Laughing Fate (24 page)

“What you thinking?”

“
I was just wondering why you were so afraid of me?”

“
Well, you burned down the school for one…”

“
I did not! The first time I was accused of that was because Tony and James were smoking and I caught them doing it. So they threw their butts on the lawn and ‘convinced’ me not to say anything by threatening my life. They left, but by then a small fire had started and I was caught near the scene! I told the principle that I had caught someone smoking (didn’t tell them who) and that they had run away before anyone saw them.

The second time, in high school, it wasn’t even me! It’s just that by that time, everyone pointed at me every time something went wrong. When the school burned down I was with Drea and Kyle at Ruth Lake.  Did you really think I did all those things?”

“I didn’t know you well enough…all I knew was that everyone in my class was retelling all of your famous stunts. But what about the time you said you had cancer? We still celebrate Puck’s Day on August 6
th
!”

“
Yeah…that. My brothers shaved off all my hair because they were mad at me. I had to say something to save face.  But if I’m so scary, how come you’re here now?”

Potter smiled and dragged Puck onto his lap. He nuzzled her neck, letting his hands wander up the sides of her body, and licked the spot where her pulse was beating. He took his time nibbling and tasting her neck before he responded. By that time, Puck was a quivering mess in his arms, purring and gasping at his every touch.

“Because you’re hot, you’re sexy, and you’re mine.” He growled next to her skin, before he moved his hands up to mold her breasts. They were the perfect size, they filled his hands perfectly, and he just knew that it would be heaven to taste them. Potter kissed her deeply, Puck having turned her face to meet his, exploring her mouth with his tongue, claiming her as his own.

“
Oh god, get a room you two!” Perri said from the hallway. Potter kissed Puck one last time and set her gently down beside him. He looked at Perri, who looked like a rebellious teenager, which was so different from her normal sweet disposition.  He sighed as he realized that he was not going to have his date with Puck today.

Puck scooted away from Potter self consciously and tried to smile at Perri. “Feeling any better? Cause I for one do not want to fight anymore. We’re sisters Perri, we have to stick together.”

Perri rolled her eyes at Puck and sat down with her arms crossed. “We wouldn’t be fighting right now if you wouldn’t act like such a bitch.”

“
Hey now,” Potter said angrily, ready to jump to Puck’s defense, but was silenced when Puck jumped up and threw a pillow at Perri.

‘
She was escalating matters again…’ Potter thought warily. Seeing the Berri sisters fight was like watching a war movie. It was never as simple as an argument. Once Puck got mad she didn’t back down, instead she kept escalating matters until a full blown war commenced.

“
I am not a bitch! You are! I’m just trying to help you, you ungrateful skank!”

Perri screamed in outrage and threw the pillow back at Puck along with several expletives. “I am not a skank! You are such a jerk! All my life you have been an embarrassment to me!  All my friends think you’re crazy, most of them won’t even come to our house because they don’t want to run into you! You have done drugs, snuck out with guys, you have a freakin tattoo on your butt and have been in jail at least 3 times! Who are you to judge me?”

Potter looked at Puck and hurried to get between the two sisters. Puck looked ready to kill her sister. She was sputtering with rage right now, but soon she’d react.

“
Listen, I know you are going through some hard times. You’re going to be a single mom and that’s going to be hard. But your sister is worried sick about you, and she is willing to do anything to help you. So why don’t you two just hug and make up?”

He winced when both of the Berri sisters glared at him and told him to stay out of it. Puck pushed her way in front of Potter and pointed a finger at Perri. “You’re lucky you’re pregnant or I’d be kicking your butt right now!”

“Oooh, I’m so scared! You’re pathetic! Haven’t you noticed people crossing the street just to avoid you? How are you going to help me, when your life is even more screwed up than mine?  I don’t want your help! You’re such a screw up, you’d just mess everything up more than it is!”

“
I am not a screw up!”

“
Oh yeah? Then how come you lost your job, huh? It sure as heck wasn’t because of your sweet disposition!”

“
Wait, you lost your job?” Potter asked bewildered. This was the first he’d heard of it. There went Puck and her secrets again…

“
Shut up!” Both sisters yelled.

“
I’m screwed up? At least I’m not knocked up like you!”

“
Only because guys don’t want to sleep with you!”

Okay now that was harsh, thought Potter. Not to mention that it was patently not true. He felt his heart clench when Puck’s face flushed. She had to know that wasn’t true. He had been chasing her around for months now. 

The living room had fallen silent after Perri’s last remark as Puck stood there frozen.   Potter knew that the silence wouldn’t last much longer so he quickly stepped between the two sisters.

He guessed he should be thankful that they had not yet resorted to violence, but he had no doubt that before too much longer the first punch would be thrown. He racked his brain for a quick fix to the situation, but couldn’t think of anything. Maybe he should just wing it.

“Both of you stop talking. Nothing is going to be fixed if you both keep yelling at each other! You guys are sisters, you need to stick together right now, not be at each other’s throats! Perri you were the one that told me that I had to look past Puck’s obvious shortcomings-

“
Hey!” yelled a shocked Puck, interrupting Potter. Potter glanced at her sternly before looking back at Perri. Puck shut her mouth and let Potter continue, but boy was she going to let him have it when he was done!

“
You were the one that told me how sweet and caring Puck is, that there’s a side of her that few people get to see that is loyal and self sacrificing. She would do anything for you; she HAS done everything for you. Now you are either going to apologize or you’re going keep quiet, but I will not let you talk like that to Puck.”

Perri sat in her chair, her arms crossed, looking defiant. Potter sighed and gave up, he couldn’t work miracles, but at least he had spoken his piece. It was just so out of character for Perri to be so rude.  He glanced at Puck and was a little worried about the frown on her face. Had he overstepped his bounds?  Potter took it as a good sign though, that she let him slip an arm around her waist and pull her closer.

