One

Time… Time… Damn it, what’s the time?

My hand finds the clock on the bedside table and I squint at it.

2:17 AM.

Shit, I’m late. Again. Nora and Dad aren’t going to be happy.

Slowly, carefully, I pull out of the bed and look around in the dark for my clothes. I dress as fast as I can and crawl into the tree by the open window. I quietly climb down the tree to the ground and pull the collar up around my face on my leather jacket as I jog down the road. I rustle through my pockets for my keys, and, finding my car, hidden away in a nearby alley, get inside and drive home.

I turn my lights off when I hit our street, and manage to slip into the driveway and sneak into the house undetected. But I’m on my way to the stairs when I hear a cold, “Where have you been tonight, Derek?”

Fuck. I got caught.

I let out an annoyed breath. So close. I was so close. I turn around and look into the living room to see Nora and my dad in the doorway, looking both tired and angry.

“I told you two earlier, I was going to a party,” I say quietly. I too am pretty tired.

“Yes, but you know your cerfew is one, and it’s”—Dad checks his watch—“a little after two-thirty.”

“Sorry, I got caught in some mess. It won’t happen again.” I turn to try to go upstairs again, but Nora interrupts me.

“What kind of a mess, Derek?”

Again, I turn around. “Can’t we do this in the morning?” I ask. “I’m exhausted.”

She won’t have it. “You’re not going to bed until we get an explanation.”

“I already told you, I got caught up in something. Amy got sick off of something she ate. So I had to drive her home. She doesn’t exactly live nearby, you know.” They look at me sternly. “I’m serious,” I insist.

“Fine,” says Dad after a minute. “Go to bed. We’ll discuss this more tomorrow.”

“Thank you. G’night.” I walk up the stairs and into my room. I shut the door and collapse into my bed fully dressed. Amy got sick, huh? That was a nice touch. More like, I got sick, of the party. And yes, I did take her home… but not to drop her off.

I snicker sleepily into my pillow and fall asleep with a grin on my face. I’ll deal with the adults, or maybe not, tomorrow.

xXx

Several hours later, my alarm clock goes off and I wake to a house full of yelling people, as usual. I turn the clock off and groggily walk over to the closet to change my shirt. When I head downstairs, I see an annoyingly happy step-sister of mine eating her breakfast. Happiness is just pouring off of her. Mornings are not my thing and I’m really not in the mood for her. I sit down at the counter with cereal, a bowl and milk, and make myself breakfast.

“What are you so cheerful about?” I demand.

“Oh, nothing,” she answers with a sigh, still smiling. I roll my eyes.

I snort. “Yeah, right. Did you and Max fuck last night or are you just purposefully trying to piss me off?”

Her eyes widen with disgust and I smile crookedly. “Excuse me, Derek? But I’m sure my mom and George would not be happy to hear you use such horrible language!”

“So you two DID have sex?” I laugh mercilessly. Nobody else is in the kitchen, no one can hear me. I’m not speaking that loud, either. She’s so irritating, but fun to bother.

“No, we did not,” she says in that proper-lady voice of hers, but I can see the blush on her cheeks. I’m not stupid.

But, “Whaaaaatever,” I say, before she gets up and leaves in a huff. I laugh, now in a better mood.

I may have forgotten to mention, but I am extremely sensitive to other people’s emotions. It’s a curse I get from my mother. I can pretty much feel what they’re feeling if I’m close enough to them. But I have an image to maintain, so nobody knows about it.

Casey was at that party last night too. And I clearly remember her giggling about something stupid to Max and then last I saw them, they were heading upstairs. I left for Amy’s before I saw them go, but Casey, of course, made her curfew. Bitch.

I wouldn’t doubt if George, Nora, or even maybe Edwin knew that I’ve been having a lot of sex recently. In fact, I first had it about a year ago, when I was dating Kendra. (Now I have my new girlfriend, Amy, and though she has no brains at all, she sure is pretty and fun to fuck.) However, the parents are completely unaware of the fact that I am not the only one getting some bed action lately. Casey’s been with Max for almost a whole year, or maybe it’s two, I don’t remember or care, but she’s gone all the way with him. I know because I’m not stupid. And, they both told me, though reluctantly.

School. Only thing good about it is the large amount of hot girls who would love to spend the night with a very attractive guy like myself. Amy isn’t always available, shockingly, and I need to mix it up a little. She’s the one I carry on my arm with the title “girlfriend”, but she’s definitely not the only one I’m “seeing”.

I walk down the halls to my first class after a small make out with Amy, and I pass by a very hot blonde girl who locks eyes with me for a moment. Her name is Melissa and I think she’s dating some smart science guy or something.

No big deal, I think slyly. I can work that too.

Lust is in my veins like a drug. I will get her. Tonight or tomorrow, I’ll be the boy she can’t remember sleeping with. Especially since I know what lust feels like coming from others, and I can feel the tiniest whiff of it coming off of her. She’ll be easy. I plan how to get her to sleep with me instead of listening to my teacher talk about something unimportant.