Page 5 of Five Summers

I burst into laughter, thinking about how she just stood there. How her breathing got all messed up and her eyes went wide.

At that moment, I knew I could have a bit of fun and fuck with her. I fucking love getting under people’s skin. That's why I asked if she wanted to join in. She's most likely better at giving head than Savannah, anyway. No one could be worse than that. But based on what I've seen of Poppy Reeves at school, she doesn't seem easily influenced.

Even though I've never talked to her, I just had this feeling she'd bolt. There’s something about Poppy that gives me the impression she’s a good, innocent girl. Most likely still a virgin. I suspect she's living a cushy life in that house, all thanks to her mom. Watching her in the mirror made me want to mess with her good-girl vibes. That’s why I shoved my dick further down Savannah’s throat. I was curious to see how she would react. To see what she would do. But, to my surprise, she stayed there way longer than I expected.

While Poppy Reeves has never really caught my attention, I can’t help but admire her sharp wit and clever comebacks. She seems to be in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Jade and her mean-girl crew are always after her. They really get a kick out of bullying her.

Jade and her group are thinner than Poppy, but I wouldn’t call Poppy fat. She’s simply an average-sized girl. If you're a fan of curves, she's got them in all the right spots. But me and Ace barely give her a second look. She’s not even on our list of potential hookups. The only time she gets any attention is when Jade rants about her being overweight.

Jade is hot as fuck. It’s also a plus that she’s super easy. I’m not sure if Jade’s jealousy is the reason behind her behaviortowards Poppy. Poppy can handle whatever comes at her. She's tough and doesn't let those hurtful words bother her. Despite all the crap she’s taken over the years, I can’t ever recall seeing Poppy shed a tear. That in itself is impressive. But Jade is weak as fuck and can't make decisions without other people's approval.

Ace turns his gaze towards me, a smile playing on his lips. “What’s so funny?” he asks.

“Poppy Reeves just stood there watching me face fuck Savannah’s mouth. She didn't leave until I asked if she wanted to join in.”

“No way,” Ace laughs. “You think she'd be down for shit like that?”

“Nah.”

“You never know, she might be up for it.”

“Nah, I don’t think so. She comes across as a good girl. She’s probably still a virgin, anyway.”

“Yeah. Fuck no, I refuse to go there.”

Ace slams on the brakes at the traffic lights. As people cross the street, I see Ace checking out Nicola, a girl in the year below us.

“Don’t go there,” I tell him. “If you mess with Noah’s little sister, he will completely lose it. Stick to the easy ones.”

“Yeah well, it’s not as easy for me as it is for you, pretty boy. Plus, I heard she is good at giving head. Nothing gets me more excited than a challenge.”

The lights go green and Ace hits the gas.

“Yeah, but… do you really want to risk getting the shit kicked out of you for touching Noah’s baby sister?”

“Depends how good the blow job is. I'll give you the scoop when I get one.”

“And that there, my friend, is why we should just hang with Jade and her friends. They’re always up for anything.”

Ace and I have a lot in common. Like me, he's only into casual flings. He can't stand it when girls get clingy. Yeah, what's the big deal if we fuck them? Doesn’t mean we want to date them. We just wanna have a good time before we graduate.

We both come from messed-up homes, and we can't wait to get the hell out of this shithole of atown. Our main thing is our band and our music, even though it's just the two of us for now. I'm the lead singer with a killer voice, and I love jamming on the guitar. Ace's talent is off the charts. He's a total prodigy on the keyboard and guitar. But what’s even more impressive is he’s never had a lesson in his life. He's insanely talented and can give our music an awesome vibe.

Ace has never met his dad. He fucked off not long after he was born. Since I've known Ace, his mom has been going through boyfriends like crazy. His sister, Daisy, was his sole source of guidance. She took care of him, basically raising him while their mom got high and messed around with her boyfriends. But Ace was never the same when his sister bailed on him. At twelve, he was stuck dealing with his drug-addicted mom and the jerks she brought home. Ace hasn't said a word about Daisy since she left, but I could tell he was torn up about it. I stepped up and tried to fill those shoes, determined to be there and help him get through it. Our connection goes beyond blood ties. We're like true brothers in every way.

Ace's mom is always hammered. Last year, when we got home from school, we walked in on his mom's boyfriend banging her on the kitchen table. That was the final straw for Ace. He's seen some crazy stuff in his life, but that day was on a whole other level. He moved out to the garage in the backyard. He turned it into his crash pad and a spot for us to practice.

Music has this unexplainable effect on us. I know for me that when I sing; it erases all the shitty things in my life. You could say it consumes me, transforming me from XanderWilliams, the troubled kid from a fractured home to someone else entirely. It's as if I've left behind the identity of that skinny kid who constantly suffers at the hands of his drunken dad. It's my calling, drawing me in, and leading me to my destined path.

Deep down, I think we yearn to experience a future where our worth is undeniable. My dad constantly hurls insults at me, always calling me worthless. One day I’ll fucking show him. One day, he will see that I am something.

But honestly, I gotta get the hell out of this crappy town because I'm scared shitless of turning into a clone of my asshole father. There is no way in hell I will ever let that happen.

Ace turns into the street, the engine purring softly as we move down towards his house. He stops in the middle of the road, staring at the car parked in the driveway, blocking his way to the garage.

"What a fucking asshole," Ace mutters, gripping the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white.

“Who owns that car?” I ask.

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