St Mary's Academy Series Box Set 1

by Seven Steps

  “Oohh, felonies are hot,” Bella says, rubbing a hand up Cole’s back.

  He gives her a smoldering look.

  “You have no idea about my criminal record,” he says in a gruff voice. “I’m a rebel.”

  Bella giggles, and we keep walking.

  Those two are so sweet my teeth are starting to hurt.

  “Where has Jasmine been?” I ask. “I haven’t seen her around lately.”

  “Still in India, I think,” Bella says. “One of her cousins died. She’ll be back for the winter formal, though.”

  It makes me sad that Jasmine was going through something and I wasn’t there to support her. I’ll have to remember to give my condolences when she returns.

  Then there’s the other matter of the winter formal. Michael is no longer my date, for obvious reasons. I can be the third wheel with Sophia. She’ll definitely have a date. It’s Sophia after all. At this point, I can probably tag along with Bella and Cole.

  I catch Eric staring at me, and I look back at him.

  “Have you decided who you’re going to choose for the winter formal?” he asks.

  “Not yet.”

  A week before the formal is the ladies’ choice ceremony. The guys all line up in suits, blindfolded, holding up a rose and facing the wall. Then the girls take the rose from the guy they want to go to the formal with. The boys are allowed to refuse, but they rarely do. They are also not required to participate, but most of them do anyway. It’s fun and it’s supposed to make the girls feel empowered in a male dominated society. Mr. Mann, the principal, was woke like that.

  “I’m sure Vanessa will be more than happy to choose you.”

  “Maybe. But I’m hoping someone else doesn’t let that happen.”

  My face flushes hot. I picture Eric and me dancing together beneath strings of colorful light, his arms wrapped around me, pulling me close. It’s a tempting vision, though one I’m not quite sure would become a reality. I’m still afraid Eric will hurt me again, and I don’t know how I’m going to get over it. Maybe I never would.

  The conversation flows easily as we cover the miles between the car and the motel. Every so often, we hear sirens in the distance, or a helicopter overhead, but those sounds are becoming fewer as the hours wear on.

  I don’t allow myself to think about what my family must be going through at this very moment, because if I do, I’ll want to turn back. I can’t turn back. Nothing on this earth will stop me now. Not when my dreams are so close I can taste them.

  The afternoon sun warms. I open my jacket and fan it against my heavy sweater.

  I eye Cole’s long fingers gripping the handle of his guitar case.

  “You plan on performing at the swim meet?” I ask him.

  “If they ask,” he says. “You never know, and my lead singer and I are always prepared.”

  He inclines his head toward Bella. She grins at him.

  “You’re in the band?” I ask.

  “Yup. Cole asked me to sing a few days after we started dating, officially. The group has definitely improved since then.”

  “Way to be humble, babe.”

  “Always.”

  “So, you play pop?” I remember Bella always singing pop songs, especially ’80s pop.

  “Well, we compromise,” he says. “I do a little of what I want.”

  “And I do a little of what I want.” Her hands slide into his.

  I have to admit, these two are adorable together.

  “Unfortunately, a little of what she wants includes some lame-o pop songs,” he says.

  I want to remind him of the Wiggle incident earlier, but I don’t.

  “But we compromised,” Bella says. “And came up with a solution.”

  “Yes. Rock them out.”

  He holds his guitar case up and scrunches his face like a true rock star.

  “We’re working on this new song that I absolutely love. It’s a rock version of “Kiss the girl.” You know, from The Little Mermaid?”

  “First The Wiggles, then The Little Mermaid,” Eric says, shaking his head. “Wait until I tell the rest of the football team about your musical choices.”

  “As long as I can catch a pass, I don’t think they care much.”

  He shoves his shoulder hard into Eric’s, then takes off running while Eric chases him deeper into the woods.

  “Boys,” Bella says. “You can’t live with them and you can’t live without them.”

  “I don’t know about the second part,” I tease.

  We laugh together. It feels so good to laugh with Bella again.

