by Kirby Hall
West shook his head, but started climbing the driveway. “This is insane. What if your dad offers to go with me?”
“Let me take care of my dad. Now, come on.”
He rolled his eyes toward the sky and decided if he lived through this, he might have to start charging Alexa for his services. Not that he wasn’t glad to get to see her, but this was not exactly the way he would’ve liked to spend time with her.
He took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Not a minute later, heavy footsteps echoed behind the door and a light came on overhead.
“West, what are you doing here at this hour?” Alexa’s father looked around West, clearly trying to figure out how he’d gotten there.
“I’m sorry, sir. It’s my mom. She’s stranded at work. I was wondering if you or Alexa could give me a ride to get her. I’d call someone else, but there isn’t anyone.”
“If you come in, we can call a tow truck.”
West fought the urge to panic as he groped around for another excuse.
“Hey, Dad, who’s . . .” Alexa said peering around her father. “West, what’re you doing here?”
They went through the ordeal again as her father massaged his temples, Alexa feigned confusion and West prayed for the night to be over. He’d rather face old DarkLord696 again than stand outside waiting for this stupid plan to backfire.
“Dad, can I talk to you a second?” Alexa pulled her dad away from the door and spoke to him in hushed tones West couldn’t hear and then they returned.
“Alexa, get your keys and make sure to take your phone. I don’t like you driving around late at night.” He stared at West with unblinking eyes. “Straight home after you take care of West and his mother.”
“I’ll be back soon.” Alexa breezed past him and grabbed West’s jacket, tugging him along with her.
Somewhere outside her neighborhood West exhaled. “You’re insane.”
“Maybe, but Beks needs me. She was there with Jay and he got drunk. If she misses curfew, her stepdad will go nuts.”
He stared at her like she’d lost her mind. “So, what? If your dad catches you, he’s going to go more than a little nuts.”
Alexa blew out a gust of air and nodded. “We need to hurry.”
The bonfire wasn’t hard to find. A guy on the football team was having the party on some of his parents’ land. Cars and trucks were parked down both sides of the country road. A few stragglers were scattered among the vehicles, and he guessed they were either looking for a place to make out or puke.
“How are we supposed to find her?”
“She said she’d meet us at the gate.” Alexa slowed to a crawl and peered over the steering wheel as she tried to decipher individuals in the dark.
“Well, it’s a good thing Bekah has bright hair.”
Alexa laughed. “True.”
They drove as far as the dead end would allow and parked. There was no sign of Bekah. He squinted out his window, but so far, he hadn’t seen anyone who looked like her. Not unless she’d changed into a two-hundred-pound defensive lineman since he’d last seen her.
Alexa’s fingers were tapping on the wheel. “This is crazy. I’m going to go find her.”
West’s head swung around. “You’re not serious?”
“We can’t wait all night. My dad’s expecting me and if Bekah misses curfew, this all will have been for nothing.”
West hated to admit she had a point.
“Stay with the car. I’ll be right back.”
“Alexa, why don’t I go—”
She cut him off by closing the door. He leaned back against the headrest. They were so going to get busted. But, at least his mom wouldn’t be worried. She’d probably be glad he was out instead of hiding out in his room. After a few minutes, he rolled his window down for some air and heard raised voices.
He didn’t pay attention until he heard Alexa’s voice cut through the rest. He sat up and leaned out the open window. When he spotted her next to the gate with Bekah standing by her side, it wasn’t Bekah she was arguing with, it was some big guy in a neon orange Under Armor shirt. The guy leaned down into Alexa’s face, using a pine tree for balance. Before anything else was said, West flung the car door open and crossed the road in a few long strides.
“Jay, she needs to get home,” Alexa’s tone was one of patience, but her shoulders were stiff.
The two girls glanced at West when he approached. Bekah’s face was lined with tears and Alexa’s was flush with temper.
“Who’s this prick?” Jay slurred.
“He’s a friend,” Alexa said, trying to get Jay’s attention focused back on her. “Look, Jay, Bekah will call you tomorrow, okay?”
“Don’t tell me what me and my girl are gonna do.” He raised a finger and touched Alexa’s nose and then pushed her face. Her head dipped a little and then righted itself.
West’s jaw tightened. “We’re leaving now. Alexa, take Bekah to the car.”
Alexa’s gaze swung from West to Jay and then she started pulling Bekah back toward the car. Jay reached out a beefy hand and caught Bekah’s shirt. In one step, West grabbed Jay’s hand and bent it up behind his back between his shoulder blades.
“Shit. What the hell?” He grunted and continued to struggle.
West pulled up harder, forcing Jay to his knees. “She said you can call your girlfriend tomorrow.” He glanced toward the car to make sure the girls were inside and then let go. When he jogged back to where the girls were, their eyes were wide behind the glass. He broke his gaze away from theirs and slid into the backseat. “Let’s go.”
He didn’t want to think about what Alexa must think of him now. As the adrenaline faded, West leaned his head back and listened to Bekah plead with Alexa in the front seat.
“Don’t be mad at me. You’re not mad, right?”
“Who cares what I think? Your stepdad is going to smell you when you hit the door.”
