Page 41 of Finding Noah

A few weeks ago, Jay had announced during a walk through River Canyon Park that a girl in our class, Giselle, had agreed to go out with him. I had been happy for him, for whatever it was worth. He'd been into her for a while. But that didn't stop the faintest hint of jealousy from swirling around in my veins.

I was jealous a lot these days.

Dad's brows lifted with surprise. “Jay has a girlfriend? You didn't tell me that.”

I lifted a shoulder helplessly. “I guess I didn't think it mattered.”

“Yeah,” he muttered, nodding a bit. “Any girls you have your eye on?”

“Nah,” I replied. Nobody I could have anyway.

“You're better off,” he said, reaching out to lay a hand on my shoulder, giving me a playful shake. “Plenty of time for that shit. Be a kid while you can. Get into stupid crap, but not … too stupid.”

I smirked. “You mean, don't do anything you did, right?”

Dad rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. “Kid, I could write the handbook on what not to do. Don't get yourself thrown in prison, and you'll be fine.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

A GOOD KID

Coincidentally, Jay called a week later and asked if I'd like to come to some party Giselle's friend just outside of town was throwing.

Not much about the idea appealed to me.

Parties were one thing, but parties full of people I didn't know were torture. Small talk and leaning against walls while I waited for whoever I had come with to be done doing whatever they were doing was about as appealing to me as closing my hand in a car door.

Yet the thought of spending another weekend watching stupid baby shows with Miles had me somehow jumping at the opportunity to get out of the house.

“Hell yeah!” Jay exclaimed, and I could see him pumping his fist in the air in that awkward, nerdy way he did. “We'll pick you up, okay?”

I agreed, hung up, and stuffed my feet into my sneakers, not bothering to change out of my gym shorts and T-shirt. Mom passed my open doorway with a full laundry basket in hand and stopped when she noticed me standing in front of my mirror, raking my hands through my hair.

“Are you going somewhere?” she asked, leaning against the doorway and resting the basket on her hip.

“Yeah, Jay's picking me up,” I muttered.

Things had been weird between Mom and me ever since I'd asked Dad about my beginning. I suspected he'd told Mom—hell, he told Mom everything—and ever since, she had been dancing around the topic. I got the impression there were things she wanted to say and didn't know how to say them, and as much as I didn't like things to feel strange with her, I also wasn't about to clear the air myself.

That conversation had been shitty enough with Dad. I couldn't imagine how awful it'd be with her.

“Where are you going?”

I shrugged. “I dunno. Some party his girlfriend's friend is throwing.”

“And where's this party?”

I blew out a heavy breath and grabbed the body spray Grandma had gotten me for my birthday.

“I dunno. Somewhere close.”

“You'll be home before midnight,” she stated, leaving no room for negotiation.

“ ’Kay,” I muttered, spraying my neck and chest and under my arms.

“And no drinking or smoking.”

“It's important to stay hydrated, Mom,” I grumbled, glancing in her direction.