Chapter 8: The Morning After

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

The next morning, Kale woke to two surprises. A throbbing head. Funny, since he didn't remember getting in a fight with a military tank and coming out the loser. Then there was a naked Jason lying beside him. What. The. Fuck?!

Raven was going to kill him. He sat on the edge of his bed and quickly thought back to evening before. It was a blur. Maybe there was more to the scenario than the conclusion he was jumping to. Had to be. A warm arm wrapped around his waist. Kale went still. Warm breathing danced across his lower back.

"Morning, Tiger." The groggy voice broke into his thoughts.

"Who the hell is Tiger!" Kale grabbed his head. Was it bad when your own voice made your head throb?

Jason laughed and snuggled up to his back, "No one else here, who do you think?"

Kale covered his face and groaned into his hands. Raven was going to kick his ass. He was dead. A goner. Screwed. If it was anyone else, she would be ecstatic. It just had to Jason lying there, didn't it. And there's the other downside of getting drunk. A killer headache and the town slut in your bed. Never. Again.

"Uh, look. Yeah, can we, you know. Not tell anyone about this." Kale turned to look down at Jason as he spoke.

"About what? Waking up with me in your bed? Or what happened between us in said bed?"

Oh god, he had jumped to the right conclusion. That meant...he was no longer...a virgin. As the thought dawned on him, he groaned again. Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit.

"Either, or. Preferably both."

"Ashamed?"

"More confused than anything. Might be the hangover, but, I don't think so."

"Why the confusion? Want me to preform a re-enactment?" Jason released his hold on Kale and sat up, ready to help refresh Kale's memory.

"Uh, no. Thanks, but no." He really didn't want to think about the events that led to that moment, let alone the act itself.

Jason laughed and shrugged his shoulders. They both turned their heads when they heard footsteps in the hall. Raven's manic beats on the door set Kale's ass on fire. He jumped from the bed and frantically started searching for his clothes. It was useless, the only clothing on the floor was Jason's ripped jeans and black Slipknot tee. Where the hell were his clothes!?

"Bathroom. You got a little...dirty last night." The double meaning made Kale blush. He put his fingers to his lips.

"Kale! Wake up! We have got to go!"

The slap to his forehead bounced around the empty walls of the room. Work! How was he going to be able to work today?

"Kale! Unlock the door!" Raven shouted as she jiggled the knob with one hand and pounded on the door with other. "Don't you dare make me late Kale! GET! UP! NOOOOW!" A final slam on the door and Kale heard her stomping back down the hallway.

"Wow, she's a sweetheart in the mornings."

Kale looked over, Jason sat there on his bed. Completely naked. No sheet to cover his business, oh no. He was just letting it all hang out. For the millionth time since waking up, Kale slapped his forehead.

"Please get off the bed and get dressed. You're distracting."

Jason complied and made his way around the room. He slid his legs into his jeans and pulled his shirt over his head. Kale busied himself with the task of finding his work clothes. And getting Jason out before Raven discovered he was, and had been all night, in Kale's bed.

"Do I get a goodbye kiss?" He asked as he sat on the bed to put on his shoes.

"Uh, no. Don't think so." Kale eyed the door. "Please. Just wait here until we leave."

"You are ashamed!" At his rise of voice Kale blanched and pleaded him with his eyes, to just shut the hell up. He brought his fingers to his lips and violently shushed him.

Jason feigned heartbreak. His green eyes lighting with defiance. "Be nice or I may just strip my clothes off and wander around the house, butt-assed naked, bragging of my conquest."

Kale's face heated with anger and embarrassment. He wouldn't, would he? "Jason, please. I don't feel like dealing with this right now. Just wait until we leave. Then you can go and do," he lifted his hands and made an unsure gesture with his hands, "whatever it is that you do."

"Fine. But, you and me. We'll do this again."

Kale shook his head. Not in a million years would he spend another night with Jason.

"Don't think so." With that as his goodbye, he quietly opened his door and slipped out. He made his way to the bathroom and grabbed his toothbrush, toothpaste, cologne, and deoderant. The bathroom at work was as good as place as any to get ready for his shift. He shoved the items in a travel bag and went to drag Raven out of the house. Hopefully without her discovering the devirginator in his room.

