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Chapter no 9

Taming 7 (Boys of Tommen, 5)

โ€œMorning,โ€ Johnny acknowledged when I unzipped the opening of my tent the following morning and was greeted by the delicious smell of a fry-up cooking. โ€œYou look fresh.โ€

He was right. Not only was I feeling fresh, but I was looking it, too. My hair, for some miraculous reason, had decided to comply with my wishes this morning without a hint of frizz โ€“ not a usual occurrence for a girl with my texture. โ€œThatโ€™s because Iโ€™m made of steel,โ€ I explained, joining him at the makeshift firepit, where he was cooking. โ€œSeriously, I never get hangovers.โ€

โ€œBecause you never drink.โ€

โ€œI drink.โ€

He arched a knowing brow.

โ€œOkay,โ€ I conceded with a rueful smile, sitting down. โ€œIโ€™ve drank three times before and Iโ€™ve never once had a headache.โ€

โ€œWell, you might want to pass your secret on to your best friend.โ€ Humor filled his tone as he gestured towards his tent. โ€œBecause sheโ€™s dying a small death in there.โ€

I winced in sympathy. โ€œPoor Shan.โ€

โ€œSheโ€™ll be okay.โ€ Chuckling softly, he used a fork to turn the meat on the disposable grill. โ€œNothing a few sausages wonโ€™t cure.โ€

โ€œAw. You score triesย andย make breakfast.โ€ I smiled. โ€œYouโ€™re such a keeper.โ€

โ€œDo I smell sausages?โ€ Clambering out of my tent, Gerard sniffed the air like a deranged Doberman. โ€œLifesaver, Cap,โ€ he declared, bounding over to us in his underpants. โ€œFucking lifesaver.โ€

The moment my eyes landed on him, a ripple of heat ignited inside of my belly.

Johnny might be taller and ripped to within an inch of his life, and Hugh and Patrick might resemble Josh Hartnett and Ryan Phillippe with finely cut, washboard abs, but I swear Iโ€™d never seen anything quite like Gerard Gibson.

He was built and broad, with gloriously sun-kissed skin and the most amazing pearly white smile. His eyes were like pools of gray marble you could fall into, and he was just so downrightย snuggly.

When we were little, our mothers used to refer to him as a little cherub because he was adorably chubby with blond hair and big ole gray eyes.

And sure, he was big and strong now, with muscles in all the right places, but there was still a slight softness to his physique that made him just that little bit more human.

Unlike the rest of the boys in our group, Gerard wasnโ€™t afraid to break his diet or skip the gym if he felt inclined. He did what he wanted to do when he wanted to do it and made no qualms about it.

Cheat meals and skipped gym sessions aside, he had the best ass of all the boys. Hands down, there was no competition. Gerard Gibson could fill a pair of Calvin Klein boxer shorts better than any other boy at Tommen.

Johnny, Hugh, and Patrick were all backs in rugby, which meant they needed speed and agility. On the contrary, Gerard played the position of flanker in the forwards, where physical dominance was far more vital than speed. On the team, he was a glorified battering ram and had the stocky build to match the job.

Honestly, I knew I might be biased, but Johnny Kavanaghโ€™s impressive eight-pack, or Patrick Feelyโ€™s adorable smile, didnโ€™t hold a flame to this boy.

Not in my eyes, at least.

Because this boy had always been my favorite boy.

My favorite friend, person, human, everything.

Even when we were little, and even though he despised it, he would humor me by playing Barbies with me. Sure, he would bring along hisย action figures and cause as much destruction as possible to my Barbie house, but he still played with me.

It never bothered him when his other friends laughed at him for playing with a girl, and heย neverย ignored me.

Not one single time in sixteen years.

Not even when it made him less cool with Hugh and the boys.

It didnโ€™t matter to Gerard.

He always made me feel like I was his first priority.

His number one friend.

From Gerard Gibson, I had been given the friendship of a lifetime that consisted of humor, loyalty, comfort, and affection.

It was for those and many other countless reasons that I found myself relentlessly clinging to the hope that we would someday take the next step.

That our friendship would progress toย more.

Like last night, for example. Weโ€™d spent half of the night up talking, and the entire time Iโ€™d been mentally willing him to kiss me, and not because the bottle landed on me in a stupid game when we were kids. Because our first kiss might have been an innocent peck coerced by a spinning bottle, and I wanted more now.

I wanted him to want me, dammit.

