by Ali Novak
“I promise you’ll do fine.” Cole chuckled as he stepped out into the hall. “Night, Jackie.”
“Good night, Cole,” I responded. Suddenly, a thought ran through my head.
“Wait,” I called just as he was about to shut the door. “Who’s Erin?”
Cole paused before responding. “Just a friend.”
When he shut the door, I held my breath and listened to him leave. A few seconds later, I heard his feet pound down the stairs.
Then, “Hey, Erin.”
I was so surprised to hear Cole again that I nearly fell out of my bed.
“Cole,” a girl responded, her voice smoky. “You said you were going to call me.”
I glanced around the room, looking for the source of the voices. There were three windows, and I realized why Katherine had picked this room for her art studio. It gave her a handful of different views to paint. The window on the front side of the house was pushed open.
“Yeah,” Cole said. “Something came up. Sorry.”
Pushing back the curtain, I looked down and saw Cole standing on the front porch. The front door was still open, and the light from inside poured into the night, outlining his body in a yellow glow.
“Are we still on for tonight?” asked Erin. She was standing a few steps down, and with her back to me, all I could see were long legs and a high ponytail.
Cole paused. “It’s late.”
Erin crossed her arms. “Fine, but no excuses tomorrow. You can’t keep bailing on me. I miss you.”
“Okay.”
“You promise?” she asked. Cole nodded his head. “Good. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Cole stood on the porch and watched as Erin walked to her car. When the headlights disappeared down the dark driveway, I expected Cole to go back inside. Instead, he stepped off the porch and made his way across the front walk. He was heading for what looked like a shed.
When he unlatched the lock and pulled back the double doors, I realized that it was a second garage. After flipping on a light switch, he shut the doors. I waited for a few minutes, but he didn’t come back out. Finally I gave up and crawled into bed, but I couldn’t stop wondering. What the heck was Cole doing out there?
Chapter 3
I was in the car with my family. My dad and mom were in the front seat, and Lucy was sitting next to me in the back. We were sharing a set of headphones and jamming out to one of our favorite songs. When it came to an end, I smiled and looked out the window. It was one of those crisp, sunny spring days that let you know that winter was almost over. A small green haze that was almost invisible surrounded the tree branches as new buds started to push forth.
I looked down in surprise as my seat belt suddenly slid off. “What the…?” I muttered to myself and clicked it back in. A sinking feeling formed in my stomach when the buckle clicked undone again. Before I could push it back in, an invisible force yanked me from the car.
Now I was standing on the concrete. The trees on both sides of the road had shriveled up, and the sky darkened to an ominous gray. Our car sped by, and I caught a glimpse of Lucy staring out the back window at me.
“Wait, stop!” I cried and started to sprint down the street.
But the car didn’t stop. I watched in horror as a mile down the road the pavement started to crumble apart. When the road split in two, our car drove right off the edge and the earth swallowed my family up.
Panting, I sat straight up in bed with a thick layer of sweat covering my body. As my vision adjusted to the dark, dread built up inside me at the sight of unfamiliar surroundings. I kicked the covers off and stepped onto the cold, hard floor. For a moment, I was confused because my room didn’t have a wooden floor. Where was the carpet?
I searched in the dark for the light switch, and when I flipped it on, the mural on the walls lit up around me. The shock of reality hit me so hard that my knees buckled and I crumbled to the ground in a heap. I wasn’t at home in New York. I was in Colorado.
It was a dream. I had only been dreaming about the accident.
When it happened, I wasn’t with them. Instead, I had been lying on the couch, sick with the flu. I remember being tucked into a cocoon of blankets, trying to sleep away the shivers. As the morning slipped by, I drifted in and out of consciousness, and my family must have disappeared from existence sometime then.
At some point, the phone started ringing, but I felt too awful to answer. It continued to ring all afternoon long, until finally there was a knock on the front door and I was forced to get up. When the police officer told me what had happened to my family, my stomach reacted before I could process anything. I bent over, hands to my knees, and emptied onto the floor the small amount of hot chocolate I’d been able to sip that morning.
