The '68 Camaro Between Kenickie and Me (Pacifica Academy Drama Book 2) Page 13

  He was clearly committed to our deal, and I felt the little thrill shoot through me again, to the point I shivered. But I still gave him my exaggerated scowl and said, “Stop flirting and pay attention, because I’m going to let you go. But move your feet so you don’t slow down. Ready?”

  He nodded, and I released him. He rolled backward, but watched his feet, as if that would help him actually skate.

  “Don’t forget to look behind you,” I called out.

  His head shot up and he looked over his shoulder—and his feet flew out from underneath him. He hit the rink’s floor. Right on his cute butt.

  I choked on my laugh and skated toward him. But I couldn’t stop my laughter while I watched him fall back on the floor and lie there, almost spread eagle.

  Across the rink, I heard laughter and saw those same girls, and their moms, watching us.

  “Wow, Kenickie. That. Was. Spectacular.”

  He groaned. “And I’m sure everyone in here saw it.”

  “Your little fans definitely saw it. And their moms. Anything broken?”

  “Just my ass.”

  I laughed until I could say, “Let me see.”

  He, now smiling, rolled slightly onto his right side.

  “You’re good. Everything still looks perfect.”

  He rolled onto his back. “I guess hearing you say that about my ass makes this worth it.” He sat up and shook his head. “I think I’m okay not knowing how to skate backward.”

  He got into a kneeling position and from there he, very carefully, stood. When he started rubbing his butt, I burst into more laughter.

  I couldn’t remember the last time I’d laughed so hard my sides and cheeks ached.

  “This isn’t funny,” he said around his own laughter. “I’m in serious-ass pain here.”

  “You’re right,” I said, then giggled some more. “Maybe we need a break.”

  We skated to an area right off the rink that had high tables with matching chairs.

  He, flinching, sat on a chair, and I sat beside him.

  He grinned. “I really like seeing you like this. You’re kind’ve…glowing right now.”

  Yeah. Because of him. Maybe Shane Easton would change my mind after all.

  “That was so much fun,” I said after he eased into the driver’s seat and closed the door.

  He grasped my left hand and placed two fingers on my wrist.

  “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “Checking to make sure you admitting that didn’t kill you.”

  I pulled my wrist free while laughing. Again. Nobody could make me laugh like he did.

  “What’s next?” I so didn’t want this day to be over. Every trip for my past birthdays didn’t compare to this one birthday with him. “Maybe we can find someone to drag race?”

  He smiled and turned onto his right side to fully face me. “There’s something I…actually need to tell you. I probably should’ve told you when we were still at the beach. But it’s—” His face became crimson. “It’s kind’ve embarrassing.”

  I turned onto my left side to fully face him and couldn’t stop myself from saying, “It can’t be more embarrassing than what happened in the rink.”

  He cracked a smile. “This is a way different kind’ve embarrassing.” His face stayed crimson while he seemed to be searching for the right words.

  What he wanted to say must be serious. He rarely had trouble speaking his mind.

  “I’ve…had a crush on you. For a while.”

  Wait…what did he just say to me?

  The smile I’d been wearing all afternoon left as I stared at him while blinking rapidly. Then I decided he was screwing with me. “Right. Since when? That day I kidnapped you?”

  “A little longer than that.”

  He looked at me, and his serious expression made me frown. Which didn’t feel right after so much smiling and laughter.

  “Shane, what are you talking about? You didn’t even know me before a few weeks ago.”

  “That doesn’t mean I haven’t noticed you.” He cleared his throat, that I now knew he did when he was really embarrassed. “I’ve had a crush on you since freshman orientation.”

  It took a few seconds for his confession to penetrate my brain. But as soon as it did, I slowly angled forward and sat up.

  What the…Freshman orientation? I barely remembered that day. I then eyed him over my shoulder and, if possible, his face had turned redder.

  “How? You really didn’t know me back then.”

