Branded Page 4

  “Ready?” Hanson asks as he eyes his watch. It’s almost time for our next class.

  “Yeah,” I say. But as I turn around, I bump into someone’s shoulder.

  “Hey! Watch it!” He shoves me back so hard I fall to the floor. Only then do I notice it’s Derek. Accompanied by two laughing twins and a beautiful girl on his arm. Dixie.

  “Don’t you ever fucking touch me again, redskin,” Derek says, spitting on the floor beside me.

  Everybody who was in the hallway with us has suddenly gone quiet. They’re all staring at us.

  Dixie wriggles herself free from his arms. “Derek!” She gives him the stink eye.

  “What?” he snarls at her while Hanson helps me up. “I didn’t do shit! He ran into me!”

  “Fucking asshole,” Hanson mumbles as I pat myself down.

  “What did you say?” Derek barks. He’s up in Hanson’s face now and pushes him. Hanson barely manages to keep both feet on the floor. “Say it again, little bitch.”

  “Derek!” Dixie shouts, but he’s ignoring her.

  Hanson glances at me, then at the crowd behind us. For some reason, his eyes stop when they home in on a girl standing on the sidelines. Lillian.

  Out of nowhere, he’s found new, brazen courage, and quips, “You’re an asshole, Derek, and pretty much everyone in the school knows it.”

  People around us visibly snort. Derek’s nostrils flare, rigid cords in his neck, and he grunts out loud. Suddenly, his fist flies straight for Hanson’s face. Hanson sidesteps just in time, and the punch lands on my shoulder instead. I don’t flinch even though it hurts like hell. I’m not gonna go down that easily. Not for a motherfucker like Derek.

  “Derek, what the fuck?!” Dixie yells.

  “C’mon, boys,” Derek shouts at Hanson and me, holding his fists up high. “I’ll take you both on.”

  “Fuck no,” Dixie says, tugging his arm so hard he’s yanked to the side. “Stop this shit. Right. Now.”

  “Why? They started it,” he barks back at her.

  It’s like they’re completely unaware of the people staring at us.

  “No. You did.”

  “He bumped into me,” Derek hisses.

  They’re bickering like a bad couple. It’s almost comical.

  “So what? Shit happens. Move. On,” she says, her face turning completely red at the sight of all the people still watching the spectacle in front of them.

  “Fuck no. Those assholes are looking for a fight. It’s time someone taught them a lesson,” Derek growls, still glaring at both of us even though his girlfriend is right in front of him.

  “You’re embarrassing me,” she whispers loudly, probably hoping no one can hear. But I can. And I’m pretty sure Hanson did too because he’s grinning like crazy.

  “So?” Derek says.

  “So?” she repeats, making a face. “Fuck, I’m so over this.” Her eyes almost roll into the back of her head, that’s how annoyed she appears. “You know what? I’m done. We’re done.”

  She turns around and marches off.

  “Dixie? Wait! Dixie!” Derek yells, running after her, completely forgetting about us.

  It’s too late, though. The moment he touches her shoulder, she immediately jerks away, shoving him aside.

  And all I can do is grin like the devil himself.

  * * *

  Dixie

  Age 16

  I sneak to follow my twin brothers, hiding behind a tree when they turn around briefly. I feel like such a fool doing this, but I have to know what they’re doing inside that farmhouse. It feels like everybody in my family knows what’s up except me. There’s something about that farmhouse, but Dad never lets me in. Only Ben and Danny get to go inside. I’m convinced it’s because they’re boys and I’m a girl. That, and our age difference might be part of the reason.

  But why? What is so important that only they get to do it and not me?

  My dad always boasts about how family comes first, how we should always work hard, and how he is the sole provider for our family. Yet he won’t let me help out in there.

  As though they have this secret man club or something, and I’m not allowed in.

  Well, fuck that. I’m going to follow them and see what they’re up to.

  When they’re almost inside, I make my way to the front door of the farmhouse and try to sneak past them, being careful not to touch anything or anyone.

