“Babe, I took her to your room for something, but it wasn’t anything like that. I had to have some privacy for—”
“For what?” Jess asked.
Garrett nudged Damien, almost knocking him over as he pushed his elbow into his side. “What the hell, man?”
Garrett cupped his hand over his face and whispered something in Damien’s ear.
“Thanks, man.” Damien moved over to Jess and wrapped his arms around her. “You know you’re the only girl for me.”
Jess fell right into his arms. Arielle rolled her eyes and spun around, stomping toward the back door. She couldn’t understand Jess’s fascination with Damien. To Arielle, he would never amount to anything. He was a slacker who got bad grades and barely ever went to class, but if Jess wanted him, then she had to live with her choice. Arielle didn’t have to watch her go down the path though.
As she opened the back door, Blake came out. “Hey, I’ve been looking for you. Where have you been?”
“Here. But how about you take me somewhere else?” She met his eyes. “Please.”
“Sure, where?”
“Anywhere but here.”
Blake grabbed her hand and together they walked around the house to the front. A mess of cars was piled in the driveway, making Arielle think it would be impossible to escape this horrible night, but as they settled in the car, Blake turned the wheel and pulled in the yard, driving through the grass until he got on the road. Arielle took a deep breath and fell back into the seat, wanting to talk but not ready to yet.
Blake drove and didn’t stop.
Chapter 3
A Night to Remember
A line of pine trees passed by as Blake turned down a side street. There were minimal street lights in the country, so the roads were dark, and this one didn’t have any lines painted on it. The ting, ting of gravel ricocheting off the car made Arielle remember they’d redone this road not long ago. The scent of freshly cut grass made her nose tingle, so she placed her index finger under her nose and it stopped the sensation. Arielle called it her “anti-sneeze move.” It always made Jess laugh.
Arielle sighed at the thought of leaving her friend back there.
“Remember, I’m new to the area, so you need to tell me where to go.” Blake dropped one hand from the wheel, resting it on the center console.
Arielle shrugged. “I don’t care where we go. Can’t we just drive for a while?”
“We can, but only if you have some gas money. I don’t have a job yet.” Blake chuckled. “Not to make myself seem like a loser…”
Arielle couldn’t bring herself to laugh, but she forced a smile and looked at him. “Thanks for getting me out of there.”
Blake touched her hand. “Yeah. About that. What happened?”
Arielle leaned her head against the window. “Jess is so infatuated with Damien. I just don’t get it…”
“Ari, you have to let her make her own choices, even if you don’t agree with them.” His tone softened as he spoke, comforting her. He pulled her hand across the console into his lap, intertwining their fingers.
Arielle gulped. She met his eyes before his snapped back to the road, but she didn’t pull away. Nervous butterflies flapped their heavy wings through her stomach, but it was a good nervous.
After several moments of silence, Blake turned to her, studying her for a few moments before glancing back at the road. “One more time. Where to?”
“Keep those eyes on the road there, mister. Ari pancakes aren’t on the menu.”
Blake’s cheeks puffed out with his laughter. “Don’t worry. I wouldn’t dream of ever making you into a pancake.”
“Great. Glad to hear it.” Arielle glanced outside, realizing it was full dark now. The few streetlights they passed lit up the grass with a blueish tint, the half-moon intensifying the color change. One of the nice things about growing up in the country was the ability to see stars twinkling at night. She didn’t know if the stars came out in the city much since she’d never been there, but she’d read they didn’t. She would hate not being able to see the stars because she’d always imagined small people living on them as if the stars were another kind of planet or something, but maybe her imagination came to life too often and at the weirdest moments.
Like now…
Blake shifted in his seat, taking his hand and placing it on the wheel, which made Arielle slide hers back into her own seat. Using her hair as cover, she stared at him through the strands, wondering how in the world she ended up sitting next to such a cute guy. She didn’t seem to fit.
Blake ran a hand through his hair before resting it back on the wheel. “So, you still haven’t answered my question. Where to?”
