“I’m scheduled to work until seven, but I’m free after that. You want to hang out?” Jaren asked with a knowing smile.
I blushed, but he’d already said yes, so I rolled with it. “I have to do some homework with Kaitlynn, but do you want to call me when you get off work? I can pick you up when you’re done.” Jaren didn’t have a car because his dad was a jerk—wealthy, but couldn’t care less what Jaren needed.
“Thanks, but I think I can get David to drop me off once we’re done.”
I frowned. David was Jaren’s best friend, or wingman as Kaitlynn liked to call him. I told myself that ten minutes lost with Jaren wasn’t really that big of a deal.
“Thanks for inviting me with you tonight,” Jaren said. He glanced up at the last of the fading shooting stars then turned toward me. “It was a lot better than I expected. I appreciate the stars now, so thank you.”
“Well, I’m glad that you liked it and that you finally asked me out.” Embarrassment filled me after the confession.
“Oh, so how long have you been waiting for me to ask you out?” Jaren teased, a wicked grin on his face.
“Quit pretending that you haven’t had every girl at school after you, whether you were with Tiffany or not.” Tiffany was Jaren’s ex-girlfriend. They had dated off and on for a year but had broken up for good this time. The rumor at school was that Tiffany dumped Jaren for a Virginia Military Institute freshman in Lexington and would no longer associate with the kids from Buena Vista.
“Like that even matters. I’m here with you now, so don’t change the subject. Have you honestly been waiting long for me to ask you out?” Jaren’s eyes gleamed with determination.
“Let’s just say that I’m not the only one. Kaitlynn kept telling me that I needed to ask you out before someone snagged you up first, but I didn’t want to get in the way of you and Tiffany if you guys weren’t really over.”
“Well, we are. She’s already into some college guy at VMI, and I asked you out, so I’m ready to move on.”
My pulse raced. The idea of Jaren moving on with me sent a whirlwind through me, and I felt light, almost as if I’d float away.
He turned my hand palm up and straightened out my fingers, analyzing the contours. “Hey, is your pinky crooked?”
“Yeah,” I said, pulling my hand away. I put my hands together, aligning the outsides of my palms to show him how the little fingers turned inward at the top joint. I concentrated on steadying my hands, so he wouldn’t know how nervous I was about it. “They must come from my dad’s side because I’ve never broken them before and my mom’s are straight when she does this.” My fingers didn’t look deformed. The pinkies merely angled into the third fingers a bit.
Jaren smiled. “I think they’re cute.”
I relaxed my shoulders. I would’ve died if he thought it was weird and something was wrong with me.
“I better get you home. I don’t want your mom to think I’m a bad influence right from the start.” Jaren’s cheek dimpled and he stood. I stood after him, pulling the blanket up with me.
He grabbed the blanket out of my arms and started folding it. I snatched the corner, and he pulled me into a hug. He held me close to him, as I stood bright eyed, hoping he’d kiss me. We’d flirted in school for the past couple of months, but I’d never felt more sure that he’d kiss me than right now. My hands shook with anticipation as I clasped them around his waist.
Jaren gazed at me for a few breaths and then slid the blanket out of my weakened grasp. “Gotta build up your anticipation a little,” he said, then darted toward the car.
Gah! I didn’t think it was possible to build up any more anticipation. I chuckled and chased after him. I’d put up with his teasing as long as there were more dates to come. And he owed me another one.
3
Coward
The next day at school, Kaitlynn’s green eyes were bright with excitement over my date with Jaren. “You guys are going to end up together, go off to college, get married, and have babies.”
I laughed. “It was only our first date. I don’t think you can jump that far ahead yet.”
I loved being best friends with Kaitlynn. I’d never had a friend who meshed so well with me. I’m sure she felt the same way because she’s told me before that I was the sister she’d always wished for.
However, Kaitlynn and I looked nothing alike. She had thick blond hair, and fair skin. Her face was slender and delicate with a slight nose, while my face was round, taking after my mom’s German side.