  However, the moment I step inside, Danny turns around, and we come face to face.

  “What the hell?” he mumbles. “Dixie? What the fuck are you doing here?” He pushes me outside and slams the door shut behind him. “Oh, fuck no.”

  “I just wanna see what y’all are doing in there,” I say, pushing him away.

  “No,” Danny replies.

  Why is he being so fucking difficult? We used to share everything way back when, but somehow, ever since they got more involved with Dad, things changed. It’s like he lets them in on secrets that I’m not allowed to know, and it pisses me off.

  I fold my arms. “Why not? Give me one good reason.”

  “I can’t,” he explains, blocking the door. “Dad’s orders.”

  “What? Why would he say that?” I say, a bit offended that he’d actually admit it was my dad’s idea to exclude me from this. “Please tell me it’s not because ‘I’m a girl and I should be doing girly things.’” I make quotation marks with my fingers.

  “No. I don’t know,” he says, sighing. “Look, I know this thing we’re doing here is off limits for anyone but me, Ben, and Dad. Sorry.”

  I cock my head and make a face. “Really, Danny? We used to do everything together. You, me, and Ben,” I say.

  “Things change,” he says.

  “They don’t have to change,” I say. “This is all Dad’s fault.”

  His brows draw together. “He’s doing what he thinks is best.”

  “By keeping me out? I don’t think so.” I try to pass him again, but he shoves me away.

  “I’m serious, Dixie,” he says, his voice stern just like my dad’s. “This isn’t for you.”

  I grimace. “Well, fuck you.”

  His eyes widen.

  I’ve never sworn at my brothers. But this is a special occasion, and I want him to know. It hurts, dammit. Dad keeps pulling them along, letting them in on everything while pushing me further and further away. I’ve had enough of it. I’m not here to play favorites.

  Ben suddenly steps outside too and eyes both of us. I guess he was listening to our conversation. “It isn’t even remotely interesting, trust me,” Ben says.

  As if that’ll deter me from getting inside that farmhouse and finding out what’s going on.

  “I doubt that since y’all are so secretive about it,” I say, holding my head high. “But I don’t even care anymore. I’m done trying. I’m going to hang out with Brandon instead.”

  As I turn around and walk away, their footsteps follow right behind me.

  “Brandon? As in Locklear?” Ben asks with that same accusatory voice he always uses when he tries to play the big brother.

  “Yup.” I won’t let them change my mind. Not this time.

  “Fuck no. That Indian’s nothing but trouble,” Danny says.

  I come to a screeching halt and spin on my heels. “Stop talking about Brandon like he’s a bad guy. He’s been nothing but nice to me. Seems to me like you are the one causing all the trouble,” I say, pointing my finger at his chest. “I’m tired of y’all constantly controlling my every move. First with Derek, and now with Brandon. I’m not a little girl anymore. I don’t need anyone to protect me.” I turn and start walking again.

  “Dad says we have to stay away from the Locklears,” Ben says.

  It’s not just a warning. It almost sounds like a threat, and I don’t like it one bit.

  “Do you hear me?” His voice is even louder this time, and they’re both still following me.

  “Yeah, I hear you, but I don’t care. As long as
you keep hiding shit from me, I’m gonna do what I wanna, and no one’s gonna stop me,” I say as I jump into my truck.

  “Dixie … really?” Danny says, raising his brow.

  “Yes, really,” I reply with a deadly stare.

  I’m tired of their fucking games. They’re always playing with me, trying to keep me from making my own decisions. I know they mean well, but … fuck.

  We used to have so much fun together, and now look at us. Fighting over who gets to hang out with who, everybody keeping secrets from each other. And on top of that, my own dad doesn’t even accept what I like and dislike. He wants me to help on the farm but won’t give me the same privileges as my own damn brothers.

  “I’m done,” I say in spite. “See you later.” And I shut my door and drive off.

  Chapter Six

  Brandon

  I stare up at the sky, wondering if the stars would ever disappear forever. If this would be the last time I could ever see them. Much like the reserve.

