I’m pulled back but I refuse to release my hold on Roger. “Young lady, let him go!”
My head snaps in the direction of lanky man with thinning brown hair I recognize as being my English teacher, Mr. Jones. Then it dawns on me. Oh crap! I’m in deep shit. Dad isn’t going to the let the fact that I’m involved in a fight on the first day of school go without some sort of punishment. There’s always the argument I was helping someone else that was getting bullied, even though that someone ran off and would probably be too scared to side with me against Roger. Surely one of these witnesses would attest to the fact this all began over Wendell and Roger isn’t the innocent victim here.
I loosen my white knuckles and Roger’s hair falls free from my hands. “Crazy bitch,” Roger mumbles under his breath. “Umph!”
I snicker as Noel brings his knee back down from Roger’s groin, shutting him up completely. Roger falls over cupping his crotch in the universal sign that a guy has been nailed in the balls.
Noel stands and kicks Roger in the stomach one time for good measure. “Don’t ever talk to her that way again.”
Mr. Jones sets me on my feet and turns to scolds the boys. “Knock it off and get to the principals office.” I turn to head in the opposite direction, thinking I’m in the clear because I’m a girl. “Not so fast. That means you too.”
I stop dead in my tracks and turn slowly on my heel.
Damn. Can’t blame me for trying.
Noel smoothes his hair back, tucking the loose strands of hair behind his ear. He touches his tongue to the corner of his mouth and I notice the small cut on his bottom lip.
I tilt my head as I examine the rest of his face. “Are you okay?”
He shakes his fingers like he’s trying to get rid of the pain from landing a couple punches to Roger’s thick skull. “I’ll be okay. What about you? I can’t believe you had that in you to attack a guy like that. I haven’t seen you go after someone since the third grade over a Barbie.”
I shrug. “I couldn’t let him hurt you.”
Noel’s eyes search my face and he swallows hard just as he takes a step towards me, nearly bumping his chest into mine. “I know exactly how you feel.”
“Y—you do?” Where is all this nervous energy coming from? I’ve been in a closer proximity many times with Noel. Why does this time feel different—like all the air around us is charged?
“I said get to the office,” Mr. Jones raises his voice causing me to jump and Noel wraps his arms around me. “You two need to get to the office while I finish helping Roger up. Don’t make me tell you again.”
Noel salutes the teacher and I giggle at his new found attitude of anti-authority. I pull away from Noel and turn towards the office. His steps fall in-line with mine and he reaches down, threading his fingers through mine.
He’s held my hand before, but never like this. This moment feels like the beginning of something beautiful.
Chapter 2
One Week Later…
LANE
The air is cool for a September night in Texas, but my entire body is warm and alive with excitement. Sure, I’ve snuck out of the house many nights before to meet Noel on this dock for a late night swim before, but this is different. Things have certainly changed quite a bit over the last week.
Somehow over the summer we’ve gone from best friends to more. We’ve never really discussed this new territory of hand holding and hugging that we’ve worked our way into or what it means for us exactly. Maybe the subject will come up tonight.
People at school aren’t surprised, I guess. Everyone knows Noel and I are close, so our new bouts of P.D.A don’t raise too many eyebrows.
Doesn’t mean we’re ready to make our parents aware that our long-time friendship has blossomed into more. They’d never let us be along together again.
I tip-toe down the hill to the dock behind my house and allow my eyes to adjust in the moonlight. At the end of the dock Noel leans against the wood railing of the dock with his arms crossed against his chest, waiting for me. I’m not sure what tonight will hold for us, I just know I can’t wait to see what unfolds.
A wide grin stretches across his face the moment our eyes meet. The features on his face are well defined like the new physic he acquired over the summer. His blue eyes shimmer with excitement the moment my feet hit the wood on the dock and my breath catches. Every time I see him now it’s like my heart skips a beat.
I bite my lip and shove my hair behind my ear as Noel reaches his hand out to me. I slide mine into it without hesitation and my stomach flips.
He pulls me into his side. “I wasn’t sure if you were coming.”
I tilt my head. “Of course I was. Have I ever stood you up on this dock before?”
He swallows hard and pinches a lock of my long, brown hair before twirling it around his finger. “No, but things are a little different now, aren’t they?”
I nod and notice my breathing picks up a notch. “About that… what are we doing?”
Noel’s hand trembles a little as he releases my hair and touches my cheek with his fingertips. “I think it’s pretty clear.”
I know exactly what he’s getting at, but I want to hear him say it. “You think so?”
He stands a little straighter and cups my face in his hands while staring into my eyes. “We’re falling in love and finally giving into what fate has planned for us.”
My heart thuds against my ribs. “Are you saying you love me?”
The grin on his face lights up my entire world. “You know I do. I think I’ve loved you since we were five. I’m just the idiot who didn’t realize how much in love I was until this summer when I found myself getting jealous over any guy I caught looking at you. The feeling that you’re meant to be mine won’t leave me, and I don’t know what to do about it or if you even feel the same way.”
“Is that why you stayed away all summer?” I ask.
