“Come on, Pen. You’ve got to get out once in a while. This is a low-key party at the Jeffersons’ tonight.” Kate was pleading, and I chuckled. As I thought about it, I’d never seen Penny at any party. Not that it meant a whole lot, but it was probably why it’d been easy to avoid her for such a long time. Once I stopped talking to her, we didn’t hang out in the same places. Until now with the diner.
“Do it for me, Penny,” the tall blonde girl said, her voice an exaggerated whine.
Shaking her head, Penny’s long ponytail bounced again, captivating my attention for several seconds. I almost reached out to touch it but knew that would be overstepping.
“Can’t we do something other than a party? We could rent a movie and just hang out at someone’s house.” Penny’s right hand held her left shoulder, something she’d always done when we were younger to signal she was uncomfortable with something.
Kate stopped in front of her, and I turned my head, trying to look like I wasn’t aware they were there. “What if we go for a little bit, and if you want to leave, I’ll head out with you?”
“Ugh, you two. You know how I feel about loud music and crazy drunk people.”
“You’ll be fine,” the blonde said, rolling her eyes. “I’ve got to run to Trig. See you after school.”
Kate and the other girl took off in different directions, leaving Penny with her head tipped back, looking like she was dreading life.
“What’s got you so annoyed, Davis?” I asked, making sure she heard me before I moved into her line of sight.
She looked at me and shook her head. “You. What do you want now, White?”
“Just didn’t want to see a friend looking like the world was ending. Anything I can do?” I stuffed my hands into my pants pockets, hoping to pull off the appearance that I hadn’t been listening.
Penny folded her arms, her eyebrows shooting up. “Friends, huh? You’ll claim me as a friend now?”
A bitter taste took over my tongue, and I swallowed several times, hoping to get it to disappear. “Can’t you forgive a guy already for being a jerk? I’m sorry, and I really am. I shouldn’t have pushed you away when I did.”
She took a few steps forward, and I fell into step with her. “It’s hard to forgive when you don’t know the reason the person dumped you like a sack of garbage on the curb.”
Fair point. “I know I hurt you, and I’ve never been more sorry about anything in my life. If I could go back and change it, I would. But I need just a little more time before I can completely confess why I did it. Is that okay?”
“Whatever. Just don’t expect the same title from me until I know what happened. I’ve had enough people walk out of my life. I don’t need it to happen twice from the same person.”
I opened my mouth to say something, but for the first time in a while, I had nothing. My mind was blank.
She jutted her thumb down the hall. “I’ve got to get to class. I’ll see you at the diner, I guess.”
There was a sadness to her tone, and I wanted to reach out and grab her hand and tell her everything right then. But something held me back. Probably the fact that she was like the light, and my life had been in darkness for so long.
I watched her walk away until she moved into the classroom and the bell rang. So much for changing when it came to school. I was still going to have to work off those tardies and soon.
“What are we doing tonight?” Colt asked as we all got dressed in the locker room after the last bell.
“My dad is taking us camping, so I won’t be around for the weekend,” Logan said, looking less than enthused about the idea.
Dax turned to look at me, and I shook my head. “I don’t know. What do you want to do?”
“I heard there’s a party tonight. We should go and see,” Dax said, a wide grin showing off his teeth.
I’d nearly forgotten about the party Penny’s friends had mentioned as my thoughts had been consumed with telling her about past pain.
“I’d be down for that. I heard someone say it’s at the Jeffersons’ house, right?”
Colt and Dax nodded at the same time. “I’m in,” they said simultaneously.
I could do with another chance to see Penny outside of softball and the diner. Maybe I’d be able to tell her everything soon enough. That is, if she trusted me enough to believe it.
Chapter 18
Penny
“I don’t need more makeup, you guys,” I said, pushing Brynn’s hand away. They’d deemed tonight to be about a makeover for me, but what I really felt like was a floozy. I’d already nixed the clothing combinations they’d picked out for me.
“There is no way you’re going to a party in jeans and a t-shirt.” Kate’s face had that no-nonsense look on it. I knew not to argue with that.
I stood from the edge of my bed and walked to the small walk-in closet. I pulled two of my “nice blouses” from the rack and held them up for the girls to see. “What about these?”
“That one looks like my grandmother’s wallpaper,” Serena said, going back to studying her nails.
Shooting her a glare, I hung up the one she’d been referring to and looked down at the one in my hand. It was a black three-quarter-sleeve boho-type shirt with gems and sequins throughout.
“Not bad, Pen,” Kate said, pausing in reapplying her mascara. “When did you get that one?”
I tried to find the words, but it seemed my mind had no real explanation. It had been one of my mother’s shirts, one of the many she left behind when she’d gone to start her new life. With the other guy. Dad had done a massive overhaul of his closet when he realized she wasn’t coming back, and I’d managed to grab a few things I’d always liked.
Not that I’d ever worn any of them, but as much as I hated her still, a part of me missed what we’d had in those shining moments when she’d wanted to be a mom.
“It’s been in there for a while,” I said finally, blowing out a breath. Kate was the only one who knew even a sliver about my mom, and I didn’t want to have to tell the entire story to the rest. I wasn’t ready for that yet.
