West

by Michele G Miller

  Me: #6 - your brain. You’re one of the smartest girls I know. See #7 for proof.

  Her response comes in the way of a phone call and I have to excuse myself from the dinner table to answer it while we’re out having a celebratory meal.

  “I miss you.”

  She laughs into the line. “Do you think either of us will ever just answer the phone normally?” she asks.

  “Eventually, when we’re old and gray.”

  “I’m sorry for calling, I know I told you to spend time with your family and I hate interrupting it,” she apologizes needlessly, “I just wanted to hear your voice.”

  There’s something sad in her tone and I’m immediately on alert. “You okay?” She tells me she’s fine. I don’t believe her. “Jules?”

  “I’m just feeling a little down today. I miss her. I came across a shirt of hers I’d borrowed and I grabbed my phone to call her, then it hit me,” she whispers. Tanya.

  “Awe, babe, I’m so sorry.” I remember the days when I would walk into the house after going somewhere and there was this part of my brain that was always expecting to see my mom in the kitchen. It happened for months. The scent of fresh baked cookies still brings out the feeling of loss.

  “Babe?”

  “Uh oh, do you not like babe? It kind of came out on its own,” I admit. I’m so used to calling her ‘Buffy’ or ‘cheerleader’.

  She’s quiet for a moment. “No, it doesn’t bother me. What can I call you? Pumpkin?”

  I groan.

  “Sweetie, baby, love bunny?” she teases, and I face the wall so my laughter doesn’t fill the waiting area around me.

  “I don’t care what you call me as long as I’m yours,” I whisper into the line. So. Freaking. Whipped.

  “I think this is the start of a beautiful relationship, West Rutledge.” The rich timbre of her voice sends shivers down my spine.

  “Damn straight, gorgeous.”

  Twenty-Five

  When I wake up Monday morning, it has finally arrived. Senior year. This is the last first day of high school I’ll have. Two weeks ago I sat on a bench with Jeff after his last first football game of the year and we chuckled at how we couldn’t believe we’d made it to this point. That conversation has a deeper meaning now.

  As I shower I think of the eight students who died during the storm. I think of Mike Brown and Tanya, who would have been seniors with me today. I think of all the students, teachers, and administrators who, because of the storm, will not be at Hillsdale High this year. Instead, we’ve been redistributed between several other local schools while rebuilding takes place.

  I wash my hair and I wonder if I’ll ever get over the feelings I have when I think of the storm. Emotionally, I know I’m still searching for something I’ve lost. It’s there on the outskirts of my mind teasing me, but I can’t pinpoint it. And I have Jules now. Thinking of her grounds me, she makes me forget what I can’t remember.

  Pulling on my jeans, I think about Katie’s plans for this morning. Jeff texted me last night to fill me in on her surprise for Jules and asked for my help. Of course I agreed. I would do anything for Jules, and if Katie think she’ll love it then who am I to disagree? I just hope they can both handle it.

  Once I’m ready I shoot Jules a message because I miss her. I haven’t seen her since Thursday, and because of her orders to visit with my family, we barely spoke over the weekend.

  Me: Hey gorgeous! Sure I can’t pick you up?

  Jules: You know I’m riding with Katie

  Me: I know, but I can’t wait to see your face. I want everyone at Rossview to know you’re mine. Sit in the car & wait for me?

  Jules: LOL. You’re kidding, right?

  Me: No

  Jules: West!

  Me: You don’t know those guys. They’re vultures when a hot girl is around. You’re wearing a bag, right?

  Jules: Of course! See you soon

  Stuffing my phone into my pocket, I head for the garage and out the door where I find the motorbike. I warned Austin over the weekend that I wanted my Jeep back this week. For a while I didn’t care, but now I want to drive Jules to school and I want to take her out on dates and show up at her house without helmet head. Plus, her parents have made it very clear that she is not allowed on the bike.

