Meat Load (EBOOK)

Malik 

Halloween

Hannah Sharp had always intrigued me. Back in school, they'd labelled her the mean girl. The frigid ice bitch who could snap off a man's penis with a withering glance. She’d ruled our school, laying to waste those who crossed her with an efficient, cutting remark. 

To be honest, I'd never seen her as any of that and had repeatedly vocalised my disappointment with people who spoke about her in those terms. 

Hannah definitely had an ice-queen look about her, sure. The white-blonde hair, the stunning blue eyes, her pale skin. She tended to wear muted colours—white, black, navy—which no doubt emphasised the effect. But where other people saw cold and standoffish, I saw awkward and unsure. And, maybe, a little scared. As if she weren't sure what she was doing or how to do it. 

I'd worked with enough kids over the years to spot an abuse case, and Hannah fit the profile. Reserved, untrusting, desperate for affection. 

I wanted to wrap her up in a sushi blanket roll and cuddle her for days. 

Case in point—Hannah had never participated in a scavenger hunt. She’d never played ‘never have I ever’, or ‘truth and dare’. Had never even attended a school party.  

Which made tonight extra special. 

"We did well, didn't we?" she asked, once again admiring our junk piece of a trophy as it glinted in the firelight. 

"Hundred percent. We make a great team." 

Our annual Halloween scavenger hunt had seen my friendship group pair off, each of us competing for the ultimate prize—a shitty trophy that was little more than pieces of junk glued together and spray-painted gold. 

I coveted that trophy like a man covets treasure—with a nearly overwhelming need for it to be mine. 

The annual scavenger hunt had been a staple in my life since my early years when my mother—at her wit's end—had decided that the best way for kids to work off their Halloween sugar high was through a scavenger hunt. The competition had been run every year since. This year was only the fifth time I'd managed to win. 

And it's all thanks to Hannah. 

"You should keep it this year," I said, tipping my beer bottle toward the trophy. "Rule is you have to display it somewhere prominent in your house. And next year, when you bring it back, it has to be updated with some new addition that reminds us of this hunt." 

She flushed, her head dipping down as she looked away. "I'm not sure if I'll be invited next year." 

"What?" I scoffed, shaking my head. "Reigning champions must defend their title, and you, Hannah Sharp, are a master at scavenger hunts. A veritable savant."

She grinned, her blush deepening. "Thank you, Malik."

I waved a hand dismissively as Farrah rejoined our fire-pit circle. 

"Hey, Sharif, how's it feel to be runner-up?” I asked, unable to resist teasing my roommate. 

I knew my twin sister was hoping Farrah and I would hook up, but considering they'd been best friends since their tween years, it would be like kissing a relative. Farrah and I were just fine as friends and roommates. 

The woman in question flicked me the bird, poking her tongue out and muttering an expletive that involved a creative use for my genitals. 

I chuckled, incredibly pleased to have finally broken Farrah's winning streak. 

"To Hannah and Malik!" Yasmin, my twin, raised her beer in a toast. 

Around the fire pit sat some of my closest friends. In addition to Hannah, Farrah, and Yasmin, there was Caleb Prince—my best friend in the goddamn world, and Wolf Rodriguez—who was currently dressed as Spiderman, complete with mask, in an effort to avoid detection. 

Must be hard being a world-famous rock star. Can't even share a beer with friends without being mobbed. 

I shuddered. 

I cannot think of any job I'd like less than that. Give me anonymity any day. 

As the night wore on, the childish games became more outrageous. 

"Alright, what should we play next?" Yasmin asked, laughing at Farrah's mutinous expression. "How about truth or dare?" 

Hannah pressed her lips together, her face taking on a slightly pinched look. 

Uh-oh. 

"How does it work?"

We all turned toward her. 

"I'm sorry?"

"Truth or dare. How does it work? I haven't played before."

"No way in hell you've never played this game!" Yasmin declared, pointing a finger emphatically at Hannah. "Seriously, this is like the game we played in high school."

I felt Hannah stiffen beside me, her breath catching. 

I opened my mouth, about to try and smooth over the situation, when Hannah shrugged. 

"I didn't really attend high school parties."

"Well, consider this a trip down memory lane," I told her, slapping a hand on my knee. "And I"—I pressed my palm to my chest—"shall graciously go first." 

I looked at my best friend, giving him an evil eyebrow lift.  

"Truth or dare, Caleb?"

He lifted his beer bottle, shooting me a grin. "Truth." 

He took a swig while I pursed my lips, taking an exaggerated pause, attempting to put Hannah at ease. 

See? It's just a game.  

"Is it true that you got to shake Wayne Gretzky's hand, or was that bullshit?"

He chuckled as Farrah and Yasmin groaned, rolling their eyes.

"It's true, you motherfucker, and you know it. Your turn."

"Shoot," I said, stretching my arms out in welcome. "Hit me with your best shot."

"I dare you to eat the last stuffed jalapeño."

I leaned over to Hannah. "Now, I can either accept the dare—or if he'd been a decent person—the truth he's asking for, or I can refuse."

"What happens if you refuse?"

"Normally, we have to do a task we don't want to."

