These Days Series: After Tuesday | Forgotten Yesterday | Deciding Tomorrow

by Renee Ericson

  Just then, my cell phone chimes and buzzes with a new text from Lexi. She’s had my number all summer, but I’ve only received two texts from her in the past four weeks. Both times, she wanted to see if we could meet at camp early to go canoeing together.

  During our first week at Camp White Ash, we were teamed together for training with four other coeds. We learned basic stuff, like how to properly light a fire, and then we navigated through trails, ran through obstacle course safety, and trained for all the water activities. Lexi and I shared a canoe that week, and just like me, she fell in love with the stillness and serenity of floating on the water.

  I take a look at her text.

  What’s your address? I’ll pick you up.

  We didn’t work out the logistics about going to the party tonight before we left camp. She just said she would text me later, but I thought she might blow me off.

  I know we’re friends at camp, but this is different. This is a school party with a whole new set of people in a place where I don’t really have a place. I go the middle-ground route.

  How about I meet you there?

  About thirty seconds later, she texts me back.

  Why don’t you come over and stay here after? We can go together.

  Hmmm. I never even thought of that as an option. I usually like to see my dad for a little bit on the weekends, but I think he already made up his mind as to what his plans would be for the evening. I guess I can catch up with him tomorrow. It doesn’t look like he’ll be up for much conversation tonight. Who am I kidding? He’s not much for conversation any night.

  I quickly accept. Sure. Address?

  Lexi replies just as quickly. 214 Maple. See you at 7?

  See you then.

  “Well, there you have it,” I tell Dragon. “Looks like this little lady has plans for the evening.”

  Dragon jerks up as I hear the back door open in the unit next door. He heads into the hallway while I peek out my window to see Cody in the backyard. Ugh, my cousin, Cody. Yeah, we’re related, but he can be such a pain at times.

  Through the window, I can see him walking toward our back door, so I head out to meet him. When I get to the kitchen, Cody is standing in front of the fridge with Dragon at his side.

  I haven’t really seen Cody in more than a month. The last time was at the mild disaster on the Fourth of July. We were at a bonfire that ended with too many drunk people and me stranded with no ride. He goes through phases with being here, at Uncle Jas’s, and not being here. It’s like he gets bored with his friends and then decides he should spend time with his family or something.

  Cody lives in an apartment by himself two towns over where he runs another garage for his father, my Uncle Jas. He’s only three years older than me, but he could easily pass for twenty-five instead of twenty.

  Every time I see him, he seems to have a new look. Today, he’s wearing a dark blue T-shirt with cut-off sleeves. On his legs are what I affectionately call “Ben Affleck pants,” after seeing Good Will Hunting, but I guess others would call them track pants. His are some cheap knock-off version that he probably purchased at a discount retailer. He’s also wearing some type of work boots with the laces undone.

  I notice a piece of plastic wrap surrounded by tape on the inside of his right forearm. It’s shimmery and discolored. Looks like he had a date with the tattoo parlor. His dark hair is shorter than the last time I saw him. It’s almost shaved down to the scalp, and it looks like he’s growing a goatee. Aren’t those out of style yet?

  “Hey, Cody,” I say. I try to sound friendly, but I know it comes out irritated.

  “Hey, Pubies,” he replies in a mocking tone.

  I hate that nickname. Gross.

  He reaches in the fridge and pulls out a can of beer. When he opens it, it begins to foam a little, spilling over a bit. He then makes it a point to fling some of the beer from his fingers onto my face. It barely misses my eyes as a few drops land on my lashes. Nice.

  “Do you always have to be such a dick?” I wipe the crap from my face.

  After taking a long and hard chug, he says, “Nah, I save it just for you. So, where’s your dad?”

  “Sleeping. Why? Do you need something?”

  “Nah, I’ll catch up with him later. So, what’s up?”

  Cody heads for the small living area off the kitchen. He drops down on the couch while I take a seat in a chair designed more for a kitchen table, but we use it in the living room. Geez, make yourself at home.

