Chapter Six

DAKODA

"Ouch," I grimace.

"Shit, sorry," Gage says, looking down at me.

"It's okay," I sigh. Because your girl is hooked. Those eyes alone I could look at all day. Then you add those smoking hot bodies, and I'm doomed.

"Oh, is that right?" he retorts, kissing my neck and rubbing me over my pants.

"Yep, yes, that's okay, too." He just smiles and then gets up.

I pout a little. They all chuckle.

"As much as we want to have sex with you, we also know you're going to be sore as hell in the next couple of hours, and we don't want to add to that," Gage says.

"Well, I'm not sore right now," I say, wiggling my eyebrows.

"Is that so?" Gage says. "I mean, we can't say no to the beautiful princess when she is asking for it, right?"

"Stop calling me that," I say, slapping him on the chest.

He just chuckles.

"Not today, buddy," Korey says. When he sees the look in his friends' eyes, he explains.

"We need her well enough to practice. The meets start in a couple of weeks, so she needs to be ready to kick some ass and make it to the last 2 rounds so she can move on to the pros."

So, the guys take me home.

The guys left a couple of hours ago, and Korey was right. I hurt like crazy, so I take some pain pills and make myself something to eat before they kick in.

Once I'm out of the shower, I crawl into my bed and conk out. I'm woken from my sleep when I feel a warm body crawling in behind me and strong arms wrap around my waist.

Please let it be one of the guys.

"Gage?"

"Yeah, it's me."

Thank goodness!

I turn around to face him. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but what on earth are you doing here?"

"I just came to check on how you were feeling and saw how peacefully you were sleeping. I couldn't resist the temptation to crawl into bed with you and cuddle."

Aw! Gage and I lay there and talk for a good 30 minutes, getting to know each other better, when we hear a voice say, "Ouch, fuck."

I giggle. "I wonder who it could be this time."

"Kasey. Gage tells me it's because Korey's voice is deeper," he says.

"Damn," Kasey says when he sees Gage.

"Well, I guess great minds think alike," Gage says, shrugging his shoulders and getting into bed on the other side of me.

Thankfully, I have a queen-size bed. That's one thing Stella and I were very adamant about as we got older - a big, comfy bed.

"I give it 10 minutes and Korey will come through the window," Gage says.

"Why are you coming through the window? You guys know my parents aren't here, and I know you know where the key is," I say.

"This is more sneaky," Gage says.

As predicted, here comes Korey.

"Well, shit, I told you guys to leave her alone tonight," Korey barks at the guys.

"And just what the hell were you doing, bro?" Gage asks him.

"I was coming to check on our rising star," Korey says.

"I call bullshit," Kasey smirks, and Korey flips him the bird.

"Okay, as fun as this is, I'm sleepy. So either find a spot on the bed and we all get some sleep, or you guys go somewhere else," I tell them.

"Aw, someone's grumpy," Kasey says, winking at the guys.

"No, you don't," I say, trying to wiggle myself out of their hold.

"Where are you going, princess?" Kasey asks.

"I just want to sleep. You guys had your chance earlier, and you said no, so now I'm saying no."

"And you really think that's how this works?" Korey asks, tilting his head to the side.

For a moment, I feel in control.

"No."

"Smart girl," Gage says, pecking me on the cheek, and I elbow him in the ribs.

"Jerk!"

"I got your jerk," he whispers, slipping his hand down the front of my panties.

I arch my back off the bed and whimper as his fingers find my clit. He continues to rub it while kissing my neck, and Kasey plays with my right nipple.

Gage gets up and positions himself between my legs, while Korey takes his place beside me and continues to rub my clit. Gage enters me quickly, and I let out a scream of pleasure.

"Holy shit, he's big!" I mean, the other two guys aren't lacking in any way, but Gage is huge!

"You okay, Koda?" he asks.

"Yes, I'm fine," I tell him.

As soon as I confirm that I'm okay, he tells me to hold on because he's about to fuck me hard.

🏄‍♀️🏄‍♂️

The following morning, I woke up feeling pleasantly sore. The guys went off to shower and prepare for our day of training.

After having breakfast and taking a shower, I joined them at the beach. However, they seemed particularly harsh today, acting very bossy.

"Fucking focus, Korey barked at me when I fell off the board for the fourth time."

"I am focusing, Korey," I yelled back.

"Oh, yeah," Kasey chimed in, knocking me off my board.

"What the fuck, Kasey?"

"If you were paying attention, I wouldn't have been able to do that. That's what the fuck. Now get back on the board and try again."

"Fuck this. I've had enough for today. It's already five o'clock, and I've been on the board for 11 hours."

"Where the fuck do you think you're going?" Korey asked, grabbing my leg and pulling me back.

"Home, asshole. I'm done for the day. We've been out here since six this morning, and it's now five in the afternoon. We're just sniping at each other. It's time to call it a day, grab something to eat, and come back tomorrow morning."

"I understand that you want me to focus on the professional stuff, but if I'm not ready this year, there's always next year. And with you three as my trainers, I'll kick some ass," I express.

