by Kasie West
“Where do you want this?” Andrew asked me, referring to the box he still held.
“Oh, just put it next to mine.”
He did, and then left, probably to get another box.
Micah raised her eyebrows at Andrew’s retreating form. “So? How was the reunion?”
“Good.” Since Thanksgiving, Micah and I were closer than ever. I was so glad that we’d talked out our problems. We did have differing opinions about the Andrew situation, though. She thought I should just enjoy him while I could and then move on when he left. I didn’t think that moving on from Andrew would be as easy as she made it sound. So my solution was not to get hooked on him to begin with. Friends. Friendship wouldn’t lead to heartbreak. “We’re good.”
“Good? Just good? I know how you could make it great.” She gave me a smirk. “In fact, I’m going to find myself a boy to kiss at midnight tonight. I don’t care who.”
“Really?” I said, surprised. “You don’t have one highlighted and starred on your spreadsheet? Someone you need to interrogate first with questions of hometown loyalty?”
“I don’t!” Micah declared. “I’m going to … let things just happen.”
I raised my eyebrows, not completely convinced but willing to play along. “I like this plan.”
“It’s not a plan!” she argued. “It’s a natural occurrence.”
I noticed Lance then, carrying a big jar of mints to the back table. He glanced in Micah’s direction.
I had a feeling Micah would not have a problem finding someone to kiss tonight. “Right. Very natural.”
“It’s New Year’s Eve, after all,” Micah was saying. “Remember when that one kid from Jasper kissed you last year and how mad you were? Did he have a name?”
“You’re kissing people without names?” Andrew asked, setting another box of flowers on the table next to the two others.
“He had a name,” I said. “I just didn’t want to know it.”
“I think you might have called him Jasper all night,” Micah said.
“What about him?” I asked.
“I don’t know, I was just thinking about that,” Micah said. “That guy didn’t let it happen naturally. I will not make that mistake. It must be mutual. A mutual kiss is the best. Take note of that, you two.”
Andrew and I exchanged a glance and I tried very hard not to blush. I nodded toward the exit. “I’ll go get the last box.”
“I can get it,” Andrew said, following me.
“Thanks.”
“Look at that,” he said. “You’re actually going to let me.”
“I know. I’ve come a long way.” But I still followed him out. “So how much longer will you be in town?” I asked, hoping I sounded casual. “Has your dad picked out the next location for the mentorship, or whatever he calls it?”
Andrew picked up the last box and I shut the back doors of the van.
“Yes, he has. We leave next week.”
My face went numb. “That soon?”
“Yes.”
“So … where?” When I realized that wasn’t a complete question, I clarified. “Where are you going this time?”
“Remember the wine lady from the benefit? She had a sister near Birmingham?”
“Yes.” My hopes skyrocketed.
“It was almost her.”
“But it’s not,” I said as I realized he had used the word almost. My spirits crashed back to earth.
“No. We’re going back to New York because I told my dad I wanted to finish out high school in an actual school. So he found a candidate in Manhattan.”
“You’re right, there are no actual schools in Birmingham,” I said.
“My dad probably doesn’t think there are.”
Andrew was still letting his dad dictate his life. Or maybe he wanted to go back to New York. It’s not like he knew anyone in Birmingham. And he obviously had no reason to want to be two hours away from me for the last semester of our senior years. “You get to go to a whole five months of high school?” I asked.
“I know, it’s what dreams are made of.” We walked back inside and Andrew set the box on the table with the others. “You going to miss me, Soph?”
“How can I miss you?” I replied. “I only see you at special occasions. It’s like you’re a cousin or something.”
Why did I say that? Why? That’s what he’d said about his mother and I knew it and I said it anyway because I was being a jerk. And because he could’ve asked his dad to pick Birmingham. I said it because I was going to miss him. So much that my chest was aching and I wanted it to stop.
I didn’t feel any better seeing that my comment had hit its mark. Seeing the hurt in his eyes. “Right,” he said quietly. “Like we don’t even know each other.”
No! I wanted to scream. We do.
It had been almost a year. Of course we knew each other.
Before I could say anything, a microphone screeched with feedback as it was plugged in. It was like a wake-up call.
“I better get to work,” I said. “People will be here soon.”
Andrew held up his phone. “Me too.”
Are you seeing this?” Micah asked as she refilled a water dispenser.
“Seeing what?” I said, trying to pretend I didn’t know exactly what she was talking about. Because I was seeing it. Shelby Dickenson, freshman at Alabama State, obviously home visiting her family between semesters, had been talking to Andrew for the last hour. Not just talking. Laughing, and flipping her hair, and touching his arm. And I didn’t blame her. She should be flirting with Andrew. He was not discouraging it and he was handsome and funny and smart.
“You know very well what I’m talking about,” Micah whispered. “In two hours, at midnight, her lips are going to be on his if you don’t do something.”
“He could’ve picked Birmingham, Micah. So now I know how he feels about me.”
She shook her head back and forth. “First of all, he doesn’t get to pick anything. His dad does.”
“But he acted like he didn’t even want to go there!” I protested. “He wasn’t even disappointed.”
