Chapter 3: Baking Cookies
The sound of laughing clowns filled my room. Well singular, as it was just one clown. One clown laughing to some funky beat. It's like if EDC was set to one maniacal clown laughing in the shadows. That ladies and gentleman was the song I that I forgotten I set on my phone as my ringtone. Honestly, I had forgotten all about it. I mean who in their right mind calls someone now, it's all texts and emojis now. My phone has been ringing for hours now but I've been too lazy to get up and silence it. I've been lying in bed for what seems like hours just staring at my popcorn ceiling.
It was a Friday night and I had literally nothing to do. Well to be fair, I didn't feel like doing anything. I guess I could always power up and play some Overwatch but I didn't really want to deal the toxicity tonight.
"Fang, I can't take it anymore! If you don't answer your phone, I'm going to come in there and chuck the damn thing out your window!" Aunt Jackie burst into my room glaring at me with daggers in her eyes. "Don't you have anything better to do on a Friday night? Go hang out with Lulu or something but please for the love of God, answer your damn phone or silence it."
"Sorry!" Headphones probably would have been a better idea if I just wanted to listen to this song on repeat. "I'll silence it now. What makes you think it's Lulu?"
"Do you talk to anyone else that I'm not aware of?"
I know, I know it sounds mean but she didn't mean it that way and she's not wrong. The only person who has my number besides Aunt Jackie is Lulu. Wait--shit I forgot I gave my number to Carver. But he wouldn't call me, not continuously anyway. Who does that except for telemarketers and scammers? But just to be safe, I looked down at my phone and the caller ID read "Carver Black." This whole time I didn't even know his last name and it turns out to be my favorite color. Coincidence?
"Um can you leave the room? I have to take this call." I said nervously.
She quickly squinted. "Why are you acting like this now? Who's calling you?" She paused for a second and then her eyes widened, slowly inhaling causing her jaw to drop. "Is it that boy? That boy you were telling me about Monday? Oh my god, it is!"
"What? No. No. I-It's not--," I sighed. I'm not really great at hiding things. "Yeah it's him," I sighed again, defeated.
"And you let your phone ring this whole time?! What is wrong with you?"
"I didn't know it was him! I just let it ring."
"Well what are you waiting for? Answer it!"
"Will you just get out of my room?"
She rushed out of my room leaving the door wide open.
"Door!"
She came back only to leave it slightly ajar but I could still see a shadow projecting onto the frame.
"I can still see you!"
"Fine!"
I waited to hear footsteps, waited till they became faint enough to make sure that she wasn't listening in.
"Heeeeeeeeey Carveerrr," I said awkwardly. "Sorry about missing your calls...I was doing...something." Ugh, I'm even more awkward on the phone.
"Yeah sorry about that, I just wanted to know if you're doing anything tonight?"
"M-Me? T-Tonight? Uh let me check my schedule."
Oh god, who says that?
"Yeah, of course. I'll wait."
Okay I need to find some paper if I'm gonna make it sound like I'm checking my make believe schedule. Frantically scanning the contents of my room, I found one of my notebooks for class.
"Hey Carver, you still there?"
"Yeah, still here."
"Uh so it looks like I'm free tonight," I said as I hurriedly swiped the mostly blank pages of my lined notebook. "What'd you have in mind?"
"Meet me at my house and we can talk about it."
"Oh um yeah sure." I stammered. I swear I need to get my nerves in check. "Where do you live?"
"I just texted you my address. I'll see you in a bit."
1999 Raspberry hill road. I know this address, but I can't for the life of me remember why. I quickly got dressed, walked out my room, and right when I was about to twist the golden doorknob to go out I heard the switch to lamp nearby click.
"And where do you think you're going?" she asked siting on the oriental sofa chair in a mostly unlit foyer.
"Oh my god! You scared the crap out of me!" I clutched my chest releasing a sharp exhale. "I'm going out. It's what you wanted me to do right?"
"And you're what? Gonna walk? I'll drop you off. Do you know what time it is? It's 7 p.m. It's dark out. You'll end up getting lost anyway."
"I'm not a child. I won't get lost."
"Really? You got lost when we went to get groceries last week. And it's a small store."
"You're never gonna let me live that down are you?"
"Not a chance." she pushed herself off the chair, her crimson red hair flowing behind her. We headed down to the garage, into her Jeep, and started driving off. "Where are we going? I want to meet his parents. Make sure they're good people."
"Tough luck, his parents are dead."
"Ha ha very funny."
I looked back with a stern look.
"Oh no, how terrible. Okay well I'll still meet his guardians, whoever's home."
"And if it's just him?" I asked trying to look anywhere but her.
Aunt Jackie slammed on her brakes causing me to jerk forward only for my seat belt to catch me.
"What the hell?" I asked turning her way.
