The '68 Camaro Between Kenickie and Me (Pacifica Academy Drama Book 2) Read online

  “Natalie, don’t apologize.” He leaned back to catch my eyes. “And you wouldn’t have even gone out with them if...you hadn’t been pissed at me. And Mr. Yates,” he muttered.

  He released my face to run his hands through his hair, which caused it to stick up in several directions, and I smiled. For the first time in forever. I then noticed how…incredible he looked. In a black, untucked button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows…dark jeans and…black Vans. A casual, but totally hot, birthday-party look.

  I stared at my dirty, cold bare feet almost toe-to-toe with the tips of his shoes.

  I should’ve been at Bree’s party with him and my real friends. But I’d been too much of a coward to be with him. To be me. And this is where fear had gotten me—standing in front of the boy I now knew I loved and looking like Frankenstein’s daughter after getting drunk…assaulted… and having Ella dump me as her best friend on a sidewalk in front of strangers. Then walk away and abandon me like I didn’t exist. Had never existed.

  Oh…I so needed this night to be over. But I couldn’t stand the thought of leaving him.

  “Shane, I was pissed at Mr. Yates. Not you. But I…wasn’t expecting to deal with Maddie. All week.” I sighed. “I also didn’t know she and Quinn had become such good friends.”

  “I really am sorry about that. And for being such an ass last Saturday.”

  I slipped my arms around his waist and nestled my head on his shoulder. A much better way to accept his second apology while fixing the way I’d accepted his first one.

  He hugged me tight, then said, “You’re still shivering.” He released me and clasped my hand. “If my sister was still at home, you could wear something of hers. But what she left was boxed up when we moved and put in a closet somewhere around here.” He tried smiling as he led me left and down the hallway. “I’ll have to give you something of mine. But they won’t fit.”

  The thought of wearing his clothes gave me tingles I didn’t squash.

  He stopped us at the end of the hallway where there were only two rooms and a closet.

  His part of the condo?

  He flipped on his bedroom light. To the right of me and across his bedroom was a bathroom, and I realized I needed a bathroom. But not to use the mirror.

  I had zero interest in seeing my face.

  He led me into his bedroom, but my steps stalled as a wave of shyness tackled me.

  I bit my lower lip.

  He walked to his dresser on my left, and my eyes drifted across his…pretty neat room. For a high school boy. He had a big desk that fit in and took up the far left corner of his room. The top held a bunch of books, some school books, notebooks, papers and his laptop. To the right edge of his desk was a big window with closed blinds.

  My face warmed at his messy queen-sized bed sitting against the right wall. The blankets were falling off and his three pillows were bunched together at the head of the bed. He also had a couple of nightstands with lamps and—I smiled. He had an alarm clock on each table.

  “What’s with the two alarm clocks? You phone’s alarm isn’t enough?”

  “No. Because I’m not an early-morning person,” he said as he dug through a drawer.

  My smile grew as I continued inspecting his room. He didn’t have much on the walls. A bulletin board over his dresser that held a bunch of pictures. Over his bed’s headboard, he’d hung a poster-sized picture of a 70 Chevelle. It looked almost exactly like his brother’s car.

  And it struck me—we had pictures of our dream cars over our beds.

  Wow. So weird. But in a...happy chance sort of way.

  I stepped further into his room. “No posters of sharks?” I teased him.

  He pulled out what looked like a pair of comfy and warm pajama bottoms.

  My tummy did a somersault. The awesome kind of somersault.

  “That would be weird. Going to sleep every night with sharks watching me?”

  I giggled. A Shane only giggle.

  He pulled out a gray T-shirt and opened another drawer. “But I have a lot of books on sharks over on my desk. I also take over the T.V. during Discovery Channel’s Shark Week.”

  My phone buzzed and dinged, and I jumped. I’d forgotten all about my phone after putting it away the moment they’d shown up.

  Shane looked up and over at me.

  It could only be one person, and I pulled my phone out. “It’s Quinn.”