  Ready to see my girl, I head to Memorial Gardens and Tanya’s gravesite. Katie and Jules will be there, starting their first day of senior year together with Tanya. Three best friends who have been together on their first day of school since they were in Kindergarten.

  Katie asked that Jeff and I be there, along with Tommy Wilson since Tanya was sort of seeing him before the storm. They were on and off, much like Katie and Jeff were, and from what I’ve learned since the tornado, he really liked her. Jeff told me Tommy’s had a hard time dealing with her death.

  He was with her, they ran together, and were apparently separated. Tommy ended up with a broken arm from debris, and Tanya ended up dead. I can’t imagine the guilt he feels. I know it’s not his fault, but I think of Jules and I know that if something had happened to her I would feel the same way.

  I stop at a grocery store and buy one red rose on impulse—probably another side effect of all the romance movies I watched with my mom. Wrapping the flower carefully to avoid the thorns, I tuck it into my shirt to keep it safe from the wind. I ride past Jeff’s car and Tommy’s huge monster truck and park in front of them.

  The girls aren’t here yet. When the site comes into view I spot Tommy squatting at the side of Tanya’s grave. Scanning the area, I find Jeff waiting by a tree, so I head his way.

  “They were stopping to get coffee first. A before school tradition,” Jeff tells me. The image of cheerleaders walking on campus each morning with their frothy iced coffees in hand before school flashes though my mind. Of course my cheerleader would be one of them. I shake my head.

  “So,” Jeff drawls a little tongue in cheek. “You and Jules Blacklin?”

  “Looks that way,” I shrug. “And you and Katie, one hundred percent on now, huh?”

  “Looks that way,” he shrugs back with a grin.

  “I guess our senior year isn’t turning out to be the way we planned it then, is it?” I ask as I think back to a time when we stole a case of beer from a party my parents were having in middle school.

  We spent the night getting plastered while talking about how awesome we were going to be when we were seniors. The imagined debauchery is humorous now. We thought we were going to be the big men on campus. Parties, girls, football fame; we were the kings of our futures. Jeff laughs as though he’s remembering too.

  Katie’s car comes into view down the winding road.

  “You know what, man? I think, considering all that’s happened since then, we’ve done pretty damn well,” Jeff points out as I lean against the tree behind me, waiting for Jules to arrive.

  “So, no big pimping at the parties?” The ghetto phase was strong with us, once upon a time.

  Two heads appear around the trees and bushes, one light blonde and the other golden red, and my breath catches.

  “Who needs pimping when we’ve got them?” asks Jeff with a low voice.

  “We don’t deserve them.”

  “Hell no we don’t, but I’m keeping mine.”

  He turns, letting Tommy know the girls have arrived, and I straighten from the tree just in time to catch a crying Jules as she walks into my arms. She’s carrying a drink from Starbucks in each hand, but her arms manage to loop around my waist as her shoulders shake. I wrap her up.

  I’m keeping mine too. I press one hand to her back, careful not to knock her drinks, while my other hand goes to the base of her skull and toys with her hair. My chin rests on top of her head, and as I inhale her strawberry scent I still.

  Reason #5 - This feeling right here. The peace she brings when she’s in my arms.

  “This isn’t a bag you’re wearing,” I whisper into her hair, thinking of the fitted dress she’s wearing and her sha
pely legs. She lets out a half-laugh, half-sob as I kiss her hair. “You look gorgeous, though.”

  She looks up and I press another kiss right on the crease in her forehead.

  “I can’t believe you’re here,” she sniffles.

  Removing my hand from her hair, I brush the tears from her cheeks. “I care about you, why wouldn’t I be here?”

  “You were playing with me this morning?”

  “Was I?” I tease. “My bad. Actually, had you told me you wanted me, I would have come.”

  I knew Katie’s plan, but at any time had Jules said she wanted me to pick her up instead of Katie I would have found a way to be there for her. Everything within me wants to do whatever it takes to make her happy.

