“Okay, if you say so.” I smiled fondly at the white wall in front of me, suddenly missing my elder brother even when he liked to prod me with his pompousness.
“Enjoy yourself, little brother,” Henry added before I ended the call.
Slipping the phone into my pocket, I turned toward the cafeteria and watched Tori laugh at Erin sitting across from her. My chest warmed slightly, and I thought about what that girl had been through. It was about time she enjoyed herself, too.
And after a day like today, I knew exactly how we were going to do it.
12
Tori
The Falls appeared before us, a soothing body of water surrounded by large boulders and rocks. The kids at school liked to come here and throw parties on the weekend, but now, all was calm except for the rushing sound of the decent-sized waterfall on the far side that gave it its name. It was gorgeous. And it was just the calming sight I needed to see after such a whirlwind of a day. Between nearly missing my interview and then rocking it, I was riding on a rollercoaster of emotion. When August insisted that we needed to take a little adventure to blow off some steam, I’d immediately agreed.
“I can’t believe you made us walk all this way,” August said, his feet scraping on the ground. “Remind me again of why we couldn’t take your grandpa’s truck? We’d have already arrived by now.”
He’d been complaining the entire walk. It was only a mile and a half from my house to the Falls, but apparently, His Highness wasn’t used to dragging his feet all over town. Honestly, I was pretty sure he did it just to annoy me. Or make me take pity on him. Either way, it wasn’t working.
I grinned sheepishly over at him. “Sorry, but it’s for your own good. Me behind a wheel, is not happening. We’d have to evacuate the whole town before we took that risk. Besides, you’re the one that wanted to take me on this little adventure.”
“That’s true.” He sighed and leaned against a tree trunk for support. “But I think you might have to carry me back. The bottom of my feet burn with the fire of a thousand suns.”
“Maybe if you hadn’t brought along that bag, you wouldn’t be so tired.” I pointed to the massive black duffle bag he’d strapped over his shoulder. “What’s in it anyway? A ton of bricks?”
He put his hand protectively over it, and his eyes flashed. “Nothing important. Yet.”
“Riiiight.” I grinned as he shot me a playfully suspicious look and then moved farther away.
I should’ve been more suspicious than I was, but I was in too good a mood to worry about the shenanigans August had in mind. And as we neared the Falls, a warm November breeze picked up, adding to my happiness. All signs seemed to be telling me that it was finally okay for me to rest. To feel confident in my place here at Sweet Mountain. So that was what I was going to do. No more worrying.
“Okay, Princess, time for the main event,” August said, dropping his duffle bag on the ground. He looked around, his face lighting up with excitement. Pointing up to a ledge on the far side, he glanced at me. “That seems like a good spot?”
I laughed. What was he planning on doing? Setting up camp? “For what?”
“For a dive, of course.” He put his hands on his hips and frowned. “Why did you think we were coming here? To relish in the scenery? No, I say we celebrate your triumph today properly with a cold dunk in the water. I’ve been told it’s what the teens do around here.”
“Not in the middle of November! We’ll freeze!”
I pulled my scarf tighter around my neck, imagining the feel of the water. It wasn’t cold enough to be frozen yet, but it wasn’t exactly swimming weather. August had officially lost his mind if he thought I was going anywhere near that cliff.
“Relax, Princess.” He bent down and opened the bag to reveal two beach towels he must’ve stolen from the linen closet. “I’ve got all the supplies. Towels, hand warmers, and even a thermos of hot cocoa.” He held up Grandpa’s old, blue thermos, complete with two plastic cups. “Olive helped me make it. Apparently, her hot cocoa is world-renowned.”
I chewed on my bottom lip, uncertainty battling with my newfound confidence. “This still sounds incredibly irresponsible.”
“Well, that’s the beauty of it.” He shot me a wide grin that made my gut twinge with warmth. “You’ve been responsible your whole life. It’s time to be a little irresponsible. It’s time to let loose.”
