by A. R. Perry
I sit there in stunned silence as he drives us home. Spencer has been weird lately, quieter than normal, but he’s never come after me so hard. Not even when I launched him off a trampoline and broke his arm when we were thirteen.
Something is bothering him and for once, he doesn’t want to tell me. Doesn’t want my help.
Ten minutes later he pulls into his driveway and cuts the engine. Before I have a second to speak, he jumps out and slams the door, rocking the car with the force. With a sigh, I gather my shoes and step out, staring at his retreating back.
“Spencer!” He stills and even in the dim light of his porch I can see his shoulders tense. “Are we still on for the movies tomorrow?”
After a few silent moments that feel longer than an eternity, he shakes his head. “Can’t. Why don’t you ask Jax or something?” With that, he opens his front door and slams it behind him.
I make my way across the street, my shoes dangling from one hand. My dad’s car is still gone. Earlier he took my mom out on a date. They try to do it at least twice a month. It’s the reason I figured tonight would be my night with Jax. It was a sign that I didn’t have to put up with my mom’s interrogation about my dress.
Seems as if the universe had other plans.
I toss my keys into the bowl and dump my shoes next to the ever-growing pile of sneakers piling up by the door. Hopefully, Mom won’t notice them in the clutter.
Will pokes his head out of the kitchen as I walk through the living room to the stairs. His eyes travel down my outfit before narrowing on my face. “You’re home early.”
“Okay?” I continue toward the stairs, but his throat clearing stops me.
“Where’s, Spencer?”
“At home.” I turn to face him, leaning against the banister as he props a hand on the wall.
“Don’t you normally watch movies Saturday nights?”
“Are you keeping tabs on my every move?”
“Just curious why you look like some alternate reality version of my sister. Hot date?”
“When do you move out again?”
He grins and runs a hand through his hair. “Seriously, where were you?”
“None of your business, Dad.” I grip the railing and spin around, hoping he gets the point and leaves me alone.
“Heard there was a big party tonight.” I stop on the stairs but don’t turn. “The least you can do is put the poor kid out of his misery before you go throwing yourself at another guy.”
This gets my attention and I whirl around to glare at Will. “What are you talking about?”
He rolls his eyes and sighs as if I’m the dumbest person on the planet. “Be careful with Jax. I’d hate to lose my scholarship a few months before graduation for beating the shit out of him.” His phone dings in the kitchen drawing his attention.
He leaves me standing on the stairs confused about what guy I should put out of misery.
As I walk up the front steps of the school, my stomach is a swirling mess of nerves.
I didn’t see or hear from Spencer all day yesterday. In fact, I haven’t heard from him since he slammed his door on me Saturday night. This is the longest we’ve gone without talking. The only time in our whole friendship there has been unplanned radio silence.
And I’ve hated every second.
I wipe the sweat off my forehead from the ride over and pin my board under my other arm. Spencer’s car was nowhere to be found this morning, leaving me to board to school on my own. Another first. I’ve ridden shotgun every day since he got his license. That’s how I know something is seriously wrong. And him not talking to me about it…well that makes me want to puke.
At least we have homeroom together. He can’t avoid me there.
I tuck a piece of hair behind my ear as I walk through the front doors. I was too thrown by Spencer that I forgot I needed to stick with my whole new look. Although, I guess jean shorts and a tank top can be considered girly to some.
Just not to Jax.
And now I feel super self-conscious. I can only pray I don’t run into him today.
A few boys I’ve never talked to before waved at me from the other side of the hall. I throw a puzzled look their way and wave. I’ve been going to this school for three years and I can count on one hand how many times a boy, hell a classmate, has gone out of their way to say hi. Most of my time is spent in the company of Spencer or my brothers so I guess the intimidation factor must plummet to zero when I walk the halls alone.
