I was really pissed at Zac for a while. I refused to call their house. Tay and I saw each other, of course, but I didn't go to their house. After a few days, though, it got really old because I couldn't see Ike. Ike is my dawg, and not talking to him really got to me. Then, one day I called him. Guess who picked up the phone? Yea, Zac. After a long talk, we decided we were still friends and stuff. I definitely wasn't his best bud anymore, though. I went over their house the next day, and things were pretty much back to normal.
"Let's do something," I yawned, drawing circles in the air with my fingers.
"Like what?" Ike asked, flipping the pages of some random magazine.
"I dunno..." I played with my hair,which was in braided pigtails.
Zac bounded down the stairs and popped his head in the living room, "I'm going to Frank's... Hi, Robinson."
"Who's Frank?"
"Lives a couple blocks away... Has a big backyard," Zac described.
"Is there a game?" Tay inquired.
"Yea."
"Robinson, you wanna play football at Frank's?" Ike asked.
"Sure," I stood up.
"I don't think you do... Some of those @$$holes think they're pros," Zac warned.
"So?"
"So they won't hesitate to hurt you," Taylor pointed out.
"I don't care. It's something to do. Let's go."
We rode bikes the few blocks to Frank's house (I rode Jessie's bike). There was this huge assembly of kids there. I thought it would just be like, us and Frank, but there must have been at least twenty-five guys in the backyard that probably was the size of an actual football field.
"Robinson, these are Brett, James, Hunter, Jay, Chris, Frank, and Kyle," Tay pointed to each, and then listed a whole bunch more.
"Not that I'll remember all that... I'm Robinson," I laughed.
"Let's play!" someone yelled.
There was an assembly of us to pick captains and teams. Two of the largest boys, Brett and some boy named Aaron were made the captains. I was picked by Aaron, pretty much last because everyone thought I was some kind of wuss.
"She's playing?" Brett seemed surprised.
"Yea,"I threw a little attitude at him.
"That's not fair," he said.
"Why not?" Aaron wanted to know.
"Then we'll have to be gentle."
"I can take it," I laughed.
"Why don't you just be the cheerleader, chickie?" Brett laughed.
Staring at him, I said, "You're not serious." I turned to Taylor, who was biting his lip, "Is he serious?"
"Yea, I'm serious."
I stood silent for a second before I calmly said, "I'm playing."
"No, you're not," he assured me.
"You're a f&^%ing @$$hole," I said, stepping a little closer to him.
"Brett, why do you always have to be an idiot?" Ike asked.
"Well I don't want to break her nails or something."
"What's youre problem?" I asked violently, my blood starting to boil.
"Look, honey, it's nothing personal, but I want to have a decent football game," he said, flicking one of my braids.
"Don't touch me!" I smacked his hand away, "And I'm not your honey or your chickie."
"Let's just play, Brett," Zac rolled his eyes at the tall boy.
"I don't want to be responsible for this little powderpuff," Brett replied.
"If you call me one more thing other than my name, I swear to-"
"What? What are you gonna do?" he got all up in my face.
"Don't even!" I pointed my finger in his face, "Do'n t you even dare get all up on me! I'll kick your @$$!"
"You and what army?"
"What?" I pretended not to hear him, "What did you say?"
"I said-"
"Yea, I like boys, too," I growled.
"Are you calling me a homo, you little bi&^%?"
"I know you didn't just call me a bi*^#."
"What if I did?"
I was so close to punching him, but I felt a hand on my arm. I turned around. "It's not worth you're time, Robinson," Tay assured me in a soft voice.
"No one calls me a bi*$@, Taylor."
He took me by the shoulders, "Robinson, he's just an ass. Forget about him..."
"Can we play?" someone called out.
"I don't know, can we, Tinkerbell?" Brett smiled, knowing he'd crossed the line a few minutes before.
"Call me that again!" I screamed. "See what happens if you call me that again!" Taylor held my arm tightly so that I couldn't leap on the kid and rip out his eyes.
"Let's just play," some kid pushed Brett away and the game got organized.
"How did you know Brett was homophobic?" Hunter asked me.
"Every guy is homophobic," I laughed, calming a little.
"I'm glad you're on our team," Frank said.
"Calm down, Robinson," Taylor whispered in my ear. "You're cutting off the circulation to my wrist."
