by Paige Steele
“Well, as a matter of fact we called it quits tonight.”
Laughing at me now, she asks, “Oh, did she figure you out? Where you date them and leave them?”
“No, for your information. I broke it off.”
“Please tell me you didn’t use the line, it’s me not you?”
“Umm, well…I might have,” I say, laughing back at her.
“You are pathetic, you know that?”
“Yep. So, does that mean you’ll tell him goodbye now, and come in the hot tub with me to ease my broken heart? I’m a wounded man,” I say grabbing my shirt over my heart.
“Yeah, you’re wounded alright.”
She leans into the car window and tells the player goodnight, that she’s going to just head inside. I look over at him, flip him the bird, and throw my arm around her shoulder while following her up the porch stairs. We decide to just hang out in her living room and watch a movie. We start talking about college and how great it’ll be. She keeps saying how different it’s going to be not having either Ryan or I around. It’s getting late, so she walks me to the door to say goodbye.
“By the way, pain in the ass, I saw what you did earlier.”
“Umm and what would that be, beautiful?”
“You gave my date the finger.”
“He’s an ass and you deserve better,” I say, as I tap my finger to her nose.
“Don’t do that. It makes me feel like a dog.”
“Well then, you, my puppy, are cute as hell.”
“Shut up,” she says, swatting me in the arm.
“I will always protect you, no matter what, girl.”
“Thanks, Coop.”
“Anytime and anyplace, I’ll be there for ya.”
She reaches her arms around my waist and hugs me tightly, as I pull her against my chest. I’m going to miss her when I can’t see her every day. Next year is going to be tough without her and Ryan being around. We both take a breath and sigh at the same time, then we release each other. I head out the door after I kiss her on the cheek. Tomorrow we’ll all meet up, once Ryan comes home. We can’t wait to hear how everything went.
Ansley
ITS OFFICIAL, AFTER THE FIRST of the year Ryan will be heading off to California to ride for Team Suzuki. His father is making sure everything’s in place for him to finish out his senior year on the road. The team has tutors that will help him and our school agreed that he can walk at graduation with us. Both Cooper and I are so happy for him but devastated at the same time. We feel like we’re losing a part of our family. It’s been the three of us since we were twelve. We’ve been through so much together.
Christmas is just a few days away. I’ve been babysitting for some families in the area, for extra money, while working at the hospital coffee shop some days after school. My mom and I are heading to the mall to do some last minute shopping. I don’t really know what I want to get the guys, but I want it to be special. This is the last one before Ryan moves away.
The first place I go I find a frame that says, “Best Friends” across it. I buy three of them; one for each of us. I want Ryan to have one to take with him. I know I have the perfect picture for it. We were sitting in Cooper’s hot tub a few nights ago, and we took a bunch of selfies. There’s one where I’m sitting in between the two of them. A rose between two thorns, it’s what I always say to them.
After being gone for the day, we go home and start dinner, right away.
“So, when are you and the boys going to exchange gifts, honey?”
“I think on Christmas Eve.”
“They are going to love their gifts.”
“I know right, Mom? Hopefully, I don’t get too emotional that night. It’s crazy that Ryan’s moving away. We were all supposed to be together until we left for college at the same time, all at once. Not like this.” She hugs me tight.
It’s Christmas Eve and we’re meeting at eight o’clock tonight, over at Cooper’s house. His parents are out at a holiday party, so we have the house to ourselves. I can’t wait to give them their gifts. I want tonight to be special, so I dress up a little more than I normally do, matching a low cut white sundress with my favorite pair of cowboy boots. I saw the dress at one of the stores when I went shopping with Mom. After trying it on she assured me that I looked great in it, even though it was lower in the front than I normally would wear. So I bought it. I was wearing my hair down and curled, I also put make up on, but not too much. After slipping on my boots, kissing my mom on the cheek and grabbing the presents, I finally made my way to the door. I tell her I won’t be too late as I head out.
