The smile of a rebel

“No. I’m not going out with him, we’re just friends.” I tell my mother as she washes the dishes and I help her dry them. She gives me a knowing look and I scrunch my eyebrows at her.

“What?” I ask her she shrugs.

“It just seems like you and Sam’s best friend get along very well like you two have known each other for a long time, which I understand that you have, I’m just worried that Sam might get angry at the two of you and then he would lose his best friend.”

I groan upset at the mention of my ex-boyfriend, Sam.

“It’s not like that mom, and why would I care about Sam after what he did to me? Valek was the only person who helped me pick up my broken pieces. He just... well... he understands me. But as I said before, we’re just friends.” I clarify but she still doesn’t look convinced.

I haven’t even told her that Valek and I had talked about becoming roommates in the near future. That would make her really uncomfortable.

The problem is that after being with Sam for three wasted years of my life, my mother grew attached to him and ended up considering him as the son she never had. But she needs to let that shit go because now she’s protecting him over me.

“This just seems like a drama waiting to happen, sweetheart. Valek is a good man and very handsome as well, but is the drama worth spending so much time with him?”

I think about it as I look off into the distance, out of the kitchen window, in san antonio Texas. She’s not wrong about the drama, but when I think about Valek I can’t help but feel a certain kind of way.

“Yes,” I whisper mostly to myself but mom hears me, and sighs.

“Then you are in a lot more trouble than I imagined. You can’t deny you have feelings for the guy. I’ve seen the way you two look at each other.”

I roll my eyes as I walk away.

“Bye mom, I gotta go walk a dog I don’t have.”

She snorts.

“Well while you’re doing that, take out the trash we do have.”

I walk back into the kitchen and pull the trash bag out of the can.

As I walk to the dumpster outside of mom’s house I hear a familiar voice from the fence next door.

“Howdy, neighbor.”

I turn to face him and my God I never get tired of just looking at him. He’s a beautiful light skin man with the sexiest Texan accent, hazel eyes, perfect jawline, sinful body, three-inch black sleek hair that is usually a mess but he rocks that look and a hot set of abs. He’s holding a water hose and I notice his soapy blue jeep behind him.

He’s wearing black ripped jeans with a chain hanging from its belt loops.

He is every E girl’s wet dream.

“Hey Elise, if you’re going to keep gawking at me I’m going to start to charge you by the minute.” He says with a smirk.

Jesus. Did I forget to mention he’s a total cocky flirt?

“Oh please, you think I’d pay to watch a half clothed guy?” I ask laughing and he looks at me surprised as he leans over his dad’s fence and looks me over with those gorgeous sea-green eyes that practically melt me into a puddle.

I’m wearing some light blue jean shorts and a Buzzkills band t-shirt. His Buzzkills t-shirt. One night he slung it through my window as I was sitting by it doing homework so I kept it.

“You look good wearing me, but I’m going to need that shirt back.”

“No. Why?”

“Because I’m going to a Buzzkills concert this Saturday, and I want my shirt back.”

I snort.

“Sorry, Valek but you lost it when you slung it at me.”

He laughs.

“So if I slung my boxers at you would you wear them too?”

Would I? I mean he’s much bigger than I am because being the quarterback means you had to follow a certain diet and workout, and my God, it pays off.

“No, you can keep those, Hotshot.”

He sighs and smiles.

“Please? I’ll give it back after the show. All sweaty and dirty of course, but I’ll give it back.” He begs with puppy dog eyes and I give in and nod.

“Fine, I’ll go take it off and be right ba...”

“Elise! Where are you? I’ve been looking...” mom stops short as she sees I’m talking to Valek and she sighs.

“I need help cooking.” She tells me before she heads back inside with a salty look on her face.

“Damn. She really hates me, and she doesn’t even know about our plans to be roommates once I save up a bit more money.” Valek says baffled.

“She doesn’t hate you. She just... She thinks you may be the reason why I haven’t got back together with Sam.”

He gasps before laughing.

“Is she joking? First off, what Sam did to you was disgusting and I’m still pissed at him for it, second of all, I’m not the type of guy to go after his best friend’s seconds. No offense Elise.”

I sigh and shake my head.

“Forget I told you, okay? I’ll give your shirt back later.” I say as I start to leave and he calls out to me again.

“Elise!”

“What?” I ask annoyed.

“I’m sorry, I’m still trying to work out how not to be a d bag and be on the football team at the same time.”

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Later Valek.” I say with a short wave and head inside.

There is something about Valek that seems familiar somehow, as if I’ve met him way before high school, but I can’t fully remember. When I asked him about it when we first met in freshman year, he told me he had no idea what I was talking about. But I can’t knock the felling.

Once I’m inside. I help mom out with the cooking in awkward silence, until she finally breaks it.

“So... your senior prom is coming up soon Huh?”

“Yeah. I’m not planning on going this year.” I tell her as I slice up some tomatoes.

“Oh, you don’t need a guy to take you, just go with a friend or something. That’s what I used to do.” She says with a suggestive shrug.

“I would go with Hayley, but she’s also avoiding prom.” Hayley is my best friend, and she’s also Valek’s half-sister, with ten months apart.

“Oh well. Just a suggestion.” She says as she cooks some burgers.

“I’m good, I’d rather not run into Sam’s new girlfriend anyways,” I tell her and she looks at me surprised.

“Oh, did I forget to mention he’s openly dating the girl he cheated on me with? Oops, must have slipped my mind. I think I’d rather stay home and binge-watch Chicago fire.” I tell her and she looks guilty.

“You should have told me, Elise. I didn’t realize... I mean a couple of days ago he called me and told me he wanted to get back together with you, and I just thought... Well, I invited him over Tonight for burgers.”

“You did what?! I don’t want him back mom. You should have respected my decision from the start! I’m going to sleep over Hayley’s house tonight to avoid Sam at all costs.” I say upset.

“I’m so sorry. If I’d known I wouldn’t have invited him.”

“It’s fine mom. I’m going to go get my overnight bag and head next door before I run into him.” I say placing the knife down and speed walking towards my room.

I send Hayley a quick message from my bedroom.

Elise: [Hey, I need to ask you a favor.]

Hayley: [Anything babe, I just got out of the shower.]

Elise: [Is it okay with your Dad if I slept over tonight? Mom invited Sam over and I want to avoid him.]

Hayley: [Heck yeah. Dad’s still not home because of a business trip, Valek might be sleeping on the couch and I have nothing to do.]

Elise: [Perfect, thank you.]