Chapter 20

Rory jogged out of the country club.

“I’ll drop you all off to change clothes and then come and get you,” Jace said as Rory got into Jace’s mom’s minivan.

“How about I drive and pick up Summer? I don’t plan on drinking tonight,” Rory said as he got settled.

“Where were you? You missed the fireworks,” Summer observed.

“I made a stop at the little boys’ room. When I came out, Gigi caught me and gave me some shit. Elise, Chad’s older sister, came to my rescue. We went to the manager’s office and worked things out. I think the three of us are going to be okay,” Rory said, telling half the truth.

“The last person you want as an enemy is Gigi,” Julie said. “You were smart to make peace before school starts.”

“I think she was hostile because her dad doesn’t like me very much. She seemed nice once I got to know her. It helped that Chad’s sister was there. Elise was one of the first people I met at the country club,” Rory said.

They’d pulled up to Summer’s front door. Rory got out as well so that Jace didn’t have to take him next door.

“How long do you need to change?” Rory asked Summer once Jace pulled away.

“Give me thirty minutes,” she replied and then went inside.

Rory was ambushed by his dad as he walked in the front door.

“I didn’t think you would be home,” Rory said. “I figured that you and Crystal would stay for the dance.”

“We might have, but you antagonized Jack Whitman, and I got tired of his dirty looks thrown our way.”

Rory held up his hands and said, “He started it.”

“How did you know about the house?” Tyler asked.

“Elise Stanton filled me in on The Valley politics. She commented that the twins should’ve been drowned at birth. I figured talking up Crystal’s decorating abilities would win me more points,” Rory explained.

Tyler shook his head.

“She’s not wrong. You should probably avoid them,” Tyler said and then asked, “I thought you were going to a party?”

“I am, but I came home to change. I don’t plan on drinking, so I offered to be the designated driver for Summer.”

“Good call. Have fun tonight,” Tyler said and let Rory go.

When he came downstairs, Sophie and Paige were standing by the front door.

“Tyler said you’re our designated driver because you smarted off to Mr. Whitman,” Paige announced.

“Sorry, but could you also pick up Bart?” Sophie asked.

“If you promise you’ll rein in Paige and underwear boy while Summer is in the car,” Rory said.

“Underwear boy?” Paige asked Sophie.

“Bart’s underwear shows most of the time,” Sophie explained.

“Sounds like a good nickname for him. But I personally like ‘poo breath,’” Paige said to make Rory like her just a tiny bit.

Summer threw on a pair of hot pink Ralph Lauren skinny jeans, a black polo shirt with a big pink pony on it, a multicolored belt, and Solethreads flip flops. She didn’t think about how her shirt would match his car until he pulled up in it.

Clare came out of nowhere.

“Is Rory driving you to Kierra’s party?”

“Uhm, yeah.”

“Good. He can give me a ride, too,” Clare said as she walked out the front door.

Rory was halfway to the door. Good Lord, the sight of him did things to Summer’s lady parts. Crazy, uncontrollable things. He wore a plain black t-shirt and a pair of threadbare jeans that clung to his hips and thighs.

“Care to give a girl a lift?” her sister asked.

“Of course,” Rory agreed as her sister kissed his cheek.

Her sister got into the back seat as Rory came up and gave Summer a quick kiss. That appeased the jealousy she suddenly felt at seeing another girl kiss him.

When she got into the Jeep, she found Paige strangely polite. When she looked at Rory, he just shrugged. They picked up Sophie’s scummy friend, Bart. Summer was happy to see that Rory put him in the back luggage area like he was a dog.

When they got to the party, Sophie and her friends took off, and Clare winked at her and went to find her friends.

“So?” Rory asked and looked at her.

“Can we maybe go for a walk before we go in?” Summer asked.

“Sure.”

They strolled down the street as cars kept flowing in. This party was going to be packed.

“I had a great time last night,” Rory began. “I was hoping we could maybe start going out exclusively.”

“I’d like to date you, but I think it’s too soon for more than that,” Summer said.

She could see that her answer frustrated Rory.

“I know we’re not serious yet, but I got the feeling that you wanted to see where this went.”

