I watched my mother in awe as she slammed a piece of paper in front of me. It was the first day of summer vacation, and she was al-ready pissed at me. I wish my dad wasn't gone on his business trips so much, so he would keep her sane.
''What's this?’’ I asked with my mouth full of Lucky Charms cereal.
''THIS is your report card from sophomore year, princess.''
I hated to be called princess. It made me sound girly, which I was not. I loved to skateboard instead of going shopping, I loved to read books instead of partying and going out with friends and I definitely loved plying with my dog instead of making out with some guy. I tried it once, at a party, and I al-most ended up in the hospital because I choked on his tongue.
''So?’’ I asked again, leaning in to see what she was pointing at.
''Nothing above B.''
''Look at it this way, nothing below C except of English.''
She pulled the sheet of paper back, making a disgusted face. Oh, how she loved plying the drama queen.
''You're drooling milk all over the paper.” she spat.
''Well if it's such a shitty report card, then why do you care?’’ I mumbled wiping the table off with my sleeve.
''Because you're average.''
I gulped down the cereal, almost having a heart attack when it went down the wrong pipe. ''Is that a bad thing?''
She expected me to be perfect. Like those girly girls you would see on TV with loads of makeup, hair extensions and grades as high as their heels. I wore makeup, because I got insecure of my face and body (who didn’t?) and sometimes I would dye my hair in different colors, but I would never wear extensions. Imagine choking on fake hair as the wind slaps you in the face. No thank you.
''I want you to be above average.” she continued, picking at a stain of dirt on the table.
''You mean perfect.’’ I corrected her, slightly angry that she com-plained. I could be doing drugs or shag a guy every night. Didn't she realize how lucky she was?
She opened her mouth to say something, but I cut her off by jumping up from my seat and pulling my sweatshirt down. Oh, and she hated the fact that I wore sweatshirts. It was too 'boyish' for her. Ever since my brother left for college two years a-go (he was the perfect kid by the way), she wanted to turn me into him.
Sometimes she would tell me I'm useless- which to be quite honest I was- but it didn't bother me. I never really cared about other people's opinions.
''Well school's over already so there's nothing you can do a-bout it. Now can I go out and skate-''
''I've had enough of your moods, Delilah!''
I winced at her calling me by my middle name. Not many people knew about my middle name, mainly because I hated it. But my mother didn't care about my humiliation, she always called me 'Delilah' when she was angry, which was all the time.
''What moods mother?’’ I spat annoyed.
''You're constantly grumpy! Maybe you should get some friends!''
I pressed my lips into a thin line. She did not. f**k you, I thought as I stomped up the stairs, slamming the door behind me. I jumped on my bed and yelling into my pillow as loud as I could, getting all my anger out. This was going to be a long summer.
Two hours later, I was on my bed, with the laptop on my lap, browsing through my Tumblr dashboard. A lot of teen-agers saw the summer as an opportunity to have fun, go to par-ties and get drunk. I, however, spent my summers inside on my MacBook, occasionally going out just to skateboard or on a walk with Tony, my Bulldog puppy.
"Renee Delilah Parker get your arse down here this very second!” my mother screamed from downstairs.
I loudly groaned and stomped down the stairs, angry that she made me go up and down the stairs five times an hour.
"What now?"
"Take a seat,” she said pointing to the seat, the one I’d previously sat on. I crossed my arms over my chest, raising my eyebrows, not moving from my spot in the doorframe.
"What."
"You're going to spend your summer at your grandma's, in Mullingar."
"No I'm not.” I spoke, poking the inside my cheek with my tongue.
"We're leaving with the bus in two days."
"I'm not leaving...no.” I muttered. When, how, why and who made this decision? I was not going to go to Ireland, I mean, leave London and go to a small town I'm not a b***h, don't get me wrong, but I could bet my skateboard there was no Wi-Fi and no skate park whatsoever.
"You are and it's final."
"And what if I don't?"
"I will confiscate your laptop, phone, dog, skateboard, books and iPod for the rest of the summer."
"But-"
"Your choice princess."
I wanted to smack her head into a wall. Why did she have to be so annoying? Ugh, I hated her sometimes
"You better go pack,” she sang in that high-pitched voice of hers and I bit my lip, holding back an exasperated scream. This was going to be a long summer.
***
"Moooom.” I whined for the fourth time on the bus ride from the Ferryboat to Mullingar.
"What?” she snapped.
"Can you PLEASE give me something to eat? I'm starving."
