Aftershocks (27 page)

“No shit, Sherlock,” I said, sarcasm lacing my tone. “Did you realy think she’d be cool that you cheated on her?”

“We were on a break. It wasn’t technicaly cheating.”

I raised my eyebrows at him.

“Hey, she kissed some guy that night too, so apparently our break meant the same thing to her. I honestly think she was more upset that it was you I kissed.”

“That makes sense. She thinks I’m out to steal you from her. If it’s possible, she hates me more now than before.”

“Yeah, I won’t tel you what she said. You don’t want to know.”

“No, you’re right, I don’t.”

“She’s mad at me, too.”

“She doesn’t want us to be friends, does she?” I asked, knowing I was right.

He shook his head. “Nope, she doesn’t. But since that’s not going to happen, I told her if she wanted to be with me, then she had to accept my friends and that included you. She didn’t like it, but she’s stil here, so I guess she’s okay with my terms.”

Wow, the boy had bals. I was surprised. With Alexis, most guys acted like theirs had been severed.

“Wel, that’s good, I guess,” I said, sticking my tongue in my cheek. Why couldn’t he see how wrong she was for him? How wrong they were for each other.

“I’m just glad you took me back,” he said, grinning widely. Stupid grin. It made me want to kiss him, and I shouldn’t have wanted to kiss him.

“Alright, where is that hot chocolate stand?” I asked, forcing the mood to change. “I saw one when we came in.”

“Yeah, good cal. I’d better get Alexis one and head back. I don’t want her to be more pissed at me than she already is. She’s too tough to deal with when she’s like this.”

And you’re dating her, why?

I started to folow after him. “She caled me a slut, didn’t she?”

“Among other things,” Connor said, and I could tel he didn’t want to admit what those other things were. “So you like Jack, huh?”

I nodded. “Sure.”

I knew I was being vague on purpose, obviously leaving the door open in case Connor changed his mind, but also because Jack was sweet, and maybe I’d be smarter if I dated him.

“He is a cool guy,” Connor said, and I could hear that he wanted to say something more.

“Look Connor, I know his history, but I also know the guy he was before that. He’s had a realy rough year, but I’m not going to hold that against him. His best friend tried to kil himself, and then he broke up with the girl he was in love with when she went off to colege right after his best friend moved to Michigan for school. Plus, he’s under al this colege pressure for grades and footbal. I’m wiling to cut him a little slack.”

“And you’re sure you like him?”

It was a strange question, and I couldn’t understand where it was coming from.

“Yes,” I said, suddenly very sure of my words. I did like Jack. I just liked Connor more.

“Okay.”

“What does that mean?”

He again looked like he wanted to say something, but he didn’t.

“What, Connor?” I prompted, getting slightly annoyed.

“It’s just weird that you dating him,” he said finaly.

“Why?”

“Because you haven’t realy dated anyone since I’ve known you, so I guess I’m just not used to it, and al of a sudden you’re with Jack, and he’s kind of a player. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Connor, he’s not realy a player.”

I’d known Jack for years, and how he’d been this year wasn’t him. It was a phase that he didn’t know how to get through. Maybe I was his answer to that dilemma.

“Abbs, it’s just – I care about you, you know?”

“O-kay,” I said, not sure what that loaded statement was supposed to mean. Now I was thoroughly confused.

“I don’t know,” he said, his tone suddenly changing. “I just want you to be happy. Are you happy?”

“Yes,” I said, not elaborating further. He was acting so weird.

Sure, I was happy. I was at least happier than I’d been a year ago, even six months ago. Anything was an improvement over being ostracized by my group of friends because Alexis decided she no longer liked me, having rumors floating around that I was a whore and almost losing Wyatt.

“Okay, good,” he said, not elaborating further either.

“Good,” I said, and we walked in silence for a minute.

We got back to our seats just as the game was starting. Jack made a grand gesture of puling me onto his lap and kissing me, smiling his trademark smile when he puled back. Yeah, he was realy cute. Next to me, I thought I heard Connor huff quietly in response to what he saw, but I couldn’t be sure. I gave him an elbow to the upper arm for good measure once I was back in my seat. I wasn’t sure what his issue was, but he wasn’t about to ruin my night.

The game was exciting, although I had trouble finding the puck most of the time, which seemed to be a running theme for me when I watched organized sports. By the end of the second period, the score was Bruins, 3, Redwings, 2, and we had seen one good fight and two smaler ones which weren’t as exciting. Connor was in a surprisingly good mood next to me. He was cheering for Boston and high-fiving Jack whenever they scored.