  “She’s just now texting you?” he asked with clear anger in his voice. “Blow her off.”

  “I can’t. I was supposed to stay at her place tonight.” I frowned at my phone. “If I don’t text her back, she’ll freak out, her parents will freak, and they’ll call my parents.” I still didn’t know how I would handle them.

  Where the hell are you? You attack Daniel and take off without telling anyone?

  My jaw tightened.

  Of course Daniel the dickhead would play the victim, and Ella would play dumb about what happened between us.

  Shane walked up. “What’d she say?”

  “You don’t want to know,” I mumbled. “It’ll just make you angrier. Give me a sec to text her back.”

  I paused, thinking about what to text since I didn’t need her parents flipping out.

  Once I had what to say, I typed, My friends picked me up. I’m fine, by the way. Just bring my stuff on Monday. And Daniel is a lying dick.

  I put my phone back in the case. “That should give me time to figure out what’s…next.”

  “I’ll take you home when you can get in. My parents left the keys to their other cars.”

  But I didn’t want to go to that home, and I couldn’t stay here with him. The next best thing was my Chloe.

  Had it really been this morning my mother told me she had to stay with my grandparents?

  I fought the tears. These were angry tears, though. And I was about to ask the world of him, but I hated the thought of going back to my parents’ place. Especially after this night. And, hopefully, my grandparents would understand after I gave them only bits of the truth.

  “I know this is a lot to ask but…can you take me to my grandparents’ house?”

  His eyes widened. “Natalie, it’s after midnight. Won’t that cause you more trouble?”

  The tears won, again, and slid from my tired eyes.

  He pulled me toward him with his free hand. “Sorry. I don’t think that came out right.”

  “No. It’s not…you. I hate…my parents’ place. And I want…my dog.” I sniffed. “My mom…told me…this morning…I couldn’t have Chloe…here in the city.”

  I cried on his shoulder, again, and he hugged me tight.

  “You really have had a shit week,” he murmured into my hair. “Okay. Whatever you need. I’ll text my brother and tell him I’m taking a friend home, so he doesn’t worry.”

  Friend.

  I now hated the sound of that word coming from him and cried harder.

  After several moments of letting me sob into his shoulder, he gave me a quick squeeze and said, “You should get…changed.” He slowly leaned back. “And call your grandparents?”

  I sniffed a couple times, swiped my nose and nodded. Which made the world spin for a few seconds, and I gripped the sides of his shirt.

  “Sorry,” I said around a shaky breath. “My head’s still…spinning a little.”

  “It’s okay,” he murmured, letting me hold onto him.

  When my head became a bit clearer, I let go of his shirt, and he handed me his clothing.

  “Pajama bottoms with a drawstring, a T-shirt, a sweatshirt and socks. All of it should warm you up. Need anything else?”

  My still aching head made me say, “Aspirin and some water.”

  “I’m on it.” He started to lower his head, but stopped.

  He lifted his eyes. That were filled with affection, but also…wariness as he searched my face for…something. Then he opened his mouth, hesitated…sighed and stepped back.

  Maybe I need
ed to rethink checking my reflection in his bathroom mirror.

  He’d wanted to kiss me. I thought. And tell me…something. But I’m sure my hideous face had been a glaring reminder of what I’d been through. Specifically with Daniel, who I needed to scrub off of me. Off my mouth. So I didn’t really mind Shane had stopped himself.

  But I shuddered at remembering Daniel’s tequila-tasting mouth smashed against mine.

  I would definitely have to figure out how to purge that memory from my brain.

  “I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Shane softly said.

  He walked around me and closed his bedroom door behind him.

  I shifted onto my left side in the passenger seat.

  Shane was focused on the road and the only sound in the car was the rhythmic da-dun, da-dun as we started across the bridge toward Sausalito.

  Between being covered from head to toe in his baggy, but snuggly clothes, the heat blowing from the car’s vents, the steady da-dun and feeling beyond safe, my eyelids kept drooping. But I so didn’t want to miss a second of this time with him. That would soon end.

