AllFreeNovel
Share Us
And even though I know they've gone through a rough patch, both making unwise choices and decisions and slip-ups, they're proof that no matter how far you stray, you can always find your way back to each other. You can still choose each other, even if it might not make sense to anyone else.
Matt slings his long arm across the back of my metal chair, leans towards me so I can hear what he's going to say over the sound of the arcade games and big screen TVs playing Sports Center and the jukebox in the corner blasting a song I don't recognize. "Are you still going to let me drive you to school?"
I nod. "You couldn't pay me to drive Danny's old truck into that parking lot every day."
A flash of relief crosses his face. "We only have five weeks left of school. I don't know what I would have done if you decided to drive yourself."
"What do you mean?" I ask before taking a sip of Dr. Pepper.
I feel him move closer to me. Heat rolls off his warm body as his fingers gently graze my shoulder. "I just don't want to waste any more time."
I could ask him what he means, why he's looking at me like that, but Danny slaps his hand down on the table, scaring us both.
"We've gotta get home," Danny hollers as he helps Nora into her coat. "We have an early morning tomorrow."
I stand up, walk around the table, and give my brother and Nora a hug. I thank them both for coming. My three, blue-eyed nephews wrap their arms around me before they shuffle up the stairs, out the door.
Matt has his jacket in hand. "I should go, too."
"Basketball tomorrow?" I ask, link my arm in his as I walk with him to the stairs.
He shakes his head. "I have Prom."
"Oh yeah," I chew on my bottom lip. "I hope you guys have a good time."
Matt inhales sharply. "I told Audra I didn't want to go, but she insisted I take her anyway. And I guess I should since I asked her and paid for the tickets. It's not fair to go back on my word."
"You always do the right thing," I smile up at him. "That's one of the things I love most about you."
"Thanks Jen," he grins as I release him, watch him jog up the stairs.
When he's out of sight, I head back over to the table, pick up my phone. I look over to Mom and Dad, lost in conversation with the bartender, Cindy, who used to babysit me when I was younger. I grab my sweatshirt, slip it over my head, and climb the black metal stairs to the door. I step outside into the brightly lit courtyard with tables and benches and ball-shaped shrubs bristling to life with new sprouts.
My phone feels unusually heavy in my hand as I search through my list of contacts, click on Kyle's name.
Before I can talk myself out of it, I call him, put the phone up to my ear.
It rings once, twice, three times. Just as I'm about to hang up, I hear a click on the other end.
"Hello?" a female voice says.
I feel my heart freeze in my chest. "I'm sorry, I was trying to get a hold of Kyle."
"This is his phone," she tells me, "but he's in the shower right now. Can I take a message for him?"
My fingers tremble and my heart beats rapidly beneath my rib cage. "No, that's alright. Thanks."
I hang up the phone, stumble onto the bench closest to me, feel my chest and throat and stomach tighten.
Stupid.
I'm so, so, so stupid.
Thinking that he liked me, wanted me, would stop sleeping around for me.
What does she look like? The girl on the phone. Is she beautiful? Tan? Red-haired like Sunny? Blond like me? Short? Tall?
Tears prick at my eyes, but I will them away. I'm not crying over a boy anymore
