Free Sweet Cheeks by J. Dorothy

were burned together hundreds of years ago. The whole ground is still blackened, nothing has ever grown there. Though I suspect its part of the Park Rangers duty to make sure it's burnt off every year to keep the tourists happy.
    I park next to the bloodied red sign for Lover's Lane. There isn't anyone else here. Night is the time when most people visit. Teenage boys hoping to get lucky with their freaked out girlfriends, old lovers reminiscing about their youth, and tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of the so called witch ghosts who are said to frequent the woods at midnight. The witching hour. Yeah right. Wouldn't surprise me if the Park Ranger had a few spooky recordings set up nearby to encourage the stories.
    I walk fast and find my tree. All the residents of our little town were given an honorary tree to etch with sentiments of love. It's supposed to ward off the evil witches who curse new lovers. Started as a prank by a group of teenagers, but the tourists love it, so the town council decided to make it into a news worthy story. I think it's a really clever idea. Or I did. Now I stand looking at my blank canvas of a tree. I have no initials to put into any kind of heart. My heart isn't meant for that obviously. Once I thought Cam's initials might be etched here, but his initials aren't mine. His heart doesn't belong to me. No one's does. I put my head against the dry wood and breathe deep. God, I didn't realize how much this would hurt. Being rejected by someone you really care about. Someone I was foolish enough to open the floodgate to my feelings. Not just someone I wanted because it suited my needs. Someone I actually really wanted for no reason at all.
    Treasure Pot flutters in my stomach and I reach down and hug my arms around my swollen belly. God, Treasure Pot, you are it. You're the only one who will love me. The only one. And I will love you so much. You are mine, and mine only. I slide down and lean back on the tree, letting the tears fall. Tears I've kept inside for a long time. They aren't tears of regret, or tears of frustration, these are tears of actual pain and hurt. Tears I never thought I'd shed again. I let them flow for the next few minutes, then I wipe my eyes. I am stronger than this. I need to keep strong. Treasure Pot deserves a strong parent. And I can be that parent. Guys like Tanning will come and go, but it will always be the same. Treasure Pot is not their kid, so why would they care for him the way I do.
    I know that isn't entirely true. Guys like Tanning only come along once in a lifetime, not an everyday occurrence. I ignore that though, I have to put it at the back of my mind. He's obviously made his decision about me, and I need to respect that. Okay. Feeling better, I turn and hug my tree, and head back to my car.
    I'm just about to unlock it when I hear a rustle and I look up. That's when I see him, and I have to grip hold of the door handle to stop from falling to the ground. I haven't seen him in eight years and it still bites.
    Jason Spectre.
    The first and last boy I loved openly. The one boy who made my life hell for a whole year. Seeing him brings it all back, and I feel like that thirteen year old girl again. A little girl so out of her depth and so innocent.
    I hope he doesn't see me, but it's too late. I can see the glint in his eye as he spots me. Shit. Then that famous smile spreads across his face, a smile that once lit up my whole world, now I just see it for the evil wicked smile it is. I start to shake. I have no idea why he's back in town or why he's out here, I only know I feel vulnerable and suddenly very alone.
    A feeling I haven't experienced for a very long time. And it's scaring the shit out of me.

TeN
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    My hands are shaking uncontrollably now, and I drop my car keys. I bend quickly to pick them up and get the hell out of here when Jason strides over. Crap. I don't want to be near him. I don't want to talk to him. I hate him. Really