I didn’t care if we appeared to be related or not. We acted like sisters, and she backed me up like one should. By my calculations we were best friends forever, and that’s exactly what sisters should be, anyway.
I spotted Jaren coming up behind Kaitlynn. We were juniors, and he was a senior, so his locker was down a separate hall reserved for seniors only.
“Hey, Jaren, what brings you away from your kingdom on senior row?” I flirted, switching my weight to one leg, and bringing my hands up to my hips. Having Kaitlynn here as my backup gave me that extra confidence to taunt him a little.
He laughed, deepening the dimple in his cheek. He wore a baby blue sweater that brought out his eyes and the light blond tips of his eyebrows.
“I was just coming to find out if you and Kaitlynn wanted to go out to lunch with us,” Jaren said, sky blue eyes twinkling.
Kaitlynn peered over at me, her eyebrows raised. I could tell she was struggling to keep in an delighted squeal. I resisted the excitement too; I wasn’t going to let Jaren witness us getting all junior high about it.
“Sure,” I said. “Who’s we, and where are we going?”
“It’s just David and me, so I guess you guys can pick.”
Kaitlynn wrapped her arm around mine, and we paraded toward the back doors leading to the student parking lot.
I let my gaze linger on her, questioning whether she had a preference. We usually stayed at school and ate in the cafeteria with a bunch of other junior girls, but when we did go out for lunch, we always found ourselves at Momma’s Barbecue or Little Italy.
Kaitlynn smirked at me and shrugged. I guess she didn’t care where we went, as long as we got to tag along.
“We’re good with either barbecue or Italian,” I said.
“Italiano it is,” Jaren said and led us through the parking lot to David’s old Mustang. The car wasn’t a classic; I think it was an ’89, but he kept it in good condition, and the paint glistened red like your grandmomma’s lipstick.
“Hey, David,” Kaitlynn and I said in unison, causing us to laugh.
“Looking good, Brooke. Kaitlynn, what’s up?” David asked with a head nod, then transferred lacrosse gear from the back seat to the trunk.
Jaren opened the passenger door for us and pulled the lever on the back of the seat, moving it forward.
“Does he open the doors for all the girls, or is he just trying to impress us?” Kaitlynn asked David.
“All the ladies, but that doesn’t mean he’s not trying to impress you,” David replied.
Jaren laughed, but cut it short.
I peered behind me.
Tiffany strolled forward, blond hair shimmering along her shoulders as she came up between David’s car and the old Camry parked next to it. She glanced at Jaren. “Sloppy seconds,” then she looked at me with disgust on her face. “With a sloppier rebound.” Her friends laughed.
My face filled with heat from anger and embarrassment, and I stood, silent, like an idiot.
“Just keep walking, Tiffany,” David said, slamming the trunk.
She chuckled along with her friends as they cleared the cars and made their way to her white Audi convertible.
I crawled into the back seat as quickly as I could to hide from the discomfort of the situation. I’m sure Kaitlynn would have said something for me if David didn’t tell Tiffany to move on, but I knew I wouldn’t have had the courage to stick up for myself. And that’s what ticked me off the most.
Kaitlynn slid the seat back and sat in front. “She’s evil.”
“Yep. That’s Tiffany.” David squealed his tires when he pulled out of the parking lot.
I felt awkward almost the whole way to the restaurant. David finally broke the tension with his jokes, and I decided not to let Tiffany’s remarks ruin my first lunch out with the guys.
“Hey, window please,” Jaren said.
“Does it smell like stinky socks back there?” David asked.
It kind of did. “No,” I feigned. I didn’t want to embarrass him.
“Oh, yes it does,” Jaren said, nudging me with his elbow and busting me.
David laughed and rolled down his window. “Sorry about that. I usually keep everything in the trunk, but I was in a hurry this morning because this kid,” he pointed back at Jaren, “kept going on about his date with a certain Brooke Keller.”
Kaitlynn looked back at me and my cheeks flushed.
