“Did you see what she was wearing today? I don’t see what Ren sees in her. She dresses like a freaking nun.” I recognize Kristen’s voice immediately. I look down at my outfit, wondering what’s wrong with it. I’m wearing gray boots with black leggings, a black shirt, and my cardigan over the top. I thought it was cute and warm. Janet loved it, and the way Ren kept looking at me made me think it was actually more than cute. It’s me and makes me feel comfortable and stylish. I roll my eyes. Whatever. I don’t care what they think of me or what I wear. Whatever makes them feel better about themselves.
“Guess that’s what he’s into. Maybe that’s what you’ve been doing wrong. Got to downplay it a little. Makes sense with how quiet he is. You should try it and see how he reacts to you.” I don’t recognize the other girl’s voice. I shake my head. I can’t deal with these girls. Not that I blame them for wanting Ren’s attention. It’s consuming and intoxicating and I’m addicted to it myself.
I hear a huff of annoyance. “Maybe I should cut my losses. I mean, did you see the bruises on her face? Looks like Ren likes to smack girls around, and I’m not letting anyone fuck with this perfection.”
I’m out of the bathroom stall before I can even stop myself. “You can talk all you want about me, but don’t you dare talk about Ren like that.” I point my finger at Kristen, and both girls stand there in shock with their mouths open like fish. I don’t know if they’re more shocked that I’m pissed and calling them on it, or that they’ve been caught gossiping and spreading lies. “Ren is the sweetest, gentlest man in the world and he’s never laid a hand on me.” I glare at her. “Well he’s laid some, but I promise they didn't leave a mark. They’ve all been ones I’ve enjoyed, but you wouldn’t know anything about that, because my Ren barely gives you the time of day.”
Kristen’s eyes narrow and she opens her mouth to speak.
“Don’t,” I cut her off. “I don’t know what your problem is, but Ren doesn’t want you. That doesn’t make it okay for you to say that shit. Talk about me all you want, but leave Ren’s name out of your mouth.”
“Or what?” Kristen snaps.
I pause for a second, unsure what the what is. Not like I’m going to hit her or something. I’ve been on the receiving end of a few blows myself and I wouldn’t ever do that to someone. Kristen is nothing more than a sad girl lashing out at the world. It doesn't make it right, but different people react different ways, and I suddenly feel sorry for her. Who knows what’s going on at her own house or why she’s so desperate to latch onto some guy to go away to college with.
“Or I’ll make the last few months here hell for you.” I turn at Ren’s voice and see him standing in the entry to the girls’ bathroom. “You know I can, Kristen.”
I think she’s going to say something else, but his words must hold some weight. I know Ren doesn’t do all the social stuff at school, but I can tell he’s popular, even if he doesn’t like that he is. Kristen grabs her bag and stomps out of the bathroom, her friend following her.
“What did she say?” he asks as I make my way to him.
“Said you left the bruise on me.” I absently reach up and touch my cheek.
“I don’t mean about me, babe. You said, ‘You can talk all you want about me, but don’t you dare talk about Ren.’ I want to know what she said about you and how come it’s okay for her to spread her shit about you but not okay for her to do it about me.”
“Doesn't matter what she said about me.”
“Yeah it does, and it pisses me off you don’t think it matters. It fucking matters. You matter.” My eyes water at his words, because I know how much I do matter to Ren. He makes me feel like I’m his whole world, and if something hurts me I know it will hurt him. I need to heal from my past so we can move on together.
“That fucker made you feel like you don’t. Made you carry guilt about your own mother dying. So much so you don’t think you matter or that you’re worth fighting for. He did that to you so that when he’d lash out at you, you wouldn’t fight back.”
A tear slides down my face. “She was coming to pick me up from school. I stayed late to work on a project in the library and she didn’t want me walking. If I’d left sooner before it got dark, my mom would have never been driving. She…” I can’t even finish the sentence.
“No, Lily.” Ren grabs me, pulling me into his embrace and wrapping his arms around me as I start to sob. “Your mom was being a mom by not letting her little girl walk alone in the dark. You can’t predict those things. One small mistake and something bad happened. That’s life, and that’s not your fault. I bet your mom would have told you the same thing. Your father should have told you the same thing.” He growls out the last part. He always growls when my dad comes up. Luckily he doesn’t come up much. I haven’t heard a thing about any of it since that day.
“I know, I know. I can’t help, but what if? I can’t help but think that day I lost both my parents.” The what ifs used to weigh down on me, but lately they’ve been letting up. I’ve been slowly healing. Ren and his family have been helping that process and making me feel whole.