"Like stay and clean up after the party," Caleb butted in. "So, what's it gonna be, Officer El Khoury?"

"I'll do it."

I shoved off my seat, strolling to the table to pluck the hot jalapeño from its lonely place on the plate. 

"Be kind to me tomorrow," I ordered, shoving it in my mouth. Heat burst across my tongue, tears blurring my vision as I questioned whether Satan was a mythical beast or the food in my mouth. 

"Malik's a wuss when it comes to heat," my traitor of a sister explained to Hannah. "Can't stand anything hotter than the mildest of peppers."

I reached for a glass of water, sucking it down as the jalapeño slid down to burn an ulcer in my belly. 

I've made a huge mistake. 

The watching crowd of my former friends laughed as I suffered through the initial burn, gasping and gulping water.

Do I ask for milk? No, surely not. You can do this, El Khoury. You got this. Suck it up. SUCK IT UP!

Breathing through my mouth, I returned to the fire, attempting to dab discretely at the sweat on my brow. 

Hannah leaned in, offering me a fresh glass of water. "You okay?"

I nodded, still unable to speak without breathing fire. 

"My turn!" Farrah leaned forward. "Truth or dare, Yazzy?"

"Truth."

Hannah watched wide-eyed as around and around the circle they went, truths and dares coming hard and fast. 

"Okay, your turn," Yasmin told Hannah with a grin. "Truth or dare, Hannah?"

Hannah wore a pumpkin pinned to her head and a shirt that had the number 3.1415926535897932384626433… and so on written across it.

Pumpkin pie. Classic.  

She pursed her lips, her stunning blue eyes giving nothing away. "Dare."

"Ooohhh! She's got lady balls!" I yelled, pretending to act shocked. 

You go girl!   

"Alright, I dare you…." 

My stomach grumbled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten anything since the jalapeño. Three of Hannah's home-baked chocolate fudge cookies sat on a plate near the fire. 

Just one won't hurt. 

I paused, considering the offerings. 

Actually, I've been good, I deserve this treat. And it really wouldn't be fair to leave a man, or in this case, a cookie behind. 

I reached for them as Yasmin finished her dare. 

"I dare you to take those cookies from Malik and give them to me."

My head jerked up, my hand frozen halfway to my mouth, the cookies so close and yet so far. 

"Excuse me?" I asked, bristling with indignation. "What the fuck, Yaz?"

She giggled, nodding at Hannah. "Go on, Hannah! Quick! Before he eats them."

Hannah nodded, holding out a hand to me. "I'll take those, please, and thank you."

Excuse me? 

"What? No!" 

Hannah frowned. "It's my dare. Are you not going to help me with my dare?"

"Nope." I moved to stuff the cookies in my mouth, but Hannah was faster. Her hand shot out, gripping and twisting my wrist, snatching the falling cookies from the air.

"What the fuck!?" I howled, cradling my wrist as pain flared. "Where'd you learn that?"

"Dojo," Hannah replied, cradling the cookies in a napkin. She stood, walking toward a cackling Yasmin, who had tears running down her cheeks. "Here you go… Yazzy." 

Over my dead body. 

I surged to a stand, scooping Hannah up, preventing her from handing the cookies off to my traitor sister. With a practised heave, I tossed her over my shoulder and headed off into the dark shadows at the back of Caleb's yard. 

"Don't come looking for us!" I yelled over my shoulder. "We're negotiating cookies!"

The group’s laughter trailed after us as I carried us away. 

Away from the fire, the darkness embraced us, the only light coming from the moon above. At the very back of the yard, I helped Hannah slide off my shoulder, the napkin-wrapped cookies still clasped in her hands. 

"Alright, Ms. Sharp, hand them over." My grin faded as I took her in. 

She stood frozen, her face pale, her eyes glassy. 

"Hannah?" I reached out to touch her, but she sprang backward, stumbling to get away.

Oh, fuck. 

"Hannah?"

She raised both hands, one still holding the cookies. "Please don't touch me."

I blinked, swallowing. "Sorry. I didn't think. Shit, sorry, Hannah. I should have realised how inappropriate it was to just heave you around. I do it all the time to Yazzy and Farrah. I just didn't think. Sorry." 

She sucked in a breath, turning slightly away from me, her hair covering her expression. 

"Thank you for your apology."

I nodded, feeling like a complete dick. "Are you okay?"

She remained silent, breath misting in the cool night air. 

"I will be." She turned, her blue eyes searching my face. "I don't like being touched."

The way she said it sounded off. 

You fucking jackass. Way to impress the woman you like. 

"Is there anything I can do?"

She shook her head. "I'm feeling overwhelmed. Please give me a moment."

I nodded, hovering awkwardly. 

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. You done gone and fucked up, Malik. 

"Shall we go back to the fire?" Hannah asked after a moment. 

"Um, sure. If that's what you want." 

"I do. I'm enjoying the games." She twisted on her heel, heading to the fire. 

I fell in beside her, glancing over. 

"I really am sorry, Hannah."

She nodded. "I know."

And with that, we returned to the fire, games, and pretending nothing had happened between us.