Everybody wanted to be his best friend but he’d kept the friends he’d made as a kid. There was Elias, the charming disaster. Waylon, quieter but just as dangerous. Gabe, the golden retriever of the group, all kindness and decency. Badger, who was exactly as obnoxious as his nickname. Sean Volker, who threw a baseball like God’s favorite pitcher and whose last name spoke of generations of successful Coloradans. Teachers and old-timers nodded approvingly at everything he and his little sister did.
And then there were the two big guys—Jon Behr, but no one dared call him anything but Bear. And Ben. Sweet, stammering Ben who people whispered about like he was slow, which just showed how little they paid attention. April had shared honors classes with him. Ben always sat in the back, quiet as a shadow. Teachers forgot to call on him half the time. Students barely noticed him at all. But April did. And she knew the truth. Ben wasn’t dumb. He was a goddamn genius who just didn’t like taking up space or making noise.
Maybe that’s why Shane had paid attention to her. If he had a smart, quiet friend like Ben, then he could see beyond the pretty, popular girls always vying for his attention. Seeher—smart, hard-working, determined to make a better life for herself.
They were friends, sure, especially since she was constantly helping him out. However, April never expected Shane Foti to fall for her. Fall hard enough to share his dreams with her and to take hers seriously. Just not seriously enough to be open about their relationship. She told herself she understood—he was protecting her in his own way, from bullies like Leslie who would openly attack her. From his parents who would neverunderstand or accept her and could not only make life hard for April, but for her whole family if they wanted to.
April looked at the clock again. Five minutes. The speaker overhead crackled to life and announced departures. If Shane didn’t hurry, they’d miss the bus and have to wait until tomorrow for the next bus to California. Her parents would read her letter and know where she’d gone. They’d come and get her, and that would be?—
The top of a head of dark hair caught her eye.
Shane! Thank God.
April stood up and smoothed out the cotton skirt of her sundress. She bent to pick up her suitcase handle and her backpack. They’d have to sprint to catch the bus but they could do it.
He came around the divider and his familiar face caught her by surprise.
Not Shane’s. Ben’s.
Ben knew about them? Had Shane told him and he was here to stop them?Or… Joy sparked in her heart. Maybe Shane had told all his friends he loved her and they had come to see them off.
She tried to look past Ben. Heaven knew half a dozen guys could get swallowed up in his shadow.
But, no. No other friends following the big guy.
And no Shane.
Ben spotted April. He looked at her sadly.
April shook her head in denial as Ben ambled toward her.
“What happened?” she asked. “Where is he? Is…is he all right?” The sudden, horribly welcome thought that he’d been in a car accident popped into her head. She’d rush to his bedside, stay there without being afraid of getting chased away. She’d rather face that than believe he’d abandoned her like this.
“Sh-Shane’s not c-c-oming,” Ben said. He was upset enough that the stutter he fought hard to control and hide was on full display.
April’s heart broke right there and then. Ice-cold fury filled its place.
“He couldn’t even show his face? He couldn’t come and tell me himself that he changed his mind? That he didn’t care enough…”
Enough about me.
“…Enough about what he wants versus what his parents want to at least come and tell me that I’m on my own?”
Ben shook his head sadly. “It isn’t right, what he’s d-doing to you.”
“Tome? I don’t care about him,” she lied. “This is just convenient for us to go together, that’s all.”
Ben’s eyes told her he could see right through her lies. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet and an envelope.
“What are you doing?” She took a step back.
“He sent a note and the money he’d planned on using for both tickets and your first six months’ rent. I told him he should turn over his entire bank account to you.” Ben pulled a stack of bills from his wallet. “He said he w-was.” Ben held out the cash and the envelope.
He didn’t even buy the tickets in advance. How long did he know he was going to leave me here?
“I don’t want that,” April said. “I don’t need it. I don’t need anything from him. Ever.”
“April, just take the money. You can just toss the letter. I w-would.”