I didn’t understand how Lucy could be gone. She had always gone a step beyond being an older sister. The night before, when I came down with the flu, she’d held my hair and rubbed soothing circles across my back as I cried into the toilet. And my mother—she had been the strongest woman I knew. At the time, it didn’t make sense that she was dead.
But she was. They all were.
Ever since that day—ninety-four days, to be exact—I’d been dreaming about them. My father was the famous CEO of Howard Investment Corporation, so their car accident played on the news in loops, a constant reminder that they were gone. I still couldn’t get the image out of my head of our car, which had been crunched up into a ball as if it were nothing more than aluminum foil. It was as if every detail was seared into my brain, like when you look away from the sun after staring too long and it starts multiplying across the sky in vivid colors.
Minutes passed as my chest heaved up and down, until finally I was able to gain control of my breathing. I picked myself up and glanced at the clock—5:31 a.m.
I wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep, so I went to my dresser. After finding my workout clothes, I pulled on a pair of athletic shorts, grabbed my running shoes, and unhooked my iPod from its charger. It was early and I was exhausted from my nightmare, but I needed a distraction.
Normally I worked out on one of the treadmills in our family’s gym, but the Walters didn’t have a gym—or even a treadmill, for that matter. Running outside would have to do. The sun was creeping into the sky, and a cool breeze swept across my neck as I stepped out onto the rickety, wooden porch. The morning dew sparkled on the lawn as I sat down to tie my shoelaces before stretching.
As I stretched, butterflies knotted up in my stomach. I couldn’t tell if they were left over from my nightmare or if I was nervous about my upcoming day. The prospect of going to a new school made me feel sick. I had only been in the Walter household for a day, and so far it was awful. I couldn’t imagine going to a public school with hundreds of boys—eleven plus Parker was bad enough.
It was already nearing the end of the school year, and I was positive that I wouldn’t make a single friend. I found myself wishing it were already three in the afternoon, so I could shut myself in my room and curl up under the covers.
Just as I was about to take off, the screen door screeched open as George stepped out. Will and Cole were right behind him, and they were all dressed in work clothes: jeans, old T-shirts that had faded from white to cream, boots, and hats to protect them from the sun.
“Morning, Jackie,” George said and tipped his hat at me. Will waved and offered me a friendly smile.
“Morning, Mr. Walter, Will,” I replied.
“You’re up early,” Cole grumbled as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
“I could say the same to you.”
Cole scowled. “Chores,” was all he said.
“The boys have some work on the ranch to get done before they head off for the day,” George told me. “If you’re going for a run, you might want to wait for Nathan. He’ll be out in a second.”
“Okay, thanks,” I said
as the three stepped off the porch.
As I waited for Nathan, I watched them head in the direction of a barn that was barely visible in the early morning light. At one point in their walk, Will playfully shoved Cole, who tripped and fell over into the grass. I covered the smile on my face with my hand.
The screen door screeched again, and Nathan stepped out. When he saw me, he beamed. I was trying to remember which boy he was when I noticed the guitar pick necklace. Right, the musician.
“You like to run?” he asked me excitedly, without a good morning.
“I like keeping in shape,” I told him. “I wouldn’t necessarily say I enjoy running.”
“Okay,” he said and laughed. “Do you want to join me on my attempt to stay in shape?” He seemed genuinely eager about it.
“Sure, I don’t mind,” I said. “Actually, I’m surprised that you want me to come with you. Everyone seemed pretty mad at me last night.” I felt my cheeks burn at the memory of the spaghetti flying through the air, but Nathan just grinned. He was going to look so much like Cole when he was older, but he wasn’t anything close to being as intimidating.
“Of course I want to run with you! And besides, I thought it was funny. Don’t let Jordan get to you. He’s just a prankster.”