I feel his lips on the top of my head. “I’m going to spend the rest of my life showing you how much you matter,” Ren vows, and I know with every part of me he will.
26
Ren
A few months later…
I pick Lily up and hold her in my arms as my parents laugh and snap the pictures. We’re both dressed in caps and gowns, having completed our high school graduation.
“Okay, everybody say ‘gopher,’” my mom says, and Lily and I repeat it.
We’re both headed to the University of Minnesota, home of the Golden Gopher. I’ve had my full ride ready and waiting and we finally heard back about Lily a few weeks ago. She’s been accepted into their art program, and she couldn’t be more excited. Her scholarships were enough to cover her tuition, and she accepted a work program in the department that will cover the cost of everything else.
Lily and I plan on getting married next month so we can live in the university’s family housing. The football scholarship I have makes exceptions for married players, and I intend to be one before I step foot on campus. I’m also ready to have Lily take my last name. She’s been a part of this family for some time now, and I want that in writing.
I proposed to her a few weeks ago, unable to stand it anymore. It wasn’t the big production she deserved, but Lily didn’t seem to mind. I kept wanting to make it perfect, but I couldn’t think of a special way to do it. So one night, while she slept in my arms, I put the ring on her finger. When she woke up she noticed it, and I shrugged. I told her I loved her and we were getting married in July. She shook her head and laughed at me. Then we made love. It was perfect in my book.
We pose for a few more pictures before my mom is satisfied she has enough. “Okay, I think seven hundred might be good.”
I want to roll my eyes, but I can’t deny her making a fuss over Lily. I’d never take that away from her. I can’t imagine what the wedding day will be like. My mom has been in overdrive helping Lily plan our big day. I don’t care what we do as long as Lily is happy. She can’t seem to stop smiling, and that’s the most important thing.
“All right guys, go home and get changed. The reservation to the steak house is in about an hour. We’ve got to run by the store, but we’ll meet you there,” my dad says, patting me on the back and giving Lily a hug. He and my mom leave, and Lily and I make our way to the Jeep.
I walk her to the side and open it up, helping her in. “So, we’ve got a whole hour,” she says, wiggling her eyebrows at me.
“You know better than to give me that look,” I say, leaning in and buckling her up.
She wiggles against me, and I pause, looking up into her big beautiful doe eyes. They’re so blue today that I stay there and get lost in them.
“You keep that up, Ren, and I’ll make you take me right here.” Her words are breathy, and I’d like to tell her no way would I
get inside her with all these people around. But we both know she has a power over me that I can’t control.
“Home,” I say, my voice deep with need.
When we get to the house, I’m pulling Lily out as fast as I can and then racing up to the bedroom. Once we’re in there, I toss her on the bed, and then I’m on her. We’re both smiling and laughing as we throw off our robes and then the rest of our clothes.
I reach between us and feel exactly how wet and ready she is. I lick my fingers clean as I thrust fully into her in one long motion. She moans my name and arches her back off the bed as my mouth goes for her nipple. I start to rut harder and faster, needing to get her off as quick as I can. Sometimes it’s a challenge to see how fast I can do it, how many times I can make her cum, before she makes me go over.
I never knew sex could be like this. So powerful and amazing, but also fun. No one could have explained that being with Lily would be the greatest experience of my life, and that each time we joined it would be better than the last.
I roll us over and sit on the edge of the bed with my feet planted on the floor. With my hands on her hips, I work her up and down my cock. She weighs nothing, so I do all the work and she sits on top of me, enjoying the feel of her clit getting rubbed with every pass.
“That’s it, Ren. Right there,” she moans and leans her head back, exposing her throat.
I latch onto her there with my teeth, feeling her clench around me and then start to cum. She milks my cock, but I don’t go over, wanting at least two more from her before we have to leave.
“That’s it, babe. Now give me another,” I say against her neck, working her steady and even.
She grips my shoulders and gives me a wicked smile as she clenches down on me. My breath catches in my throat, and I hold her still, but it’s too late. She knows exactly what she’s doing, and her pussy grips me at just the right time to have me shooting my load inside her.
“Goddamn it,” I say through gritted teeth. “You did that on purpose.”
The waves of pleasure that shoot through me are short-lived as I pick her up and bend her over the bed. I slap her ass, and she giggles, wiggling it in front of me. I thrust back into her, and her giggle turns into a moan as I start working her pussy from behind.