Arielle sat up straighter, leaning toward the dash. “This is a small college town, Blake. There’s not much to do…unless you go to college. Which we don’t. I mean, there’s one stoplight. That should tell you everything you need to know.”
Blake laughed. “You have an interesting view on things.”
Arielle hit the button on the dash and turned the radio on, flipping through the stations until she landed on a song she loved. “Oh my God. I haven’t heard this forever. I love this song.”
At the exact same time, Blake said, “I love this song.” Then he reached forward, and cranked the radio up even louder.
Arielle shot him a sideways grin, relieved that despite their differences in appearance, they had something in common. “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey happened to be the best song in the entire universe, at least according to Arielle…and her parents.
Arielle couldn’t help it when she started to sing along to the tune, dancing in her seat. She caught Blake peeking at her and grinning from time to time, but he kept his eyes on the road so she relaxed, letting the nervous energy fluttering through her belly fall away. Fun used to be a foreign word in her life, but now…this topped the charts of her funometer.
When Blake started singing, Arielle sang louder and he matched her off key and sharp in all the wrong places tone. Hopefully, no animals were around, or they might die from the hideous sounds coming from the car. Her window was rolled up, but Blake’s was cracked. Poor, innocent, unsuspecting animals.
Blake turned the radio down as the song came to an end. “I have to say, I don’t meet a lot of people our age who like this song, let alone even know what it is.”
“Guess it’s a good thing I’m not like most people, then, huh?”
Blake pulled into the empty parking lot of a now closed grocery store, then pulled around to the back, shutting the engine off. “I think you might be right.”
He reached his arm over the back of her seat, leaning in closer. Arielle couldn’t breathe. She tilted back, her fingers shaking as she ran them through her hair. Blake pushed forward even more, smothering her against the door.
“So what other kinds of music do you like?”
The safest course would be to keep the conversation going. She’d jumped steps here. Somehow, she thought she’d get her first boyfriend before her first kiss, although Blake seemed to have other things on his mind, which calmed her racing heart. She’d wanted her first kiss, but now…she might not be able to handle it judging by the fact her stomach lurched as if she might puke any minute.
Blake moved back into his own seat. “Let’s see. I like a lot of classic rock, like Journey and Guns N’ Roses. I like country too. Garth Brooks is my favorite.”
“I don’t think Guns N’ Roses are classic yet.” Then Arielle made a disgusted face. “And you like country?”
“Don’t knock it until you try it.”
Arielle smiled. “Have you met my dad yet? Country music is all he listens to, so I guess you can say I’ve tried it a time or two.”
Blake shrugged. “Well, to each their own, then. Remind me to never put country on the radio when you’re in my car.”
The words Blake spoke made her think she might be in his car again. Maybe even soon. Her face heated so much she searched the in
side of the car for something to fan her face. But nothing littered the floors or the seats. It was spic and span clean. Go figure.
So instead, she waved a hand back and forth in front of her face, which earned her a funny look from Blake. “What are you doing?”
She moved her shoulders up to her chin. “My face is hot.” How she kept her calm, she didn’t know, because inside, a ball of excitement shot around like a pinball machine.
Silence stretched after, at least for a few minutes, but it was the most comfortable quiet she’d ever been a part of. Instead of talking, Arielle studied the empty parking lot. A dumpster sat all the way at the edge of the lot and a streetlight hung right above it, shining down on the garbage like some sort of star on Broadway.
When she finally glanced at him again, he stared hard at her, fixated, like he’d been doing it for a while. “What?”
“Nothing. You are just interesting to watch.” He ran a hand through his hair.
It hit Arielle hard then she didn’t know Blake well. In fact, he was still very much a stranger. One who had been staring at her like she held the answer to the most important question on the final exam…which made her tilt her head to the side. “You aren’t some crazy serial killer, are you? Because I’m getting some freaked out vibes right now. Not like you would tell me if you were, because what kind of serial killer would actually answer that question?” She blew out a breath, knowing she had been rambling, a nervous habit.