“I do, but I’m not sure I’m ready for a boyfriend. Plus, I don’t want to mess up the group dynamic. Alice is supposed to spend time with you tonight at the group hang,” Summer announced.

Rory gave her a pained expression.

“The thing with Julie was probably a mistake...” Rory began before she cut him off.

“No. Julie needed to come out of her shell, and you were perfect with her. Alice has more experience, but her self-esteem will go into the tank if you reject her. Go along with it tonight, and we’ll talk about it afterward,” Summer promised.

“You’re not going to wait to talk until we go to Lake Mead, are you?” Rory asked.

“No. I agree that we have to do that before then, or there’ll be hurt feelings. Once we decide what we’re doing, I’ll want to share that with the girls.”

“So, what are we? Just friends?” Rory asked.

“For now, I think that’s all we can be,” Summer decided.

“I’m going to put it out there. I want more. Seeing you with Sean or Jace tonight will be hard,” Rory admitted.

“I understand,” she said lamely.

As soon as Summer said it, her eyes widened, like she wished she could shove the words back into her mouth. She knew it was the wrong thing to tell him. Rory’s lips pinched, and he nodded.

“Okay. Let’s go to this party,” he said as he turned around and walked away.

Summer knew that was as bad as when someone told you that they ‘loved you’ and you responded with ‘That’s nice.’ She wouldn’t be surprised if she’d just lost him.

Rory hadn’t planned on drinking. He sought out his stepsister and handed her his keys.

“You’re now the designated driver,” he said as he took her beer from her.

“What? No, way,” Sophie complained.

“I’ll make you a deal. I’ll be sober at Lake Mead if you do this tonight,” Rory bartered.

“Did Summer do something?”

“Let’s just say that she plans on hooking up with either Sean or Jace tonight,” he said, then downed her beer.

“I warned you. Summer isn’t the kind that ‘dates’ anyone,” Sophie reminded him.

“Well, I’m not a saint either. I banged both Gigi and Elise tonight at the country club.”

“I made out with Elon,” Sophie said as they compared notes.

“I guess neither one of us is allowed nice things,” Rory said with a smirk. “We’re both too easy.”

“Speak for yourself. I’m not busy banging everything with a skirt,” she teased.

“Have you seen Gigi Whitman?” he asked to defend himself.

“Elon Whitman,” Sophie said.

She all but caressed his name as she said it, rolling it off her tongue seductively as if it were meant to be screamed out when she climaxed.

They both chuckled.

“I’m glad you’re my stepsister, and we can talk about stuff,” Rory said and gave her a one-armed hug. “Now I have to go find the keg.”

“Don’t get too drunk. Summer isn’t worth it,” Sophie said.

Rory wasn’t sure he agreed with either of those statements.

Julie came running up to Rory.

“Come quick. Sean’s about to get his ass kicked.”

Rory trotted after her out of the house and found Sean surrounded by the water polo team. One of them was in his face.

“What the hell did you think you were doing talking to my girlfriend like that?”

“I’m trying to find a girl willing to allow me to practice sex with. Since she’s dated most of the water polo team...” Sean got out before he was pushed to the ground.

“Hold up!” Rory barked to get everyone’s attention.

“Stay the fuck out of this, Walsh. The faggot is about to get the thumping he has deserved for a long time,” Chad said as he confronted Rory.

Rory noted that the twins had eased out of the group of water polo players surrounding Sean and were working to flank him.

“What Sean asked is on me. I’m taking a porn class and offered to teach Sean how to have sex like one of our actors. I told him he had to find a girl willing to allow him to practice. In return, I would guarantee she had the best sex of her life.”

Chad lunged for him, but Rory was ready, took two steps back, and then turned to the twin on his left who was charging him. Rory punched him square in the nose. He noted that blood went flying, allowing Rory to focus on Chad and the other twin. That plan was short-lived as he was tackled to the ground.

The other twin began to throw wild punches as he straddled Rory’s waist. He covered up and twisted and turned to avoid the worst of it, but damage was being done. The twins were big boys; Rory would guess they were at least six-two and around two hundred pounds. They were also in shape from all the swimming they did playing water polo.

But they weren’t trained fighters.