She looked down at me, raising one of her eyebrows. "You sure? Cause you've been getting a bit curvy lately."
It was like a stab to my chest. She could insult me on my behavior, my grades and my fashion sense, but not on my weight. That was a sensible subject for me, since I had an Eating Disorder when I was 12.
"Nevermind.” I mumbled. There it was again, the feeling of needing to lose weight. If I relapsed and started starving myself again, I wasn't going to be able to stop.
We arrived in a taxi to my grandma's house an hour later. The street was nice, it had tidy lawns and perfect houses, like those you saw in the typical American movies.
The houses did not have a fence whatsoever, I guess people where comfortable with each other in the neighborhood.
"OHMYGOD REYREY!"
I cringed at the high-pitched voice coming from the house next to me. My lovely (slutty) cousin Katherine (who like to be called Kitty because she was-and I quote- "Like an animal in bed") made her way towards me, in her short pink skirt, her pink high heels and her white crop top.
She clearly had extensions, because her hair cascaded down her shoulders and almost reached her bum. She wore a lot of makeup, and smelled like cigarettes, boy cologne and some really girly perfume that made your eyes (and nose) bleed.
I noticed she had A LOT of tattoos. A lot of things change in a year I see...
"Hiiiiiiiiiiiii!” she said hugging me. She had to lean down so she could kiss both of my cheeks. Her tall 5'9 (in heels) frame towered over my small 5'2.
"Oh god your t**s are bigger! And you gained some weight! Wow!"
I scrunched my nose. Another weight comment. And my t**s are bigger? Wow, she was such a slag.
My grandmother came out with a baseball bat in her hand, wearing her usual Adidas outfit, followed by my frowning grandfather, who had his hands in his pockets and a pipe in his mouth.
"Delilah! How lovely that you will spend your summer here!” grandma said and hugged me. Why was she calling me by my middle name? She knew I didn't like it. And what was up with the baseball bat? Was she on drugs?
"What's with the bat mom?” my mother asked as grandpa helped her with the suitcases. We paid the taxi driver and grandpa went inside with the luggage, mumbling about how I was carrying rocks, whilst 'us girls'-as Katherine said- sat on the front porch, catching up on some 'girl talk'.
"How is Maura doing?” my mom opened up a discussion.
"Who?” I asked confused.
Grandma pointed with her bat to the house across from us. "She's good, but her younger son is driving them insane. She got married last year."
"Little Niall?” my mom asked in disbelief.
I had no idea what they were talking about. Who was Little Niall?
"Ha!” grandma snorted swinging her bat, almost hitting a flowerpot. She was crazy, that’s for sure. I pulled my legs up on the chair and my eyes drifted to Katherine's lap. She had her phone in hand and she was texting someone. I almost gasped when I saw the text she just received.
u shud send me another naked pic babe ;) gets me hard everytime
Who was she talking to? Oh my God.
"He's not Little Niall anymore. You should see him; he's like 6'3. Those innocent blue eyes are now darker and that short brown hair he had is now either pink, purple, green, blue or blond. And it's sticking in every direction when it's not under one of his dirty caps. And his arms! Oh God! He always wears tank tops, showing off his disgusting tattoos. His arms and chest are full. I'm not going to continue, I might gag."
"Wow.” my mother breathed. "Sounds awful."
"It is. And he's always home late, making a lot of noise when he's drunk with a lady companion attached to his hip. And he rides a motorcycle."
"A what?” my mom asked in disbelief.
"He has a motorcycle.,” my grandma said in a oh-my-god-you-will-not-believe-this tone. "And he's creeping all day, sit-ting on his porch smoking or drinking. I think he's watching young girls around the neighborhood changing in their rooms. And don't even get me started on his tongue."
I looked at her, shocked. His tongue?
"He has a tongue piercing, and a lip piercing and a brow piercing! It's so disgusting! I mean it's not enough that he speaks with disrespect to everyone, but he also has that metal in his mouth, I don't even know how he eats. Oh, and his cute crooked teeth? They're straight now; he wore braces for two years. Trust me girls, he's never going to step on my ground."
Mom gasped and I rolled my eyes. However, I disliked this Niall character, he seemed intimidating, and I would for sure be all shy around him, that is, if I would ever meet him, which I didn't plan to.
"So that's why you're carrying a bat mom?” my mother asked her mother.
Grandma nodded. "You never know with that guy. He's scum."
After that, mom went to bed because she left early in the morning, and grandma offered to make us some tea-which we kindly denied because her tea's were the worst-, leaving me and Katherine alone on the love seat.
