When the Sun Goes Down

It had been three days since Travis and Cara's little rendezvous, and they still hadn't seen each other. Cara avoided coming over to the Blanchard house and kept the shades to her bedroom window closed at all times. Travis was still a little shocked by everything that had happened. He had kissed Cara Haley. No, not just kissed, practically had sex with her. Her naked body was an image that stuck in his mind all day and night.

He wanted to talk to someone about it, but Jesse wasn't the best at giving girl advice and Nicole would rub it in his face. He also didn't want to talk to his parents because they'd immediately call the Haleys and talk about how excited they were that their kids were dating, even though they weren't.

So, instead, he kept all of his feelings in his head and pretended that nothing had happened.

Jesse was doing the same thing as well. He thought he kind of liked Nicole, but he didn't know who to tell and didn't think it was a good idea to try to pursue it at all. So he would just act the same as he had before the prom and hope no one would notice the way his face turned bright red whenever she was around.

That afternoon, after Travis and Jesse had returned home from work for their lunch break, Nicole begged Travis to let her and Cara come on the boat with them for a little since business was slow. Reluctant at first, Travis finally agreed after Nicole practically bribed him. He really didn't want to see Cara, it would be so awkward, but he couldn't ignore her forever.

So the four of them, all holding secrets of their own, spent the rest of the afternoon and the beginning of the evening horsing around on the boat, parasailing, and wakeboarding. When Cara and Nicole went up on the parasail together, Jesse took the time to confront Travis.

"What's going on with you and Cara?" He asked with a huge grin.

"Nothing, what are you talkin about?" He replied, hoping Jesse wouldn't notice the fact that his face was beet red.

"Dude, seriously. I've been in that situation so many times, I know exactly what it looks like."

"I still have no idea what you're talking about." Travis lied.

"I mean, I've slept with girls I was really close to friends wise but nothing intimate, and then whenever we see each other after it gets real awkward. Looks a lot like you and Car up there. You guys keep making weird eye contact and then looking away real quick and everytime your bodies touch you both flinch."

"I didn't sleep with her," he paused, "she stopped me."

Jesse cracked up in laughter, "Now I can't say that that's ever happened to me."


***

Two days later Nicole came running into the house shouting in excitement.

"Jesus, Nicole. What is it?' Mrs. Blanchard said as she ran down the steps.

"I'm in US Weekly magazine!" She ran to her mom and flipped through pages until she found the one with her on it. Mrs. Blanchard took the magazine and looked at the picture. It was a picture of her and Jesse laughing with eachother with Travis and Cara in the background. The picture next to it was of his parents walking down the streets of Paris. The caption read: Buchanans Spending the Summer Apart. The tiny print underneath the picture read: With his parents spending the summer in Paris, Jesse Buchanan soaks up the sun with some friends in Bayley, North Carolina. Who's the mystery girl and possible new love interest? Teammate Travis Blanchard's sister.

"Wow, sweety that's great. You look so pretty in it too!" Mrs. Blanchard was equally excited. "But you and Jesse aren't a couple, are you?"

"Noo," Nicole said quickly. She was about to say more, but her phone rang and she grabbed it immediately, figuring it would be one of her friends telling her they saw her picture. Instead, it was her friend Jill inviting her, her brother, and Jesse to her house that night for a party.

Several hours later, the three of them plus Cara piled into Travis's truck and headed off to the party. Neither Travis nor Nicole liked the idea of hanging out in the same place as their sibling, but they didn't really have a choice, nothing else was going on that night. Nicole spent the whole 20 minute ride talking about the picture in the magazine, she was way more excited than anyone else.

"You do realize that people are gonna think you're my girlfriend now?" Jesse said, looking into the back of the truck where Cara and Nicole sat.

"Soo, let them think what they want to think." She replied, still smiling.

As soon as they walked into the house, everyone gushed over either the picture in the magazine, the fact that a celebrity was in the house, or the fact that Travis, the hometown hero, was there.
Jesse was swarmed by a crowd of girls as soon as he walked into the kitchen, but he didn't mind the attention.

"So are you Nicole dating?" The hottest girl of the group asked him with a smile as she stroked his arm with her fingertips.