The way I wanted himย โ€ฆ

โ€œGet back,โ€ Johnny warned, using an arm to guard the food from his boisterous buddy. โ€œAnd put some pants on, will you?โ€

โ€œIโ€™m only trying to smell it,โ€ Gerard argued, leaning over his shoulder.

โ€œWell, donโ€™t โ€“ hey, back up. Iโ€™m serious, Gibs. Donโ€™t stand over an open flame like that. Youโ€™re going to get your dick splattered with grease, you eejit.โ€

โ€œAw,โ€ I cooed, grinning at the pair of them. โ€œLook at you being all chivalrous protecting your best friendโ€™s willy.โ€

โ€œOh, heโ€™s a true blue, alright,โ€ Gerard agreed, while he managed to swipe a rasher off the grill. โ€œAlways the hero.โ€

โ€œThief,โ€ Johnny grumbled.

Snickering to himself, Gerard stuffed the crispy string of bacon into his mouth before joining me on a nearby log. โ€œHowโ€™s my little diesel generator?โ€ He slung one big arm over my shoulders and pulled me into his side. โ€œNo need to ask if you slept well.โ€

โ€œMe?โ€ I laughed, digging his ribs. โ€œGerard, you snore so loud itโ€™s like a cement mixer going off in bed.โ€

โ€œNah, babe, thatโ€™s yourself youโ€™re hearing.โ€

โ€œYouโ€™re both as bad as each other,โ€ Johnny chimed in. โ€œOur tent is next to yours. I could hear ye all bleeding night. Like an old married couple. Communicating through snores in your sleep, the pair of ye.โ€

โ€œHey, donโ€™t judge our love language,โ€ Gerard shot back with a wolfish grin. โ€œAt least we donโ€™t keep everyone up fucking each otherโ€™s brains out.โ€

โ€œGerard!โ€

โ€œWith feelings,โ€ he deftly added, holding a finger up. โ€œFuckingย withย feelings.โ€

โ€œNo,โ€ Johnny agreed, not missing a beat, as he turned the meat once more. โ€œBecause youโ€™re too busy cracking jokes like a pair of babies.โ€

โ€œAt least weโ€™re not making babies, lad.โ€

โ€œSure, Gibs, whatever you say.โ€ Rolling his eyes, Johnny let Gerardโ€™s teasing go clear over his head like he was immune to his banter. โ€œCall the others, will you? Grubโ€™s up.โ€

Twenty minutes later, the entire gang were all sitting around the camp, stuffed as baby piglets, after devouring Johnny Kavanaghโ€™s glorious offerings.

โ€œHey, guys? If we were in the Dark Ages, do you think weโ€™d still be friends?โ€

โ€œHuh?โ€ Patrick mused with a chuckle. โ€œCare to evaluate on that, Baby Biggs?โ€

โ€œWhat I mean to say is if we were all cave people and none of todayโ€™s modern technology existedโ€”โ€ I paused to lick a tiny sprinkle of tomato ketchup off my knuckle before continuing โ€œโ€”and Ballylaggin was theย village we all came from, do you think our friendship group would form their own tribe?โ€

โ€œWhat did you smoke in that tent with him?โ€ my brother accused, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. โ€œBecause this is weird, Claire, even for you.โ€

โ€œWhat?โ€ I laughed. โ€œItโ€™s a valid question.โ€

โ€œHow in the name of God is that a valid question?โ€

โ€œHell yeah weโ€™d be a tribe,โ€ Gerard interrupted, tossing a piece of toast at my brother. โ€œAnd while the rest of us were out hunting down dinner, youโ€™d be the bitch digging holes for us to shit in.โ€

โ€œMore like to bury you in,โ€ Hugh shot back with a smirk.

โ€œI think we would be,โ€ Shannon offered, still looking a little worse for wear from last nightโ€™s antics. Lounging on her boyfriendโ€™s lap with his hoodie swamping her small frame, she folded the sleeves up absentmindedly as she spoke. โ€œAt least, I would hope to be in your tribe.โ€

I smiled warmly back at her. โ€œAlways, chickie.โ€

โ€œI would be a nomad,โ€ Lizzie chimed in, taking a bite of her toast. โ€œBut Iโ€™d pop in every once in a while to visit.โ€

โ€œOh my God, what are youย eating?โ€ Katie blurted out of nowhere, causing everyone to turn their attention to where she was looking. Which just so happened to be Lizzie. โ€œWhat the hell is that on your toast?โ€

โ€œMarmite,โ€ Lizzie drawled slowly, taking another bite.

