The Senator's Son (2016 Watty Award Winner)

Chapter 2

Zach

"What's up with the broad?" Brett asked. We'd finished our last joint and I was taking in the effects. Everyone else had hit the sack.

"Becca?"

Brett blinked a few times. "No, the chick Jake brought."

"Emma? What would be up with her?" I grabbed the bag of Doritos and polished off the last few chips.

"You were talking to her a lot. It was pissing off Becca. You know, the chick you came here with."

"I don't give a shit what pisses Becca off. I was being nice to someone who cooked and cleaned for us. Is that horrible?"

Brett's eyes narrowed. "You've got to be kidding. While you were inside being nice to her, we got the low-down from Jake. Poor guy is stuck with this chick the entire year. He didn't sound too happy about it."

"Because Bianca isn't happy about it?"

"I guess so."

"I think Emma's all right."

"You don't have to live with her."

"She's a great girl. I don't get what Jake or Bianca have a problem with."

Brett leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm thinking you've got a thing for this weirdo."

"First of all, you can stop calling her names. As for Emma, I was being kind to a girl that everyone else was ignoring."

"You'd fuck her given the chance."

"Okay, we're done here." Arguing with him was a waste of time. "I'm going to crash. You guys want to wake me up this time? Before taking off?"

Brett gave me a thumbs up and I headed to my room. I got into bed, the buzz of a few beers, chocolate cake and a joint had a way of making me forget I had to spend the weekend with Becca. She didn't know it yet, but it was going to be our last. I'd already committed to this getaway and didn't feel right doing the deed before the last weekend of summer.

We nearly made it six months, but only the first few of it had been good. Then the veneer stripped away and what was underneath hadn't been pretty. I toughed it out all summer but I couldn't go through a school year with her hanging off me all the time. Sure, she was hot. Fucking hot. But the jealousy and the constant bickering were too much. I'd stuck this one out way too long.

"You were talking to that loser all day," she said, putting an array of creams and potions on her face. The room reeked like a cosmetic counter.

"If you're referring to Emma, she isn't a loser."

"All she wants is to get into Jake's pants. He's her only friend. That makes her a loser. You should stay away from her."

She talked to me like I had to obey. When had she got comfortable enough to think I was going to think her way? I didn't mind when a girl called the shots. I even liked it, but not when she was spewing this kind of crap. Becca had made her mind up about Emma before the girl walked through the door. Man, what did I see in this chick? Other than the body she was an empty, bottomless pit. Yes, she came from a good family, but I was long past getting involved with girls for their pedigree.

"I'm going to consider myself her friend. So now she has two."

Becca rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she said and put on what must have been her tenth face cream. "I'm sure she's trying to give him a hand job while we speak."

"When you're finished doing whatever it is that you're doing, turn off the light because I'm tired." I put my pillow over my head and tried to block out the light. A few minutes later she got into bed and seconds after that her perfume-laden hands were slithering down my chest. I grasped onto her hand before it reached her desired location. She'd be disappointed with the results.

"I'm wiped. Goodnight."

She abandoned her attempts and grunted a goodnight.