No Best Favorite or Jealousy Ch. 01

Time went on and things got even worse between us. Junior year she put the word out to the others in the cheer squad that I was completely off limits. That was going too far! I wanted to bad mouth her to the rest of the basketball team, but I knew if I tried that it'd just make her more desirable.

Even still, all the working out I was doing was paying off. By the end of the season I was benching 220 and the football coach was asking me why I never tried out for the team. That got the attention of one of my classmates on the cheer squad. She started cozying up to me regardless of what Sarah said. We started dating and soon became joined at the hip.

Pepper wasn't the smartest girl around, but she was no academic slouch either. She was more artistic than anything, preferring art and lit classes to science and math. She always had a book with her wherever she went, and that book was constantly changing.

You might, at this point, be asking why she was called Pepper. She was given the nickname in grade school because her last name is Potts. You'll only miss the joke if you've never seen or heard of Iron Man. But it was mostly because her first name is actually Pieper. In any case she owned the nickname rather than being upset by it.

We went to Junior Prom together while Sarah went with the quarterback. Sarah was still upset with Pepper because of her involvement with me, and for some reason they got into an argument at the dance. The glass of punch Sarah through onto my date was uncalled for. The quarterback just laughed while I defended Pepper. Luckily a chaperone stepped in before it came to blows.

Although I was forced to drive Sarah and her date to the dance, I left them behind at the end. I caught a little flack for that from our parents until they found out what Sarah did. After all, she may have ruined Pepper's dress. Being forced to clean and/or buy a new dress really got Sarah even madder at me, and at Pepper.

Sarah proceeded to badmouth Pepper throughout the school for what was left of that year. She swore left and right that Pepper would never make the squad our senior year. Her story that Pepper insulted her and threatened to dethrone her on the squad spread like wildfire. No matter what Pepper or I told people, or what witnesses actually saw, that became the one that was believed by the masses of the mindless kids.

Pepper and I spent lots of time together that summer, whenever we weren't working and Sarah wasn't around that is. Lying in the sun was fun with a skinny girl in a skimpy bikini. 5' 5" with soft, brown hair, brown eyes, lovely face I wanted to stare at all day, medium breasts, and slight butt made her hard to resist. The itsy bitsy, teeney weeney, yellow polka dot deficient bikini didn't hurt either!

We nearly got caught making out one day when Dad came out. It was close, but it only made us want each other more. Although that's pretty much as far as it ever went because she didn't want to have sex before marriage. I was horny as hell!

Worse yet, Sarah started becoming downright relentless with me. Whenever our parents weren't around, it almost seemed like she was going to beat the shit out of me!

"What is your problem?" I asked in frustration one day.

"YOU'RE my problem!" Sarah responded indistinctly.

I shook my head a little. "That doesn't answer anything. Why the hell are you treating me like shit?"

"What gives a geek like you the right to think you can date a cheerleader? You're a nothing!"

"What business of it is yours?" I asked wondering why I wasn't recording the conversation.

"I'm captain of the squad, that's what makes it my business!"

"So? You're being crazy and unreasonable. Would you just let the two of us be, please? And not that it should make any difference, but I'm a starter on the b-ball team as if you don't know!"

"Who the hell cares about basketball? It's a nothing sport!"

My anger was boiling but I controlled myself as best I could. "Fuck you, bitch! Why the hell do you care what I do anyway? One of your fellow cheerleaders is dating a guy that's not even in sports! Why don't you push your venom somewhere else and leave me alone?!"

"I'll spit my venom wherever I see fit! You deserve the poison the most! I'm gonna take you down..."

I didn't hear the rest because I quickly left the house and slammed the door. She acted almost sweetly when our parents were around. The one time I tried to tell Dad how she acted he didn't believe me. That left me trying to face it on my own, which I suppose was his point anyway.

I spent the summer avoiding my bitch sister and trying my best to get out of any family activities. I wasn't always successful in the latter, but I just stuck by our parents' sides during those.

Then Dad dropped the ball that we were going on a family vacation that summer. I did my best to get out of it, but Dad said the only way that was happening was if I was in jail!

"It may be the last time we'll be able to do this as a family, so ask off at work and buck up!" he said. The light bulb went off in my head and he saw it. "And don't think of forgetting because you're going whether you're scheduled or not!"