  “You know he doesn’t like Vanessa, right?”

  I stop walking and run my hands uneasily up my duffle bag straps.

  “What makes you think I care about that?”

  “Come on, Ariel. A few weeks of being apart doesn’t mean I know you any less. I saw the look on your face when Vanessa sat in your seat.”

  I shrug. “I just like to ride shotgun. And all my stuff was there, and you know how I feel about people touching my things.”

  “No.” She puts her hands on my shoulders. “It was more than that. It wasn’t just that it was your seat. It was that it was your seat.”

  I pretend not to understand her meaning.

  “You’re being ridiculous.”

  “Am I?”

  I set my chin in a mock show of confidence. “Yes.”

  Her hands leave me and slide into her pockets.

  “Okay. I’m just saying that you and I picked up where we left off. You and Eric can do the same. You should have seen him when he came to my house the night after you broke up. He looked a complete mess and he said, I just want her back. That’s all he’s been saying for weeks. That’s why Purity’s here. I mean, yeah, she’s taking care of Alfred, but Eric was really messed up for a while. He missed you.”

  I swallow. I care about Eric. A lot. There’s still that feeling deep in my gut that something will go wrong. I wish I could shake it, but it’s holding on tight.

  I start walking again, my eyes on the ground.

  “I’m not sure I’m ready,” I say. “Everything in my life is just so messed up. Him, Michael, Duckie—”

  “Did something happen to Duckie?”

  My eyes widen. That’s right. She doesn’t know.

  I quickly fill her in on Duckie and James and, to my surprise, she doesn’t look as surprised as she should have.

  “That explains so much!” she cries. “She’s been coming home super late. I know because Cole leaves my house late and we run into her a lot in the hallway. And this guy drops her off. Tattoos and short hair. Hot.”

  “That’s James alright.”

  A far off look settles onto her face, as if she’s seeing James and Duckie in front of her now.

  “I said to Cole, her father is not going to like that boy. And now she’s going to run off and marry him.” She pulls a tube of lip balm from her pocket and slathers it onto her lips. “Well, I guess for a girl her age it’s not unheard of.”

  “What do you mean a girl her age?”

  She scoffs.

  “Ariel, Duckie is what, thirty? She’s been single for, like, ever. Now, this super-hot guy comes along who clearly loves her. Of course she’s going to run off with him, no matter what your father says. Wouldn’t you do the same thing?”

  Her words start to sink into my brain.

  If I were thirty and had been single all my life and a hot guy fell in love with me, would it be so bad to run off with him? Part of me says no, while the other part thinks of all the responsibilities I’d leave behind. My sisters. My dad. Our house. Duckie practically ran everything. It felt like a betrayal for her to leave it all behind for a man.

  “I don’t know,” I say. “There was so much that was on her shoulders. To just drop it all and run off seems wrong.”

  “So, you’re saying she should die an old, virgin maid while the rest of you grow up and live your lives? How is that fair?”

  She s
tarts walking again.

  “Ariel, you are out condemning your sister for doing the exact same thing you’re doing right now. Living her life.”

  I sigh.

  Bella’s right.

  How can she be so right?

  Guilt at how I’ve felt about Duckie pools in my heart. I want to call her and tell her I’m sorry, but I can’t. Not now. Not until after the meet is over.

  “When did you become so wise?” I ask.

  She bumps me with her hip. “I’ve always been wise. No one listens to me. That’s the problem.”

  We smile warmly at each other.

  Suddenly, the guys burst through the clearing. Have they been running this whole time?

  They stop in front of us, Eric’s hands on his knees, Cole not far behind.

  Bella crosses her arms and leans on one hip. “Are you boys done?”

  Cole wraps his arms around her, and she groans.

  “God, you’re sweating! The room is going to smell like sweaty boy tonight.”

  He wipes his forehead on her, and she feigns madness, though I can tell she isn’t that mad.

  Eric raises a challenging eyebrow at me, and I take a step back.

  “Don’t you dare,” I say.