  After we’re seated, Dragon comes to sit by me. This internally pleases me. I have someone on my team. Two against one is how I see it. Cody can be a little much to deal with at times.

  “Well?” he sings mockingly, referring to his previous question.

  “Not much. I just got back.”

  He wipes the scruff on his face with the back of his hand. “Back? Where have you been?”

  “I’ve been working at Camp White Ash all summer,” I tell him cautiously. I’m not sure what he’s getting at. “But you knew that.”

  “Oh yeah,” he says. “Work with any hot babes? Big tits? Tight asses?”

  Here we go.

  “Um, I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure I don’t look at girls the same way you do.” I roll my eyes and then look at Dragon. He’s obviously waiting for me to pet him, so I do.

  “Well, why don’t you bring some over? I can let you know if they’re worth my time or not.”

  Really? Eww. I’m not sure if he’s joking or not, but there’s no way I’d ever introduce him to any girl I know. I guess he’s good-looking, but I don’t think he’s exactly boyfriend material.

  “Uh, yeah right, Cody. So you can…what? Date them? Do you even date?” I ask with a bit of venom. I try to play it off as a joke, so I don’t piss him off.

  “Ha! I don’t hear any girls complaining. They all seem to have a really good time,” he says, waggling his eyebrows like a villain.

  “You’re so disgusting.”

  “Some girls like it dirty.”

  “Nasty.”

  “Exactly.”

  “No, you’re nasty.”

  “I know.” He smiles in a taunting way, waiting for me to challenge him further.

  Time to change the subject because this is heading in a direction I don’t wish to go. “So, are you staying the night with your dad?”

  “Maybe. I hear some people are coming over later. Are you going?” He leans back in the couch as he rubs the soft dark stubble on his head. Narrowing his light blue eyes at me, he says, “Forget it. You never come. I keep forgetting that you’re better than us.”

  “No, I’m not,” I tell him with a defensive lilt. “I just don’t want to go.”

  “C’mon,” he sings. “You’re missing out. You can bring a friend with you…or two.”

  “Okay,” I tell him, knowing that I’m saying it just so he’ll drop it, “but I can’t tonight. I already have plans.”

  “Really?” he asks surprised, like he doesn’t believe I have a life.

  Well, he’s probably right. There’s a reason why Dragon, a dog, is my best friend.

  “You got a hot date or something?” he teases. He then starts to huff a little at some inner conversation he’s having with himself. “Make sure to use protection unless you’re on the rag. You should be safe then.”

  Yep, that’s enough for me. I get up and walk to the kitchen to get a glass of water. I know his last comment about my period is something he said just to get a rise out of me. As I name his stupid little game “Rude Comments to Make Ruby Lose Her Marbles,” I hear him approaching from the living room.

  “If you guys need the hook-up tonight, don’t be a stranger,” he says all jokes aside as he opens the back door. “I gotcha covered.”

  Great. Just great.

  Three

  After Cody leaves the house, I quickly change into running clothes and do a five-mile loop to the lake and back to burn off some frustration. I’m not really a distance runner.
Shorter sprints are my specialty due to track, but the long run helps me to clear my mind.

  The air in my face always helps to calm me down, bringing everything back into perspective. During my run, I remind myself that I have only one year left here. It’s not a prison sentence, just mandatory time, and then I’m free to go. Whether it’s college, a commune, work on a boat, waiting tables in Vegas, or whatever, it doesn’t matter as long as it’s away from here.

  My hopes have always been set on college. We don’t have much money, and I doubt my dad has set aside a dime for school. I’m hoping though, with my academic status and the fact that our family economics are considered somewhat dire, that I can get a scholarship and some financial assistance.

  There are some good things about this town. One of the perks of where we live is that it’s close to the lake and a ton of hiking trails. I can’t deny my love for the lake. Camp White Ash is on the other side of it from where we live, but people can dock a canoe over here as well. There’s also a boat club not too far down the street, but I never go there. It’s a private club, so membership costs money. Some people I know from school—well, their parents—have boats docked there.

