“You idiot,” Malcolm says. “Do you know where he was?”
“No?”
“With Arya. Alone. In her empty house,” Malcolm says slowly.
“Oh shit,” Richard says. “He didn’t say that.”
“Of course he didn’t,” Malcolm says. “Because he’s too nice of a guy. He’s such a good friend that he’d leave a hot girl in an empty house to make sure that his friends got home safely.”
“How much do I owe him?” Richard asks.
“What do you think, Richard?” Malcolm asks. “And put yourself in his shoes when you answer.”
Richard ponders. “There’s not enough money in the world.”
“Exactly,” Malcolm says.
“Samson’s already out front with Lucas,” Richard says. “Let’s just say it was his idea.”
“You’re on your own with this one,” Malcolm says, walking out the front door.
James
"Thanks, James," Richard says from the backseat, a passed out Lucas lying over him, as they start on the road. "I didn't mean to…"
“Take me away from my girlfriend?” I look at him in the rearview mirror. “Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll find a way to pay me back somehow.” I look over at Malcolm next to me and he smiles. “Arya might be a different story.”
“Don’t tell her it was me,” Richard says. “I’ve managed to stay on her good side for so long.” Everyone laughs.
Arya
I hear him step back into the house while I’m still at the stove. I left the garage door open for him, waiting for when he’d finally come back.
“Something smells good,” James says walking into the kitchen, wrapping his arms around me from behind, kissing me on the neck.
“Not as good as my mom’s,” I say, flipping the pancake in the pan. “But it’ll do.”
“It’s perfect,” James says.
After pancakes, syrup, tea, and too much laughing, we finally make our way back upstairs.
James looks around my room when we enter and then goes to my shelf and grabs the photo albums on the shelf and sits on the floor, his back against the bed, and opens one of the albums.
“What are you doing?” I ask, climbing back on the bed, coming up behind him, resting my chin on his shoulder while lying on my stomach on the bed.
“Where was that?” James points to a picture of a family trip on the beach when Mia and I were kids.
“Florida,” I say.
“How old were you?” James asks.
“Probably six,” I say. “My mom writes on the back of all the photos if you want to know.”
“I’ll let you tell me,” James says, as he flips through the pages.
“Who’s wedding?” James asks.
“My aunt’s,” I say.
“I see you were the flower girl,” James says. “Cute dress.” He smirks. It’s an ugly fluorescent pink dress and he knows I hate bright pink. “This is your aunt and uncle?” James points to the bride and groom.
"Yeah," I say. "They look so happy there."
“Are they not happy now?” James asks.
“They’re divorced.”
“I’m sorry, Arya,” James says.
“It’s okay,” I say. “She’s happy on her own and he’s happy with his new wife and new family. I miss him. He was like a second father to me growing up. Now I never see him. James, are you sure you want to do this?”
“Of course,” James says. “I want to learn more about you and your family and everything else.”
“You’re an interesting guy, James,” I say. “Most guys wouldn’t want to look through photo albums with their girlfriend when the house is empty.”
“I’m not most guys,” James says.
I turn my head to James, and he kisses me. “What are you going to tell the guys in the locker room then?”
James shakes his head. “Trust me, I don’t tell them anything.”
“They don’t ask you anything?” I say.
“Really, Arya?” James turns his head to face me. “You really want to know?”
“The girls always ask me about you,” I say. “But I can tell there are many that are jealous and don’t want to know.”
“What do you tell them?” James smiles.
"Really, James?" I imitate him. "You really want to know?" James rolls his eyes. "I just tell them you're a gem with a fit body. And that you are an amazing kisser." James kisses me again.
“You’re nicer than I am,” James says, looking through the photos. “I generally tell the guys to fuck off.” I laugh.
“James?”
“Yes?”
“About your dad,” I start and then wait to see if he stops me, but he doesn’t. “Have you forgiven the man in the other vehicle?” He stares straight ahead.
“The man that took my father away from me and my family?” James asks.
“I’m sure whoever the guy is, is truly sorry for what happened,” I say.
“It doesn’t change anything,” James says. “He’s not the one who lost a dad that night.”
“Have you met him?” I ask.
“Please stop, Arya,” James says, putting the album aside but still not looking at me.
“James, remember we can talk about anything,” I say. “But if you don’t want to talk about this, that’s fine.” James didn’t push me about why I left West Side, so I’m not going to push him on this.
James turns around and kneels in front of the bed and our faces come close. “I never met him, Arya. I can’t forgive him. My mom has, but I can’t.”
“I don’t blame you, James,” I say. “I don’t know if I’d be able to in your position. Just remember that he is probably still haunted by the worst mistake he has ever made.”
“And so am I,” James says. I run my hand through his hair.
“You must have gotten money from the accident,” I say.
“Yeah,” James says. “For the accident. The case against the guy is still ongoing.”
“Still?” I can’t believe it. James will never be able to come to terms with his father’ death until the case is closed.
“These things take a while, Arya,” James says.
