Live Again

by Brittney Mulliner

  I jumped onto the floor, sprinted to my room, and changed into running clothes. Passing Gage, I opened the door and went to call the elevator before he made it out.

  “You were just going leave me here?”

  “You made it a challenge. I don’t lose.”

  He shoved me into the elevator and pushed the ground floor button. “It starts when we get outside, dork.”

  Gage stood by me, laughing at me bouncing on my feet. Not only had he placed a bet, he was freeing me from my tower. I now understood the struggles Rapunzel faced.

  No matter which way I moved, Gage darted in front, blocking me from taking off. Once we got outside, he lined us up. “To the tip of the peninsula?”

  With a single nod I looked at him out of the corner of my eye.

  “On your mark. Get set. Go!”

  I was off before he finished the last word, earning me several curses. What a sore loser. Keeping my pace just fast enough to stay ahead, I enjoyed being outside and just a few blocks from the ocean. Only two miles and I would be in front of it, with nothing separating me from its massive expanse. I counted the houses I passed, each step I took, and each time Gage cursed at me for going too fast.

  Finally, I stood on the sand of the tip of the peninsula, waiting for Gage, pretending to have been waiting forever. “I want a large mango-strawberry.”

  “Yeah, yeah. How long have you been bottling that in?”

  “Since I got grounded.”

  “Grounded? Your brother grounded you? Does he think you’re five?”

  I stepped on each heel, removing my shoes and socks. The call of the warm sand was too much to resist. “It’s more like lockdown.”

  He followed my actions and joined me where the water kissed the sand. “You commit a crime?”

  “Not really. Things have been a bit crazy lately and he just wanted to make sure I’m safe.”

  “From?”

  I wiggled my toes in the heavy sand, allowing my feet to sink in further. “Someone wants to hurt me.” Without looking up, I knew he was looking at me, probably waiting for me to say I was kidding. “I don’t know who, so don’t bother asking.”

  There were a few beats of silence before I heard his feet shuffling in the sand. Suddenly my feet were out from under me and I was swept up in his arms. My screams heightened the farther he crept into the water. I knew what he had planned, and I really, really didn’t want him to succeed. My hands roamed, trying to find a way to stop him. I pulled at his shirt, but nothing fazed him.

  In a blink, I was fully submerged. Luckily, my grip hadn’t broken and he’d come in with me.

  My feet finally found the ground and I stood, whipping the water from my eyes. Gage stood a few feet to my right. Without hesitation I threw myself at him, forcing us into the water again.

  His hands locked on my arms and forced us up. He kept his hold as he marched us out of the water to where our dry shoes sat mocking us.

  For the first time, it registered I’d been laughing through all of this. The taste of salt water remained after my spitting attempt to get it out. My laughter found new life when I looked at Gage glaring at me.

  “I wasn’t supposed to go in with you.”

  “You really thought I would let you throw me in? No way, sir. I go in, you go in.”

  “I don’t want to run back soaking wet.”

  “You started this!”

  “Let’s just sit here for a few minutes and dry a little.”

  “Fine. You’re such a baby.”

  I pulled him down to sit next to me, high enough on the sand that the water could only taunt us. The sun was still high in the sky, and I wondered if I could make Gage stay here long enough to watch the sunset. There wasn’t anything better in the world than watching murals paint themselves across the sky in the minutes before the sun finally dropped beyond the horizon. My spot on the balcony had a nice view, but here there was not a single thing blocking my view.

  Gage was silent next to me. I wanted to ask him what he was thinking about, but maybe I wasn’t the only one in love with the here and now. I didn’t know what made him show up when he did, but I was so grateful. I leaned toward him and pulled his elbow out. After slipping my arm through his, I settled down. A heartbeat later, he tugged my elbow urging me closer.

  ☼ ☼ ☼

  A strange sound startled me awake. My room was darker than it normally was when I would get up. The sound repeated. I looked to my nightstand and watched my phone shimmy on its surface. Who on earth would text me this early?