  She stretches up and kisses me. “I did want you, but I knew Katie would need me today just as much as I needed her.”

  My arm tightens around her back. “I missed you this weekend. Next home game you’re coming with us.”

  “Deal.” She smiles at me once more before she faces Tanya’s grave and leaves my arms.

  The five of us look down at the mound of flowers marking the spot as Jules and Katie hold hands and step forward. Jules sets the extra drink she was holding down on the ground before stepping back.

  “It’s not going to be the same without you, Ya-ya,” Jules whispers.

  “You’d be proud, though. Juju’s already picking up your bitchiness. What’d you do? Possess her?” Katie asks, sending a teary-eyed smile Jules’ way. I wonder what the story is there.

  “Help us all now,” Tommy groans, and we all laugh lightly. I squeeze Jules’ hand again, giving her my strength for as long as she needs it.

  Katie holds up her frappe, “To senior year and to Tanya.”

  “To Tanya,” we chime in as Jules taps her cup to Katie’s.

  As we break up, the girls each give Tommy a hug before Katie steps up to me. “Thanks for being here.”

  “Of course.”

  “And for being there for Jules.”

  “Again, of course,” I tell her, almost insulted by her need to thank me.

  Katie nods. “You know the two of you were funny to watch. Both of you pretending there was nothing between you, then going crazy when you made each other mad. I’m glad you found your way together.”

  “Hey, Jules, another reason on my list—” I call out, and she and Jeff turn to us as Tommy heads for his truck. “I like your friends.” I wink as I hug Katie, who giggles.

  “Not too much, I hope.” She walks to my side and tells Katie she’ll meet her at the car in a moment.

  “So, cheerleader, you sure you don’t want a ride to school on my bike?” I ask as we walk toward our vehicles.

  “And mess up my first-day-at-a-new-school-hair? You don’t know me at all, West Rutledge,” Jules balks, sending me a sassy smile while she plunks her fists on her hips.

  I set my hands over hers and tug her closer. “I think I’m getting to know you better and better each day.”

  “And what about the rest of your top ten?” she asks, coming up on her toes and kissing my chin when she can’t reach my lips.

  “I’m leaving those open.” She raises one brow in question. “Every second I’m with you, I’m finding something new I like. I don’t want to fill my list too quickly. I only have room for ten.”

  “Well see, that’s funny because my list is already filled with fifty things I love about having you in my life.”

  Love. This does feels a hell of a lot like love.

  My best reply is to remove the drink from her hand, set it on the grass at our feet, and kiss the hell out of her. My hands tangle in her long, silky hair, messing up the first day of school hair she seemed so worried about only moments ago. My lips mold and press against hers as my tongue sweeps into her mouth. She tastes like chocolate and caramel. Jules’ fingers play lightly over my ribs, my back, and up into my hair. We lose ourselves in the kiss.

  It’s an epic, grand gesture type of kiss my mom would be proud of.

  Sliding onto my bike, I follow behind my friends’ cars as we head to our first day of our last year as high schoolers. I’m not worried about attending Rossview the way Jules seems to be. I know a lot of the kids there, and with the exception of being around some of the girls I’ve hooked up with over the past year or so, I like the idea of starting over. New school, new girl, new West.

  New West? The thought makes me laugh behind my visor, but it’s the truth. I’m not the same West I was two weeks ago, that’s for damn sure.

  For one, I’m opening up to the friends I used to have. I’m opening up to my dad and brothers and Mindy more than I have in years. Most importantly I’m in love with a girl. It’s a crazy thought to be in love with Jules after only two weeks, and I’m not stupid enough to think it’s this all-consuming permanent love yet. It could be, though. The way I feel about her transcends the way I’ve felt about anyone. Ever.

  I was the guy hell bent on letting the tides of life toss me around whichever way they chose. I didn’t care, I just went with it, but with one touch of her hand, my whole world changed.