“Yeah. I was hoping it would go away and we could stay friends, but all that went to hell that first day of school when I saw you and you needed me to help you. I knew then I could never be just your friend. I’m always going to want more with you. I feel like you’re my forever or something.”
Emotions from within me take over and tears well-up in my eyes. “It might’ve taken me a little longer to come to the same conclusion, but I feel exactly the same way.”
Noel’s thumbs trace over my cheeks. “I love you, Lane.”
I smile as a tear falls free from my eye. “I love you too.”
He leans in and presses his lips to mine. My eyes drift shut and I fall into his kiss—fall into him. This is everything I never knew I always wanted. His lips part and mine move in sync with his until he finally slips his tongue in my mouth. This isn’t my first kiss, but it is the first time I’ve ever felt something kissing a boy. It’s like tasting my future and I can picture my entire life in my mind—a life with Noel.
With more skill than I knew we both possessed, we slide down to the floor of the dock without breaking our kiss. I grip hands full of his shirt and he teases the skin on my back just under the hem of my blouse. This is moving entirely too fast, but I can’t find a logical reason in my brain to stop the madness. Being so close to Noel feels incredible and I don’t want it to end.
Noel lies back, pulling me on top of him, allowing me to feel the bulge in his jeans against my thigh.
I’m scared as hell, but the way his lips move against the soft skin on my neck makes it a little less intimidating. “We don’t have to go any further than you’re ready for, Lane.” He says—his breath hot and tempting on my flesh.
I press a feather-light kiss on his cheek. “I love you and I’m ready. We aren’t strangers, and I can’t think of one other person I would rather experience all my firsts with.”
Noel tucks my hair behind my ear. “I want to be your only.”
There’s no fighting against that. That kind of magical romance is something all girls dream about. I’m just lucky I’ve f
ound my prince so soon.
“I want you to be my forever,” I tell him before he crushes his mouth to mine and we head into our forever.
Chapter 3
End of Junior Year…
NOEL
The drums pound out the last few beats of the song and I grin as I look at my band mates. “Yeah! I think we finally nailed it!”
Sam, the drummer taps the high-hat with his drumstick. “Finally! It only took us fifteen tries. You have to stop being such a fucking perfectionist, Noel, or well never have enough of our own songs to make a demo. We can’t keep spending more than a month on one song.”
“We need to have our shit together because after graduation next year we need to get on the road and find paying gigs like we talked about,” I answer and then run my fingers down the thread of the guitar.
“We need to play more covers,” Leon says, scratching the back of his shaggy head. “That’s what people want to hear.”
I stare at the two other guys in the band dumfounded. Sam pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose and glances toward Leon as they wait on me to say something. Don’t they see that originality is everything in the music business? Labels want bands that are different. We have to stand out and be the best.
I shake my head and smooth my dark hair back into my pony tail. “We’re going to practice our own shit until our fingers bleed. We have to be on point if we want a record deal. Don’t you guys want that?”
Leon shrugs and sets his bass in its case. “We do, but we aren’t obsessed with it the way you are.”
I open my mouth to protest, but Sam cuts me off. “Leon and I have been talking.”
I narrow my eyes. “About what?”
Sam shoves his fingers through his bright-red hair. “We aren’t going with you after graduation.”
I shake my head. Unbelievable. These two jackasses are supposed to be my best friends—the guys who have the same goal as me. “We’ve talked about this!” I throw my head back and growl. “What the fuck, guys? I thought we were taking Thunder Dome on the road as soon as schools over?”
Leon sighs and his scrawny shoulders slump a bit. “I’m a senior, dude. My mom had me fill out some college applications, and I got into a few, some offered scholarships. I’m heading to Kentucky University next fall on nearly a full ride. I can’t pass that up.”
“Who gives a shit about college, man? We have a great thing going here with this band. We could really be something one day. Don’t you want that?” I argue. Why would anyone pass on the opportunity to become a rock star verses going to college. That’s so fucking lame.
“I know you don’t like it, Noel, but I’m applying to colleges as well. Music will always be there. You should think about going too, and once we get done with school, maybe we’ll try then.” I study the freckles on Sam’s face as he speaks and try not to completely lose my shit while he’s talking.
College will never be an option for me. Never. It takes me five times longer to read something than the rest of the kids in my L.D. class. Having Dyslexia hasn’t been a fucking picnic in high school. Things get so jumbled in my brain and I know there’s no way in hell I can make it through college courses.
I’m so glad Lane and I are on the same page about this.
“Whatever. You guys do whatever you feel like you have to do. I’m going on the road as planned as soon as we graduate next year. Lane will travel with me while I play solo shows until I find a band to hook up with.” Both guys look at each other with an expression on their face that almost looks like pity and it makes my blood boil. “You know what, fuck you guys!”
“Noel…” Sam tries to stop me as I unplug my guitar and flip it around to rest against my back. “Don’t be like that, man. We’re just trying to be honest with you. Do you know what the odds are of us actually making it in the music industry? Slim to none. I’m just trying to be realistic. We need to go to college. It’s the sensible thing to do.”
