by Tijan
Blaise sighed as he grinned down at me. “Looks like we’ll just have to hole up here in case there’s a zombie outbreak. What? You don’t have two pizza toasters? Just one? Talk about budget cuts. I can really see it in here.”
I grinned, my chest loosening, and by the time we’d made a pizza and settled on the couches, it was well past midnight. When the movie started—a superhero one that wasn’t scheduled to come out for another year—I got comfortable. This was one of the perks of my parents’ job, but I was asleep not even halfway through it.
At one point, I woke to the feeling of a blanket settling over me. Then Blaise pulled me against his chest, and I closed my eyes once more.
“I’m not always this bad, Aspen,” he whispered. “I promise.”
He was almost perfect to me.
18
Aspen
Blaise: Where are you?
Me: Still in bed.
It was Monday morning, just past nine, and I was tired. Not that I really had any reason to be, but I was. I was calling this an early vacation, since I was done with school. There was no reason to go, even though I wasn’t camping after all. And since I planned to ignore my graduation (they would mail me the diploma, I checked), this was the beginning of my summer.
I’d been planning all these summer camping trips, but Blaise had ruined those for me. Not that I couldn’t still go, but it would be different. I felt a slight panic thinking about that—thinking I might never want to camp alone again. No way. I’d still go. I’d start planning my next trip now.
Blaise: Come to school.
Me: No.
The phone rang a second later.
Blaise calling.
I answered, putting him on speaker and crawling out of bed. “What’s going on?”
“I’m annoyed you’re not here.”
I grinned, running the water to wash my face. “I’m done with school. I’ve completed all my classes. There’s no reason for me to show up.”
“I’m your reason.”
That felt nice, but I wasn’t going.
He seemed to know that, because he sighed. “Fine. There are parties every day this week. Can I talk you into going to any of them with me?”
I’d dipped my washcloth under the water, but I paused and pulled it back. Turning the water off, I waited, my chest tight. He wanted me to hang out with his friends? I didn’t people. At all. Blaise was becoming the exception.
“Hello?” he said. A bell sounded from his end and he cursed. “Shit. I gotta go. I’ll call later, okay?”
“Okay.” Thank God we didn’t have to finish this conversation. “Have a great day.”
“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbled. “Fuck you.”
I laughed, then ended the call and heaved a sigh of relief.
What do I do? I looked at myself in the mirror. I raised my eyebrow, digging at my reflection. Huh? I asked myself. What do you do when you’re falling for the popular bad boy and you’re completely out of your league?
I was an introvert. I was socially awkward. My only positives were that if you put me in front of a professional photographer, I photographed well, and my parents had money. That was it.
But my life wasn’t even a problem for me to complain about. What was I doing?
There was a knock on my bedroom door, and it pushed open. Miss Sandy walked in with her housekeeping cart. Seeing me, she jumped back.
“Ahh!” She sagged back against the door. “Miss Aspen! You scared me.” She took in the still-messy bed and my desk with an open bag of chips and my computer on it. My closet spilled clothes on the floor, and Blaise had left a blanket and pillow on my couch yesterday.
“Miss Aspen?” She seemed mystified.
So was I. Blaise had showed up Saturday night and then hung out most of the day yesterday, so the room was messy. He’d gone home when his mom called saying she wanted him to be there for dinner. I’d gotten a few texts late last night, so I knew he hadn’t stayed at his house. He was at Zeke’s, and he’d sent a picture—just him and Zeke playing video games all night. He hadn’t needed to reassure me, because I didn’t take him for a liar. The only thing he owed me was not to touch another girl until we knew what was going on between us.
But it was kinda nice to get the text too.
“Sorry,” I told Miss Sandy, surveying the mess.
“No.” She patted her chest, frowning. “Why are you not in school?”
Graduation was next Sunday. I just needed to play this so they didn’t start wondering about it—not until it had passed. “I’m not feeling well,” I lied with a smile.
“Oh no.” She crossed the room, putting the back of her hand to my forehead. “You don’t feel like you have a fever, but one never knows.” She motioned me toward the bed. “Shoo, shoo. Get in bed. I’ll bring you everything you need.”
She hurried around the room as I crawled back under the covers. She picked things up, straightening the room, still doing her job. I had to smile at that. Miss Sandy, always the professional. When she came to one of Blaise’s shirts, she paused.
I groaned, realizing what it was.
The emblem on the shirt was a marijuana leaf making a sexually suggestive hand motion.
I knew that now.
She rotated swiftly to me. She put the shirt on the bed, then picked it back up and folded it, placing it on the arm of the couch. She looked at me, and I waited, biting down on my lip.
Sandy hadn’t come in yesterday.
Blaise had been here most of the day and no one knew. My mom had emailed me and come over once, knocking on the door to ask if I wanted to go with them to dinner in Los Angeles. They were going there for business and would be gone most of this week. I’d declined the dinner invite, and Blaise had left shortly after that for his own family dinner. He’d thought it was a hoot, standing behind the door while my mom was on the other side of it.
I’d just rolled my eyes at him because I’d already lost probably three years of my life, worrying he’d be caught. My mom wasn’t known for coming in and being motherly, but there had been times when she decided we needed a mother-daughter talk.
