“Did you tell Grant?” Libby asks cautiously.
“No. He knows as much as you do.”
Libby picks up the dish towel on the counter and begins drying the plates, letting the conversation drop. Once the dishes are put away, she puts on her coat and heads to the door. As she opens it, she turns back and waves.
“If you wanna talk about it … call me if you want, okay?”
“Thank you. I will.”
Making sure to lock the door behind her, I walk around the apartment, turning off lights and closing the curtains. Looking down on the street below, I watch as cars slowly pass, oblivious to me watching. There are still a few people roaming around, attempting to catch the shops before they close for the night. I love living in the heart of the city.
Saying a little prayer as I get in bed, I close my eyes and will myself to sleep peacefully tonight. I pray for the nightmares to leave me alone and my good memories to shine through. I say hello to Grandma and tell her that I love her. The last thing I remember is asking her to watch over my father, to keep him safe, and to help him understand.
My alarm goes off and I sit up. I feel refreshed as I stretch my arms over my head. I’m ready for my day to start because it’s going to be a great day. I get to watch Grant play tonight, his final game of the regular season. If they win, they go on to play in the state competition.
Full of energy, I get to school early. I’m already at my locker when Libby arrives, surprised to find me waiting on her for a change.
“What time are we meeting up tonight?” I ask as I open my locker and start organizing my bag for the day.
“The game starts at seven,” she replies, leaning against the locker next to mine. “It’s a big game. There’s going to be a ton of people there, and if we want to get good seats, then we should probably get there fairly early.”
“Okay. Wanna meet at my place at five and then we can head over there about six?” I ask, shoving my Trigonometry book in my bag.
“Sounds good. Are you okay if Chester comes with us?”
Really? I look around my locker door and raise my eyebrow at her. “Of course. I assumed he would be.” Libby looks down, moving imaginary dirt around on the floor with the toe of her boot. “What?”
“Well, Megan asked if she could come with us too. I told her I would let her know.”
Megan. The one who wants Grant. The one who spread rumors about him to make herself look better. I’m not sure I want to let her anywhere near him. On the other hand, if I keep her close, then I can keep an eye on her. What’s that saying? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
“Sure. There should be plenty of room for everyone.” Libby’s eyes dart to mine, squinting at me as if she’s trying to read my mind.
“Oookayyyy,” she says, dragging the word out.
“Cool. I’ll see you at lunch.” Walking off, I leave Libby standing next to my locker looking confused.
By the time the day is finally over, I’m ready to see Grant. He sent me a text at lunch, asking if he could swing over after school for a good luck kiss. My heart melted a little as Libby pretended to gag while reading over my shoulder. Megan was pretending to be engaged in a conversation with Angie, but I saw her peering over at us while I loudly told Libby how sweet Grant is to me all the time. I may have played it up a little bit. I may have talked louder than necessary. I just wanted to make sure that Megan got the message loud and clear. Judging by the fact that she left lunch early, I think she understood.
Having her around tonight should be interesting. It’s almost like she’s torturing herself by hanging out with us. If the situation were reversed, I wouldn’t want to be in her shoes. I also wouldn’t be hanging on to the notion that someone who was never interested in me to begin with might change their mind.
Grant is waiting for me at my apartment when I arrive. After an hour of good luck kisses, he leaves to get ready for the big game. Good timing on his part. Things were starting to get hot and heavy, and if he hadn’t needed to be somewhere, I may not have let him leave. I saw the look in his eyes when I pulled back and told him he better leave. He was thinking about the same thing I was.
After changing into warmer clothes for the game, I pick up a little while I wait for everyone else to show up. We pile into Libby’s car to head to the stadium as soon as Megan arrives.
By the time we get there, the parking lot is already packed with cars and the stands are starting to fill up fast. The game doesn’t start for almost an hour, but people are ready and waiting. Libby volunteers Chester to run and get us all something warm to drink. When he finally returns, the stands are full and we have to cram together to make room for him. Sitting so close keeps us all warmer. All of us except Megan who is sitting on my right, trying to leave as much space between us as possible.
The game is a blowout. The other team never had a chance. Grant threw for five touchdowns, his personal best in one game, and the team officially moves on to the state competition. Libby and I are standing and hollering as they announce Grant as the MVP for the season. After that, we push our way through the crowd and rush for the car. For what, I’m not sure. We sit in a line of traffic for the next hour as we attempt to make our way out of the parking lot.
Getting there early was a good idea because we had great seats. If we had been a little smarter, we would have parked like we were one of the last to arrive. Instead, we were close to the field which means farthest from the exit. At least it was warm in the car.
“Can you drop me off at home first?” Megan asks as soon as we are on the main road. It’s only the second time I’ve heard her speak tonight.
“Are you sure you don’t want to celebrate with us?” Libby replies, making eye contact with me in the rear view mirror. I nod, letting her know that it’s okay.
“I think I’d rather go home, but thanks,” Megan replies, dismissively.
Feeling like I should personally invite her over, I open my mouth to speak when Libby slams on the brakes and my body flies forward, only to be pulled back by the seatbelt. Squeezing my eyes closed, I hear the crunch of metal and Libby curse at the top of her lungs. When I open my eyes, I’m surprised to see a pair of eyes staring back at me and I scream.
