by Abbi Glines
The rest of the day I looked for Aurora but didn’t see her. During practice, I found myself watching Hunter and listening to him in case he said something about his sister. I was curious. I wanted to know more about her. Anything really. If he’d just talk about her, I’d be happy. I understood his odd protectiveness over her now. I didn’t blame him. She was stunning and sweet, which was a rare combination. If she was my sister . . . no. I wasn’t going to even think about that.
Hunter was, per usual at practice, focused on the plays, his passing game, and winning. I’d never seen a more driven athlete. He was the reason we hadn’t struggled after our former quarterback, Brady Higgens, graduated. Nash had been working with the freshman quarterback, Kip. He had a shitload of natural talent. Hunter saw it like the rest of us. Because of it, Hunter had gotten even more intense. He had something to prove, and it only helped the team. Hunter truly seemed to love the game.
I loved football too, but I wasn’t as intense as Hunter. It was his number one concern in life. I could get distracted, unlike Hunter. I had a hard time focusing, due to Aurora. I doubted that Hunter had ever been distracted from the game by a girl. Which made me wonder just how much of an ass his father was. My dad put a lot of importance on the game, because it would send me to college. I didn’t think that was the case with Hunter’s dad. It was more, or at least that is how it looked to everyone else.
When I was finally at home and alone in my room, I smiled as I lay back on my bed and started a text to Aurora. I’d debated all afternoon if I should text her tonight. Although the entire time I was arguing with myself about it I knew I was going to. I had dropped two passes and not given a shit about it. My focus had been Aurora.
How was the rest of your day?
I sent the text, smiling like an idiot. I was glad no one was around to witness this. It was late enough that dinner was probably finished at her house. We’d just eaten burgers Mom had picked up on the way home from work. I’d had mine in the living room with Dad while we watched ESPN. Neither of us was in the mood to talk. Mom was in the kitchen on the phone with my aunt in Dallas, Texas. She was about to marry husband number three, and my mother wasn’t happy about it.
Nahla, my eleven-year-old sister, sat on the end of the sofa, barely eating her food because she was taking selfies and keeping up her streaks on Snapchat. Unless Mom took her phone away and forced us to eat at the table together, this was the norm. The nights we had to do the family-time thing were rare. My phone dinged, and with it my heart rate increased. She had texted me back.
It was okay. Adjusting will take a while.
Her response concerned me some. She couldn’t hear. It made her different, and I knew what dumbasses there were in our school who wouldn’t know how to deal with someone unlike themselves. I had once been a dumbass. If she didn’t adjust, would she leave? Go somewhere else? Move? I didn’t like any of those options.
I looked for you the rest of the day but our paths didn’t cross again. Did you see Tallulah anymore?
That I was hoping for. Tallulah would be great at helping her adjust. She’d also be a good friend. And I wanted Aurora to like it here. The reasons, I admit, were selfish, but I didn’t like the idea of her leaving.
Yes. She saved me from Hunter’s hovering again. I know he means well but he was more nervous than I was.
That was a short text for the long period of time the “. . .” from her typing appeared on the screen. I wondered if she had said more, then deleted it. If she had, what was it she had decided not to say. Damn, why was I getting so worked up over texting? I needed to calm the hell down.
Brothers are protective. It’s what we do. My little sister is a brat. I couldn’t imagine having her at school with me.
Nahla wasn’t boy crazy yet. I knew the day was coming soon, and I dreaded it. I liked her little. I could deal with the stupid-ass Disney shows she watched or the cotton-candy body spray she used that stunk up the entire upstairs, not just the bathroom. I wasn’t ready for her to date. I doubted I ever would be. Even when she was old enough.
I got used to my independence at my old school. Not needing Hunter. Being able to manage on my own. I want that here too. Getting him to understand it is hard though.
I thought about that and reread it several times. She was seventeen. She wasn’t eleven. She should get to drive her own car and live like the rest of us. Being treated differently after having a life where she had been equal to the others had to be hard. Again, the fear she’d leave and find another school like the one she had left scared me. Time. She needed time to like it here. I would do all I could to help her fit in.
