by GG Shalton
We pulled up to a small Italian restaurant inside a strip mall in Creston. I texted Amanda that I was hanging out with some friends after school. She wasn’t home, but at least no one would wonder where I was.
“They have the best crust here. New York style.”
“What do you like on your pizza?” I asked as we walked inside. We sat in the corner as the server came over and handed us some menus.
“Pepperoni for sure,” Jaxon said.
“I like pineapple.”
He looked at me with exaggerated disgust. “That is not a pizza topping.”
“Yes, it is,” I said defensively.
He grinned and shook his head playfully. “I don’t think we can be friends anymore.”
I dropped my head playfully. “Have you ever tried it?”
“Nope. Not going to either. No pineapple.” I stuck my bottom lip out in a pout as he stared at me with a serious face then slowly lifted the corners of his mouth. “I can’t believe I’m going to order pineapple on my pizza. I must really like you.”
I looked at him for a moment, trying to not read too much into that. I shrugged. “Wait until you taste it.”
The server came by and smiled. “What can I get you?”
Jaxon looked at me then back at her. “We want a large pizza with pepperoni and pineapple and two Cokes.” He looked at me. “You do drink Coke, right?”
I nodded. “Of course.”
He smiled as the server walked away.
“Have you thought about our history assignment?” I asked as I fidgeted with the napkin on the table.
“A little. What president should we write about?” He leaned back and looked at me through his brown hair that fell into his eyes.
“What about Truman? He was from Missouri like us.” I remembered reading about him in a book last year.
“Sounds good. Washington and Lincoln will probably be overused.”
The server came by with our drinks.
Jaxon asked, “We still on for Saturday?”
“Yeah, I have a party to go to, but I told them I would be late. How long do you think it will take?”
“Probably all day,” he said with amusement in his eyes.
“Really?”
He shook his head. “What kind of a party are you going to?”
“Gretchen is having a get-together at her house. She has a pool and lives on the lake. I guess her brother is in town and they’re taking their dad’s boat out.”
He blew out a loud sigh. “Sounds boring.”
“Going out on a boat is boring?”
“No, but the people you’ll be hanging with are.”
I pulled my head back, feeling a little insulted. “They’re my friends.”
“Are they? You don’t seem anything like them.” He watched me as he lost his smile. “Will your boyfriend be there?”
I narrowed my eyes. “I already told you Trace is not my boyfriend.”
He looked away and played with the paper on his straw. There was a moment of awkward silence as I thought about what he’d said.
I felt the need to defend myself. “I had a best friend in Europe. Her name was Isabel, and we were roommates in boarding school. She’s the only true friend I’ve ever known. However, she lives halfway across the world and all I have here are the few people I met over the summer. I guess they’re the closest thing I have to friends.”
His features softened. “I shouldn’t have gotten into your business.”
“It’s okay. I consider you a friend too.”
“I’m glad.” His phone rang and he took it out of his pocket. “It’s my brother.” He answered the phone with, “Yeah? I’m eating.”
I didn’t want to eavesdrop, so I took out my phone and played with it as I waited for him to finish.
“All right. See you in a few,” Jaxon said and hung up.
“Is everything all right?”
“Yeah. He had a job at a friend’s house. That’s why he wasn’t at the shop. He was just checking on me.”
“You guys are close?’
“All three of us are. My oldest brother, Johnny, left town last year. I don’t see him that often. Jake owns the mechanic’s shop—I live with him. I have two sisters who are younger than me, and they live with my mom.”
“Must be nice to not have parents on your case.”
“Oh, she’s on my case. My mom only lives a few miles from me and drops by to complain.”
I laughed. “I have two stepbrothers I just met. One goes to Matter Point High. He’s a freshman, but I’m not sure if he likes me. The other one is twelve and keeps me laughing.”
The server came by and delivered the pizza.
Jaxon wrinkled his nose as he took a piece and handed it to me then put another one on a plate for him. “This better be good.”
“Take a bite,” I challenged him.
He bit into it and chewed slowly as I watched. Running his tongue underneath his lips, he pretended to savor all of it. He took the napkin and carefully dabbed his mouth, keeping me waiting for his response.
“Oh, come on. Did you like it?” I said with little patience.
He waited for a second. “Not bad.”
I squealed and clapped. “I knew it.”
I took a big bite out of my pizza and chewed. He smiled at me and lifted his hand to wipe some sauce off my chin.
“I can’t take you anywhere.” He laughed as he used his napkin to wipe his hand. He took another bite of his pizza and we ate in companionable silence.
A few minutes later, a guy walked up to our booth. “Jax?”
Jaxon turned and lost his smile. “Larry?”
Larry looked at me then back at Jaxon. He had dark hair and brown eyes. His shirt was tattered, and he had tattoos on his neck. Looking down, I noticed a chain connecting his wallet to his belt loop and his shoes were untied.
“You still down with Simmons?” he said, looking a little jittery.
“No,” Jaxon said sharply as his features hardened. His stare was intense, and he almost looked like a different person. “Not anymore. You know that.”