  He hesitated before saying, “You walked into the auditorium, and I…thought you were the hottest girl I’d ever seen.”

  Now I felt my face turning the same color as his. But his compliment did make me smile.

  I sat sideways, bent my left leg and tucked it underneath me. “Thanks. I’m…really flattered.” I smiled softly, which seemed to help his embarrassment. “But why didn’t you talk to me? There were a lot of us who didn’t know each other. I only knew Ella and Quinn.”

  “I…tried thinking of some reason to talk to you after orientation. But I know I would’ve looked and sounded like a dumbass.” Our eyes caught. “Then I started hoping we’d have a class together. Which we never have. Kind’ve weird, right?”

  I nodded, then frowned again. “Why couldn’t you talk to me? I was a newbie like you.”

  He paused, then said, “Don’t...take this the wrong way, but you’re…a little intimidating. And with your image around school…” His voice faded into nothing.

  I sucked in a breath.

  I’d never given a boy at our school a chance because they’d never given me a chance. Until now. So it had been easy for me to copy Ella and Quinn’s high-school-boys-suck attitude.

  He reached across the console to take my hand. “I didn’t hurt your feelings, did I?”

  “No.” I gave him a half smile. “What you said explains…a lot.”

  And I hadn’t thought of myself as a bitch back then, but…I guess I had been.

  “I know was an ass to you that first day in the office and at community service.” He glanced down at our joined hands. “I mean, there you were, sitting in the office, looking so angry. It was the closest I’d ever been to you. I wanted to” —he shrugged— “finally talk to you. Maybe cheer you up. But when it was obvious you had no idea who I was, it…pissed me off.”

  I really felt like a bitch. This also explained why he’d been upset I didn’t know his name.

  “I recognized you,” I quietly admitted. “But I didn’t know your name.”

  “I know.” He smiled. “But you’ve said it a few times today. That’s progress.”

  I cringed, but said, “I like calling you Kenickie.” A thought occurred to me and I added, “And you kind’ve started that Giles Corey.”

  We shared a quick laugh, and I lifted myself up, stretched my leg out and scooted to where we were eye level. Thinking about where my mind went before we started skating, I said, “I’m really sorry I didn’t know your name. Know you.” And I meant every word.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t have the guts to talk to you when we were freshmen.”

  “Me, too,” I said without thinking.

  Those two little words caught his attention, and our eyes connected.

  The electricity between us surged through me, and I knew who I wanted. How could I not after everything he’d told me today? After everything we’d done? After all the texting when he had—not counting Monday—been single?

  I, giving him my wicked smile for a change, released his hand and grabbed a fistful of his shirt. I pulled him toward me and met him at the console. I bit my lower lip and waited to see if he would stop me. Us. This. But seeing the beginnings of his wicked smile made me pull him the couple inches closer. And we finally started our two almost kisses.

  His lips were soft. Warm. Gentle. At first. Then he cupped my face and angled my head slightly back to deepen our kiss. And every part of me warmed and buzzed. The car and everything around us b
ecame misty. A sigh escaped me during a pause for air, and our mouths fused again. Until we needed more than just a pause for air.

  He pressed his forehead to mind while we caught our breath. “So was that your way of saying you changed your mind?”

  I slowly opened my eyes, which locked with his that looked a little…hazy. Like mine felt. And I, feeling a bit naughty from our wow kiss, murmured, “The day isn’t over yet.”

  He, smiling, lifted his head. “I’m not sure whatever we do next could beat that—” He released me and sat up. “What time is it?” He grabbed his phone from the center console where he’d left it before we went inside. He then frowned, pressed the button to make the screen go black and put it back in the console. “We have to go. My dad told me to have the car home by six. He’s taking it back to the shop and riding home with my mom.” He looked torn. “I have to take you home. Natalie, I’m sorry.”

  I smiled, a bit on the dreamy side, too. “Don’t be. This day has been perfect.”

