Working with dad was exhausting. And when I came back home after seven p.m, I spent endless hours playing video games and the other half of my time stalking Vicky. It was time-consuming to say the least. She and I had this love-hate relationship going on that was honestly getting on my nerves.

Vicky wasn't the docile type of girl that I would have loved to control; she was a butterfly who enjoyed her freedom. I wondered if a side of her was a masochist and enjoyed being controlled by me. I bet she did.

Days passed and boredom kept eating me alive. During my time at home, I couldn't think of anything else, I kept playing these scenes in my head where Vicky was flirting with Noah. Then it would switch to the two of them kissing in a frenzy followed by a crude scene of Noah fucking Vicky in an empty classroom. When you're a jealous, possessive asshole, your imagination takes you to dark places.

So I texted her every single hour, asking her what she was doing until she stopped responding and blocked my number.

Bitch.

When I went to pick her up from school after her cheer practice, one of her cheerleading teammates, Chloe or Kylie or something (they all looked the same to me) told me she'd seen Vicky leave with her brother.

I held myself back for the rest of the evening and at around eight p.m., I texted her asking if she would like to go with me to the local carnival and she didn't respond. Frustrated, I debated if I should just drive to her place and drag her bodily to my car when there was a knock on my door.

"Come in," I called out.

Maya walked inside the room with a secretive smile on her face. "Are you going to the town carnival?"

"Maybe. Why?"

"I'm coming with you too."

"I'm not in a mood to babysit bratty kids. I'm going there with Vicky." I informed her.

She showed me her phone, "Ellen is going there too."

"Whatever. I'll take you there if you behave and promise to stay with your friend and answer your phone when I call."

"Deal." She beamed and skipped out of the room, you'd think I'd transferred a million dollars into her account and insisted she go on a shopping spree.

I spent twenty minutes in the car waiting for Maya when she texted that she was going to catch a ride with her friend, Ellen and her brother Vic who was going to drive the girls to the carnival.

Technically, I was still grounded but Dad wasn't around and Mom wouldn't tell. It was really easy to convince Mom if I wanted to go somewhere; she mostly felt bad for me and would cave into my demands. I even flicked the keys of Dad's BMW SUV from his room. Archer rode shot-gun; Vicky and Hazel were in the backseat.

When we reached the carnival, I saw the long queue to the main-entrance. But because I'm an asshole, I cut through the line. Archer, Vicky, and Hazel followed reluctantly. We heard a few choice words thrown at us but when I turned and they got a good look at me, the people at the back silenced.

The Lockhart's got away with everything...

Even murder...

As soon as we entered the carnival, we split because Hazel wanted to sit on the kid buggy ride and Archer was her usual target so that left me alone with Vicky who refused to talk to me.

I tried to think of something that would make her forget our fight. I even Googled ′How to make-up with your girlfriend'. It said 'give her a hug' and I tried but she dodged it successfully by making some bullshit excuse. It also said ′Give her flowers' and I bought her a Rose made of candy, and it didn't work. Whoever posted this stupid article online obviously had no clue about relationships because it wasn't working.

This was hard for me. I had never been in a relationship before, and Vicky wasn't helping. I knew that I'd acted like a dick towards her but I was just protecting her from certain vermin by the name of 'Noah', the kind of vermin that didn't die because of anti-repellent.

We stood near the Plush toys prize-winning booth. Bottles were lined up in the center, and the person who successfully shot all the bottles down got one of the stuffed toys. I observed the other players, no one was able to shot one bottle, let alone three. The round pebble-like ball was made of plastic; there was no way anyone could win anything.

These guys were cheaters.

I smiled, "I want to have a shot at it."

The plump guy on the other side of the counter gave me three pebbles. "Go for it." I placed the money on the table and picked the pebbles. I looked at Vicky to make sure she was watching.

Two shots down and the bottles were still standing there. The last shot was left. When the guy wasn't looking, I coughed really loud and picked a rock from the ground the size of the pebble and threw it at the bottles.

All went down, one even shattered.

The guy looked at me suspiciously but didn't say anything. By the time he realized the pebble was a rock, we'd be gone. I pointed at the stuffed green alligator, "I'll take that one."

Reluctantly he handed over the stuffed toy.

Vicky appeared to be pleased when she took the stuffed toy from me. The other girls in the booth were starting to have higher expectations from their boyfriends.

Poor girls. There was only one Tyler Lockhart.

Even with the stuffed toy now in her arms, Vicky wouldn't say a word.

I'd done everything in my power to make her happy, turns out, it wasn't enough.

I refused to believe that Noah was putting a crack between my relationship with Vicky. If there was a way that I could send the guy to the Bermuda Triangle on a Cruise, I wouldn't leave a chance.

"Look, I'm sorry." I apologized and her eyes lit up which told me that I'd said the right thing. Apology was the key, even if you hated doing it. "I didn't mean to go ape-shit on you. I dislike Noah with everything inside me, and seeing you with him puts me in a bad mood. I understand he's your friend." Sorry, but I didn't understand. "I won't ask you to choose sides because I know that no one can replace me in your life.

