Thankfully, the little incident back at the pub isn’t mentioned again. I’m sure I haven’t heard the last of it though, especially from Carter. On our walk back to the car, Meg remembers she has to pick up some photos her mum is having printed. Carter waits for us outside the shop while I go in with her.

I see that they have some T-shirts on display behind the counter, where you can print your own image on them. It gives me an idea. After speaking to the lady who served Meg, she says she can definitely make what I want. Thankfully, I’ve got the perfect image on my phone. After she downloads it onto her computer, she tells me I can pick it up tomorrow. I smile. I can’t wait to see Carter’s reaction when I give it to him.

We drove around for a while before heading back home to swim in the lake. He even came with Lassie and I later that afternoon when we walked Meg home. I still find it hard to be around him after everything we’ve done, but I’m hoping in time it will get easier. I’m glad that we’re somewhat friends at least.

••••

Tuesday morning, I head for my car—my first day of driving myself to school. I didn’t ask Carter yesterday if he’d like a lift. He’s forward enough to ask if he wants one. He has his mum’s car if he doesn’t.

“Morning, kid,” he says when I round the corner, almost scaring the life out of me. I wish he’d stop surprising me like that. He’s leaning up against my car looking all smug and sexy. Obviously he’s travelling with me.

“Can I help you with something?” I ask raising an eyebrow at him. He never makes things easy on me, so I intend to do the same.

“I’m just here for my lift,” he replies as one side of his mouth turns up into a cocky smile. It really should be illegal to be that damn good looking.

“What lift? I didn’t offer to take you,” I retort, trying to keep a straight face.

“You don’t need to,” he says all smug. “You owe me.”

“I don’t think so,” I chuckle.

“What about all the lifts I’ve given you?”

“If I remember correctly they were under duress.”

“Duress or not, a lift is a lift, kid,” he says as he walks around the passenger side and opens the door.

“Stop calling me kid.”

“As long as I know it annoys you,” he chuckles, “I’m never going to stop.” Remind me again why I put up with him? Grrrr.

As much as I hate to admit it, I like having him around.

••••

After school, I told Carter I needed to swing by town so I could pick up the shirt I ordered. He was cool with that. He waited in the car while I ran inside. I burst out laughing when the lady showed me the finished product.

I’d gotten a large image of Lassie’s face printed on the front of the T-shirt, with ‘My Man Lassie’, in big bold letters. Dumb I know, but I was over him calling Lassie, Larry. He thought the picture he drew me was funny, well ditto to this shirt. My little bit of revenge you could say.

“What did you have to pick up?” he asked when I got back into the car. I tossed the plastic bag on his lap.

“A present for you.”

“You bought me a gift?”

“Yes. Open the bag.” He looked sceptical as he reached in and pulled out the T-shirt. When he held it up and read what it said, he threw his head back and laughed.

“I fucking love it, but she spelt Larry’s name wrong.”

“No she didn’t.” I couldn’t hide the smile on my face. Finally, one for Indi.

Well that’s what I thought until the next morning. He actually met me at the car before school wearing the shirt. I couldn’t believe it. I should’ve known he was up to something by the big-arse grin on his face. My gaze immediately moved to the bottom of the shirt where Lassie’s name was printed. Ugh! He’d crossed it out with a thick black sharpie, and written ‘Larry’ next to it in big capital letters. Touché, arsehole.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Carter

Over the next few weeks, life seems to get harder. Even though I finally have my car back, which is a fucking relief, Indi and I are spending a lot of time together. I’m finding the more I’m with her, the more I don’t want to be without her. It’s so fucked up. It sucks to want someone when you know you can’t have them.

I try my hardest not to show it and continue to give her a hard time whenever I can, but with every passing day I’m finding it harder to resist her. I should’ve just taken her when she offered it up to me, but for once in my life I tried to be the good guy. I put her wellbeing before my own needs.

Not a day goes by that I don’t think about what we did that night, or that sweet pussy of hers. I want to be buried balls deep inside her. More. Than. Anything. Don’t even get me started on that mouth of hers.

Things at home are getting worse as well. I’m not sure how much longer I can continue to bite my tongue around Fuckwit. I think he’s figured out that I won’t fight back because I don’t want to upset my mum. He’s using it to his advantage. He now taunts me every chance he gets. Fucker. I need to get the hell out of here before I ruin everything.

If I lose my shit with that motherfucker, it will ruin things for my mum. As much as I hate him, I love seeing her happy. I’ll never understand why, but he does that for her.

And then there’s Indi. If I let this thing between us go any further, I’ll ruin her as well. I don’t want to cloud her sunshine with my darkness. She’s pure and I’m not. How can something that feels so right be so wrong? Life can be a real bitch sometimes.

I feel like the walls are closing in on me. Some days it gets so bad, it’s a struggle to even breathe. It’s still a few months before I turn eighteen. In my heart I know I’m not going to last that long.

••••

On Saturday night I’m sitting at my desk in my bedroom, doing homework, when I see Indi climb out of her bedroom window. Where in the hell does she think she’s going? Fuck. Today I’ve avoided her like the plague. I just needed some space to sort through all these unwanted feelings I have for her. Looks like that was a waste of fucking time. I can’t sit here and watch her sneak off to God only knows where. Anything could happen to her.

I watch to see which direction she’s heading before throwing on a shirt. For some reason she’s walking down towards the lake. Although it’s a warm night, she’s got rocks in her fucking head if she intends on going for a swim.

By the time I put my shoes on and jump out of my window, a few minutes have passed. I hope she hasn’t gone too far. I should’ve grabbed a torch. It’s so fucking dark out here. I have a good mind to throw her over my knee and spank her for leaving the house at this time of night on her own. Christ, she makes me fucking crazy sometimes.

I’m mumbling profanities under my breath when she comes into view. She’s sitting on the dock all alone, her feet dangling over the edge. I can only see her silhouette by the aid of the moonlight. It’s casting a silvery glow over the water, illuminating her.

My heart rate picks up as I get closer. I have this love/hate thing going on with the feelings she ignites within me. Although I kind of like it, it’s also foreign and scares the crap out of me. When I’m around her I feel alive. I thought that part of me died a long time ago. I can’t explain how this tiny little spitfire, who annoys me to no end, can make me feel that way, but fuck me she does.

“What are you doing out here all alone?” I ask annoyed when I’m standing a few feet behind her. She doesn’t answer, but I clearly see her hand come up and wipe her eyes. Fucking great, she’s crying. I don’t know how to deal with this shit. I haven’t cried since I was a kid. Why do women have to be so damn emotional?