“Second of all,” she went on as if I hadn’t said anything. “You are not a mind reader even if you pretend to be one. You have no idea how he feels because the two of you are dumb and won’t talk about it. And now I’ve been so preoccupied with who you are obviously not kissing tonight that I haven’t laid any groundwork with who I’m kissing.”
“Wait, who are you kissing?”
She took me by the shoulders and turned me toward the far corner. A tall, cute black guy I’d never seen before stood watching the line dancing happening on the floor. His hair was cropped short and he wore a blue suit.
“I thought you weren’t planning it. I thought it was going to happen naturally,” I teased.
I started to worry. Where was Lance? He was going to blow this opportunity if he didn’t step up his game.
“It was, until I saw him.”
“Who is that?” I asked.
“Exactly!” Micah said. “I need to find out. Or rather, you need to go find out for me.”
“I do?”
“Yes, and hurry. I have two hours.”
“Okay.” I started to walk over to the new boy when Kyle stepped into my path.
“Sophie, hi.”
“Hi.” I tried to look around him to see if my destination was still there. He was.
“Do you want to dance?”
“What?” My gaze whipped back to Kyle.
“Do you want to dance?”
“Um … Sure.” I tried to tell myself I wasn’t dancing with Kyle because Andrew was talking to Shelby Dickenson, but in my shallow heart, I knew that was exactly why.
It was a slow song and Kyle took me into his arms and we swayed for half a minute in silence.
“Your band isn’t playing tonight,” I said.
“They wanted a country band. We don’t play country.”
“True.” We turned a slow circl
e. “How is Jodi?” I don’t know why I asked it; the question made it seem like I was jealous or angry about what I’d seen over the summer when really, I hadn’t thought about it again after that day.
“I learned dating a band member isn’t good for the band.”
“This is a lesson many bands have learned before you. Too bad you didn’t do your research.”
He smiled his lazy smile.
“Especially because Bryce liked her too,” I added. “That was definitely a blowup waiting to happen.”
“Yeah,” he said. “I didn’t know Bryce liked her … until later.”
“Do you know who that guy in the corner is?” I finally asked, because Micah had caught my eye and was tapping the nonexistent watch on her wrist.
“Which guy?” Kyle asked.
We did another turn and I pointed him out.
“Oh, that’s Damon’s cousin.” Damon was a kid in our grade and probably the best student in town.
“How old is he?” I didn’t think that mattered at all to Micah, but I was curious. He looked a little old for her. Maybe I was just trying to find flaws with him.
“I don’t know. I think he’s in college.”
“Okay, cool.” I dropped my hands and started to leave.
“The song is still going,” Kyle said.
“Oh, right.” I’d forgotten that I wasn’t talking to Kyle just to find out information about Damon’s cousin.
The rest of the song went by painfully slow and when it was over, I mumbled, “See you around, Kyle,” and left.
“Bye,” Kyle said from behind me, sounding a little regretful.
Damon’s cousin was walking away when I finally made it to his corner. “Wait,” I called out and he turned. “Hi.”
“Hi?” he said, uncertain.
I stuck out my hand, which immediately made me think of Andrew mocking me for my hand shaking. “I’m Sophie,” I said, my hand still extended.
“Russell,” he said, shaking my hand.
“Nice to meet you. Where are you from?”
“Birmingham.”
“Where there are actual schools, I’m sure,” I said.
He looked confused, understandably. “Uh … yes. I go to college there.”
“I’m sure it’s a great, high-quality one as well.”
“What?”
“Nothing. Sorry.” I put my hand on my hip. “Do you have a girlfriend?” I was really off my subtle game tonight. Okay, maybe I was sabotaging this on purpose. Lance deserved a fighting chance, and this guy with his dreamy brown eyes and velvety voice had the ability to make Lance a distant thought.
“Not at the moment, no.” He still seemed super wary of my presence. Probably because I was not acting normal.
“I’m sorry, I’m a friend of Damon’s,” I said, not sure if that would help at all. “He’s your cousin, right?”
“Yes. Our moms are sisters.”
“But didn’t Mrs. Brown grow up here?”
“No, they grew up in Auburn, actually, which is where my mom still lives.”
“Which is why you’re here alone. Because Birmingham is fairly close to here, so you came to visit your cousin. I’m sure you could visit him all the time if you wanted. Every weekend if you desired.”
Russell tilted his head to one side, looking more confused by the second. “I don’t visit my cousin every weekend.”
“But you could, hypothetically speaking.”
“Sure … hypothetically speaking. It’s about two hours away.”
“I know! So close!”
“Sophie,” Micah said, suddenly at my side. Or maybe not so suddenly. Maybe she’d been standing there for a while. “Are you yelling at this poor guy?”
“No, I wasn’t yelling at Russell. Was I?” I asked him.
“You kind of were,” he said.
“Oh. Sorry.”
“Hi, Russell. I’m Micah.” Micah did not put her hand out for a handshake. She just offered a gorgeous smile.
“Hi, Micah. You work here?” he asked, taking in her outfit.
“Well, this is what I like to wear out, but yes, I also work here. We catered the event.”
“Oh, so you’re working with Jett Hart, right? How is he?”