Jaren punched the side of David’s seat. “Hold up. It’s not my fault you’ve got lead feet.”
“Bro, I’m so much faster than you. You’re just too chatty. Kinda like a girl that way.”
We all laughed. Jaren shook his head.
David parked, and Kaitlynn hopped out of the Mustang.
Jaren climbed out first, gracing me with the view of his athletic butt.
Kaitlynn noticed what I was gawking at and snickered.
“What?” Jaren asked, adjusting his sweater as he turned back. Virginia had eased into the beginning stages of fall, so it wasn’t quite cold enough during the day for a jacket.
“Nothin’. Brooke was just making faces at me,” Kaitlynn lied. I tried to hide the red in my cheeks as I scrambled out of the car.
When we got inside, we were escorted to Shannon’s section. She’s a good friend of Kaitlynn’s mom, so we always sat there.
“Hi, kids!” Shannon greeted us with frosty glasses of water. “Good to see you guys hanging out,” she said, looking over at me. Kaitlynn must have told her mom about my date, and then her mom must have told Shannon. Word traveled fast around here.
Kaitlynn and David flirted nonstop. He was funny and had us all laughing.
“Hey, you gals want to come running with us in the morning?” David asked.
“Isn’t it cold? Why would you go running so early?” Kaitlynn asked.
“Off-season training,” David said. “And it’s not bad once you get going. You in or are you gonna be a baby about it?” He raised a single eyebrow and smirked.
Kaitlynn laughed, then looked at me.
“Sure. I’m in.”
“Me, too, then.” Kaitlynn smiled.
* * *
“I will not be held responsible for you guys missing second bell,” David said as he ran his Mustang through the red light and into the student parking lot.
“No, but my mom will hold you responsible if you kill me,” I pointed out.
Jaren laughed.
“That would never happen,” David said. “I’m an excellent driver.” He swung the car around and slid it into a tight spot near the school’s entrance.
We all climbed out, and David looked back at his car with a proud grin. “See ‘Exhibit A,’” he said, pointing to his parking job.
“Second bell. Remember?” Jaren grabbed David by the shirt, and we hustled through the doors.
Kaitlynn and I shuffled to our lockers, while Jaren and David separated from us to go to class. I let my gaze linger on them. I noticed Tiffany stood at the end of the hall, and upon her first glance at Jaren, she turned around, flouncing away from him.
“Ice witch much?” Kaitlynn whispered.
“I can’t believe I just stood there when she spoke to me like that.”
“Aw, don’t beat yourself up over it. She’s seriously not worth it.”
“True,” I said. “And you know, I don’t like how rude she is to Jaren, but I think I might prefer this behavior over her pining to get him back.” It was easier for me to put up with a rude ex-girlfriend than it was to put up with a rude ex-girlfriend who fought with me to win the boy.
I grabbed my copy of To Kill a Mockingbird and then we hurried down the hall toward our classes. I had English for fifth block, and Miss Andersen didn’t tolerate tardiness.
“Well, does he want her back?” Kaitlynn asked.
“He said they were done this time, and he was ready to move on.” I stopped in front of my class.
“That’s good,” Kaitlynn said, hugged me, and then left for her class.
I plopped down into my seat on the far side of the room as the second bell rang. Carley Daniels and Bri Walters dashed through the door to their seats. Both of them had become popular with the seniors, but stayed cliquey when it came to us juniors.
They were the first girls I tried to befriend freshman year when I moved to Buena Vista; however, they weren’t much of the befriending type. They tormented me about the flannel shirt I wore that day because it was a regular button down and not a fitted, designer one. They cackled and teased that I would get along great here, in the hills with all the other hillbillies brewing up their moonshine. That was when Kaitlynn stepped in and rescued me. She’s had my back ever since.
“All right, students, hand up your assignments from chapter thirteen, and let’s begin chapter fourteen,” Miss Andersen said to quiet the after-lunch chatter.
