one
Elijah Jonas
“What do you think?” I inhale the rich leather aroma as the engine purrs like the sweetest dream. I spent all the money I got as high school graduation gifts to make a down payment on this Ford Mustang. The rest I will pay for by making payments from wages I earn washing dishes at Red Barn. It's not a glamorous job, but it's all I could find, and all the over-time hours I work got me this car.
Brand-new.
Midnight black.
Top down.
So much muscle.
Twelve whopping miles on it when I drove it off the lot.
I can’t stop inhaling deep, delicious breaths of authentic new-car air. As soon as I hit the interstate out of Mapleton, I press the accelerator down. There’s only one place on my mind—the beach house, where we can officially get this summer started.
“It’s totally you.” Koren is smiling ear to ear. I don’t miss that her hand is gripping the door handle. She doesn’t share my love of speed, but she’s always a good sport. “Congratulations, you finally got your dream car.”
“Thanks.” It feels good. I’ve spent the last several months in a bit of a depressive haze as all the guys on my high school hockey team got scooped up by colleges or other opportunities. I was one of the few without any options.
I don’t want to go to college unless it’s to play hockey. My dad thinks I should join the family farm business, like he did with his father. He’s beyond wealthy—running an operation that spans three states—but that’s certainly not my dream. He hasn’t stopped expressing disappointment in my life choices since I finally admitted I wouldn’t be following in his footsteps. Seeing the once-proud gleam in his eyes dim whenever he looks at me has been devastating.
Something had to give to pull me out of my funk.
I found that something on a car lot.
Well, there’s another something. My best friend by my side.
Instinctively, I swallow down my mental stumble on the wordsbest friend. It’s not the whole truth. Koren is my best friend who I’m in love with. Hopefully, I’ll be able to tell her that soon. It hasn’t been for lack of trying. All through high school, we were like ships in the night—every time one of us was single, the other one was in a relationship.
Until now.
Her not-so-serious boyfriend broke up with her when he headed to the army. Lucky for me, I’m staying in Mapleton.
It has to work out for us this time.
I’m so tired of muting my feelings.
I glance over, stealing a look at her. Her dark hair is tied back in one of those long bubble braids she wears, a few little flyaways fluttering in the breeze. When she catches me looking at her, shelocks eyes with me, her cerulean gaze swirling sparkles back at me.
Like I matter to her.
Like maybe nothing or no one else exists but us.
Every time she looks at me like that, a crack opens in my chest. I can’t breathe. Iwish she knew how much I care about her. I’m so tired of fighting these feelings. I just need to get over the fear and say something—because then our life together can begin …
“Koren—,” I start, then stop, as I’ve done a thousand times before. Maybe it’s too heavy of a question for a random Wednesday. Adrenaline is still surging in my system from the high of buying this car. Maybe that’s what’s given me the sudden burst of bravery. I decide to lean into it. “Do you ever think about—”
“I heard from an internship program,” she says at the same time, then pauses, yielding to me. She lets out a little chuckle. “You go first.”
“No.” I squeeze the steering wheel, forcing my lips into a neutral expression. When I finally say what I need to say, I don’t want her distracted because she has something else on her mind. “Please, you go first. I want to hear what you were saying. What happened with your program?”
“So it’s sort of weird, but a floral design program in France reached out to me, asking me to apply.”
“That’s interesting.” I nod. “It sounds like something you’d love though. Have you thought about going for it?”
“I have, actually.” Her smirk is ambiguous. “I downloaded the application, but I need to get a portfolio together. It’s due at the end of the month if I want to get into the next class. It’s also insanely expensive—”