  So I said, “Thank you for doing this.” But what I really meant was I love you even more for driving me all the way to Sausalito so I can be with my grandparents and dog.

  “You don’t have to thank me,” he replied. “But I hope you don’t get in huge trouble.”

  He turned his head enough to flash that smile. Which made me smile. And tingle all over.

  “It would really suck if you got grounded right now,” he added.

  I giggled. “I think it’ll be okay.” Maybe…not. I still said, “My grandma mostly sounded worried.” After I’d blubbered through a less-truthful and brief version of what happened. Which I’d told Shane, so our stories were straight. But I couldn’t think about what my parents’ reaction would be to all this.

  No. I didn’t even want to go there. Not now, when my life felt pretty close to perfect.

  I nestled deeper into the seat. “Say something funny. You’re the only one who can make me laugh when I need it.” I also needed to stay awake.

  “Okay.” He paused before saying, “A horse walks into a bar and the bartender asks, ‘Why the long face?’”

  I rolled my eyes, but the silly joke did make me giggle.

  “My dad used to tell us that joke all the time when we were having bad days.” He frowned. “But that’s all the funny I have. So how about a few easy quiz questions?”

  I wanted to tell him to stop looking serious. Remind him that I was fine. And that Daniel hadn’t hurt me. But I didn’t want to bring it all up again and said, “Sure.”

  He laid his head back. “Question one. Pontiac GTO. Convertible or hardtop?”

  I grinned. “Hardtop. Definitely.”

  He nodded. “Question two. Sixty-nine Charger or 69 ‘Cuda?”

  I yawned and said, “The ‘Cuda. No contest.”

  He smiled. “Final question. Plymouth Road Runner or Road Runner Superbird?”

  “The Road Runner,” I stated. “The Superbird is too weird looking.”

  He laughed. “And it’s official.” He tore his eyes from the road and they caught mine. “You’re the perfect girl…for me.”

  That made my sleepy eyes widen. He refocused on the road. But I could see, from the bridge lights illuminating the car, his flushed face.

  An enormous burst of warmth from…love…pieced more of my heart back together.

  I also wanted to throw myself across the console and into his arms. But we so didn’t need to add a car accident to the night’s list of unfortunate events. And then all my bad choices from the night—the last several days—filled my mind.

  I cringed. Because I didn’t deserve such an…amazing compliment.

  “Thank you for saying that,” I mumbled. “But perfect girl? Especially after this night? I don’t think so.”

  “Natalie,” he said, shaking his head, “you made a couple bad choices tonight and some dick college guy” —he gripped the steering wheel— “tried to take advantage of you.” His hands relaxed a fraction. “But you got yourself out of it.” He glanced my way. “You’re incredible. And I wish more kids at school knew this about you.”

  He gave me a quick smile before looking forward.

  My smile was huge and goofy. I never wanted this new perfect moment with him to end. And more pieces of my heart fell into place.

  Maybe it was time the kids at school did know the real me.

  “Natalie Carlisle,” he declared. “You know how to take care of yourself.”

  I, still smiling, snuggled my seat while imagining it was him. “Sometimes.”

  “And that’s why you need someone like me around.”

  “Then I guess,” I said around a full-body yawn, “I’ll have to keep you around.”

  And I closed my dry, heavy eyes.

  Chapter 29

  My eyes fluttered open and landed on Chloe, panting and sitting on an empty pillow by my head—my eyes fully opened.

  What the hell?

  I rolled over to see sunlight trying to break through my closed blinds. That’s when I realized I was sweating under my covers since I still had on all the clothing Shane had given me last night. A nightmare which turned into a dream with a happy ending.

  My head was still tight, and my dry mouth told me I needed a gallon of water, but I smiled, stretched and rolled back toward Chloe. But how had I gotten from the car to my bed?

  I searched my fuzzy mind and found hazy, snapshot memories. Of Shane waking me up. Then helping—maybe more like carrying me?—into the house. My grandparents waiting at the door and talking with him and…nothing else.

