Then it hits me. Something buried deep. Something potent and alive, wanting desperately to claw to the surface. Something that causes my heart to constrict. Something I should not be feeling because I forced it into lockdown when I chose Jayson.
Everything stills.
“Ryder, put me down please,” my words a low timbre.
Hearing the quiet, serious tone of my voice, Ryder stops. His arm that’s banded around my thighs tightens before slowly relaxing. He takes my hips in his large hands and moves me down his body until I am standing on my own two feet. My hands are pressed flat against his chest, his hands still gripping my waist. I inhale, his woodsy scent perforating my overstimulated senses.
I keep my head bowed, looking at our feet. “Ryder, we can’t.”
“I know.” He steps closer to me.We stand motionless like that for several minutes.
“I’m sorry.”
“I know, Elizabeth.”
Our arms reach around each other at the same time to bring our bodies together in a hug. It’s an embrace of two friends, two best friends, who could have been more if things were different but no longer have that choice.
Ryder is the first to pull away. He tips my chin up and gives me one of his captivating smiles letting me know we’re going to be alright.
“You’re still driving.”
“No, I’m not.”
Yes, I did, and it was awesome.
Chapter 12
Eleventh Grade
Ryder
About a year ago, the senior class at Highland High started throwing bonfire parties. The location of each bonfire event is kept secret until the day of, and then a mass text is sent out giving the GPS location of where to show up. Elijah usually forwards the info to me and Julien. Tonight, the GPS location has us headed to an abandoned warehouse an hour away. Julien’s in the car with me, and Jay is behind us in his truck with Elizabeth, Hailey, and Maria.
“How’s your leg feeling?” I ask Julien. At last week’s game, one of the members of Highland High’s soccer team purposely kicked Julien, who had the ball at the time, driving his spiked shoes into Julien’s left calf. The guy, Marshall, ripped about six inches of skin off. Rumor has it, the next day Elijah cornered Marshall in their student parking lot and beat the shit out him.
“It’s healing. Doesn’t look as bad as it did when Mom took me into the hospital. I’ll probably have a scar.”
“Hey, you can impress the girls with stories about how you got it. Say it was a shark attack or something.”
“Yeah, like that scene inJaws, where they’re sitting around shooting the shit and comparing wounds,” Julien chuckles.
“When do you think you’ll be able to start playing again?”
“Doctors think another three weeks and I should be good to go. I’ll have to go in for PT a couple of times a week for a while.” Julien looks at his phone. “The warehouse should be right up ahead.”
We can already see cars and trucks lined up all along the side of the road, and a glow of what is more than likely the bonfire creates a halo in the distance. I pull over to park behind an SUV, and Jayson parks his 4-door Chevy Silverado behind me.
I hear Maria’s voice as she gets out. “Holy shit! This place is packed.” It’s the first time Maria has joined our group to come to a bonfire party. She’s a bit high strung for my taste, but Elizabeth adores her and they’ve been friends for a very long time. She’s funny as hell though.
I notice that Julien is walking with a slight limp and wonder if his leg isn’t bothering him more than he lets on. I’ll make sure to keep an eye on him tonight. At the moment, my eye is all on Elizabeth. She looks fucking stunning in her black skinny jeans, black knee-high leather boots, and green blouse that hangs off one shoulder. Her hair is done up in some sort of fancy braid that wraps around her neck to fall on the right side of her shoulder. Jay says something to her, and her face lights up before her head tilts back and a lilting laughter leaves her throat. I watch as he pushes her up against the side of his truck and ravishes her neck, sending her into a fit of giggles. My jaw clamps down hard. Hailey runs over and playfully pushes Jay off of Elizabeth. Elizabeth loops her arm through her sister’s and they walk together toward the bonfire. Jay jogs up behind Elizabeth and smacks her ass before dipping his hand into the back pocket of her jeans.
“Hey tall, dark, and handsome,” Maria says as she comes over. “Aren’t you coming?”
I sigh. “Yeah. I’m coming.” I lock my car.
Maria follows where my gaze has been locked for the past several minutes. “Oh. Shit. Um, ok,” she stutters. Being Elizabeth’s friend for so long, Maria knows our history. “Hey, I can be your wingman tonight if you want. You know, my Goose to your Maverick.”
“As long as I don’t have to sing.”
