Every Little Piece

It didn’t take long to get ready. We showered, changed, and did our make-up in record time. We’d planned our outfits last week. My black jeans with the trendy well-placed holes hugged my hips and a sparkly blue shirt dipped a bit low in the front. Seth loved this on me.

“So,” I said. “Do we have our story down?”

Brin stuck up her fingers one at time. “I’m sleeping at your house. You’re sleeping at Kama’s. And Kama’s sleeping at my house. No problem.”

“And,” Kama added, “if we don’t want to party all night, we’ll call my parents with a change of plans and crash there.”

“But first,” I said, “we have to convince my parents that our plan is on the up and up.”

“Right,” Kama said. “Let’s go.”

Ten minutes later, Kama pulled the Beast into my driveway.

“Kama, you’d better come.” Her smile, confident words, and the way she chatted up my dad usually persuaded him into saying yes for anything. She’d widen her eyes, beg pretty please, and Dad fell for it every time.

“I’ll keep the Beast company.” Brin waved and put in her earbuds.

We ran up the walkway. I wanted to get this over with and prayed Mom and Dad were in agreeable moods. I opened the door and peered inside. “Mom? Dad?”

My older brother, Noah, had his head stuck in the fridge. Probably searching for the last of the spice cake, which I’d already eaten.

“Hey, bro,” I said confidently and walked into the room. “Where’s Mom and Dad?”

Kama bounced through behind me.

He shut the door with an apple in hand and eyed her suspiciously. “What are you going to try and talk them into now?”

I shrugged. “Just a sleepover at Kama’s.” But he wasn’t stupid. “You know, one last night together before our lives change forever.”

“Oh, please. I can see right through you two.” He leaned against the fridge and crunched down on the apple. “What’s really going on?”

Kama batted her eyes. “Just a sleepover, like she said. We thought that maybe since it was the night before graduation, your parents might want Haley home.”

“And that’s why you’re here?”

Kama nodded just as my parents came in from the back porch. They noticed Kama’s presence next to me, as if we were about to head into battle. Their eyebrows went up along with the secret glances. Some kind of silent code of communication only married people can get away with. They weren’t stupid either.

Dad pulled the kitchen chair out and rested his hands on the top of it. Silver tinted the hair above his ears and it hit me that my parents had gotten older too. Just like me. His smile lines were a little bit deeper than I remembered, but he was still the same Dad I knew and loved. Mom sat in the chair and folded her hands in front of her. All business. Her shoulder-length hair was up in a clip. Her lips were pressed together as if she was ready to say no.

“Okay, let’s hear it,” Dad said.

Noah stepped in. “Basically, they’re here to beg you for a sleepover with their desperate plea of it being their last night together before their entire life changes.”

Dad nodded. “Really, now.”

I was shocked. Noah had never done something like this for me. He was attending the nearby community college and after losing a soccer scholarship and his chance at his dream college, he’d carried a bitter chip on his shoulder the size of Texas.

“And why is that, Noah?”

Noah approached the table and for the first time in a long time let down his guard. His shoulders lowered and his voice dropped. “If I could go back to the night before graduation, I would do it in a heartbeat. The truth is that life does change. People change. Friends change. They can’t help it.”

Kama reached over and squeezed my hand. I stared at my brother in shock at the curtain he’d dropped, giving us a peek into his life. I realized how hard it must be for him to live at home while his friends were gone.

“So I think you should let her,” he continued. “She’ll have enough time to be stuck at home with us.” He smiled. “No offense, Mom and Dad.”

Minutes later, Kama and I rushed down the walk to the Beast, holding back our squeals until we got in the car. We shut the door, blasted the music, and roared out the driveway.

“Noah!” I gasped out to Brin. “Noah convinced my parents to say yes!”

“What?” she said. “No way!”

I let out a happy scream and started jamming to the music. The night was ours, to laugh, to cry, to love.





The music pounded, spreading through my body. The writhing, teeming mass of dancing classmates surrounded me as I headed into the fray. My ears were ringing from the blasting music and the random whoops.

I stayed numb to it all until I saw a flash of Haley’s dark hair, with Brin and Kama following her. A cheer echoed through the room, encouraging them to dance it up. Haley laughed and my heart pulsed. I stood at the edge of the room, watching. Her cheeks were flushed. Her long brown hair swung around her shoulders. So damn sexy. Everything about her got me going.

Brin handed out red cups filled with foamy beer. They always used a driving system, so they must be planning on staying for a while if they were all drinking. Haley bumped and wiggled her hips. I couldn’t take it one more second and parted the crowds to reach her. My hands circled her waist, her skin burning my fingertips with heat. She immediately leaned her back into me. My body felt like a live wire, every nerve ending shooting sparks.

