Babydoll Read online

  "Oh, God, she's never kissed a boy," Haley chimed in, rolling her eyes.

  It felt kind of like a kick in the gut. You'd think my very best friend wouldn't out me like that. I looked over at her and she just gave me a look that said “what's the big deal”, like she was bored with my embarrassment. I didn't know if was the situation or maybe was just the alcohol, but suddenly, I had a huge lump in my throat and I felt my eyes getting all watery.

  "Whatever, she's just saving herself for Jack White!" Lucy chimed in.

  Lucy grinned over at me and I didn't feel so bad. At least someone had my back.

  "Yep," I said. I flipped my hair, feeling confident again. "I'm not settling for some school boy. I want a rock star."

  "Hell, no!" Luke said, shaking his head and grinning at me. It seemed that even though my best friend wasn’t that worried about my emotional state, my other friends were. "No punk ass singer is messing with my little Baby-doll. They gotta go through me first."

  "Ok, big brother," I said, rolling my eyes at him but still grinning. "Truth or dare, Haley?"

  "Dare," she said. She looked pretty smug, like she wasn’t worried about anything.

  "Flash everyone your boobs," I told her. I was smiling and feeling pretty smug too. It was my very own little clap back.

  Gav shot me a pained look. First, he’d suffered through Luke running around naked now his cousin was about flash her boobs. It couldn’t have been the best of times for him.

  "Really?" he asked, exasperatedly. Lucy laughed and clapped her hand over his eyes.

  I looked at Haley and for just a second I kind of regretted my dare. The superior look was gone. She looked embarrassed. Her boobs had gotten huge pretty suddenly and she went back and forth between being proud and being really uncomfortable. Before I could say anything the embarrassed look slipped away, replaced by her trademark cockiness.

  "Whatever," she said standing up. She slipped out of her shirt and dropped her bra. Her massive knockers were out there for everyone to see. She even gave them a little shake. It only lasted a second or two but as soon as they saw skin the boys started whistling and cat-calling. It took forever to shut them up.

  "Truth or dare, Lane?" Haley asked, after she dressed and the uproar died down.

  "What? Lindsay and Gav hadn't even gone!" he protested.

  "Truth or dare, Lane?" Haley insisted. He should have known better than to argue with her.

  When he saw her resolve face he rolled his eyes and huffed.

  "Dare."

  "I dare you to give Bailey her first kiss," she said, with a grin. Just when I thought Haley and I were even on trading embarrassment she had to take it one step further.

  "Didn't we just cover this?" Lucy asked, looking at Haley incredulously. "She's saving herself."

  "Yeah and she'll be saving herself for some rock star forever if we don't help her out," Haley said, rolling her eyes.

  "No way," I chimed in. I didn't like being talked about like I wasn't there. And no way was asshole Lane Campbell going to be my first kiss.

  "What the hell?" Lane asked, finally deciding to say something. I expected he wouldn’t want to kiss me anymore than I wanted to kiss him. His next words were a surprise. "You don't want to kiss me, Baby-doll? Nobody else turns me down."

  He was smirking like usual. I hated that he was right, that none of the other girls at our school would turn down a kiss from Lane Campbell.

  "Yeah, that attitude makes me what to kiss you so bad," I huffed at him. "Dare him something else, Haley."

  "No way, my turn my dare. You can play along or you can quit," She said smugly.

  "Oh my God, why are you being such a bitch, Haley?" I snapped. There was a gasp. I had cursed. I never cursed out loud. Even more shocking I had cursed at Haley, my best friend. Even I was a little shocked. But the word had just flew out of my mouth.

  "Why are you being such a baby, Bailey?" Haley countered, without missing a beat. I had heard Haley verbally spar with other people a million times. It was weird to be on this side of it

  Just when I thought things were going from bad to worse, full on craziness happened. Lane jumped up out of his chair and dropped to his knees in front of me. Everyone was watching but I was the only one staring him right on. He had traded his smirk for a softer, almost sweet smile.

  "Come on, Baby-doll, can’t I be your first kiss?" he asked, peering up at me. He batted his eyes at me playfully. “I’m begging. Please?”