  “Oh, I dare!”

  He lunges toward me, and I’m off like a shot, running deep into the woods and laughing my head off.

  48

  We find a bunch of trees grouped together and sit down for a much needed break. Bella passes out chips and candy bars, and Cole passes around soda he’s rescued from the cooler before we abandoned the truck.

  “This isn’t so bad,” Eric says. “It’s not too cold, lots of fresh air.” He takes a bite of a Snickers bar. “It’s almost like camping.”

  “Yeah,” I say, “just without the tents, smores, bonfire, and general sense of safety.”

  Eric shrugs. “Close enough for me.”

  I examine him for a moment. “Have you ever been camping?”

  “No. I’ve always wanted to go, though.” He scans the forest, awe in his eyes. “I guess this is as close as I’m going to get.”

  “You’ve never camped?” Cole asks. “Like, not ever in your life?”

  “Nah. Grim isn’t that outdoor type. Probably how I became so proficient at video games.”

  “Not that good,” I mutter, loud enough for him to hear.

  He fake glares at me, and I fake glare right back.

  “Well, since this is probably your last chance to go camping before we’re all thrown in jail, I should probably teach you how to make a campfire,” Cole says, standing up to stretch his back. “It’s a basic skill that separates the men from the boys. Eric Shipman, you’re about to become a man.”

  “It’s a little late for that,” Eric says with a sly grin. “But I wouldn’t mind learning how to make a fire.” He stands up, his face eager and adorable.

  Bella tips her chin at Cole. “When have you ever been camping?”

  “Mom used to take us camping in the backyard when we were kids,” Cole replies. “She taught us everything we needed to know. How to build campfires, how to catch fish, how to treat poison ivy. All the stuff she learned growing up in the French countryside.”

  “And you did all this in your backyard?”

  “Babe, it’s a very big backyard.”

  She grunts, and he holds out his hand to pull her up. When she’s fully standing, he throws an arm around her shoulder.

  “Now, my dear, shall we show these city dwellers how it’s done?”

  She looks from me, to Eric, and back to Cole.

  “Let’s,” she says.

  Eric turns to me.

  “Have you been camping?” He really is adorable, with his hair long and hanging in his blue eyes. It makes me want to run a hand through the strands. Instead, I tuck my hands into my coat pockets.

  “A long time ago,” I reply. “When my mom was alive.”

  Bella plants one hand on her hip.

  “Vacationing in a beach house doesn’t count.” She gives me a good-natured wink and walks deeper into the woods.

  Cole stays close behind her.

  “So, the first thing you need,” she shouts over her shoulder, “is tinder, kindling, and fuel wood. Then we’ll build a platform and get it going.”

  “Pay no attention to the women-folk, Eric,” Cole says in a deep baritone. “Men don’t need directions. Making a fire is in our bones. All we have to do is channel our inner caveman.” He puts his arm around Eric’s shoulders.

  “Didn’t you say your mom taught you how to build a campfire?” I ask.

  “No comments from the peanut gallery, if you please,” Cole replies, walking farther along. “We men will make a fire. You women will collect the sticks and dig the fire pit.”

  “No way!” Bella cries, pointing one sassy finger in the air. “We are not doing all the hard work so you can come in at the last second with a match and take all the glory.”

  “We’ll be working. We’re going to gather the big sticks.” He pounds his fist on his chest, and I press my hand to my mouth so he won’t see me giggle. “Like men.”

  Bella shakes her head. “Whatever. I say we have ourselves some friendly competition.”

  “And here we go again with another competition,” Eric says with a sigh. “I swear you two are incorrigible.”

  “Silence, brother,” Cole says, still with his caveman voice. “My woman speaks of competition.” Cole rubs two fingers along his stubbly chin like he’s the bad guy in an old-timey movie. “I’m intrigued.”

  “The girls will build one fire,” Bella says. “And the boys will build another. Small ones, of course. The first ones to get their fires lit, win.”

  “What’s the prize?” Eric asks.