My shoulders slumped in defeat and I did as ordered. I only wished that I could have taken Pepper with me, but for many obvious reasons I didn't even ask. The night before we left our make-out session was pretty intense and only had me wanting to stay home even more!

But alas, in mid August we all piled into Dad's SUV and set off for who knew where because he wouldn't tell us. A few hours into the trip the scenery started to look familiar and it dawned on me where we were going. He was taking us up to the cabin we rented when Mom was alive!

Sure enough, an hour later we were unpacking at the same familiar cabin. I could feel Mom's presence when we entered, and could almost see her sitting in her spot on the log bench near the water when I approached. It was magical...

My hand reached out for the bench, and I heard the proverbial glass shatter. "What are you doing, dweeb? Mom and Dad need you to help out around here, so get your lazy ass back to the cabin!" Sarah called out behind me.

My eyes were closed and I was fighting to ignore her. I didn't want her to spoil that place for me, but I knew it was inevitable. I tried to calmly respond. "We came up here when my mom was still alive. This is where she liked to sit."

I could hear twigs breaking very near my back. "Aw, isn't that special. Reminisce later and get your ass back to the cabin!"

How I didn't hurl around and clock her in the jaw I don't know! Well, actually I do know. I thought about Mom and how she'd want me to act. I just turned in a wide arc and walked back to the cabin without looking at the bitch.

When I entered I asked Dad for a moment alone. He took me into his bedroom and we sat.

"Why did you have to bring us here? Sarah's going to ruin all the good memories I have of Mom!" I said starting to cry, and then told him what happened at the bench. "I know you never believe me about her, but I just can't do this!"

He reached out and pulled me into a hug. "I'll have a word with Letta. Just do your best for the time being, ok?"

I nodded and then asked the obvious question. "Who gets the second bedroom?" As if I didn't know.

"I'm afraid Sarah already claimed it. But the two of you are going to switch half way through. Each of you gets three nights in there."

Pushed out again, but at least Dad defended me fairly. I smiled a little, hoping he could actually get her out when the time came. "Fine."

"Go and sit on the bench. I don't know why Sarah even went after you like that, but I did see it. I'll make sure she leaves you alone for a while, ok?"

I nodded and thanked him, trying to dry my eyes as much as possible before quickly walking out through the cabin to the lake. I couldn't feel Mom at the bench any more, so I went for her favorite walk along the shore to try and get her back.

By the time I reached the tree where Mom and Dad carved their initials I was feeling loads better. Tracing my finger along the carving made me connect to Mom again, and I could almost see the day in my mind when she showed it to me the first time. I sat down on a rock and stared at it.

A little while later society beckoned when my phone vibrated. It was a text from Pepper, telling me she missed me and wondering if Sarah was being her normal, bitchy self yet. We texted a bit while I slowly walked back.

I walked toward the bench but was called in to eat. It went as it always did, with Sarah acting her innocence. Part way through the meal I was shocked.

"Sorry Bryce. I didn't mean to ruin anything out by the lake," Sarah said.

I looked at her uncomprehendingly, and then at Dad and Letta, searching for a response. "Th-thank you, I guess," was all I could think of saying. Then I noticed her left hand was against the table and clenched tightly in a fist. I put my elbow on the table and dropped my forehead into my hand, shaking it. I'm not sure our parents caught anything.

Dad later started a campfire for us and we roasted marshmallows. I closed my eyes and imagined Mom sitting there with Dad singing one of her songs. When Letta started singing a campfire song it startled me enough that I jumped. I smiled at her and joined in with everyone else.

It turned out to be an ok day despite some rough moments, and when I went to sleep on my air mattress I was more than ready.

I awoke with the sun and I decided that I wanted to get out on my own. I went as quietly as I could to the bathroom to freshen up and change. Then I left a note that I was walking to town, a mere ten or so miles away, and quietly left.

I picked a playlist and set off, working up an appetite along the way and knowing just where I wanted to stop for breakfast. Three hours later I arrived in town and went to the restaurant... which was gone. In its place was some pub and grill, so that was out. I walked down the main drag and eventually found another promising place, happy with what I chose.