"You're telling me that you're going to go meet a boy when he's home alone?"
"I don't know, the thought never crossed my mind but I mean I guess it could happen right?"
Aunt Jackie's demeanor changed dramatically. Her whole body was trembling. She was breathing funny too, just quickly in and out, in and out.
"Are you okay?" I asked worried.
"Look I don't know if your parents gave you the talk yet--probably not considering well you know. But before I drop you off I just feel like it's my duty to explain to you how things work. Now I had a very different talk when I was younger, but I think it's basically the same concept."
"What? No. No. NO! I am not having this conversation with you. First off, EW! Secondly, no! Just don't talk to me about that. Please."
"This is very important Fang, I just want to make sure you're prepared. Now move over please." She strong armed me, pushing me back into my seat. Out of nowhere she pulled out a roll of these black and gold wrapped squares from her glove compartment. "Look I just want you to be safe. I mean you're sixteen, when I was that age--"
"Oh dear god, no! We are not having this conversation right now. I take it back, there will be adults there! Now please just drive. DRIVE!"
I will never look at my aunt the same again. The rest of the drive there was just awkward. She tried to remedy the silence by turning on the radio but every station had some raunchy pop song and that just made matters worse. After what seemed like forever, we came to a stop.
"Well this is my stop. I really didn't enjoy whatever that was that just happened but let's just not talk about it ever again. I'm gonna walk over and act like you didn't just try to drop that bomb on me." The roll of condoms were still on my lap and I just wanted to die.
"Fang, I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention to scare you off like that. I just--I want you to be prepared for whenever that happens. When I was your age, things happened for me very fast. I thought I knew what I was doing and let me tell you right now, I didn't. I had se--I was baking cookies around your age and I just wish someone had given me the talk that wasn't explained poorly with the birds and the bees."
"Look, Jackie," I paused trying to find the right words. "I appreciate what you were trying to do but I'm just not ready for--what was the term you used? Baking cookies? I just don't think I'm ready to bake cookies right now. I'm sure whenever I am, I'll be good to go because I have someone like you--someone who's more open about...baking cookies."
She let out what sounded like a sigh of relief. "Well enough of that, do you recognize this place?"
Leaning forward, I looked over at this Victorian style house. It was huge, it had to be at least two or three stories. Navy blue panels comprised the frame with circular stained glass windows in every room. There was a large wooden porch with a built in hammock overlooking the neighborhood and a weeping willow tree not too far off from the porch about ten feet away. I know I've seen this house before, but still couldn't remember why.
"It looks familiar but I don't know why. Do you?"
"Let me walk you to the door. I think it'll make sense soon." Aunt Jackie said as she walked out of the car. "Oh and take one of these, just in case." She handed me one of the wrapped condoms.
"This? Again?" I asked clearly freaked out.
"Just in case, you never know."
"Okay, fine!" I shoved the condom in my black jean shorts and walked in tandem with her.
As we got closer to the porch, I could see someone lounging in the hammock and she looked so familiar. Picking up the pace, I reached the foot of the porch and to my surprise it was Grandma Aggie. She wasn't my grandma. That's just how she introduced herself to everyone. She used to own the best bakery in town, Just a Spoonful of Sugar, before she retired over the summer. Now it's owned by, you guessed it, the Hamptons. The place hasn't been the same since. Thank god we still have Home Sweet Home, Lulu's grandparent's restaurant. The only place left that gives this town character and an escape from the Hamptons.
"Jacquline! Fang! Oh it's so nice to see you two again," Aggie stood and gave us two a tight bear hug. She was remarkably strong considering her age. "What are you two doing here at this time of the night?"
Grandma Aggie stood at a mere five feet with golden ringlets; she was wearing this heavy looking blood red cloak. Her presence alone was a whole other level. She was like Jasmine in the show Angel, except benevolent, everyone loved her. Aggie had to be one of the sweetest people here in town. She's also one of the beloved authority figures in town. Her husband George used to be the mayor of Haven, before Mayor Fox took over. He and the Hamptons are going to be the death of this town one day.
"It has been a while Aggie. I was just making sure that Fang got here safely."
"Oh? Is there something you wanted to ask me Fang?"
"I probably have the wrong address but does someone by the name of Carver live here?"
"If you're referring to my grandson, Carver, then yes. He's in his room." She gasped. "You're the boy Carver's been talking about. I knew the name sounded familiar."
"C-Carver talks about me?"
"Oh yes, nonstop actually. Something about carrying you or was he talking about carrying your books? It's all very sweet. Reminds me of how George and I were when we were that ripe young age."
Suddenly, I could feel this piercing look my way. Reluctantly, I turned my head towards Aunt Jackie and I kid you not, she had the most sinister smirk smeared across her face. Not this again. Gently jabbing at her sides, I mouthed the words "quit it." "So about that room?"