  Bella squeezes my hand tight. “One person from the losing team has to kiss one person from the winning team.”

  I stop breathing. My shoulders stiffen. My mouth goes dry.

  Eric’s eyes pull to me, a smile playing on his lips.

  “I’m in.”

  “Me too,” Cole says.

  “Me three,” Bella chimes in.

  Before I can protest the prize, Bella’s already pulling me away. “Let’s go, Ariel. We don’t want them to win, do we?”

  “But—”

  “Relax. Cole and I will handle the kisses if you’re uncomfortable.”

  A mixture of anger and humiliation rushes through me. “I am uncomfortable.”

  “Fine.” She waves her hand in the air as if swatting a fly. “Although, Eric is hot. And you obviously like each other. And it’s not like you’ve never kissed each other before. As I recall, you two were sucking face for two weeks straight all over school.”

  “Bella, it’s awkward. Eric and I aren’t together anymore.”

  My heart gives a little tug. Why does that thought make me so sad?

  “Well, you can figure that out later. Now come on. We don’t want the guys to beat us, do we?”

  The conversation stalls as we scurry about, picking up dry sticks, twigs, and leaves. When both of our arms are full, we walk back to our bags and drop heavy loads.

  “Okay,” Bella says. “Now, we dig.”

  She grabs a stick, hands it to me, then takes one of her own. We’re nearly halfway done stabbing our sticks into the frozen ground before the guys reappear. Their sticks look way bigger than ours. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.

  Honestly, Bella’s right. I’ve never been real camping. I’ve never built my own fire or slept under the stars. Bella is teaching me just as much as Cole is teaching Eric. In some small way, although we’re on different teams in this contest, I feel a little more connected to Eric just now.

  “Go get some rocks,” Bella says. “Small ones. I’ll finish up the hole.”

  I do what I’m told and gather stones big enough to fit in my palm. When I return, there’s a patch of bare earth the size of two dinner plates. I drop the rocks, and we lay them along the perimeter of the circle,
leaving the middle bare.

  “Okay, what’s next?” I peek over at the guys. They’re already stacking their wood in the middle of their circle.

  Gosh, they move fast.

  “Now we make the fire.” She picks up two sticks, one flat on the top and rounded on the bottom and one with a flat bottom that looks like the end of a flute. Then she starts rubbing the flute-like stick along the top of the flat stick. She works faster and faster until. After a few minutes, the sticks begin to smoke.

  “Get me that feathery stuff,” she commands.

  I pick up the grass mixed with dried out feathers and lay it on the flat stick.

  “Now blow on it. Gently.”

  I bend my head, blowing on the two sticks as gently as I can.

  Then it happens.

  A spark.

  Bella stops rubbing her sticks together and begins to blow on the small ember, all the while feeding the tiny flame with the feathery grassy material. When it burns a little brighter, she places it in the middle of the circle, right beneath the small sticks.

  The fire quickly spreads, and I sit back and stare in awe as the flames grow.

  We’ve done it.

  We made a fire.

  Bella throws her arms up in triumph.

  “We won!” she cries out.

  I hug her tight, and we turn to the boys, who are just getting their fire going beneath the sticks.

  Cole looks down at his small flames with an irritated expression.

  “You had a head start,” he says. “You cheated!”

  “Oh, stop it,” Bella replies, walking over to him and sitting in front of his fire. “We won fair and square.”

  She tips her chin up at him.

  “It’s time to collect my reward,” she coos. “Unless someone else wants to claim it first?”

  She turns to me, and my cheeks turn red. I can’t look at Eric. I’m afraid of what I know I’d see.

  “Fine,” she says. She and Cole share a quick peck on the lips. “The winner accepts her victory.”

  “And the loser concedes. Until next time.”

  They stare at each other long enough to make me uncomfortable. I clear my throat.

  “Oh, sorry,” Bella says, standing and brushing the dirt from her thighs. “Yes, well, let’s clean this up and get moving. It’ll be dark soon.”