  Now that I knew I wasn’t in immediate danger, I fell back onto my pillows and lazily reached an arm over the side of the bed. After a few seconds of blindly fumbling around, I grabbed it and brought the screen to my face.

  Mike. What did he want at this unnatural hour?

  My eyes blinked several times as they adjusted to the brightness when I unlocked my phone.

  Mike “The Babe” Thomas: Morning babe. Date night w/ B and Liv tonight

  No one was in danger. There was no breaking news devastating the nation. My favorite band wasn’t even touring close by. Nothing deserving of an unwelcomed wakeup call.

  I threw my phone across the bed and thought of the endless replies he deserved, before falling back asleep.

  After what felt like seconds later, my real alarm sounded. Mike was going to get an earful when I saw him. I had only been up for a few minutes, but it threw off my sleep cycle enough to make me feel drowsy.

  Mckayla texted me to let me know she was waiting just as I was getting dressed. I groaned and grabbed some makeup on my way out. Another bun day for me. I hurried out the door and willed the elevator to hurry down.

  My illusion that she wouldn’t notice dissipated the moment I got in. “Rough night?” She didn’t bother trying to conceal her grin.

  I only had enough time to shoot her a dirty look before opening my bag and digging around for my makeup.

  “Wow. That bad?” She laughed lightly as she drove. The school was only a few minutes away, so I had to hurry before we pulled in and I had it out with Mike.

  “I’m just off this morning.” I was brushing on powder with one hand and applying mascara with the other. Not the most effective method, but it did the job well enough to conceal my tired eyes.

  We pulled into the lot and our normal spot was still open. It was funny to me that Mike was intimidating enough to save a prime parking spot without anyone challenging him. He was standing at the back of his car with some of his friends. I couldn’t help but glare in response to his friendly wave.

  His brilliant smile dimmed the longer I took to get out of the car. By the time I turned to get my bag out of the car, he was next to me, leaning in for a kiss.

  I held my hand up and pushed against his chest. “Oh no, buddy. We need to talk.”

  Emotions crossed his face faster than I could decipher. “Did something happen? What’s wrong?”

  I lifted my phone in response.

  “I don’t get it. Did you get another message?” Suddenly he was angry. “What did it say this time?”

  “It said, ‘Morning babe. Date night w/ B and Liv tonight.’”

  Confusion turned to relief. “You scared me! I thought something bad happened.”

  “Something awful, almost unforgettable, did happen.”

  “My text.” His thick brow furrowed instantly.

  “Your 4 AM text. Your 4 AM text that was not an emergency that woke me up and caused this!” I pointed at my face, waving my finger around. “I look like death because you couldn’t wait a few hours.”

  His laughter caught the attention of the group around us. “Babe, you look great. I’m sorry I woke you up.” He reached for my hands and held them to his chest. “I asked Brandon about it last night, and I saw his reply when I woke up for my workout. I didn’t think it would wake you up. I just assumed you would see it when you woke up.”

  My attempt to continue glaring at him was failing fast.

 
“Stop scowling. It will cause wrinkles, then you’ll blame me for that, too.” His laugher was shaking his body as he pulled me into a tight hug and kissed my forehead. When he did things like this, it made it really, really hard to stand my ground. Every time I got upset with something he did, I ended up being the one who felt guilty.

  Mike always had the best intentions. He did things he thought would make me happy or keep me safe. When he asked me to skip dance, he actually just wanted to be able to keep an eye on me. Waking me up in the middle of the night was just his excitement about being able to go on a date. Somehow I ended up being the one in the wrong each time.

  “Let’s get to class, stinker.” I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop the smile. Big scary Mike was my personal teddy bear.

  ☼ ☼ ☼

  Not only had Mike convinced Brandon to let me out on the town, but he got him to go on a double with us. This meant he was home before me. There was no danger and no injuries and my brother was actually home at a normal hour. Amazing.

  “Hi, wee one.”

  I stuck my tongue out at him on my way to the fridge. “What are you doing here, stranger?”

  “I almost said no when Mike asked me about this, but the thought of disappointing him was too much.”