Rory saw Chad lining up to kick him in the head and rolled hard to get out of the way. While Chad whiffed like Charlie Brown always did when Lucy held the football, the twin clocked Rory on the forehead. That one stung, and the twin howled as he shook his hand. Rory guessed he might have broken some fingers.

“Enough!” Clare screamed as the sea of water polo players parted as she stomped up to Chad.

“What’re all of your dads going to say when Tyler Luv pulls his financial support? Don’t you think he will when he hears all three of you jumped his son?” she asked both the twins and Chad. “You’ve made your point. Now walk away before you’re going to public school in the fall.”

The twin got off Rory and let him stand up.

“You’re not going to say anything to your dad, are you?” Chad worried.

“Not this time. But I will if you ever jump me three-on-one again. I’ll fight you if it’s one-on-one. Do any of you want to have a go?” Rory asked.

Chad took a couple of steps back and held up his hands.

“No thanks. I learned my lesson.”

The twins shook their heads ‘no.’

“Let me look at that hand and see if it’s broken,” Rory offered. “I’m Rory, by the way.”

“Jean-Paul.”

He winced when Rory prodded it.

“You might want to get that X-rayed. I think you broke the middle finger,” Rory said and then went to Gordon, the other twin, “Can I check your nose? I’ve had my share of nosebleeds.”

Rory checked, and it wasn’t broken, so he told him how to get the bleeding to stop.

Chad took Jean-Paul to get his X-ray, which ended the drama.

Rory found Sean and his gang waiting for Rory.

“I need a beer,” Rory announced.

Jace had been amused when the girls saw that Rory was bleeding. They’d kicked some underclassmen boys off the table they’d claimed by the pool. It was one of those with a big umbrella over it.

Rory had a cut on his left eyebrow and one on his cheek. Neither was that bad, but he patiently let them mother him. He also had a goose egg growing on his forehead. They sent Sean to get beer and a bag of ice. Sean came back with a pitcher and a bag of frozen vegetables. Rory put it on his forehead as Julie instructed him.

Then Sean ran the girls off when he wanted to talk about the fight. They would rather talk about girl stuff but knew he wouldn’t shut up until he got his answers.

Rory was a good sport and let his friend ask his questions. Jace finally put a stop to it.

“We’re out of beer. Go get us another pitcher,” he said to Sean.

After he left, Jace asked Rory, “Is the Chad thing going to become a problem?”

“I don’t think so. Chad remembers our first encounter. Now the twins, I have no idea,” Rory admitted.

Sean had exited the house and was on his way to their table when Kierra, their hostess, and Rena, her best friend, came up to him. Jace quickly got the feeling they were using Sean to get to Rory since they kept throwing glances his way. Sean seemed oblivious to all the attention.

“Dude,” Jace said to Rory, startling him out of hot-girl hypnosis.

Over Christmas break last year, Kierra had gotten her boobs enhanced. She’d gone from an A-cup to a D, making her the most endowed girl in their school. It wasn’t just that her breasts were big; it was how they hung. Her plastic surgeon was a genius. Not only did he make it so she didn’t need a bra to hold those sweater-puppies up, but he’d somehow made it so her nipples were hard 24/7.

You would think she was the biggest slut at Valley Prep from looking at her. But the opposite was the case. Kierra’s family were devout Catholics and hadn’t let her date. Word was that she’d just turned sixteen, and she might be able to go out now.

Now, her best friend was a different story. The third week of high school, she’d been caught having sex with Elon Whitman, who’d been a senior. Jack Whitman had swooped in and made the whole thing go away. Since then, Rena had become the water polo team’s mascot that got passed around.

“She’s cute, isn’t she?” Jace asked Rory.

He watched as Rory looked from her tits to her face.

“She is,” Rory admitted with an embarrassed chuckle. “Who is she?”

“That is our hostess, and before you get any ideas, her parents have her under lock and key. She’s a good Catholic girl.”

“I’m a good Catholic boy,” Rory said, making Jace laugh.

Sean brought the two girls to the table. Jace noticed that Rory got a disinterested look on his face as he took the pitcher from Sean and poured him and Jace a beer.

“Kierra and Rena want to join your sex class,” Sean announced.

Rory gave them both appraising looks.

“You understand this will be a hands-on type of class, that you might be with all three of us at some point. Are you comfortable with that?” Rory asked.