“He grows on you,” I said.
“He’s been great.” Micah elbowed me. My cue to leave.
“I need to check on the … flowers,” I finished, when my brain couldn’t think of a better excuse to leave. I didn’t wait to explain, I just left my friend to get swept off her feet by the dreamy Russell.
“Lance,” I hissed, finding him in the crowd.
“What?” he asked, pausing with a tray in hand.
“Find Micah by midnight.”
“Why?”
“Because it is imperative for someone to be happy tonight.”
“Um … okay.”
“Great. Thanks.”
As I walked away, I decided that maybe I actually would check on the flowers. The crowd was a lot younger than at our normal events and some people couldn’t help but mess with the arrangements. I started in the far back corner and did a slow walk around, adjusting a drooping flower here and an off-centered vase there.
When I was halfway around the room, a waving hand drew my attention. Caroline was standing by the far door. I cut across the floor to where she stood.
“How is everything going?” she asked as her eyes traveled down my dress. “That is gorgeous, Sophie. Are those little forget-me-nots?”
“They are.”
“I love it.”
“Thank you,” I said, feeling a flush of pride.
“So I can’t pull the cord tonight.”
“What?” I asked, thrown off by her abrupt subject change.
“At midnight.” She pointed up to the ceiling, and the net that encased hundreds of balloons.
“But you love to release the balloons,” I said. She did. It was what she looked forward to from the day after Christmas on.
“I know. But my mother recently moved in with me. Did I tell you that?”
“Yes.”
“Right. And she wasn’t feeling well when I left and I worry about leaving her alone.”
“Okay. I can definitely pull the cord. Where is it?” The location of the balloon release was guarded like a military secret. Caroline always said if she told anyone where it was, “one of those boys” would pull it early and ruin everything.
Her face went serious, denoting the gravity of this moment. “Follow me.”
I did. Through the door and around the outside of the Barn and to a back set of wooden stairs tucked behind a padlocked opening that led to a loft area above the main floor. A half wall mostly hid the loft from the view of the people below. Caroline led me over to the far wall and, sure enough, draped over a hook was a thick cord rigged up to the netting over the dance floor.
“At midnight, you pull this,” she announced.
At midnight, I would be standing up here, releasing balloons with the perfect view of everyone below.
As if reading my mind, Caroline said, “It really is the most exciting view of the night. You will love it. The energy is mesmerizing.”
This was where Caroline had stood for the last however many years and I’d had no idea. Nobody would know I was up here.
I watched everyone now. Micah was still talking to Russell in the corner. She had him smiling and laughing. Lance seemed oblivious to everything but his job, which was probably why after a year of chemistry between him and Micah, nothing had happened. Andrew now had a drink in each hand and was heading back to where Shelby waited at one of the tables, running her finger over a little blue flower in a vase. Kyle was dancing with Lisa Marks from school and seemed to know how to talk to her.
Caroline slowly let her gaze drift along the expanse of balloons like she was missing out on the greatest experience of her life.
“I promise to do a good job,” I said.
“I know you will. You and this cord have a date f
or midnight.”
I patted the cord. “I can’t wait.”
I ducked inside the kitchen and leaned against the nearest counter. Jett Hart looked up from where he was slicing lemons for the water.
“What’s wrong?” Jett asked when I didn’t move or say anything.
“Nothing. It’s just crowded out there.” Two people too crowded to be precise. I closed my eyes and took several deep breaths. “By the way, I found the perfect box for you. I was just clipping flowers at the shop the other day and we got a delivery and I swear to you it’s the exact right size.”
“A box?” Jett asked. “For what?”
“For your mixer. To replace the one I trapped a critter in.”
“Oh.” He sliced another lemon. “I already replaced that box.”
“Oh.”
My mind went back to that rainy, hot June evening. Sliding an overturned box across the grass with Andrew. Stepping on the glass, Andrew bandaging my foot.
Mr. Williams walked into the kitchen with a bin full of dirty dishes. “Sophie!” he said in his jovial way. “Aren’t you as pretty as a peach tonight?”
“I never understood that saying,” Jett said. “Are peaches meant to represent the pinnacle of beauty?”
“I think it’s about the alliteration,” I said, walking to the fridge and opening it. A burst of air cooled my hot face.
“I think peaches are beautiful,” Mr. Williams said.
“I would say strawberries are the most beautiful fruit,” Jett said.
“You see what I mean, that doesn’t quite roll off the tongue,” I said, my head in the fridge.
“How about as sweet as a strawberry?” Mr. Williams suggested.
Jett grunted.
“If we’re going to talk about comparing things to beauty,” I said, “we should probably stick with flowers and leave food out of it.”
“Spoken like a true flower girl,” Jett said, and I laughed. I would claim my flower-girl status proudly now. Flowers had saved my future.
“Is there anything I can help you find in there, Sophie?” Mr. Williams asked, joining me.
“What? No.” That’s when I noticed a jar of maraschino cherries on a shelf in front of me. “What are the cherries for?” I asked.
Mr. Williams picked them up and studied the label. “I don’t know who brought them but Andrew added them to a drink earlier.”
