Jayson sits back down and pulls me into his lap, burying his nose in my hair. I realize that Hailey has been gone for a while and look around the rows of people for her. I send her a text.
After five minutes and nothing back from Hailey, I turn to Jayson. “I wonder where Hailey is? Do you mind if I go look for her?”
“Game’s about over. I’ll come with and then we can meet up with Julien.”
A bunch of students congregate around the unlocked entrance to the school’s gymnasium where the restrooms are located. Our school’s SROs, which are school resource officers that work for our town’s sheriff’s department, usually stay for home games and stand guard at the door and in the gymnasium to make sure students don’t try to sneak into the school or damage school property.
“What’s up, Henry?” Jayson fist bumps the older officer. Henry’s been an SRO at our school for years and Jayson is on a first name basis with him.
While they’re talking, I slip inside to check the women’s restroom for Hailey. Two girls I know from AP Lit are primping in the mirror. “Hey, Beth, hey Celeste.”
“Lizzie girl!” Beth exclaims and gives me a big hug. “Should have figured you’d be here watching Julien.”
Celeste is next to hug me. “Where’s your boy? I’m surprised he let you out his sight for more than a second.”
“He’s not that bad.” They both give me a yeah, right look. “Have you guys seen Hailey? She’s disappeared on me and the game’s almost over.”
“Celeste, didn’t we see her with that guy earlier?”
“What guy?”
“Oh, right. Yeah, she was with some older guy in the hallway. Didn’t recognize him so he must not go here. They looked like they were arguing.” Hailey has got some explaining to do when I find her.
“Do you mind showing me?”
“Yeah, no prob.” I follow them out of the restroom and around the corner to the hallway. The metal accordion gate is up and locked but no sign of Hailey. “Oh, well, they’re not here anymore. But this is where we saw her.”
My phone pings and I pull it out.
Hailey: Met up with a friend.
Me: Hales. Where r u? I want to talk to you before you leave.
Hailey: Sorry. Already left.
Me: I’ll see you at the party then.
Hailey: Not going. Doing something else. Don’t wait up.
Me: Heard you were arguing with some dude. What gives?
I wait for her response. Nothing.
Me: Hales. Answer me.
Still nothing.
Beth and Celeste wait patiently for me. I give up on Hailey and say bye to the girls, get more hugs, and then head out to find Jayson. He’s right where I left him talking with Henry.
“There’s my girl,” he smiles, sliding an arm around my waist. “Catch ya later, man.” Henry pats Jayson on the back, nods at me, and walks off to the other SRO.
“Hailey bailed on us.”
Jayson shrugs, not really caring one way or the other. Groups of people stream by us either heading to the exit or going inside to use the restrooms. I guess the game is over.
“Let’s go wait for Jules and then it’s party time.” We saunter across the crushed slate of the parking lot to Jayson’s truck. We get stopped several times by guys who want to talk to Jayson. I could care less about football stats, so I leave and pop the tailgate down on his truck and sit to wait for Julien.
Jayson comes to stand between my dangling legs and sits down on the edge of the tailgate, grabbing my thighs. “Sorry about that babe.” He leans back into me and turns his head to nip my lower jaw and I place a kiss to the tip of his nose.
While we wait for Julien to come out, we sit quietly, and I spend the time running my hands over the expanse of his muscular shoulders and down his arms. I love how his body feels, so hard and strong and smooth. Jayson leans back a bit further and I wrap my arms under his armpits to clasp his chest. He makes a low humming noise of contentment, the vibrations tickling my fingertips.
“I’ve been thinking,” he tells me in a low murmur. He shifts slightly so he can gaze up at me. “Wherever we go for college, I want us to move in together. Find some place off campus just for the two of us. What do you think?”
I cock a brow at him. “And you’ve been thinking about this a lot, have you?”
“Well, yeah. You and me and the rest of our lives. College will be our first real chance for it just to be about us. I know Jules and Ryder will be there too, but it’ll be different, you know? You, me, our own space we don’t have to share.”