Give it time. Hunter should chill out. Relax when he sees you adjusting. Making friends. Finding your own way. How do you think he’s going to react to you dating?
I erased and rewrote that last question three times before hitting send and literally holding my breath. From watching Hunter today, I didn’t imagine he was going to be too fond of her dating anyone. Especially me. My reputation wasn’t that great. I knew it was going to be a hurdle, but I was willing to get over it. Hell, Hunter could come too. We could double-date like we were in junior high again. I was fine with it if it meant I got to be around her more. Amazing how she made me okay with things I would have made fun of just this morning.
I’ve been dating awhile now. My boyfriend, Denver, is back in North Carolina though. I don’t think there will be much dating here with him being so far away.
Boyfriend. Denver? What kind of name was Denver? It was a fucking city in Colorado. The idea of this Denver pissed me off. It shouldn’t surprise me. Aurora was beautiful, her smile was addicting, and she was sweet. Why wouldn’t she have a boyfriend? But why mention it now? Why not earlier when it was clear I’d been flirting. A million things ran through my mind as I stared at her words, trying to decide what to say or if I should just stop texting.
But there was one simple fact.
Denver wasn’t here.
I was.
Long distance relationships can suck.
There, I said it. Now for her to respond. If she came back with their love was too strong for distance to break, I’d back out. Maybe. Probably not. Who was I kidding? Denver was going down. He was miles away.
I know. I’m waiting for the text where he breaks it off. I’m prepared for it and a bit surprised he didn’t do it before I left.
Better response than I could have hoped for. Denver needed to prepare himself and get ready for his own text. Because if I had my way, Aurora would be the one sending the breakup text. Grinning, I texted.
He’d be an idiot.
There was a long pause, several minutes, before she replied simply.
Thank you.
I Had to Wonder if Any of Them Knew Ryker at All
CHAPTER 8
AURORA
Hunter touched my shoulder as I was buttering my waffle, and I looked up at him.
“Why are you smiling?” he asked, his brow wrinkled with his frown. As if he was trying to read my mind. Last time I checked, he wasn’t a telepath.
I shrugged, not realizing I had been smiling but not surprised, either. I knew what my thoughts were, and they were happy ones.
“I like waffles,” I said, using my voice.
“They’re frozen from a box. That’s nothing to get that excited about.” He said the words as he signed.
I shrugged again and went back to buttering my waffle, trying not to smile. It was hard, though. I’d texted with Ryker Lee until I fell asleep around midnight. I had never done that before. It had been exciting. When I had told him about Denver, I expected him to stop texting me. I almost hadn’t told him. But the guilt of not being honest was too much. If Ryker was thinking of asking me out, he needed to know about Denver. I would have broken up with Denver if he had asked. I didn’t want to admit that, but I knew I would have. Now that he knew about Denver, I had to face the fact he might not ask me out. My smile had faded on its own. Those thoughts weren’t happy on
es. But after I had told him about Denver, he had continued to text me. For hours.
Instead of it pushing me away, he seemed to not care at all. It was very confident of him. One could also say cocky, but I didn’t think it fit him. After all the warnings I had been given about him, I had to wonder if any of them knew Ryker at all. The guy I had gotten to know last night in the texts wasn’t anything like he’d been described to me. He’d been sweet and funny and listened to me. He cared about my life back home, my favorite food, my favorite books . . .
Another tap on my shoulder.
I took a bite of my waffle before looking at Hunter again. He was still frowning. “You’re doing it again. The smiling.”
I chewed my food and scowled at my brother. He was being ridiculous. Why couldn’t I smile? Wasn’t it better that I smiled? What if I had been crying in my room, wanting to go back to North Carolina? Shouldn’t my smiling make him happy? Once I swallowed, I replied, “I slept well. I’m not nervous about school. I’m happy. Is that okay?” using my voice again.