"He's not that bad you know."
"Who?"
"Niall."
I shrugged.
I don't know him, I don't care about him and I don't plan on meeting him.
"He's like, cool, really cool, and he's like hot you know? Like, really hot."
What was with the word 'like'? Was she retarded or something? I mean, I know her parents died when she was little so she lived with her grandparents but that doesn't give her the right to speak like that or to show me a picture of a-
"p***s!” I said covering my eyes.
She let out a high-pitched laugh, touching her chest with her manicured nails that were the color pink, shocker.
"God, you need to be more mature. Some may think you are a virgin."
That's because I am you b***h.
She pointed to the p***s on her phone; it was long, sitting up and- hard.
"This is Niall."
My mouth fell agape as I looked elsewhere. She announced that she had closed the photo so I looked back at her. Where did the innocent girl from a year ago go? The girl I would paint my toenails and look through Ikea catalogs with? She changed.
"So you know Niall?"
"I've been friends with him since I was fifteen. And a year ago I've become...” she trailed off.
"Become what?” I pushed, actually eager to find out what she was talking about.
"Friends with benefits.” she whispered, her candy breath hitting my face. I wouldn't be surprised if she pooped rainbows and burped fairy dust.
"What's that?” I asked confused. What the hell did that mean? Don't laugh at me, I've never heard of it.
She laughed. "It means when you're having s*x with someone but there are no strings attached. No feelings. And you’re not together, which means you can hook up with a lot of people. But basically you f**k with your FWB more than with those other people, like girl, you got a problem."
What? ‘Girl’? Was she on c***k? God, it's like she's a whole different person now. I hated it.
"So what do you do on your spare time in this little town?” I asked leaning into the loveseat, trying to make myself comfortable. I could hear the crickets so I closed my eyes for a second.
"Well we have Wi-Fi if that's why you're asking. But there's a lot you can do. There's a big aqua park, the beach is an hour away, we go every Saturday. And there's a skate park if you're interested...and a public pool...and at night we go to parties."
"We?” I asked confused. She couldn't mean grandma, could she?
"The whole neighborhood. Niall, Jade, Jake and I."
I knew all of them, except of Niall. I mean, I used to see him on the playground in the summer when we were kids, but that was ten years ago. I remember his crooked teeth, his blue eyes and-
My train of thoughts was interrupted when I heard a motorcycle coming down the street. It was a guy, and he had a black Motorhead helmet and a black leather jacket on. He stopped in the driveway across the street and got off the motorcycle, before taking his helmet off and ruffling his hair.
His hair was blonde with pink highlights. His dark jeans hugged his long, skinny legs perfectly and his white Vans were now grey. He looked over at us before he did a double take.
He shot Katherine a quick wave and winked at her, before his eyes landed on me. I felt uncomfortable and self-conscious as he stared, before he put his helmet on the motorcycle’s handles and started walking towards us.
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat as he set his legs on our porch and came over. Katherine squealed and stood up. Even with her heels on, he was still taller than her.
I was surprised when they kissed each other, and I almost gagged when I saw his right hand go under her skirt.
"Sit down Ni.” she said and he took her place, pulling her over his lap. I tried to ignore the fact that his knee was touching mine.
"Who are you?” he asked.
His voice was husky and had a very strong Irish accent. I noticed a tongue piercing in his mouth, just like my grandma said. His usual crooked teeth were straight now and his hair was thick, flying in every direction, his brown roots barely visible.
He smelled like cigarettes and cologne, which, may I add, was a total turn off. Not that I knew much about it.
He was intimidating and made me blush when he looked down at me, at my cleavage to be more specific. Not that I showed too much, because I was wearing a Justin Bieber sweatshirt.
"You like Justin Bieber?” he asked in a mocking tone.
He was talking to me. His breath smelled like cigarette. He turned to Katherine.
"Is she mute?"
Katherine rolled her eyes and swung her legs over my lap too. Ew. No.
"I'm Renee."
"Renee?"
"Renee Delilah Parker.” Katherine said and I wanted to strangle right then and there. This was so embarrassing.
"Delilah?"
I nodded, my cheeks heating up. Then his eyes drifted to my cheeks, my cleavage my thighs and came back to my eyes. Then he turned to Katherine.
"We going babe?"
She nodded and he stood up, setting her on her feet.
"If grandma asks, I'm out with Jade."
I nodded. Niall didn't even bother to look back at me. He simply walked down the street to his motorcycle and put his helmet on. She climbed on behind him, hugging his torso.