"You will be ready this year and you will win," Korey asserts confidently.

"Okay, if you say so, stud, but I don't have to achieve it all in one day," I respond to them.

"You're right," Korey agrees. "Let's get you some food."

After the guys drop me off at home following our meal at the diner, I receive a text from Mac.

Mac: Hey, do you want to go to that party I was telling you about? I can come pick you up if the assholes didn't fix your car.

Me: Hell yeah, come pick me up in about 15. I need to shower and find something to wear tonight.

I probably would have declined if it weren't for the guys trying to control my every move.

"Alright, bitch, you ready to party?" Mac exclaims as I step out of the door.

"Let's do the damn thing!" I reply, climbing into her Ford Focus.

Mac speeds out of my driveway, and about 10 minutes later, we arrive at a classmate named Jordon's house, I think.

The party is in full swing as we enter the house. Mac's boyfriend greets us with beer in our own solo cups. It's been a while since I've had a beer, so when I take a sip, my face scrunches up.

Mac laughs at me. "What's wrong, Koda? Don't like beer?"

"Just been a while since I've had any alcohol," I explain.

"Right. In your other life, something you'll have to tell me about someday," Mac says.

That's not something I would ever talk about, but I down the beer to make Mac drop the subject.

"Want a Jell-O shot?" a too skinny boy with dirty skin asks, and Mac and I both take one and down it simultaneously.

"Damn, that was good," Mac comments.

"Yes, it was. Let's have another one," I suggest.

After three more shots and two more glasses of beer, we're feeling pretty damn good. So we head to the makeshift dance floor and dance our hearts out.

Two minutes into the second song, someone pushes me into Mac, causing her to fall down.

"Shit, Mac, are you okay?" I ask, attempting to help her up, but my top-heavy body causes me to fall down as well. We end up lying there, laughing, when a familiar voice interrupts my good mood.

"Those whores are so drunk they can't even stand up. Just wait until I upload this video to the pros. She'll never make it," Harlan says.

"Watch it, Harlan. It almost seems like you feel a little threatened," I retort.

"Ha, threatened? By a nobody like you? I don't think so," Harlan scoffs.

Mac and I exchange glances and burst into laughter.

Suddenly, someone kicks me in the side, and I wince in pain.

"Fuck!"

Despite being drunk, I manage to see the foot coming and deflect the kick before pushing it away. I get up and walk over to Harlan, delivering a kick to her ribs.

"Don't you ever put your hands or any other body part on me ever again. Do you understand me?" I spit out angrily.

I'm so furious that I go to kick her again, but a muscular arm wraps around me and throws me towards someone else.

"Get her out of here," the person says angrily, and damn if I didn't recognize that voice all too well.

"Korey!"

Shit, I'm in trouble, I think, slapping my palm against my forehead.

"What are you thinking, Koda?" Gage asks as he carries me back into the house and through the front door.

"I'm thinking about how much trouble I'm in," I admit.

Gage and Kasey laugh at me.

"Oh yes, Princess, you're in a lot of trouble. Not only did you go to a party we specifically told you not to go to, but you got drunk and we found you kicking Harlan while she was down."

"She fucking deserved it," I say, or at least I think that's what I said. My words are running together, and judging by the guys' laughter, I'm pretty sure they don't make any sense. "Don't laugh at me," I say, and I think I pass out from the drunken state I'm in. I'm woken up sometime later with water being thrown in my face. "What the fuck?" I squeal.

"Get up, Dakoda," Korey growls.

"Fuck you," I say, throwing the covers over my head. Or at least I thought it was a cover, but it turns out to be someone's hoodie.

Korey isn't having it. He hauls me up on my feet. "Get the fuck up."

"Stop telling me what to do, asshole. You're not my parents; you don't get to control me," I yell, weakly pushing at his chest due to my intoxicated state.

"Someone's delusional tonight," Korey laughs in my face.

Seizing the opportunity, I knee him in the groin, smiling as he goes down, trying to catch his breath.

I try to walk to the door, but Gage catches me around the waist. "Now, Koda, that wasn't very nice, was it?"

I attempt to wiggle out of Gage's arms, but he's too strong for me to escape.

"Settle down," he whispers, nipping my earlobe.

And damn it, my libido gives in, and I melt in his arms.

"What's your problem?" I ask them.

"What's our problem?" Korey and Kasey say simultaneously.

"You went to a party we told you not to go to, then you got so drunk that you let Harlan, of all people, take videos of you. By the way, we had to destroy them so they wouldn't be sent to any judges and ruin your chances before you even started."

"Is that clear enough for you, Dakoda?"

"Yes, it's quite clear, Korey. It's clear that you boys think that because I asked you to train me, you have control over me. Well, news flash, you don't, and I don't want you as my trainers anymore. I can teach myself or find someone less controlling."

"Let go," I tell Gage, shrugging out of his hold and walking out of my bedroom and down the stairs to the kitchen for a glass of water.

I hear the front door slam, and I relax. Maybe this time I finally made them understand that I'm not their property. I stalk back to my bedroom to lie down on my bed because I still feel a little hazy from the alcohol. When I get back to my room, I see a figure leaning against the wall, and of course, it's Korey.