He sighed a little too dramatically and grabbed two frozen waffles from the box I hadn’t returned to the freezer yet. Then he went to stick them in the toaster. I continued eating mine, wishing we had syrup. There was not a lot of sugar or sweet things in this house. Our stepmother, Ella, was a yoga instructor and very into healthy eating. Everything was organic. Except these waffles. Ella was at the gym by six in the morning with her first class. So she had no time to make us breakfast, and even if she could, I doubted she would. Buying the waffles was something she had to accept. It was Hunter’s choice for breakfast, and I was good with it too. I wouldn’t mind some Frosted Flakes, but Hunter said I’d be lucky if I pulled that one off. Even if I did convince her to buy the cereal, I would have to then convince her to buy real milk, because the almond milk in the fridge was disgusting. I’d tried it yesterday morning and had to spit it in the sink. When I had turned back around after wiping my mouth, I caught Hunter laughing at me.
I turned to look at Hunter, and sure enough, he was watching me still.
“What does Dad eat for breakfast?” I asked him, realizing Dad was always gone when we got up in the morning.
“Good ol’ Jack’s biscuits with sausage and cheese. Ella doesn’t know, or she’d freak out,” he said with a smirk.
I laughed. Ella was young. Much younger than Mom. I hadn’t asked, but I would guess she wasn’t thirty yet. Which was a bit weird, seeing as Dad was forty-two. But whatever. She made him happy. Even if he had to sneak off to eat good food.
“You like Tallulah, then?” he asked me, changing the subject back to school things.
I nodded. “She’s nice. Not what I expected when I first saw her.”
“She hasn’t always looked like that,” he replied.
I wasn’t sure what that meant, but before I could ask for clarification, he glanced at the clock on the oven. “We need to go.”
I finished off my waffle and took a drink of the freshly squeezed orange juice Ella had made with the fancy juicer sitting on the counter last night. She had offered to juice me some vegetables and fruit for my breakfast this morning. I almost gagged at the thought, but managed to shake my head and mouth, No thank you. Ella didn’t sign. And I wasn’t comfortable enough around her to use my voice.
I’d had to divert my gaze from Hunter, who was covering his mouth to keep from laughing at her offer. I would start laughing too if I looked at him. That was one of the things that hadn’t changed with our living apart. We shared emotions very easily. When he was happy, it made me happy. When he was sad, I felt it too. Before I even saw him. I just knew. It was a unique bond.
I picked up my backpack and followed Hunter outside to his truck. I never imagined Hunter as one to drive a truck. He had always talked about how he wanted a Mustang when he turned sixteen. He had posters of Mustangs through the years all over his room before he moved away. The large F-150 he drove was nothing like a Mustang. I hadn’t asked him about it, but from what I saw in the school parking lot, it seemed to fit in better than a Mustang would.
My phone vibrated, and I felt a tingle of excitement. Once I was seated in the passenger seat and buckled, I pulled it out, hoping to see Ryker’s name. But it wasn’t.
It was Mom’s.
With a touch of my finger I reluctantly opened her text. I missed her. Even after the way she’d left and the yelling between her and Hunter. I missed her. I wished I’d said I had loved her when she left. But I had just stood there. Watching her go with not even a good-bye. Hunter’s emotional pain had intensified mine and vice versa.
Good morning my favorite girl in the world. I hope you had a good day at school yesterday. I thought about you often.
Mom wasn’t a bad mother. She had always loved me. She’d sacrificed a lot for me. Dad had left her, and she had still loved him. I could see it, and I hurt for her. Now she had found Lou, and he made her happy. It was time she got to be happy again. I’d seen her sad for far too long.
Good morning. School wasn’t at all like I expected. I made a couple friends. I’m going to be okay here.
I knew she needed to hear that. I wanted to add that I loved her. But I also wanted to apologize for letting her leave without saying the words and hugging her. I realized the truck had stopped, and lifted my head to see Hunter staring at me. “Who is it?” he asked, frowning again.
