“You don’t think he’s taking his bike on that crazy trip do you?”
Aaron thought about it for a minute and then shook his head. “God, I hope not. That was the dumbest idea he’s ever had. And it’s a long list of dumb ideas.”
“Are you busy right now?” she asked, fidgeting as she stood.
“No. I guess not. Why?”
“Help me find him, would ya? If he does something stupid and gets hurt, then I’ll never forgive myself.”
Aaron shrugged, “Sure.”
“Thank you.” Jennifer said, smiling. “My car is this way.”
Aaron didn’t offer up any of his short-cuts and they spent an extra twenty minutes stuck in traffic. He decided that he liked her company and was in no hurry. She smelled nice, he theorized, and she was hot.
The car moved along the highway in silence and finally Aaron asked, “Why would you think any of this is your fault?”
“Huh?”
“Earlier, you said you wouldn’t be able to forgive yourself if something happened to our favorite knucklehead.”
“I did?”
“Yeah. You did.”
“Well, I might have said some things.”
Aaron chuckled lightly. “You said some things, huh?”
“Yeah. Maybe I gave him a little nudge. I just thought … he was so unhappy … I don’t know.”
The car fell silent, broken only by Jenn’s pleading. “Well, say something. Tell me I’m an asshole.”
“I doubt you’re an asshole. But in all honesty, we’ve only just met. You could actually be an asshole. I have been fooled before.”
Jenn laughed and they locked eyes before she looked back to the road. A red light was approaching.
Aaron continued, “He’s going to be fine. And either way, none of it is your fault.”
“Thanks, Aaron.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Jenn felt a little better and she had time to think, things may have been different if I had met Aaron first. She shook her head as if to cleanse herself of her own thoughts. Before either of them could say another word, they spotted Will pushing his bike down the road.
“Speak of the devil,” Aaron said.
“I think he’s hurt!” Jenn exclaimed, pointing.
Aaron could instantly see that she was right. As Will limped down the street, they pulled over next to him with a screech of tires. Aaron lowered the passenger window but Jenn one-upped him be exiting the car and rushing to William’s side.
“Will, are you alright?”
He didn’t respond. Instead, he glanced over his shoulder and then quickly looked away. He tried to push the bike faster but it was no use.
She could hear him now.
Was he crying?
“Will, stop. Please.”
He’s not crying, he’s … laughing.
Finally, she caught up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay?”
Will stopped and lowered his head, still laughing to himself. “Shit,” he muttered under his breath. “I’m fine.”
From the car, Aaron called out from his open window, “What the hell, bro?”
“Really? You had to bring him, too?”
Jenn shrugged. “I was worried and thought I could use some help. Plus, he needed a ride.”
“Right … he needed a ride.”
Jenn finally noticed Will’s wounded left arm. She gasped. “Your arm! What happened?” She answered her own question as it suddenly became obvious just why he was pushing his bike instead of riding it.
“You guys were right. That’s what happened.” He shook his head and let out a humourless cackle. Aaron climbed out of Jennifer’s car and joined his friend on the side of the road. “I didn’t get more than six blocks from my house. I signalled a left turn like an idiot and then this stupid cop was right there. He just started following me. One block. Two. Three. I turned down this alley to see if he was trailing me and, sure enough, he turned in too.”
Aaron took in a deep breath, “Oh shit.”
“Oh shit is right,” Will said. “I panicked and just gunned it.”
“Oh, no!” Jenn covered her mouth.
“Yup. I hammered it and sure as shit, the freaking cop flipped on his cherries.”
“Wh—what happened,” Aaron asked, “how did you get away?”
Will shook his head. “I got lucky. Kept flying down the alleys, the cop still on my ass, and I cut through somebody’s backyard, mowed down a couple trash cans, and ruined some nice old lady’s rose garden, but I lost him. I came out on 42nd, right across the street from that vape shop. I thought I could hear the siren getting closer, so I cut through another alley. Then—and I shit you not—came this cat flying out of a trashcan right at me. A freaking cat! I swerved to miss the little bastard and ended up clipping the rear bumper on this rusted-out old Buick. Bent my front fork,” he pointed to the damaged bike, “and did this.” He held up his arm and showed off an impressive amount of road rash on his left arm and shoulder.