Puck let Potter put his arm around her, trying to decide whether to be mad at him or not. This was not his fight, and she didn’t quite like it that he’d talked like that to Perri. Also that remark about her shortcomings…what the hey was that about? She had a few oddities, sure, but nothing that was unbecoming!

She looked at Perri and felt her heart squeeze a little. Perri was acting so out of character. Puck reminded herself that right now her hormones were out of whack and that she was not only dealing with the betrayal of her boyfriend but a life sentence of motherhood. She was too young to have that much stress in her life. Puck felt her anger slowly melt away as she thought of all that her baby sister was going through.

“I’m sorry. You’re right I am a jerk. We shouldn’t be fighting right now, it can’t be good for your baby. This isn’t about me, so I’ll just back off okay? I just want you to be happy. If there’s anything I can do to help let me know.” Puck stared at her feet, praying that Perri would be able to forgive her.

The silence stretched on for a while before Perri slowly nodded her head. She wiped a tear away and whispered a soft, “Thank you.” At those words everyone gave a sigh of relief. It seemed as if world war III would be another day.

Chapter 9

One heck of a first date and the perils of adventures!

“
You ready to go on that date?”

“
Yeah,” Puck said, “I just have to grab my purse. I’ll be right back.” Puck ran and grabbed her purse, sprayed a little ‘love spell’ on and came back in a matter of seconds. She waved good bye to Perri, who although had not been her usual cheery self, had at least lost the petulant look that all teenagers seemed to perfect.

“
I’ll be back in a while. There’s subway in the fridge if you want it.”

“
Sure. Whatever.”

“
Okay, bye.”

Puck was just closing the door when she heard a small, “Thank you,” from inside. Puck smiled and turned to Potter. She put her arm through his and smiled up at him.

They walked arm in arm to Potter’s car, where he opened the door for her, kissed her lightly on the lips and buckled her seat belt for her, letting his hands graze her body in the process.

Potter drove them out to Patrick’s Point, a park that had a look out over the ocean. It was famous for its Wedding Rock, a giant Rock with foliage that had a fantastic vista of the ocean. It had stairs leading up to it, and many a wedding had taken place there. The park also had other rocks that also had look outs and a beach that was dangerous to swim in, but pretty to look at.

Potter parked the car, reluctantly took his right hand off of Puck’s warm thigh, where it had been resting during the entire drive, and turned to Puck. She looked so pretty, her hair was slightly tousled from their earlier make out session in her living room and an impromptu one on the side of the road (Puck had pretty much demanded he pull the car over and was half on his lap before he could even turn on his blinker), she had several hickeys on her neck that claimed her as his, and her eyes were locked onto his.

“
So I was thinking that for our first date, we could come down here and play volley ball on the sand. I packed us a picnic lunch; I have several blankets to keep us warm and gasoline to start a fire. What do you think?”

Puck smiled wide and threw herself in Potter’s arms. “It sounds wonderful! It’s going to be so much fun! You are so great, I love you!” Potter stilled, wondering if he had heard her correctly. Had she just said she loved him? He felt his heart squeeze, which made him tighten his arms until she was almost crushed against him.  Should he tell her how he felt about her? After a moments thought, he decided not to make a big deal out of it, he was half afraid she’d deny it if he did.

Puck mentally cursed herself for being stupid. Had she just said she loved him? Her brain must still be foggy from the last make out session. Ah, it had been great. She’d slid her hand up his strong thigh and had leaned in to plant a wet kiss where his throat met his chest. He had been so surprised that he’d swerved and almost hit an oncoming car, but in a matter of seconds he had the car pulled over and his seat pushed back so that Puck could climb on top of his lap.

Just thinking about it was making it difficult for her to breath.  Man, he was a sexy guy. He made her feel so special and sexy every time he kissed her. Maybe he hadn’t heard her. Even if he had, was it really such a bad thing? He didn’t seem to mind; in fact right now he was crushing her to him and cupping her butt, molding her flush to him. The wind was whipping at them, the smell of salt air was filling her nose and they had a fun date ahead of them, all in all it was a perfect moment. 

****

Hours later, after their date at the beach and several long talks and many long kisses, Potter dropped her off at her house. He kissed her long and slow right outside of her door, not wanting to say goodbye. Puck had been so sweet and kissable on their date. She was showing him a completely new side of her, trusting him just a little bit more. That thought filled Potter with so much pride. He broke off their kiss and smiled down at his little spit fire. Her eyes were still closed and she was leaning into him with her body.  He knew that if he pushed it, he could get her to sleep with him tonight.

Potter sighed and stepped away. Now was not the time. While they had been talking, Puck had shyly mentioned that she was a virgin. Potter was thrilled that neither Kyle nor Tony had ever gotten into her pants. When he did sleep with Puck he wanted it to mean something. He wanted a ring on her finger and a promise from her that she wouldn’t run away. He grinned down at Puck and waited until her eyes slowly opened.  All in all it had been a perfect date. He had a hard on that was uncomfortable as hell, but the day had definitely been worth it.

Puck walked dreamily into her townhouse and stood by her window to watch Potter as he walked back to his car. Once he got in he paused to stare at her window. Puck sucked in a breath when she saw the affection in his eyes. If she was a less cynical person she might even call it love. She lifted the curtain and waved good bye at him, and smiled when he gave her a single nod and drove off. Stupid macho men and their head nods, she thought warmly.  She let the curtain fall and walked to her room.

She paused to poke her head in Perri’s room to say good night. Her sister had fallen asleep in her bed with a book on her gently rounded belly. Puck smiled and closed the door. She’d only known about the baby for a few days, but already she loved it. She would be the best aunt that baby could wish for.