“Mom,” I said simply. He snarled. He didn’t agree with me about Mom. I wasn’t sure why, but he blamed her for the divorce. For letting him leave with Dad. It was almost as if he had wanted her to fight for him to stay. I didn’t understand that completely.
“She just now remembering to check on you? How thoughtful.” Although I couldn’t hear him, I knew those words were laced with sarcasm. He turned his attention back to the road, and the truck began moving again.
That’s wonderful news. I knew you would fit in. You’re smart, beautiful, and kind. People are drawn to you. I love you. And I am here. Text me often. I miss you.
I felt tears unexpectedly sting my eyes. I missed her too. She was so far away now. Even if she had been a bit withdrawn and unhappy the past four years, she was mine. And I loved her.
I love you too.
I sent the text and felt relief as I did. I wanted her to know I did love her. And I understood her at least a little.
I didn’t look at Hunter the rest of the drive to school. If I couldn’t see him, he couldn’t say anything to me I didn’t want to hear. My chest ached a little at the moment, and I needed to get myself composed. Thinking about Mom was hard.
She’s Innocent, She’s Sheltered, She’s the Quarterback’s Sister, and She Is Deaf
CHAPTER 9
RYKER
Getting through breakfast and to school without breaking down and texting Aurora was difficult. But I’d been the last one to text last night. I knew she’d probably fallen asleep, but still, it was her turn. If I came across as too needy, it could send her running in the other direction. Girls needed some mystery. At least that was what I had heard once . . . in a movie, I think. Who knew how accurate it was? I could just text her. Stop waiting for her to text me and driving myself crazy.
Glancing at my phone for the twentieth time since I woke up, I growled in frustration. Still nothing from Aurora. I knew she was here. I’d looked for Hunter’s truck the moment I pulled in the parking lot. Hell, I had even gotten to school ten minutes early, and he’d still beat me here. I had tried to arrive when they did so I’d have a chance to see her. Maybe walk inside with her.
I wondered if she’d mentioned our texting to Hunter this morning. Hunter and I got along fine on the field. But we weren’t tight. I hadn’t grown up with him. My closest friend other than my cousin Nash was Asa. The others in our group had graduated and moved on to college this year. It was different playing ball without them. I’d been so excited over this being my senior year, I hadn’t expected the void I’d feel with the guys I’d always played on the field with being gone
. Adjusting to Hunter as quarterback had been easy enough. However, he hadn’t been real happy about me talking to Aurora yesterday. If he had said something to her to make her stop this before I even got a chance, I could possibly be screwed.
Stepping inside the school, I admittedly scanned the halls for Aurora. Turning the corner down the south hall, I found Nova instead. She’d texted me last night, and I had forgotten about it until now. Seeing her reminded me. I hadn’t responded because I’d been too busy in my conversation with Aurora. I also hadn’t responded because I wasn’t going to encourage her. Not that she needed any encouragement. She was determined.
“I don’t like games,” she said in a saucy tone. “Maybe some games, but not the one you seem to want to play.”
Just yesterday she was saying she would win this game. I wasn’t playing a game, nor did I want to play a game with her. It was time for her to let it go and move on. We had flirted with the idea of sex. Nothing more. I had changed my mind on that before Aurora. Why was she pushing this so hard?
“I was already in bed when you texted me last night. Sorry I didn’t respond.” That was the truth. I felt better about myself already for not lying. Normally I’d make up some bullshit so she would smile and go about her business.
She puckered her lips in the seductive way she often did in the photos she posted of herself on Instagram. It looked good on her. She had great lips, but it was doing nothing for me.
“And this morning when you woke up? You couldn’t respond then?”
Here I could lie or be honest. I was thinking Aurora could have done the same thing. Texted me back. Said good morning or something. Damn, I was acting like a girl.
“I could have. But I didn’t. I was trying to get to school on time.” Not for reasons she may assume, though.