by Amber Garza
“Um…I was cleaning up the side yard.” He smiled innocently in a way that always worked on Mom.
I narrowed my eyes. “They didn’t teepee the side yard.”
“Uh-huh,” he argued back.
I was about to respond when I clamped my mouth shut. No way was I fighting with Preston in front of Nick. “Whatever.”
“Hey.” Preston bounced his head toward Nick. “You’re our neighbor, right?”
“Yeah. Nick.”
Preston waggled his eyebrows at me. Then he turned to Nick with a teasing smile. “Trust me, I know your name.”
Panic welled up in my chest. I threw Preston a don’t-you-dare-say-what-you’re-thinking look.
“You do, huh?” Nick raised his eyebrows, his gaze shooting between Preston and me.
My entire body went rigid, every single muscle tensing up.
“We don’t need any help, Pres,” I said through gritted teeth. “We’ve got it.”
“Sweet.” With a large smile, Preston hurried toward the house. “Later.”
It wasn’t until he was inside that I heaved a sigh of relief. The yard was pretty much cleaned up. There were only a few pieces of toilet paper stuck in the large tree that stood in the center of the yard. Unfortunately, they were coiled around some pretty high branches. Nick could reach the high ones, but I would only be able to grab the lower ones.
Standing on the opposite side of the tree trunk from Nick, I stood on my tip-toes and stretched my fingers as far as they could reach. The tips brushed against an edge of the toilet paper.
“Don’t hurt yourself,” Nick said in a half-concerned, half-joking way. “I can get the rest.”
“I can do it,” I said, my competitive, determined side coming out to play. I pushed up on my tiptoes a tiny bit more, and my hand folded around the toilet paper. I yanked as hard as I could, but I didn’t get any of it. Instead, my body flew backwards.
Closing my eyes, I braced for the impact when my back hit the ground. Only it never came. Nick’s arms enveloped me, scooping me up. I allowed him to lift me, enjoying the feel of his strong arms encasing my body. Once I was upright, I stared into his blue eyes. The intensity of his gaze stole my breath. It was like the first time we kissed. The way a fire burned behind his irises. A buzz like an electrical current shot through my body. I prayed he’d kiss me. I’d been dying to feel his lips on mine ever since I came back. This was the closest I’d come.
“Told you you’d hurt yourself.” He laughed, releasing his hold on me. His expression was easy-going, friendly. Maybe I’d imagined the intensity; the fire.
Maybe I was the only one who felt it.
***
“The game? We’re singing at the next home game?” My stomach churned, bile making its way up my esophagus. I never would’ve tried out for the solo if I’d known. I’d been trying to process this ever since we left choir this morning. It was lunchtime and my head was still spinning.
“It’ll be fine,” Ava attempted to assure me, but it didn’t work. I knew her too well. I could hear the lie in her tone.
“Why are we doing this? We’ve never sang at a game before.” Well, at least not in this lifetime.
“Look on the bright side,” Ava said.
“What’s that?”
“Nick’ll get to hear you sing.”
Ugh. “Not helping.”
Nick wasn’t into me, and he’d never be now. Not once he saw me up there singing with the choir and marching band. He was going to think I was a joke.
I was right when I broke up with him the night before I came back. I told him he wouldn’t like the real me. He only liked the fake me. The cheerleader. The popular girl.
“Why not? You said he liked your voice.”
“We’re a joke, Ava,” I snapped. “That’s how the cheerleaders and jocks look at us. We’re the nerdy band geeks.”
Ava frowned. “Since when do you care what they think?”
“I’ve always cared, Ava.” I sighed. “You’re the one who doesn’t.”
“You know why I don’t?”
I shook my head.
“Because of you.”
“Me?” I’m taken aback by her answer.
She smiled. “You’ve always been there for me, Rem. You’re my BFF, my bestie, my soul sister, my girl. I don’t need anyone else.”
I swallowed past the lump in my throat. I knew what she was saying. I’d been without her, and it had sucked. “Oh, Ava. That’s so sweet.”