  “You two have a sick relationship.”

  “Don’t be jealous. Liv and I haven’t been able to go out in a while, so it was a perfect offer.” He walked past me and into his room. “Be ready in thirty!”

  Thirty minutes? Showering, blow-drying, makeup . . . that would be at least an hour! I dropped the water bottle I was holding and sprinted into my room, ripping off my clothes on the way.

  I’d just finished in record time when Brandon knocked on my door. “Ready? Mike is here and we’re picking Liv up on the way.”

  It was funny to think about when I first got here and went out with Mike for a date to restore my faith in men. I had been so nervous about what to wear and how to do my hair, and I barely knew him. Now I was comfortable enough with him to know he didn’t care how I looked. He was always complimenting me, and just the way he looked at me gives his feelings away. Looking back on how much effort I put in that night, it seemed so pointless.

  I walked into the living room and caught Mike’s eye. His smile reached his eyes as he took me in. “Hi there, beautiful.”

  There it was. “Hi.”

  “Alright, you two. Let’s get going.”

  “Where are we going? I haven’t even heard the plans yet.”

  Mike met me by the front door and slipped his fingers through mine. “We’re going to get Liv.”

  I elbowed him quickly. “I’m aware. After that?”

  “It’s somewhere you’ve never been, Aubrey.”

  I looked between Mike and Brandon. Since when were they on the same team?

  “Don’t worry about it. You’ll have fun. I promise.” Mike squeezed my hand in an attempt to reassure me, I’m sure.

  “Just get in the car.” Brandon was getting into the driver’s seat and Mike held the passenger door open for me.

  “I don’t want to make him feel like a chauffeur.” Maybe Liv had a better idea of what was going on. I wasn’t one for surprises anymore, and even though I was as safe as I could be with my brother and my boyfriend, I still felt anxious.

  On the way to Liv’s, I made a list of every possibility I could think of. Asking them would only lead to teasing, so I didn’t know how close I was, but I figured I could cross off parasailing, a bay cruise, and basically anything to do with the ocean, since the marine layer was already setting in like a blanket.

  After we picked up Liv and Mike and confirmed their reservation for the mystery place, we finally pulled up in front of a shabby restaurant right off the Pacific Coast Highway. I knew the place only by its reputation. It had the best seafood in the area and worked to maintain its run-down exterior to fend off tourists. A person driving by would likely overlook it, saving it for the locals to enjoy.

  Mike jumped out once we parked and ran around to open my door. When I stepped out and looked through the window to Liv, I laughed at her expression. She looked completely horrified. Apparently she hadn’t been let in on the secret.

  Brandon pushed me aside and opened her door. “Liv, come on. You know I would never take you anywhere I didn’t love.”

  Her wide eyes settled on him and a single brow rose. “You have got to be kidding me! This place looks like it hasn’t passed a health inspection in decades!”

  Mike grabbed my hand and pulled me with him toward the entrance. I could hear Brandon trying again to reassure her he wasn’t trying to kill her.

  We checked in with the hostess and stepped back to wait for Brandon and Liv. Just as she called our name, they walked in. Liv was searching every inch of the restaurant skeptically and Brandon looked overly pleased with himself. Liv was not the type to be talked into something, so the only reason she was in here was because she decided to take the risk.

  Moments after we sat down at a plastic-covered table, a waiter wearing a T-shirt and stained jeans came by to take our drink order. Liv was sitting in her up pin-straight in her chair to avoid touching everything as much as possible. Her face didn’t hide her disgust at the décor or table settings. There were four bibs waiting for us.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me.” She repeated her disbelief.

  My hand shot up to cover my giggling and Mike couldn’t contain his smile.

  Brandon shook his head in defeat. “I swear, Liv. This is the absolute best seafood I’ve ever had in my life. Please, please just trust me!”

  Liv’s eyes locked on mine. She was silently asking my opinion.

  “I’ve heard from tons of people at school that this place is so good, they have to disguise it to keep the tourists out.”

  “You’re joking.”