Thoughts of my less better half have me scanning the crowd. I spot his mop of brown hair in the distance headed toward his first class away from me. Hiking the straps on my backpack higher on my shoulders I dodge one of the football players and rush forward in a vain attempt to catch him before he reaches the classroom.
I almost reach him too, but a tall figure with a godly face steps out in front of me, blocking my path.
“Hey, sexy.” Jax’s lips tip up into a smile and I crane my neck behind me, trying to work out who the hell he’s talking to. “Where’d you run off to Saturday?”
Oh shit. He’s talking to me.
I clear my throat and drop my gaze to the linoleum, cringing when I catch sight of my clothes once again. “Oh, um. My ride bailed, so I had to duck out.”
Jax nods and runs a hand through his thick hair blond. “I don’t think I’ve ever been ditched before.”
“I didn’t. I mean…you were into your game and I—”
“You can make it up to me. Let me take you out tomorrow night.”
My jaw unhinges, and I swear it takes a good fifteen seconds to process what he said. “You want to—”
“Take you out. Tomorrow.” His eyebrows bunch together and I’m positive he must be thinking how conversationally challenged I am.
Before he can change his mind, I blurt out my answer. “Yes!”
The eagerness in my tone brings the smile back to his face. “Cool.” He extends his phone and I take it with shaky hands. “Put your number in and I’ll iron out the deets with you later.”
I managed to put the number in right despite the tremor racking my body and return his very expensive phone before I drop it and shatter the thing into a million pieces.
“Catch you later, Rylee.” He winks and heads off down the hallway in the same direction Spencer was headed.
Shit.
The bell rings and I cringe. I’ll have to grab him after homeroom.
I practically dance down the hallway, floating on the high that is my future date with Jax. Who knew all I had to do was throw on a pretty dress and I would be one of those girls with a boyfriend instead of just the girl with mad boarding skills and a best friend who puts up with my loud mouth.
Speaking of…I walk into class and come up short, almost making the person behind me crash into my back. Whoever it was curses and skirts around me but I’m too busy staring at the back of the room to take in details.
For as long as I can remember whenever Spencer and I have a class together we sit together. Right beside. Right behind. One time a teacher put us alphabetically. It was a sad year. But in all these years, he’s never chosen a seat away from me on purpose. Yet, there he sits…all the way in the back with a hood pulled over his head, scowling at the desktop.
Thanks to Jax making me late, there are no other open seats except the one I normally sit in…All the way on the other side of the room toward the front.
I glare in his direction, hoping he can feel my irritation in the depths of his soul but he doesn’t so much as glance up. Too enthralled with the landscape of his new desk.
With a growl, I make my way to my seat and throw my bag down, pitching a fit when I see Mike Miller, a giant tool who stuck me with every single project last year when we were lab patterns. I haven’t spoken to the guy—looked at him—since and now here he sits.
My back slams into the hard wood of the chair right as Mrs. Green waltzes into the room and the class quiets down. I pull out my phone, despite it being our te
acher’s one rule, and cradling it in my lap I shoot Spencer a text. His hand falls to his pocket, but he doesn’t look. Instead, he reaches into his bag and pulls out our world history book.
Fine. If he wants to be that way, I can ignore him too.
I pop in my earbuds and crank the music high enough to hurt. Then I pull out my homework and go over it all, making sure I didn’t miss anything.
By the time the bell rings, I’m still fuming. As I’m putting my stuff away I catch Spencer jet for the door, taking the long way around instead of cutting through the aisles and walking past me.
Ugh. Whatever.
I head for the door realizing my best friend’s crap attitude has snuffed out the excitement of my date. And here I was hoping he would share in my excitement. Guess whatever crawled up his butt and died has something to do with me. Just wish I knew what.
The day dragged on so slowly it was almost painful. Spencer never came to the cafeteria at lunch and I never spotted him in the halls. It was almost as if he turned into some kind of superhero with the ability to play the best game of hide-and-seek.
Spencer plus five. Me zero.