  I sigh and take a drag of my smoke. High up here on the rooftop of the shop is the only place where the streetlights won’t block the view, and it’s the perfect place to cool down after work. That, and my papa would probably kill me if he saw me smoke, which is why I do it up here. It’s one of the only places he’s too afraid to come.

  Whenever he yells out the window for me to come down, I simply put out the cig and chuck it down to the streets below. He’ll never know it was me.

  Besides, it’s not like I do this often. Maybe once a week. Just to take the edge off things.

  My papa would probably curse the shit out of me if he ever caught me. He’d blame the teenage hormones, like everything else these days. It’s as if we’ve only disconnected further since we moved here.

  Sometimes I wish Ma was still here to be the ray of sunshine she always was. But the spirits wanted her to go to the underworld sooner than expected. Cancer’s a bitch.

  Maybe that’s why my papa hates cigarettes so much.

  He even refuses to smoke the pipe, despite it being tradition in culture. But he’d chastise me for not following traditions, like when we had to smear ash over our bodies and wear moccasins to prepare my ma’s body for burial. My papa didn’t want anyone else to do it, and I couldn’t say no.

  God, that feels like such a long time ago.

  I take another drag of my smoke to temper my emotions.

  Papa always said never to cry—at least, not for Ma’s death—because it would stop her from passing over. But I guess that time’s long gone too.

  “Hey …”

  There’s a voice coming from down below. I push out the bud of my cig against the tiles of the roof and peek over the edge.

  “Yeah, you there.”

  It’s Dixie.

  A beaming smile forms on my face.

  Funny. No one’s ever spotted me up here. But of course, she does.

  “Hey. What’s up?” I say.

  “Nothing much. Can I come up there?” she asks, kicking her heels.

  “Um … it’s a dangerous climb,” I say, scratching the back of my head. “There’s no window here so no other way up but the ladder.”

  I don’t wanna sound mean, but it’s very high up, and it doesn’t have a railing. She could get severely hurt.

  “It’s okay. I can handle it.” The wicked smile on her face makes my heart beat faster.

  She grabs the ladder and immediately starts climbing without looking down. She’s steadfast and quick too. Before I know it, she’s reached the top of the building and crawls up to the roof. Courageous, if I say so myself.

  “Whoa, that was fast,” I say as she walks up to where I’m sitting.

  “I used to climb the trees in our backyard when I was little,” she explains, rubbing her lips. “Can I sit?”

  “Oh, yeah, sure,” I say awkwardly, scooting up a bit to make room. “Be careful, the tiles are cold and wet.”

  She snorts. “Can’t be as bad as the toilet seat in our bathroom with the windows open 24/7.”

  Now I’m smiling too. This girl has a weird sense of humor, but I like it.

  “So what are you doing up here?” she asks.

  “Oh, nothing … just staring at the sky,” I reply. “Maybe trying to catch a UFO.”

  “Thought you looked like the brooding type,” she says. The grin on her face is infectious.

  “I’m just kidding,” I add. “Those UFOs would never show themselves here in the middle of nowhere.”

  “I’m surprised you believe in aliens,” she says, and we both laugh.

  She ogles the cig I put out on the tiles, and says, “Thought I smelled something.”

  “Yeah, sorry.” I scratch the back of my head. If I’d known she was coming to my house, I would’ve never lit one up. I know some people hate the smell.

  Instead, she holds her hand out, and says, “Got one for me?”

  With a smirk, I pull out my pack and take one out for her. When she takes it from me and slips it between her lips, my eyes focus on her mouth. For a second, all kinds of images run through my mind. What I wouldn’t give to touch those lips. What would they taste like? Cherries? Strawberries? Sweet apple pie?

  Fuck.

  I fish my Zippo from my pocket and light her cig.

  “A Zippo? Where’d you get that?” she asks.

  “My papa sells them in his shop,” I reply. I kinda stole it, but I don’t tell her that. I don’t wanna sound like a delinquent.