“But that could be a lot of money,” I say. “That would help you and your family so much, that could…”
“Arya.” James puts his hands on me. “This is where I’m done discussing this.”
“I’m sorry, James,” I say. He just smiles at me and then kisses me.
“You are the first person I’ve been able to open up to like this,” James says. “About my dad. So, forgive me for not wanting to talk about the financial details with you.”
“Forgive me for bringing it up,” I say. “Just know that you can tell me anything. Sometimes it’s good to feel emotions we don’t want to feel. Talk about things we don’t want to talk about. To allow ourselves to be vulnerable.”
James raises an eyebrow at me. “Says the girl who won’t tell me why she left her old school,” James says. “You know, you’ll have to tell me why you left West Side one day, Arya.”
“I know,” I say and then kiss him, knowing that I’m lying to him.
I put my cold hands under the collar of his shirt to his chest and he tenses. “Stop it, Arya.”
“Or what?” I smile at him.
“This.” James grabs me by the waist, pinning me underneath him on the bed, and then he starts tickling me.
"Stop James!" I say, not being able to control my laughter. I am extremely ticklish, and James knows it. I can hardly breathe anymore and I try pushing him off me.
“You’re going to have to do better than that!” James says to my face.
“Okay, okay!” I say, having no breath anymore. “I can’t breathe. You win.”
James stops tickling me, seeing that I’m on the verge of passing out. I sit up to meet him, finally regaining my breath. He looks at me, brushing a piece of hair behind my ear. “How did I get so lucky?”
“You literally ran after
me,” I say, thinking of that day on the track after the first soccer tryout.
“I did, didn’t I?” James smiles. “Might have thought you were a bit crazy back then.”
“And now?”
“Still crazy.” James smiles, putting a hand to my cheek. “But I wouldn’t want you any other way.”
“Smart guy,” I say. “Knowing the exact right things to say.”
“You are not dating a stupid guy,” James says, and I stare into his deep blue eyes.
“You also stood up for me,” I say. “Against your best friend.”
James searches my eyes, trying to read them. “I’d do anything to protect you, Arya,” James says. “I don’t care who it’s against.”
“I know,” I say. “It’s how I know you’re the one.” And James crashes his lips into me again.
***
We stayed up late that night. We talked, we kissed, we laughed. It was an amazing night that we needed, especially considering what happened earlier in the evening. I fell asleep on James' chest with his arms wrapped around me, and in the morning, I feel James trying to move gently to not wake me up.
“James?”
“I have to go,” James says softly, standing up by the bed.
“Work?” I ask and he nods. I get up on my knees on the bed to face him.
“Don’t get up, Arya,” James says, putting a hand to my hip. “I’ll let myself out.” He comes up close to me and kisses me and I put my hands to his chest. He starts walking away and I get off the bed to follow him. “Arya…”
"I have to close the garage door after you," I say. James smiles and then picks me up in his arms and carries me out of the room and down the stairs to the garage door connected to the house.
“I’ll call you tonight,” James says, kissing me and then putting me down before he walks out the door to his car. I open the garage door for him, and he drives off, leaving too soon, but I knew that was going to happen. This is James’ world and if I want to be with him, I have to accept it. Just like how he has to accept my world.
Chapter 32 – When You’re Gone
“Baby when you're gone / I realize I'm in love / Days go on and on / And the nights just seem so long” – When You’re Gone, Bryan Adams
Arya
“So, how was the weekend?” Dad asks at the dinner table. He and Mom just got back from the conference and they picked up Chinese takeout for dinner.
“Good,” both Mia and I say.
“How was your party, Arya?” Mom asks, walking around the table to put food down. “It must have been nice to see friends from your old school.”
“Yeah, great,” I say.
"How are Maya, Zora, and Lucy?" Mom asks. "We never see them anymore."
“They’re good,” I say. “You know it’s hard to stay in touch now that I’m not at West Side anymore.”
“I hope you came home at a reasonable time,” Dad comments.
“Of course,” I say. Not a lie.
“And I trust that I won’t have any neighbours telling me they saw James’ car in the driveway overnight?” Dad asks. People are always into each other’s business. It’s the curse of a small town.
“Go ahead,” I say with a mouthful of food, waving my fork in a circle, “ask them.”
“Unless he parked it in the garage,” Mom says as she sits down, and I try to keep my cool and show no reaction. I share a glance with Mia because she knows I wasn’t alone in the house last night.
“Don’t give her any ideas, Laura,” Dad says.
“I’m sure our 16-year-old daughter is smart enough to figure that one out on her own,” Mom says.
“Arya?” Dad asks. “Anything you want to share?”
I chew my food slowly and swallow, trying to think. “James dropped me off at home from the party, and then he left to go and pick up his friends and take them home as well.” Technically true. I can’t outright lie to my parents, I just feel so bad about it, and they always seem to be able to tell when I’m lying anyway. But I can tell my dad wants a firm answer from me saying, ‘James did not stay over’. My wishy-washy technically true answer is not good enough.
“Arya,” Dad says seriously, “if that boy…”
“James,” I cut him off, “is my boyfriend and he has done nothing but be a perfect gentleman to me. You don’t have to worry about him.”
