Mistaking Tradition: The Next Generation

Chapter Seven: A Little Too Late

Mikal Parker

I'm never drinking again. The splitting headache I'm feeling is brutal. I groan, sitting up from the couch. Fuck. My life was shit at the moment. The memories of Jamie and Celeste, Joshua and---Rayn? 

Did I kiss Rayn? The memory of her lips and flashes of her body on mine jolted me awake. Fuck. I made out with Rayn. I groaned. Licking my lips, the memory of her soft lips moving rhythmically against mines replays in my head. My fingers twitched, moving in sync with the flashes of last night. The feel of her, my fingers craved the soft warmth of her skin. It remembered her touch.

I liked it. Damn, I liked it. 

Needing to cool off, I quickly headed upstairs to my room to take a shower before heading to breakfast. Thoughts of Rayn-her lips and body rushed into my head as I showered. I grew hard at the thought of her. I couldn't deny my attraction to her or the way my body responded to her. It was as if she sprung something alive in me again. 

I laughed at the predicament I found myself involved in. If I hadn't experienced it, I would say it was the plotline of some ridiculous teen drama. Nothing about this scenario screamed 'real'. I just found out my girlfriend cheated on me with my teammate, but here I was, masturbating in the shower to the memory of my childhood friend.

I needed to see her. Fuck, I wanted to see her. 

It wasn't just her body. Heavens, no. It was that silence she brought. The nulling effect she emitted to the buzzing around my life. Coach wanted more from me. Last practice, he said this was my year to shine. I loved hearing it, but the pressure was weighing on me. My relationship with my parents wasn't great. My dad wants me to be more like my older sister Hailee. She's a vlogger, traveling the world while documenting her experiences. He wants his kids to enjoy life and not have to follow in his footsteps. Yet, here I am, wanting to be a football player, like him. So, Hayden Parker is hard on me. He expects better--more, and sometimes the impossible. We argue a lot, and Mom usually has to be the mediator. That puts a strain on our relationship too. I may be her child, but dad is her husband. Mom is always put in a sticky situation. 

Then, there is the Celeste situation. Who would ever think their friend and teammate would be fucking their girl behind their back? Not me. I thought I was good to Celeste. I thought I gave her everything she wanted. She never once complained. I never forgot anniversaries, birthdays, cheer competitions, or special events. So why Jaime? Why did she need him? My head ached just thinking about it. 

Then there was Rayn. Fuck. In theory, she is a whirlwind of trouble. She is someone with a past that could mess with my already disastrous life. Yet, last night, I felt so calm. Like Celeste and Jaime didn't matter. Only Rayn did. Only how she felt against me or how she tasted mattered. It was like that soft silence after a loud siren pierced your eardrums. That moment you receive relief. I wanted that. I craved that. I needed it. 

It took only a few moments to finish up in the shower, get dressed, and head downstairs. The smell of freshly made pancakes filled the dining room. My family was already seated, laughing at something my dad had said. 

"Good morning," I said, alerting them of my presence as I headed for my seat. 

"Good morning Mikey," my mom said first, smiling at me. 

"Good morning, kid," my dad followed. I stiffened at the sound of his voice and his choice of a pet name. 

"Mikey, where were you last night? Ray and I waited for you to do your class assignment," Lenny said, biting on a bit of toast. Her remark instantly got the attention of our parents.