I throw my hands on my hips. “You know what’s sensible? Following your dream when you have the talent and the drive. I know I’m going to make it. It’s okay if you guys don’t believe in me. Lane does, and she’s the only person I need to believe in me.”
I turn to walk out of the Sam’s garage just as Leon says, “You don’t know Lanie as well as you think. Seems to me like you two have different ideas about the future.”
I whirl around. “What’s that suppose to mean? I know my girlfriend—better than she knows herself.”
Leon shrugs indifferently. “Maybe you do, but that doesn’t explain why she was in the guidance counselor’s office getting college applications today if she isn’t planning on going.”
I shake my head and storm out the door. “Whatever.”
I rub the back of my neck as I walk towards my black Chevelle and pull the strap from around my neck and lay the guitar along the backseat. Surely Lane would tell me if she had doubts about the plan we’ve had in place since we became official our freshman year. She wouldn’t just leave me hanging. We’re forever and there’s no way I can spend years without her on the road.
I slam the door once I’m inside and fire up the engine. It roars to life and the only thing on my mind is finding out if Leon’s claim has legs.
A few minutes later I park in Lane’s driveway. This place has been like a second home to me since I was a little kid. I love her parents as if they are my own—another reason why we are perfect for each other.
The white cape code with a red roof, shutters and door fits perfectly into the scenery next to Cedar Creek Lake. It looks happy, like Lane. I love living on the water, and someday when I’m a famous rock star I’m going to buy a place on a lake for Lane and I to live in and start a family. She’ll love that.
I knock on the door and step back as Lane’s dad opens the door. He grins the moment he see’s me. “Hi, Noel. How are you, son?”
I shove my hands in the pockets of my jeans. “I’m fine, Jim. Is Lane here?”
Jim scratches his dark bearded jaw-line and nods. “She’s down at the dock, fishing, I think. You’re welcome to grab a pole from the garage if you like.”
“Thanks. I think I’ll do that.”
Jim steps out of the house, closing the door behind him, and pulls out a set of keys from his pocket. “Let me unlock the man-door for you.”
I follow Jim inside the garage. It’s funny as a kid I thought he was a huge man, but now at seventeen my height nearly matches his six foot frame. Time really does change everything.
He hands me a black rod. “She should have bait down there.”
After I thank Lane’s dad, I make my way down the hill to the dock. There’s always a certain level of comfort that falls over me when I come out here. Most of the major events in my life have taken place on this very dock—bonding with Lane, telling her I loved her, and even our first time together has all happened out here. This is most definitely our spot.
I lay my pole down and sneak down to where Lane sits on the edge, dangling her feet over the end. I place my hands over her eyes. “Guess who?”
She grins. “Um, Ryan Reynolds.”
I laugh and kiss her cheek. “Fuck Ryan Reynolds. You’ve got Noel Falcon, and I’m much better.”
“I don’t know…” she trails off in a sing-song voice.
“That’s it,” I growl and tackle her down to the dock and straddle her.
Lane squeals as I tickle her ribs and kiss her neck. “Stop! You’re going to make me pee.”
I laugh. “Never. Not until you tell me I’m the best.”
She tries to catch her breath. “A little conceited, aren’t we?”
“Only when it comes to you—I know I’m the best man for you.”
She adjusts her back against the wood and I smooth her hair back from her face. “You’ll get no argument from me.”
I grin and lean in and kiss her lips. “That’s good to know.”
As much as I want to take this to the next level I know I can’t. Her
parents could be watching us out their back window and wouldn’t that be awkward for all of us. I pull back and push myself up so I can sit next to her.
After helping her back up to a sitting position, I grab my pole and begin to poke around in the tackle box to find some plastic bait.
“How was band practice?” Lane asks.
I stiffen a bit, knowing the fact that this conversation will probably lead to an argument, and I hate when we fight. “Not good. The guys are both punking-out on going on the road after graduation. Looks like it’ll just be me and you.” I cast my line into the water and I notice Lane fidgets a bit. The best thing to do is get things in the open. “Leon has this crazy idea that you don’t want to go either. He’s not right, is he?”
She doesn’t look at me as she cranks her reel. “I want to go with you. You know that. But, I think maybe going to college first is a pretty good idea.”
I roll my eyes. “Not you too. Come on, Lane. We’ve talked about this a million times. Don’t you want freedom? The chance to go on the open road together before we have to face all that grown-up shit, like bills that people always bitch about.”
Lane sighs. “It’s not that easy, Noel.”
“Yes it is, Lane. Do you want to be with me or not?”
Her head snaps in my direction. “Of course I do. Why would you even say something like that?”
“Because if you want to be with me, then we have to be together.”
“Then why don’t you enroll in a college with me.”
I shake my head. “You of all people know I can’t do that.”
“I’ll help you.” She places her hand on my thigh. “We can get through school together just like we do everything else.”
“Not college. I’m not cut out for it and I can’t go. Not even for you.” The moment the words leave my mouth I instantly regret them.
Lane’s face twists. “You’re an asshole.”
She shoves herself up from the dock and takes off, sprinting towards her house.
Stories for Amanda Page 34