My thoughts turned to what Jake had said earlier at school. Maybe whatever he’d been through was just as bad as when my mom left, too painful to talk about just yet. We’d always been able to talk about everything, but I was beginning to realize that some of life’s problems take much longer to process than others.
“Put it on, Penny,” Serena said, bouncing on my bed a few times.
I slipped into the closet and pulled on my one pair of skinny jeans that Brynn had made me buy the previous summer. The blouse fit comfortably around my sides, feeling much more comfortable than the skin-tight shirt they’d wanted me to wear originally.
I walked out of the closet, not even trying to pose. If they weren’t going to agree to this ensemble, I wasn’t going to the party.
“That looks way good!” Kate said, clapping loudly.
“With your hair done, you look like you’re in college.” Brynn grinned, waving me over with the curling iron in her hand. She’d taken the time to style my hair, which was taking much longer than the last time I’d actually done it. Probably because there were several more inches than before.
Serena stood and grinned. “Yay for Penny finally joining us for a night out.”
I turned as much as I could with my hair twirled around a hot iron and pointed to her. “If there’s anything off after fifteen minutes, I’m gone.”
The girls chuckled and gathered their things. Brynn sprayed my hair with a cloud of hairspray once again and used a comb to smooth back some of the sides. Looking in the mirror, I almost did a double-take. It wasn’t like we’d had an all-day makeover, but the little makeup I’d agreed to let them apply actually accentuated several features of my face, and I couldn’t help but smile.
I’d never been into makeup. I’d always thought my mother caked it on, and since I was usually out running with the boys while growing up, it would have smeared, melted, or been wiped off, de
feating the purpose. But I could enjoy a little bit for one night.
We climbed into Kate’s new SUV and headed in the direction of the school. The Jeffersons had a son who was a senior, and when they threw a party, I’d heard it was epic. Okay, maybe not epic-epic, as any gathering at the Montgomery place was considered something that couldn’t be replicated. That was what Serena said anyway.
As we got closer to the larger home on the other side of town, my stomach twisted into knots, and I felt like I was running out of air. I pushed the button to roll down the window a bit and enjoyed the fresh air coming in. Slow, deep breaths helped to untangle some of the knots.
“I hope James is there,” Serena said, her fingers tapping the screen of her phone with an intensity I’d only seen from her during volleyball games.
“Didn’t you already go on a date with him?” I asked, turning my face back to the window.
The girls chuckled, and I turned to see them staring at me.
Serena rolled her eyes. “That wasn’t a date. He invited a bunch of other people to tag along. But I’m determined to get an individual date this time.”
“This is why you need to hang out with us more, Penny,” Brynn said from the passenger seat. “It isn’t the same when you’re not here.”
I sighed and nodded. “Thanks for being patient with me. I know I’m not the easiest person to hang out with all the time.”
“We’ve all got our thing. Sometimes we just have to branch out.” Kate smiled at me through the rearview mirror, and something in her eyes gave me an assurance that I’d be okay. From what or at what time, I wasn’t sure, but it was a relaxing feeling I hadn’t had in longer than I could remember.
Cars were already lined up down the street and in the cul-de-sac where the Jeffersons lived.
“Looks like we’re going to be walking a bit, girls,” Kate said, turning the wheel to head back to the end of the street where a spot had been open.
“This always happens when I choose to wear heels,” Serena complained, sticking her phone into a small black clutch.
Brynn laughed. “At least you can wear heels. I already tower over most of the student body at Rosemont. To add heels to that would be like watching a circus performer.”
We all burst out laughing at that as Kate parked the car. Getting out and looking down the road at the large house helped sober me. Why had I agreed to this?
As if reading my thoughts, Kate grabbed my arm and gently pulled me behind the other two girls. “You’ll be fine. Just relax and have fun. I’ll be with you the whole time,” she whispered.
As much as I trusted her, she was the complete opposite of me with a big crowd. It was as though her already outgoing personality got kicked up several notches and my social awkwardness only got worse. One of the reasons I stuck to my small group, the softball field, and books. I felt more confident in those situations.
Walking in, I could smell bodies and something I couldn’t name just then. I rubbed at my nose, hoping to keep the gag reflex from kicking in.
As soon as we were inside, Brynn and Serena disappeared through the crowd, and I stood there wondering if I’d be better off just walking back out.
“Come on. Let’s get something to drink and find a spot to watch. That’s sometimes the best part.” Kate’s grin put me at ease somewhat, but I knew I was going to need more than that to last longer than one of the screaming songs in the next room.
She led me to the large kitchen where the bar was covered in bowls of ice, drinks of every kind sitting in them. I located the water and soda section and grabbed a water, already feeling the dryness taking over my mouth. The heat in the house from all the people seemed to suck the moisture right out. I pulled out my phone and took note of the time. Had it really only been three minutes? I might not even make it to fifteen at this rate.
Kate started talking to a girl I barely recognized, a senior. And just like that, I was on my own. I glanced around, unsure of what to do, and then decided to go find somewhere to sit. I passed the room with the loud head-banging music and grimaced as I watched a couple make out against the wall. What was I even doing here? This was fun?