She put out her hand. “Don’t you dare start crying or some shit.”
Laughing, I blinked back the moisture that began forming in my eyes.
“Plus, music is what you love, and you’re good at it. Who cares what anyone else thinks about that?”
I nodded. Ava was right. About all of it. I’d worked hard for this solo, and I wasn’t going to let Brooke or the other cheerleaders, or even Nick, mess this up for me.
“Looks like you’ll be joining us for another football game.” Sam plunked down next to us, his gaze locked on Ava.
I flashed her an I-told-you-so smile.
“Looks like it,” she answered dryly.
“Maybe we could hang out afterward?” he hedged.
“Maybe.” She shrugged, picking at the top of her water bottle.
Seriously? “We can totally hang afterward,” I said brightly, offering Sam a smile.
He smiled back, but his eyes lingered on Ava, confusion clouding them.
I nudged her lightly in the side, but she was oblivious. She took a swig of her water and stretched her legs out. What was the deal?
“Um… Ava, can you come with me for a minute?” I tugged on her arm.
“Where?”
“To the um…bathroom.” Ugh. It was all I could think of.
Ava’s eyes widened. “Oookay.”
We both got up, and Ava trailed behind me down the hall. As we left, I could feel Sam’s eyes on us.
“We’re really going into the bathroom?” Ava whined as we approached the girls’ restroom. “I was hoping it was code for something. We’ve never really been the kind of girls who go the bathroom in pairs, and I was kinda hoping we’d never become them.”
“We’re not,” I assured her. “I’m perfectly capable of…doing that…on my own.”
“Thank god.” She blew out a breath, and her bangs flew up.
A group of girls passed us, chattering loudly. They went into the restroom. We both giggled.
“So, what’s up?” Ava asked.
I raised my brows. “What’s up with you?”
Her face went blank. “You’re the one who brought me here.”
“To ask what’s going on.” When she didn’t offer anything, I continued, “With you and Sam.”
She smiled and leaned closer. “He’s totally into me, right?”
Huh? “Yeah, so why are you acting all…indifferent and stuff?”
“I’m givin’ him what he wants. Guys like a challenge, Rem,” she said confidently.
Do they? Was that what was wrong with Nick and me? Was I making myself too available? Too obvious?
“Hey, there you are.”
Oh, god. It was Ian.
Groaning, I turned. “What do you want?”
“Hey, what’s with the attitude?” He threw up his palms as if he was surrendering. “I just wanna talk.”
“No, thanks.” I spun around.
“Seriously, Rem, what more do I have to do to get your attention?”
So, it was him who teepeed my house. I glanced at Ava. Her cocked eyebrow look told me she was thinking the same thing. “You can leave me alone. If I’m interested, I’ll find you.”
His fingers closed around my wrist. “I gotta say, this tough chick act is pretty sexy. But we both know you’re gonna come back.”
“No, I’m not.” I fought to get my arm out of his grasp.
“Seriously, Ian, step off,” Ava said firmly.
“You can’t take a hint. Can you, man?” Nick ap
peared next to Ava. Where had he come from?
I inhaled sharply.
Without releasing my arm, he stepped closer to me. His gaze traveled from me to Nick and then back to me again. “What’s going on with you and this guy?”
I thought about Ava’s words. About playing hard to get. It was certainly working with Ian. I’d never seen him so into me. “Nothing. He’s just a friend.” Nick turned to me sharply, and I swear I saw a flash of disappointment in his eyes.
Ian released my arm and shook his head. “Well, when you’re done with your ‘friend,’ you know where to find me.”
After he stalked off, Nick lightly touched my arm. A shiver ran up it. “You okay?”
“I’m fine.” I held my head high.
“You sure?”
“Yep. I can handle myself just fine, Nick,” I said, a little more harshly than I intended.
Frowning, he let his hand slip from my arm. I felt a twinge of regret, but it was too late to back down now. I pivoted on my heels and stalked down the hallway toward the quad. Ava trailed me.
