Erin McCarthy - Sweet

Public belching was not a freedom I had embraced since I’d come to college because it wasn’t about rebellion to me, it was about doing what I wanted, and frankly, I’d never had the desire to burp out loud. But why not? If I was going to with anyone, Riley seemed the perfect candidate. We weren’t exactly friends, and we weren’t anything else. So I took a sip of his beer and tried to work one up. I swallowed hard and opened my mouth and held my hands out, but nothing happened.

“What the hell are you doing?” he asked. “You look like you’re giving birth.”

“Shut up!” I laughed. “I’m concentrating.”

“Constipating is more like it.”

Gross. It was a good thing I was not trying to impress him. “You’re the one who wanted me to burp.”

“A burp should be spontaneous, natural.” He let one rip. “Like that.”

“I just don’t have your talent, what can I say?” I tried again and a feeble, forced belch dribbled up. “Ew.”

“Yeah, you’re going to need some work. But we’ve got all week.”

Why did that actually make me happy? I didn’t want to really think about it, but there was something totally different about being with him one on one. I didn’t feel as uncomfortable with his snarking as I had before, and there was something actually kind of liberating about not giving a shit what he thought. I could just be myself and it didn’t matter. When was I ever actually myself? I wasn’t even sure.

My phone rang on the coffee table. I glanced at the screen, and my amusement disappeared. “Oh, shit, that’s my mom. I have to answer this.” I picked up my phone and gave Riley a pleading look. “Please don’t say anything, okay? Just give me five minutes.”

His eyebrows went up. “Sure, no problem.”

I would have thought he would get up and leave the room, but he didn’t. Of course, it was his house and his pizza, so there was no reason for him to move to the kitchen. Heart hammering in my chest, I answered the phone, standing up so I could pace the room. “Hello?”

“Oh, Jessica! I’m surprised I was able to catch you. I was expecting your voice mail.”

Somehow my mother always made it sound like an accusation that I had picked up her phone call. Yet if I didn’t answer, she was equally annoyed. No way to win, ever.

“Yeah, well, we’re on the bus.”

“Yes.”

“Yes, what?” I asked blankly.

“Yes, not yeah. That is not a word.”

Damn it. I clenched my hand into a fist and took a deep breath. “Sorry. Yes, we are on the bus. This may be my last chance for decent reception.”

“Oh, okay. Well, I only have a minute. I just wanted to let you know that we got a ticket for you and a guest to the fund-raiser in three weeks for the new wing at Daddy’s church. It’s important for you to be there.”

Ugh. I would rather get a Brazilian wax than spend five minutes at one of those horrible events where everyone sucked up to my dad and he charmed them out of cash. “Mom, I can’t go to that. How am I supposed to get back?”

“I’m sure you know someone who can help you out. This is very important, Jessica. We’ve been working toward this for two years. The congregation essentially pays for your education, so the very least you can do is put on a dress and smile for an hour.”

Ah, of course. The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away. My parents were giving me financial support, and they could take it away at any minute, and my mother loved to remind me of that on a regular basis.

“I understand that, but if I’m in West Virginia. I can’t just buzz up to Troy for the night. People are counting on me.” Which was bullshit, and I hated lying, but I hated being manipulated even more.

“Your father will be very disappointed.” There was a sniff of disapproval, then she added, “Well, let me know as soon as you can.”

I kind of already had let her know. But whatever. “Fine. I’ll try to call you next week. By the way, Kylie is bringing my stuff over to the house tomorrow.”

“Fine, fine,” my mother said, clearly done with the conversation now that she had gotten her guilt trip in. “The housekeeper can let her in. Behave yourself, Jessica.”

“I always do.” It just depended on your definition of behave. “Bye, Mom.”

There was no response. My mother was notorious for just ending the call without a good-bye. Usually she handed the phone to her assistant to tuck back inside her Louis Vuitton purse.

I sighed and crammed my phone in the pocket of my shorts. Riley was eyeing me. “Yes?” I asked defensively, even though I knew what he was thinking.

“You’re in West Virginia, huh?” he asked, looking amused. “And what, pray tell, are you doing in West Virginia?”

Biting my nail, I eyed him defiantly, daring him to criticize me. “Building houses for poor people.”

Riley let out a choked laugh, and he thumped his fist on his chest, his eyes watering. “Holy shit, are you kidding me?”

“No. It was the only way I could get out of going home for the summer. I know it’s an awful lie, but it couldn’t be helped.”

“So that’s why you don’t have anywhere to stay.”

“Yes.” I went over to the coffee table and took another bite of pizza and chewed hard, annoyed. “You don’t understand. My parents’ house is like prison.”

“Somehow I highly doubt that. But maybe we could ask Tyler to compare them.”

Shit. I immediately felt bad. “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m sure it was awful for Tyler to be in real prison, and there’s no comparison, I know. But at home, I can’t be me. I have to be what their version of me is.” And I just sounded like a whiny, spoiled princess. “Never mind. It’s stupid.”

But Riley just shook his head. “I’m not judging you, Jess. If you don’t want to go home, you don’t want to go home. And I give you props for picking the one thing nobody can argue with, though why your parents actually believe you’re hanging drywall and grouting tile is beyond me.”

“I could do that stuff. If someone showed me.” I wasn’t completely useless. Just a product of my environment.

He snorted. “I’m sure you could. But forgive me if I don’t hand you a nail gun anytime soon.”

“Is that for painting your nails?” I asked in a fake Valley Girl voice, tilting my head and blinking my eyelashes. “Like, is it chip-free?”

Riley grinned. “What are you studying in college, acting?”

I flopped down on the couch and took another sip of his beer. “No.” Like my parents would pay for that. But I wasn’t about to tell him what I was really majoring in.

“There is more beer in the fridge, you know.”

“Why get my own when I can drink yours?”

“Thus establishing why I am not in a relationship,” he said. “We dudes can’t hold our own against the wily ways of women.”

Wily ways? I couldn’t help it. He did make me laugh. “I feel really sorry for you. Not.” Kicking off my flip-flops, I pulled my feet up onto the couch and leaned against Riley’s arm, wanting a headrest. “Doesn’t it smell better in here already?”

“Christ,” he muttered. “I’m going to play video games. You can either play with me or you can go away. It’s too hot for you to be touching me.”

“You sure know how to flatter a girl.”

“I already called you hot and gorgeous tonight. I’ve met my quota.” He nudged me with his bare shoulder so my head flopped a little.

“Stop it.”

“Get off me.” He nudged me again, lifting his arm to get further momentum.

I caught a whiff of his sweat and deodorant mingling together and I coughed. “You stink.”

“Oh, I stink, do I?” He grabbed me in a headlock, catching me off guard. “I’ll give you stink.”