Project Integrate Series Boxed Set

by Campbell, Jamie

She stepped around me to race for her car – empty handed. I hoped she wasn’t in desperate need of groceries. I returned to my own car and drove toward home. With everyone’s problems going on, I seriously needed to go to my happy place and remember there still was good in the world.

  It didn’t get any better when I arrived home. Garrick was nowhere in sight but my adoptive parents were waiting for me in the kitchen.

  “Amery, we need to talk about last night,” Mom said. Apparently they were designated the curfew committee. Great. And I was hoping they would forget about my little indiscretion.

  “What about last night?” I asked happily, and hopefully innocently. Kill them with kindness, that was my strategy.

  Dad held out a chair and waited for me to sit before they took the seats across the table. It was now a full on interrogation situation, just like they were trained for. All they needed was a tape recorder, bright spotlight, and water board.

  “Your mother and I were really disappointed that you missed curfew. We thought it was clear that one a.m. was the cut off point for you to be home,” Dad started seriously. It was almost laughable. Almost.

  “I tried to get home by that time, I really did. However, I was a little late leaving and then I had to drive Lochie home and make sure he got in okay. I thought getting everyone home safely was more important than racing to meet curfew,” I replied. It was mostly the truth and that was the main thing.

  “You should have left earlier and been more organized,” Mom scolded. “While we appreciate your concern for safety, and for your friends, we were very worried about you. Having your curfew extended to one o’clock was quite generous of us and you threw that back in our face.”

  “It wasn’t like that. Seriously, I really tried to make it home by that time.” My voice was starting to whine and I really didn’t want it to. Then something occurred to me. “Garrick got home at the same time, why isn’t he here getting into trouble too?”

  “Because Garrick isn’t our son. You are our daughter.”

  That didn’t seem fair, not when we were the same age and living under the same roof. It was probably those double standards everyone always went on about. “Look, I’m really sorry. I promise it won’t happen again.”

  “We’re glad you’re sorry,” Dad said. “So I’m sure you’ll appreciate the fact that your curfew is now back to eleven o’clock. And even that can come forward again if you miss it.”

  Normally, I wouldn’t have cared what my curfew was. It wasn’t like I was a wild party animal that lived it up every night. But the problem was that my date with Lochie was tomorrow and I planned on staying out later than eleven p.m.

  I had to get my negotiation on. “I understand I blew it, I really do. However, tomorrow night is my date with Lochie and I’ve got it all planned. Can we please start the new curfew in two day’s time? Please?”

  They exchanged a glance and shook their heads. Damn their united front. It was Mom who replied first. “It wouldn’t be a punishment if we waited until it fit in with your plans.”

  “Please Mom, it’s just one night. I never ask you for anything, I never break the rules. Please do this for me, just once. I need this date with Lochie to go well, it has to or-” I cut myself off before I told them all about Lochie’s plans to go to summer school and how the date was a desperate attempt to keep him in Portview. I didn’t want anyone to know I was that pathetic. I didn’t even like knowing it myself.

  “Or what?” Dad asked. Why couldn’t I have normal parents who didn’t know how to extract information from the enemy?

  “Or I’ll be really upset,” I finished my sentence lamely. Even I could hear myself lying. I really was pathetic.

  “We’re sorry, Amery. But eleven o’clock it is. Lochie will just have to understand,” Mom finished the conversation like that was it, no more room to move.

  It was the perfect end to a depressing day. I dragged myself upstairs after dinner and quietly sulked in my room. It felt like the day’s events had taken everything out of me, leaving me nothing more than a numb shell.

  As I was crawling into bed, I remembered that I never let Lochie know the details of our date. I dug my phone out of my handbag and sent him a quick text:

  L, pick you up at 2 tomorrow. Prepare to be dazzled. A xx.

  It sounded a lot more enthusiastic than I actually felt. I pulled the bedcovers up to my chin and closed my eyes, taking a deep breath and trying to get rid of the day. Tomorrow had to be better, it just had to be. My phone beeped with a message. It was from Lochie:

  A, I’ll pick you up at 2 tomorrow. Preparing to be dazzled. L xoxo

  I rolled my eyes, he was so difficult. He couldn’t even just agree to let me pick him up.

  L, you don’t know where we’re going. I’ll be at your place at 2. A.

  He came back at me straight away.

  Jones, I know how you drive. I would rather die old.

  There was absolutely nothing wrong with my driving. Seriously.

  Don’t call me that and at least I don’t drive like a nana. You are so annoying.

  My nana is ninety years old and still driving because she is good at it. Thank you for the compliment.

  It wasn’t a compliment.

  Really? It sounded like one to me ;-)

  Oh, he was using smiley faces now? He was just playing with me.

  I am picking you up at 2 tomorrow. Like it or leave it.

  It would not be gentlemanly of me to make a fair maiden drive me on our date. Let me do this.

  Pick your battles, Amery, pick your battles. I kept hearing my mom’s advice repeat in my head. Plus, I was too tired to argue anymore. Lochie could chalk that one up as a win.