I liked Miss Andersen. When we struggled to understand a concept, she would explain it until she felt certain that everyone grasped the lesson. I appreciated her efforts because I never had enough bravery to speak up if I didn’t understand.
She walked to the front of the room, stopping at her desk to grab a new stick of chalk. She preferred the new sticks and kept her chalkboards wiped clean to minimize the dust, but I feared she would always wear chalk fingerprints on her slacks. The other kids mocked her for these chalk streaks.
Not me. I knew the discomfort of being bullied and teased. Big city or small town, my generation could be brutal. I never spoke up, though. I’d always responded the same way I did when Tiffany humiliated me in the parking lot—frozen in embarrassment and stirring in anger at my lack of courage.
Miss Andersen reached the chalk board and slid the eraser along its cradle. She wiped her hand down her slacks and began to write on the board.
As expected, Carley yelled out to Miss Anderson, “Why even bother doing your laundry? White streaks are your signature.”
The class laughed.
Miss Andersen glared at Carley, but then brushed the chalk off in wafts of dust. Miss Andersen would say something if you strolled in late to her class, but she kept her mouth closed in a tight line when students disrespected her in other ways.
I wanted to defend her, but I didn’t have the guts. I could stand against a wild mountain lion, but I folded when it came to teenagers. What did that say about me? Or better yet, about my peers?
I sat there, thinking of all the things I would say if I wasn’t such a coward, ashamed with myself for not speaking any of them.
4
Not Fair
Kaitlynn and I had been researching for our history project for three hours before we started to get giggly.
“You so have the hots for David,” I said.
She grinned, not denying it.
“Well, you and Jaren are gonna get married and have babies.”
I laughed. “No, we’re not.”
“Don’t doubt me on this. I can see it in your eyes every time you look at him. You wanna have his babies.”
“No. That is not an I-want-to-have-his-babies look.”
“Oh, yeah?” Kaitlynn sat up, challenging me. “What is it, then?”
“Infatuation. Attraction. I dunno, but it has nothing to do with wanting his babies.”
My phone rang. I jumped, excited as a five-year-old at a Chuck E. Cheese because Jaren’s number flas
hed on my caller ID.
I answered the phone. “Hello?”
“Babies,” Kaitlynn said.
I gave her a punishing glare and waved at her to shut up. Jaren could probably hear her.
“Hey, I just got off work, and David is going to give me a ride to your place, if that’s cool with you?” Jaren asked.
“Sure. Kaitlynn and I aren’t getting much work done, anyway, so head on over. Is David planning on staying, too?” I looked over at Kaitlynn. She clasped her hands and looked toward the sky in dramatic prayer that David would stay.
“I don’t know,” Jaren said, and then I heard a muffled, “You want to hang out with us over at Brooke’s?”
“Sure,” I picked up as David’s answer.
“He’s coming, too,” Jaren said. I nodded to Kaitlynn.
She got up and started to do a happy dance, throwing her arms in the air and twisting her hips. It was actually quite ugly. I stifled the laugh that tried to sneak out.
“We’ll be over in about ten minutes.”
“Cool. Come in when you’re here. The door’s open.” We hung up, and I dropped my phone next to my laptop. Kaitlynn ran down the hall to the bathroom, and I followed behind her.
“You’re beautiful,” I told her, leaning on the door frame of the bathroom. I tilted forward trying to get a look at myself in the mirror.
“I only wanted to make sure,” Kaitlynn said, opening her jaw wide and wiping the mascara off from under her eyes. “We were laughing pretty hard there, and I was right. My mascara had run.”
We primped in the bathroom until the Mustang’s engine roared into my driveway. We ran into the living room and flew onto the couch, giggling and slapping at each other.
“Shut up,” I told Kaitlynn.
“I’m trying. You shut up.” She laughed harder.
Footsteps sounded on the porch, and we sobered.
Jaren stepped through the door first. He still wore his Computer Technician shirt. Kaitlynn or I would have changed shirts first, but he pulled it off gorgeously, and I didn’t think he thought like us girls about that stuff.
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