Glancing back over at the small outcropping of rocks that August expected us to jump off of, I considered my options. One, I could turn away now and go back home to my perfectly safe life. Shut this down for good and never even consider letting August drag me to another mysterious activity.
Or two, I could take a chance for the first time ever.
My heart settled on option number two. With determined hands, I unwrapped the scarf from my neck and tossed it on the ground next to me.
“Any chance you packed swimsuits in there?” I asked.
He clapped his hands in celebration and then shook his head. “Not at all. I didn’t pack one because I figured you didn’t want me digging around your chest of drawers.”
Blood rushed to my face at the thought of August digging through my clothes. Yeah, it was probably a good thing he hadn’t tried to pack them. I would’ve been mortified.
August stood and began pulling his sweater over his head. I watched, frozen in place, as he proceeded to peel his t-shirt off as well. My eyes felt like they were going to fall out of my head. He dropped them both to the ground and began to kick off his shoes. My palms got sweaty as I wondered what else he was planning on taking off. Surely, he wasn’t going to go any further than that.
I forced myself to look away. Gulping down my nerves, I pulled my sweater over my head and left my tank top in place. No way was I skinny dipping today. August might have convinced me to let loose a little bit, but I wasn’t going to completely lose my senses.
“Ready?” August asked.
I turned around cautiously and immediately relaxed when I saw he’d abandoned his sweatpants but still wore a pair of athletic shorts. Thank goodness. Pulling off my boots and socks, I stood in front of him and nodded, already feeling the pinpricks of chilly goosebumps appearing up and down my exposed arms.
“Tell me again why we’re doing this?” I asked as he led me toward the rock overhang. The more I stared at that cold, dark water, the more I needed to be reminded.
“Because, Princess, this is what we teenagers call fun.” August took my hand and held it tight, his skin scorching hot compared to the chill of the air.
I laughed nervously, unsure if that was because of the impending plunge or the fact that he was touching me. Probably the second. “Oh yeah. Fun. What’s that?”
“It’s . . . what I have when I’m around you,” he said, glancing over at me.
His words hit me right in the chest like a bolt of lightning. My fingers tightened on his, and I couldn’t help but duck my head and blush. Was he just trying to get a reaction out of me like he had this morning with the shower episode? It was hard to tell.
I had the feeling August had way more experience in the category of the opposite sex. Was this how they flirted in Valta? Or was I totally crazy? I couldn’t be sure. All I knew was that I liked the way his hand felt in mine. And that stealing gazes at his bare abdominal muscles was making me a tiny bit dizzy.
I just couldn’t help myself.
We approached the edge of the rocky cliff, and I kept my tight grip on August, looking over the edge. It really wasn’t far. Maybe a ten-foot drop into the deep water below. I knew kids from school jumped off this all the time, and the water below it was deep. It wasn’t a big deal, but for some reason, my heart had lodged itself in my throat.
“On three,” August said, squeezing my hand. “And we’ll jump together.”
I nodded at him in agreement, but it felt like my feet had grown roots. The probability of me jumping over that cliff was becoming less and less as the seconds went by.
�
�Did I mention it was you who helped me through my interview today?” I asked as I shivered slightly. I wasn’t sure why I brought it up, but looking at that cold water was having a strange effect on me.
August smiled curiously at me. “How so?”
“I just thought about what you said to me in the parking lot. How I deserved this. You’re always so confident. You know exactly what you want, and you go after it. I wanted that. I wanted to believe in myself for the first time in my life. So I did.”
His gaze softened, and a little line appeared between his brows as he studied me. The soft breeze moved over him, rustling his dark curls and giving me the strange urge to run my fingers through them. He really could be sweet at times. I liked the way I felt around him. And for the first time, I could see the potential in all of Erin’s schemes to get us together.
Suddenly, I wanted to be confident again. As confident as I’d been in that interview today. So before I could think about it any longer, I took a swift step toward him and pressed my lips against his.