  Even though his words and his tone were playful, if I hadn't known any better… if it had been anyone other than Lane… I would had sworn he really wanted to kiss me.

  "Lane –" I said, shaking my head.

  "Come on, just one little kiss," he pleaded. Those crazy colored eyes were shining blue in the firelight. It was overwhelming. Looking at him, looking up at me, I understood how the other girls got sucked in. He really was good looking. But I didn’t trust him for a second.

  I shook my head as if to clear up my crazy thoughts and looked around so see if any of my friends were going to bail me out but they just looked amused by Lane's bullshit.

  "I don't want to kiss you, delinquent," I told him.

  He grinned at me like he knew better.

  "Yeah you do," he told me.

  And, well, I did. I wasn’t sure how he knew that and I kind of hated that he did but there was just something about the look he was giving me and those eyes. I could feel my heart beat speeding up. It was a little hard to breath. And the longer I looked at him the more I noticed how nice and soft his lips looked. Like they'd be really good for kissing. And then I started to think that maybe if he asked one more time I would.

  "Baby-doll," he sing-songed. "Just one little –"

  "I'll do it!" Lindsay yelled suddenly, jumping up again. "I'll take her place!"

  I looked away from the pretty boy in front of me and she was already crossing the deck grinning ear to ear. Lane didn't get up immediately but he did turn and look at her. Seeing the look on her face his smile morphed back to its usual smirk. But then he looked back at me again. He gave me a questioning look. For the second time that night I felt myself choking up and I didn't really understand why. I shrugged at Lane and looked away. He shook his head at me like he was disappointed and stood up.

  "Fine," he said, with a shrug, the bad boy back in full effect. "I'll take the stand in."

  Haley just rolled her eyes.

  "Whatever," she said with a dismissing wave of her hand. She was already bored with the whole thing.

  Lane grabbed Lindsay and kissed her. He kissed her like movie stars in a sex scene. It was so long and graphic we were all wide-eyed. It seemed to go on forever but I couldn't take my eyes off the two of them. It finally took Lucy yelling for them to get a room before they stopped.

  "This is stupid." She declared, after the two love birds sat down. "I'm going to bed."

  I nodded my agreement immediately. Exhaustion from the full day was setting in. Lucy looked at Haley and it seemed like my two friends were having a conversation with just their eyes. Finally, Haley shrugged.

  "My mom and dad are probably gonna be back pretty soon anyway," she said.

  Lane and Luke headed back next door with Luke shouting one last happy birthday at me and we headed inside. Gav hunkered down in the living room to wait for his mom and we headed upstairs. The end of the night seemed to change the overall mood. I didn't feel like giggling or chatting anymore. It seemed no one did.

  No one said much as we change into our pjs. Lindsay still looked dazed. Lucy was yawning. Haley and I were both wearing our thinking faces. We all sprawled out on the pallet of blankets and pillows on the floor and Haley put Sixteen Candles on her tv like she did every night. It wasn’t long before she and Lindsay were both breathing deep and heavy. I was finding it hard to drift off, myself. I was still laying with my hands propped behind my head, half watching the movie half wondering what kisses really felt like, when Lucy whispered my name.

  "Hmm
?" I replied.

  "Still awake?" She whisper-asked.

  I looked over and gave her a nod. She scooted over next to me and laid her head on my tummy.

  "Did you had a good birthday?" she asked. We always had sleepover conversations. It was something that was just ours like designated colors were just for Haley and me. I loved the sound of Lucy's sleepy voice, it always reminded me of a sleepy little kid.

  "I had the best birthday," I said, scratching my fingers through her hair. My dad always did that for me when I was little.

  "Good,” she said with a smile. She was quiet for a bit and I thought she had drifted off. It surprised me when she spoke again.

  "Baby-doll?"

  "Yeah?"

  "Don't fall for Lane, ok?" she asked, turning and looking up with round, blue eyes that were just as pretty as her brothers but in a different way. "My brother is bad news."

  I had to chuckle. Like I didn’t know he was bad news. Like everyone didn’t know.