I looked down and saw that I had been grasping Tay's arm so tightly that when I let go, there were white finger marks left in his skin. "I'm sorry," I half-laughed, patting his wrist.
"Whatever, I'm just glad you didn't rip his eyes out."
"Cuz you know I would have.."
We started the game, and it was all dandy and everything... I actually didn't get to play that uch because there were a bunch of ball hogs that only passed the ball to each other. One time I happened to catch the ball and be faced with Brett running straight at me. I tossed the ball to Frank, who was next to me, but Brett still barrelled into me anyway. He'd had plenty of time to stop and everything, but he didn't. There was a moment of shock where I didn't move, and his weight was just crushing me into the ground. When he got up, brushing himself off smugly, I was fuming.
"Why did you do that?" a bunch of people asked, gathering around me because I was still on the ground.
"Because he's a butt-f%$&ing @$$hole!" I screamed as I stood up. Man, was I pissed!
"Shut up, bi&%#!"
That was it. Not able to contain myself, I charged at him and kicked him as hard as possible square in the nuts. There was a look of surprise on his face before he crumpled to the groumd. I felt guilty for a half of a second because I realized how hard I kicked him. That didn't last very long. Feeling slightly satisfied, I turned to face the crowd of boys who were staring at me incredulously. "Sorry I ruined the game," I apologized as I pushed my way through them.
Taylor followed me. "Robinson," he said when we were apart a little from the crowd,"Are you all right?"
"What?"
"Did he hurt you?" Tay brushed his fingers aong a scrape on my arm.
"I'll live," I shrugged as I sipped some unknown person's water bottle. "Do you think he's really hurt?"
"His ego maybe," Tay turned to see a few guys helping Brett stand up. Smiling, he turned to me and said "You're so cute..."
"What could possibly be cute about me kicking your friend in the nuts?" I laughed.
"You just are... I can't believe you asked if he was all right," he joined my laughter.
"Maybe I saved the world becasue now he can't reproduce," I laughed harder. Tay and I just stood there cracking up for like ten minutes. It was great.
Wiping tears from my eyes, we joined the group of people that were going back to Tay's house to like, have a sleepover or something. Upon returning to the house, I was re-introduced to James, Hunter, Jay, Chris, Frank, and Kyle, with whom I would be spending the night. We decided to watch movies. James and Isaac went to Blockbuster or something to rent soem movies while the rest of us set up a place to hang out in the basement. There was a TV and VCR down there, as well as a pull-out couch and a pool table.
"I'll play someone in pool!" I announced after we had toted about ten sleeping bags down the stairs.
"As long as you promise not to kick me in the nuts," someone yelled.
"I'm normally a nonviolent person," I assured everyone.
Laughing, Hunter said, "Yea, right."
"I'll play you," Zac volunteered.
Ike and James came home while Zac was beating the pants off me in pool. We must have watched five movies. There was Silence of the Lambs, American Pie, South Park, The Exorcist, Beavis and Butthead Do America, and some arbitrary Jackie Chan thing.
"Let's play spin the bottle," James suggested.
"Very funny," I rolled my eyes, "You do realize that I would make you kiss another guy if it landed on him."
"What if it landed on you?" he asked, moving a little closer to me.
I looked up at Tay, who was across the room, playing pool with Chris. I moved away from James a little and ignored his comment.
By then it was like one in the morning, and a couple people passed out. Tay, Ike, Kyle, James, Jay, and I stayed up while other people slept. I talked about New York, Heidi, and my dad's annoying fiance. I learned about other people's ish, too. After like two hours, a bunch of people crashed, and before long just James and I were awake.
"So, do you have a boyfriend?"
"Umm..." I paused, "Kind of." My eyes shifted to the sleeping Tay.
"Kind of? Does he live in New York or something?"
"Um, yea."
"You must miss him."
"Uh... of course..."
James moved closer to me on the pullout couch. I slid over a little, but i was pressed into the side arm of the couch. "New York is far away."
"Yup."
"Are you interested in anyone?"
"Uh, my boyfriend?"
"Why do you hang out with Ike, Tay, and Zac so much?" he seemed skeptical.
"I like them. They're my friends." He leaned over a little bit so that he was like, leaning on my shoulder.
"Yea, they're cool."