The guy studied Jaxon’s face. “Just seeing if anything changed.”
Jaxon said, “This isn’t the place.”
Larry turned to me again and seemingly wanted to say something but changed his mind. He just nodded and walked away. Jaxon shifted in his chair uncomfortably as he looked at me.
I gave him a tight smile. “A friend?”
“He was an old acquaintance.” Jaxon kept his eyes on the guy until he walked out the door. “Someone you don’t want to know.”
I didn’t question him, as I could tell by the look on his face that he didn’t want to talk about it. I picked at my pizza because the mood had shifted.
Jaxon stared at me for a moment then shoved his plate back. “I did something last year that I’m not proud of.”
I glanced at him, watching him struggle with his words until I put my hand on his arm. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
He moved his arm. “I’m not a good guy, Ariel.”
“I think you’re a good guy.” He had listened to me spill my heart about my mom and had been nothing but nice to me.
He shook his head. “You’re sweet. But there’s a lot about me you don’t know.”
“I think you’re better than you think,” I said, watching his shoulders tense at my words.
“Trust me, I’m not.” Tension filled the air as he fidgeted with his pizza. Jaxon took a deep breath. “I’m going to the bathroom. I’ll be back in a minute.”
I nodded as he left the table. Feeling the loss of our earlier banter, I asked the waitress for a refill and took another bite of my pizza. Jaxon came back and sat down with a smile. He reached for his pizza again and I
watched him carefully, wondering if he was still upset.
“I must admit, the pineapple isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. But it still doesn’t belong on pizza.”
I smirked. “You’re coming over to my side.”
He seemed to be in a better mood, and I was hoping to forget about our earlier conversation. I picked up the parmesan cheese dispenser and lifted it to sprinkle on my pizza.
“You’re not going to use that, are you?” His playful tone had returned.
“Huh? I like parmesan cheese.”
“Okay,” he said, putting up his hands. “But let me warn you. I stopped using it when I saw what one of my friends did with it.”
“What did he do?”
“It was a girl, and she took the top off, put a bug inside it, then put the lid back on.”
“Ew.” I hurriedly shoved the jar back to the corner of the table.
He smiled as he took another bite.
I cautiously looked at my pizza then narrowed my eyes skeptically. “Is that story true?”
“You willing to take the chance?” He raised his eyebrow, but I couldn’t read his expression.
I looked at the jar then at him. “No.”
“I didn’t think so. It’s the same with salt and pepper too. I only use the ones that come in the packets, not the public shakers.”
I finished my pizza and watched him sneak looks at me, smirking as he chewed. I wasn’t sure if I could believe him or not. His cockiness could be considered exhausting, but it fit him. He had a playful side that many would probably think didn’t exist, given the scowl that was usually on his face.
After we ate, we drove back to the school parking lot. Jaxon hopped out of the car after I parked, and he opened his car door.
Looking back at me, he smiled. “I will see you later.”
I nodded. “Thank you. It’s nice to have you as a friend.”
He shrugged. “Of course. At least not all of us are douches.”
“The what?”
He laughed and shook his head. “Nothing.”
I huffed defensively. “Are you making fun of my friends?”
“Of course not.” He stepped out. “Be careful, Ariel.”
“Thanks again.”
He waved a flippant hand and got into his car. I drove off, looking in the mirror to watch him go the opposite way.
When I arrived home, I quickly made my way to my room. The house seemed dark and quiet. It was probably better that way. I didn’t want any questions on my whereabouts.
Chapter 15
Ariel
School flew by the rest of the week, and the football game on Friday was crazy. We ended up winning in overtime, and practically the whole school said they were going to Matter Diner. I would admit I got caught up in the excitement, and I enjoyed how everyone seemed to be cheering, not just the cheerleaders.
I noticed that most of the Northside students avoided the game. I couldn’t really blame them. After all, they were only at Matter Point for the semester. School spirit may be a stretch for them.
Trace winked at me as he left the field, and I looked away. Why couldn’t he just stop? I decided not to go to Matter Diner—I just wasn’t feeling it. Going home and taking a long hot bath seemed more inviting. Besides, I had to get up early and meet Jaxon and Bryce.
In the locker room, Paisley placed her hand on her hip as she stuck it out, looking at me as if I’d told her that I was part alien. “What do you mean you’re not going?”
“I’m really tired.” It was a lame excuse for someone my age to always be so tired, but it was all I could come up with.
“Ariel, we just won the game in overtime. Your boy scored the winning touchdown with a quarterback sneak. You have to be there.”
“He is not my boy,” I said as I walked away, but she walked with me.
“Fine, but he is crushing on you.” She nudged me lightheartedly. “Come on, the whole school is counting on you.”
“For what?”
“Keeping our star quarterback happy. We wouldn’t want him to get a complex. And none of us want to deal with his bad mood if you don’t show up. Do it for your school.” She batted her eyes, lowering the corners of her mouth. “Please.”
I rolled my eyes and let out a long sigh. “Fine. But I’m not staying long.”
