King Sized Beds and Happy Trails (Beds Series)

by Ann, Becca

  “That’s what hurts the most, Ry. You lied to me. We made a promise. We might have been seven, but it was still a promise, and I never once broke it. You. You broke it. Forget about not telling me how you felt. I asked you if you were drinking, and by not telling me the truth you lied.”

  I walk over to the mini bar and pull the door open. Four mini bottles line the bottom, and I reach my hand in and pull them out. I hold them up, shake my head and drop them into the trash where they belong.

  “Not only did you lie. You did the one thing I can’t forgive. You can’t fix this because I’m not one of your cars. The minute you opened that bar and took that bottle out you lost me.” I storm to the chair in the corner and pick up my coat. Tears pool in my eyes, and I purposely keep my gaze from him.

  If I look at him, I’ll cry. He’s always been there to pick up the pieces and put me back together, but he’s the one who broke me this time.

  There’s nothing else to say or do, so I open the door. I go to step out into the snow and stop.

  There is one more thing to say.

  I twist the ring on my pinky.

  “I hate you,” I say and wing the ring at his head. It misses, smacking the wall. A ting just loud enough to hear echoes in the silent room, and the ring breaks in two.

  I slam the door and walk out into the cold dark night.

  Any other time Ryan would run after me but not this time. I swipe the tears from my cheek and walk across the snow covered ground to Kaylee and Nate’s room.

  With the little bit of energy I have, I knock. The door flies open, and I don’t even say a word before Kaylee flings her arms around me.

  “Nate out!”

  “But it’s our last night,” he protests.

  “Out!”

  I don’t see Nate leave. I’m too consumed in my pain. Deep, stomach curling pain because I didn’t just get in a fight with a guy I’m falling for. That wouldn’t have been so bad.

  The pain that curls and wraps around my heart, squeezing until the ache is so bad I fall to the ground, is for something I never thought I’d have to face.

  My eyes sting with regret and sorrow. I choke on my sobs as the realization sinks in.

  Tonight I lost my best friend.

  Chapter 22

  Ryan

  I take a deep breath before plunging my head under the shower stream. Please, let it all have been a bad dream. Or let me drown here under the hot water that won’t loosen any of the chest pains I have. Something’s twisting, pulling, wringing my heart out like an oil rag. And nothing I do will make it stop hurting.

  When I woke up this morning, I thought it had been a dream. My best dream and my worst nightmare curled into one. Because I’d never be that stupid. I’d never disappoint Lex like that. I’d never say the things I said. I’d never do that to her. I love her.

  But when I rolled over to put my hand on her waist, to hold her and sigh that sigh of relief that it was a dream, I saw a half naked Nate on the other side of the bed, and then the headache started.

  I pull my face out of the water just as a knock comes at the door.

  “Hey, chaperones just said bus is leaving in an hour. Better get your crap together.”

  He’s pissed at me, too. Lex is pissed, Kaylee’s probably pissed. Man, even I’m pissed at me. I’m so stupid.

  And I can’t fix it.

  I’d think differently if it was just the alcohol. But I had to let my drunk ass keep talking. Let loose everything that, well, wasn’t true, but I said it anyway. What I called her.

  A tease.

  She’s not that at all. Why did I say that? It’s not her fault I fell for her. It’s not her fault I completely lost the ability to be around her without wanting more. She did nothing different. It was all me.

  And I threw it on her just because I wanted some excuse—any excuse—to blame her for my idiocy.

  Falling into the tub, I curl up like a damn girl and rub my chest. The water pounds on my back, not helping the pain at all. This pain I never thought I could feel. It’s worse than when I split my head open trying to fly off the roof. Worse than when I burnt the shit out of my arm when I was fixing a blown engine. Worse than when I caught my mom cheating on my dad days before he died.

  And that’s when it hits me. I have felt this pain before, but I shoved it so far away so I’d forget about it.

  Loss.

  I’ve lost my best friend.

  “Dude,” Nate says, knocking again, “come on!”