However, lately she’d seemed distracted, and I’d used that to my advantage. I wasn’t sure why I wanted to skip graduation, and I didn’t want to focus on it long enough to find the reason. I just knew once it had passed, I would breathe easier.
“Would you like tea for your morning breakfast?” Miss Sandy asked.
That’s it? That was all she was going to say?
I didn’t know if I was disappointed or overjoyed, but I nodded. “Yeah. That’d be great. And could I get just some egg whites?”
She paused in the doorway. “No toast this morning?”
I usually grabbed my own food, but since Miss Sandy thought I was sick, I knew she’d prepare a tray.
I tried to give her a smile, and I suddenly had a feeling she knew I was lying. “I’m good with just tea and the egg whites. Thank you, Miss Sandy.”
“Of course, Miss Aspen.” Her smile was tender. “You feel better, okay?”
I nodded and blinked back a tear as she shut the door. I collapsed into my bed, feeling like the worst person in the world. I hated lying, but this was graduation week. I needed to stay firm. I just had to.
I picked up my phone and took a picture of Blaise’s shirt, sending it to him.
Me: You left a memento. Miss Sandy found it.
Blaise: Aw, shit. Sorry.
Blaise: Who’s Miss Sandy?
Me: Your future worst nightmare.
Blaise: That sounds ominous. I’ll probably love her. Later.
He texted, informing me that Zeke was having people over to his house if I wanted to join. I told him about the sick lie, and that I was committed. I was hoping to have the flu all week. He wished me good luck, but said maybe he’d come to get sick with me.
I laughed, tossing the phone away, and went back to planning my next camping trip. Blaise was in my head, though, so I tried to use extra caution a
bout ensuring my safety.
My mom called twice. Once before dinner, letting me know they were meeting my brother and some of his friends, because apparently Nate was in LA for some reason. Then she called back after dinner to tell me everything he was doing, that he was living with one of his best friends and talking about starting a company with his buddies.
I listened to her, my knees pulled up to my chest, and reached out to turn off my light. The moonlight still lit the room pretty well, but it felt right to me.
Hearing how Nate was doing, that he was doing well, was like a dagger to my heart.
I didn’t know why. I think it was my mom’s tone.
When the accident happened with Owen, it set everyone in the family on a weird course. It took us a long time to heal. But that healing had been the catalyst for them wanting to make things right with Nate. Life was short. My mom had started her hippie new lifestyle. My dad enjoyed his cigars more, and they’d changed their work focus. Instead of producing, they were directing more, which I knew they enjoyed.
Having Nate as part of the family had become a big thing for my mom.
She wanted him back in the fold, and she was trying. She and my dad were both trying, and I think things were better, but this was my older brother. He seemed to enjoy life away from us, and who could blame him?
Whatever.
It was all good.
I was happy my mom was happy, and I could hear in her voice that she was.
She said Nate had asked about me. “And of course I told him how great you’re doing in school—4.2 GPA, highest honors, and you’re never in trouble. Oh, and I told him how you’re still enjoying your little camping trips.” She sighed into the phone. “Oh, honey. He looks really good. He seems happy.”
That’s all my mom wanted.
“I’m glad for that, Mom,” I told her, keeping the tears out of my voice.
“You’re such a sweetheart. How’d I luck out getting you as my daughter?”
Then she needed to go because a producer was calling her, so we hung up.
The camping trip didn’t seem as much fun after that.
I texted Blaise, but he didn’t respond.
I didn’t expect him to. He’d said he’d be partying at Zeke’s for most the night, so when it got to be around midnight, I got ready for bed and crawled in.
Ten minutes later I snagged his shirt and put it on.
19
Blaise
Aspen was hiding this week.
I knew that’s what she was doing, because I was doing the same—except from my family. I didn’t know why she was hiding, but I would find out. I was waiting for the right time to push for some answers, ’cause I’d gotten to know her a bit. The chick was a steel trap when it came to her family. I, on the other hand, needed to learn how to shut my mouth, so I was practicing.
My friends and I were at Manny’s this afternoon, a popular hangout pub/diner place. The owners were cool, and as long as we didn’t get into fights and kept ordering food, they let us chill here. The back room had pool tables and other games, but it was currently filled with Roussou kids, so our group took over the front section.
This was day three of partying.
Monday had been at Zeke’s. Tuesday, we went cliff diving. Not everyone dove, but I loved that shit. That’s mostly all I did, and I was almost thankful Aspen turned me down when I asked her to go. I was able to dive to my heart’s content and not worry about her being worried for me.
Now it was Wednesday, and it was turning into a full day at Manny’s. Kids from Fallen Crest Public were here too, but I didn’t pay attention to them. I had my boys, and I was holding true to my promise to Aspen. Until I knew what she and I were doing, my hands would stick to her and her alone. I was counting down the hours until I could head over to see her. I hadn’t been there since Sunday, and Sunday night to Wednesday is a long fucking time.
I was jonesing for some Aspen time.