“No more climbing through my window,” I tease even though the thought of losing that makes me a bit sad. I have all these wonderful, precious memories of growing up next door to him and Julien, of our tree, our tree fort, my swing, my paper stars. How will I be able to leave home and not be heartbroken from missing those memories? I have to remind myself that no matter where we go or where we end up, Jayson, Julien, and Ryder will give me new memories just as special. It’s still scary to grow up. I don’t think I’m ready.
Jayson reaches back to touch my cheek and the contact breaks me out of my thoughts. “You are my forever, Liz. I want us to make a life together.”
Before I can respond, Julien jogs over, hair damp from the shower he must have taken after the game. “Mind if we grab something on the way, ‘cause I’m starving.”
I unwrap myself from Jayson and leap off the tailgate into Julien’s arms knowing he’ll catch me. “You did so good! Blew the scouts away no doubt.” Julien keeps me locked in his arms. I can tell something is up by the ear to ear grin plastered across his face. He turns us to face Jayson.
“That’s why I'm late coming out. I got an offer.”
“Holy shit! Are you serious?” Jayson jumps off the back of the truck.
“Full ride to CU if I want it.”
Jayson lunges for his brother and I get squished between two very enthusiastic men. “Holy shit! That’s so fucking awesome. We need to tell Mom and Dad.”
“Guys,” I laugh, “put me down. I can’t breathe.”
Julien releases me into Jayson’s arms. I’m not going to complain.
“They’ll send everything over to coach next week, and coach wants Mom and Dad to join us for the meeting. Honestly, if everything looks good, I think I’ll go ahead and accept. I don’t care what other offers I get. CU has been my dream, so why wait, you know?”
“Julien, I’m over the moon for you,” I congratulate him. Jayson deposits me into the passenger seat of his truck and grabs Julien in a tight hug. “So fucking proud of you man. I love you brother.”
“Thanks, Jay. Now, let’s go celebrate.”
“Couldn’t ask for a better night to party.” The party tonight is at Curtis Mathews’s house. He’s on the swim team with Jayson so I’ve been to his place before. His family owns a small plot of land near Mr. Jacoby’s farm. After the nightmare that was Fallon’s last party, I’ve avoided all parties and this will be my first one since then.
Me: Game’s over. We r heading over to Curtis’s now. What’s ur ETA?
Ryder: OMW.
Me: Have some great news to share. See u there.
Ryder: Have some news too. Be there soon.
Yep, it’s official. I hate parties. They have been spoiled for all time for me. I’m a paranoid, nervous wreck. I watch everyone around me expecting someone to drop a roofie into our drinks or for Marshall to pop out of nowhere and pick a fight. I can tell I’m irritating the shit out of Jayson by nagging him to death about how much he's drinking. I’ve kept him to one beer so far. I need to get a grip, but I feel like walls of writhing bodies are closing in on me and I can’t breathe. Curtis’s party is nothing like Fallon’s, but the need to get out of here before I completely lose it and have a full-blown panic attack claws away at me.
“Jayson, can we leave please?”
“Huh? Hold up, man,” he tells Curtis and looks down at me. “Why do you want to leave? We haven’t b
een here that long.”
“Can you take me home?” Someone knocks into me from behind and I hear a girl giggle “sorry” as she stumbles across the kitchen to grab another drink. “Seriously, Jayson. Can’t we please just go?”
“Ryder should be here in a bit and I’ll take you home once he gets here. I don’t want to spoil Julien’s night by making him leave now.”
“Fine. I’ll be outside.” Anything to get some fresh air.
Elijah is out of town with his parents so wasn’t at the game and isn’t here now. I understand that Jayson wants to make sure Ryder is here to drive Julien home since Julien is already halfway wasted. I don’t like it, but I understand. I just can’t take another second standing here, a feeling of unease creeping up my skin. I wonder if I’ll ever be able to be in a closed room with large groups anymore without feeling the need to escape and run away. I guess I’m not as over the events of Fallon’s party as I thought I was.
