Page 65 of Off Limits
Chapter Sixteen
Jake
Sunday morning, the pastor is halfway through delivering his sermon, but all I can think about is sex.
Or sex with Serenity, to be more specific.
I can’t get my mind out the gutter.
I stood under the shower this morning, getting myself off to thoughts of her. How she might taste. What it might feel like to—
I feel River’s fingers poke into my side and I flinch. ‘He’s talking ’bout you, idiot,’ she hisses from the side of her mouth.
‘What?’ I whisper back.
‘Just smile and wave, moron,’ she adds.
I force a smile. Raise my hand in a little wave. I have zero idea what the pastor just said about me. I only know that the last few weeks, he keeps mentioning my name like I’m some kind of minor celebrity in these parts. I glance back and now the entire congregation is looking my way.
When the service is over, we go to lunch at an Italian joint with chequered tablecloths across the road from the church. The pastor is there, accompanied by his wife and their daughter, who I’d guess is older than River but younger than I am.
I’m sat next to River, my fingers playing absent-mindedly with my fork, thinking about sex with Serenity again when my mother’s voice cuts through my daydream.
‘Yes, well Jake is in high demand these days. Friday, Samantha Conway herself stopped by our place. Jake’s taking her daughter Lemon out. Do you know Lemon Conway?’
The pastor’s wife looks a little embarrassed, but it’s nothing compared to the level I’m feeling. The base of my neck is burning up.
‘Why you keep checking your watch?’ River whispers beside me.
‘I’m not,’ I say.
‘Sure, you are,’ she says, eyeing my smartwatch, ‘like every five seconds, you switch it on.’
‘I got curfew tonight, that’s all. I’m just thinking ’bout that.’
‘You got somewhere you gotta be in between?’
‘No.’
‘So do you… wanna hang out later?’
I look her in the eye. It’s weird seeing her in a pretty dress. And if there’s one person I hate lying to, it’s River. My mother’s still yabberin’ when I run my fingers through my hair and lower my voice. ‘Alright, there’s somewhere I gotta be later. Before curfew.’
‘Oh. Where you goin’?’
I wince. ‘Kinda can’t say.’
‘Why not?’
I can’t make eye contact with her. ‘It’s complicated.’
‘Why’s it complicated?’
‘I can’t say that either.’
She gives a shrug, twirling a little saltshaker between her fingers. ‘Whatever,’ she mutters. ‘I never see you anymore anyways. Wish we’d never come to this stupid-ass city.’
‘You made some more friends at school yet?’