  I did, however, clearly remember all the incredible things he’d said to me in the car.

  My smile tripled in size and I wanted—needed—to text him.

  I rubbed Chloe’s face, then tossed my blankets aside and sat up. I also pulled off his heavy sweatshirt, and not because I wanted to take it off. It was just way too warm. The complete opposite of how cold I’d been—what time was it?

  I looked at my one clock. Almost 1:00. Wow.

  I crawled to the foot of my bed and scanned my room for the bag Shane had given me for my dress, shoes and phone after I changed. He must’ve given it to Gramps or Grams before leaving, but where…that’s when I spotted the bag. On my desk.

  Seconds later I had my phone and six text messages?

  I smiled at seeing two were from him. My smile faded, though, when I saw two messages from Quinn. I also had a text from Kassidy and Meg.

  I read Quinn’s messages first that came in late last night. Or early this morning.

  I’m not mad anymore. Glad you’re okay. But what happened?

  Then, Daniel said you two were having a good time, he took you upstairs because that’s what you wanted, then you went crazy. Ella has no clue what’s going on.

  “Asshole,” I muttered. “And lying bitch.”

  I didn’t know how she’d gotten away with her lie, either. It’s not as if other partiers hadn’t seen our confrontation. I still couldn’t believe the things she’d said. The hate I saw in her eyes. And of course I’d have to tell Quinn the whole truth tomorrow. If she’d listen to me.

  I went to Kassidy’s text, Did Shane get you home? Let me know how you’re doing.

  Yeah. Feeling much better. Thanks again for coming to get me.

  I then responded to Meg’s, How are you feeling this morning?

  Much better. Thanks for being there last night.

  Now for his messages, which came in around eleven this morning.

  Hey, Sunshine. I’m rehearsing with the guys today, but I’ll call you when I get home. You’re pretty cute when you’re sleeping. And snoring.

  I rolled my eyes while also fighting a smile.

  His second message said, Just kidding about the snoring. Hope you’re feeling better.

  So much better. Because of you. And everyone else who rescued me last night.

  I almost
added one of those cutesy emojis, like the blowing kiss face or the hugger or pink hearts. But I wasn’t certain we were at cutesy emoji stage just yet, so I hit send.

  Now I needed a shower. The hottest one I could stand. But I also needed to check in with my grandparents first. So they knew I hadn’t died after getting me into bed.

  I left my phone on my bed and, with a ridiculous spring in my step, headed upstairs with Chloe right at my heels. I turned left and stopped. Then my blissful bubble burst seeing my parents in the living room and talking with my grandparents. That is, until everyone saw me.

  Oh…shit.

  Grams must’ve called my parents after hanging up with me. Still, I wasn’t at all ready for this to happen now. Not at—I guess it was 1:00 in the afternoon. But I hadn’t formed my full story. And what about the bazillion questions they’d ask?

  My dad stood, his face set in unhappiness. “Good. You’re up. Can you come in here?”

  Okay. I could tell them about everything but the drinking. And the horrible things Ella said to me. Maybe I’d even get sympathy points because of what Daniel tried…to do to me.

  “Sit down,” my dad said.

  I sat on the couch’s edge near Grams and Chloe jumped in my lap.

  I held her close. As if she were a shield.

  My dad sat down beside my mother on the loveseat across from me. Gramps sat on the other side of Grams. And I suddenly felt like I was trapped in one of those intervention shows.

  My mother looked me up and down. Her face paled, and I straightened, ready for battle.

  “Whose clothes are you wearing?” she asked with an edge in her voice.

  “They’re Shane’s,” I answered. More like snapped.

  Her face paled even more, and my dad sighed.

  “You need to explain yourself,” he said. “You scared a lot of people last night, including Quinn and her parents who also called us. But after your grandparents.” His frown deepened. “The point is, they were extremely worried because they didn’t know where you were.”

  I couldn’t really blame Quinn for the confusion she’d passed on to her parents. My text last night had been vague. But I didn’t feel very generous or forgiving when it came to her.