Bekah sniffled. “Jay isn’t always like that. He was drunk.”
West saw Alexa’s lips press into a firm disapproving line in the rearview mirror.
“Let’s not talk about him right now. We need to get you home.” Alexa’s eyes swept to the clock on the dash. “You have three minutes.”
Bekah leaned her head back. West hoped it meant she was done sniveling. Any girl who didn’t have enough sense to stay away from someone like Jay was an idiot. Drunk or not, the signs were there. His own dad may’ve been a piece of shit, but at least he hadn’t been a drunk.
Out of nowhere, Bekah lurched forward and threw up. Alexa slowed the car and pulled over on the side of the road. West rolled his window down. The night just kept getting better.
“I’m sorry, Alexa.” Bekah croaked.
Alexa rubbed a hand on her friend’s back. “It’s okay. Feel better?”
Bekah nodded and Alexa started moving again and arrived at Bekah’s house a minute later. West exhaled and then tried to get his next breath from the fresh air outside the car.
“I really am sorry.”
“It’s fine.” Alexa shook her head. “You need to go. Remember, go straight to the bathroom.”
Bekah nodded and then they watched while she let herself in the house. Alexa sighed and then backed out of the driveway.
“She isn’t always like that.”
He met her eyes in the mirror and nodded. “It’s none of my business, but for the record, you sound like she did when she was making excuses for her bear-sized boyfriend back there.”
“I do, don’t I?” Alexa blew out a breath. “Well, in my defense, I’m right. Bekah didn’t start getting this way until she started dating him. I’m not going to drop her because she’s in a bad place. She’s been there for me when I was a lot more messed up than she is now.”
“So, where’s your house?”
West met her eyes in the mirror again. “You need to get back. Don’t worry about me.”
“Don’t be crazy. Tell me, and I’ll drop you off. If you run, it can’t be that far.”
He glared at her. “Drop it, okay? Go to your house.”
She glanced at him again and stayed quiet. He wasn’t trying to be an ass, but she could be so pushy. Besides it was late. He was trying to help her. They’d been gone long enough to get his mom and get back. He turned his head to breathe again. The open window was helping, but the air in the car was rank. Her dad was definitely going to notice, assuming he didn’t kill her before he got the chance.
She pulled into the driveway and into the last opening of the garage. West joined her outside and watched while she opened the passenger door and pulled the disgusting mat out with two fingers. Friends or not, that shit was nasty.
“Do you have a hose?” he asked.
She rounded the corner of the garage and twisted the nozzle on, sending a light stream of water down the stucco. “West, go. You don’t need to keep helping me.”
He watched as the force of the water spray hit the dark spot on the mat until the fibers lightened back to their original color.
“Seriously, go. If my dad catches you out here, it will not go well for either of us.”
Guilt tugged at his insides for how he’d spoken to her in the car. He watched Alexa put her friend first, stand up to a guy twice her size, and now clean up after said friend. She was tougher than she looked and loyal to a fault, as far as he could tell. The guilt dissolved into something else. His chest constricted and he took a step back from her.
“Are you sure you’re good?”
She looked at him. “Yeah, I’ve dealt with more than my fair share of barf.” A hint of sadness swam across her features and she turned away from him.
“I’ll see you next week.” He started down the driveway. “Stay out of trouble.”
“You know me,” she said.
He shook his head and waved a hand over his head. He was starting to.
Chapter 16
She awoke the following morning to banging on her bedroom door. “I’m up.” She snuggled her head down deeper into her pillow.
“Bekah’s downstairs,” Graham said through to the door. “And Dad says you need to get up.”
“I told you, I’m up.” She rolled over and stretched.
“Yeah, sure you are.”
“Punk,” she yelled at his retreating footsteps. It wasn’t like she’d gone to bed early. Although, if she hadn’t spent half the night replaying the way West had handled Jay, maybe she would’ve slept better, instead of tossing and turning until the sky had begun to lighten. She never would’ve taken quiet West for a fighter, but he’d put Jay on his knees. And, it had been kind of hot.
Another knock sounded on her door, then Bekah pushed it open. “Hey,” she said, her eyes downcast. “Sorry I woke you.”
“You didn’t.” Alexa smiled. “Graham did.” She patted the bed, motioning for Bekah to sit down. “You feeling okay this morning?”
“Yeah.” She spun one of her many bracelets around her wrist. “Alexa, I’m really sorry about your car.”
“It’s already taken care of.”
Bekah was sitting beside her, but she wouldn’t make eye contact.
Alexa nudged her with her toes through the covers. “You want to hang out? Maybe get some breakfast?”
Bekah looked up and smiled. “Hell yes.”
After pancakes and a few rounds of tennis on the Wii with her brother and his friend, the girls made their way to the garage. Alexa checked on the soiled mat which was hanging in the sun to dry and held it up. “See, looks fine.”
Bekah blew out a relieved breath and dropped onto a decorative bench sitting between two planters full of flowers. “It’s nice out here in the sun.” She tilted her head back and closed her eyes, her blonde hair almost white looking. “Have you filled out your application for NYU yet?”