I spoke before I could think:
"Shouldn't you give her your helmet?"
They looked at me. She laughed and he spoke, without turning his head:
"No one wears this helmet."
And with that he took off, the sounds of his motorcycle now a distant echo in the darkness. I sighed and stood up, before I went inside to find my grandfather watching Wheel Of Fortune and my grandma in the kitchen, looking out the window.
"The Shelley's are fighting again.” she spoke without looking at me. Her neck was stretched out and she was sipping from her cup as she watched the two adults yelled at each other in their backyard.
That's when I knew that my grandmother was that one lady that always knew the latest gossip of the neighborhood.
I changed into my pajamas and slipped under the duvet. My mom luckily let me bring my laptop with me, and I had free Wi-Fi from the house across the street. It was named 'Niall’, but as long as he didn't know about me using his free Internet, no harm would be done.
I sat on Tumblr the whole night; and it was around midnight when I walked over to the desk in my room to set the laptop down. The roar of the motorcycle's engine was heard on the street, before it came to a halt.
I looked outside to see Niall taking off his helmet and Katherine trying to arrange her messed up hair.
But there was another girl with them. She was wearing a tight tube dress, her blonde hair cascading down her back.
Niall bent down and I was shocked to see that they kissed...all of them.
He had his arms around both of their shoulders, his hands squeezing one of each girl's asscheek. How could he do that? It was disgusting.
Then he pulled away, licking his lips. Katherine waved at them and came towards our porch, whilst Niall threw his arm around the other girls' shoulder. They walked towards his house and I closed the curtains, not wanting to see more.
It was my first day here and I already disliked Niall.
Great.
***
The next day was Tuesday, and my mom left when I woke up. I wasn't looking forward to this day, or any other day of this summer for that matter.
I slowly made my way down the stairs, in a tank top and my pajama shorts. I was too lazy to actually brush my hair, but I brushed my teeth, just in case I bumped into Niall, which was stupid, because he wouldn't be in my house at 11am.
I sat down on a chair in the kitchen, wishing my grandmother, grandfather and Katherine a good morning.
My grandma was staring out the window, drinking her morning coffee, commenting on everyone that walked past our window, my grandpa was reading the paper, mumbling how everyone was a hypocrite and he hated everything, and Katherine was doing her nails.
I slowly prepared myself some cereal, before leaning against the counter. The whole kitchen smelled like nail polish and coffee.
My eyes subconsciously drifted to the window, but then did a double take. I saw Niall crouching down on his lawn, next to his motorcycle, looking at it. His hair was almost blond now; the pink streaks barely showing anymore.
He wiped his forehead as he stood up, only to reveal that he wasn't wearing a shirt. His naked torso seemed endless, and he had a clear six-pack.
But his skin was covered in tattoos, as were his arms. They stopped at his shoulders. I pried my eyes off him and focused on my cereal.
I finished them soon, before setting the bowl into the sink and attempting to go upstairs.
"Hold it!” my grandmother yelled and I groaned, turning around to see what she wanted.
"Why don't you show her around Kat?"
Katherine and I both looked at each other, before she smiled and nodded. "Sure."
But I just wanted to stay inside and watch some movies; was it too much to ask? I didn't want to be here, I never asked for this. What was I supposed to do here anyway?
I sighed and went upstairs to change. I really didn't want to go anywhere...especially with Katherine.
She told me to be ready in ten, obviously because she needed time to put makeup on. I pulled on some shorts and a hoodie, before going downstairs.
"Can I bring my skateboard?” I asked Katherine as she came down the stairs, wearing a pair of white wedges, some booty shorts and a tight white crop.
She shrugged. "Whatever."
I grabbed the skateboard that was leaning against the wall and put my flowery Ray Bans on.
"And watch out for Niall! Don't go near him!” grandma yelled as we exited the house. She was planning on sitting out on the porch and ‘reading’ the paper. I rolled my eyes at her and set the board at my feet, before placing my foot on it. Katherine frowned as she eyed my outfit.
I set my second foot on the board, waiting for a direction. She nodded forwards and I idly skated next to her. We both knew that she wasn't going to show me around; I knew the place.
But she seemed to know where she was going.
"Where are we going?” I asked looking around the deserted street, illuminated by the hot sun.
"Skate park.” she said and my heart started beating faster.
There will be cool people there and I’m not going to fit in.
And Katherine's presence wasn't calming me down to be honest. I immediately asked myself if Niall would be there.
Maybe.