After breakfast there was still an hour left before any shops opened besides the super chain store, so I wandered down to the park to feed the crackers I pilfered from the restaurant to the birds.

I was just about to head back and do some browsing when my phone rang. "Where are you, son?" Dad asked.

"In the park, about to head to Main Street. Why?"

"Give us a minute and we'll be there, ok?"

Shit. My alone time turned into family time. Plus it meant way too much time in women's clothing stores I was sure. And... and who knows what else from Sarah...

The first time Sarah saw me roll my eyes when she and Letta walked into a clothing store, she smiled and took her time. Then she dragged her mom into every other one she saw with an evil grin in my direction. At the third one I spied the book store and told Dad to get me later.

I was reading the first few pages of a promising paperback when I heard it and cringed.

"I should have known a dork like you would be in the sci-fi section! How you ever got a cheerleader to go out with your sorry ass I'll never know!"

"It was easy. I asked and she said yes. Unlike some she's not a stuck up bitch," I said carefully, only after realizing that our parents weren't around.

"That's no excuse for poor taste! Why don't you read something interesting, dweeb?" she said hitting the book with the back of her hand.

"Like your trashy romance novels? How the hell do you have a GPA near the top of our class?"

"I should ask the same, dweeb! Get your worthless ass outside!" she said turning around and walking out.

I went to the register to pay for the two books I found and headed out to the sidewalk. It was time for lunch and we walked toward a restaurant.

Along the way Dad stepped back to talk to me. "Hey, I know that you've probably outgrown it, but do you mind if we go to the lumberjack show? The ladies haven't seen it yet and Letta's kind of excited."

"I guess. Or maybe you could just let me wander around alone for a while?" I asked hopefully.

He smiled at me comfortingly. "How about you come along. You can sit next to me and Sarah can sit on the other end. How does that sound?"

"Fine."

Before long we were at the show and, since I'd seen it several times before, I could practically recite the whole thing. "And now, we'd like two volunteers from the audience," the emcee said aloud and I mouthed. "I need two adults who want to try swinging an axe and show their prowess."

"Put your hand up!" Dad said to my indifference.

I shot him a sideways look and did as asked. A moment later the emcee picked me.

I reluctantly made my way on stage on the other side of the emcee from the other volunteer. After some instruction and standard rhetoric from him he said, "On three, start swinging and split your log. Whoever splits it first wins the prize. One... two... three!"

We each swung our axes and my opponent missed while I hit the target. Kick my foot against the log and pull the axe to swing again, burying it only a little bit deeper. Several more smacks and I was winning, but also learning how hard it was going to be to finish.

"You're never gonna do it, dweeb!" I heard over the voices of the crowd. "You're too weak!"

Anger welled up from everywhere and I swung with everything I had, splitting the log in half.

"Wow! We have a winner! And," the emcee looked up at the booth, "in record time for a novice! Are you sure you haven't done this before?" he asked shoving the microphone in my face.

"No. I guess I was motivated," I said with a sneer in Sarah's direction.

He laughed, "I guess you were! If you ever want a job, it's yours! But in the meantime, here's your prize," he said handing me a bear carved from wood supposedly by one of the lumberjacks. "Congratulations young man, and thank you," he said to the other contestant. "The bears are, of course, available for sale in the gift shop..." he went on while I made my way back to my Dad's side.

"How did you do that?" Letta asked me. "You were barely into that log when you split it!"

I looked at Sarah and said, "Well, I guess it's easiest to say 'you wouldn't like me when I'm angry'." She looked away and shrunk back a bit, hiding herself behind her mom.

Letta and Dad laughed.

"I'll try to remember that!" Letta said.

"Good job, Bryce!" Dad patted me on the shoulder and I handed him the bear.

The rest of the afternoon went by less eventfully thanks to my fit of rage. Dad bought us dinner in town, where he and Letta were sitting close to each other and acting a little lovey dovey.

When we got back to the cabin Letta asked, "Why don't you two go for a walk for a while, ok?"

"Maybe an hour or two?" Dad smiled.

"Fine, Dad," I said quickly walking out the patio door and down onto the beach. I heard footsteps behind me and didn't bother to turn around. "Go the opposite way," I said turning left down the beach.