  After my head is sufficiently cleared from my run, I head home, change out the laundry, and hop in the shower to get ready for tonight.

  Finishing up in the bathroom, I walk to my room with a towel on my head. Along the way, I peek in on my dad to see if he’s where I left him. Yep, he is. Good Lord, he’s out of it.

  I pack a few things, such as toiletries, clothes, and a little makeup, for tonight. Dressing in a pair of low-rise skinny jeans and a fitted tee with an image of a glass of lemonade on the front, I push my feet into a pair of flip-flops. I start to brush and dry my brown hair that now has a few highlights from the sun along with a bit of frizz from the humidity associated with Midwest summers. Oh well. Next is the face. Luckily, I have a tan from being outdoors, so no foundation or blush are needed. Instead, I concentrate on accentuating my dark brown eyes, using a dark liner and mascara to make them pop. Then, I top the lids with a burnt honey color, hoping to bring out the gold ring around the iris. I smile a little at my reflection, noticing that it works. Mission complete.

  Sufficiently ready to go, I pick up my overnight bag and clutch. I head to the kitchen and write a note for my dad to let him know that I’ll see him in the morning. Scratch that. Who knows if he’ll get up tonight?

  So, I simply write:

  See you Saturday.

  —Tuesday

  I grab a bite to eat before meeting Lexi at her house at seven.

  ***

  I have to use the GPS on my phone to get to Lexi’s house since I don’t recognize the street name. She lives in one of the nicer developments in town, but by no means would I say they live in an affluent neighborhood.

  I pull into the driveway, making sure not to block anyone in. Then, I grab my stuff, open the car door, and walk up to her front door. I’m a little nervous about being here for the first time since I don’t know her parents. Parents, at least normal ones, are something I’m not sure I understand.

  After wiping the sweat off the palm of my hand onto my jeans, I press the doorbell. I hear a high-pitched squeal from inside the house. I assume it’s Lexi, and then less than ten seconds later, she whips open the door.

  “Whoop! Whoop!” she sings, jumping up and down while she claps her hands.

  The girl is a nut. Does she ever calm down?

  “Excited, are we?” I ask through a snort and giggle.

  “Get in here!” she practically screams, yanking me through the door.

  She then runs up the steps, so I follow. When we get to what I assume is her room, she pulls me in and closes the door behind her. Quickly, I look around and notice two twin beds, a desk, a dresser with a mirror, and a ton of posters that practically cover every inch of the taupe-colored walls.

  Lexi bounces over to her closet and starts to sort through her clothes. “Let’s get you a sexy shirt. You can borrow one of mine,” she says, gathering a few options in her hands.

  They all look very…um, tight.

  “Here, try these on,” she continues, tossing the shirts on the bed.

  Using the tips of my fingers, I pick up one that looks like a halter top of sorts with a red-and-cream pattern on the fabric. “Are you sure? This kind of looks slutty. Is slutty in fashion?” I ask.

  “It’s not slutty,” she replies. “It’s hot.”

  I pull off my lemonade tee and slip on the halter. If I’m going to wear this little number, the bra has got to go, so I fling it into my bag sitting on the bed. Fortunately, the halter is made with built-in support. I’m not overly endowed, so it’s not too inappropriate.

  Lexi looks me over and nods, confirming that it meets her approval. “Now that, my friend, is hot,” she says. Then, she puts on a similar halter, but hers is navy blue with a gold trim.

  We kind of look like twins, but not really. With her gold hair and blue-gray eyes, no one would ever mistake us for sisters, let alone twins.

  “Thanks. That color looks nice on you, by the way,” I offer, taking a seat on the bed. “So, what’s the plan?”

  “We’re leaving here and meeting Brent at the market at eight, and then we’re all going over together,” she states while she fiddles with her hair.

  “Cool,” I reply. “So, is Frankie going, too?”

  “Uh, no,” she serenades negatively to the mirror. Then, she turns to look at me. “He and Frankie broke up about a month ago.”