  "That is not happening, Lucy," I told her.

  "Promise?"

  "I promise."

  Like I could ever fall for someone like Lane Campbell.

  * * *

  Chapter 4

  * * *

  I thought twelve would feel older but it didn’t. After the remarks about how great my party was tapered off, things went mostly back to normal. Expect one little thing. I couldn’t get Lane Campbell out of my head. I wasn’t crushing on him like everyone else. I had promised Lucy that wouldn't happen. I was just fascinated by him, like he would make a great character in a story.

  He just started at our school that year and already everyone treated him like a king. He didn’t play sports and he wasn’t involved in any extracurriculars but everyone knew who he was. Boys seemed to defer to him and, aside from Haley and me, all the girls thought he was the hottest. He refused to have a girlfriend despite all of the options. Even though most of the popular eighth grade boys had them and no one would dare give him any flack, he flat out refused. Not even Lindsay.

  Lindsay started sitting with him at lunch right after my party and everyone knew they were sneaking under the bleachers at the football field to make out all the time. One morning she even admitted to us that she let him feel her boobs. Lucy was grossed out and Haley wasn't interested at all. But I had to know more.

  "What did it feel like?" I blurted.

  Haley looked at me curiously, like why did I want to know, and Lucy vacated immediately.

  "I can’t hear this," she said as she took off, heading across the quad to catch up with Gav.

  Lindsay grinned. I could tell knowing more than we did made her feel all big and bad but I didn't care. I wanted to know.

  "I was like tingles all under my skin. And my heart was beating so, so fast. And everything was so much more sensitive when he touched… like, you know… my nipples and stuff," she explained, blushing a little. It was the dumbest explanation ever. But what could I expect from a boy-crazy girl stupid enough to let Lane feel her boobs.

  "I'd never let a boy I wasn't dating feel me up," Haley said loftily, arching a brow at Lindsay. Sure, it was kind of mean but Lindsay needed a reality check.

  Lindsay just rolled her eyes.

  "Whatever, Haley," she said, putting on a bored face, her eyes scanning the quad. Probably looking for Lane. "We don't have to label what we have."

  Haley scoffed.

  "You’re getting a label, alright," she muttered.

  "Screw you, Haley," Lindsay huffed, and stormed off.

  I couldn't help but laugh in shock.

  "You basically just called her a slut," I gasped at my friend.

  Haley grinned her most wicked grin.

  "She might as well hear it from me instead of seeing it on the bathroom wall," she told me, with a pleased looked on her face. "Lane Campbell is the biggest boy slut ever and any girl who does anything with him is just as bad."

  As harsh as that sounded, I knew she was right. There were so many rumors about Lane floating around school, I used up half a notebook jotting them all down. Feeling Lindsay's boobs, walking into the girls locker room after third period gym and seeing everybody in their underwear, fingering (ick) Kate on the way home from the planetarium field trip, and the over the top dirtiest, getting a blowjob (double ick) from Sadie after a football game. It was always a different girl every time. It was like he was trying to make his way through every girl in school.

  It wasn't any surprise when two weeks after Haley and Lindsay talked, rumors started flying about Janie Hopkins. Lane had a new flavor of the week. It was surprising that Lindsay didn't come back to sitting with us at lunch. Instead she started hanging out with Lauren's group. I suspected she didn’t want to sit through an “I told you so” from Haley. Her departure was fine by me though. I didn’t really want anyone else joining our little gang of three.

  The longer I knew Lucy the more I loved her to pieces. She was super gutsy and always said what was on her mind. I guessed you had to be that way when you had two crazy older brothers.

  One weekend when Haley was out of town with her parents, my dad agreed to let me stay the night with Lucy but only after Mrs. C assured him that the boys would be out for the night. I had already told him that there was no way possible that any funny business would ever happen with either of those boys but he wasn't having it. But one sweet talk from Mrs. C and I was stashing my overnight bag in Lucy's room. We spent the night playing Mrs. C's old records and dancing in the family room. Then we watched cheesy horror movies from the 80's.