“What was that about?” she asked when she caught up.
“You said guys like a challenge, right?”
NINETEEN
Nicksinclair started following you.
OMG! OMG! OMG!
Adrenaline surged through me. I quickly texted Ava.
Me: You’re right. Playing hard to get totally works.
Ava: Why? What happened?
Me: Nick started following me on Insta.
Ava: That’s it?
My mouth dropped open.
Me: What do you mean that’s it? It’s huge!
Ava: Ok.
Why didn’t she think this was a bigger deal?
Ava: Sam called me.
Me: Like on the phone?
That was so 1993.
Ava: Yep.
Me: What did you talk about?
Ava: Lots of stuff.
I felt a twinge of jealousy.
Me: Done playing hard to get?
Ava: IDK. Not sure I need to anymore.
I glanced at the empty spot on my nightstand where my phone sat in 1993. The phone that I used to talk to Nick on. I missed him. Not only the physical stuff. I mostly missed talking with him. Missed connecting with him.
There was a knock on the door. “Remy?” It was Aunt Kelly.
“Come in.” I dropped my phone on my bed next to my thigh.
“Hey, girl.” Aunt Kelly stepped inside. Her hair was shiny and sleek against her face. She wore a black tank top, a floral-patterned kimono, ripped jeans and black booties. She was so much cooler than me. I was a slob in my t-shirt and jeans. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.” She plunked down next to me, smelling like vanilla and something slightly floral. “Your mom said you’ve been busy. Going to football games and hanging out with Nick.” Her eyebrows raised.
I smiled. “Not really hanging out. He just helped me clean up the front yard after we’d been teepeed.”
“Teepeed? By who?”
Shrugging, I said, “Not sure. Maybe Ian. He’s been trying to get back together.”
“But you don’t want to?”
I shook my head.
“Cause you like Nick?”
I nodded.
“Then go for it,” she said with a wink and a nudge. “I saw him outside working on his car when I came in. Go out there and talk to him.”
My heart flip-flopped in my chest, but I forced it to calm. “I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Cause it will mess with my plan.”
“What plan?”
“My playing hard to get plan.”
She flashed me an amused smile. “How’s that working for you?”
I lifted my chin. “He followed me on Instagram.”
“Ooh, where are the wedding invitations?”
I threw her a stern look. “It’s something.”
“You kids and all your games.” Aunt Kelly sighed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You make everything too complicated. If you like Nick, talk to him. Let him get to know how wonderful you are. Relationships are actually pretty simple.”
“I wish,” I muttered.
“They are,” she insisted.
“Not for me,” I said. “I’m not one of them, Aunt Kelly. I’m not popular or a cheerleader. I don’t fit with Nick’s group.”
Kelly leaned forward. “Trust me, a boy doesn’t spend his Sunday morning helping a girl clean toilet paper off their front lawn unless he likes her.”
I wanted to believe her, but I wasn’t sure I did. When she left my room, I headed to the window and peered out. Sure enough, Nick was working on his car. I thought back to when he told me all about his grandpa.
He trusted me once. Told me things.
But that girl wasn’t me. She was fake.
I didn’t want to be fake with him anymore.
This was my world. My time period. My life. And I wanted him to know this me. The real me.
Turning, I caught my reflection.
Well, not this real.
Hurrying to the bathroom, I fixed my hair all sleek and shiny like Kelly’s. Then I put on some makeup and threw on a different outfit – skinny jeans, a long flowy top, my new tassel earrings, my stack bracelets, and my favorite pair of sandals.
If Ava saw me now she’d tell me I was trying too hard, but I didn’t care. Dude had seen me in my scruffy clothes way too much lately. Plus, I felt good in this outfit. Confident. Pretty.
When I got downstairs, I passed Mom and Kelly sitting in the kitchen drinking tea. They both raised their eyebrows, but I slipped outside before they could say anything.
