03 – Would You Like Butter With That?

Fall 2003

Shelley’s Sophomore year was proving to be no more fun than her previous year. Shelley’s anxiety is through the roof now that she has spent a year amongst some of the most awful people she has ever encountered and that includes the bikers passing through The Triple Six. Her friends from middle school had decided she was no longer part of the group. Part of that is who her father is, but most of it was her lack of willingness to participate in activities like skipping school. If her father caught her doing any of those things, the punishment would be brutal. The only reason she had any sanity at school was Faye folding her into her friends circle.

Faye had even encouraged Shelley to try out for the cheerleading squad. The perky little blond fit the bill and made the squad without issue. Shelley often wondered why Faye didn’t do cheerleading. She always thought her older sister prettier than her. Faye is tall, curvy, and with beautiful strawberry blond hair. Everyone seems to fawn over her and her friends. Shelley always feels like the kid playing dress up when around them.

Shelley misses Jackson, even if she is mad at him for ditching her in Hilton Head after she told him she was not supposed to go. She had not seen him since the night of the bonfire. She knew he wasn’t dead as the rest of the Angels of Wrath would be all a buzz about revenge. Her father shrugged and gave her a non-committal grunt whenever she asked him about the boy.

“You worry too much. Your lover boy will be back soon enough.” Faye teases her as they get ready to go out. Jackson had always texted her before when had to do club business. She wonders if he is really off with another woman, and this was his way of dealing with her. She kicks herself for kissing him that night.

This particular Saturday, Faye and she had the night off from The Triple Six. Club business at the bar meant only official Angels of Wrath members are allowed. As the Angels had not introduced the girls to the men, or given them colors, they were not welcome. Shelley knows that their business is something illegal, but she has grown up in this world. Their rebuke of authority is as natural as breathing. She does not question when she and Faye are shielded from it. She was not sure she ever wanted to be in the know, either.

Faye had convinced their mother to let them borrow the car. After an hour of hairspray, make-up, giggling and gossip, Faye, Shelley, and Faye’s girlfriends from Hilton Head squished into the sedan. They head to the mall near them that had a movie theater in it. The plan was to walk around the mall, window shop, then to catch a movie. Freaky Friday and Jason vs. Freddy are playing at the two-screen theater. They park close to the theater entrance of the mall and pile out of the car. The girls preen and primp one final time before they begin mall crawling.

Mall crawling is the best thing they could do with the little money they have earned. They wander in and out of stores, socializing with their friends who are working. All of this while getting to look at new and shiny things they might buy in the future. While none of the families in Angels of Wrath were poor, they weren’t rich either. Shelley and Faye each had about twenty dollars. This is due to Faye’s tips she has split with Shelley. As the little pack walks the mall, they attracted attention. They giggle, wave, and pout cutely to garner free food and drink from more than one boy sheepishly smiling in their direction.

The time for the movie rolls around, and the girls enter the theater lobby that opens to the mall. The smell of movie popcorn always makes Shelley smile. Behind the counter, wearing the polo shirt and navy slacks for a uniform, stood one boy from the bonfire. Tommy is the name on the pin. The other three boys are leaning over the counter, laughing and talking with him. Another man, not much older than them, in a suit too big for his body, counting out money to close out a register for the night. The manager looks up over his glasses at Faye as she approaches.

“Two for Freaky Friday.” She then steps aside after getting her tickets. Each girl follows suit, buying a ticket for the comedy as well. She hands Shelley her ticket and raises a brow at the weird look on Shelley’s face. Shelley had already noticed the boys and was hoping Faye didn’t make a big deal about them being here.

“Hey fellas,” Faye’s musical voice rings across the way. “Small world,” she smirks. The other girls come alongside her and it looks like a standoff in the lobby.

“Why hello ladies,” Jasper’s sweet Southern drawl fills the area. His voice is deep and while he’s only twenty, there is something about him that made everyone take notice. Next to him stood Beau with his sweet face and broad shoulders. They looked like they walked right out of a Chippendale’s calendar again, only with clothes on this time. Billy stepped to the side, so he could see who his brothers were now peacocking for. He swears he could see their tails wagging in human form. The sweet scent of the girls filled their nostrils and hormones are rising. Tommy sulks because he is working all night. His cousins get to have all the fun. Billy ignores his cousin’s whine as is being held enchanted by Shelley’s sweet scent.

“What movie ya seein’?” Faye questions in a smooth tone.

“Jason vs. Freddy,” Beau offers.

Shelley knew as soon as it came out of Beau’s mouth that Faye was going to see that movie. A side-glance at the manager told Shelley there was no way they were getting into that movie. She bites her lip before she whines. “Faye, I don’t wanna see a scary movie.” Her cheeks blush as now all of them were watching the sisters. Shelley does not want to admit to these boys she is younger due to moping about why she thinks Jackson has ditched her. She wants them to like her too. She is desperate to be cool.

The other girls are already exchanging their tickets, and Faye gives her sister a small frown. “You don’t have to. Go see Freaky Friday. We’ll meet up after.” Faye shrugs as she moves to trade her ticket in. Shelley droops and looks from her sister to the manager, who looks like he is daring Shelley to change her ticket.