The world swirled around us, and every neuron in my body lit up. I felt him inhale sharply, his chest rising. His grip on my fingers tightened, and his other hand found the curve of my waist, right where my pants and my tank top separated, his fingertips pressing into my bare skin. As far as kisses went, it was mind-blowingly awesome. Not that I had any experience in that arena. But I would’ve bet anything that as for a first kiss, this was a ten out of ten. My whole body quivered from the heated sensation that rushed through my veins. And when I quickly pulled away again, my heart pounded loudly in protest.
“We’ll just call that a thank you for today,” I said, dropping his hand and taking a step toward the water.
August’s eyes seem to flicker with fire as he watched me go, his jaw slightly ajar. I took pleasure in the fact that I’d shocked him—the boy that thought I was boring. That I was too safe. And so, for the second time that day, I decided to shock him again. With two long steps, I leaped over the edge of the rocks and flew through the air.
My feet sliced through the surface of the water, and I plunged beneath its cold depths. The shock of the temperature forced the air from my lungs in a stream of bubbles. I kicked for the top and burst through just as August was about to land next to me. Inhaling a lungful of fresh air, I treaded water and waited for his head to surface. A moment later, he appeared.
“You jumped,” he yelled, wiping the water out of his eyes. He grinned at me and then swam closer. “I wasn’t quite sure you would.”
“Turns out there’s a lot you don’t know about me.” I returned his smile, my hands moving through the water to keep me afloat.
“Well, after that, I certainly wouldn’t mind learning more.” His lips curled into a knowing smile, his gaze smoldering.
Despite the temperature, my whole chest warmed. I wanted to kiss him again. I liked the way he brought out this confident side of me.
But two seconds later, my body began to shiver in the cold water of the Falls. August seemed to be feeling the effects as well. His jaw trembled slightly, and there was a bluish tinge to his lips. Kissing him again in the freezing water probably wasn’t the best idea.
“We sh-sh-sh-sh-should . . .” My teeth chattered together as I tried to point at the shore.
August nodded, and we both hurried toward dry land. If I thought the water was cold, it was nothing compared to being soaking wet in the chilly November air. That slight breeze I’d felt earlier felt frigid on my sopping wet body. August raced to the bag and pulled out two gigantic towels. He picked up the first and came toward me. The gentle way he wrapped it around my back and then pulled it in tight had my knees shivering for a different reason. And when he looked into my eyes and leaned forward to brush his lips gently over mine, I was certain I’d been warmed through to my toes.
A massively successful interview, a courageous jump into the Falls, and two kisses in one day. This was shaping up to be a defining moment in my teenage life. I wanted to remember this moment forever.
“I can’t believe we just did that,” I said, going to gather my clothes.
“I can’t believe you beat me off the rocks,” August now had his towel wrapped around his body, his jaw no longer chattering. I would’ve been lying if I said that the sight made me a little sad. August had an abdomen and chest worth showing off. Part of me wondered if all princes came standard like that.
It was no wonder girls my age were obsessed.
“Someone had to put you in your place,” I joked, trying to divert myself to thinking about anything but his naked chest.
August laughed and pulled the thermos from the duffle. There was nothing in the world that sounded better at that second than a drink of Olive’s hot cocoa. As I picked my clothes up, my cell phone slid from my sweater pocket and landed on the ground. I snatched it up and pressed the Unlock button to check my messages. There was an email with NHS in the subject line. My pulse jumped, and I flashed the screen at August.
“Look! I think it’s my acceptance letter from the National Honors Society.”
He abandoned the thermos and hurried to my side, peering down at the screen. “Go ahead. Open it. Then we can toast to your win.”
I liked the sound of that. It seemed fitting for everything that had happened today. With a flick of my thumb, I opened the email and scanned over the words. The more I read, the weaker I became. It wasn’t until I got to the end of the email that I let the phone slip through my fingers and fall to the ground.