As I walk up Cooper’s back steps, he opens the door for me. He’s also dressed up a bit, which takes me back for a minute. I don’t get to see the guys in dress clothes often, so it’s a nice surprise.
“Well, hello there, gorgeous.”
“Hello yourself, Coop.”
“Ryan said he’d be over in a bit. He was finishing up packing a few things and having dinner with his parents.”
“Ok, no biggie.”
I set the presents on the counter, only to have him pick them up and walk them over to the living room, setting them near the fireplace in front of the couch. He walks back in the kitchen, where I’m standing, looking out through the glass door. He comes up behind me and puts his arm around me. Resting my head to his shoulder, he turns me and hugs me. I wrap my arms around his waist. He’s always my rock and tonight’s no different. Knowing me like he does, he can tell I’m upset over Ryan leaving.
“It’s going to be alright, you know that, right?” He speaks as he looks down into my eyes, “We will always have each other, no matter what. Ryan will stay in touch with us. There’s FaceTime, texting, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. Seriously, no need to worry.”
“I know, but it’s going to be different, no matter how you look at it. He’s going to be busy and we won’t see him at school every day…we can’t just walk next door and see him.” I’m tearing up, and I don’t want to do that already.
Just as he goes to speak, Ryan knocks and walks in. “Am I walking in on a private moment here?” Smiling ear to ear, he looks at us both.
“No, dickhead. Just saying, Merry Christmas to each other.”
“Excuse me, I’m going to head to the bathroom for a moment. I’ll be right back.” I go there just to check my eyes. I don’t need my makeup streaming down my face, already. I know by the end of the night it’ll probably be all wiped off. The door is still open so I can hear exactly what the guys are saying when they think I can’t.
“Ok, spill it, what’s up with Peanut?”
“She’s already missing you.”
“Shit, I knew she was going to take it hard, but this is going to truly suck seeing her cry. I don’t know if I can handle it.”
“No kidding. Fuck, it’s going to be difficult. Then, you’ll leave me to pick up the pieces…thanks, shithead.”
“You are such an ass, you know that?”
“Yep!” He is laughing out loud. “Let’s grab a drink and head in the living room. What do you want?” he asks Ryan, and yells toward me just as I walk out.
Ryan chooses a beer with Cooper and I decide on my usual, a wine cooler. His parents never miss a few, or at least, they never say anything about it. We all walk into the living room and the guys sit on the couch; I take the chair.
“Peanut, you look hot tonight.” Ryan shocks me with his comment and I blush a little.
“You both clean up nice, as well.”
Cooper’s like a kid in a candy store when it comes to presents. He’s dying to know what he’ll get from both of us. It’s written all over his face. The stereo is playing country Christmas music and the fire is going. The whole scene is set. His family has the nicest house between the three of us. His mother has it decorated just like a storybook. She took her time placing things in all the right places over the entire house. We all agreed that Ryan’s going last whether he likes it or not. Though really, it’s the sam
e every year. Cooper always goes first because well, he’s a brat, then me and lastly Ryan. We’re talking about Ryan’s move and what his schedule is going to be like. He says he has three months to ride with the team to see if he can hang with the top guys. If he can, then he’ll be signed to a three-year deal with a sign on bonus, as well as other bonuses for taking a hole shot and making it on the podium. The hole shot means he needs to be the first guy coming out of the gate and around the first corner.
“Are we going to open presents tonight, or what?”
“Oh my God, you are such a kid, you know that?” I stand, walk over, and grab his presents first. I’m giving them the frames with our picture in them after all of the other presents are opened. He tears open the wrapping paper, getting to the gift in record time.