Jenn saw the wound and sucked wind through her teeth.
Aaron looked around nervously, “They still looking for you, you think?”
“Maybe. I hid in a 7-Eleven, though. One cop drove by a few seconds after I ducked in, but that was it. The next fifteen minutes, I didn’t see anything. I figured it was clear enough … and Christ, I just wanna get this bike back in the garage and try to pretend this day—this whole stupid idea—never existed.”
“Good luck with that,” Aaron said.
“Yeah, thanks.”
Aaron sighed, “Listen, man, my house is closer than yours. Lemme take this hunk of junk back to my place,” he looked to Jennifer, “and you take him back before his mom gets home. Maybe she won’t kill him.”
“Won’t she notice the bike’s missing?” Jenn asked.
Will shook his head. “She never goes in the garage. She gave that up years ago.”
“So, we good?” Aaron asked.
Jenn looked to Will who shrugged his shoulders.
Aaron smiled. “Good, now get Evel Knievel home before he gets another crazy idea.”
“Thanks, man. You sure your folks won’t mind?”
“Naw. They’re cool. Now go, before the cops get here and start shooting.” He smiled and took the bike from his friend.
Jennifer reached out and squeezed Aaron’s shoulder. “Thanks for your help, Aaron.”
He shrugged. “It’s nothing.” With that, he grabbed the bike and began pushing.
They watched him go for a few moments and then hopped into Jenn’s car. After the short trip to Will’s house, they sat out front in silence, the engine idling smoothly underneath them.
“I’m sorry this didn’t work out,” Jenn said.
Will chuckled. “I should probably work on my decision making skills, eh?”
Jenn smiled back politely. “So, what now?”
“I’m gonna clean up my shoulder and get used to wearing long-sleeve shirts until this heals.”
“I mean your trip … is it over?”
“Oh hell yeah. I got nothing.”
“God, that sucks, Will. I’m really sorry.”
“No worries,” he said, a sad smile on his face. “You want to come in?”
“Yeah. I’d like that.”
The two of them made their way to Will’s front door. He grabbed the key from underneath the fake rock and he let her in. “After you,” he said, bumping his shoulder on the frame and wincing in pain.
“Here, lemme help you with that.” She pulled him towards the kitchen. “Take your shirt off and grab me a clean rag.”
He grabbed a washcloth from the closet and Jennifer helped him remove his shirt.
“Oh, shit. That’s pretty bad,” she remarked.
“You think?” he asked, straining his neck to get a better view.
“Yeah. We’ll get it cleaned up, though. You’ll live to fight another day, soldier.”
“I hope so.”
Jenn held up the wet rag. “Now watch yourself; this is gonna sting.”
“I’m sure I’ll be all right. This isn’t my fir—ow, shit!”
“I told you.”
The door opened behind them and they both froze.
Will’s mother dropped her purse on the table next to the door and then spotted Jennifer in the kitchen, her back turned. “Oh, hi, Jennifer. I thought that was your car. Where’s Will?”
As Rene spoke, Jenn turned to face her. In doing so, she revealed a shirtless Will behind her.
“Will,” Rene said, her voice miraculously going from cheery to apprehensive in only one syllable. “Where is your shirt?”
Jenn held up the washrag and pointed meekly at Will’s wounded shoulder.
Rene saw the wound and quickly dismissed Jennifer. “Oh my word! What did you do?”
“I fell … err … skateboarding with Aaron. You know I suck at skateboarding.”
“I do now,” she said. “Let me look at it. Where is Aaron?” she asked, dabbing Will’s wound with the damp rag.
Will winced and spoke through gritted teeth, “He bailed already.”