“I’ll try to keep that in mind,” I said as we headed down the steps.
“Want to follow my normal route?” Nathan asked me.
“Lead the way.”
***
After my run, I went to the kitchen to get some breakfast before anyone else woke up. I thought it was the perfect way to avoid another catastrophe. Of course, my plan backfired. Katherine was sitting at the table in a pink, fuzzy bathrobe, drinking coffee and reading a book. To make matters worse, Katherine’s oldest nephew was there too. He was standing at the kitchen counter and eating a bagel in his boxers. Good morning, six-pack! The only thing I could do was stand there and gawk like an idiot.
“Morning, Jackie!” he exclaimed through a mouthful of bagel. Once again, I felt warmth creeping into my cheeks. Why did every one of these boys have a perfect set of abs?
“Um, hi,” I greeted stupidly. Katherine looked up with a start at the sound of my voice.
“Isaac!” she scolded, jogging my memory. I remembered that we were the same age, sixteen, but he was a year above me in school. “Go put some clothes on, for God’s sake! There’s a girl in the house now.”
“But you’re a girl and you’ve never had a problem with it before,” he countered. “Besides, Jackie doesn’t mind. Do you, Jackie?” He turned to face me.
What the heck was I supposed to say to that? Oh yes, Isaac. I love staring at your half-naked body? Instead, I answered like any smart girl in my situation would do. “Um…” I trailed off, looking back and forth between the two.
“See, Aunt Kathy? Jackie said she doesn’t care,” he told his aunt.
Funny, I didn’t remember saying anything along those lines.
“No, she didn’t, young man,” countered Katherine, placing her hands on her hips. “Now go get dressed before I drag you upstairs!”
Just then Alex entered the kitchen, still rubbing away his sleepiness. He was also wearing nothing but his boxers. Unlike Isaac, he slid to a halt when he spotted me. For a moment he stood frozen, his eyes wide, but then he spun around and dashed down the hall.
“See!” Katherine said when her son was gone. “That’s exactly how you should be acting in the presence of a beautiful girl—embarrassed!”
“Aunt Kathy, Jackie might be hot, you know, in a preppy, Goody Two-Shoes sort of way, but I could never be embarrassed about this,” Isaac said and pointed down at his body.
“Isaac Walter!” she said, shaking a finger and taking a step toward him. Laughing, Isaac exited the kitchen, but not before winking at me. I don’t know exactly why I blushed. It might have had something to do with Katherine complimenting me, or maybe it was because Isaac had agreed.
***
“What do you think you’re doing?” Lee demanded as I waited outside the bathroom in my robe. I was still sweaty from my run with Nathan and needed to shower before school. This time I remembered to bring shower shoes and my clothes, and was mentally preparing myself for the disgusting war zone inside.
“Waiting for the bathroom,” I answered. “I believe Cole is inside.”
“I know Cole’s inside. It’s his scheduled time to be in there,” Lee said, pointing at a piece of paper taped next to the bathroom door. He flicked his dark hair out of his eyes as he glowered at me. “I’m up next, so get lost.”
“There’s a schedule to use the bathroom?”
“Only in the morning,” Nathan said, coming out of his room already showered and dressed. “With all of us trying to get ready before school, it’s kind of hectic.”
Cole opened the bathroom door, and a wave of steam rushed out into the hall. He only had a white towel wrapped around his waist, and water droplets still clung to his sculpted shoulders and abs, making his skin sparkle.
“If we didn’t have an allotted time,” he said, trying to shake some water out of his ear, “Danny would be in there for hours trying to make himself look pretty.” Then he pushed past Lee, Nathan, and me, calling over his shoulder, “I myself don’t need much time because I was gifted with being naturally pretty.”
“Is there any way I can squeeze in?” I asked as I glanced over the schedule. The twenty-minute increments were booked all the way up until we had to leave for school.
Isaac poked his head out of the room he shared with Lee. “Has anyone seen my leather jacket?”