  I turn up the hot water, ignoring him and letting loose all the tears I’ve been holding back since Lex stomped out the cabin.

  ***

  Nate’s never silent. He’s usually yapping his mouth off about something if it’s not busy with Kaylee. But the whole time we’re getting stuff together, it’s so quiet my ears buzz.

  Lex’s stuff is all still here. And after all my crap gets jammed in my duffel, I move to hers, trying not to smell every item before putting it in her suitcase. I get to the toothpaste and lose control, checking over my shoulder to make sure Nate isn’t looking before I twist the cap off and inhale the stuff like a drug. That same scent was inches away from me tasting last night. Her lips, her tongue. I was so close.

  Then I remember what my rank breath smelled like, and I chuck the toothpaste across the countertop.

  “Uh…”

  Here comes the yabber.

  “I don’t know if you want this, but thought I’d ask before I toss it.”

  I turn around, looking at the pieces of ring in Nate’s palm. Running a hand over my forehead, I nod. Then take the broken jewelry and stick it in my pocket. Don’t ask me why I want it, but I can’t throw it away.

  He clears his throat before sitting on the edge of the bed to put his boots on. “Okay, I don’t know what happened last night. And normally I wouldn’t butt in, but I noticed the empty bottles, the obvious hangover, and since I was kicked out of my room, I only can assume she caught you wiping out the mini bar.”

  I don’t answer. I don’t have to.

  He shakes his head, tugging on his boot. “Man, I don’t get it.”

  I slide down the wall, burying my face in my hands. “Don’t get what?”

  “Why you even thought of drinking. I mean, minus the part where you know the person you’re sharing a room with has a hatred of alcohol. I’ve known you forever, dude. And not once did you ever want a drop of the stuff in your system. What made you break so bad you downed an entire fridge?”

  I drop my hands from my face. Nate has known me forever, and this thing I feel for Lex, he doesn’t even know about. My mind goes on rewind to the argument last night. When she asked how she was supposed to know, when I didn’t say anything.

  It sucks that she’s right.

  “It was that douche tonguing her in front of everyone in the rec room.”

  “Well, you kind of knew that was gonna happen.”

  “I know, but…” I let the thought drift off as I look at my friend. I don’t have to say it out loud, though I should. The light flicks on behind his eyes, and he laughs.

  “Oh, man, I knew it!” He laughs more as he grabs his other boot. “You know, if you would’ve stayed just two more seconds, you would’ve seen her freak out on him. Then she would’ve finally let you beat his face in.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah, she flipped. Screaming and all that. She even refused to take her dad’s ring back.”

  “But I saw it on her hand.”

  “She grabbed it from him right before she tugged Kaylee and me outside.”

  If I had waited two seconds… ugh, I knew I was an idiot, but this makes it even worse.

  “She didn’t catch me drinking,” I say to the floor. “She caught me drunk.”

  His eyebrow goes up. “Yeah?”

  I nod. “Apparently, my breath stunk of booze.”

  “Whoa, wait a second. How close was she to your mouth?”

  My ears flame up and again, I don’t say anything bec
ause I don’t have to.

  “Oh, dude. You really messed up.” He chuckles to himself. “More than I thought before, and I thought that was pretty bad.”

  “Yeah, I know.” My head swings back into the wall. “I don’t even think I can fix it.”

  “Well, you have to.” He shrugs like it’s nothing. I’m about to let loose on him. What the hell does he know? He’s never had a fight in his entire paradise relationship.

  “I don’t know how,” I say through my teeth.

  He rubs his chin, checking over his shoulder as if someone is looking at us through the window. “Okay, I’m going to tell you something, as long as you keep it double dead bolted. Between us, got it?”

  “Alright…”

  “I mean it. Not a word.”

  I do a cross over my chest motion, and he drops his tense shoulders. “I almost lost Kaylee because of something real stupid.”

  Whoa, what?

  “When?”

  “Few months ago.”

  I raise my eyebrows and roll my hand in the air, telling him to keep going.

  “Do you remember that gerbil she had?”

  “Mr. Peepee or something?”