Blake smirked. “Guess you’d better sleep with one eye open tonight.” Then he paused, shaking his head. “Kidding. I’m not a killer.” Cue the return of his serious face, back with a vengeance.
Arielle pressed her lips together, unsure whether or not to ask him what thoughts hovered in his mind. A heavy weight had settled over him, one she wanted to erase. In the end, her curiosity won out. “What’s wrong? You are always laughing, then bam…” Arielle wiped all the emotion from her face, “…serious face. What’s going on in that brain of yours?”
Blake faced his window. “Nothing.”
“Don’t tell me nothing.” Arielle touched his arm. “I can tell something is bothering you. So spill. You’ll feel better once you talk about it.”
Blake took a deep breath. “Don’t forget you asked for it.” Then he met her eyes. “There’s a reason I’m up here for the year. I’m living with my grandparents because my dad and I, well…we don’t get along. It has put a lot of stress on the family.”
“Everyone has problems with their parents.”
“Not like this. Have you ever gotten into a fist fight with your mom or dad?” He paused and frowned. “Because that happened, with my dad. He knocked me out after I punched him.”
She touched his shoulder. “Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry, Blake.” She couldn’t find any other words, although he’d made her day trusting her enough to tell her what had happened. For some reason, she didn’t think Blake was one of those guys who opened up to people easily.
He glanced out the window again. “It’s okay. It’s not your fault. But…it just sucks. I’ve fought so hard to get along with my dad, to have a relationship with him, but everything I do makes him mad, or disappointed. It doesn’t matter what grades I get or what sports I play, it’s never enough.”
Arielle placed her hand on Blake’s shoulder again. “I’m so sorry.” She’d already said that, so she dug deeper, searching for something better. “I don’t know what it’s like or what you’re going through, but I’m here anytime you need to talk about it. Is there anything I can do to help?”
His eyes met hers with fire inside them and he tapped his chin. “Hmm…there might be.” He leaned closer until she could feel his hot breath on her cheek.
Her gaze went everywhere but on him as she swallowed the lump in her throat. After her gulp, she took a deep breath, facing him. “What?”
He plopped his elbow on the center console, staring straight at her for way too long. A quiver shot through her stomach as she risked a glance at Blake, then her gaze darted away, folding her warm palms in her lap.
He chuckled, but so quiet she could hardly hear him. “Can you sing for me again?”
She met his eyes, her own widening. “Sing for you?”
He nodded. “It cheered me up, what can I say?” Then he laughed. “Plus, I’ve never heard someone sing so off key in my life.” Reaching down, he popped a CD in, turning it to track four. “Faithfully” by Journey.
Even though it was one of Arielle’s all-time favorite songs, she couldn’t sing it. The sappy songs were too hard for her, so she shook her head. “I can’t sing this one.”
“It’s okay.” With sad eyes, he looked down at his lap.
Every part of his face drooped, like the leaves of a wilted plant. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and let the words soar from her mouth. This time, her high-pitched, off-key voice should have broken all the glass in the car, but when Blake laughed and his eyes glittered, it made the embarrassment worth it. Maybe.
After the song ended, Blake shifted back to his own seat. Arielle’s stomach dropped, knowing the moment had passed. The first kiss she hadn’t been ready for, that she kind of wanted but didn’t know if she could handle…well, it wouldn’t be happening now.
He turned the key, starting the engine back up. “I think I’d better get you home.”
She shook her head. “You can’t take me home. I told my parents I was staying the night at Jess’s house.”
She hadn’t thought about Jess in a while, but as she did, she bit her lip, the guilt making her chest tighten. How could she have forgotten her friend? She pinned her arms to her stomach, which ached with a gut-wrenching guilt.
Blake turned the radio down. “Okay, where’d you go just now?”
Arielle shrugged. “It’s Jess. I haven’t even thought about her since we pulled into this parking lot.”