“It’s in your closet, idiot,” Lee told his older brother.
“Like on a hanger? How the heck did it get there?”
“Guys?” I asked.
“Your crap was all over the place and I couldn’t find my board.”
“Next time you decide to do a bit of spring cleaning, do me a favor—don’t touch the jacket.”
“Hello? Is anybody going to answer me?” I demanded, putting a hand on my hip. “I need to use the shower too.”
“Should have said something earlier, babe,” Isaac said. “We could’ve shared my shower time.” He grinned at me before vanishing back inside his room.
Lee laughed at his brother as he slipped into the bathroom and slammed the door in my face.
“Try the one downstairs next to the little kids’ rooms,” Nathan suggested. “They take baths at night, so there shouldn’t be anyone in there. Just watch out for all the bath toys. I’ve tripped on them before.”
***
Once everyone showered, ate breakfast, and hurried to finish their homework at the last minute, Katherine pushed us all out the door.
“Lee, leave that skateboard at home. If you ride it in the school halls again, you’ll get a suspension.”
“But, Aunt Kathy—”
“No buts. Alex, you got an F on your history paper. Star Wars does not count as a valid topic for most significant war in history. Apologize to your teacher and tell him you’ll rewrite it. Isaac, the women’s volleyball coach called and said if she catches you trying to sneak into the girls’ locker room one more time, she’ll make sure you fail gym class. Now get going,” Katherine shouted from the porch. “Jackie better not be late for her first day of school, or I won’t be very happy!”
The guys dumped their backpacks into the bed of the old pickup truck and started piling in. I stared at them from the side of the driveway, feeling like I was watching a picturesque scene from a movie. Everyone had so much personality, and I felt like I didn’t belong. Even the truck had character. It had probably been a bright crimson color when it was brand new, but age and weather had worn it down to a dull red. One of the side mirrors was missing, and a headlight had been smashed in. I wondered how it was possibly roadworthy.
Danny, who had taken more time than anyone ge
tting ready, ran out the front door, trying to avoid his mother’s scolding. He threw the car keys at Cole, who climbed into the front seat. It didn’t take a genius to work out that he was the designated driver. Soon, everyone else had settled into their usual seats, and I realized that the truck was full. Danny, Isaac, and Alex sat in the back, while Cole, Lee, and Nathan sat in the front.
“Um,” I began awkwardly, still standing on the grass, “where should I sit?”
“You could always walk,” Lee replied sarcastically.
I fought the urge to stick my tongue out at him, but thankfully Nathan came to my rescue. “Don’t worry, Jackie. You can squeeze in up front. We’ll make room.” He smiled warmly from the passenger window.
“If that doesn’t work, we can always strap Alex to the roof. Nobody will care,” Cole offered as he started up the car.
“If anyone is going to be strapped to the roof,” Alex shot back, “it should be you, Cole. You take up the most room.”
“Nobody asked your opinion,” Cole said, glaring at his younger brother in the rearview mirror. “Now come on, let’s go.”
Lee grunted in annoyance but scooted closer to Cole. He didn’t look too happy about sharing the front with me, but I opened the passenger door and slid in anyway once Nathan made some room.
During the twenty-minute drive to school, I received a crash course in Boys 101 and decided that maybe the male species wasn’t so different from females after all. To sum it up, the Walters gossiped worse than the girls at my old boarding school. At first the car was silent, which was probably due to my presence, but soon the boys relaxed and carried on as if I wasn’t there. They talked about who was going to make track team this spring and who wasn’t. They discussed what they should wear to a party on Friday night and who was going to be there. But most of all they talked about girls: who was cute, which girl wore the perfect perfume, and who had the prettiest hair.
When they started talking about a girl named Kate who, to use Isaac’s words, had “the perkiest pair of tits in the world,” I felt uncomfortable. Trying to tune the conversation out, I shrunk back into my seat and stared out the window. Please let us be there soon. Please be there soon!