“You’ve already transferred from one school,” Dad says. “Which I am still not happy about, I might add. Don’t make me regret letting you go to that school with those…” he pauses, “kids.” That’s not the word he wanted to use. I’m angry at him for assuming the worst of East Side, but my mom cuts in before I can.
"Steve," Mom says, "both our daughters have been doing well at East Side. They have friends, are doing well in all their classes, have extracurriculars. I think it's been good for them." I silently thank my mom. "I think it's good for them to mingle with…" she looks for the word. No, mom, don't ruin it. "the more common people of the town." Mom smiles.
“Mom!”
“What, Arya?” Mom says. “We all know that the majority of the students that go to East Side are…”
“Just stop,” I say, cutting her off.
“Arya, you will not interrupt your mother,” Dad says sternly. “It’s very obvious which is the better school in this town. I wish you were still at West Side; better education, better teachers, responsible kids…”
“It’s not a perfect school, Dad. There are some jerks at West Side,” I say. What would my dad say if I told him about the bet the West Siders had on taking me home last night? These rich kids that he sees in his dentist office. Would he still be as kind to them if he knew they tried to grope me?
“I’m aware, Arya,” Dad says. “It’s the reason you said you wanted to leave. A decision I had to accept. Don’t make me regret it. If some 16-year-old boy from that East Side school thinks that…”
“Steve,” Mom says. “I think that’s enough.”
We eat in silence for a while until Mia asks our parents how the conference was, which is an effective distraction. Dad talking about all the courses, Mom talking about all the stuff she bought.
After dinner, while packaging all the leftovers, Mom comes up to me. “We like James,” Mom says. “And we trust you. Your father just wants the best for you.”
“James is the best for me,” I say.
“It’s not just about James,” Mom says. “It’s that you’re at a new school with new friends and everything is different now. I think you have done well at East Side. I’m proud of you for adapting so well and taking care of your sister. Your father is too.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I say.
“But you know as well as I do that your father will shoot any boy that stays here overnight,” Mom smiles. “Doesn’t matter who he is.”
“I know,” I say.
“James is a smart boy,” Mom says. “And a charmer. And your first boyfriend.”
“Nothing happened, Mom,” I say to her. Mom knows that James was here last night. No point pretending anymore. “I promise you.”
“Good.”
"Did you have to tell Dad about him parking in the garage?" I ask.
She laughs. “It just came out,” she says. “Your father can be clueless about this kind of thing sometimes. Has a doctorate but doesn’t think logically about his daughter sneaking her boyfriend over when her parents are away.”
“Because he doesn’t want to think about it,” I say. He wants to believe that I’m his perfect, responsible daughter.
“I’ll handle your father,” Mom says. “But I’m not going to be this nice next time if James, or any other boy for that matter, comes over here for a ‘sleepover’.”
“You never snuck a boy over when you were my age?” I ask, knowing my mom had plenty of boyfriends growing up.
“Don’t you have homework you need to do?” Mom asks. “I’m assuming you didn’t get much sleep last night considering your ‘overnight visitor’. You’ll need a
n early night tonight.” And then she leaves me, and I just smile to myself.
***
No POV
"Don't be too harsh with her," Laura says to her husband as she climbs next to him on their shared bed. "She's 16 and he's her first boyfriend."
“That’s exactly why I need to be harsh with her,” Steve says. “I don’t need some boy thinking he can try and get lucky with one of my daughters.”
“What do you expect?” Laura says. “We left her alone in the house for the weekend and Mia was at a sleepover.”
“We’ve left her home alone plenty of times before with no issues,” Steve says.
“She didn’t have a boyfriend then,” Laura responds.
“Then maybe she shouldn’t have a boyfriend at all,” Steve says.
“I thought you liked James,” Laura says.
“I did,” Steve says. “Until I found out that little bastard parked in MY garage and slept in MY house with MY daughter while I was gone.”
“He’s a good kid. And are you telling me that you never did anything like that when you were a teenager?” Laura asks.
“Of course not,” Steve says, brushing the idea away as if it’s preposterous. “I should call his mother and see if she knows where her son was last night.”
“Don’t,” Laura says, putting a hand on her husband’s arm. “Nothing happened anyway.”
“It better not have,” Steve says. “I want to see my daughters get through school, go to university, start their careers BEFORE I become a grandfather. They deserve the best and I want them to make the most out of life and not be limited.”
“I trust our girls,” Laura says. “I think we did a good job with them.”
“If they had stayed at West Side…”
“Arya didn’t want to stay there anymore,” Laura says. “You remember that day. Even the principal phoned and said that he thought it would be better if she transferred.”
“She never told us specifically why though,” Steve says.
"Kids are mean, Steve," Laura says. "And Arya wasn't happy there. But look at her now! She's going out more, has lovely friends and her grades haven't suffered a bit! She's happier at this school, it's obvious. I'm happy for her, she used to be focused on only soccer and school. It's nice to see her putting herself out there."
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