  Jules Blacklin is my anchor. She’s my mainstay, the one thing holding me in place and making me want to change the way I think and the way I do things. In two weeks she’s made me rethink what I lost when I went into hiding after my mom’s death. And she’s making me rethink what I want going forward.

  People make decisions every day. Spur of the moment choices, long thought out and carefully planned choices, life changing choices, mundane choices.

  Every day.

  Go this way, go that way, do more, do less, say hello, walk away; every step, word, thought we make is a choice. I’ve made a lot of choices in my life and I’ve found one thing to be true. Each one is made using either my head or my heart.

  I’m not sure which decision making tool has won out over the years, but I know they both saved me in the last few weeks.

  On that Friday night, before the twister struck, I turned and saw a beautiful redhead sitting on the table next to me and it was my head that told me to speak to her. I thought it was my heart at first, but it wasn’t. It was my brain telling me to take the chance to know this girl again. It was my head that knew there was something there, that there was always something there between us. It started when we were younger and I made the choice to stop it. I went into hiding.

  This time, I made a better choice.

  Yep, my life has changed because of a storm and a choice. Funny enough, it’s for the better. The best part is the knowledge that this is merely the beginning. We’ve just begun to fall in love, to know each other, to heal.

  There is so much more to come.

  Please consider reading the Author Note about the From The Wreckage series on the following page.

  Author’s Note about the From The Wreckage series

  Dear Reader,

  Did you know that West is a part of a larger book series called From The Wreckage? I wrote West with the intent of providing readers with the opportunity to choose your own beginning for this series. From The Wreckage is the same story as West, only it is told from Jules’ point of view (POV).

  So now what? Well, you could go back and read From The Wreckage and get Jules’ POV. It is free on all sites. OR you can move forward with Out of Ruins, book 2 in the From The Wreckage series. Out of Ruins is told from Jules’ POV and picks up right where West left off. Don’t worry, you get to read more from West’s POV in the final book, All That Remains.

  I’ve included the first chapter of Out of Ruins below for you.

  One note: Jules is telling the story of the tornado as she makes a Video LOG for her school’s time capsule.

  I hope you will continue their journey now whether you move on to Out of Ruins or you go back to From The Wreckage.

  Thank you for allowing me to take the time to tell you a story. Happy Reading!

  ~Michele

  Out of Ruins

  From The Wreckage, book two


  One

  “Five minutes.”

  “For the longest time, my brain was set on this time. That’s roughly how long we had from when we first heard the sirens, to when the twister hit the Ice Shack. Five minutes.”

  “What can you do in five minutes?”

  “Can you change the entire landscape of your life?”

  “As we drove from the cemetery to school that first day, I was once again reminded about how different my life was from only two weeks before. Typically, the first day of school for me has always been easy. I’m not a nervous person; I’ve always known who I am.” Jules holds up her fingers as she checks off facts about herself. “Cheerleader, debate team, homecoming court, student council. I’m well aware that, technically, I am the girl most people would want to hate. Except, I’m nice.” She shrugs with a little smile.

  “I don’t say that to sound stuck up or anything, it’s just me. Like I said before, I’ve never played the snooty role to get what I want. So to me, walking into a new school that day seemed like it would be a piece of cake. I wasn’t the cheerleader anymore and I wasn’t with the golden boy any longer, but I was still me. I could be nice, make friends and get through the year.” Jules pauses and raises an eyebrow at the camera.

  “Right?”

  * * *

  They pull into the student parking lot with five minutes to spare after their stop by the cemetery; a processional of Hillsdale students all arriving in the nick of time for their first day of school. Katie’s car passes by the throngs of students making their way to the building, following Jeff’s car to the far reaches of the lot before finding a vacant spot. Jules adjusts her sunglasses to avoid eye contact with the curious glances they receive.

  “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore,” Katie teases as she turns the car off and looks at Jules.