“Did you wear that top to drive me crazy?” I ran my fingers up and down her sides and smiled when she shivered at my touch.

“For you, baby,” she whispered and lifted her arms up around behind my neck.

This was different than any other time. She touched. She caressed. Her fingers worked magic. My skin sizzled and craved more. I swayed with her and let the pulse of the music work between us. She turned, not taking her hands off me.

“Can’t we go somewhere else?” she murmured in my ear, then lowered and brushed her lips against the pulse on my neck.

“You bet,” I said, trying to hide how fast I was breathing. “Meet me out back.”

Haley disappeared into the crowd to tell Brin or Kama she’d be off with me. They were like that and had been since Haley’s dad made them all take a safety course at the police station. It was annoying at times, but when I wasn’t around, I knew she’d be safe.

The current song ended and people scattered. Justine had a huge game room in her basement with pool, air hockey, darts, and large couches. I tried not to act like I was about to make out with my girlfriend on the hammock in the backyard. I’d heard enough stories in the locker room about the hammock in Justine’s backyard and it was my turn. If some couple were there, I’d kick them off. Liquid fire shot through my veins and other parts of my body.

In search of a blanket, I followed the crowd down to the basement. Maybe a quiet spot in the backyard would work better. I grabbed the first one I found, a soft fleece, perfect for snuggling and other things. Back upstairs, Haley gabbed with Brin, and I came up behind her.

“Wanna head outside?” I whispered. Then I grasped her hand and dragged her away from Brin.

“Sorry, gotta go!” she cried, laughing, so I knew she wasn’t mad.

I pushed open the screen door and tripped on the mat. I caught myself and continued down the steps.

“Are you drunk?” she asked.

“Not at all.” But then I gripped her hand, more for support.

Tiki lamps and candles flickered on the deck. The sweet smell floated in the air, fighting off the swarm of bugs. A glow spread across the yard, revealing a couple going at it on the hammock.

“Oh,” she sighed. “The hammock’s taken.”

“The hammock’s old news. I got something better in mind.” I kissed her at the edge of the deck. We stood still, the world spinning around us; she was my center. Her hands traveled to the skin showing in the back and her fingers worked magic as she traced small circles above my jeans. More people moved onto the deck, so I broke away and turned my back to her. “Hop on. Your carriage awaits, Mademoiselle.”

“What?” she gasped, and eyed the couples.

“Forget about them.” I tried not to slur my words. “Tonight it’s just you and me, baby.” No parents. No interruptions. No Carly and her words digging into my soul and ripping apart my life. If this night couldn’t be my fairytale, I’d make sure it was Haley’s. “Come on, hop on.” I nudged her.

With a giggle, she jumped on my back. “Giddy up!”

She tried to slap my butt and knocked the cup from my hands. It landed on my shoe, so I just kicked it away to water the grass. I trotted straight toward the hammock.

“What are you doing?” she said in my ear. “Someone’s there.”

If I couldn’t have the hammock, then I could have a little fun. I trotted around the hammock and made neighing noises. I stopped and stomped my foot right next to the couple’s head. It was a girl from my science class with her tongue stuck down the throat of some jock.

“F*ck off,” he said.

I neighed again. Then kicked up my feet and jogged faster. Haley’s boobs pressed against my back and moved up and down as I jogged. And she thought this was nothing but an innocent pony ride. But this pony started staggering and struggled to stay upright. The beer was going to my head and it was getting harder to keep a straight line.

“You can barely walk. Put me down.”

“Insulted!” I cried. But ten feet from where the woods met the backyard, I stumbled and we pitched forward.

She screamed.

I twisted my body to catch her and we landed hard, our breath gone for a moment. Then she started laughing. She covered her mouth with her hand but the giggles escaped out the sides.

“I’m okay!” she called.

“Shh,” I hushed. “This is our hiding spot. We don’t want any other ponies finding the green pasture.” I spread the blanket down. “To protect you from the itchy grass, my lady.”

Then she jumped on top of me. I didn’t complain.

She parted my mouth with her tongue. I touched the sides of her face, then let my hands drop lower. She wiggled her butt, which meant, hands to yourself. I obeyed for the moment, enjoying her lips on mine. The kiss deepened and everything else faded. A groan rattled in my throat, and I pressed my hips up against hers. She trailed kisses down my neck.

I breathed in the smell of her perfume, intoxicated by her. I moved slowly, teasing the bare skin at her waist first. She pressed into me harder. Bit by bit, I moved my hands higher toward my ultimate goal. Her boobs are always my point of destination. I circled my hands around the back, skimming my fingertips over her skin. With a quick flick, I unhooked her bra.