“What is it?” August picked up the phone from the dry pile of leaves it had landed in and brushed it off. “What’s wrong?”
A rushing noise had begun in my ears. All I could focus on was the sensation of air coming into my lungs, but it was like all of the oxygen had vanished. My head was started to spin. I reached out and grabbed onto August’s arm, afraid I might collapse then and there.
“They rejected me.” The words sounded like they were coming from someone else, even as my lips moved along with them. “That was a rejection letter.”
“What? That’s impossible.” August scrolled upward on my phone and began to read the email for himself. The further he got, the harder his jaw clenched until finally, he looked up at me with fire in his eyes. “This isn’t fair. You must demand a new interview. It’s obvious that Highlander woman held her own prejudices against you. You deserve to be in that club, Princess.”
“No, they won’t let me.” I shrunk into my towel, wishing it would swallow me whole.
The nickname August had given me felt like a tarnished and cheap crown. I was no princess. Not even close. Greta may have been the one to give me an interview, but she wasn’t the only one who felt like that. Everyone in this town knew my mom. Knew her reputation. They wouldn’t let me in.
And who could blame them? After all, everyone knew the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Maybe I hadn’t gotten pregnant at sixteen and run away from home, but my mom’s blood still ran through my veins. I was a screw-up waiting to happen. Everyone else knew it. It was time for me to accept it.
“I want to go home,” I said meekly.
August nodded, his eyes taking in my face. “Okay, if that’s what you desire. I’ll take you.”
He gazed at me for a long second, his frown deepening. In his eyes, I saw the one thing that could make this worse: pity. Pity from the boy who had everything. Pity from the boy who could wreck expensive cars, decorate tabloids with his misdeeds, and be sent to the other side of the world to live an unfettered life and would still be loved by his community. A boy that had everything I wanted and didn’t even appreciate it.
Maybe it was time I finally gave all of that up.
It was obvious that some people just weren’t meant to have it all.
13
August
The fire had gone out of Tori’s eyes.
I observed her over my lasagna as Richard and Olive chatted to each other at Saturday’s lunch. It had been five days since our walk to
the Falls. Five days since our first kiss. Five days since her rejection. She hadn’t been herself since.
It was killing me. I would’ve given up anything to make Tori smile again. I’d even told her that she didn’t have to go to the party with me tonight—the party that I’d selfishly pleaded and bargained with her to go with me. Not even that could make her perk up. I didn’t want the ridiculous party. Not anymore. All I wanted was to fix this for her, but none of the education my father had forced upon me as a child had prepared me for this.
“Are you not hungry, dear?” Olive asked, breaking away from her conversation to fix Tori with a concerned expression. She’d hardly touched her plate. I very much doubted she’d eaten more than a morsel all week.
“I guess not.” Tori set down the fork she’d been idly pushing her food about her plate with and then stood up to face her grandfather. “Do you mind if I head up to my room? I think I need to lie down. I must be coming down with something.”
“Of course, dear.” Richard’s gaze followed her out of the room as she headed up the staircase. As soon as she was out of sight, he turned to me, desperation in his eyes. “Tell me you can knock her out of this.”
I shook my head, unsure what to tell him. “Richard . . . I’m not sure what you expect me to do. Erin has been attempting to lift her mood all week, to no success. If her best friend can’t help her, I’m not sure I can expect to accomplish anything more.”
“But, she likes you, my dear.” Olive patted my hand, her large turquoise rings clinking against each other. “I’ve seen the way you make her smile. I’m sure you’ll help her get past this disappointment.”
I wasn’t so sure about that. I’d been trying all week to get Tori to smile at me. To get angry. To break out some of the sass I’d seen since my first day at her house. But no, the girl I’d started falling for was buried deep beneath a kind of bitter hopelessness.
My Royally Cute Enemy: A YA Sweet Romance (Sweet Mountain High, Year 2: A Sweet YA Romance Series Book 3) Page 10