“The usual will be fine,” Alyssa says, then smiles a little. “And bring Kyle a beer. He’ll need to take the edge off. It won’t be easy on him once Laura joins us.”
“Sure thing, Ally,” Bonnie says then leaves the table.
My jaw drops. “How the hell did you get her to do that?”
Ally giggles and leans in to whisper. “Eden and I came here a few days ago. She was all flirty with him and offered him one, even though he told her he was only eighteen, but she said she wouldn’t tell.”
“So, Prince Valiant drinks beer?”
“No! He turned it down of course. You know if you can put all the jealousy behind you, we can all be friends. It would mean a lot to me if you could,” she says as she wiggles her fingers, which are tangled with mine.
Can I really do that? I’m fine with her now, but to see her with him, I just don’t know.
“I’m not over you,” I say as I lean in, our faces so close we could kiss. The sweet smell of citrus and flowers wells up around her. “Is that a new perfume I smell?”
Ally pulls back a little. “I would love to have my cake and eat it too, but I can’t, nor can you.”
“Rhyming now, Al?”
“I guess. I know you want to kiss me, but those days are over. We need to make a new and very different relationship,” she says as she sits back, unjoining our hands. “I suppose the physical contact needs to stop as well, since it gives you a problem.”
Problem? It’s no problem. I love it.
“So do I,” she mumbles.
“What did you say, Al?” I ask, because I’ve just realized she has commented on several of my thoughts. We were close, but never so close we could finish each other’s sentences or know what the other was thinking.
She averts her eyes as the waitress comes back with her chocolate shake and my beer.
Christ! I can’t believe she really brought me one!
Placing a bowl of chips and salsa between us, Bonnie says, “This is on the house. A graduation present from me.”
“Thank you. How nice of you,” Ally says as she looks Bonnie right in the eye.
Another thing so different about her. She was chronically shy. Suddenly that’s gone.
“Thanks, Bonnie,” I add.
Ally pops a dipped chip in her mouth and I do the same. “You have to come see me in New Orleans. We have a chef who cooks like he came straight from heaven,” she says.
“Oh, yeah? So tell me about your new home, Al,” I sa,y but I’m not sure if I’m ready to know.
“There’s better things to talk about. Like the small graduation party my family’s throwing at our house tonight. Wanna come?” she asks.
“He’s going to be there, isn’t he?”
She nods and eats another chip.
Can I do this? Can I put jealousy out of my min, and do this?
I take my cell out and text Laura. (Meet me at Trixie’s when you get back to town. I have a surprise for you.)
“You finally asking Laura to join us?” Al asks.
“Yeah. If she says she’ll go to your party, then I will too.” A smile breaks across Ally’s face and it makes me so damn happy in an instant. “Damn girl, I missed that smile. It’s crazy how much I missed it.”
“You have no idea how much I’ve missed seeing your face every day, Kyle. I can’t give you up completely. Try to look at me in a new way. I’m someone you’ve grown up with. Can’t you look at me like you look at any of the other girls in our class?” she asks, then places the straw in between her red, plump lips, unaware of how beautiful she is.
I lean in and pull the straw from her mouth. “Can you look at me like you look at all the rest of the boys in our class, Ally?” I ask, then pull the tall glass of chocolate liquid to my mouth as she still holds it in her hand. Placing the straw between my lips, I take a sip.
Her eyes go to my lips and she licks hers. “Guess not.” Her eyes travel back to mine and she says, “We have a lot to work through, don’t we?”
That we do!
CHAPTER 30
ALYSSA
How can it be possible to love two completely different people at once and to know it will be this way forever?
What was Our Creator thinking to let this happen?
I sit across from Kyle and Laura at Trixie’s café. They hold hands and every so often share a private whisper and giggle with each other. Cody has joined us and he sits next to me. Never have I felt more comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time.
I’ve known these people for as long as I can remember. They’re my closest friends, yet they seem almost like strangers as I sit and watch my Kyle look at and touch my best friend.