Katie gaped in horror. โ€œThatโ€™s so wrong!โ€

โ€œMaybe for you.โ€

โ€œWhy donโ€™t you try something normal instead?โ€

โ€œAnd whatโ€™s your definition ofย normal?โ€

โ€œI donโ€™t know.โ€ Katie smiled. โ€œJam, or marmalade, or chocolate spread?โ€

Lizzieโ€™s eyes narrowed and my butt cheeks began to sweat.

Uh-oh.

Code red,ย I tried to send a telepathic warning to my brotherโ€™s girlfriend.ย Code red. Code red. Retreat now, dammit!

โ€œAnd why would I want to do that?โ€ Lizzie asked in an icy tone. โ€œWhen Iย likeย Marmite?โ€

โ€œUh โ€ฆ I donโ€™t know,โ€ Katie mumbled, withering under Lizzieโ€™s forceful stare. โ€œIt was just a suggestion. Sorry.โ€

โ€œIf I wanted suggestions from people, I would ask my actual friends,โ€ Lizzie bit out.

โ€œStop,โ€ Hugh intervened, taking the brunt of Lizzieโ€™s glare, and meeting it head on with one of his own. โ€œShe didnโ€™t mean any harm.โ€

โ€œJesus,โ€ Pierce chuckled, clearly trying to break the tension, โ€œtalk about becoming what you eat.โ€ Reaching over, he ruffled his girlfriendโ€™s hair. โ€œDonโ€™t worry, babe, I love eating Marmite.โ€

โ€œHa. Funny,โ€ Lizzie drawled, smacking his hand away. โ€œTouch my hair again and lose your fingers.โ€

โ€œI was only joking, Liz, chill.โ€

โ€œAnd while youโ€™re at it, go fuck yourself.โ€

โ€œJesus, you clearly canโ€™t take a joke anymore.โ€

โ€œOh, I can take a lot of things, Pierce,โ€ Lizzie countered coolly. โ€œIโ€™m just choosing not to take anything from you. Not your jokes. Not your dick. Not your shit โ€ฆ can you tell where this is leading?โ€

Oh dear.

Three. Two. One โ€ฆ

โ€œNow, hold the fuck up!โ€

โ€œHey, donโ€™t talk to her like that.โ€

โ€œDonโ€™t defend me. I can speak for myself!โ€

So much for peace.

What had been a relatively quiet night in camp quickly morphed into a battleground before my eyes.

Sighing wearily, I rested my chin on my hand and listened as everyone argued around me. Glancing around, I locked eyes on Shannon and smiled when she offered me a sympathetic wince.

We were in the same boat.

Shan didnโ€™t want to be around this crazy drama, either.

Maybe we should make our own tribe and live in the woods.

โ€œWhy do you always look so fucking happy,โ€ Lizzie accused then, turning her attention on Gerard. โ€œItโ€™s nauseating.โ€

โ€œNot half as nauseating as having to look at your sour puss,โ€ Gerard shot back, unwilling to back down or give her a pass. โ€œDonโ€™t get your knickers in a twist with me because youโ€™re having a tiff with lover boy.โ€

โ€œHey,โ€ Katie interjected, valiantly stepping in to try to squash their beef before it blew up like it had done a million times before, โ€œletโ€™s be nice today, okay? Sticks and stones, guys.โ€

โ€œYeah, because sticks and stones will break my bones and words will make me starve myself to death.โ€ Lizzie narrowed her eyes. โ€œIsnโ€™t that how the saying goes?โ€

โ€œHuh? What are you talking about?โ€ I argued, brows creased in confusion. โ€œItโ€™s: words will never hurt me.โ€

Without a word, Katie stood up and walked away from the circle, and then, with a devastated look on his face, Hugh stood up and hurried after her.

โ€œAm I missing something?โ€ I asked, turning to Gerard.

