Page 15 of Nines's Time

I’ve been kissed before, but none of them were ever like the one he gave me. My ex, even in the beginning, was never able to kiss me the way Nines did.

I shudder to think of Johnny as memories slam to the forefront of my mind, breaking through the barrier.

* * *

“Please, Johnny, stop,” I beg, trying to get away from him.

“You think you can do what you want and get away with it?” Johnny snarls, gripping me by my hair, and wrenching me backward. “I don’t fuckin’ think so.”

I notice off to the side my dad come in the room, but Johnny doesn’t seem phased by it. He just keeps up his assault and rips my clothes from my body.

“I’ll show you, Meadow. You’ll learn your place and know who you belong to,” Johnny snarls, forcefully spreading my legs apart.

I beg and plead for my dad to help but he doesn’t do anything but watch as Johnny violently enters me. To make things worse, my dad pulls himself out and masturbates while watching.

* * *

I shake my head and squeeze my eyes closed.

“It’s the past. They’re not here and they don’t know where I am,” I tell myself. “They can’t hurt me anymore.”

Maybe I should just call Nines and cancel.

It would be the best thing to do. No matter how good of a kisser he is. Nothing can come of it. He needs someone with experience. Someone not broken as I am. He also should have someone not covered in a life worth of filth.

With my mind made up, I step around the counter, lift my phone up, and unlock the screen. I find Nines’s number saved under his name, pull up a message, and start typing. It takes me three times, but I finally get what I want to say right.

Me:I’m sorry but I don’t think I’ll be able to go out with you tomorrow. I do apologize.

Hitting send, I place the phone down and check the time. It’s close enough to closing time and I want to get out of here in case he decides to come back. I don’t think I can handle seeing him right now. Not when I know the feel of his lips against mine and that I’m not the one for him.

It doesn’t take me long to shut everything down and lock up. I head home. Just as I step through the doors, my phone pings with a message, and I hold my breath knowing who it’s from without looking. Slowly I get my phone and unlock the screen to find I’m right. It’s a message from Nines. I suck in a breath and read it.

Nines:Buttercup, we’re gonna go out tomorrow. Told you no pressure, baby, and I mean it. BUT WE ARE GOING OUT. After that kiss, I’m not letting you off the hook.

Another text comes in following that one as I stare at the screen.

Nines:Don’t think you can hide from me either. I’ll find you and then I’m still taking you out.

Um. Wow.

How do I get out of this predicament without making things worse?

Me:I think you can find another woman to go out with. I’m not worth the headache I’m sure I’ll give you, and though the kiss was great. The best. I don’t think we should do that again.

I hit send and regret doing so before changing my response.

Before I know it, my phone rings with Nines’s name flashing at me like a big sign beckoning me to answer.

I close my eyes and swipe my finger along the screen. “Hello.”

“I’m gonna fill you in on something, Buttercup,” he says instantly, his voice sounding gruff.

“What’s that?” I whisper, moving to sit on the edge of my couch.

“You could never be a headache. Not ever. I’m glad you think the kiss we shared was the best, but I intend to give you better,” he states and keeps going. “Tomorrow we’re going out and getting to know each other. If we go further, great. I ain’t gonna complain. But we’re gonna have a good time. And I don’t want to hear any more about you not being worth me going out with.”

“I didn’t say worth,” I blurt.

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