"I don't know my way around here," I heard close behind me. "I don't wanna get lost while Mom and Dad get busy!"

"It's a lake. There's the shore," I said pointing a few feet to my right. "There's the cabin," I said pointing back. "It's just that easy! Jeez!"

"Just show me around, dweeb!"

"Then keep your damn mouth shut and leave me alone!" I spat back.

I turned into the woods and onto the trail, hoping to lose her along the way. After a few minutes of silence I felt something hit the back of my head. Turning around I saw Sarah still behind me and looking innocent. I turned around and a moment later felt another bonk on my back.

"Knock it off!" I yelled, turning around.

"What are you talking about, dweeb?"

I turned and picked up the pace, trying to leave her behind. It didn't work and I felt something else hit my skull with some force. I didn't turn this time and broke into a run. When I saw the fork in the path I tore off down it, knowing how confusing it was but also exactly where I was going.

It was thicker down that path and I could hear Sarah coming after me at first, but soon I was long past her and she gave up. The light was dwindling down so I cut back to the path and back down to the shore to watch what was left of the sunset. It was a good thing I still remembered my way around.

Two hours later I'd had enough of the bugs and the cooling temperatures and made my way back to the cabin. Sarah was sitting on the deck under a blanket.

"What was with you ditching me in the woods, asshole?" she asked chucking what I discovered was an acorn at my chest.

"You found your way back just fine, I see. So what does it matter?" I said walking past her into the cabin. Dad and Letta were on the couch watching TV. I heard the rustling behind me and the hard Gibbs slap on the back of my head, pushing me forward.

"Hey, you're back! Want to watch a movie with us before bed?" Dad asked before I could retaliate.

"Sure, Dad!" Sarah said with a big smile in my direction knowing full well that I was at everyone else's mercy in order to go to bed.

Everyone looked at me for my response. "Whatever," was all I could muster.

I had to suffer through 110 minutes of excruciating rom-com to watch Couples Retreat. Ugh, Vince Vaughn is such a lazy, unfunny actor! I hoped that would be enough. But Sarah had other ideas.

"Let's watch another! Please?" she excitedly begged.

"No, dear. That's enough for one night. Let's get to bed," Letta thankfully responded.

Everyone stood and got ready for bed, followed lastly by me. I made my way to the air mattress and lay down upon it, ready for a good night's sleep. I was just about there when I heard some boards creek followed by a voice...

"Don't think you're getting off that easy, dweeb!" I heard in a hushed but purposeful tone.

After that it took me a couple of hours to become tired enough to fight the anxiety and fall asleep.

When I awoke with the sun what seemed like minutes later, I again quietly rose and got ready to go out on my own. I grabbed my spare backpack to carry some food, water, and my new books. I left a note that I'd be back later in the day with no details as to where, and headed out the door.

I was sure that even still Dad knew where I was headed. It was the same place I went when he and Mom wanted some alone time when I was a kid. I just hoped that he didn't tell Sarah about it.

Hours later and one book down, my phone went off with a call from Dad. "Everything all right, Bryce?"

"I guess," was all I could think to respond.

"Are you going to do this every day, son?"

I sighed, gathering my courage. "As long as Sarah's around, probably. I don't have the strength to fight her here, and really I'm getting sick of it."

"Well come back. We're going to the falls."

"I'll just meet you there. It's not far from here," I replied. "Bring my suit, please."

Twenty minutes later I was at the bottom of the clearing, arriving just before everyone else. I got a few more pages of reading in before seeing the SUV pull up. As I approached I saw Sarah step out in a cover up and sandals along with everyone else. I jumped in and changed into my trunks in the back before joining them.

"This is really beautiful!" Letta said staring in awe at the falls.

Sarah was uncharacteristically speechless, standing there with her mouth agape.

I just walked past them into the pool and waded out for a swim near the falls. It wasn't overly powerful so I swam right through like I always did to come up on the back side. There were other people on the rock ledge at the back but I easily found a place to sit.

A couple of minutes later I saw someone's head pop up to cough out some water. I shook my head and smiled at the virgin move before I realized it was Sarah, wiping the smile away. She saw me and swam straight toward me. Then she popped up and sat right next to me.