“Seth,” she hissed.

“We’re in the backyard. No one will see us.” I moved my hands to the front and gently cupped her boobs.

“Ack! That’s what you think until someone turns on the spotlight, just for a joke.”

I was just about to use my magic fingers to convince her otherwise when something ran across the limb above us.

She startled. “What was that?”





I yanked down my shirt. “We’re going end up on Facebook or something.”

“It’s nothin’, Hales. Swear. We’re alone out here. It’s probably a chipmunk.” He entwined his fingers in my hair and pulled me closer.

I gave in to it. We kissed for a long time. His lips played with mine, and I teased the skin on his neck with gentle kisses. Time stood still, but the noise from the party spilled into the yard, closer than before and invaded our bubble. I pulled away, signaling that make-out time was over.

“Haley!” He groaned and rolled over. “I can only handle so much of this.”

His words caught me off guard. This was the first time he’d ever hinted about this. Then I thought about all the times we’d made out. The heavy kissing. Somehow I always found a reason for it not to go farther. I thought he was okay with that. Maybe he wasn’t. Maybe tonight’s the night he was waiting to have the “let’s have sex or break up” talk. But he wouldn’t, not the night before graduation. Right?

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, trying to hide my annoyance.

He pulled down his shirt and tucked me into his side again, but the ease and comfort disappeared. Our bodies no longer fit, and arms and legs poked awkwardly.

“You scared?”

“Of what?” I asked, hesitating. He changed the subject, and I wasn’t sure of his purpose.

We lay on our backs, the grass tickling our necks, staring up through the branches into the dark sky. A flurry of clouds hid the bright moon, with only a few rays peeking out.

“You tell me,” he said.

I wondered where the conversation was heading. It was like he was trying to get me to admit something. I turned and kissed his cheek. “I’m scared of falling without knowing where I’m going to land.”

“What else?” His lips grazed my cheek. I guess my anger and knee-jerk reaction was forgiven.

“Um.” It was hard to concentrate when his fingers were tracing the skin above my jeans. I pushed them away. “I don’t know. Lots of things: bugs, bats, snakes. Normal stuff.”

“What are you really scared of?” he asked.

He meant more than the silly fears of the dark or being home alone at night. That was what happened when you watched too many horror movies with your older brother. “What do you want to know?”

He sighed and ruffled the ends of my hair. “I want to know why every time we get hot and heavy you find some reason to stop. I want to know why you have to turn every serious conversation we have into a joke.”

Huh? I was shocked into silence. Not about the sex part, that didn’t surprise me one bit. But the joking part. He’d said that was the part he loved about me. But maybe that had grown old. For the first time I was speechless. I was the one always hinting around about the future, wasn’t I? He was the one who avoided the conversations.

The words popped out of my mouth before I could stop them. “Ya know, babe. If you wanted to head to Vegas after graduation all you had to do was ask.”

I knew it was a mistake as soon I said the words. Seth stiffened and pulled away. He sat up and put his head into his hands. I ran my hands across his back, trying to soften his mood.

He grabbed my wrist and put it aside. “Not now, Haley.”

I sat up next to him. “What, Seth? What do you want? What’s wrong?” Something had to be wrong. This wasn’t Seth. He would never act like this unless he’d had more to drink than I thought.

He turned and the shadows on his face made him real sexy but any heat had been sapped from the night. “It’s graduation tomorrow.”

“I know that.” Now I was annoyed. He made me feel like I was three years old and he was walking me through the alphabet.

“Do you?”

I breathed deep several times because I didn’t want to fight on this night. “Yes, Seth. I know that.” My sarcasm slipped in. “I know that two plus two equals four and five plus five equals ten.”

Seth stood and paced. “This is exactly what I mean. I’m trying to talk to you and all you can do is crack jokes.”

“What do you expect me to do? You’re attacking me because I don’t want to do more than make out in someone’s backyard.” My voice cracked. “You’ve always been fine with that.”

“What choice do I have?” He shook his head and then grabbed for my hand. “I am fine with that, but every once in a while it’s nice to be needed. To know I’m loved.”

Then it hit me. “Is this about graduation and not sex?”

“Not really. It’s about everything. We’ve been together for years.” He let go of my hand and an invisible wall dropped between us. I shivered. “At first I liked that you didn’t pressure me about the future. But after years and it getting closer to graduation, I wonder why you don’t. I need to know you’re not going to up and leave one day when you’re tired of me.”

Seth was much more than some fling to me but I couldn’t find the words to tell him. Saying I love you now would sound like a cop-out.