"Oh right! Carver's room is past this door, take a left at the hallway, and it's the room at the end on the right," she said pointing to the door on the other side of the porch.
"You go on ahead, Aggie and I have much to catch up on."
Great, I hope they don't talk about baking cookies. I don't think I can handle that again. I've never been in Grandma Aggie's house before. If I could describe it, I would say it looked the inside of a witch's den or an old haunted house. There were vials and jars everywhere from the floor to the shelves with god knows what in them. The walls were lined with taxidermy heads ranging from boars to deers and old painted portraits of what I assume family members come to pass. There was an old tapestry leading to the porch but it was so soiled with dust that I couldn't tell what it was. Grandma has always been eccentric but never in a million years would I have thought this is how her house would be. I dig it.
As I stood in awe of the wonderful interior, I forgot why I was in there in the first place. Oh right, Carver. Well not here for Carver, but here to see Carver. There's a clear difference and no one's going to tell me otherwise. I started walking down the hall and I couldn't help but feel like I was being watched. Maybe it was my imagination but those old portraits definitely weren't helping. I eventually got the end of the hall and lightly knocked on the door to my right.
"It's open!" a voice yelled from within.
"Carver?" I asked poking my head in.
"Fang! You made it!" Carver pulled me into his room and I swear I was in the twilight zone.
His room just didn't match the rest of the house. For the lack of a better word, it looked like a guy's room. Smokey gray bare walls lined with classic white moulding. Mountains of moving boxes cluttered on one side of the room. The only thing that looked complete was the bed pushed against the wall, the moonlight shining through the stained glass window above cascading his plain bed spread with glowing multicolored light.
"Sorry for the mess. I'm still unpacking everything."
"Is this what you called me for? To help you unpack?" I asked nervously.
"What? Oh no, I can do that myself. I just haven't gotten to it yet. I got invited to a party tonight and I wanted you to come with me."
"You wanted me...to go to a party...with you?" I asked dumbfounded. "Who's even having the party?"
"It's down the street. Uh Chloe Fox invited me."
Oh god the daughter of Lucifer, Chloe Fox. Remember how I mentioned Mayor Fox earlier? That's her dad.
"Chloe Fox? When she invited you, did she by chance say that you too can bring people?"
"No, but I don't see a problem. The more the merrier right?"
"How do I say this nicely without sounding like an ass? Chloe's a grade A bitch. She's the female version of Brock. I don't think she would want me to be at her party."
"I mean I think she's really nice."
"Nice? Have you met her?"
"Yeah. She's nice. Just give her a chance."
"Carver if I had the choice between being in the same room as Chloe or jumping in a pit of venomous snakes, I'm choosing the snakes hands down. She's a mean girl."
"And what about you?"
"What about me?"
"The words that you used would make me think you were the mean girl."
My heart sank. Carver looked so disappointed in me.
"I can't believe I'm saying this but fine, I'll go to the party with you. I'll give Chloe the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she's different this year. I don't think she will be but I will go...for you."
"Great! Carver firmly embraced me. I could stay in his embrace forever if he let me. "Wait is this what you're wearing to the party?"
"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" I asked offended.
"Nothing. I just think you could use a pop of color." Carver opened the door into into his closet. It was smaller than mine but it looked like it held more space. He pulled out a bright yellow plaid shirt that looked way too big for me. "Try this."
"Carver this isn't going to fit me. We're not exactly the same size."
"It's not supposed to." Carver stepped in front of me closing the gap between us. Suddenly I could feel him pushing his hands down my shorts.
"Woah woah woah, what are you doing?" I panicked. This is not normal guy behavior.
"Relax. I'm just tucking in your shirt. Trust me, I know what I'm doing." He smiled and I could just feel myself start to melt. "Okay now turn around."
Right as I turn, I could feel Carver's chest against my back. I could practically feel his nipples through my shirt. His breathing seemed slow, steady. The warmth of his breath made the sparse hairs on arm stand at attention, that and well something else was also trying to stand at attention. The bulge in my shorts started to grow and I hoped to god he didn't notice or else I'd die of embarrassment or if I'm lucky my pacemaker will shock me. I tried to steady my breathing but he reached around with both arms of his plaid shirt in both hands. The palms of his hands brushed against my bulge right as he was starting to tie the knot.
"W-Where's your bathroom?"
"What?"
"Bathroom? I really need to go."
"Uh it's right out this door," he chuckled right as I skirted pass him.
As I push through the bathroom, I slammed the door shut. Okay universe, I took your sign last time but right now I'm going to need you to slow down. My poor heart can't take this right now. I can just imagine Aunt Jackie with the same sinister look she had earlier and that damn condom. Speaking of, I started to pat down my shorts I couldn't feel that damn condom. Frantically, I pulled out my front pockets and nothing but lint and my wallet. I shoved my arms in my back pockets and still nothing. Oh fuck, where could it be?