"Uh huh," I tried to move my shoulder, but he was pressing it into the back of the couch.
"So..."
"What?" I was kind of nervous because he was actually hurting me by pushing my shoulder harder.
"Do you like Oklahoma?" he asked, his face getting closer to mine.
"Yea, it's great."
"Do you like sleepovers?" his face got closer to mine. Could he be any cheesier?
"Yea, good times."
"Do you like-" instead of finishing his sentence, he leaned over and pressed his mouth to mine.
"Ew, get off me!" I screamed, attempting to get him away from me.
"Sh!" he put one hand over my mouth while the other hand started sliding under my shirt.
With my only free hand, I tried again to push him off me. Why hadn't anyone woken up when I'd screamed? Deciding that he was just too strong, I opened my mouth and chomped down on one of his fingers.
"Ow!" he yelled really loudly and jumped away from me.
"What happened?" someone finally woke up.
"God, what the hell?" I wiped my mouth off, shoving James's shoulder.
"What happened?" Hunter rubbed his eyes.
"He-he," I stuttered, stunned at the realization that I had just been harassed. Feeling violated, I almost wanted to cry.
"Shut up!" James leaped up and covered my mouth with his hand.
"Dude, get off her," Hunter looked at James strangely.
"Get off me," I pushed him away, my skin crawling where he touched me.
"What's the matter?" Isaac awoke.
"Ike, he's harassing me."
"Leave her alone," Ike thought I was playing around.
"No, really," I felt a lump in my throat start to form. I stood up and moved away from the couch bed, accidentally stepping on people.
"What?" Zac murmured as he woke.
"Sorry," I apologized, still horrified.
"Are you okay, Robinson?" Taylor woke up, too.
"Not really. Your little friemd here pinned me up against the bed," I pointed accusingly at James.
"She's lying."
"I'm not lying," I assured Tay.
"Are you being totally serious?" Tay stood up next to me. I nodded as he slid his arm around my shoulders. "You have goosebumps," he observed, rubbing his hand up my arm.
"I'm not lying."
"What the hell, James?" Ike stood up also.
"I didn't man, you know me-"
"Yea, we know you, that's why I believe her," Zac spoke up.
"What did he do to you?" Tay asked softly.
"He pinned me up against the back of the couch and kissed me."
"You kissed her?" Tay's jaw dropped open.
"I just-"
"That's like rape or something," Zac informed James.
"It's not rape-"
"I told you to stop!" I yelled.
"Dude, maybe you should just leave," Ike spoke up.
"Maybe you shouldn't molest people," I glared at him.
"I didn't-" James was trying to defend himself.
"What would you call it then. I don't remember asking you to stick your hands in my shirt," I spat out.
"You did not," Tay was hoping I was kidding.
"I even told him you I had a boyfriend..."
"Yea, but he's in New York."
"Just leave, James," Ike tried to break it up.
"He's not in New York."
"Where is he then?"
"James, just get out of here..." Ike attempted to usher the kid out.
"I'm right here, you @$$hole," Tay spoke up.
"Wait," James's eyes widened, "Tay, you're going out with her?"
"Just leave!" Ike yelled, throwing James's sweatshirt at him.
"Yes, I am," Tay left my side to approach James. "I think maybe you should get out of here," Tay lor was trying to keep calm.
James nodded and dashed up the stairs. We could hear the back door slide shut. Zac spoke up first, "Are you okay, Robinson?"
"Yea, I'll live," I nodded, making my way back over to the couch, "My head hurts."
"Let's go back to sleep," Ike sat himslef back down and covered himself withthe blankets. Taylor sat next to me on the couch as everyone drifted off to sleep.
"I wish you weren't leaving," I whispered, resting my head on his shoulder.
There was a silence which was filled by Tay wrapping his arms around me. "I wish we weren't leaving either," he whispered.
"When are you coming back?" was my breathy question.
"I don't know. Not for a while. But it's okay, Heidi is coming to live with you, isn't she?" he tried to comfort me.
"My mom talked to her parents a few days ago, and they agreed. I think Heidi enrolled herself into the University or something," I said, not very cheerfully. My entire body was aching, and I was feeling quite awful.
"See? You won't even have time to miss us," he assured me as he turned off the light.
"Don't count on that," I pressed a small, light kiss on his mouth as we lay back on the bed in each other's arms.