Having no plans to pretend I was out here for any other reason, I simply marched right up to Nick. His head was partly obscured by the raised hood, and music played softly in the background from the wireless Bluetooth speaker that sat near his feet.
“Hey.” I smiled, leaning against the body of the car.
He looked up from the hood, his eyes instantly widening. “Hey.” His gaze shot up and down my body, his brows lifting slightly.
Ripples of satisfaction ran through my body.
“Whatcha up to today?” He asked, resting his hands on the front of his car.
I shrugged. “I figured since you helped me last weekend, I should return the favor.”
Smiling, he glanced around. “Sorry to disappoint, but there’s no toilet paper out here to clean up.”
I laughed lightly. “I meant I can help you with your car…or whatever…”
“Dressed like that?”
I glanced down. Oh. Right.
“It’s okay.” He slammed down the hood. I flinched. “I was done anyway.”
My heart sank. I shouldn’t have taken so long to get ready. “Why do you work on it so much?” If I could keep him talking, I could keep him out here with me.
“It’s an old car. Needs a lot of work.” A wistful look passed over his face. “It was my grandpa’s. He gave it to me when he passed.”
My insides fluttered. Warmth spread through all my limbs. He was doing it again. Talking to me. Sharing things.
“That’s cool. You two must’ve been really close.”
“Yeah.” He ran a hand through his hair. I loved when he did that. “We were.”
“I’ve never really been that close to my grandparents,” I said. “But I’m close to my parents. And my Aunt.”
“The one that that’s always at your house?”
I nodded.
“She seems cool.”
“She is,” I agreed.
The song changed, and Nick smiled. Leaning down, he turned the volume up a little. “I love this song.”
“Rock is still your thing, huh?” I asked, remembering his Guns n’ Roses comment.
“Always.” With a grin, he held up the rock symbol with his hand and lightly headbanged.
I laughed. It was kind of funny. He didn’t seem like the kind of guy who listened to ro
ck music.
“I know you don’t like it,” he said, surprising me.
“You do?”
“Yeah. I hear what you listen to.” His head bobbed toward my window, and my cheeks flushed. I’ve got to start closing that damn window. “Girlie-pop.”
“It’s not girlie.” I scoffed.
“Oh, yes, it is.” He moved toward me, swaying his hips and dancing in a feminine way while singing a few lyrics from one of my favorite pop songs in a high-pitched voice.
I laughed.
“What?” He raised a brow, still dancing. I swallowed thickly. It was supposed to be silly, but the way he was thrusting his hips was a little sexy. “Isn’t this what you like?” Yes. Very much. I nodded. Laughing, he stopped dancing. “See? Girlie-pop.”
“Then what is your music? Manly-rock?”
“Oh, yeah.” He puffed out his chest. “Rock is definitely manly.”
“Fine.” I sighed. “I like girlie music. Whatever.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, he narrowed his eyes as if studying me. “You’re different.”
His words caught me off guard. I thought we were having a good time. Laughing. Bantering. Why did he have to point out that I wasn’t like Brooke and the others? As if I needed a reminder. “Oh, you mean different than your girlfriend?”
“My girlfriend?” He laughed. “Didn’t know I had one.”
“Brooke’s not your girlfriend?” I asked, surprised by my own boldness.
“Nope.”
“You two aren’t dating…or….?” hooking up? Oh, god, please don’t tell me he’s hooking up with her.
“We’re definitely not dating.”
“Oh. I saw you two together, and you seemed…”
“Yeah, well, you know how Brooke is.”
I actually did know how Brooke was. That’s why I was worried.
“I guess I assumed you two were together. Seemed to fit.”
“Oh yeah?” He cocked a brow. “And why’s that?”
Biting my lip, I shrugged. “She’s your type.”
“My type? I didn’t know I had one.”
“Blond. Popular. Cheerleader.” I rattled them off on my fingers, thinking over his last couple of girlfriends.
“That’s only been a couple of them. It doesn’t describe every girl I’ve dated.”