“Holy shit, Ans I love it. “ He’s holding up one of the t-shirts I bought him. It has a saying on it. “When in doubt, throttle out.” Then, he reaches in and pulls out the next one. This one has a picture of a dirt bike on it, with a rider and a girl in a bikini behind the rider. Ryan hands him his next. Again, Cooper tears in to it. He gets a calendar with all the Hyped Energy drink girls. The pictures are of them sitting on dirt bikes, or laying on the seats dressed in teeny tiny bikinis, or what I like to call scraps of material.
“Hell, yes, you both rock. I fucking love these. And Ryan, I can’t wait to visit you at a race to see these hotties up close and personal.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Ryan clanks his beer bottle to Coop’s.
“Ok, Peanut, you’re next.” Ryan picks up his present to hand it to me but Cooper beats him to it. I laugh out loud at how much of a child he really is during the holidays.
“Here, open mine first.”
He looks so serious all of sudden, and I can’t help but look in his eyes. “Get to it, girl.”
I pick it up and open the gift bag slowly. The present’s carefully wrapped so I know he didn’t do it. He’s the type of wrapper to fold the paper and tape it wherever. I take out the little box that’s in it.
“Coop, what did you do?” I slowly open the box and it is a necklace with a little dirt bike hanging off it. Both the necklace and charm are made out of white gold. The charm has little diamond chips in the center of each tire. I love it. He gets an allowance from his parents, so he must have been saving for a while for this.
“This is too much.” The tears are pooling already.
“No, it’s not. This way every time you wear it, you’ll think of us.”
“Ok, my turn.” Ryan now hands his over.
It’s another gift bag and once again I pull out a box. I immediately look up at him. He’s smiling back at me. Tilting my head sideways at him, I smile back. As I lift the lid, I notice the matching bracelet. Yep, four, three, two, one…the tears fall.
“You two are brats. Seriously guys, these are beautiful, but they are too much.”
“Nope not at all. We love you, girl.” Ryan put in hours helping his dad at the construction sites, so he must have been stashing some money away too. Ryan walks over to help me put them both on as Cooper sits there staring at me. I get up after and walk over to the mirror that is in the entryway by the front door. I put my hand to the necklace then look in the mirror as it hangs there and sparkles. Lifting my wrist, staring at the same charm that dangles, I walk back over and give them both a huge hug.
“Ryan, I hope you like mine. I really tried to find something that would help you not forget us...little people.” I try to not sound so sad.
“How could I forget my brother and then there’s you. You are like a sister to me. I could never forget a sister. You two are my best friends.”
He takes a little longer to open his but still is doing it quite quickly, as he pulls out the keychain of a sterling silver helmet. It is inscribed on one side with his favorite quote...”I’d risk the fall just to know what it feels like to fly”. While the other side has…”Never forget.”
He tries to speak and gets choked up. “Shit, now you are making me get emotional.”
Cooper leans over to look at it, pats him on the back then places his gift next to Ryan. As Ryan opens it, he starts laughing because of course, these two think alike. He got the same damn calendar for him. “Now as we flip up the months, we will be thinking the same thing,” Coop says, like he is so proud of himself.
Then they both speak at the same time, “Hot Damn!”
“Gross…make me puke.”
They both start to get up and I yell over to them to sit back down. “I’ve got one more for both of you.”
Placing the gifts in their laps, I walk out of the room to grab more drinks. I can’t sit there when they open them. I know it would cause the waterfalls to start. I take out beers for them then grab a Diet Coke for me. Opening mine up, I pull out the barstool at the island and sit down. They both walk in at the same time.
Emotions are running high. All it takes is Ryan pulling back the barstool and picking me up off of it, hugging me tightly while my feet don’t touch the floor. “You will always be a part of my life, girl. You hear me? I love you.” I just nod my head. I can’t speak.
Setting me down, Cooper then comes over. He rests his hands on either side of me. “What am I going to do with you?” I shrug my shoulders up and down, still not being able to control my voice from trembling. Tears are streaming down my cheeks.