"Nope, I'm single," he smiled back and glanced up to see Nicole staring at him with a frown on her face. He tried to push through the group towards her but she turned and walked away too quickly. What did she care? They really weren't dating. He guessed she still had feelings for Clark the way that she acted when he came to the prom after party and Kyles. Girls were ridiculous.

"Me too," the girl pushed him back into the wall, and suddenly the thought of Nicole completely vanished from his mind. He had to admit that this girl was pretty damn sexy. She had light brown hair, a very tan body, green eyes, a huge chest which she showed off with a skimpy top, and dsl's (dick sucking lips).

"You want a drink?" He took her hand and pulled her from the group of girls. He was too used to the attention of a group of girls that he no longer minded picking one from the group and ditching the rest.

"I'll take a beer," she said when they had made it to the counter where all the drinks were.

He smiled and said, "damn, gotta love girls that can settle for a beer." He popped the cap off two bottles and handed her one. This time, she led the way as they left the kitchen and went into the family room, which was full of people. He wasn't surprised to see Nicole standing next to Clark, whispering something into his ear. Figures, he thought to himself, but he tried to shake the thought and focus on the hot piece of ass in front of him.

"See, I told you that faggot didn't like you, he's already moved on to better things." Clark shouted. The whole room seemed to go quiet. Jesse turned to face him, a pissed off look had spread across his face. So maybe Nicole wasn't getting back with Clark afterall.

"Excuse me?" Jesse said, stepping closer to him.

"You heard me, you faggot. The only reason your playing at Carolina is because your dad pulled some strings for you and now you're hanging out around here thinking you're big shit or something."

Jesse laughed out loud, "Nicole, you dated this guy?" He laughed again.

"That's right, and I still have a better chance of fucking her than you do." Clark yelled back.

"Clark, you're such an-" Nicole hit his arm and started to say.

"I'll handle this Nicole." Jesse interrupted her and stepped so he was only a foot from Clark and motioned for Nicole to step back.

"Ooh, what a tough guy. You're own little knight in shining armor, Nicole." He took a step forward so they were practically nose to nose, only Jesse was a few inches taller. Then, he shoved his fingers into Jesse's stomach and pushed him back.

"Not a good idea, man." Was all Jesse said as he stepped back right into Clark's face.

"I'm soo scared," he mocked, and then pushed Jesse again. This time Jesse stepped back up and shoved Clark so he flew back into the wall. The good thing about coming from a wealthy family, he was taught to fight at a very young age incase anything ever happened.

Clark rushed at him, pulling his hand back and flinging it forward and Jesse's face. Jesse caught the fist in his hand as if it were the easiest thing in the world. He released the fist, hoping that Clark would have learned his lesson, but he had only fired him up even more.

Clark launched his fist at him again. This time, it struck Jesse's eye, but Jesse stood there as if it was only a flick. He showed no signs of pain. This fired Clark up even more. He once again launched his fist at Jesse's face, this time Jesse grabbed it with his left hand and swung with his right hand, nailing Clark in the nose. The blow sent him back a few feet and he bent down holding his face in pain.

A few seconds later, Clark stood straight up and charged at Jesse. He was able to knock him to the floor. Everything in the room had gone silent at that point except for a few shouts here and there, and everyone had circled around them. Clark straddled Jesse and started swinging both is fists at him. He was able to hit his face a few times, but Jesse finally flipped Clark over, changing their positions.

"At least my parents love me," Clark growled.

He didn't want it to have to come to this, but he really had no other choice. He started swinging his fists at Clark's face until he stopped fighting back and blood covered his face.

"Jesse stop," Nicole screamed, pulling him back off Clark. Jesse took a few deep breaths and then slowly stood up, rubbing at his knuckles.

"What the hell?" Travis said, running through the back door and pushing through the crowd of people. He had been outside conversing with other people...and Cara, and had missed the whole fight. "Holy shit," he whispered in awe when he saw what the big fuss was about.

"Travis I think it's time to go," Nicole said in tears. She ran outside while Travis helped a bloody Jesse to the door. Before either one knew what was happening, two guys grabbed each of Jesse's arms and held him while he struggled. They turned him so he was back facing everyone. Clark pushed through the crowd with a wooden chair in his hand.

Before a defenseless Jesse or Travis could react, the chair was crashing down on Jesse's head, and all went black.