I found the doors to the pool out back and walked outside to a chair, enjoying the refreshing air as much as I had on the drive over. All of this was something I’d never had interest in, not since my mother began telling me stories of her high school days. She would fit right into this scene, and just like all the other times, I wondered how she and my father really got together. He was so mild-mannered, although driven, and it seemed like they’d come from worlds apart to marry.
Thinking of my father, he would kill me and then bring me back to clean up the mess if he ever found out I’d had a party with alcohol. Kate had said something about the Jefferson parents being on a three-week trip to Europe. I just hoped I’d get out before the neighbors called the police.
There were only a handful of people milling around outside since a cold front had moved in during the day, making it chilly for the ones who were only half-dressed.
“I never thought I’d see the day when Penny Davis would be at a big party like this.” Jake’s voice caused me to jump, and I turned to see him smiling over me.
“More like I was dragged here against my will.”
He moved to take the seat next to mine, setting his red cup on the table between us. I glanced at the light blue polo he’d worn and the jeans I’d noticed fit him very well around the backside. His hair was done, and he looked a lot like he had back in seventh grade. Even better.
“I see you’re enjoying a nice beverage of agua tonight.” He motioned to the bottle sitting on my lap.
“And you’re partaking in the libations of alcohol freely given at this party?” I gave him a small smile, emphasizing my sarcasm.
His smile grew even wider, and I frowned, trying to figure out what was so amusing about underage drinking. “Actually, I poured myself a soda. No alcohol. Not since…the accident.” He turned his gaze away and took a sip from the cup, his jaw working back and forth. Was he trying not to cry?
“You mean you come to these parties and make people think you’ve been drinking when you really haven’t?” The idea sounded both ludicrous and genius at the same time.
“My buddies know I don’t drink anymore, but that’s about it.” His expression looked sad, his eyes glazed as if seeing something far away. “I was turning into my father, and the accident kind of woke me up a bit, helped me see that I didn’t need all that. Besides, losing one of your best friends because he was driving your car doesn’t help you sleep well at night as it is.”
I wanted to come up with some retort to knock him down a peg, but this was a whole new side to Jake I hadn’t seen before. There had been plenty of rumors swirling around after the accident saying that Jake had meant to get Troy Johnson killed. Others described how Troy had a fight with his girlfriend and Jake had jumped into the Jeep at the last minute, trying to dissuade him from driving away.
“I’m sorry, Jake. I didn’t know.” I leaned forward and reached my hand out, covering the back of his with my palm. Warmth trickled up my arm and into my chest, causing a feeling of comfort and giving me goosebumps.
“Well, it’s just a piece of my life that’s happened in the last three years, five months, and two days.” It took a moment for me to realize what he meant with the numbers, but as I calculated it all, I realized it led to the day my mother walked out the door.
He swallowed. “That’s the day my life started to crumble as well.”
His eyes stared into mine as several emotions played out on his face. Most of them looked more vulnerable than anything, and I wanted to pull him toward me and play with his hair, telling him everything would be okay again. But something held me back, my pride most likely.
“Well, I’m here when you need to talk.” I glanced at my phone, not sure I was ready for an in-depth conversation right there next to a pool at a loud party. Sure, I’d been looking for answers for so long,
but now that I thought about it, did I really want to know? Even though my attraction toward him grew every time we were around each other, my subconscious seemed to know pursuing a relationship with him would be much harder than what I’d been doing before we started talking again.
I stood, playing with the lid of my water bottle as Jake stood before me.
“Where are you going?” he asked, his voice soft.
“I, uh…” I cleared my throat, trying to think of something. I glanced up and locked my eyes with his. “I should probably go find my friends, just to make sure they’re okay, you know?”
Jake raised his arm past me and pointed through the window. “Serena, Brynn.” I looked where he pointed and saw the two of them dancing with a couple of guys I didn’t recognize. “Kate is probably still in the kitchen talking to the guy and girl she was chatting with when I asked where you were.”
I shook my head, trying to process the words. “Wait, you asked her where I was?”
“I figured I’d give it a shot to see if you were here. I knew there would be at least one other sober person at this party, and I like spending time with you. It reminds me of the good old days.” He ran his hand through his hair as if wishing he could take the statements back.
“Well, I promised them fifteen minutes, but I didn’t think about what would happen after that amount of time. I rode with Kate.” A sinking feeling took over. I was going to be stuck here all night. I didn’t have a curfew, so that wasn’t the issue. It was the boredom I was bound to feel once Jake found a girl to talk to.
“Why don’t I drive you home? Then you won’t be stuck here all night.” He shrugged, the corner of his mouth turning up in a way that made me wonder if I was in a dream.
I must have stared at him a little too long because his smile disappeared and a frown replaced it. “You’d do that for me? What about your friends?” I asked.
“They’ll be fine for a bit. I only drove Dax here. The others were just going to meet us here.” Jake picked up his cup and motioned to the house. “Go tell Kate I’ll give you a ride, and I’ll let Dax know where I am.”
The Perfect Play: A Boy Next Door Young Adult Romance (Rosemont High Baseball Book 1) Page 8