Love Again by Marisa Maichel (top young adult novels TXT) 📖

in the car and nothing.

 

"Brook, do you believe in love at first sight?"

 

"I thought I loved Reid until I met you." I answered. He turned and looked at me.

 

"Really?"

 

"Really." I answered. He smiled and put the car into Reverse. He smiled until we showed up at my house.

 

"Um, do you want me to escort you in?" he asked.

 

"If you want to. No one's home."

 

"How do you know?"

 

"My sister's car isn't in the driveway and all the lights are off. My mother leaves all the lights on until she leaves. She insists we do the same for whatever weird reason." I carefully said, giving him my best seductive smile. He smiled right back.

 

Pretty soon, we were on the couch watching a modern version of Hamlet. Kavin had his arm around me tightly and he'd covered me with a blanket from his car. He had me in his arms, my head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

Ring

Kavin and I enjoyed our time together. After he left that night, I found a ring with a diamond on it. It was encrusted with rubies and had a gold band. It wasn't mine, but it was something Brigid would wear. I left it on her dresser. She was out with some new friends, as it turned out.

 

I showered and braided my hair. I look hotter with wavy hair.

 

 

The next morning, I spotted Reid and Kavin arguing in my driveway.

 

"They're fighting over you," Brigid said.

 

"Shut up." I said. Reid grabbed Kavin's shoulders and tossed him on the ground. They sat there pummeling each other until Brigid started the car.

 

"Brook!" they both cried out. They got up and dusted themselves off.

 

Reid turned around and left, leaving Kavin there. 

 

 

 

"I was hoping I could take you to school again today." he said. 

 

"Sure. Lemme talk to my sister." I told Brigid what was going on.

"Kavin's taking me to school."

 

"Brook, you know I love you more than anything, but Kavin is fucking weird." she said.

 

"He's different," I agreed, "But I think he's really sweet."

 

"You're blinded by lust. He's adorable, I'll give you that. But he's showing signs of obsession. Only guys who are super fucked up act like he and your idiot ex-boyfriend do. But at least we know why Reid is weird." I nodded.

 

Reid was severely assaulted by his own uncle and aunt. They left him in a park known for predators, close to death, when he was only five years old. They have been arrested and jailed now, but they're eligibe for parole in 2014.

 

"Okay, go on your little date. But be on the lookout for more weirdness. I think there's supposed to be a speech in the school auditorium today about bullying and abuse. Love you."

 

"Love you too." I blew kisses to her and walked to my boyfriend's car.

 

 

"Do you have a job?" I asked. 

 

"Kind of. I work part-time at the Men's Locker in the mall." Kavin said. "I work from one to seven or eight. My parents actually paid for the car, but I signed. I also chose the car. Listen, do you want to go to a party with me on Saturday night?"

 

"Sure. Is it illegal?"

 

"I don't know. Probably. I know for a fact there'll  be free cigarettes for everyone."

 

"So it is illegal."

 

"Technically, yes. Okay, it's supposed to be a wild party, and there'll be alcohol, drugs, cigs, and hooking up. The super-popular seniors and juniors throw it every year and invite everyone in school. It's just off school grounds, in the woods behind the school?"

 

"Redground Woods? The forest that's supposedly a Native American buriel ground? Talk about disrespect to the dead."

 

Kavin chuckled. "It's disrespectful, but that's where it always is. The party is thrown by the two most popular boy and girl in the senior class."

 

"It's mandatory to some people."

 

"Honey, it's mandatory to a lot of people."

 

"All right. Is it important to you."

 

"It is, love." my boyfriend said.

 

 

 

 

Wait, I've only known him for a few days. Why am I calling him my boyfriend?

 

"Because he's calling you his girlfriend." Lucy said while she applied mascara to her thick eyelashes.

 

"Is he really?"

 

"Brook, honey, he's mad about you. Be careful, though. I know girls who have dated him and been brokenhearted," she said, suddenly looking sullen.

 

"How weird is he?"

 

"Babe, he's one of those guys that's super popular for his looks and smarts. He's not a nice guy. He puts up a front, then breaks it down after a while."

 

"Okay, thank you. Still no idea who the blonde-haired chick was?"

 

"From your description, it sounds like Lacy. Being her stupid self again. She wants to fuck him, but she never will again."

 

"Again? She's had sex with him before?"

 

"She's his go-to for sex. She wants him as more than friends-with-benefits. She also has histrionic personality disorder?"

 

"History-what?"

 

"Histronic personality disorder. She attaches too much significance to romantic relationships and she'll do anything for drama. It's a bit more complicated than that, but it's hard to explain. Look it up when you get to a computer."

