“Ooo, sproutin’ like a weed.”
And oh my god, he’d added a tongue stud. “Shut up.” Turning on her heel, she pretended to leave.
“Oh, come in, already,” he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her through the door. “Brought you some Cadbury chocolate.”
“We have Cadbury here.”
They reached his room. Their decorating tastes couldn’t be more different. He liked dark rich colors and nearly everything on the walls was music-related.
“Not the same.” He dug around in an overnight bag on his bed. “Here.”
“Thanks. So…why the bleach?”
“It’s my senior year, love. It’s all different now.” He pushed the bag over to make room for her to sit. “What did you do this summer?”
She sat on his bed, and he joined her. The white hair made his eyes look bluer, something she didn’t think possible. “N-not much. We were camping when you left, as you know. Um, Dad’s been traveling for work a lot, so it’s me and Mom and our cameras. I learned how to develop my own prints. I could show you later.”
“That’s great, Bethie.” He tugged a strand of her hair. “Where’s the rest of it?”
“Trash can of Supercuts. It got in the way that long.” He noticed she cut her hair? Dad didn’t. Swoon.
Jacob dropped the strand. “Shame. I like the Princess Leia look.”
“Geek.” His love for Star Wars was a secret, especially if they were at school.
“Nerd.”
“Punk poser.” The walls were currently black, matching his wardrobe.
“Bookworm.”
They grinned at each other. “It’s good to be home,” he said.
“Yeah?” Her heart swelled that she was part of that.
“Yeah.”
They hung out every day until school started.
Last year of high school and less than a year ‘til he was eighteen and finally out of here. He was counting down the days, chomping at the bit for a time when he could really devote his all to music.
Not all bad in L.A., of course. He had a car and Mum, and Bethie. Loved shocking her with his new look.
There were plans for this year that were all his, though, and he needed to do them alone.
His senior classes weren’t near Beth’s and neither was the Senior Quad, so she didn’t see him much on campus. They didn’t get the same period for Algebra 2, either, then she found out he joined the soccer team after the fact. Other than giving her a ride to school in the morning, she barely saw him until October and he needed her help again.
“I see how it is. Too busy for ol’ Bethie unless you want something,” she said when he rapped on her window.
“You know it’s not like that.”
She arched one eyebrow. “Oh, do I?”
“Please, Bethie? Name your price.”
Anything? He must be desperate. “I want to go to Homecoming.”
He squirmed. “Uh, I already have a date.”
She slammed the window shut. “Then no deal.”
“Fine! Plenty more tutors to choose from!”
“Fine!”
Not fine. Dammit. Ooops. Good thing I didn’t say that word out loud.
She took the bus for a month just for spite. Of course, she was dealing with a teenage boy. A gorgeous teenage boy that could sell ice to an Eskimo. He had no problem getting help from the senior girls and even less of a problem remaining eligible for all his activities despite rarely being home to study. She knew. She peeked through the fence to see if his light was on almost every night.
It was a month before she saw him other than by a brief glance at school. Their moms planned Thanksgiving again. This time, they sat them right next to each other. He kept bouncing his left knee and bumping her leg.
So she bumped his leg back.
He knocked her knee again.
She did it back and bumped bone-to-bone.
“Ow.”
“Then keep your legs to yourself,” she hissed.
“You need less room.”
“You need manners.”
“Pie?” Beth’s mother asked, giving both of them The Look.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said. Suck-up.
Beth escaped to her room when the adults moved to the den, hoping he would stay out there. He didn’t.
“What is your problem, Beth?” He shut the door.
“I thought we were friends.”
His brows furrowed in the middle. “We are friends.”
“I never see you anymore, and you have new ‘friends’.” He was in the top five of most popular seniors, maybe the most of the whole school.
“You’re the one who refused to let me take you to school.”
“Because you only want my brain power.”
He sighed. “I’m sorry I’ve been busy, but that’s how this is. You’ll understand when you get there.”
She crossed her arms over her newly-A-cup chest. “Oh, so it’s all okay because you’re a senior?”
“Now you’re twistin’ my words. Bethie, you still matter, okay? We’re just livin’ two diff’rent lives right now.”
“You’ll be gone in six months, so how is that going to change?”
He sat on her bed. “More like seven and a half. If I get accepted to university.”
“Where have you applied?”
“Some here. Some in London.”
“Oh.” Away from me. I’m going to lose him to another continent.
He bumped her shoulder. “We’ll keep in touch. Swear on my guitar.” A pretty serious declaration.
“Which one?”
“Does it matter? I’d give up my car before I’d part with either of ‘em. Hell, I’d give up my soul before music.”
She smiled. “I know. The big dream.”
He nodded. “Too bloody right. And you get the first copy of the album, after me.”
“And you’ll sign it for me?”
He grinned. “Love and kisses, baby.”
She socked his shoulder. “You’re so corny.”
“Forgive me?” he asked hopefully.
“If you’re staying for Christmas.”
“Brat.”
She stuck her tongue out at him. “I want best friend time. Deal with it.”
He smiled. “Yes, Your Highness.”