I hate fighting with you, Vicky."

"It's not just that, Tyler!"

Those were the first five words she'd said to me in HOURS.

"I wouldn't know what this is about if you don't tell me."

What did she want me to do? Beg? Grovel? More apologizing?

"No one talks to me at school anymore, not a single guy. They avoid me like I'm some walking plague...like they would contract some disease by just looking at me. I heard someone say that it's because you spread rumors that you'd kill anyone who tries to talk to me."

"Just trying to protect you from harm," I admitted.

The most harm anyone could do to Vicky was me.

"That's not called protection. You're being insensitive, and jealous, there's a difference." Her smokey grey eyes promised a hurricane and all I wanted to do was ditch this carnival, and fuck her senseless in my car so she would forget this fight even existed.

I'd agreed to be in a relationship with Vicky just because I was tired of being a virgin and wanted to see what the fuss was all about and now I couldn't get enough of her. She was an addiction.

It's like this woman had a vagina made of gold or something, like what the fuck?

And now I had a problem with men ogling her at school, and I was scared that Vicky would realize that I wasn't good enough for her and decide to leave me for someone else, someone like Noah-fucking-McCloy with his perfect hair and prim, gentleman manners. Part of the reason no guy had shown any interest in her was only because I'd called dibs years ago.

They didn't want to risk crossing me, not when they risked having their bodies lying somewhere in the Lockhart's woods so most boys had stayed away from her.

"I have too many kids in school who hate me, and now they know I have a weakness, I don't want them to take advantage of that and hurt you. Do you understand what I'm saying, Vicky?"

"I'm your weakness?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"I can protect myself, Ty, don't worry about me."

"I already apologized. Don't be a mood-killer. I want to have fun now." I ran my finger over her cheek, "Are we cool?"

"I don't approve of things that you're doing, but yeah we're cool as long as you stop swatting every guy that talks to me like he's a fly."

"I'll try." I gave her my best smile, one that would surely make her want to drop her panties.

We walked through the buzzing crowds of the carnival. The smell of popcorn and French fries permeated the air.

I texted Maya to ask her where she was and she replied saying that she was with Ellen and her brother Vic. Maya was a smartass and she wasn't giving me an exact location because she knew I would want her to stay close and keep an eye on her.

Stupid kid.

Vicky and I went on rides, first the roller-coaster and then the giant wheel. We also went on this ride called "The crazy dance", and I swore never to sit on it because my head was spinning like a bitch but Vicky was laughing the entire time so that was a bonus.

"You wanna have ice-cream?" I asked.

"Sure."

I pulled Vicky into a secluded corner, cones in hand. She always took cookies and cream which was her favorite and I took the mint chocolate chip.

I looked around myself to find that most people were minding their own business. I touched the first few buttons of her jacket, and when she didn't protest, I unbuttoned it all the way down to reveal that she was wearing a low-neck top inside. I smeared the ice-cream over her neck and she gasped, staring at me in shock, and I wasn't sure if she was shocked because of the ice-cream touching her skin or because of what I'd done.

My mouth latched onto her neck as I sucked hard, licked the ice-cream all the way to her breasts.

"Tyler...someone will see us..." she moaned.

"Everyone's minding their own business." My concentration was solely on her left breast as I squeezed it and the nipple hardened.

So goddamn hot!

I reached for the hem of her top and she shook her head, "Not here."

I looked behind me, no one was there. I had picked this place on purpose. "Do you think I would let anyone see you this way? I'm covering your body with mine. I just want to kiss you once, baby, just once and then we'll leave."

She nodded.

The ice-cream was stained in the valley between her breasts and dripping. I stared at her like a painter looking at his masterpiece. She inhaled sharply when I covered her breast with my mouth, I licked and then suckled. She moaned and sank her fingers into my hair. "Oh my god. You said...you said you wanted to kiss..."

"Yeah, I'm French kissing your breasts."

My tongue swiped over her nipple and I bit softly before my fingers traced her through her jeans and she nearly came undone. "You're so sweet, Vicky, so much better than Halloween candy," I said, my voice was gravel thick with desire.

She laughed and caught my face in her hands roughly, bringing her lips on mine. I kissed her like there was no tomorrow. She shivered and I realized that she needed her jacket so I donned it back on her. Her lips were red and swollen, and her hair was messy.

"I've got you something."

"What is it?" She asked.

"Close your eyes."

She closed them and I pulled out the bracelet from my pocket. It was a beautiful bracelet, studded with colored stones. I put it on her wrist and clasped it together.

"You can look."

She stared at the charm bracelet in awe. "It looks really expensive."

"That's not important. What I want to know is if you liked it?"

"Of course, I love it." She touched the stones on it, "it's so pretty."

"Like you." I kissed her lips. "See how the color of the stones matches your eyes?"

