She nods. “Did you need them for something?”
“I got a thing,” I say.
She places her hands on her hips. “A thing? Like what’s that, a party?”
I have to be careful what I say here. If I say I’m going out bowling, she is going to assume I’m spending money we shouldn’t. Instead, I say, “Just hanging with some friends.”
“Can’t I just drop you off? I need the car tonight.”
I wave her off. “Nah, it’s fine I’ll just get Jared to come get me.”
“Are you sure?” she asks. I can tell she’s looking for the lie.
I nod. “Yeah.”
Then my phone chimes. I dig it out of my pocket and see a message from Rachel.
Rachel: @Bowl U Cming?
Rachel is there? I’ve hung out with her enough for one evening.
Me: Nope.
Rachel: Fine.
My mom makes her way out of the door, and after she leaves I lock the house down and head to my room. I text Adaline since she hasn’t called me yet.
Me: Happy B-day <3
No response. No bubbles on the screen indicating she’s even writing back to me. Nothing at all. I go through my phone and start pulling my video feeds together. I pull them up on my laptop and mix clips together. Ones from Adaline and me working in the library. Today’s store adventure. The finished book nook and art center.
Once I’m finished, I watch it and make sure everything meshed well. The clips playback, and I start to feel grumpy. Why couldn’t she wait? We could have done this all together, but she had to be stubborn!
The more I watch the more pissed off I become. It’s like she didn’t even trust me enough to see I was going to be there. She just made up her mind that I was lazy or whatever and threw it all in my face.
Jared texts me.
Jared: Where are you?
Me: @home.
Jared: Y?
Me: I’ve got shit 2 do.
I probably shouldn’t have said that. But the message is out there. He can yell at me later for it. I don’t give a damn. I’m more concerned with Adaline. I mean, for God’s sake she can’t even thank me for a gift? Let alone not lie to my face and tell me she wasn’t working on the project. It was her birthday and yadda yadda. Bunch of bullshit!
If I had my car, I’d drive straight over there and ask her what her problem is. I’ve done everything I could think to do. I mean, I gave her space and let her hang out with that moron Greg. That didn’t pan out. Which hey, I’m not complaining. I rearranged my schedule in order to finish this project, and she basically craps all over it. Nothing is ever good enough.
I also got her a pair of pearl earrings because she said she always wanted them. I spent some of my savings on her, and she doesn’t even bother to thank me? Well, screw her. I’m done with this bullshit.
Shit. I should probably find a way over to Foster’s Park so I can take down the design on the art center we put up.
As I am getting out of my chair, there is a loud pounding on my door.
I march to the front door not even in the mood for whatever is behind it. I open it without looking and scream, “What?”
“Whoa, dude! Don’t snap at me,” Jared says.
“Why are you here?”
He stares at me for a minute and then Juliet comes around him and weasels her way into my house. “What the hell!” I snap.
“Sorry I have to pee! Like so bad. Which way?” she says as she does a little dance from toe to toe.
I glare at Jared for a second then let him in too. I slam the door and lock it.
Jared is following my moves as I march over to Juliet and point down the hall. “Second on the right. Don’t mind the mess.”
“Thanks. Oh my God, I shouldn’t have drunk all the soda,” she says as she rushes down the hall.
I turn to Jared. “Why are you here? I know you weren’t in the neighborhood. You could have taken her to any of the gas stations in town.”
He shrugs. “You done? Because I’m really pissed off at you.”
“I bet. You know I’ve worked my ass off today, and I’m really not in the mood for a lecture.” I go to the fridge and open up a bottle of water. “You want one?”
“Yeah. Thanks.” He takes a bottle from me and drinks some. “You know it’s Adaline’s birthday.”
“I know what day it is. I also bought her a gift and stopped by her house. You think she said thank you? Nope, she just kicked me right out of her house.”
I don’t even hear her coming down the hall. All the sudden Juliet says, “She did? Why would she do that? She said you bailed on the project.”