At least soccer was done, so he didn’t have to stay after school for practices anymore. Beth allowed him to be her transportation again…which worked most of the time. Friday and Saturday nights were rarely hers, and she hated it when he ditched her to feel up some girl.
Well, she assumed that’s what they were doing. It’s not like they talked about it.
Mrs. Lindsey stayed in L.A. this Christmas, then left him home alone for the days surrounding New Year’s, Beth’s mother informed to randomly check up on him.
“Any New Year’s Eve plans?” Beth asked while he played a video game. She lay on his bed with one of his pillows under her chin.
He sat on the floor with the controller. “Officially—no.”
“Unofficially?”
“Somethin’ might come up.”
With his hair right in front of her, she was tempted to play. The bleach had grown out a bit and waves were starting to form. He had the most perfect hair that did whatever he asked it to. So not fair. “I’m not going to be your alibi.”
He glanced up. “I only did that once.”
“If you go out that night, you’ll have to tell my mom.”
“Don’t even know if there’s somethin’ to go out to. It’s just a rumor.”
“How come you won’t take me to one of these parties?” She wasn’t great in groups, but staying home every night was getting to her.
“You’re a sophomore.” Like that explained it all.
“So?”
“So…you’d be the youngest by a lot. And you hate crowds.”
She rolled onto her back and stared at the stars on his ceiling. “Just say the truth: I’m not cool enough.”
“Bethie
…”
“You’re rarely seen in public with me if there’s a chance someone from school will see us, Jacob. I’m not an idiot.”
He paused the game. “I don’t care about that.” He rose up on his knees so he could see her face. “If anything, I’m protecting you.”
“Me? From what?”
“From the jerks who think I’m bein’ nice because you’re young and impressionable.”
“What does my age have to do with anything?”
He smiled at her, an expression that said he had wisdom she didn’t. “An easy lay with a little manipulation.”
“Why would they think—? How dare they—? It’s not like that!” Of all the stupid— “You’re my neighbor. My dad would kill you.” Yeah, part of her wanted him to be her first, but not at fifteen. And it was downright insulting anyone thought she was gullible.
“Believe me, I know. It’s just high school, Bethie. Most of it’s bleedin’ stupid.”
“Have you ever, um…?”
He turned back to the game. “Nope.”
Her heart did the Snoopy dance over him still being a virgin. It shouldn’t matter, except it did. “But you date a lot.”
“So.”
“So, why not? Isn’t that what a seventeen-year-old boy does?”
“Haven’t met the right girl, yet.”
“What makes her ‘the right girl’?”
“I don’t know… She just will be.”
“But I heard—”
“Beth, I’m gonna die if you don’t quit yammerin’.” He meant the game, of course.
“Sorry.”
He was two years ahead of her and his own person, but it was bad enough he’d be going off to college without her, you know? She didn’t want to be left in the dust for every milestone.
And… She loved him. She still hoped he’d see her before the year was over.
Feel free to mock my delusion.
Bethie was giving him guilt trips whether she meant to or not. She looked so sad every time he told her he was busy, like she didn’t expect him to come home one day. She tried to hide it, but he wasn’t as oblivious as people thought.
Mum wasn’t much better. He’d spot her dabbing at her eyes sometimes, like when a university letter came in or he passed another high school milestone for the last time. She took so many pictures the night of Winter Formal he was blind leaving the house.
So, he tried to balance them all—his mother, friends, dates, studies—and hoped no one would be too mad with him in the end for being human.
That winter was pretty rainy, so Jacob wasn’t away from home as much. When the semester ended, Beth hoped to hang out for another three-day weekend, but Mrs. Lindsey took him to visit some university. Unfortunately, only one of the schools on his list was in L.A.
Dad went away for Spring Break on business and Mom left to visit Beth’s brother. Dad and Andrew butted heads if they were in the same room and both of them were too stubborn to get over it. Since Andrew wouldn’t come home, Mom went to him when she could.
It was the first time they’d left her home alone for a weekend.
She climbed in through Jacob’s window that night. He offered half of his bed. After making him promise to be a gentleman, she got under the covers, back to him, and sighed in relief.
She woke up in the morning feeling a weight across the middle of her. His arm was draped over her ribs, his fingers laced with hers, and he was breathing on her neck.
One part of her wanted to stay being held. The other fifteen-year-old part was freaking out and thought flight was in order. She carefully slid out from under his arm, stood, and snatched her pillow. He mumbled in his sleep and stretched his arm out where she’d been.
He looked so cute dead asleep, his face like an angel’s. Sighing, she turned for the window, carefully slid it open, and went home.
Why did she have to fall for the unattainable boy?
****
Beth’s parents were away for the weekend for some such thing and she snuck into his room in the middle of the night, carrying her pillow.
“Hey. Can I take your floor?” She climbed in through the window.
Jacob paused the Nintendo game. “Beth? What are you doing here at this hour?” She was never outside past curfew and even preferred getting to bed by ten.
“The house makes weird noises. Do you mind?”
He shrugged. “Whatever.”