“Sounds like him.” Rene continued, “Hold this.” She handed the rag to Jennifer and excused herself to the bathroom. She returned with some antibacterial cream five seconds later and lathered the worst of the wound in it. After bandaging what she could, she leaned against the kitchen counter with a smile. “Well, I think you’re gonna live.” To Jennifer, she said, “Thanks for helping out. You should stay for dinner again. We’d love to have you, wouldn’t we, Will?”
Will was slow on the draw, prompting a stern look from his mother. “Uh, yeah, of course.”
“No. Thanks, though. It’s very nice of you to ask. I gotta get home and study. Apparently, I have this big scholastic meet this weekend.”
“Oh, how nice. The Southwest Scholastic Meet?”
“Uh, yeah, that sounds about right.”
“Very impressive. Well, then, yes, you better get home and study.”
Jenn smiled and made her way towards the door. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“See ya later, honey.” Rene turned towards Will and stared expectantly.
“Bye, Jennifer,” Will said.
“See ya at school tomorrow. I’ll text you later.”
“’Kay.”
Jennifer let herself out. After the door shut behind her, Will’s Mom said, “She’s a nice girl. I don’t like the whole ‘shirts off’ thing, though.”
“At least it was my shirt and not hers.”
“Ha-ha, very funny. But that’s how it starts, young man. I remember those days.”
“Gross. I’ve got homework. I’ll be in my room.”
“Of course you do,” she said. “And I’ve got dinner to make. Should we put some money on which one of those miracles gets done first?”
“No thanks,” Will said. “Besides, even if they both get done, will either one of them be any good? That’s the real question.”
“Ooh,” Rene said, throwing a dishtowel at her ducking son. “Get outta here, ya wise ass.”
Will dipped into his room, laughing.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Thursday
The next day at school was a typical Thursday. Teachers manned the detention room on their off-hours along with the random student aid, but he didn’t see Jennifer until lunch hour. Aaron and Joey rattled on as they do, but nobody brought up Will’s regrettable motorcycle incident. And for that, he was grateful.
After lunch, Will sat in detention with Jason Carroll, the school’s star point guard while an assistant basketball coach babysat them. Finally, before the last class of the day, Jason and the basketball coach excused themselves for practice and Jennifer arrived to take their place. The two of them sat in comfortable silence as they studied.
The last ten minutes, William decided that the detention room clock was stuck in neutral. “I think that clock is broken.”
Jenn looked at the clock and then at her phone. “You wish,” she said.
He looked at the ticking clock and sighed. “This last hour is taking forever.” He stretched out the word ‘forever’ to accent his point.
Jenn grunted in agreement and then refocused on her assignments. After a few minutes of silence, Jenn said, “I can take you to Nebraska.”
“Huh?” Will asked, looking up from his desk.
“I can take you … on your trip.”
“Oh sure,” he said with a dry chuckle. “What are we waiting for, we should go now.”
“I’m serious.”
“Really? Me too. I’m sure your mom would love the idea.” Will returned to his homework.
She couldn’t argue that point so she didn’t bother. The detention room descended back into silence.
The final bell rang, startling both of them. “Finally,” Will said, standing up from his desk. He stretched, raised his hands over his head and yawned long and hard. From behind, Jenn playfully tickled him in the ribs. “We’re gonna need music and snacks.”
He jumped away from her and rubbed his sore ribs, “Ouch! Be careful.”
“Oh, sorry. I forgot.”
“It’s cool. Wait, what did you say?”
“I said—we need music and snacks. You can’t have a road trip without music and snacks …”
Will looked at her skeptically. “Are you serious? Are you being serious right now?”
“Yeah, I am.”
Will chuckled, still not believing her but wanting (needing) to. “Road trip music, huh?”
“God, I hope you don’t listen to pop-punk. I’d rather listen to screamo,” Jennifer said, smiling crookedly.
“Ha-ha. I’ll spare you the Green Day if you promise to leave your Taylor Swift playlist at home.”