“She said what?” I yell. “I didn’t bail on shit. She told me she wasn’t working on anything because it was her birthday. She blew me off, and now she’s telling people I bailed on her? Bullshit I did.”
I walk into my room and snatch up my computer. I return to the living room and place my computer on the beat-up coffee table. “If I didn’t do anything, why the hell did I spend all day doing this?” I push play on the tape.
Juliet and Jared go over to the couch and start watching the video. Juliet is staring at the screen with wide eyes. Jared looks dumbfounded. I’m irritated. “When did you do all this?” Juliet asks.
“I don’t know, around four-ish. Why are you guys giving me that look?” I ask.
Jared shakes his head. “Dude we thought everyone on your team was blowing Addy off, so we helped her um … cheat. Sort of.”
I sit down on the couch and run my hands through my hair, messing it all up. It’s probably sticking out everywhere and looks like I jammed my finger in a light socket. Whatever. I look over at them and say, “She put a video together, too, didn’t she?”
Juliet slowly nods. “Great!” I shout. “That’s fantastic.”
“You should come with us to the party,” Juliet says.
“I can’t,” I say.
Jared shuts my laptop and says, “Why not?”
I groan. “Who’s taking Ads home? You two, right? We’ll drive past my old house, and she’ll wonder why I’m not getting out. I can’t tell anyone I live here.”
“You told me,” Jared mumbles.
I give him side-eyes. “Yeah, and I also said don’t tell anyone, and you brought her here to use the potty.”
“For what it’s worth, it’s nice inside,” Juliet amends. “Sure, it’s scary as all get out outside, but in here is nice.”
“I’m never bringing Adaline here. She’s too good for this dump. I just have to live here for eleven more months, then mom is moving into the city, and I’ll be off at college. Hopefully,” I say. “But in the meantime, no one is to know about this. Ever.”
“You know Adaline won’t care. She just likes you and wishes you would quit giving her the runaround,” Juliet says then she slaps a hand over her mouth.
Jared leans his head back and laughs. “See, I knew you’d tell.” Juliet smacks his leg, which makes him grab her hand and kiss it.
“Tell? What are you two talking about?” I ask.
Juliet sighs. “Adaline likes you. Has always liked you. But you never saw it.”
“You got that table flipped. I love Adaline. I told her the next guy she was dating was going to be me. It doesn’t matter, though, because she doesn’t trust me. Hell, she doesn’t even want to talk to me. She hasn’t even opened the gift I bought her, has she?”
Juliet shakes her head. “That was from you? The one wrapped in blue paper?”
“Of course it was from me,” I say.
Juliet looks at her phone for a second then says, “Shoot. We have to go.”
Jared agrees. “You coming, or are you staying?” he asks.
Here is the decision time—one will leave me with a “What if?”; the other might leave me with a “What was I thinking?”
Chapter Forty-Two
Adaline
Bowling is usually fun. My best friend left with her boyfriend. I thought she said this was suppose
d to be my party. So shouldn’t she be here celebrating with me inside of off in some crazy destination making out with her boyfriend or whatever!
I am so mad at her. Yes, she helped me with my project. I didn’t need the help if she was just going to leave me here to bowl with Tyler and her sister. I like Layla and all, but she’s not my best friend. Yeah, she’s a twin, but that doesn’t mean she can replace Juliet.
Tyler whistles while he goes to the feeder. “So, you think I can get a strike?” he asks over his shoulder.
“You won’t get a strike,” Layla says. She winks at me.
I have no idea what she plans on doing, but it’s probably nothing good. As soon as Tyler steps through his motions and is about to release the ball, Layla yells, “Oh my God, there’s a spider on you!”
Tyler drops the ball into the gutter and spins around. “Where? Where? Get it off!”
I start chuckling. Layla is laughing hard. Tyler stops spinning and says, “Think you’re so funny, don’t you? I swear I’m going to get you for this.”