  “Pippi. Yeah. Well, he didn’t exactly die the way we said he did.”

  Something barrels through my throat, and I end up laughing my face off. Nate’s ears go red as I roll to the floor. “You killed her gerbil?”

  “Hey, hey! It was an accident!”

  “How do you accidentally kill a pet?”

  “Well,” he says, checking over his shoulder again, “she said I could use him for my next disappearing act. We were leaning up against the trunk of her mom’s car, and just as I was about to make him ‘reappear’, he crawled out of my hand and into the exhaust pipe.”

  “Oh shit.” I shouldn’t still be smiling, but I am. It’s just so Nate and Kaylee to have this kind of fight.

  “Not funny, dude. She was freaking out. Crying and hitting me. We went into the house to find something to coax him out. Anything. Food. A stick. But before we got back outside, her mom started the car.”

  “Bye bye, Mr. Pippi.”

  “I know it sounds stupid, but it led to the worst fight we’ve ever had.”

  “What do you mean?” I’m not laughing anymore. The look on Nate’s face wipes the smile clean from mine.

  “Stuff that we didn’t mean, every little thing that bugged us about each other came out in an explosion after that. I said things to this day I wish I could take back.”

  Huh, sounds familiar.

  “So, how’d you fix it?”

  He shrugs. “I’m not sure.”

  Throwing my hands in the air, I say, “Well, you’re a lot of help.”

  “I’m just saying, she came to me.” He laughs before he goes red in the ears again. “You know when I used to write stuff down?”

  “You mean, in your diary?” I smirk.

  “Journal. Well, I used to write things about Kaylee. For her.”

  I bite back the ribbing I want to give him. “Alright…”

  “I, uh, used to slip those pages in her locker. And when we were fighting, that’s when she found out it was me who left her those notes.”

  “She didn’t know before?”

  He shakes his head. “I’m good with the sneaky thing.”

  I’ll give him that one. He gave Pop-pop an almost heart attack when he poofed out of nowhere and landed in the seat next to him at the theater. He’s a good magician, but I’m keeping a mental note to have him stay away from live animals.

  “Anyway,” he says, adjusting the shirt I let him borrow, “she came over, we each apologized, and I told her I loved her…”

  “Yeah?” Didn’t realize I was leaning forward till I almost smack my face on the edge of the bed.

  “And we did it.” He smiles and winks. “End of story. Hope yours works out just as good.”

  I dive off the floor and put him in a headlock. “That whole thing better have been true or I’ll—”

  “It was! It was!” he chokes. “Now let me go! You’re messing with the goods.”

  I give him a noogie before dropping my arm. We both laugh as I grab Lex’s suitcase and throw my duffel over my shoulder.

  “Hey, Nate?”

  “Hmm?”

  “You think things’ll turn out okay, then?”

  He shrugs. “I don’t know, man. All I did was kill a pet. You shattered a girl’s hopes in you being the only one who was different. I’d say you have a lot of work ahead of you.”

  “Yeah, yeah.”

  He’s right, and I know it. Still makes me want to give him another noogie, and if my hands weren’t full, I would.

  “Oh, and it’s going to be weird for a bit. And just letting you know, Kaylee and I aren’t going to pick sides. So try to fix this fast, yeah?”

  I give him a fist bump and open the door.

  “I’ll try.”

  Chapter 23

  Lexie

  The idea of death has always scared me, but right now I just want to curl in a ball and die. It can’t be much different than how I feel. My entire body aches, eyes swollen, finger sore from twisting my ring. But none of that compares to the sharp, knife carving pain in my heart.

  A tease.

  How could he call me a tease? It’s the most insane thing I’ve ever heard. And he just blurted it out like a Snapple fact.

  And what did he mean it wasn’t different? It was totally different. What else was it that he said? I made him want me more than he’s ever wanted anything.

  I didn’t know.

  Maybe if he didn’t lie to me and keep it all in, things could be different. I’d still have my best friend. Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly shed another tear my eyes swell, and I’m choking on sobs.