  In the middle of the night I woke up, dying of thirst so I crept down stairs, quite as a mouse, for a drink of water. When I went back up I noticed the light on in one of the boys’ rooms. My eyes landed on a bookshelf when I walked past and I had to do a double take. Lord of the Rings! I couldn't imagine Luke, my crazy big brother, or Lane, the child criminal, reading. I could barely imagine either of them sitting still long enough to watch the movies.

  I had to step inside for a closer look. I glanced around but I couldn't make the call as to whose room it was from the Scarface and bikini girl posters on the walls. In front of the shelf I ran my finger over the book bindings. They were well creased. The sign of a loved book. The sound of someone clearing their throat made me jump.

  Lane was leaning in the doorframe with a curious eyebrow raised in my direction. He didn't have a shirt on.

  "You weren’t supposed to be here," I blurted, surprised.

  He looked at me like I was crazy, but he chuckled too.

  "I think you have that backward," he said. "This is my room."

  I felt my cheeks flame red.

  "I'm sorry," I muttered. "The books just caught my eye. I'll get out of here."

  He rolled his eyes.

  "It's not a big deal, Baby-doll," he said, crossing the room. He dropped down on his bed and lay on his side looking me over.

  Despite his casual attitude, I'd never been in a boy's room aside from Cameron. Those times were just to grab weapons for water gun fights. It was weird to see Lane without his trademark smirk. He looked almost normal. It made me feel awkward. I gnawed on my bottom lip, trying to think of what to say. He noticed my unease.

  "Couldn't sleep?" he asked.

  I shook my head.

  "Thirsty," I explained. He nodded. I glanced back at his book self. It was filled up with books. It was a lot like mine except that my books were more Meg Cabot and his were more Stephen King. "I didn't know you read."

  He laughed. It wasn't teasing or mean. It was nice.

  "Yes, Bailey, I can read," he said, shaking his head.

  I laughed too. Apparently he had that same knack Luke had for making people laugh with his laugh. Not that he used it often… or ever.

  "That wasn’t what I meant," I said. "I didn't know you were into reading."

  He shrugged.

  "There's a lot you don't know about me," He said.

  That comment caught me off guard. He was right. I'd ne
ver considered knowing Lane before. I mean I knew about him. I knew about his reputation and what his sister thought about him. I knew that whenever he was around it felt like my thoughts were coming through staticy radio waves but he was right, I didn't really know him.

  Aside from the night of my birthday I didn't spend a lot of time really looking at Lane. I took advantage of the bizarre interlude and studied him. In the soft lamp light I could see his hair still had some blonde in it even though it was darkening. It reminded me of summer. His skin was the same natural creamy white as Lucy's, now that their tans had faded. And those eyes. They were still as intriguing as the first time I ever saw him, looking smoky gray on this particular night. Altogether, he was absolutely gorgeous. Again, I could see why all the girls were in love with him. The whole time I stared at him he stared right back at me.

  The sound of the heater kicking on, a sound that usually faded into the background of everyday life, was suddenly as loud as a gunshot making us both jump. He smiled.

  "You better get back to bed, Bailey," he said, softly.

  I nodded and hurried out of the room before he could see the blush warming my cheeks again. Back in Lucy’s room I snuggled right up beside her, back to back. I felt a little guilty being in Lane's room like that. I wasn't breaking my promise to her. No way, no how. But I saw something in there that I wished I hadn't. I saw how someone could fall for Lane. For a sleepy smiling, not teasing, book reading Lane. I couldn't help but wonder if any of the girls that hooked up with biggest boy slut Lane knew that other side.

  B

  "Oh my God, Mom's going to freak," Lucy said, dropping down into her seat next to me.

  Our ‘just the two of us’ sleepover had been ages ago and I had banished all thoughts of her older brother from my brain. I looked up from my book and I was immediately alarmed. Lucy was pale and looked super shocked.

  "Did you fail a final?" I asked, worriedly. We were closing in on the last day of school for the year.

  Lucy rolled her eyes.

  "Yeah, right," she said. I should have known better. Lucy was one of the smartest kids I knew. "No, apparently Lane –"