“Some of it.” Alexa sat down next to Bekah. “I’m holding off submitting anything until I get my final grade in math.”
“It’s not like you want to be a math major. They shouldn’t hold one not-so-great grade against you. All your other classes are good, right?”
“Yeah.” Alexa shrugged. “I just wanted to take part in early acceptance, you know? The waiting sucks. I want to know I’m getting out of here.” She stood again and started pacing. The hum of nerves sprang to life at the mere thought of getting out of small town nowhere and moving to the city.
“You’ll get in,” Bekah said. “I have complete faith in you.”
She stopped pacing and smiled at her oldest friend. “Thanks.” She took a deep breath. “So, are we going to talk about last night?” Alexa didn’t want to, but she was tired of seeing how Jay treated Bekah. She was too good for Jay, whether she saw it or not.
“Do we have to?” Bekah slouched and proceeded to pick at her blue nail polish.
“Yes.” Alexa returned to the bench. “When you call me in the middle of the night upset and needing a ride because your boyfriend is too wasted to drive you home, we do have to talk about it.”
“Alexa, you’re starting to get that holier than thou tone,” Bekah said in a bored voice, like one you might give the principal to drive him crazy.
“Sorry. Let me ask a different way. Why do you stay with him?” She placed a hand on Bekah’s arm. “What’s so good about Jay? Tell me what I’m missing.”
Bekah opened her eyes and let one shoulder rise and then fall. “He wants to spend time with me. He likes me.”
Alexa thought of Josh. “He isn’t the only guy who might want to spend time with you.”
Bekah sat up and got to her feet. “Are you crazy? Look at me.” She waved her hands up and down her body. “I’m not hot. I’m plain.”
“You’re not plain,” Alexa cut in eyebrows raised.
“Okay, not plain per se, but I’m not exactly the kind of girl guys pine after. You know what, it doesn’t even matter. I like Jay.” Color brushed Bekah’s cheeks as she defended her boyfriend.
“It didn’t seem that way last night.”
Bekah stared at her. “He was drunk and being a total jackass, but he isn’t always like that.”
“When’s the last time he took you on a date?” Her question seemed to catch Bekah off guard.
She inhaled deeply, so much so, her nostrils flared. “That isn’t fair, Alexa. Not everyone is made of money.”
Alexa’s mouth fell open. “I know that, Bekah, but there are ways to be with someone without spending a ton of money.” She got to her feet as well. “I could stay quiet about Jay, and I know you’d rather I did, but I care about you. You’re my best friend, so I’m going to be honest about this. I hate Jay. I hate the way he treats you. I hate the way you’re blind to his flaws.”
Bekah crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m not blind to his flaws.”
“Whatever.” Alexa paused for breath and decided to try a different route. “You said Josh was there last night.”
“Yeah, I saw him. We talked for a little while,” Bekah paused and Alexa knew she was holding something back. She’d known her long enough to be able to tell when she wasn’t giving her the whole story.
She crossed her arms in a mirror image of Bekah and raised an eyebrow until Bekah caved and let out a huff of air. “Jay started teasing Josh and Josh got annoyed and left. That’s why I didn’t get a ride last night. When I tried to call him, he didn’t answer.”
Alexa shook her head. �
��Tell me you didn’t stand by while Jay dumped all over one of your best friends. What’s happening to you?”
“Me?” Bekah’s voice grew louder. “What about you?”
“What about me? I’ve been grounded.” Alexa threw her arms up into the air, exasperated.
“That hasn’t stopped you from spending all your time with West.”
Alexa could feel the blood warming her cheeks. “What are you even talking about? He’s tutoring me.”
“He was tutoring you late last night when I called?” Bekah held up a hand when Alexa looked like she might argue and then dropped the ax. “I’ve seen the way you look at him.”
Alexa may have known Bekah well enough to know when she wasn’t being honest, but that little trait went both ways. “I called him to help me get out of the house. He was doing me a favor.” When Bekah kept giving Alexa her I-don’t-believe-you stare Alexa added, “He’s just my tutor!”
Bekah held her hands up to shield her face. “Okay, okay, he’s just your tutor.”
“How did we get on West anyway? We were talking about Jay.”
“Can’t we just go back to agreeing to disagree?”
Alexa shook her head. “That was fine when it was only a matter of him not calling you, but not after last night. What would’ve happened to you if West and I hadn’t shown up?”
Bekah’s eyes dropped to her shoes, which were neon green with silver stars. Alexa wasn’t sure how she wasn’t going blind looking at them in the direct sun.
“Listen,” Bekah said lowering her voice, “I don’t want to fight about this.”
“I don’t either,” Alexa said, matching her friend’s quieter tone.
“Then, let’s not.”
Alexa nodded. “One thing though.”
Bekah tilted her head to the side.
“Call Josh.”
~ ~ ~
Alexa paced in her room. She should wait until Monday after school to talk to West. It wasn’t like she wasn’t going to see him, first, in math and then after school at her house. She walked the length of her room again, passing in front of her bed. The following afternoon seemed like a long time to wait. Plus, where would she go to find him? He hadn’t told her where he lived. In fact, he’d seemed downright angry at the idea of her going to his house.