"Hey are you okay in there?" Carver's voice reverberated through the door.
"Uh y-yeah, all good in here. I just had to...pee?"
"Are you asking me a question or?"
"Sorry, I just had to go," I said. I took a deep breath and opened the door. "I'm good to go to the party now."
"Great well I still have to change before we head out." Carver pulled me back into his room shutting the door behind him. He gave me a once over, eyeing me up and down. "Hmm the knot's loose. Let me fix that real quick." He placed his big, strong hands on the knot. This time he looked up at me as he was slowly retying the knot. All I could do was look away and swallow the pool of spit that had formed in my mouth for some odd reason. "Alright, you're good to go! Now it's my turn."
"Your tu--"
Before I could even finish asking, Carver ripped off his plain white tee and slipped out of his jeans leaving him only in his olive green silk boxer shorts. They looked a little shorter than your regular department store type. As I'm standing there mouth agape, it looked like something was peaking out the bottom of those shorts. Oh god, the head of his dick was peaking out the bottom of his shorts. I did a 180 and faced the opposing wall.
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
"Nope just wanted to turn around. Give you your privacy."
I mean come on, this isn't a locker room. Guys don't just undress in front of other guys right? Unless he wants me to look? I peeked over my shoulder and I see that he already has jeans on. It was one of those distressed styles with a glossy carbon fiber shade to them. As my eyes traced the hem of his jeans, I started to see three narrow scars across his back. They weren't stretch marks as they were too long and the coloring didn't read as such. I can't imagine him cutting himself so maybe he fell into something that cut him up? Without even thinking I reached out to touch his back, he immediately turned around distraught.
"What do you think you're doing?"
This is the first time I've ever seen him defensive, scared even. He's always open, so charming. I've never seen him so vulnerable.
"I'm sorry. I was just so enthralled and curious about the markings on your back."
"Just don't touch me there," he snapped.
We stood there in dead silence. I felt so guilty for touching him in what appeared to be a sensitive area. I still don't know what happened but just based on how he's reacting, I don't think this is something he wants to talk about.
"Look, I'm sorry for snapping at you. It's not your fault and you didn't know," he leaned against his bedroom door sighing. "I-It happened a few years ago. I had an accident where I fell into some rocks and now I have those ugly scars on my back."
He sounded so defeated so I thought I could cheer him up. "Well some girls find scars sexy. At least that's what's I've heard."
"Sexy? If they knew how I got them, they wouldn't think that."
"Well how about you just don't tell them then? I mean think they look cool."
"I don't think you would if you knew the truth, but uh thanks."
"So uh shirts? You picked something out for me. Maybe I can pick something out for you." I walked into his closet and was looking for anything plaid. It seems to be his thing after all. "How about this?" I picked out this forest green plaid shirt. It was heavily wrinkled but it should be okay.
"You want me to wear this wrinkled mess?"
"I mean you can try it on. Here let me show you." Somehow I ended up dressing Carver like he was my own Ken doll. Weaving both arms into their respective sleeves. I stood back and trying to see if it worked.
"Admiring your work?"
"Mm it doesn't look right with it unbuttoned. Maybe if you had an undershirt?" I said talking to myself. "Let's see it with the buttons."
Starting with the top, I slowly made my way down the line. As I encountered the last few, I knelt down then tugged on his shirt taut hoping that would get the wrinkles out. It didn't.
"So uh how does it look down there?" Carver bit into his bottom lip and it looked as if he was blushing. Then it hit me, my face was right in front of his crotch. What the hell have you gotten yourself into Fang? This is how every bad straight guy gay porn scene starts out.
"Uh you look good, really good. I-I mean you look great," I was obviously flustered. Looking up, Carver's beautiful hazel eyes were looking back down at me. God this probably looks really inappropriate. "The shirt really highlights your eyes."
Carver squatted down next to me. "You think it highlights my eyes?" he bit his bottom lip again but this time he looked towards the floor. "Huh what's this?"
He picked up the black and gold wrapped square off of the floor. "A condom? How'd this get in here?"
Panicked, I quickly snatched it right out of his hands. "Oh this old thing? It's mine." At this point I was beet red.
"You brought a condom with you?"
"W-Well I always carry one around in my wallet. You know just in case I ever need one. It must have fallen out somehow." Smooth Fang, real smooth.
"If you say so," he winked at me right before he stood back up. "Stand up, I want to see how we look together."
I slowly picked myself off the floor and stood next to him. If I didn't know any better we looked like a couple with our matching outfits.
"Not bad Fang. We look good!" Carver whipped out his phone with the screen pointed at us both. "Selfie!"