I was also jonesing to leave Manny’s since the Roussou kids were getting rowdy. I saw two of my brother’s friends across the room, so I knew it was a matter of time before Cross and Bren showed up.
“Yo.” Zeke held up his hand, waiting for my fist to pound it before he slipped into the seat next to me.
I’d been nursing a mixed drink for the last hour—not that it was a mixed drink when I’d ordered it, but it became mixed at the table.
“What’s up?” I asked.
Zeke had been cool all week, but I knew he was curious about the Wagon chick. That’s what he was calling Aspen. I was prepared for that line of questioning when he threw me for a loop.
“Is your sister still good with that boyfriend of hers?”
Wait.
What?
“The fuck is that your business?”
I might’ve said that a bit more harshly than needed, and Zeke knew it. His knowing grin turned smug, and he nodded toward the parking lot.
“She’s coming up with her friends, and she’s solo. Your sister is hot. She’s going to get noticed.”
I was perplexed, but that was all he said. He slid back into his seat, but then leaned over again. “Oh hey.”
What now? I was still thrown by the sister comment.
“If you slide out of here before I see you again, I’m organizing a trip on my dad’s yacht. We’ll leave tomorrow after school, skip Friday since it’s a useless day for us, and come back Sunday morning.”
“Graduation is that afternoon.”
“I know.” He flashed me a grin. “It’s a really long end-of-the-year party. I think we’re due, right?”
“A yacht, huh? We have a limit on how many are invited?”
He cocked his head, side-eyeing me with a way more smug smirk than I wanted to see on his face. Ever. I was about to tell him to drop it or I was going to wipe it off him when he broke out smiling. “How about we do you, me, and your mystery girl, and I’ll make sure Conway and Ashlome don’t have Daniels as their plus one.”
“How many, Zeke?”
That meant they’d invite Penny, Ria, or one of the other girls in that group—all of whom had nails and were mean as hell.
I didn’t like what he was doing. I knew his dad’s yacht could only comfortably sleep eight. He was forcing me into a situation where I had to bring Aspen or go on a trip without her, and I didn’t want to do that.
“I won’t come unless I know who else is coming.”
“Come on.” He groaned, tipping his head backward.
Penny and Ria were heading over, and I knew this conversation was a waste. “I’m out.”
“What?” Zeke’s mouth dropped open before he caught himself. “You’re being a bitch, man.”
I was reaching for my wallet when I heard that. I was in his face in a heartbeat. “Don’t you fucking speak to me like that.”
A sudden hush fell around us.
Zeke’s eyes went hard, and a mask slammed over his face, but he didn’t move.
I was breathing on him, but he didn’t lean back.
His words were low, and I heard the warning in them. “Don’t do this, bruh. You’re disrespecting me.”
“You did this.” God, I wanted to tap his chest, but I refrained.
That was my crazy side, but I wasn’t one of his bitches, and according to him, that’s why he liked me.
“And you’re continuing to do this,” I added. “You don’t think I know what you’re doing? A yacht trip, and I’m supposed to bring my woman when you know the other girls will rip her apart? You think I like being in that place? Being put there by my ‘best bud’?”
He was quiet a moment. “Your woman?”
My what?
I blinked.
He threw me a crooked grin, the air around us suddenly easing up. “You called her your woman.”
Well, fuck. I did.
I growled. “Don’t put me in that spot.”
I’d known Zeke since first grade. We’d moved when I hit fourth grade, but I came back every s
ummer to spend time with him and his family. I knew his little sister. I knew his mom. I knew his dad was a dick, but who didn’t have one like that? This asshole Zeke was not the guy I remembered from the last time I’d seen him, which was two summers ago. He’d come to spend time with me and mine in New York, and it’d been a fun month—a full fucking month. We’d spent that time on my non-bio dad’s yacht.
I got the significance of Zeke inviting me, but I still didn’t appreciate the parameters of the invitation.
He let out a sigh. “Fine. How about we do the trip after graduation, and instead, we go on a two-day bender at my house?”
“Yeah, man.” I tossed my cash onto the table, made sure the passing server gave me a nod, and turned back to him. “But if you ever call me a bitch again, you and I will be trading blows.”
Then I let it go and walked past him.
I was overdue for some Aspen time, even though I knew I was leaving behind a seething friend and more waves than I wanted to create at this place—not Manny’s, but in Fallen Crest.
I was just past the first row of outdoor tables and circling to the right side of the parking lot when I heard a voice behind me.
“I’m surprised it’s taken a whole semester for that shit to start.”
I groaned, not even stopping. “Not today, Cross.”
He was alone, and he blocked me before I could get to my vehicle. His gaze focused over my shoulder, and he scowled at whatever he saw.
“Taz’s boyfriend tried to go it alone,” he said. “It didn’t work. He needed a crew to back him up. That’s what we did for him.”
“Well, gee. Thank you for the history lesson I didn’t ask for. I’ve got to be going now.”
I made a move to walk around him, but he blocked me again, stepping to the side.
He threw his keys up, catching them, but his eyes were still locked over my shoulder. He began to grin. “He never thought it through.”
I narrowed my eyes. “What are you talking about?” I turned to look at what he was seeing, and even I was surprised.