She had not seen Billy staring right at her, as if he couldn’t take his eyes off of the sweet angel before him. Her anxiety and fear are driving his instincts to protect her to the brink of uncontrollable. “Here, Miss Faye. I’ll trade ya. I’ll go see Freaky Friday with Miss Shelley.” His smile is dazzling as he steps forward. Billy dwarfs Jasper in size, and his easy-going presence makes it hard to feel his dominance. He’s the eldest of this group, at twenty-two, but he lets Jackson strut around like the Alpha wolf. He comes alongside Shelley, reaching out to Faye to trade tickets.

“Perfect!” Faye’s voice sings as she falls into step between Jasper and Beau. They are ecstatic to have five girls to the two of them. Tommy groans at his bad luck. Billy laughs and steps up to the concession stand. Faye catches Shelley’s gaze and shrugs. There is jealousy and mischief in those eyes, as Shelley is getting to go on a real date. Faye and Shelley do not have permission to date outside of the Angels of Wrath. If their parents found out about these boys, there would be hell to pay. Faye’s grin suggests that if Shelley doesn’t tell, she won’t either.

“You want anything, darlin’?” Tommy’s already getting Billy a soda and looks from Billy to Shelley.

“You sure ’bout this? You can go to the scary movie if you want to,” Shelley cannot contain her smile that he offered to go with her. He smells of cologne and Zest soap. She knows the scent because it’s the same soap her father uses. She is admiring how his body threatens to rip through his shirt, and she looks tiny next to him. In the back of her mind, she knew if Jackson saw them, she would be in trouble. Billy isn’t trying anything, but she knows Jackson would still be pissed that Billy is even looking at his girl. She tries to justify it to the imaginary angry Jackson in her head that Billy is just offering to buy her a soda. When he nods, she lights up, “Small popcorn and a Sprite.”

Tommy looks at Billy with a quirked brow. Shelley catches the weird way they stare at each other and gets the feeling they are having a whole conversation without saying a word again. Billy’s cheeks blush and she swears he let out a low growl before Tommy broke the staring contest and turned to face Shelley.

“You want butter on that?” He moves to get the popcorn with butter when she nods at him. Before she can fish out her money, Billy puts a twenty on the counter and shoves it toward Tommy.

“Miss Shelley, you put that money away. What kind o’ man would I be if I let you pay for anything.” She blushes and picks up her soda, along with the popcorn, to follow Billy into the theater. Freaky Friday is not attracting a large crowd for the late show and the two of them are two of three people in the theater.

For the entire movie, Billy cannot think about anything other than the pretty girl next to him. He stretches with an awkward glance at Shelley. He finishes the motion with his arm draped along the back of her chair. He didn’t want to be too forward. His mother would kill him if he were inappropriate with a young woman. He is the son of the Alpha, which means he has to be on his best behavior at all times. It is something he wished his brothers remembered.

“Shit! she is not wearing any panties.” Jasper’s surprise and excitement through their mind link makes Billy’s lip curl in irritation. He rubs his other hand over his face. He was not leaving this theater to stop them, especially not after Shelley snuggles into him. It allows him to put his massive hand on her shoulder. From that moment on, Billy had no idea what was happening on the screen. He only had eyes for Shelley.

Once the movie ends, they shuffle out to the auditorium. Jason vs. Freddy still had a few minutes to go. He smiles down at Shelley. His fingers brush back a stray lock of blond hair. He could get lost in those eyes, and he didn’t even know her last name. He takes a slow breath, to not look creepy taking in her scent, but wanted nothing more than to keep breathing it in. Billy opens his mouth to ask her for her number when the rest of them file out of the theater and interrupt them.

Faye is flushed, and the other girls are giggling as they exit. The girls’ scents of arousal fill the area. Billy pulls back from Shelley, giving Jasper and Beau a withering look. The silent conversation is enough to make the young men ease away from the girls and clear their throats. Tommy is nowhere to be seen.

“I assume you girls got a ride home tonight?” Billy asks. He is hoping they do not, but he does not want to sound too eager to spend more time with Shelley.

The gaggle of girls erupt into giggles.

“Oh, sugar, of course we do. C’mon Shelley,” Faye strides forward and engulfs Shelley into her little pack again, pulling her away from the pouting Billy. With a graceful look over her shoulder, she coos, “Until next time, fellas.” She gives a flirty finger wave, and her friends mimic the motion.

“I think I’m in love,” Jasper pants.

“Finger fuckin’ a girl in a movie ain’t love,” Beau snickers.

Both yelp as Billy whacks them upside the head. “You treat those girls right, or not at all. You know how Momma will feel about you two smellin’ like sex.” Billy growls even though he is thinking about all the sweet things he would like to do with that little blond. Since the night she plopped herself into his lap, he could not shake all the unseemly thoughts he had of her.

“Right… You tellin’ me you didn’t get Freaky Friday on that little doll?” Jasper cuts his elder brother a look and takes an easy step away as Billy tries to punch him.

Tommy emerges, now clocked out. “What did I miss?”

“Nothing,” all three brothers quip while grinning like fools.