“Maybe we should talk about this when you’re not drunk,” I said.

Seth reached for me then dropped his hand. “I gotta take a piss.”

“Sure,” I mumbled, wondering how I messed up so bad when I thought we were great. How in one night our relationship started unraveling. Or maybe it was always frayed at the edges.

Then he headed inside without looking back once.

I grabbed the blanket in my hands and squeezed. My heart was breaking, slowly but surely. I refused to let tonight go bad. It would be fun. It would be the best night of my life. I glanced across the darkened yard and became aware of the crickets and the rustle in the nearby woods.

He was coming back, right?





I stumbled away from Haley, my heart racing and my hands curled into fists. I wanted a fight. But I didn’t want to fight with her. I tripped on the stairs and slammed my shin into the edge of the wood. Searing pain shot through to the bone. I was probably bleeding and would have a massive bruise, but I didn’t care.

Curses flew from my mouth as I stumbled across the deck. A couple making out on the porch swing grunted then went back at it.

Some party.

Three doors blurred in front of me. I chose the center one and crashed into the room. The party had gone on without me. I joined in on a game of quarters. I missed the cup every single time and drank more. Until my fight with Haley was just a blur.

But that didn’t last long. A few minutes later she walked in, took one look at me, then whooshed right past. Shit.

I played a few more rounds. More drinks. Haley and Kama passed by and headed onto the back porch. I laughed extra loud just to show how f*cking fun of a time I was having. Finally, Troy, one of my soccer teammates, shut me down and kicked me out of the game.

“A*shole!” I muttered.

I spotted Carter in a chair in the corner. I double blinked to make sure I was seeing right. Was he making out with Brin? I pushed back from the table, not caring that the chair knocked over. I ignored the complaints. “Sorry,” I held up a finger, “I’m a detective and on the case.”

I wove in and out of the clusters of bodies. At the chair, I dropped to my knees and studied the evidence. A black curtain of hair hid the crime but every detective does his homework and investigates the crime scene. I proceeded with extreme caution. Using two fingers, I separated the curtain and saw two pairs of lips going at it.

Carter pushed me away. “Leave us alone. You’re drunk, man.”

Brin lifted her head and flashed me a sly smile. “Yeah, go find your own girl.” They went back to it.

I slumped against the couch. Haley. What happened out there? What had I said to her? I had the vague impression that we didn’t leave on a good note. She was probably pissed that I tried to go to second base. Figures. The room spun and the conversations that I’d been holding back all night crashed through now that I wasn’t on guard. Dad’s face and his lies as he only told me half-truths. Mom not saying anything. Maybe for some crazy reason, Carly was wrong. If I was playing detective I should probably gather evidence before making the final verdict.

Across the room, Carly chatted away, but her words were stilted and her laughter forced. Eventually, she glanced my way with eyes that would melt even the hardest of hearts. She hugged her friends goodbye and left through the front door. I pushed up onto my feet. I couldn’t let the evidence get away. If she told me that she didn’t know for sure our parents were doing the nasty, this night might not turn out so bad.

Girls took one look at my face and turned away. They never truly wanted me. They wanted Seth, the boy they could never have. Forbidden fruit. Grass was greener on the other side. That pissed me off. None of them knew me. None of them saw the real me. At the door, I turned and held up both middle fingers.

“F*ck all of you!”

I didn’t even make it to the top steps before Jamie grabbed the back of my shirt. “No way, man. Don’t even think about driving.”

The fact that he didn’t trust me not to do something stupid even though I did plan on driving pissed me off. I whirled around and my fist caught his face.

“Serves you right!” I blurted.

But he didn’t stop. He wrapped his arms around me, and we tumbled down the steps and wrestled in the gravel walkway. I grunted and tried to push him off, but I was having a hard time controlling my arms. If I were sober he’d have no chance against me.

A soft voice interrupted our groans. “I’ll make sure he gets home safely.”

I knew Haley couldn’t stay mad at me. Not tonight. We’d go home to my house or to Raker’s bluff and screw the night away. I laughed. But it wasn’t Haley’s face I saw bend over us. It was Carly’s. She touched Jamie’s back and repeated her words.

“I’ll make sure he doesn’t drive. I’m heading out anyway.”

I couldn’t have planned this better. She was still willing to talk to me, and I could interrogate her. I believed that was the official word. Jamie climbed off me and rubbed his jaw.

Carly led him back to the house. “Go get some ice for your face. I promise I won’t let him drive.”

Jamie narrowed his eyes. “Fine, but be careful. He doesn’t like others to drive.” He made his way back up the stairs and into the house.