Blake ran a finger down the side of her face, cupping her chin. She leaned into the touch. “How about I take you back to Jess’s house and we make sure she’s okay.”
Arielle widened her eyes. “You wouldn’t mind?”
He shook his head. “Not one bit.”
***
When they arrived back at Jess’ house, almost all the cars were gone from the driveway. Except one, which Arielle didn’t recognize.
Which meant it was probably Damien’s.
As she hopped out of the car, she turned before she closed her door. “Thanks, by the way. For tonight. I had fun.”
Blake ran a hand through his hair. “Good. Maybe we can do it again sometime?”
Arielle couldn’t stop the grin from spreading all the way across her face. “I would like that.”
“Guess I will see you tomorrow at school.”
Arielle nodded and shut the door. Then she went inside the house. Jess and Damien were on the couch, no lights on in the room. The kissing sounds told Arielle all she needed to know.
She should just go home, but she wanted to stay with Jess. “Hey. I’m back.”
Jess broke away from Damien and turned the lamp beside the couch on. “Ari? Is that you?”
“In the flesh.” Arielle walked over to them. “Remember, I’m supposed to stay the night?”
Jess blushed, then put a hand on Damien. “Sorry, babe. I forgot Ari was staying the night. Rain check?”
Damien nodded, then stood up, but leaned down and kissed Jess on the nose. “Sure. See you tomorrow.”
Maybe he wasn’t as bad as Arielle thought.
“So, guess you two are okay,” Arielle said after the front door closed.
“Better than. We are fantastic.” Jess smiled. “I need to stop freaking out all the time.”
“We are women, Jess. We are allowed to freak out. It’s probably a law somewhere or something.”
Jess nodded. “Probably.”
Arielle yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. “You think we can head to bed? I’m pretty beat.”
Jess widened her eyes. “No way. You have to
spill about Mr. Dreamy first. I saw you leave with him.”
Arielle shrugged. “He’s amazing. I don’t know him well, but I know he moved up here to live with his grandparents for the year, so he’s new. He stands up for me against Karla Lust, which is a plus. And I think I really like him.”
“You’ll have a boyfriend sooner than you think.”
Her first boyfriend. Jess had been through guy after guy, but she always seemed to go back to Damien. Arielle hadn’t had a single boyfriend, nor had she had her first kiss. Hopefully, it would happen this year. She needed some experience before she graduated.
“I just might.” Arielle chuckled. “Now can we sleep?”
Jess nodded, then Arielle followed her upstairs to her room. She lay on her back, staring at the ceiling for a few minutes. Thinking. Damien wasn’t Arielle’s first choice for Jess, but her friend liked him so maybe she should let them be. It would either work out or it wouldn’t. She couldn’t try to protect her from everything.
Her eyes closed with all those thoughts still floating through her mind, but luckily, she didn’t dream.
Chapter 4
The Meeting
The weekend went by way too fast and soon Monday reared its ugly head, bringing with it another boring day of school. Jess picked Arielle up bright and early. The ride to school took forever. Neither Jess nor Arielle were morning people, so they didn’t talk much along the way, but the radio blared some punk rock crap Arielle couldn’t stand.
Soon, the big brick school building loomed in front of Arielle. She walked in with Jess, ducking a bunch of jocks hovering in the doorway. Those guys blocked the entrance almost every single morning. Who did they think they were? Sure, they were popular and perfect, but they didn’t rule the school.
Her brother, Reed, stood amongst them, of course, and as Arielle passed through them, he narrowed his eyes at her, flinching toward her like he might attack. She rolled her eyes and kept walking. Like he scared her. Seriously.
When she reached her locker, she turned the combination to open the lock, but it took her four tries. She kicked the base as she yanked the door open, needing her English and algebra books for her first couple periods, but of course they were at the bottom of the pile. She took one book out at a time, setting them on the floor beside her as she knelt on the ground, her bare knees tingling from touching the cold tile. Of course she’d picked today to wear a jean skirt.