“How ya doing, Al?” Cody whispers in my ear as Kyle and Laura whisper to each other about something they’re leaving us out of.
I pat Cody’s knee under the table. “I’m fine.” I whisper back, but I’m not fine.
Who could be fine knowing they can never have someone they love the way they want to? Who can be fine watching the one they love fall in love with another?
Kyle is falling for Laura. I can read his thoughts as well as I can read Eden’s. When Laura had not joined us yet he thought little of her. But what he did think about her was nice.
I could see he’s really coming to care for her. Then, when she walked in, he lit up like a Christmas tree and he thought about how sexy and hot she looked in her new green dress. He thought about how perky her boobs were and how he wanted to suck them later on tonight.
Yeah, it made me sick too!
As she hesitantly came towards us, he worried about her and how she was feeling seeing me and him together. When she and I hugged, he felt relief. When she hugged him, he got a boner.
It was gross!
It’s obvious to me, at least for now, that their relationship is highly sexual, something I assume is natural in some relationships. I worry for them both though, as I know Laura.
I can’t read her yet. Perhaps after I change I’ll be able to. For now, it’s just Eden and Kyle, I assume because they each have a solid place in my heart.
Bonnie brings us a round of beers as a graduation gift, something my parents would have never tolerated.
After being enlightened about what I really am, I trust my own judgement. One beer will not hurt me. I’m not even all human.
I could smoke if I wanted to and it would never hurt me or give me cancer. I don’t like the smell though, so I doubt I’ll ever even pick one up.
Cancer will never be a battle I’ll have to fight. Sickness of any kind will not take me from this world. Very few things can kill this body. One of the oddest things I was shown by Grace and Rodney was that milk in large amounts can kill us.
How crazy, right?
I suppose that’s why my parents always told me I was lactose intolerant. I never remember drinking milk and having a reaction to it. It seems odd now, though, as we had milk in the house. Scotty drinks it, as do mom and dad.
Kyle reaches across the table and takes my hand, which I’ve absentmindedly been tracing patterns on the table with. “Ally, Laura said we can go to your party after graduation.”
I look up at him, then over to Laura, who’s smiling. “Good! I’m glad you decided to join me,” I say, then turn to Cody. “You’re invited too, Cody.”
Cody slips his arm around my shoulders. “You gonna be my date, Al?”
I laugh. “No, but you can bring one. If you can find one.”
Kyle still has my hand in his. He threads his fingers through mine. Both of us are on the inside part of the booth. Our hands, up against the wall, are in plain view, but it still feels secretive to me. Something like that is never good.
I pull my hand away and Kyle looks over at me with a frown. “You and I have more to discuss later, Ally.”
I nod and look away. This is the hardest thing I’ve ever dealt with. The knowledge that Kyle will always be in my life does battle with the knowledge that he and I will never be anything mo
re than friends.
I look at Laura and try hard to get into her mind to see how she feels about him. She may be my best friend, but if she hurts him it will destroy our friendship forever.
Kyle looks at Laura and says, “Ally invited me to visit her in New Orleans. Maybe this summer you and I can go together.”
Laura smiles enthusiastically at me. “Can we, Ally? That would be great.”
“Of course you can. Anytime you want. You come too, if you want to, Cody. There’s an enormous game room and swimming pool. All sorts of things.”
Cody still has his arm around my shoulders and he gives them a squeeze. “Does your man have a hot sister I can borrow while I’m there?”
“You hound!” I say as I slap his thigh, “He’s an only child, but New Orleans is a big town. Even you should be able to find someone who can put up with your antics, Cody.”
“Hell, yeah, we can all drive down in my truck. It’ll be a blast,” Kyle says, then kisses Laura on the side of the head, just like he used to do to me.
I take in a deep breath to steady my increased heartbeats, then say, “If you want to, I could send our jet to bring you. The drive is very far.”
Cody gasps. “You have a jet?”