  Fine. Whatever. See you tomorrow.

  I’m looking forward to it. Good night, I love you.

  Damn it, he could always make me smile. I softened instantly.

  I love you too, sleep tight. xxxxx

  I left my phone on the bedside table and settled back into the bed. At least when I closed my eyes now, I could actually rest easier. Lochie had made everything right with the world again. He was going to be so angry when I told him about my curfew.

  CHAPTER 11

  “This wouldn’t have happened if you’d have let me drive,” I pointed out. I was only half-teasing him. In fact, I was still trying to shrug off my mood from yesterday.

  “Just tell me where we’re going and I’ll get us there,” Lochie replied. I had been giving him directions since he picked me up but we were now kind of lost. It was also kind of my fault but I wasn’t going to admit that.

  “Do you know where the Portview Pro Stadium is?”

  “Yeah. You weren’t joking about playing basketball then? You don’t really look dressed for it.” He had told me I looked gorgeous when he picked me up. I guessed my short black skirt and flimsy red blouse didn’t exactly look basketball playing ready.

  But it wasn’t supposed to. “We’re not playing, we’re watching. There is a playoff between Queen’s Ridge University and Karvan College tonight. You’re always going on about Queen’s Ridge, I thought you would enjoy it.”

  The surprised look on his face was worth the effort it took to get the tickets at the last minute. “That’s tonight? I thought it was sold out.”

  “It was. I know a guy.”

  He arched his eyebrow in question but I wasn’t going to elaborate. Not when the truth was I had to beg and plead with Adoptive Dad to call in a few favors. It wasn’t my proudest moment, especially when I was already in his bad books.

  “We’re going in the wrong direction for the stadium. Hold on.” At the next intersection, he swung a u-turn and started driving the way we had just come. Apparently my directions were terrible, perhaps I had the map upside down. “I didn’t think you were into basketball.”

  “I’m not. But you are.”

  He flashed me a smile before turning his gaze back toward the road. “That’s really nice. But it’s a date, I want you to be happy too.”<
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  “I am. I get to hang out with you all afternoon.” And get a short reprieve from my problems. It was a win-win situation. “Remember, I was the one who forgot about our last date. I need to make it up to you.”

  “You don’t need to do that, I know you’ve got a lot going on.”

  “I wanted to do it anyway.” Especially if he was planning on leaving me and Portview behind. I didn’t voice that thought, it was better not to bring up such a touchy subject on our date. It was supposed to be perfect, after all.

  We arrived at the stadium and had to park at the back of the lot, considering we were so late. On the plus side, most of the line to get in was gone. At least we didn’t have to wait around to get inside and find our seats.

  I had one more surprise for Lochie before we joined the masses. I pulled two basketball jerseys out of my bag – Queen’s Ridge University, Lochie’s preferred team.

  “That’s awesome,” he exclaimed. We slipped them on over our clothes, making it clear which side we were cheering for.

  We kept climbing the stairs as far as we could go up before we made it to our assigned seats. They were firmly in the nosebleed section. I don’t think it was possible to get any further away from the action on the court.

  “Sorry about the bad seats,” I apologized as we sat. The players were little more than ants all the way down on the floor. Thank goodness for the screens that relayed all the action at each end of the stadium.

  “This is perfect,” Lochie replied. “There’s no snotty kids to kick the backs of our seats.” I looped my arm through his and cuddled into his side. He really was a great boyfriend.

  It wasn’t long before he was engrossed in the game. My only exposure to basketball were the few games I had attended at school. It was all part of the being social and well liked rules from the project.

  I hadn’t actually paid much attention to the games. But the rules seemed easy enough, each team had to put the ball through the hoop of the opposing side as many times as they could. With Lochie not playing, I actually paid attention to all the players on the court.

  At halftime, a horn sounded and everyone darted from their seats. “Do you want something from the canteen?” I asked.

  “Yeah, I wouldn’t mind a drink. What can I get you?” Such a gentleman.

  “Lemonade?”

  “I’ll be right back.”

  “Don’t fill up on junk food,” I warned him, knowing that when he spotted the hotdogs and chips, he would want to eat everything in sight. I couldn’t have him ruining his appetite for dinner.

  He winked at me before embarking on the epic journey down the stairs. I watched him go until he was out of sight. Despite knowing barely anything about the game, I was actually enjoying myself. It was nice to feel like a normal girl out with her boyfriend for a few hours.

  My gaze roamed around the crowd while I sat alone and only moved when people needed to get past me – which was quite often. Lochie returned carrying a plastic cup in each hand. I accepted one.

  “Thanks.”

  “You are most welcome,” he replied with a smile, the same one that could take my breath away. “Have I mentioned how great this is?”

  “The lemonade is pretty good.”

  He nudged me with his shoulder. “Not the soda, the game. It’s awesome seeing Queen’s Ridge play. I’ve been a fan for years, how did you know?”

  “You have a poster of them above your desk. I took a shot that you liked them.” He leaned over and planted a kiss on my lips. “What was that for?”

  “For being the best girlfriend in the world.”