Someone else bumps into me. For fuck’s sake. Get me the hell out of this house. I find the nearest door that leads outside and burst through it, finding myself on the front porch. Humid air fills my lungs and I take a seat on the bench swing. I push my toe down and start the swing going.
“Hey kitten. Thought that was you.”
A large shadow created by the glow of the porch and yard lights glides across the side of the house as Fallon emerges from the darkness, a joint hanging from his mouth. He pinches the end off and throws it away before pocketing the remaining piece.
“Hey, Fallon.” Speak of the devil.
He hops up on the porch railing and climbs over to sit on top of it next to where I am on the bench swing. “You here alone?”
“No. Jayson and Julien are inside. I just needed a breather.”
He makes a “hmm” noise and stares at me in consideration. For what, I have no clue. I never know what to make of him. I see him all the time at the Fields and he and Ryder hang out some, or he’ll bring his car to Ryder’s dad’s shop. Every time I see him, he has at least two girls hanging off his arms. I guess I get why. He has an air of recklessness and danger about him that attracts girls to him like moths to a flame. His family is also filthy rich which I’m sure doesn’t hurt and works to his advantage. From what I gathered on how he handled the mess with Marshall after the fight, he must have a lot of influence for so many people to bend to his will. Which brings me to what I have been curious about.
“Fallon, if I asked you a question, would you answer it truthfully?”
He tilts his head and his dilated sapphire blue eyes, bloodshot from smoking his joint, flick across my face. “Depends.”
“Did you do anything to Marshall or those other guys to shut them up and not report Jayson? What's the deal you made with Samantha and Jacinda? I also noticed that Marshall wasn’t playing tonight. Know anything about that?” I might as well get all my questions out all at once for him.
His chuckle is raspy. “That’s three questions, Elizabeth,” he drawls out my name.
“Would you mind answering all three then?”
“Why do you want to know, little kitten?” he says, jumping off the porch railing and taking a seat beside me on the swing. The smell of marijuana is strong, and I scoot over to put more distance between us. Fallon has always been a wild enigma but right now I wonder if he is someone I should be wary of.
He leans his head back and rotates it toward me. “A secret for a secret.”
“What does that mean?”
“I will answer one of your questions for every secret you give me.”
“I don’t understand, Fallon. This isn’t a game. I have no secrets to tell.”
“First of all, everyone has secrets, kitten. Secondly, everything is a game. It just depends on how you play. And tonight, I want to play with you.” He reaches out and twirls a piece of my hair around his finger. I smack it away. He laughs. “Kitten has some claws, I see.”
“Stop calling me kitten, Fallon.”
“Make me, Elizabeth.”
I only wanted some answers to my questions – questions that none of the boys will answer. But something tells me this is not a game I want to play with Fallon.
I stand up abruptly, setting the swing back in an arch. “Fuck you, Fallon.”
He’s faster than I give him credit for, especially in the doped-up state he’s in. His hands snake out and grab me by my hips to pull me in. “Oh, Elizabeth. There is so much more going on than you know.”
A deep voice booms behind me causing me to jump. “Get your hands off my girl, Fallon.”
My girl. And it’s not Jayson.
“I see how it is now. Good to know.” Fallon releases my hips and starts to swing back and forth, the squeaking of the chains as loud as the cicadas that are buzzing in the trees. Fallon smirks up at Ryder who's now at my back and taps the side of his head. “Knowledge is power, baby. Knowledge is power.”
Ryder gently moves me behind his body. “What’s going on here, Elizabeth?” he asks me, but his eyes are on Fallon.
Fallon stands up and pats Ryder’s shoulder. “We were just talking, man. Don’t get your panties in a twist.”
He steps aside to walk past but stops beside me. “You want to continue our conversation, you know where to find me.” He takes out his half joint and lights it. We watch as he walks back around the side of the house into the darkness.
“What the hell was that about, Elizabeth?”
