Alexa and Sledge fall silent almost immediately, their playful bickering suddenly seeming out of place. Iz turns to look at me, his eyes searching mine as if looking for an answer to an unspoken question.
My heart pounds loudly inside my chest. I give him a crooked smile, thankful he stopped their bickering, which is fucking constant. Sledge and Alexa seem to hate each other most days. But sometimes, I wonder if they secretly like each other. Only for her to open her mouth and talk about Iz, making me lose all hope. Does it make me a bad friend to hope that she likes someone else? Someone that isn’t Iz.
We continue to walk until we finally make it to our school, Woodstock Middle School. The red brick building is already teeming with students and faculty alike. Iz’s hand brushes against mine in a comforting gesture as he turns to face me.
“You okay?” he asks, his warm golden-brown eyes filled with concern.
I nod. “Are you?”
“Yeah. I’m okay, don’t worry.” He gives my hand a quick squeeze before turning away to gather our group together.
“You two need to get along,” he sternly tells Alexa and Sledge, who both instantly cross their arms over their chests. Alexa pouts and Sledge groans. I’m telling you, one day those two will end up married with how much they fight.
“Whatever, man. Blondie here takes everything personally. Her mom is old,” he says as he walks up the stairs, then turns around and flashes the most devilish smile at Alexa.
Alexa’s face flushes, but she doesn’t retort. Her blue eyes flash dangerously for a moment before she turns, her blonde hair whipping around in a fury. She glares at Sledge, taking a moment to compose herself.
“I don’t take things personally. Sledge just doesn’t know when to stop,” she counters, her voice icy. Iz nods in understanding, placing an arm around her shoulder in silent support. Sledge rolls his eyes before letting out a defeated sigh.
“Alright, I’ll lay off the mom jokes,” he concedes, running a hand through his hair. “Even though you started it, Iz.”
“Started what?” Iz retorts, attempting to look genuinely confused.
Sledge groans again, and I can’t help but smile at the exchange. There’s a comfort in it, despite the tension. We’ve been through a lot together, and when they argue like this, it reminds me that we’re just normal kids after all. Iz then chuckles, an easy, relaxing sound that makes everyone around him smile.
He pats Sledge’s shoulder good-naturedly. “I’m messing with you. But we have to grow up sometime, right?”
Sledge nods reluctantly in agreement, his gaze settling on Alexa. There’s a mix of annoyance but also adoration. For a moment—just a tiny little second—his mask falters, and I see it. His green eyes shine as they meet her icy blues. But as quickly as it appears, it disappears, and he turns towards his locker. We all disperse to our spots.
The sound of lockers being opened and closed echoes through the high ceilings, while the smell of old books and chalk dust fills the air. Iz, Sledge, Alexa, and I split off to our respective classrooms, exchanging goodbyes.
Three years later…
The deep rumble of a car’s exhaust pulls me out of my chair, snapping me out of my thoughts. I close my diary and move toward the window, curiosity piqued. Through the glass, I spot an old black car rolling up to the curb, its engine roaring as it comes to a stop. My heart flutters, and a swarm of butterflies stirs in my stomach as I catch sightof him. Isaac.
Iz was the first of us to obtain his permit, and his gift was in fact his dad’s Camaro. He shouldn’t be here, but from the sound of it, he totally is. I dash out of my room, practically flying down the stairs. Pausing by the full-length mirror, I take a quick look to make sure I’m presentable. My neon green bikini top sits securely, my hair is braided in a neat cascade down my back, and my frayed camo shorts add just the right touch of summer. A dab of sunscreen on my nose adds a playful hint to the look.
Gathering my composure, I stride to the door and fling it open, my smile bright and unwavering.
There he is, sitting in the driver’s side of his Camaro, giving me the most beautiful smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling, enhancing the golden hue of them that always seems to mirror warm honey. His onyx hair is tousled from the drive, giving him a look that’s part rebellious teenager, part model. With a casual wave, he beckons me over, triggering both anticipation and nerves that make me slightly dizzy. My feet move of their own accord, taking me closer to him and that cool black Camaro.
“Let’s go, Trouble,” Iz yells from inside the Camaro. The butterflies in my stomach take flight with the sound of my new nickname, Trouble. Still not sure why, but I can’t say I hate it. He promised one day he would explain why, when the time is right.
“Nice. You finally got it running?” I say excitedly, running out the door and towards him.
He smiles, his hand running down the dashboard. “We did. She’s beautiful.”
I nod in agreement. Opening the door, I slide into the passenger seat. “This is amazing, Iz.”
His smile grows wider, and his eyes sparkle. “You’re the first one to get in. Well, besides me. You’re the first.”
My heart clenches at his words. I’m the first, not Alexa, not Sledge, but me. Our eyes remain locked on each other before his red flip phone buzzes inside the cupholder.
“We gotta go. Sledge is getting impatient,” he says, almost apologetically. “And you know how moody he gets when he waits for too long.” We both mumble in unison. My body sinks into the leather seat. With the windows down and “Island in the Sun” by Weezer playing in the background, my fly-away tendrils dance with the wind.
The Camaro roars beneath us, and I find myself glancing over at Isaac, who hasn’t stopped smiling. His eyes gleaming with happiness and pride, before he turns to me, singing the lyrics of the song at the top of his lungs.
I laugh and join in singing the chorus. “Hip. Hip. Hip.”
