kicking the bed I was on gave me my answer.

“C’mon,” I heard him walk away, “Gage is already up and ready. We’re waiting on your lazy bum.”

I heard Gage rustling around the room, whistling occasionally. He stopped by the bed we had shared once, kissing me on the forehead.

Apparently, he was happy about something.

“Wha--?” I sat up slowly as Gage pranced around me, in a pair of Tuck’s jeans. They were a little big around his waist, but fit everywhere else. He grinned his infectious little grin at me before flouncing off to hum or whistle or some other stupid shit.

Tucker’s eyes followed Gage around the room, discreet as they possibly could’ve been. It still made me cock an eyebrow and wonder if there was something I missed.

But I didn’t dwell on it because, hey, I’m not a dwell-y kinda person! Groaning as I stood, though, I stretched and made my way to the bathroom. I could hear my pa hollering from the other room, but I ignored him and went about my business.

Eventually, my thoughts drifted to Cordell and the most wonderful night of my life.

I would probably rather have died than had to go back to Horn Lake. If I could… I would’ve moved to Collierville right then and there. Cordell made me feel like Cade used to, even though we had only known each other for an hour or three, at most.

That feeling… if you’ve never experienced it… you just don’t know. There’s no way to describe it.

--

“Ugh, have I ever mentioned how much I hate body-building tournaments?” I sighed, trying to hold back my oatmeal and orange juice.

Ew, I think I just puked in my mouth.

“Only every time we’re here,” Gage grinned as he clutched the binoculars to his eyes. I leaned forward and waved my hand in front of the binoculars. “What?” Gage lowered them, glaring at me.

“Why do you have them?” I pointed to the binoculars.

“And can I have them?”

I swatted at Tucker’s grabby hands.

Gage shrugged, “I can’t see from this far away.” He said it so matter-of-factly that I had to take a few moments to just blink and comprehend.

“We’re in the fucking second row, Gageola.”

“I know,” he looked hurt, but then he grinned all fox-like, and I could see the gears turning in his head. “But I like close-ups.”

Ew, again with the puking in my mouth.

It burns.

Tucker rolled his eyes and ripped the binoculars from my friend’s hand. Gage made whiny noises, but when the lights went down and the announcer announced (well, what else was he going to do?) that my dad was the next contestant.

Tucker, Gage, and I sunk down into our seats and covered our eyes, the binoculars forgotten. This was the worst thing about the whole adventure. Having my self-esteem beaten to a bloody pulp, I could handle. Seeing gross oily men in Speedos, I could handle. Fuck, I could even handle the way my mom’s eyes lit up when she saw my dad being all… oily… and gross.

But the one thing none of us could handle was seeing dad all oily and gross.

“Eurgh, is it over yet?” I mumble behind my palms, elbowing Gage, who happens to be the poor sap who decided he wanted to sit between Tuck and I.

“I’m not looking, you sick sadist!”

Have I ever mentioned that Gage tends to… squeak when he whisper/yells?

Ahh, well it’s cute as fuck.

“It’s better if only one of us is scarred,” I argued, elbowing him. The lady in front of us shushed us, and I promptly raised my middle finger… as best as I could.

“That one has been me way too many times,” Gage whispered back, spitting on my arm a little.

“Fuck it, fine,” Tucker hissed (he made it seem as if we were asking him to jump off of a bridge to save a drowning puppy or something, Jesus). I heard him gag, and I knew the coast wasn’t clear.

I admired Tucker’s bravery.

He’s a good man.

Gage leaned over, accidentally leaning too far and putting our faces almost uncomfortably close. But he apologized, took in a breath, and said, “I don’t know why you don’t just ask Matushka for updates.”

“It’s more fun to see—erm, hear—Tuck writhe in pain.”

Sick sadist, indeed.

--

“Shit, why is it so hot?” Tucker whined constantly when he was in a car. Even when we were just going to the grocery store. I never got why, but fuck was it cumbersome.

Pa glared into the rearview mirror, “Language, Tuck.”

“Fuck, why is it so hot?”

He also enjoyed bothering Pa. This either had a very good outcome, or a very bad one.

You never knew until it happened.

Once, Pa threatened to leave Tuck on the side of the highway if he didn’t shut his hole. Well, Tucker being Tucker, he didn’t. Pa pulled over on the shoulder, and was yelling at my brother to get out. When I tried to suck up/reprimand Tuck, Pa tossed me out as well.

It took Tucker and I three hours to walk to a tourist spot, call Pa and Mom, and it took us another hour and a half to persuade Pa to come pick us back up.

Not the… shining moment in my life. Of course.

“Don’t make me drop you off on the side of the freeway again, Waylan Tucker Curtis,” Pa threatened.

Gage snickered at the use of Tucker’s full name. I still don’t know where my parents got “Waylan” from. I was named after my great-grandpa, Marshall. But, to my knowledge, there’s no one in my family named Waylan.

In return for the snickering, Tuck punched Gage in the arm.

Gage made sad puppy-dog eyes the whole way home.

--

AN: The next chapter stars the REAL plot. The one in the summary. Promise. xD These chapters were basically just one big prologue. Because I like to draw things out and make it unnecessarily difficult. XD

I was going to say something like "just ask my lover" but alas. I thought it would be in poor taste. xD;;

Anyway. I haven't given up on this story! I just haven't been writing much in general (if you're keeping up with Bombasic Love or my profile, you know this already~). But I'm going to try and finish chapter five this week. (: Luci-chan's Lunchbox of Doom is coming over tomorrow, so I won't get much done besides maybe getting a new userpic, haha.

I'm babbling on, rofl. Just review. xD;;

xoxo