I trudge out the front doors and down the stairs, headed for his car. The day may have started with a who-cares attitude, but now I want, no need, to know what’s up. I’m so far gone that I skipped my daily ride around the block so I don’t miss him.
Two minutes later as he walks to his car, head bent staring at his phone, my hunch is confirmed.
Crossing my arms, I lean against his door, fighting a smile when he looks up and shock registers on his face. I tilt my head leveling him with a glare, one I’ve been using since we were kids.
“Low blow ditching me twice in one day.” Spencer reaches for his back door, but I slide over, blocking him. “Still with this whole silent treatment thing? We’re not five.”
He squints against the sun and runs a hand over his hair, a long exhale deflating his shoulders. “Do you need a ride?”
“That is probably the dumbest question you’ve ever ask me.”
His lips curve up but he rolls his eyes and shoos me with a hand. “Well hop in then. I have dinner with the rents.”
Not trusting him, I open the driver side door and crawl inside, climbing over the center console as he stares at me with an adorably confused expression on his face.
“The passenger door didn’t break in the past few days,” he says as he shoves my left foot out of the way and starts the car.
“I was more worried about how this thing can roll away without me in it.” I right myself and reach for the seat belt. “Kind of like it did this morning.”
His lips go flat as he reverses out of the spot and into the waiting line of cars. This right here is the reason we goof around before leaving and we still get home at the same time. Today though I’m thankful for it. He can’t run away or ignore me if we’re locked in a car together.
“So—”
“Just don’t.” He grabs the knob for the volume control on the stereo, but I slap his had.
“What the hell is going on? You’ve been weird since Saturday.”
“Do you really care or do you just want me around for boy advice?”
I reel back. “Dude, are you serious? The past two days have sucked ass. In case you haven’t noticed, you’re like my only friend. I’m not that friendly.”
“Sure seemed friendly Saturday night.” Spencer accelerates around a few cars and onto the street, throwing me sideways.
“Did I do something wrong? Because you seem more upset than when I broke your favorite action figure.”
“No.” Spencer scratches the light stubble on his neck. “My parents are getting a divorce.”
“What?” I slap at the buckle on the seat belt not even caring it’s illegal and launch over the center console, wrapping my arms around his neck. He curses and swerves, thrown off by my sudden hug attack.
“What happened?”
“I don’t really want to talk about it.”
His words sting, but I nod and shimmy to my side of the car. “I’m always here for you though. You know that, right?” For a brief second his eyes shift my way, then he returns his focus to driving.
We sit in silence for the rest of the drive. He doesn’t even try to turn on the radio—that’s how I know this is bothering him way more than he wants to admit.
When he pulls into his driveway, he doesn't bolt like Saturday. Instead, he turns off the car and rests his head on the steering wheel.
“Wanna ditch this family dinner? I can hide you in my closet. Smuggle you food.” This gets a small laugh out of him.
“I’m kinda hoping with me there they won’t fight.”
“Is that why your dad hasn’t been home?” He jerks his head in my direction and I shrug. “I noticed his car has been missing.”
“They can’t stand to be in the same room so Dad has taken it upon himself to remedy that. This is the first thing we’ve done together in weeks.”
Weeks. I knew something was bothering him.
“Offer still stands. Pretty sure you spend so much time over at my house my parents wouldn’t even notice.”
“Nice to know I have options.” He twists and reaches for his bag but freezes when I lay a hand on his arm.
“We cool?”
“We coo.” I roll my eyes, which gets another smile out of him. “See you tomorrow, gummy bear.”
I grin at my old nickname as I climb out of the car. God, for years that’s all he and my brothers would call me. To say I had an obsession with gummy bears would be an understatement. Guess I grew out of that around the time I got boobs and shortly after the name fell away too.
Good to know he remembers stupid stuff like that.