  “Nice,” she says, grinning. “My brothers would probably kill for something like that.”

  I wonder if she’s serious. It wouldn’t surprise me if they end up becoming murderers. Not that I’d ever say that out loud in front of her.

  She takes a good long drag without coughing.

  “You’ve done this before, haven’t you?” I say, impressed.

  “Couple of times,” she replies. “You smoke regularly?”

  “On and off.” I shrug and put the pack of cigs and lighter back in my pocket. “Whenever I feel like it, basically.”

  She takes another drag. “Same for me, but mostly when my brothers are being dicks.”

  “You must smoke every day then.”

  She laughs out loud. “I’m surprised I don’t, to be honest.”

  “Because you know what’s good for you,” I say, which makes her face light up.

  I’m normally not the type to easily dish out compliments like that, but I know she appreciates it.

  “Do you think sitting up here in the dark, smoking a cig with the school outcast is ‘good for me’?” she taunts, making quotation marks with her fingers. I’m sure she heard the term from Derek. Now I know what he calls me when I’m not around.

  “Maybe not, but maybe you like going off the path a bit,” I say, and we both snort again.

  It’s quiet for some time before I can’t stop myself from asking the one question that I’ve wanted to ask for ages. “So what happened to Derek?”

  “Well, you were there, so you know …” she says. “He was acting like a total douche again, so I finally kicked his ass to the curb.”

  I laugh, but she scrunches up her face at me.

  “What’s so funny about that?”

  “Nothing. I’m just amazed it took you so long.”

  She shoves me so hard I have to push back against the tiles so I don’t fall.

  “Damn, you’re strong.”

  “Damn right I am,” she says, blowing out the smoke of another drag. “And I don’t need any more boys toying with me.”

  “I won’t. I promise.” I hold up my hands in defeat.

  She pushes out the bud of her cigarette against the tiles of the roof. “Good, because I really like you, Brandon.”

  I stare in disbelief.

  Did she really just say that, or am I imagining things?

  The awkward smile that follows has my head spinning. She turns away, embarrassed. “Sorry, I don’t kn—”

  Before she can finish her sentence,
I grab her face with both hands and press my lips onto hers.

  She tastes like smoked sweet corn and honey. Of everything I could imagine and more. And she smells divine, like cotton candy mixed with roses. And I want to keep kissing her all night long.

  I’ve never felt this way, this … excited.

  I’ve wanted to kiss her for so long; I couldn’t stop myself.

  And I still can’t stop myself from inching closer, from letting my hands drift down her neck, from pushing up against her.

  I feel like an animal.

  “Wait,” she says, nudging me away with one hand.

  I’m still merely inches away from her beautiful lips, wanting to ravage her right here on the rooftop of my house. But judging from the look in her eyes, I overdid it. Too quick, too soon.

  “Sorry,” I say, leaning back and clearing my throat.

  My whole face is probably red by now. I’m an embarrassment to myself. My dad was right … I’m letting my teenage hormones take over.

  She readjusts her jacket, and we sit in silence, both staring into the distance. I wonder what she’s thinking. If she’s contemplating whether to slap me or run away after what I just did.

  For a brief second, I glance her way, only to find her staring right back at me.

  Taken by surprise, I look away again.

  I don’t know what to do or say, and I feel like an idiot because of it.

  Whoever said being a teen is easy was lying. Nothing about this is easy.

  I’ve never had the courage to approach her, especially with Derek breathing down her neck. But right now, all I can think about is how I want her to be mine. In this lonely town, she makes me feel alive. Like I’m accepted.

  “I like you too,” I say after a while.

  For some reason, that makes her laugh. She buries her face in her hands and shakes her head, then says, “You think?”

  “Was it that obvious?” I reply casually even though my heart is racing.

  “What the fuck …?” someone down below mutters.

  Suddenly, a stone flies by my head.

  “Hey, asshole! The fuck you doing with my girl?”

  We peek over the edge. Derek’s peering up from down below with his fists on his hips and a murderous look on his face.