“Damn deer. My parents are going to be pissed.” Libby beats her fist against the steering wheel a few times in frustration.
“Get it off the car, Chester. It’s staring at me,” I holler.
Libby and Chester both look between the seat back at me and start laughing. I’m not sure what’s funny, but Megan joins in a few seconds later and my face starts to heat up in anger. Libby recognizes the signs and punches Chester in the arm. He stops laughing, Megan following suit once she realizes only her laughter remains.
“Can you get it off the hood please?” Libby asks Chester. “I need to call my father.”
I focus my attention out the window while Chester tends to the deer. Once I hear him holler at Libby, I look out the front window to see that the deer is gone. I can still see it staring at me if I close my eyes. Staring at where it was lying, lifeless, my body shudders at the thought.
I text Grant, letting him know what happened. He replies right away that he’s coming to pick me up. Smiling to myself, I let Libby know that he’s on his way to get me. She shakes her head at me and mumbles something under her breath. Her father is on his way, too, and so are the police. Libby’s going to be stuck here for a while.
“Want me to come back and pick you up?” I ask as I see headlights pull up behind us.
“No. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow. I’m sure you and Grant want to celebrate his win, alone.” Megan’s eyes shoot to me as Libby’s implications slap me in the face.
“Libby,” I scold in disapproval.
“What? I didn’t say how you were going to celebrate.”
“You implied enough.”
Chester opens the door and our conversation comes to a screeching halt.
“Um,” he begins, knowing tha
t he interrupted something. “Your dad is here and so is Grant.”
Unlatching my seat belt, I reach for the door handle when I feel a hand on my arm. When I look back, I see Megan’s hand on my forearm and a pathetic look on her face.
“Do you think you guys might be able to give me a ride home?” Her voice sounds sweet and innocent. That’s the first time I’ve heard her sound anything except ungrateful and rude since meeting her.
I’m shocked that she has the nerve to ask. I want to say no, but I can’t do it. I’m too damn nice for my own good. I nod my head and she immediately unlatches her seat belt and gets out of the car.
Grant’s waiting for me when I open my door. I smile up at him and kiss him deeply on the lips, making sure that Megan is watching first. I don’t want her to get any ideas. When I pull away, my knees are a little weak and there’s a smile on my face, and his.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I told Megan that we would give her a ride home.” Grant’s smile disappears and a look of confusion crosses his face.
“Sure,” he replies, sounding more like he’s asking me a question.
I slide into the middle as we pile in Grant’s truck. The ride to Megan’s house is quiet, the sounds of the music softly playing the only noise filling the awkward silence. It only takes a few minutes, but it feels like it takes hours to get there. As soon as Megan hops out of the truck, I give Grant a quick kiss before sliding into the passenger seat and buckling my seat belt.
“What was that all about?” Grant asks as he puts the truck in reverse, backing out of the driveway as Megan watches from her front porch. I wave at her, ignoring his question for a minute.
“I was being nice,” I reply.
“Sure you were. Are you sure you weren’t trying to make it clear to her that we’re dating?” He knows me too well.
“That too, I guess.” I look over at Grant, tossing him a sly smile. “Congratulations, by the way. MVP. That’s awesome!”
“Thanks.”
“And that game. You guys killed them.”
“We played pretty well. We’re going to have to play better if we plan on winning state, though. Coach wasn’t too enthusiastic with our performance. We should have won by a lot more. We let them get by us a few times that they shouldn’t have.”
Grant goes on to explain the plays that the team messed up, including the ones that he messed up. They may have won, but it sounds like their coach is expecting more from them in a few weeks when they play their next game. Grant seems to understand his coach’s expectations better than I do. What I saw was a team that beat the crap out of another team and won a chance to play in the state championship. What the coach saw was his team struggle to beat the other team because they “lacked focus” when it came to defense. At the end of the day, they won and that’s all that matters in my eyes. They have a chance to play better in a few weeks, and they’ll be working hard between now and then, I’m sure.
Walking into my place, I’m remembering where Grant and I left off earlier and suddenly get nervous. Grant must notice because he wraps his arms around me and whispers in my ear.
“We don’t have to go there. There’s no rush. We can take this as slow as you want, Madison.”
Turning in his arms, I know that I don’t need more time. He’s been waiting for me to come back to him for five years. I spent that time looking for someone to love me the way he does. There’s no question in my mind whether he loves me or not, and I know that I love him. What better way to celebrate his big win and my birthday than together?
Chapter 16
I’m not sure what I imagined my first time would be like, but it wasn’t that. It was awkward and slightly painful. Grant kept apologizing for hurting me and I kept cringing. It got better and then it was amazing. Lying in his arms after was my favorite part. Until this morning, when we tried again. Then, it was exactly how I imagined it would be. Perfect.
We both fell back asleep, and when I woke up, Grant was in the kitchen making breakfast. I tried to sneak up on him, but he caught me, lifted me up onto the counter and kissed me senseless.
“Happy Birthday, beautiful girl,” he says against my lips.
