The Story of Us (Carnage #1)

by Lesley Jones

Despite overhearing my dad tell my mum, Jimmie and me were ‘too grown up for our own good,’ Bailey, my eldest brother, was eighteen, and even as a mature, eleven almost twelve year old, Jimmie being just a few months younger, I knew that was too big of an age gap.

My dad and my brothers did it to me when they knew I was all dressed up for a special occasion, and my dad did it to my mum every time she came down the stairs dressed and ready for the day and it would make my chest squeeze when I looked at my dad and the way he would look at my mum when he did it.

I looked back towards my brother, waiting for the popping to stop in my mouth so I could give him some attitude about the shitty look on his face when my world suddenly stopped turning.

“Show us your tits.” He gestured with his chin towards me. It’s a wonder I didn’t disappear in a puff of smoke. Poof! Gone! I was so embarrassed. Even my hair felt like it was blushing. “Fuck off, Maca. She’s my little sister, and she’s only eleven.”

The popularity of my brother’s, meant I was always part of the cool kid clique. I that age, I was probably be described as lanky.

My dad was tall, well over six feet. He was broad, and he was dark, dark hair, dark eyes, and dark skin. My mum, on the other hand, was short, about five feet four and very petite. Even after having us four kids, she still only wore a size eight. She was pale with skin like porcelain and had the most beautiful dark auburn hair, and the bluest of eyes. My dad was handsome. All of my mates told me so, and my mum was stunningly beautiful.

But at eleven, I knew I wasn’t stunningly beautiful like my mum, but I knew I was pretty.

I don’t mean to sound flash, or like an arsehole, it’s just how it is, and although most won’t admit to it, girls just know these things.

Love us or hate us, Jimmie and I instantly became the popular girls, but at secondary school, that’s ...

Sean was with him and moved around to stand next to me. Taking me entirely by surprise, he pulled me into his side by my waist and kissed my temple, asking into my hair if I was okay? I nodded. This time, it wasn’t so much the effect he had on me. It was more the fact t I was shitting myself over possibly being beaten up after school by a grown woman for doing absolutely nothing wrong.

My jaw hit the floor. Well, that was how it felt anyway.

Omg you really don’t have to clarify that it didn’t literally hit the floor. No one was wondering lol

Not knowing, but hearing rumours about what he got up to at these party’s was killing me.

*parties

I wanted him to be my boyfriend—whatever that entailed when you’re fourteen— or, I wanted to be allowed to tell everyone at school that thought we were together, that we were over so I could have a chance at finding a different boyfriend.

My dad will be here tomorrow, and there’s no way I’ll be going topless in front of him, you, or anyone. You snooze, you lose”

Add a period at the end of this sentence

His hand came up and cupped the side of my face. His thumb rubbed over my lips like he was testing them, trying them out with his thumb before he went in with his own lips. My heart felt like it was about to pound out of my chest and go crashing into his. He leant in until his lips met mine. They were so much softer than I ever could have imagined. Soft and minty, he must’ve cleaned his teeth right before he came down to the pool. He smelled and tasted delicious, minty fresh, and clean. I was aware of the sensation of stubble around the edge of his mouth, but it was his lips, those soft, soft lips brushing against mine that is the overriding memory I have of that first kiss.