Great, now everyone would know I’d left with Carly. But I didn’t care. Haley would understand. Maybe. I sat up and tried to dazzle Carly with my smile. She wasn’t going to let me just drive away. But I needed to be alone.

She stated her case right away. “Don’t even think about driving, Seth.”

I stood and swayed a bit then gained my balance. “I think you’re jumping to conclusions, counselor.”

She held out her hands. “Keys.”

I laughed. “You don’t know me very well, do you?”

She lowered her hand. “Thought I’d try. You’ve been drinking and you can’t drive home. Let me drive you and we can get your car tomorrow morning.”

I tapped my chin. “Hmm. I’ll think about it. If you answer some questions first.” I left the implication hanging for her to assume I’d give her my keys if she cooperated.

She pursed her lips, then said, “Okay. Let’s walk to my car. Ask away.”

She completely fell for my plan. It was so easy I almost felt guilty. And a nice walk to the car should clear my head before I drove and left her in the dust. “Okay. How do you know for sure that our parents are doing the nasty?”

She grimaced. “Do you have to call it that? It’s so crude.”

“What do you want me to say? That they’re making love?” I asked.

“No! Definitely not.” She ran her fingers through her hair.

“You know, if you weren’t such a bitch, you’d have the boys falling all over you.”

She stopped, her hand on her hip. “Is that supposed to be a compliment?”

I grinned. “Yes.”

“Fine. I’ll take it. Thank you. But there are reasons I am the way I am and it’s none of your business.” She kept walking. “Do you want me to answer the question or not?”

I steered around a car. “Answer away.”

She sighed, then smiled. “It’s kind of nice to be able to tell someone about this. I can’t talk to anyone because if my dad found out, he’d kill me. I’ve known for a while my dad’s a cheat. Your mom isn’t the first or the second.”

I cringed. Great. The a*shole convinced Mom he loved her, and because she was lonely, she fell for him. Made me hate my dad even more.

“Sorry, that’s probably not what you want to hear.”

“You think?”

“I’ve been working for my dad since I turned thirteen,” she continued. “I file his papers, photocopy, clean, anything and everything. The first time I was shocked but when I told my mom, he completely flipped out. He smacked me around and convinced my mom that I lied.”

I stopped walking and leaned against the car. Shit. I felt terrible.

“I haven’t said a word since. I’m the silent watcher. I see the women come and go. And maybe each time he truly is in love. But he won’t leave my mom because he doesn’t want to tarnish his image.”

“How do you know about my mom?” My certainty that Carly was wrong about this was fading, and I struggled to grasp onto my last threads of hope.

“A few months ago, I worked late. Finishing stuff up so I could have my Saturday free. For some reason, he’d been keeping his latest fling more secret than usual. Probably because he knew she had a son who went to school with me. I don’t know. I’m guessing.”

“That doesn’t prove anything.”

“Are you sure you want to know?” She touched my arm. “I can stop here and you can think that I’m lying. I won’t blame you.”

“No, go on.” My voice was hoarse.

“When I went back to the office that night, I found them in the copy room.” She shuddered.

The words hung in the air between us. So much hurt, so much blame. One action with ripple effects across so many lives. I didn’t need to ask any more questions. She’d been too honest. I’d always been good at knowing when someone was bullshitting or not. I knew there was more to the story earlier when Dad said he was leaving. Now I knew. It wasn’t Dad cheating. It was Mom. Rage built. They were all to blame. Each one played their role.

“Now,” Carly stated. “Hand them over.”

I grinned at her. “Whatcha talking about?”

“Seth.” Her voice grew stern. “Hand over the keys.”

I pulled them out of my pocket and dangled them in front of her. “You mean these?”

She grabbed at them, and I pulled them away at the last second. She tried again and again. When she stopped, she was breathing heavier, her cheeks flushed, and fear wavered in her eyes.

I patted her cheek. “You’re so sweet. I meant what I said earlier. You’re a beautiful person who’s gotten a raw deal in life. You go back up those stairs and stop letting your dad control who you are. Be who you want to be. The Carly I saw tonight.”

“Please,” she whispered, “don’t drive. You’re drunk.”

“I’m okay. I’m barely feeling it anymore. The fresh air and the raw truth works wonders.”

She tried for the keys again. I stepped out of the way and laughed. “But thanks anyway.” With one last shove, I pushed her toward the party. She stumbled and skidded across the gravel. I felt bad for a second, then sprinted toward my car. I was fine to drive. I’d had a few drinks, but the truth sobered me up pretty quick. I needed to be alone. I’d come back in a little bit and they’d see. I wasn’t drunk.