“Peanut, nothing will tear us apart. This is just another adventure in this life of ours. God brought us together for different reasons. Look, we are all single kids, none of us had siblings to fight with, and so when Ryan and I got to be friends it was like having a brother I never had. Then, you came into our lives when we were twelve. You kept us in check when we got out of line. Can you imagine the trouble we would have gotten into if it wasn’t for you?”
I chuckle because he is totally right. “A ton.”
“Yeah, that’s right.” Ryan comes over, putting his arm around my shoulder. “Friends forever.”
They both bend over to me so our heads all meet and we stand there hugging each other.
Cooper
January came and went and so did Ryan. He has been gone for just about four months. Of course, he got officially signed to the three-year deal. He FaceTimed Ansley and I one night, to tell us. We celebrated over the phone with him. We haven’t lost touch, even though there are days at a time where we don’t talk. His parents are still here but have flown out to see him on several occasions. His dad continues to take me to races, which is great because he can sign the paperwork as my guardian so I can ride. It’s pretty cool that he still does that for me, even though he has a lot going on between work and Ryan’s new career as a pro rider.
Ansley and I spend a lot of time together. We are getting closer and closer. She goes to the track with me, as well as helps me get my bike washed and ready for every ride the night before. Not that she’s a bunch of help with the mechanical things, but she’s still there trying to hand me the tools I need. I don’t know what I’d do without her.
Prom’s happening in about two weeks. I decide to ask an old favorite. Let’s face it; I want someone to go with that knows what prom night is all about. Ansley decides to go with that stupid football player that she has gone out with a few times. He’s still trying to get her in the backseat of his car; I know it. The kid is a dumbass and everyone knows that’s all he’s after. I warn Ansley but she informs me that she can handle herself. Of course, I’ll make sure that it never takes place while I’m around. I ask her if they want to share a limo that night, so I can keep an eye on the fucker. She agrees. She looks stunning when she comes to the house before the limo arrives for us to pick up our dates. Her mom also comes over and takes several pictures of us together. When she’s snapping them of Ansley alone, I can’t help but notice how beautiful she truly is; no makeup necessary, natural beauty all the way. Though tonight she wears just a touch of it and lip gloss, too. She’ll take your breath away and leave you speechless.
Dressed
in a short, strapless red dress, she stands taller than normal with her silver heels. She wears the necklace and bracelet that Ryan and I got her last Christmas. All I can do is smile at her. She looks amazing. With my tux being black, my tie and vest silver, I think it looks like we might be going together. We snap a couple selfies and send them off to Ryan, who says we look hot together. I immediately call him to FaceTime.
“Jackass, we aren’t going together. We are just heading out to get our dates.”
“I know, I was just giving you shit. Geez, lighten up.”
“Ok, you two; knock it off.” Ansley grabs the phone and holds it out for both of us to be on the screen, “Hey, Ryan, how are you? What’s been going on?”
“Nothing much. I’m so looking forward to coming home in less than four weeks for graduation. It’s been a bitch lately, trying to study and take the necessary tests for the end of the year, as well as going to the races that recently started. I practice twice a day, two hours every morning and two to three hours later in the day. Before that, I train with a trainer. Then, I’m with the tutor for about three hours in the middle of the day. It’s flipping crazy. I’m so glad it’s almost over with.”
“We are both looking forward to seeing you, Bro.”
“What day do you get in?”
“I’m not sure of the exact day yet; as soon as I am, I’ll text you both the info. Peanut, have you decided on which college you’re going to, yet?”
“I believe Georgia Tech because they are putting an offer together for me to look at as we speak. I’m supposed to have it by Monday. Then, I have to decide this coming week and give them my answer by Friday.”
“Coop, you’ve decided that Miami U is the way you are going?”
“Yeah, Dad’s insisting on it. You know he went there, and he thinks it’s the best school out there. So whatever, if it makes him happy, I’ll go there. Plus, there are a bunch of tracks around the area that I can get to on the weekends. I already have a storage unit near the dorms, so I can store my bike and everything there.”