I wave and head across the street as he goes inside his house. My phone chimes as I drop my bag by the door. It’s from an unknown number but there’s only one person who it could be with a greeting of “hey sexy”.
I chew on my bottom lip as another text comes in asking if dinner and a movie is okay for tomorrow night. For some reason, the excitement I felt earlier is gone, evaporated into nothing. More important is making sure Spencer is okay. So with that in mind, I ask if we can delay the date until Friday. A movie and junk food binge is in order and if it will help Spencer get out of a funk, I’ll even let him pick the movies.
“What’s the catch,” I ask, dropping on Rylee’s cushy bed. Today has been a heaping pile of crap loaded onto the disaster that was dinner last night.
My parents made it through appetizers before they were at each other’s throats. To say this divorce is bitter would be a gigantic understatement. By the main course, Mom was in the bathroom crying and Dad was pretending nothing happened. Pretty much their MO their entire relationship.
“No catch.” Rylee crosses her legs under her and tosses the remote at me. “Pick whatever. The ‘rents are out as is Will so we can order in food. Might have to share with the evil twin, but it’s a fair price to pay for him to leave us alone.”
I try to stop the acceleration of my heart when she mentions us being alone together. We’ve been alone more times than I can count but hearing her say it does something weird to me.
“So you’re saying I can choose whatever movie I want and dinner and there’s no catch? I’m not buying it, Everett.”
“You think so little of me.” She sprawls out on the bed next to me her tank top riding up to reveal her belly button. “Seems you’re cracking under the pressure. I have no choice but to revoke movie rights.”
“Uh. No.” I twist away as she grabs for the remote. “I was just double-checking that we haven’t fallen into some alternate reality.”
“Fine. Whatever. I draw the line at my pillows.” She reaches behind her and fluffs the two propping her up. “And nothing scary.”
“This is sounding less and less like my choice.”
Her hands flies up in the air then slams down on the mattress. “You’re right. But if you pick something scary
and I can’t sleep tonight you have to stay over.”
Again my heart does a backflip and I smother the sensation with a cough. “How does Chinese sound?”
“Like heaven.” Rylee pushes up to one elbow and snags her phone off the nightstand. “Extra pot stickers and sesame chicken?”
At my nod, she places the phone to her ear. “Hey, idiot. We’re ordering Chinese want some?” She pauses as her mouth twitches to the side. “I don’t care if you’re in the mood for Mongolian.” Another pause. “Fine, get your own food.” She hangs up and turns to me. “Gollum is on his own but I still say we order extra. He’s bound to show up and raid us before retreating into his hole.”
Her feet hit the carpet with a soft thud, her phone already pressed to her ear again. She paces the small space as she places the order then turns and flashes me a smile. “Want something to drink?”
“Coke is good.” As she slips out into the hall, I scroll through the movies.
There are so many titles I’ve been dying to see that she vetoed, but I pause over a movie I heard was terrifying. I’m not one to watch this crap, most of the time I find it hilarious, but her words keep coming back. I haven’t slept over in ages. We must have been fifteen the last time. Right now with how much my parents are bickering and the way I know Rylee acts when we watch horror movies, it sounds like the perfect night.
By the time she comes back clutching two cans of Coke and a bag of popcorn, I have the film cued up. She takes one look at the screen where I’ve paused on the opening credits and narrows her eyes.
“What is this?”
I stretch out my hands in front of me. “Let’s just say I would pee before we watch this.”
The color drains from her face. “Really? This is why I don’t give you movie-choosing rights. Out of everything you had to pick something scary?”
“It called to me.” I pat the mattress next to where I’m propped up on all her pillows. “While the night is young. You don’t want to be watching this during the witching hour.”
Irritation mixes with fear on her face as she crosses the room to her bed. With a grunt, she throws my soda at me. I catch it before it slams into my face, much to her disappointment. It will be a while before I can drink it now. As I set it on the window sill next to me she plops down, pulling her feet up as fast as she can.