"Geez, Kale! What is wrong with you?" Raven fought to slow Kale down on the way out of the house. He was practically dragging her down the porch steps. When they reached her car, he let go of her wrist and headed for the passenger side.

"No reason. Just don't want you to be late." His attempted puppy dog eyes brought a giggle from Raven.

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes and got in the car.

Kale climbed in and huddled down in the seat. The extra exertion from his quick escape from the house had his head throbbing and his stomach rolling. He repeated, 'Never again' through his head like it was a new mantra.

Raven's sense of humor broke into his silent suffering. Her and the stereo sang the perfect song. As loud as she could, without damaging her vocal cords she sang/screamed out the words to Youth and Whiskey. Any other time, Kale would be singing along with her. But a hangover and Black Veil Brides, just did not mix.

"Ray, I swear to all that is holy, if you don't stop, I am going to bleach all your clothes."

Her laughter mixed with the music and shot eruptions of pain flairing through his head.

"Jesus Christ, Ray! Turn it down. You're killing me here."

Raven rolled her eyes and turned the stereo down. His sigh of relief made her laugh again.

The sudden silence in the car was broken when Raven asked, "Did you have fun last night?"

Kale shifted in his seat and looked out the window. He couldn't control the blush that stained his face. Even going as far as his ears. Out of the corner of her eye, Raven saw his body language change. He went from huddled up and cradling his head to rigid and evasive. His silence worried her.

"Kale, why were you in a rush to leave?"

"I already told you. Didn't want to be late." His words were aimed at the window and door. Barely audiable and said with a hint of begging her not to push.

"Kale."

"Ray, you were making a racket about being late. I thought you wanted to leave quickly."

"Why did you rush me, Kale? You knew we had enough time for you to shower and get ready for work."

Kale did not like the direction the conversation was going. Sometimes he wished she didn't know him so well. Her stare felt like it was prying inside his mind. And that was just a sideways glance. If her full attention was focused on him. There was no doubt she would have the truth out of him in five flat.

"Kale..."

He gave up. She knew there was a reason. No point in trying to convince her otherwise.

"There was someone in my room."

Her sharp intake of breath made him wince.

"Oh my god, Kale! Who?" Her eyes were huge. He was expecting them to pop right out of her head.

"Just...someone."

"And why was that someone in there? Kale, did you? Did you, you know..." Her sentence ended with her imitation of a squeaking bed.

Kale's silence gave her, her answer. "Oh my god! Kale who was it?"

Her enthusiasm waned when he wouldn't answer her. She stole another glance and saw that he was back to being huddled up.

"So, you're telling me, you're no longer Mr. Innocence, but you won't tell me who took that innocence?" When he still wouldn't answer she became a little pissed. She hadn't actually expected Kale to get drunk and go screw some random person from their party. It wasn't like him.

"Pretty much."

"He speaks!" His shrug fueled her on. "I hate you so much right now."

Kale shrugged again and leaned his head against the dashboard. Her fingers tighted on the stearing wheel and her lips were pressed into a tight line.

Even when he put on sunglasses, the light was killing his eyes. The first-aid kit at work was going to be raided as soon as he walked through the doors.

They passed through town in silence. Kale occasionally peeking out the window. Neighborhoods with tree lined streets slowly merged into downtown shops and sporadic storefront gardens. They pulled up to the empty parking lot, parked, and sat in silence.

"Kale, why won't you tell me?" Raven's saddened voice was barely heard.

The stab of guilt had him close to confession. But he just couldn't. He and Raven had trashed Jason so many times, that he knew Raven wouldn't be happy with him. She was already upset because he wouldn't tell her. And maybe Jason was right. He was ashamed. He never pictured his first time to be with a guy he didn't like and drunk off his ass. He always thought it would be something he remembered forever. All he knew of or remembered of his "big night" was that he puked and Jason took care of him. Oh, he definitely wouldn't forget the soreness in a certain area, but he wished he knew all the details.

"Ray, I'm still trying to come to terms with it. I swear, you'll know as soon as it doesn't freak me out anymore."

Knowing that's all he would tell her, she nodded and got out of the car. There was no use trying to drag it out of him if he wasn't ready. He'd tell her, eventually.

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net