“No, you won’t. You love me,” Layla says.
“I do. A lot.” He walks over and kisses her. It makes me wish I wasn’t here and also I had something like that.
Tyler grabs the bowling ball and goes again. This time he only knocks down seven pins, though.
“Dang it!” he growls.
Layla skips past him. “I told you I was going to beat you.”
Tyler slumps down in the seat across from me and says, “Why so glum, Addy? You know they just went to get your cupcakes. Juliet forgot them at her house.”
“I know Juliet. She never forgets anything. So, nice try.”
He shrugs. “All right, it was really Jared’s fault. He was supposed to grab them. She was throwing lots of shade his way. So he said they’d go back and get them.”
Layla bowls and hits nearly all the pins. Three are up. She points at Tyler. “Ha. In your face!”
“Babe, don’t go rubbing it in,” Tyler says.
“I don’t even like cupcakes,” I grumble. I love brownies. Juliet knows this.
“What was that?” Tyler asks.
I shake my head. “Nothing.” This is officially the worst birthday ever!
The first game is still going on, and I just want to go home. As I’m about to call one of my parents, Juliet rushes over to me and wraps her arms around me. I scowl at her. No amount of hugs is going to make up for the crap she put me through.
“I’m leaving,” I say.
“You can’t leave. I mean, you can, but please don’t. I have a surprise,” she says.
I would love to tell my best friend where she can stick that surprise. I’m in a bad mood, and this shouldn’t happen on my birthday. It is, though, and the fact my best friend put me in this mood makes me question our friendship.
“Addy, come on. I promise it was worth the wait,” she says.
I highly doubt it. Unless this so-called surprise is a time machine, then yes, I very much doubt it. She drags me over to Jared, and this just infuriates me. “My surprise is your boyfriend? I’m leaving, right now.”
“No. Not Jared.”
Austin steps out and hands me some brownies. I glare at all of them. The brownies, him, my best friend, and her boyfriend. I cannot believe out of all the things to surprise me with, she chose Austin and some brownies. “You’re not happy,” Juliet says with a frown.
“Of course I’m not. Like, why would you bring him here and think that’s supposed to make me happy?” I turn to Austin. “I should kick you in the shin.”
Austin sets the tray of brownies down on a table next to us. His eyes find mine then he snaps, “You think I’m happy with you right now? I’m not. I give you a gift. You can’t even thank me. I see that you did the project without me, too, by the way. That’s okay, though, because the rest of the group did a project too.”
Jared pipes in, “We’re going to be over there starting a new game. You two can join whenever you want.” He guides Juliet away from Austin and me.
I glance over at the brownies. I grab one and shove it right into Austin’s face. He blinks a few times and then proceeds to wipe the chocolate mess from his face. “I cannot believe you did that,” he growls.
I place my hands on my hips. “Well, I did. What are you going to do about it?”
He snatches a brownie and does the same thing to my face. I’m in shock, but I’m also laughing. I don’t even know why; this isn’t even funny.
“Damn it, Ads. I love the hell out of you. But when you told me not to worry about the project, I assumed you wanted to start on it tomorrow, but it turns out you just had to be stubborn.”
“I’m leaving for Paris in five days.”
“For spring break, right?”
I shrug. “Could be longer. I could transfer everything over and just stay there at my aunt’s.”
Austin shakes his head. “Don’t. Please, I’ll do anything, but please don’t go.”
“Why?”
He grabs my arms and pulls me over to a bench and kneels in front of me, chocolate still smeared on his face. “Did you not hear me when I said I love the hell out of you? Because I do, Adaline Bea. I love your scrunched nose. I love how your hair is like sunshine. I love how well you really know me.”
“But … you said nothing was going on with us.”
“I know what I said. It came out all wrong. There is something with us. It’s not official because I never asked you. But there is something, and I’m just going to get it out there. Adaline, go out with me.”