“We do,” I answer. “Get along with Eden and you can come visit us often.”
Cody laughs. “Hell, me and Eden will get along just fine. I like the guy already.”
“He really is very sweet,” Laura says, then looks up at Kyle. “I know you’ll like him if you give him a chance.”
He takes in a deep breath and sighs as he looks at her. “I’ll get along with him. I can swallow my pride for Ally’s sake.”
For my sake? How can I do this to him?
Suddenly I feel selfish. He just thought about how hard it will be to see us together and do nothing about it. Just how I’m feeling right now about how he has his arm around Laura’s neck, holding her to his chest.
I hate it!
Light fills the dark café for a second as a police officer strolls through the door. The mugs of beer sit in front of each one of us.
Cody panics and drinks his until it’s gone. I see the officer watching him. “Stay cool,” I whisper.
“Way to go, numb-nuts,” Kyle hisses at Cody. “Could you possibly draw any more attention to the fact?”
Cody hiccups once. “At least he can’t find any proof I’ve had any beer. My glass is empty.”
Laura rolls her eyes and Kyle kicks him under the table. The officer is one of the ones who hurt Kyle the night he came to my house.
Suddenly I’m furious. He’s walking over to us and I push at Cody. “Let me out. I have something to say to the prick.”
Cody stands up as Kyle says, “No, dude! Don’t let her out!”
It’s too late. I’m in the cop’s face before he can make it all the way to the table. “Nice to see you again, sir,” I say, although it’s not.
He looks surprised. “I know you, don’t I?”
“You should remember me. How is it you’re still wearing that uniform?” I ask.
The frown he forms makes his already saggy jowls drop even lower. “I got three days’ suspension because of you.”
Kyle is at my side without me realizing he’s gotten up, I’m glaring so hard at the officer.
“Ally, let it go,” he says, his hand around my waist. He tries to pull me back with him.
He still has a spot on his lip where the man busted it as he threw him up against my bedroom wall. I can see the whole scene in my head as it replays in Kyle’s mind.
“You threw him around like a rag doll, you jerk. How’d you like to be handled in such a manner?” I growl at him, furious at what I saw.
“Look here, girl,” the officer says.
I interrupt him as I step forward another step, despite Kyle’s efforts to move me backward.
“Don’t you ‘girl’ me, Officer Koenig. I’ll be keeping an eye on you. You seem to feel it’s just fine to toss innocent people about. I’ll make sure you know what it feels like. You need to learn how to treat people. That uniform is not meant to make you feel superior to others. The badge you wear is but a token to let others know you should be respected. Guess what, Koenig, you have to give respect to get it. You disrespected my friend. I want you to apologize to him now.”
I motion to Kyle, who I see has turned one shade paler than his usual tan color. “Ally, what the hell are you doing?”
The officer stands in front of us defiantly. I level my eyes on his, then he turns and walks away. Turning his head back, he says, “I don’t apologize.”
TRIP!
Just like that, the man finds himself face first on the floor. He scrambles to his feet and turns to see us all smiling.
He walks faster towards the door, then shouts back, “Watch yourselves. I saw you drinking.”
I shout, “Apologize!”
He shoots the finger at me as he reaches for the door.
DOOR OPEN!
The door opens as if a gust of wind blew it, knocking the cop down. As he sits up, I see his lip has been busted. Bonnie runs to help him up, dabbing at the blood with a dirty bar rag.
Yeah, I think he’s had enough.
Kyle looks down at me with a giggle to his words, “Looks like he’s had a series of unfortunate events.”
“Karma’s a bitch,” I say.
CHAPTER 31
LAURA
Ally’s backyard looks beautiful. The stars fill the night sky, lending light to the dim surroundings. Ally and Eden almost glow with happiness. I can’t believe they’ll be married by this time tomorrow. I can’t believe I won’t be a part of it.
Graduation went well. We all cried when Tammy gave her Valedictorian speech.
Damn sappy girl!