  “Humph,” I mutter, looking at the ground.

  “He actually called me when I got home this afternoon. He had a lot of questions about you.” She lifts her brow, giving me a taunting devilish glare.

  “What? Huh?”

  “Girl, I think he likes you.” She giggles.

  “Stop. That’s ludicrous.”

  “Ruby, seriously, I’m not kidding. He called, asking me all sorts of questions about you. He wanted to know if you were coming with us to Owen’s. I’m not making this crap up.”

  Brent Cromwell was asking about me?Okay, calm down, Ruby. Even though he’s totally drool-worthy, that doesn’t mean I need to start fainting because he asked a few questions about me. Remember, he’s still a person—a universally agreed-upon hot person.

  “Whatever,” I tell her. “So, when do you want to leave?”

  “Soon and I’ll drive.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  ***

  An hour later, in Lexi’s late model Honda Accord, we pull into the market parking lot. Stopping next to an Audi hatchback, Lexi rolls down her window, and I look over to see the passenger window of the Audi descending as well. I can see Brent sitting in the driver’s seat with that damn lethal grin of his. Seriously? That thing should be illegal.

  “Hey, ladies,” Brent says casually. “You two ready to go?”

  “You betcha!” Lexi shouts, giving a resounding whoop.

  Oh my word. She is way too excited. Finding myself on the edge of giggles as well, I just shake my head at the both of them. Silliness does not become me.

  “All right, follow me.” He chuckles and then takes off out of the lot.

  We follow him to a side of town near where Lexi lives, but it’s less populated. This area isn’t as developed yet, but I know the housing being built here is pretty nice—actually, more than nice. As we pull up the street, I’m not surprised at the size or the details of the houses. The word fancy comes to mind with money following close behind.

  We park on the street in front of a large house, which I assume is Owen’s. It’s only 8:30, but there are already quite a few cars here.

  I hope this isn’t a big party because I tend to get lost at those. I’m not one for big groups.

  We all get out at the same time and head up the front lawn. Brent leads the way while Lexi and I walk together. Without knocking, he opens the front door, holding it for us. There isn’t much noise in the house, which likely means ever
yone is out back. We follow Brent through the house to a set of French doors that lead to the patio. Yep, everyone is out here, congregating around the in-ground pool and fire pit.

  Nice, and um, wow. This is nothing like my house. Our pool costs $25 and usually holds ice and beer while old car wheels are our version of a fire pit.

  I look around the crowd, and I’m relieved to see that this really is more of a gathering than a party. Dressed in a halter top, I’m slightly chilled, so I eye the fire as my next destination point. Why didn’t I wear a jacket? Fashion over comfort is overrated.

  “Ruby, you wanna get a drink?” Lexi asks.

  “Sure.”

  We head over to the cooler near the house, leaving Brent, and I pick out an alcoholic lemonade. I’m not really a beer girl, and I know better than to take something that isn’t in a bottle. I don’t care if we do live in a small town; I never know if someone has a secret agenda. Best not to be careless.

  With drinks in hand, we head over to the group surrounding the fire. It’s mostly guys, but I see two girls I recognize as Autumn and Casey from the volleyball team. Lexi is on the team with them, so I follow her over to stand near them and the fire. Thank you, warmth.

  “Casey, Autumn,” Lexi greets them. “What’s up?”

  “Nothing. We were just chatting about the new movie with that hot guy in it. You know the one. You wanna come with us to see it tomorrow?” Autumn asks.

  “Maybe,” Lexi says and then takes a swig from her bottled drink. “Day or night?”

  “Matinee. I have to work tomorrow night,” Casey adds.

  “Sure then. You wanna come, too, Ruby?” she asks, turning to face me.

  I look to Autumn and Casey to see if they’re okay with her invitation to me. Although I know them from classes, we aren’t exactly friends. However, I can tell that Lexi’s acceptance is all they need to accept me, too.

  “Sure, I’m free,” I say and then take a sip of my drink.