I stare at him. I feel his hands on mine. I see him, hear his intake of breaths. But this can’t be real. “If you feel like this, why have you shoved me away?”
He looks down and then back at me. A deep sigh escapes him. “You deserve better than me. I can’t give you crap you deserve. I want to. Believe me, I want to, but shit, I’m poor as hell. I live in a dump. Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like I’m a kicked animal. I’m not telling you this for pity. I am telling you this because you need to know. I won’t be able to come pick you up every day as I may want because we only have one car, and you’ve been in it. My dad left, and things went downhill. When football rolls around again, I’m going to be working hard. Basketball, same thing. And there won’t be much time between that, school, and work for you. I need you to get all that. I have to work. I have to play sports. It’s my only way to school. If you’re down with that, I want to give this a try.”
I squeeze his hands. “You didn’t ask me out because you’re poor?”
“Yeah. Something like that.”
“Am I really that arrogant?” I ask and shove his hands off my lap.
He backs up and stands. “No. What? No.”
I stand up, too, and try to create some distance between us. “I swear you don’t know me at all. I only wanted you.” I take off out the doors and dial my mom. I keep walking away from the building, so if anyone comes out looking for me, they won’t be able to pull me back inside. How did my birthday turn into such a crap day?
Chapter Forty-Three
Austin
This is why I never wanted to tell her anything. Juliet and Jared convinced me to, and it’s nothing but a slap in my face. The girl hates the hell out of me now.
I glare at my friends.
Tyler shakes his head. “Dude, why didn’t you tell me? I thought this whole time you had gambling issues.”
“Shut up! I didn’t tell you because you didn’t need to know. You all have perfect lives. Mine turned to shit!”
Juliet and Jared say nothing, but Layla isn’t quiet. “You think we have perfect lives? Juliet and I had to watch our mom basically fall into a depression and then open a matchmaking business. For years she fed people a bullshit line that happiness was a phone call away. But she wasn’t happy. We all have our shit to deal with. But friends make it better.”
I look over at Tyler. A simple warning he better
get hold of his girl. I’m not in the mood. “Look, you might not wanna hear it, but Layla is right. We all have shit. My parents suck. Jared’s dad is a total dick. Their mom is cool, but she relies on them to do a lot,” Tyler says while flitting a look over at Juliet and Layla. “Sure we have the housing stability, but bro, you can’t let that hold you back. You like Addy, then go after her. Don’t sit here and wait around.”
“Make a grand gesture,” Juliet says. “We love grand gestures.”
“I made one, at the park. She didn’t see it yet,” I snap.
Jared slaps the seat next to him. “Then you better find her and show her.”
He tosses me his truck keys. “Don’t wreck it,” he says as I catch them.
I cannot believe this is happening. I leave the bowling alley and get into Jared’s truck. I hate manuals, by the way, hate them. While I’m changing gears, I’m cursing. I drive down the street; she has to be on her way to her house. I hope I’m wrong and she’s at a bench or something.
In the distance, I spot her. I pull up alongside her and roll down the passenger window. “Get in.”
“My mom is coming. Did you steal Jared’s truck?”
“No. Get in. Please, Adaline. If you don’t, I’ll follow you home and tell your parents we have to complete a homework assignment and you’ve been avoiding me.”
Her eyes widen. “You would not.”
“I will. I have nothing left to lose.”
She scowls. “Fine. I need to talk to my mom. She’s on her way.”
“Get in then, and call her. I’ll take you back if you want.”
She nods and dials her mom. “Hi. Sorry. I found Austin, and he said he would take me home.” There is a pause, and then she says, “Yes. I know. Love you too.” She hangs up and looks over at me. “Fine. She wasn’t really on her way I called her like ten seconds before you got here.”
“Good. Buckle up.”
“Do you even know how to drive this thing?”
Right Girl Wrong Timing (Offsides Book 3) Page 15