  Mike nodded in agreement. “Yeah, my family has been coming here for years. The owner wanted to keep it as local as possible, so it’s all by word of mouth now.”

  Slowly, her body began to relax and her back hit the chair. “That’s actually really smart.”

  “I told you!” Brandon was looking between the three of us like he was wondering how he missed the boat.

  “No. You didn’t. You never explained why it looked like this, or why our waiter looks like he hasn’t bathed in weeks. I get it now.”

  Mike began chuckling. “Actually, that’s just how Adam always looks. He thinks the ocean is the same as a shower.”

  Liv groaned while raising the menu to cover her face. Brandon watched her, then turned and caught my eye. “Drama queen,” he mouthed, and her arm shot up and slapped him in the arm. He yelped in surprise.

  “I know you well enough, Brandon, to know you just made fun of me.” The menu never lowered. This woman was a ninja.

  Mike and I shared a look before bursting out laughing. Brandon shot us each a glare while rubbing his arm.

  “Now who’s being a drama queen?”

  Brandon jerked, and Mike yelled out. “What was that for?” He looked a mix between mad and containing his laughter.

  My quiet chuckles exploded, causing Liv to finally drop her menu. With a look between the three of us, she swatted Brandon with the folded menu. “What did you do to the children? We’re supposed to be their chaperones, not get them kicked out of the restaurant.” She looked around at the other tables with an overly apologetic expression.

  I followed her motion and realized we had the attention of every person in the surrounding area. Using one hand to cover my mouth and hopefully my laughter, I used the other to wave apologetically to the guests.

  “You are a menace!” Liv whisper-yelled at Brandon.

  He looked truly remorseful for about half a second, before pointing a finger across the table. “She started it!”

  I gaped in shock. Did he really just try to pull that? Was he three?

  Liv looked at me and winked. “Say you’re sorry to your sister for embarrassing her in front of the entire r
estaurant and her date.”

  Brandon’s eyes narrowed, challenging her.

  “Say it.”

  In a barely audible whisper he grumbled, “I’m sorry, Aubrey.” He side-glanced at Liv to make sure she was happy. When Liv nodded and looked back at the menu, he turned back to me. “You’ll pay later.”

  I stuck out my tongue and shrugged. Watching someone tell Brandon what to do was new for me. Even when he lived at home, Mom knew better. Having Liv around would be very convenient for me.

  Adam came back to take our orders, and our food was out suspiciously fast.

  “See! Look how good it all looks.” Brandon was trying hard to get back on Liv’s good side.

  “It looks great, but that doesn’t mean very much when it comes to food.” She poked at her fish with little interest.

  “Liv, if I can eat it you know it’s good.”

  She laughed and cut off a piece. “You’re right. I’m surprised to see you eat something other than Mexican food. I didn’t know you had such a broad palate.” She winked and took a bite.

  All eyes were on her, waiting for a reaction. She chewed slowly, being overdramatic in her careful consideration.

  “Hmmm . . . it’s not bad.”

  “That’s it?” Mike was getting as frustrated with her as Brandon. She looked at him sternly and took another bite. I watched her with admiration, wishing I was taking notes. This one knew how to drive them crazy.

  “Alright, alright. I admit, it’s good. Really good.”

  Mike sighed as if he could finally relax knowing she approved. I chuckled and started in on my food.

  After a few silent minutes of us enjoying our meal, Mike cleared his throat. “Do you have any big plans this week, Aubrey?”

  My mind instantly ran through my list of things to do. Nothing out of the ordinary was jumping out. Did he know something I didn’t, or was he just making conversation?

  He must have sensed my confusion, and clarified. “Your last few weeks have been pretty busy, so I was just wondering if things were calming down.”

  “Oh. Well, we only have two practices this week, but some optional time too.”

  “So, you can hang out after I’m done with football?”

  He looked so hopeful, and I groaned internally. How many times were we going to have this same conversation? “Not really. I still have to go in to work on my new solo and a small group piece I’m not comfortable with. Our team practices were just cut back this week.”