“Thank you.”
“What would you like to do today?”
“I don’t know. I was thinking that maybe we could just hang out here, watch a movie or something. Cuddle on the couch. Nothing big.”
Kissing me softly on the nose, Grant causes me to giggle. “What about a nice dinner out? We could invite Libby and Chester and make it a double date.”
“I didn’t tell Libby that it was my birthday. You’re the only one I told.”
“Really? Why?”
“I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it.”
“So, if I told her earlier in the week by accident when I asked her what I should buy you, you wouldn’t be mad at me, would you?”
I wrinkle my nose at Grant, but I can’t be mad at him. “No, but I wish I had known that you told her.”
“Well, I wish I hadn’t. She wasn’t much help anyway. It does explain her attitude when I asked if she would help me pick something out for you, though. I think her feelings were a little hurt. You might wanna call her and invite her to do something today.”
It’s on my list. I’ll call and apologize for not telling her after breakfast. Just as the thought crosses my mind, my stomach growls, causing Grant to laugh.
“Let’s get you fed, birthday girl,” Grant says in a teasing voice.
***
Libby pretends to be hurt and mad for a few minutes before her excitement gets the best of her and she starts making plans for the afternoon. Her voice gets louder and louder until it sounds like it’s in surround sound. I pull the phone away from my ear at the same moment she busts through the door.
“Oh! By the way. I’m on my way over,” Libby says into her phone as she makes eye contact with me, closing the door behind her.
I hang up the phone, my eyes shooting to the bathroom door. I’m paralyzed, fear of what Libby will think when she sees Grant walk out of the bathroom freshly showered. She’ll instantly know why he’s still here, what we did. My face starts to heat up as Libby draws me in for a hug. Behind me, I hear the bathroom door open and Libby draw in a swift breath.
“Hey, Libby,” Grant mumbles. Looking over my shoulder, I watch as he retreats back into the bathroom to get dressed.
“Why is Grant showering here and walking around in only a towel after?” She still has her arms wrapped around me tightly so she can’t see how red my face is from embarrassment. When I don’t answer her, she continues. “Did he sleep here last night?”
I shake my head and Libby lets out a squeal of excitement, pushing me away from her and holding onto my shoulder. The excitement on her face is overwhelming.
“Did you …?”
“Libby!” I exclaim and look away.
“Oh. My. God. You did!” Loud Libby is back. I’m sure Grant can hear her loud and clear in the bathroom. I wish he would come out here and save me. “Tell me everything!”
Please, Grant. Please come save me from Libby’s inquisition. As if telepathically hearing my pleas, Grant opens the bathroom door. A quick glance tells me that he’s fully dressed and ready to take Libby on.
“Later,” I whisper to Libby, knowing full well that I’ll do whatever it takes to avoid having that conversation with her.
Leaving Grant alone with Libby while I take a shower is a bad idea, but I don’t have a choice. When I return, Grant gives me a look that I can only describe as “save me.” I know that feeling. Smiling, I wink at him and pull Libby into the bathroom to help me with my hair. I leave the door open so she can’t ask me about Grant, but I still have to change the conversation twice before she gets the hint.
Chester meets up with us an hour later at the movie theater. I let Libby pick the movie since I didn’t have a preference. That was a bad idea. Chester and Grant both sigh when they realize that we are headed in to see a chick fl
ick. I laugh, link arms with Libby, and we skip ahead of them.
After the movie, Grant insists that we go out for dinner. He picks the nicest restaurant in town and asks for a seat in the back, away from the crowd. I give him a curious look, but he avoids my gaze, leading me to the table with his hand on the small of my back. He has something up his sleeve, but I have no idea what. My interest is definitely peeked.
The food is amazing and dessert is even better. Just as we’re about to leave, Libby pulls a wrapped package out from under the table. Where did that come from? I didn’t see her carry anything in with her.
“For you, Mads. Happy birthday,” she squeals, her face aglow with excitement.
“Thanks, but you didn’t have to get me anything.”
“Of course I did. It’s your birthday. You only turn eighteen once.” Libby smiles at me sweetly as she hands the package across the table.
Careful not to tear into the paper like a child on Christmas morning, I slide my finger under the tape, opening the end, and then slide the paper off and open the brown box hidden beneath. As soon I see what’s inside, I start laughing. Only Libby.
“You have to split everything with me 50/50,” Libby demands.
“How many lottery tickets did you buy? There has to be at least a hundred in here.”
“Good guess. It’s going to take you a while to scratch them all,” Libby replies, a note of humor in her voice at the fact that I’ll be scratching lottery tickets for days.
“Well, thank you. I’ll let you know what your cut is as soon as I’m done.” I blow her a kiss across the table and she pretends to grab it and slap in on her cheek.
“Me next,” Grant announces from beside me.
I turn in my seat and face him as he struggles to get something out of the pocket of his jeans. He pulls his closed fist out and insists that I close my eyes. I feel him pull my hand out, open it and close my fingers around something. When he finally says that I can open my eyes, I stare at my hand for a moment, unsure of what lies beneath my fingers.
Lucky 13 Page 17