"Leave me alone, Korey. Please. I'm drunk, and I just want to sleep it off."

"Nope, there won't be any sleeping on my watch. You can hate me all you want tomorrow, but tonight we're going to train the alcohol out of your system."

"The fuck I am!"

I barely get the words out before Korey throws me over his shoulders and out to his jeep.

"Damn it, Korey, put me down."

"I will in a minute."

He does, right into Kasey's lap. The guys don't say a word to me the entire journey to the beach.

We get our boards off the top of the jeep and change into our wetsuits, then head down to the beach. It must be earlier than I think because people are still partying down the way from where we enter the ocean.

"Paddle out as far as you can," Korey commands.

I don't argue because I know it won't do any good at this point. They're beyond pissed at me. So I paddle as far as I can. Once it's over, I fist pump the air because I rode that wave all the way out.

"Again," Korey barks.

"Come on, didn't you just see what I did?" I protest.

"Again."

"Fuck! Fine, asshole," I mumble under my breath.

"Keep it up, D, and I'll give you a little taste of the old me again."

I can't resist partly because I love pushing his buttons and partly because I think I'm still a little buzzed, but I flip him the bird. They all three just shake their heads.

"Whatever." Once again, I paddle out and wait for the perfect wave. I skip the first one because it's too small, but the next one is the biggest I've ever tried. If I can land this one, maybe the guys will get off my case. And I do. I fucking ride that wave like it's nothing. As I'm under the water, I put my hand out just to feel the water, and man, does it feel good on my skin? After that wave, I call it. I'm tired and ready to go home. If the guys don't want to take me, then I'll walk the 20 miles back home.

I tell them as much, but they take me home, and I crawl into my bed and pass out.

The following morning, I wake up naturally without anyone rousing me from my slumber. I indulge in a lengthy, invigorating shower before selecting comfortable attire and heading downstairs for breakfast. While enjoying my meal at the kitchen bar, I switch on the small television and tune in to an LMN movie. Once I finish eating, I diligently clean my dishes before venturing into my bedroom to retrieve my phone and check for any missed calls from Mac.

To my delight, there was a missed call from her, prompting me to promptly return it. After our conversation, Mac informs me that she is on her way over, and we plan to spend the day watching a couple of movies together.

"So, Mac, what's your pick? '10 Things I Hate About You'? 'She's All That'? Or 'She's the Man'?" I suggest a selection of 90s movies, as they hold a special place in both Stella's and my heart, and I'm particularly missing her today.

"Let's start with '10 Things I Hate About You'," Mac decides.

"Alright, it's on its way," I reply.

I set up the movie and quickly prepare some popcorn and beverages while the opening credits roll. Returning with our snacks, I find that the movie is about to begin. As the film progresses, we reach my favorite scene where Kat recites her poem. Having watched the movie countless times, I know the lines by heart and recite the poem along with her.

Rewrite, “I hate the way you talk to me.”

“And the way you cut your hair.”

“I hate the way you drive my car.”

“I hate it when you stare.”

“I hate your big, dumb combat boots.”

“And the way you read my mind.”

“I hate you so much; it makes me sick.”

“It even makes me rhyme.”

“I hate it; I hate the way you’re always right.”

“I hate it when you lie.”

“I hate it when you make me laugh,”

“Even worse, when you make me cry.”

“I hate it when you’re not around,”

“And that you didn’t call.”

“But mostly I hate the way I don’t hate you.”

“Not even close.”

“Not even a little bit.”

“Not even at all.”

By the time I finish reciting the poem, tears start streaming down my face uncontrollably. Mac, concerned, wraps her arms around me and asks what's wrong. I try to compose myself, wiping away the tears, and explain that everything feels overwhelming. The pressure from the guys, my sister, school, it's all just too much.

Mac tries to comfort me, assuring me that the guys will come around and not to worry about them. But deep down, I know it's not that simple. Nobody truly understands the weight I'm carrying, not even Mac.

"Yeah, I know," I say, but inside, I feel a sense of isolation. It's as if no one can truly grasp the depth of my struggles.

Mac holds me tighter, her embrace offering some solace in the midst of my turmoil. She listens attentively as I pour out my heart, sharing the burdens that have been weighing me down. She may not fully understand the intricacies of my situation, but her presence and empathy provide a much-needed source of comfort.

"I wish I could make it all go away," Mac whispers softly, her voice filled with genuine concern.

"I know, Mac. I appreciate your support more than you know," I reply, my voice choked with emotion.

We sit in silence for a while, the movie playing in the background, as I gather my thoughts and regain some composure. Mac's presence reminds me that I'm not alone, even if the struggles I face feel isolating at times.

"Thank you for being here, Mac," I finally say, my voice filled with gratitude.

She smiles warmly, her eyes reflecting understanding and compassion. "Anytime, my friend. We're in this together."

With renewed strength, I wipe away the last of my tears and lean back, ready to continue watching the movie. Though the challenges may still lie ahead, I know that with Mac by my side, I have a friend who will support me through it all.