  He returned my smile. “Yeah. That’s why I don’t want to take you home.” He tore his eyes from mine and sat forward. He was about to start the engine when he sat back. “Traffic’s going to suck, too. I should…probably go to the bathroom. Do…you need to go?”

  I shook my still misty head, because…wow.

  He climbed out of the car and moaned. “I think there’s going to be a bruise.”

  I giggled as I watched him almost limp toward the rink’s entrance. Then I heard his phone buzz and the screen lit up. And I saw a bunch of green. Missed text messages.

  The mistiness and my smile faded as I stared at his phone. Those were a lot of texts.

  It couldn’t be—I glanced at the rink’s entrance, then at his phone. What I wanted to do was so wrong. Especially after our kiss. But I had to know. He’d just been on it and had been a little…weird…when I brought her up at the beach.

  I, keeping my eyes on the still clear entrance, picked up his phone.

  I couldn’t believe what I was about to do, but I took a quick breath and pressed the home button. And my heart nearly stopped as I scrolled through the messages. All of them were from Maddie. The newest one said, Please call me. I really need to talk to you.

  Chapter 19

  My stomach knotted from what I’d done and seen. Darkness devoured all my light. And reality slammed into me, destroying my trip to Fantasyland.

  He’d told me they’d broken up last Monday, and I believed him. I had no reason not to believe him. But why the hell would she be texting him so much—asking him to call her—if they’d broken up? Unless…he had broken up with her and she still wanted him. Another reason their break-up never made it to the school’s gossip mill? Because Maddie wouldn’t let go?

  I pictured us at school on Monday, and acting like we had today.

  My stomach knots turned into nausea so strong I swallowed several times to keep from scrambling out of the AMX to empty my stomach.

  I’d be branded the real reason he and Maddie broke up. Most of the school would say he’d cheated on her with…me. They wouldn’t care about the truth. That he’d been crushing on me forever and we had a connection most of them would never understand. I couldn’t even be sure Ella and Quinn would have my back on anything. Especially since Quinn and Maddie were friends. And Shane was so well-liked and popular with almost everyone. He deserved better than being labeled a cheating asshole.

  He’d absolutely changed my mind, but we really did have to stay friends.

  My lunch went further up my throat and made my vision blurry. I kept swallowing.

  His door opened, and I jolted in my seat. I then realized I still had his phone. And it occurred to me admitting what I’d done might cause him to not even want to be friends.

  He carefully slid into the driver’s seat and shut his door. “Okay. I feel better and ready to sit in traffic—what’s wrong?”

  How could he simply look at me and know something was wrong? Then again, I was faced forward, sitting stiff as a tree trunk, and probably looked pale. So not looking the way he left me, smiling and gazing at him like I’d been hit in the heart with all of Cupid’s arrows.

  “And why are you holding my phone?” He sounded a little panicked.

  I swallowed once more and gave him his phone. “Maddie really needs you.”

  A tense, horribly thick silence filled the small space between us. I sensed his body become as stiff as mine. I could also feel the hurt and anger from his eyes.

  “You went into my phone and read my messages? Why would you do that?”

  I cringed at his questions and clear outrage. “I—” I had no excuse for what I’d done. Only the truth. I hated irony. “Your phone went off. While you were gone. I saw a bunch of green. And I…” I sounded pathetic defending myself. Pathetic being a quality I couldn’t stand. Especially in girls. “I only read the one that just came in. But…scrolled through the others.”

  How could he not flee in the other direction after this?

  “Well, that’s good to know. You only kind’ve invaded my privacy.”

  His sarcasm made my defensive side surround me, and I looked at him. Then instantly wished I hadn’t, because of the darkness I saw in his eyes. It hurt my heart to see him glaring at me, and after what happened between us minutes earlier. But it didn’t stop me from saying, “Shane, what the hell is going on with you two? And have you been avoiding her texts all day?”