She nodded, and I wondered if she was getting emotional because she had tears coming from the corner of her eyes. "I'm going to wear it all the time, thank you, Ty."

Our moment was momentarily shattered by the sounds of loud arguments.

I recognized one voice to be Archer's and other was Maya.

Vicky and I walked towards the sound of the commotion. The two of them were standing near a cotton-candy stall. Maya was holding a humongous Blue cotton candy and arguing.

And what the hell was she wearing?

Maya wore a tight red crop top that rode up and showed off her belly. Her legs were snug in very short denim shorts and her hair was curled and falling in waves.

The dress is what was making me mad.

She was thirteen.

FUCKING THIRTEEN.

And dressed like she was twenty-three or something...and what in the world was all that makeup for? And those fake eyelashes. Jesus.

"You think I'm going to allow you to parade around the carnival dressed like that?" Archer asked her.

"You mean dressed like a hot goddess?" She retorted in her sassy voice, flipping her hair like a diva that she was.

"You look like a pedophile's dream come true."

The fuck?

"I'm a what?!" She shrieked.

"What's a paid-O-file?" Hazel chimed in, butchering the pronunciation with her innocence.

"You're not staying here dressed like that. Don't argue with me, Maya." Archer barked.

She frowned. "What are you? My father? The last person I need permission from is you, Archie." She snapped, acting like a smartass Queen or some shit.

She looked like a woman-child for god's sake!

Then it clicked into a place like a puzzle.

She wanted to look like a grown woman, and the only reason was that she wanted to get Archer's attention. She wanted to be like one of the girls he dated.

It made me furious. I also pitied my little sister and her tragic love story. She was in for some major heartbreak, that didn't mean I was going to let Archer talk to her like that.

"Get your finger out of my sister's face, Lane." I snarled.

"Or what?" He stepped towards me. "Aren't you supposed to look out for her? Instead, you're allowing her to dress like that?"

One- she was dressed in pajamas when I last saw her.

Two- she drove here with her friend.

How was I supposed to know?

My patience with Archer ran out when he literally caught Maya's hand roughly. "You're going home."

"Take your hands off her, man." I stepped closer to him and pulled my sister's hand out of his.

Archer's stormy eyes shifted to Vicky standing behind me, and he probably saw the hickey on her neck. His jaw hardened, "WHAT THE FUCK, LOCKHART?!" He blasted, pushing me and that did it.

I shoved him even harder so he stumbled back. We were two tall and built hockey players who'd played taekwondo in Sophomore year. If this fight started, one of us would end up dead.

My mouth spewed things I never meant to say sometimes, like it was about to right now, "Talking about pedophiles, well, aren't you a hypocrite?"

I wouldn't say that I didn't see it coming because I did. The punch landed hard in my face, and I blacked out for a second.

I deserved that punch.

"YOU DISGUSTING MOTHERF**KER! I'LL BEAT THE SHIT OUTTA YOU!" Archer spat at me, seething in unbridled fury.

"Truth's bitter, isn't it? You think I didn't see Maya in your lap the other day in your car after school?!" His face told me I'd hit the bullseye. "Yeah, I saw you."

We were punching each other without holding back. Our respective sisters were yelling at us. The security guards had to pull us apart and we were thrown out of the carnival.

Maya started crying really hard followed by Hazel while Vicky hugged the two of them and wiped their tears simultaneously, telling the girls "it's ok" while passing us death glares

"You're a sick bastard," Archer said softly, he seemed pained and not by any punching he'd received. He looked at Vicky, "Maybe it's time you told Vicky what you really are."

Fuck.

Vicky looked at Archer and then at me, "what does that mean?"

"Tell her, Lockhart. My sister wants to know. Since you're declaring that I'm a child molester, it's fair you talk about yourself too."

"Stop it both of you, please!" Vicky pleaded, trying her best to stay strong for Maya and Hazel.

My jaw felt like it was unhinged. I tried working it, and it hurt.

I looked at him and silently begged ′No.′

"He's a psychopath."

Archer had become savage and it was my fault.

I heard Vicky gasp, and then she was breathing erratically and pulled out her inhaler.

Archer wiped the blood from his mouth. Our fists were colored in each other's blood. "If I see you anywhere near my house or my sister, best believe I will end you."

I believed he would carry out the threat. There was something about his look that was so cold.

I had fucked up good this time.

Vicky looked at me and then at Archer, she was torn between us. "Victoria!" He bellowed before storming away towards a car. Since they arrived with me, they had to catch a ride with someone else on their way back.

Vicky continued to give me a look filled with despair, willing me to deny what Archer was saying. When I stayed silent, she turned around and walked away.

Maya stared longingly at Archer heaving a sob. "I'm sorry..."

"Get in the car, Maya," I ordered.

"I HATE YOU!" Maya screamed at me like a banshee before getting in the car and slamming the door.

Little did I know that life was about to get even worse.

❤️