I was curious to see if he was actually skateboarding or if he had a BMX.
I leaned on the end of the skateboard as I came to a halt in front of the gate. Katherine pushed it open and I held my skateboard as we walked towards the big ramps. They went down and there were also some grind bars. A small kiosk was in the corner.
About fifteen people were there. I spotted Niall immediately, chatting up a dirty blondehaired girl. He leaned against the handle bar of his orange BMX. She was twirling a stray of hair around her index finger and laughed at something he said.
He turned his head, and then did a double take when he saw us. Katherine winked at him and he excused himself, before setting his Supra covered feet on the pedals. He was wearing jeans and a long sleeved grey shirt. His hair was blonde, and his pink highlights reappeared.
"Hi.” he said smirking. He didn't bother to get up from the BMX. He was obviously waiting for Katherine to bend down and kiss him, which would give him an eyeful of her boobs. I awkwardly stood there, looking away, but hearing the sounds that came from their mouths.
I wondered how it felt to have someone's tongue against yours, if it felt as good as they said.
"Wouldn't you like to join us in a three-way kiss?” Niall asked cockily and I gasped, turning around to face him. His eyebrows were raised, and he was still waiting for my answer.
"She's a virgin...and she didn't even get her first kiss.” Katherine informed him.
Who did she think she was? Sharing a detail about my life! I wanted to yell at her, but held myself back.
Niall’s gaze was unreadable. His piercing, dark blue eyes were making a hole into mine as he lazily wrapped an arm around Katherine's leg. She ran a hand through his hair and he finally gave me a grin.
"A virgin?” he asked looking me up at down.
"Looks like one.” he admitted.
What did he mean I looked like one? I blushed and then I realized what he meant.
"So there's a bonfire tomorrow.,” he said rubbing her naked skin.
"You're coming?” Katherine asked taking a step forward, looking at me.
Niall’s eyes fell on her exposed butt cheeks and he bit his lip, before he licked his bottom lip, his pierced tongue running over his lip ring.
I shrugged. "I don't know."
He rolled his eyes and my eyes bulged out of their sockets as I saw him bite her exposed skin from her shorts. Katherine giggled and playfully slapped him across the cheek. He gave her a smirk and scratched his knee.
"I'm going home.” I said setting my skateboard on the ground.
He raised his eyebrows when he saw that I could actually skate. I felt their stares on my back as I rolled out of the park, down the long street. I looked around, trying to get used to the neighborhood, before I crashed into someone.
I landed on my knees and scratched them. I swore as I stood up, cleaning the dirt off my naked legs. I looked up to see a guy with a cigarette between his fingers and a skateboard at his feet.
"Sorry.” I mumbled and he laughed.
"I've never seen you around here before."
"Because I'm from around here."
He extended his hand. "Sean."
I looked into his blue eyes as I shook his hand. "Rey."
He shot me a half smirk as he set his foot on the skateboard. "See you around."
And then he skated down the street, towards the skate park.
I arrived home just in time for dinner, which I skipped. I watched the newest episode of Supernatural, and before I knew it, it was past 11pm.
I got out of the bed and went to take a shower.
First day here and it already sucks.
I came back in the room wrapped in a towel. I discarded the towel from my body and looked around for my PJ's. I found them by the window. I pulled the shorts on, before I put on the tank top. My hair was released from my bun and I shook my head.
My phone vibrated on the bed and I bent over to pick it up. It was from an Unknown number. I opened the text.
Unknown: damn.
My heart started beating faster as I realized there was an attachment to the text. I clicked on it and I almost fell into a grade eleven coma when I saw it was a picture of me naked, running a hand through my hair.
I looked outside and saw Niall on his balcony, sitting on a chair with the phone in his hand. He was watching me whilst smoking a cigarette.
He bit his lip suggestively and pointed to his crotch, before he did a w*****g gesture. My heart stopped and I blushed furiously.
My phone vibrated again.
Unknown: got ur # frm kitty ;)
I saved his contact into my phone and was about to close the curtains and hang myself when I saw him get up. He looked down at his phone and tapped his long, skinny fingers across the screen.
Niall: i know which picture ill wank 2 frm now on ;)
My heart was beating against my ribcage as I watched him locking eyes with me, smirking. He pulled the zipper to his pants down, his cigarette hanging from his lips.
I closed the curtains as I heavily breathed, staring down at my feet.
After I got into bed, I started thinking about what had just happened and how I could fix the fact that he had a naked picture of me.
And I got to a conclusion:
This was going to be a long summer.