Ally and Eden are leaving Eden’s mother and appear to be coming towards me. Kyle is making a plate. He loves how Ally’s dad makes a brisket. I love her mother’s apple pie.
Ally takes the chair next to mine and Eden sits across from me. It comes to my attention that once Kyle sits down, it’ll be the first time he and Eden will have been anywhere near civil to each other.
The touch of Ally’s hand on mine draws my attention to her. “Laura, I know this is sudden, but I have something I want to ask you before Kyle comes back.”
“Okay.”
“Our wedding tomorrow will be a bit different. Lots of people you and even I won’t know will be there. But Eden’s family, and apparently my parents, know them. They’ve told me there’s not to be bridesmaids or groomsmen, but I want you there. I know you won’t want to go alone, so you can bring Kyle or whoever you want,” Ally says, then looks back at Kyle who’s still filling his plate. “I’d like him there, but if he can’t be I’ll understand.”
Brushing back a long black curl from her face, I say, “I would love to, Ally. I think it would be a good thing for him to go. To see you move on.” I lean in to whisper to her, so Eden doesn’t hear. “He still loves you, you know.”
She nods and whispers back, “He is falling in love with you, you know.”
My eyes must’ve gone wide in surprise, because I haven’t felt like that at all. “Ally, you’re silly.”
Her hand strokes my cheek as she looks into my eyes. Something is so different about her. “Let him love you, Laura. You deserve it. He’s good. You can believe what he tells you. He’s not like your father. Let yourself love him. It’ll all be fine. He won’t hurt you like the others have. Please don’t hurt him.”
“I’m afraid,” I admit to her and myself.
“I know you are, but you don’t have to be. He’s meant for you. I know he is. Trust in him, Laura.”
Kyle sits on the other side of me. “Mmmm, Ally, your dad has outdone himself. I brought you a piece of her mom’s apple pie, sweetie,” he says as he pushes a small plate to me.
Damn, he’s sweet!
Ally gives me a smile and pats my hand under the table. I smile at Kyle. “Thank you, babe.”
/> Kyle looks over at Eden and asks, “You don’t like barbecue, Eden?”
“I helped David all afternoon with the meat. I was his official taste tester. Needless to say, I’m stuffed. It is good, isn’t it?” Eden answers.
That didn’t go badly at all. Maybe they can get along.
“Is Cody coming?” Ally asks Kyle.
A fork full of meat just went into his mouth so he can’t speak, so I answer for him. “He felt like a fifth wheel, so he went to the crazy party at Lou’s house. Kyle really should help him find a girlfriend.”
Kyle swallows finally and says, “No, Kyle shouldn’t. Cody is my friend, but he’s a bit of a bad boy. I know you girls don’t know this, but he goes down to Alamogordo almost every weekend and hooks up with random girls.”
Alyssa gasps. “You never told me that, Kyle.”
“Al, did you think I told you everything about his personal life? You certainly didn’t share secrets about this one here,” he says as he points at me with his steak knife.
I shoot him a look to let him know to shut up, but it does no good. “You could have let me in on some things, Ally. She could’ve used my advice at the very least. A couple of those guys needed a serious ass kicking,” he says and stuffs another bite of meat into his mouth.
Thank God he loves to eat more than talk. I thought he was about to talk about my bedroom experience right in front of Eden.
Alyssa blushes for some odd reason and turns her head. She’s acting so different.
Eden drums his fingers on the table. “Alyssa has told me she’s invited you two to our home this summer. I’d love for you to come. There’s so much to do in New Orleans,” he says, and I see Ally smile at him like he just gave us our own mansion.
“I wouldn’t miss the chance to get to see where Ally’s living. We’ll visit. I’ve promised her,” Kyle says, then shoves a forkful of beans in his mouth.
Eden’s eyes droop ever so slightly before he looks away. He’s trying so hard to accept whatever it is Kyle and Ally have. I have to say, he’s a special guy to even want Ally with her baggage.
I suppose I’m special too, accepting Kyle with his.
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