Bethie was the only girl allowed in his room because she respected boundaries. She stretched out on the hardwood floor and placed her pillow under her head. “Don’t tell anybody on Monday.”
He rolled his eyes. “I wouldn’t do that. Just go to sleep.” He waited for her to complain about the game noise. Three. Two. One.
“Can you mute that?”
Sighing, he shut it off, then stretched out on the bed, propping his bleached head up with his hand.
“There’s enough room, you know.” No motive behind the offer—it was just the hospitable thing to say.
Her eyes bugged out of their sockets. “Share a BED? I-I…”
“Bethie, it’s not a big deal, pet. I’ll even sleep on top o’ the covers, if you like.”
She thought about it, squirming all the while because his floor was hard as a brick. “Fine…” She stood and waited for him to scoot over. “No monkey business.”
He made a crossing motion on his bare chest. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”
She got under the covers, her back to him, and sighed. The mattress was a double, so there was plenty of room.
“Better?”
“Thank you.”
He played the game a while longer, being a natural night owl.
When the sun shone through his window in the morning, he awakened before she did. He was still on top of the covers with his arm wrapped around her, their heads sharing her pillow. Their fingers were laced together. He inhaled the sweet smell of her soft hair and went back to sleep.
The next time he woke, she was gone.
It was the first time he wondered what it would be like to wake up next to a girl every day.
****
In May, Beth helped him get ready for Prom. Black suit, white shirt, straight black tie…and a single rose for his date.
The bitch.
Aw, that wasn’t fair. It was a girl he spoke well of from drama class, with good grades and a clean rep. He didn’t go last year, calling it “cheesy and too American”, but his mother was on the experience every part of your last year kick, so…Prom.
“It’s too tight.” He tugged on his collar.
She centered the tie again. “It’s fine.”
“Hate these things. Can’t breathe.”
“You look great.” She turned him toward the mirror.
He smirked at his reflection. “I do, don’t I?”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t let it go to your head.”
The bathroom smelled like Obsession. She needed air before she did something insane like kiss him.
“Jacob, the limo’s here, darling,” Mrs. Lindsey called.
“Time to go, kid.” He left ahead of her. His mother snapped a picture when they reached the foyer. “Mum, a little warning?”
“Smile, kids.”
He draped his arm around Beth’s shoulders and mugged for the camera. Her eyes were on the floor, cheeks blushing whenever a flash was pointed her way. He took the rose from her hand, kissed his mother on the cheek, and walked out the door.
Jenny what’s-her-name was a lucky girl.
“Didn’t feel like dancing, dear?”
“Not my scene, Mrs. Lindsey. I work at Sadie Hawkins, but that’s it. You know…the music’s too loud and all sounds the same, the food is terrible and the punch is watered down…”
She nodded. “Of course. Goodnight, Elizabeth.”
“’Night.”
Mom had “sympathy face” when Beth walked back in the house. She finally confronted her about her crush a few months ago and knew h
ow hard it was for her to see him go off with other girls. “Chocolate Fudge Brownie?” she offered, extending the pint.
Beth took it and stuck a big spoonful in her mouth. “You’re a lifesaver, Mom.”
Ice cream in hand, she went back to her room to put more photos in her album and try not to cry.
Bethie turned sixteen on the twenty-fifth. Shopping for girls had never been his forte, so he looked for clues, watching for some sign of something she wanted that wouldn’t be weird for him to buy. Books were a good bet, but he didn’t want to get one she already had. Knew she liked classical music, and chocolate ice cream, and flowers…but flowers were for mothers and girlfriends and the sick and those categories didn’t fit. Could’ve played her party, but she refused to have one.
So, he treated her to a meal at their favorite burger joint.
“You picked up the check last time,” she complained.
“Bethie, it’s your birthday. Enjoy my generosity.”
She sighed and sat back on her side of the booth. “It’s just another day.”
“Why do you dislike your birthday so much?”
She shrugged. “I don’t…I just don’t think it’s special.”
“Well, accept that other people do and milk it.”
“That what you’re doing?”
“Haven’t had to lift a finger. Wouldn’t believe all the dosh comin’ in for my birthday or graduation. I’ve never been so happy to see the mailman as this week.”
She rolled her eyes. “Of course everyone loves you. You’re charmed.”
“Seriously. Just wait for it. I’ve gotten congratulations from folk I don’t even know, just ‘cause Mum does. People like your parents, so it’ll happen to you, too.”
She didn’t look convinced. “S’pose it’ll help you move to London.” He’d accepted the enrollment offer and would be leaving this summer to find a job before school started. “What happens to your car?”
“Dunno. Probably sell it. Mum doesn’t need two. Gonna get your license now?”
“Eventually.” She stirred her milkshake. “Thanks for taking me to the parking lot before I got in with Dad. I needed the practice.”
“Still drivin’ your mum around?”
“Yep. Think she likes having a chauffeur. But Dad’s the one to declare me ready.” She slurped up the last drops in her glass. “I’m done, so we can go. You probably need to be somewhere.”
Kissed Page 3