She squealed as we reached my car. “And one kiss wouldn’t kill you.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but she was walking away laughing. I threw my pom-poms in my passenger side and got into my car. I drove to the diner, trying to push down the nervous feeling in my stomach.
Pulling up to the diner, I could have sworn the whole town was there, not only the students. Groups were hanging out in the parking lot as I walked up to the door, squeezing through people and looking for Paisley. I had stopped to get gas, so I wasn’t sure where she was. A few people smiled, and I noticed some kids from school waiting on benches for a table.
“Ariel!”
I looked over and saw Dillon coming in the door. I was happy to recognize anyone and followed him to the back tables. Trace motioned me to sit by him, and he cleared the chair beside him. I felt a little uncomfortable when he put his arm around my chair, but I didn’t bring attention to it. Paisley switched places with the football player on the other side of me. The table was so crowded, some girls sat on some of the players’ laps. It was loud, but the food kept coming and everyone was eating and talking. It ended up being fun, and I was glad I came.
At the end of the night, the manager came over and said the food had been paid for by an anonymous source.
Paisley leaned over. “That’s typical on game nights. The town gets so excited when we win that they usually cover our bill.”
I smiled. “That’s cool.”
She shrugged. “We have many rich parents who like to win.”
I agreed and got up to leave. Trace grabbed my hand. “I’ll walk you to your car.”
I nodded and let him hold my hand until we got to the parking lot.
“Do you want me to follow you to make sure you get home okay?” he asked.
“I’m good but thank you. Congrats again on your win.”
He slid his arms around my waist and hugged me. His chest was solid as he pressed me into him. I pushed back slightly, since I didn’t want to send him mixed signals, but he hooked his hands and wouldn’t let me go.
“Don’t pull away from me, Ariel. I just want to hold you.”
“Trace—”
“I know you need more time, but in the end, we’ll end up together.”
I didn’t want to argue. “I have to go.”
He let me go and kissed my cheek. “Thanks for coming tonight.”
I nodded and got into my car and drove away. I needed to stop encouraging him. He was just so persistent, and I didn’t like hurting people’s feelings. But the more time we spent together, the more it would hurt him later. I didn’t like Trace in that way, but being friends wasn’t enough for him.
Amanda was waiting up for me when I got home. She smiled as she saw me walk into the living room.
“You’re up?” I asked.
She nodded, a mug in her hands. “Heartburn. The baby must have a lot of hair.”
“Hair?”
“People say that if you have heartburn while pregnant, it’s because the baby has a lot of hair, but I’m not sure if it’s true. Drinking warm milk seems to help.” She took a sip. “I heard you won. Did you have fun at the restaurant?”
“I did. Someone paid for our meal, but I guess that’s normal when they win. Trace made the winning touchdown.”
“Oh, I bet Barbara is thrilled.”
“Barbara?”
“Mrs. Jenkins.” She took another drink of her warm milk. “Speaking of which, they invited our family to dinner next
week.”
I lost my smile. “I don’t want to go to another dinner with the Jenkins.”
Amanda bit her lip. “Is Trace really that bad? I thought you liked each other.”
“That’s the problem.” I leaned back on the sofa. I knew she was waiting for an answer, but I didn’t want to talk about it.
“Can I help at all?” She sounded truly concerned.
“Maybe. Can you tell my dad that I don’t want to go?”
“Ariel, did Trace do something?” Her tone lowered like she wanted me to confide in her.
“It’s nothing like that. He just acts like he owns me even after I told him that I’m not interested. Even tonight he hugged me and wouldn’t let go. I didn’t like it.”
“Some boys may think that you’re just playing hard to get.”
“I’m not playing anything. Paisley says every girl at school wants Trace and I’m so lucky that he likes me. But Trace is a player.”
She raised her brow. “Ah. I get it.”
I met her eyes. “So, I don’t have to go?”
“I didn’t say that, but I won’t push you to be with him.”
I looked at my shoes. “Can you just make an excuse?”
“I will see. Meanwhile, I think you need to be sterner with Trace and let him know how you feel.”
“I know. It’s just not easy.”
She smiled and got up from the sofa. “You’ll figure it out. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Chapter 16
Ariel
Marion’s coffee shop literally had a big coffee cup statue in front of it. The building was old, but I noticed many cars in the parking lot, telling me there was probably good food inside. Pulling off the highway, I recognized Jaxon’s car right away. My stomach flipped a little as I thought about seeing him. This is crazy! Jaxon was not the kind of guy who would like a girl like me.
I parked and sat in the driver seat for a few seconds, gathering my bearings. I tried to imagine what type of girl he would like. Probably one of those tough, pretty girls with lots of makeup and black leather pants. She would put men in their place and not let anyone push her around. Total opposite of me!
But I couldn’t help crushing on him a little. His smoothness and broodiness were intimidating, but intriguing at the same time. The guy oozed rough edges, and I was crazy for wanting to spend time with him. Yet I felt hints of jealousy when I saw the girls from Northside surrounding him around school. He’d never mentioned having a girlfriend, but I didn’t know for sure.