  I didn’t know how he could’ve managed avoiding her texts without me noticing, being so focused on me and us. But maybe he’d left his phone on vibrate and in the car because of her?

  “Not all day. And this isn’t what you think.” He lifted himself up enough to shove his phone into his left, front pocket.

  Point taken. Loud and clear.

  He stayed silent for several seconds, then said, “Maddie and I did break up last Monday.”

  “And I believe you,” I firmly said. “But you’re obviously not telling me everything.”

  Did it even matter at this point since we clearly couldn’t be more than friends? Something I’d known all along, too. But I’d been so caught up in him and us that I’d, for the first time, followed my heart. A decision I regretted. Because of the tightness in my chest from my heart’s first crack.

  “All I can tell you is that Maddie has…a lot going on right now. And I’ve been trying to help her. As a friend.” He released a frustrated sigh. “But now she wants to…get back together, and I want us to go back to being” —he shook his head— “just friends.”

  Outside of Maddie going through something personal, nothing he’d said surprised me. But the tightness in my chest made it a little hard to breath at the fact he was being so awesome, helping his ex through a crisis. It could be why he hadn’t slept well last Friday night, too.

  “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want all this to…affect us.” His eyes found mine for the first time since he began explaining everything. “But it has. Hasn’t it.”

  “Shane,” I shakily said, and in response to the defeat I saw, and heard in his voice, “the timing is just...wrong. Especially since you’re trying to help her. Which is amazing.” I lifted my shoulders. “But this isn’t right. We can’t walk into school, gazing and smiling at each other after spring break. You have to know how that’ll make you—us—look.”

  “Great,” he mumbled. “We’re back to that.” He buckled his seatbelt and started the engine. But this time I couldn’t enjoy the engine’s power. “Natalie, kids at school break up and get together with someone else all the time. Why are we different?”

  I couldn’t argue with him. But everyone at school seemed to like Maddie. Where just about everyone avoided me. The bitch. The reputation I’d built and hid behind for almost three years. The only two people who seemed to like that Natalie were Ella and Quinn. Especially Ella.

  The Natalie I hardly recognized after this perfect day with Shane. But I still said, “We can only be friends. And that was the deal you
came up with.”

  “Only if I couldn’t change your mind. Which I did. Before you went into my phone,” he muttered under his breath.

  Okay. I deserved that. It didn’t stop me from reaching for my seatbelt and roughly buckling myself in. “We need to go. You’re already going to be late getting the car back.”

  He didn’t say a word or move for so long I had to glance at him. And my stomach twisted at his flat expression after seeing him wear his wicked smile most of the day.

  “Fine. Friends it is.” He then pulled out of the parking space.

  I swiftly rolled down my window. I took a deep breath as my hair flew around my head. I’d loved the feeling at the beginning of our day, but now it and this beautiful car represented feeling trapped. Because now we seemed to be lightyears away from friendship.

  When I saw my grandparents’ house finally come into view, I somehow stopped myself from releasing the huge sigh of relief wanting to burst free.

  Our drive home had been so painfully long and quiet my already uneasy stomach started to ache while we sat in horrible stop-and-go traffic on Highway 101. The only time he’d spoken was when he called his dad to tell him he’d be late. Based on Shane’s side of the call, I could tell he’d gotten an earful of crap from his dad.

  He pulled into the driveway, stopped, but didn’t turn off the engine.

  Had I really expected him to walk me to the door?

  I froze since I didn’t know what to say. Because saying “Thanks for the best birthday of my life until I went into your phone” seemed ridiculous and insane.

  I forced myself to look at him, and braced for the anger and hurt. His eyes cut to mine. But instead of anger and hurt I saw confusion and…sadness.

  Crack. Chest pain.

  “Natalie, what are you afraid of?”

  His question blindsided me, and I blinked several times like a total idiot.

  “What your two friends might think?”

  This was the second time he’d referred to Ella and Quinn so harshly, and I frowned.