  “Just the world?” I teased.

  He pursed his lips as if thinking about it. “Okay, the universe.”

  “That’s more like it.”

  The crowd started chanting, snapping our attention back to the big screens to see what was going on. The game was still in halftime for another five minutes.

  It sounded like they were chanting ‘Kiss… Kiss… Kiss’. The screens started showing images of couples in the crowd kissing.

  “What’s going on?” I asked.

  “It’s the kiss cam.”

  “What’s that?”

  Before I got an answer, Lochie and I were suddenly on the big screens. I was mortified with embarrassment. “We’re supposed to kiss,” Lochie whispered.

  Panic shot through me. I didn’t want people watching us kiss. One or two probably didn’t worry me, but an entire sold out stadium full of people? No thanks.

  The camera wasn’t moving away though and the chanting was getting louder. I looked like a startled rabbit on the big screen. Lochie stared at me, waiting for me to do something.

  “Let me kiss you. Just look at me,” he whispered urgently. My head shot around to face him, tearing my gaze away from the screen. It was like watching a car crash, except I was the car.

  Lochie held my cheek as he leaned in and kissed me. It was probably the most unromantic kiss we had ever had but it did make the camera move to somebody else. We were left in peace again.

  “Sorry, I didn’t know-” I started but Lochie’s laughter cut me off.

  “It’s okay, we survived. You’re cute, you can get away with it.”

  “Aww, you think I’m cute?” My heart melted all over again as my cheeks cooled.

  “Did I say that? No, I completely deny it.” His grin and cheek dimple gave his teasing away.

  “Too late, I heard it.”

  “You heard nothing.” He reached over and gave me another kiss, this one much better than the public one had been.

  A loud voice from the rows in front of us interrupted our moment. “It’s disgusting, it shouldn’t be allowed. She’s not even human.”

  Stupidly, I looked around to see who they were talking about. They were staring at us. I should have known their comments were actually directed our way.

  “They should stick to their own kind,” a man agreed with the first one. I silently cursed the Originals for plastering my photograph across the media for weeks on end. Not to mention the lengths they went to pointing out my triangle tattoo.

  “Just ignore them,” Lochie whispered. I would have liked to, except they were getting louder and more people were joining in.

  “It’s an insult to all humans them being here.”

  “I don’t know what he sees in her. She probably has a tail.”

  “It’s sick, that’s what it is.”

  “They said all the aliens want to take over the human race, trust them to send the girls in to do it.”

  I tried to drown out the voices. Today was supposed to be a time when we were normal teenagers and could just go on a date. It wasn’t supposed to be about people reminding me how different I was.

  “Everyone leave us alone,” Lochie said to quiet them down. He didn’t yell, but I could tell he wanted to. “This is nobody’s business but ours.”

  “When all the aliens are taking over the world, it makes it our business.”

  “It’s gross. She’s not a human. How can you be with her?”

  “You’re blind, she’s got you tricked.”

  All the rows around us had their heads craned and were facing us. If it hadn’t been for that damn kiss cam, they never would have cared about us being there.

  But it wasn’t us they had a problem with. It was me. “I can wait in the car,” I offered. I started to get up but Lochie placed a hand on my arm to stop me.

  “You’re not going anywhere. We have as much right to be here as anyone else and we’re going to watch the end of the game.”

  “I don’t want to ruin it for you.” Nor did I want to make a scene and it appeared it was too late for that. It was already happening.

  “You’ll only ruin it if you let these stupid idiots chase you away.”

  The buzzer sounded as the teams ran back onto the court again. Lochie’s pleading eyes made me settle back into my seat, hoping everyone would keep their eyes fixed on the action below instead of us.

&nbs
p; Lochie’s hand slid into mine and interlocked our fingers. He gave me a reassuring squeeze as the game continued. I couldn’t relax for the rest of the second half. Not when everybody around us kept stealing glances our way.

  With five minutes left before full time, I was grateful to be getting out of there soon. Lochie pulled me closer with our clasped hands, leaning right in to speak next to my ear. “We should get out of here before the game ends. People might not be so civilized in the parking lot.”

  I nodded, understanding but wishing things were different. I followed his lead and stood to walk down the stairs. The entire time he never relaxed his grip on my hand. He was making sure I wouldn’t get away and making a point to the crowd that we were united as one.

  We reached the exit and stopped as the final shot was made. Right on the buzzer, Queen’s Ridge scored the winning basket. At least Lochie got to see the end before we slipped out quickly.

  Lochie didn’t slow the pace at all, even in the dark parking lot. He pulled me toward his car at the back and opened my door for me, waiting until I got in before racing around to the driver’s side. He gunned the engine and we got the hell out of there.

  “So, home now?” He asked.

  I tried to brush off all the comments, looks, and eye-daggers. The last thing I wanted was to let all those horrible people ruin our night. Lochie deserved more than that. “Nope, we have dinner reservations.”

  His lips curled into a smile. “Well do we now, Jones?”

  “Indeed we do. We need to get to the Boathouse Grand before seven,” I explained. His smile grew even wider.