 

 

I did. In study hall, I looked it up and took notes, pretending to be studying. I thought about Kavin constantly. Maybe he left the ring for me? No, that was ridiculous. It was too early in our relationship. Way too early for a piece like that.

 

 

 

More Heartbreak

"I like how confident she is," I said sarcastically. It was a few weeks later, and Lucy and I had become close. She still didn't like Kavin, but at least she wasn't trying to break us up. Laci had tried spreading vicious rumors, fake notes, online scams, and basically everything a human being could think of. Kavin and I actually did break up temporarily after the rumors.

 

Of course, it broke his heart. Mine, too. He had started crying in the hallway and said "I can't believe you cheated on me!"

 

At that point I yelled "I can't believe you would cheat on me!"

 

After a five-hour breakup, Kavin called and asked if it was true. I told him it wasn't. He apologized and we held hands in school the next  day. Laci was so pissed that she punched two lockers. And one of her cronies, Nerissa Locken, tried to push my head into a hand dryer in the bathroom.

 

Well. Laci's look was also still the same. Slutty. On this particular day, she wore a sheer white tank top and everyone could see her red lacy bra. And her skirt was very short.

 

"Did you  see Mr. Goldbum's eyes?" Lucy asked. "They practically bugged out!"

 

"Excuse me, Mr. Goldbum, but are you having an erection, or is your dick always shaped like a heart?" I teased. Lucy roared with laughter.

 

"You are bad, Brook! I love that!" she squealed. Unfortunately, we were interrupted by an all-too familiar presence.

 

"Brook." Reid said.

 

"Reid." I said.

 

"Brook, can I talk to you for a second?"

 

"Uh..." I looked at Lucy, and she nodded.

 

Reid grabbed my hand and led me to his backyard, where his dog Ruth jumped on me, recognizing me.

 

"She recognizes you, but I don't. I want you to break up with Kavin."

 

"Why?"

 

"Because he's a fucking creep, that's why!"

 

"You broke up with me, remember?"

 

"I told you I made a stupid bet. I want you back, Brook. I love you, and I always will."

 

"You most certainly will not. Three years into our marriage, you'll want a divorce."

 

"Whoever said we would get married, anyway?"

 

"I just did, and you mentioned it when we were still together. Seriously, though. I'll never date a man who isn't willing to marry me." I said.

 

"I thought you didn't want to get married. You told me you weren't interested in marriage."

 

"I'm not. But if a man is willing to marry me, that means he'll do anything for me."

 

"What if he cheats on you?" Reid asked. I didn't have an answer to that.

 

"Exactly. You don't know the first thing about love, Brook."

 

"Our conversation is over."

 

I turned to go back to my front porch and Lucy.

 

"Brook, wait! I didn't mean..." he grabbed my arm. I turned back to him.

 

"I-I didn't mean to upset you, Brook. I'm sorry. I'm sure-" But I didn't hear the rest of his apology.

 

 

When I got back, Mom and Brigid were talking with Lucy. They love her, they think she's the greatest.

 

"Brook, what happened?" Mom asked. I told them about my conversation with Reid, also known as Idiot Von Stupidstein.

 

Brigid wrapped her arms around me.

 

"Maybe I should break up with Kavin. Nobody seems to like him except for me."

 

"Yeah, it's time you knew his true colors." Lucy said. "First of all, has he hit you all?"

 

"No."

 

"Is he jealous and overprotective?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Kavin hits his girlfriends." Lucy said.

 

"What?"

 

"Kavin is the school girlfriend-hitter."

 

"And you didn't tell her before because...?" Mom asked.

 

"He goes to counseling for it. That's why all the girls avoid him. Plus he may be involved in a murder." she said. That really got my attention.

 

 

 

Lucy's Sordid Tale

Lucy began again: "We had this couple that was totally obsessed with each other. That couple was Kavin and Laci."

 

"Crazy Laci?" Brigid asked. Lucy nodded.

 

"Well one day, Kavin finally had enough of her possessiveness and broke up with her. That got her really upset. She tried everything she could to get him back. But Kavin had someone else in mind: Mary Vanderwaven. Mary was was cheerleader, but she was the weakest one on the squad. She really wanted to be captain. She was so obsessed with popularity, she dyed her hair blonde and started wearing dark, heavy makeup. She tried all these crazy diets to be exactly one hundred pounds.

 

Kavin likes that in a girl. He likes the thrill of insecurity. So he asked Mary out. Of course she said yes, because, well, Kavin's hot. No offense, Brook. Anyway, Laci didn't like that. She wrote threatening messages on Mary's locker, and even spraypainted the words slut, ho, bitch, and whore on her bedroom window. Mary didn't take her