“That’s a deal.”
“Good, but lemme go grab my metalcore collection real fast.”
He pretended to walk off and Jenn reached for him, playfully reeling him back in. “No, that’s even worse!”
They both laughed. Finally, Will’s smile faltered. “We can’t do this … you can’t do this. There is no way that your mom would let you leave for the weekend. I’m would lie my ass off and still get my ass kicked when I got home. If you wound up missing all weekend, your mom would probably call the cops.”
“It’s so crazy how this turned out,” she said, smiling. “In fact, this couldn’t have turned out any better if we drew it up. The Southwest Scholastic Meet is this weekend in Santé Fe, right? I’m supposed to be gone until at least Sunday. I’ll call in sick last minute and then we’re good to go. What about you? What’s your story gonna be?”
He shrugged. “It’s not gonna be as good as yours, I can tell you that much. But I’m sure I’ll come up with something. Probably tell Mom that I’m gonna stay at Aaron’s. No idea what I’m gonna say to cover the next day. Probably nothing. Like I said, I’m sure I’ll get busted either way. This is something that I need to do, though. But you don’t need to do it. And I don’t want you getting in trouble over this.”
“I told you, I’m good. I want to do this. And you need a ride.” She smiled and squeezed his hand before quickly letting it go. “If you’re going—
—then I’m going.”
“Dinner was great, Mom,” Will said.
Rene looked up from her overcooked spaghetti with a raised eyebrow. “Thanks. There’s some leftovers if you’re still hungry.”
“Oh, I’m stuffed, but thanks.” He stood up and went to the sink to rinse off his plate.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” his mother said, smiling.
Will shrugged as if he didn’t understand. “I’m really glad you’re letting me stay over at Aaron’s tomorrow night.”
“No problem, honey. It’s been a long time since you’ve stayed over anywhere. You’re growing up too fast, kiddo. You’re gonna have a driver’s license next year and I’ll probably never see you again.” A shadow passed over her face as she had second thoughts about her
poor choice of words. “So what are you guys gonna do tomorrow night?”
“Probably eat pizza and stay up all night playing video games.”
Rene laughed. “About what I figured.”
“Yeah. And I was wondering … Aaron wanted to know if we can go to the movies tomorrow night. The Royal is playing Stand by Me.”
“Ooh, your favorite.”
Will nodded. “Aaron has never seen it.” The old Theatre was playing Stand by Me this weekend, and Aaron had never seen it, but he wouldn’t be watching any movies this weekend if everything went as planned.
Rene shook her head slowly. “I think one night is plenty of time to—”
“C’mon, Mom, please. Aaron’s Mom said it was okay. I’ll be home as soon as the movie is over.”
“Oh, fine,” Rene said. “Arguing with you is so tiresome.”
Will laughed. “Why do you always do it, then?”
Rene smacked him playfully on the shoulder. “Oh, get outta here, ya little scamp, before I change my mind.”
Will did as he was told and headed straight for his room, but not before kissing his mother on the head as he passed.
He shut his bedroom door and immediately texted Jenn the news. She responded with a smiley face and told him that she was excited. He lay back on the bed and found himself surprised that he couldn’t muster the same excitement. Will closed his eyes and thought of his Mom and Dad—the good years—when he had been a young boy; before the move from California; before the late night arguments; when the three of them could still sit in the same room together and watch TV or play games without tearing each other apart. Now, with sleep threatening to take him, he smiled. He had told Jennifer that that life had been a perfect lie. Now, he wasn’t so sure …
CHAPTER NINE
Friday Road Trip
The desert swallowed them. Never ending. Never forgiving, like a silent killer from a bad movie that neither of them suspected. The stereo screamed as Jennifer drove her VW Beetle down the highway—another horror flick cliché.
She glanced at the sign for Las Vegas, New Mexico. “Say goodbye to Vegas.”
The Complete Bleaker Trilogy Box-set Page 15