โ€œNo fucking clue, Claire-Bear,โ€ he replied with a shrug before retraining his attention on Lizzie. โ€œJesus, you are mean as hell.โ€

โ€œNo, asshole,โ€ Lizzie snapped back, rising to her feet, โ€œIโ€™m just honest.โ€

โ€œSheโ€™s not a bad person, guys,โ€ Shannon urged from the backseat of Gerardโ€™s Ford Focus. The tents had been packed away, the litter had been collected, and a temporary friendship treaty had been signed before everyone left the beach this morning, all going their separate ways until we reunited next week at school. โ€œHurt people hurt people,โ€ Shannon continued. โ€œSheโ€™s a hurt person. A hurt โ€“ but very redeemable โ€“ person.โ€

โ€œNobody said she was a bad person,โ€ I answered, fiddling with the car stereo. โ€œBut she definitely pushes boundaries.โ€

โ€œI can agree with that,โ€ Shannon offered diplomatically. โ€œBut pushing boundaries doesnโ€™t make you bad.โ€

โ€œI hear what youโ€™re saying, Shan,โ€ Johnny added. โ€œBut for me, I findย it really hard to tolerate Lizzieโ€™s behavior when Iโ€™ve seen how you carry yourself.โ€ Shifting around in the backseat, he draped a protective arm around her shoulder. โ€œYouโ€™ve been hurt more than anyone Iโ€™ve ever known, and still, you spread kindness. You wouldnโ€™t harm a fly โ€“ and certainly not intentionally.โ€

Shan blushed bright red and ducked her face. โ€œThatโ€™s not always true.โ€

โ€œYeah, it is,โ€ he countered, tipping her chin up so she looked at him. โ€œBaby, Iโ€™ve watched you get stung by a bee andย notย retaliate.โ€

โ€œBecause we need to save the bees!โ€ Shannon urged.

โ€œThere it is,โ€ he replied, and then caught my gaze in the rearview mirror. โ€œMy point is real motion.โ€

โ€œCan we please stop talking about the viper?โ€ Gerard begged from the driverโ€™s seat. โ€œHonestly, lads, I love the three of you, but if ye donโ€™t shut the fuck up about that girl, Iโ€™m going to open the door of this car and throw myself out.โ€

โ€œThen pull the car over first,โ€ Johnny replied. โ€œIn fact, do you want to just pull over now and let me drive?โ€

โ€œNope, Iโ€™m perfectly capable of driving my own car, Jonathan.โ€

โ€œGibs, lad, youโ€™ve coasted over the middle line three times already,โ€ Johnny tried to coax. โ€œI really think I should drive.โ€

โ€œAlright.โ€ Using one hand to steer the car, Gerard reached behind him with his free hand and held his thumb up in challenge. โ€œFight me for it.โ€

Johnny laughed. โ€œByย thumbย wrestling you?โ€

โ€œAre you scared youโ€™ll lose?โ€

โ€œGet ready to be a backseat bitch, Gibs.โ€ Assuming position, Johnny linked hands with Gerard and smirked. โ€œOne, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war.โ€

โ€œFive, six, seven, eight, I use this hand to masturbate.โ€

โ€œGerard,โ€ I yelped at the same time Shannon choked out, โ€œGibsie!โ€

โ€œAnd thatโ€™s the end of the thumb war,โ€ Johnny muttered, abruptly dropping Gerardโ€™s hand. He wiped his hand off his shorts andย shuddered. โ€œYou win.โ€

โ€œWhoโ€™s the backseat bitch now?โ€ Gerard laughed, cranking up the volume of the stereo. The Offspringโ€™s โ€œOriginal Pranksterโ€ blasted from the speakers, causing Gerard to bop his head like a madman, while Johnny and Shan clung to their seats in terror. I wasnโ€™t scared, though. I trusted this boy with my life. Gerard wouldnโ€™t kill me. After all, heโ€™d promised to marry me before we both died.

Thoroughly engrossed in his drum pattern, Gerard slapped his hands against the steering wheel of his Focus, while he sang at the top of his lungs about knocking down walls.

โ€œLad, shut the fuck up,โ€ Johnny strangled out from the backseat when Gerard slowed at the traffic lights to serenade an elderly lady standing at the zebra crossing.

โ€œYou little hooligan,โ€ the old lady shouted back at him, shaking her fist.

โ€œOh my god,โ€ I laughed, twisting sideways in my seat just as the lights went green and Gerard floored it. โ€œSheโ€™s still waddling after us.โ€

โ€œMaybe she wants me,โ€ he shot back, winking at me.

I waggled my brows. โ€œMaybe she needs to get in line.โ€

โ€œGibs, slow the bleeding car down!โ€ Johnny barked as he placed a protective hand over Shanโ€™s middle. โ€œIf you kill me, I swear to Christ, Iโ€™ll come back and kill you!โ€

โ€œHow can you come back to kill me if youโ€™re already dead?โ€

โ€œWhere thereโ€™s a will thereโ€™s a relative,โ€ Johnny shot back, draping a protective arm over his girlfriend. โ€œTrust me, Gibs, Iโ€™d find a way.โ€

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