I really don’t know, honestly. “Nothing. He was just messing with me. You know how he is,” I reply hoping Ryder will drop it, but of course I’m not that lucky.
“You need to stay away from Fallon.” After that encounter, I completely agree. However, my curiosity is piqued. What was it he said? There was so much more going on that I didn’t know. As strangely bizarre as I think Fallon may be, he may also be the only one that can give me any answers to my questions. Am I willing to play his game to get them?
“I will. He’s a bit off. You hang out with him, right?”
“It’s complicated.”
Deciding it’s best to drop the subject, I ask him, “You said you had something you wanted to tell me. Oh! Julien has good news, but I won’t spoil it and will let him tell you. Would you mind driving him home so Jayson and I can leave?”
“Yeah, I can do that. Why are you guys leaving? I just got here.”
“I’m not up to partying tonight,” is all I say. Ryder nudges me to sit back down on the porch swing with him.
“I feel there’s more to that than you’re letting on.”
“Too many bad memories,” I reply, knowing he'll understand. Ryder tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear, his gaze understanding. “So, what did you want to talk about?”
“I broke up with Maria.”
Well, that came out of left field. Maria hasn’t said a word to me about it. Actually, Maria hasn’t responded to any of my texts or calls and now I know why.
“What happened Ryder?”
He exhales and closes his eyes. “Things weren’t going anywhere. I tried, but she’s just not the one for me. I don’t love her. I never will. She needs to be free to find someone who will love her and give her what she needs. I’m not that person.”
“I’m so sorry.”
I feel like it’s my fault, that I’m to blame. Ryder and I seem to have this push-pull between us, like we’re stuck on opposite ends of a bungee cord and the further we try to run away, the stronger the snap back is toward each other. Jayson wants to plan a life, a future with me, create a family with me. How can I truly commit to that future when part of me is still connected to Ryder? Will that bond ever break between us? It’s not fair to him. It’s not fair to Jayson.
“What are we doing, Ryder?”
“I wish I knew, Elizabeth.”
A door bangs open and the music and noise from inside the house spills out as Jayson and Julien step out onto the porch. “There you are, baby.” Jayson notices Ryder next to me. “We’ve been waiting on you, ma
n. When’d you get here?”
“Just now. Saw Elizabeth. Heard you had some good news, Jules.”
“So, so good news. CU offered me a full ride.”
“Julien, you’re so drunk.” Jayson laughs at him while keeping him from toppling over.
“I know. Isn’t it awesome?”
“Whatever you say brother. No more, ok. Mom and Dad will flip their shit if Ryder brings you home like this.”
Ryder takes Julien’s arm. “I’ve got him. He won’t drink anymore tonight. I promise. Congratulations, Jules. You deserve it.”
“Damn straight I do,” he hiccups and makes a face. “That tastes awful.”
“Let’s see if we can’t get you some coffee. I’m sure Curtis has some somewhere.”
“You ready to go baby girl?” Jayson asks me.
“Yes, please. And I’m driving.”
I give a hug to Julien but when I go to hug Ryder bye, he presses his cheek against mine. “Good night, Elizabeth.”
“Goodnight, Ryder.”
He helps Julien back inside and we watch until they disappear back into the house.
“Where to, princess? Want to grab a late dinner?”
“Chili dogs. My treat.”
We get in his truck and buckle up. “No onions.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m having you for dessert, sweet girl.”
I'm woken up from a deep sleep by a noise. I crack my eyes open and see the bright red numbers of my alarm clock show that it’s three in the morning. After our late-night hotdog dinner, Jayson and I snuck up into my room and made love before falling into an exhausted sleep. I hear the noise again. It sounds like crying. I try to turn over to get out of bed, but Jayson pulls me back to him.
“Go back to sleep, Liz,” he murmurs into his pillow.
“I think Hailey is crying. I’m going to take a quick peek into her room.”
All Our Next Times: Fallen Brook Series: Book 1 Page 20