  “Aww, Bestie.” Kaylee drops the last pile of clothes into her suitcase then wraps her arms around me, pulling me into her boobs.

  “34B’s my ass,” I mutter between sniffs.

  “A good push up bra can do wonders.” She hoists them up until they hit me in the chin. “It’s nice to hear you talk. Are you ready to get your stuff?”

  “I don’t want it.”

  “We have to be on the bus in ten minutes.”

  I crawl back under the covers. “I have other stuff.”

  Kaylee pulls the sheet off of my head. “Lexie, don’t be ridiculous.”

  There it is. That word again. It doesn’t hurt as bad as when Ryan said it, but it still stings. I’m not ridiculous. Just wounded.

  After our blow up, the last thing I want is to see Ryan. The words we exchanged, there’s no taking them back.

  “Fine. I’ll give you one get out of jail free card, but only one. I’ll go get your stuff and meet you on the bus.”

  I jump up from where I’m hiding beneath the sheets and fling my arms around Kaylee. “You will?”

  “Of course, Bestie. I know you’d do it for me.”

  I would. Ryan’s not my only best friend. I still have Kaylee.

  “Get yourself together. It’s Ryan. You guys will figure this out.” She tosses me a granola bar. “Eat that. See you on the bus.” She lingers. Green cartoon eyes giving me the stare down.

  The thought of food makes my stomach clench, but if I don’t eat, Kaylee will tie me down and force me. I make a show of opening the wrapper then take a big bite and smile, crumbs falling from my mouth.

  “Good girl,” she says and walks out.

  Once the door shuts, I find the nearest garbage pail and spit it out.

  All I have is my coat. I put it on then take Kaylee’s suitcase. Nate stopped by earlier to get his stuff. Couldn’t even look at him. I ruined his last night here with Kaylee. Technically Ryan did, but I’m the one that took over his room and stole his girl.

  Sheesh. What does she have in this bag? Rabbits?

  I drag the case across the room and out the door. Outside I freeze and not from the frigid air. It’s the same spot Ryan and I had our snow fight right
before Sandy called me those dreaded words.

  It just proves I’m not meant to have a good life. There’ll always be something or someone to knock me on my butt.

  A line has already formed at the two buses, and I hop on the closest. I really hope Kaylee gets on the same bus. I keep my head down since I never bothered to look in a mirror, so God knows how awful I look.

  The line moves slow, but I finally make my way up the stairs. Shit. Sandy’s on this bus. Just my luck. She’s close to the front. I’ll just sit in the very back.

  I keep my eyes on the seat in the back and continue toward it. Mid-step my foot hits something, holding it in place while the rest of my body flings forward. With a loud thump I hit the ground.

  What the…?

  That something was Sandy’s foot. I jump up and turn to Sandy, who’s not only cracking up but pointing at me too.

  Anger boils in my cheeks, shooting heat to my ears. I clench my fists at my side and step up to where she is sitting. “What is your problem?” I scream.

  “You,” she says and turns away flipping her hair at me.

  “No!” I yell and grab her shoulder, yanking her back. She jumps up and puts her three-shades-darker-from-her-neck face in mine.

  “Don’t touch me, bitch.”

  “Girls!” Mrs. Howard calls from the bottom of the stairs, but there’s a line and they’re not letting her through.

  My classmates have been waiting for this day for years. Every time Sandy and I have one of our moments, they inch closer. It’s like watching a NASCAR race, no guarantee of a crash but you don’t want to miss out just in case.

  “All of this because I accidently pulled your pants down in sixth grade.” We were running in a relay, I had to pass her the baton, but I tripped and fell, when I went down so did her pants. It’s not my fault she was wearing Power Puff Girl underwear.

  The space between her eyebrows crinkle and a gust of air rushes out of her nose. “That’s what you think this is about?”

  “Well yeah. I’ve never done anything else to you.” Not that I remember at least. I’ve wasted so many days going over all of our encounters only to come up blank.

  “No, you haven’t,” she says and darts her attention away from me and toward Mrs. Howard, who stopped fighting her way and is now watching like the rest of them.