At a commercial break during the third period, the song ‘Kiss Me’ came over the loud speakers and the Jumbotron that hung over the ice started to show couples in the stands. When they saw that they were on the screen, the couples kissed. It was al very cute, until I saw my face and Jack’s on the screen. It took me a second to realize it was us, but I also caught a glimpse of Connor’s face to the left of mine and could see his wary look that seemed to say ‘don’t do it’.

Of course I didn’t listen. I turned to Jack, grabbed his face and kissed him hard on the lips. Jack, of course went right along with it, kissing me just as passionately, and the crowd went nuts. Next to me, Connor grumbled under his breath. I couldn’t believe he wouldn’t let it go. He was unbelievable.

“Okay, I need something to eat. I’m going upstairs,” I announced a minute later. I leaned toward Connor and hissed under my breath in a definitive tone, “Talk, now, upstairs!”

No one else except Connor heard me. He suddenly rose and said he was going to the bathroom. Alexis roled her eyes at him and focused on the commercial that was being shown on the Jumbotron.

I pushed past Connor, stomped up the stairs and marched into the open space. As soon as he was next to me, I dragged him by his arm away from the entrance to where our seats were.

“Ow, Abby. What the hel?”

I didn’t answer him. I just tightened my grip and yanked harder. “What the hel is your problem?” I hissed at him once we were far enough away.

“What?” he asked, acting totaly shocked at my question.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“No, I don’t,” he said, being stubborn.

“You’re going to make me say it?” He just stared at me. “Fine! Why is it that every time Jack holds my hand or kisses me, you get upset? I told you I don’t need another brother looking out for me, so quit acting like you’re my keeper.”

Connor looked surprised by my accusation. “I’m not acting like your brother,” he said, making a face, and I suddenly realized he wasn’t being protective. He was jealous. Jack was right.

I shook my head at him. “Unbelievable. You have no claim here,” I said, gesturing to myself. “You have no right to be upset that I’m dating Jack. You had your chance.”

“I guess I’m not as okay with it as I thought I was. I don’t like seeing him with you,” he said, and I wasn’t sure if it was because Jack was a known player or if Jack was suddenly playing with me.

“Quit acting like a child and be happy for me. Be my friend. Lord knows you don’t want to be anything else.” That last part I said under my breath.

“What did you say?” he demanded.

“Nothing. Forget it. Just try to keep your opinions to yourself, wil you? You don’t hear me giving you advice on who you should and shouldn’t date, do you? Although, you could definitely use some enlightening.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing,” I grumbled, not trusting myself to hold back where Alexis was concerned.

“You don’t think Alexis is right for me, do you?” he asked quietly.

“Connor, I’m going to have to plead the fifth on that one, okay? I’m not getting in the middle of your relationship. Just please let the Jack stuff go. I can’t deal with you having an attitude tonight. I’m trying to have a good time.”

He appraised me for a few seconds looking like he wanted to say something, but when he finaly opened his mouth, al he said was,

“Fine, I’l keep quiet. But it doesn’t mean I’m okay with you dating him.”

“Wel, the good thing is that you don’t have to be okay with it,” I said, as I turned and stalked away from him.

That night I was getting ready for bed when I my cel phone rang. Since it was almost eleven o’clock on a school night, I knew it could only be one of two people, and I’d just talked to Wyatt when I got home from the game an hour earlier. He’d caled to tel me he’d landed and was on his way to Jack’s. He decided to split his time between Jack’s house and ours but would be with us for Thanksgiving.

That only left one other person who could be caling me.

“Hey Connor,” I said stiffly, as I spit toothpaste out of my mouth and rinsed. I was stil irritated with him for how he’d acted at the hockey game, and from what I could tel when we parted ways after the game, he was equaly upset with me.

“Can you talk?” he asked, his voice hard.

“Sure,” I said, straightening up slowly. I turned off the light in the bathroom and sat down on the edge of my bed, readying myself for the apology I knew was coming. “What’s up?”

“I’m pissed, and I need to calm down. I figured if anyone could help me with that, it would be you.”

Me? I thought we were fighting?

“What’s wrong?” I wondered if he and Alexis had gotten in a fight, and as much as that thought made me smile, I hoped it wasn’t true.

He sounded awful.

“Can you come outside?”

“Are you here?” I asked, looking out my window to the street in front of our house. I didn’t see anyone.

“I’m out back,” he said. “In the tree house. Please.”

“Connor, it’s freezing outside.” Just my breath against the cold window was fogging it up.

“Please,” he said again, and I could hear the urgency in his voice.

I nodded, not sure why I was doing so since he couldn’t see me, and started to put on my Uggs. I grabbed my snowboarding jacket, puled it on over my pajamas and tugged a hat over my head. I was sure I looked slightly ridiculous, but I didn’t care. If I was venturing out into the freezing weather, I wanted to be warm. Without another thought, I slipped downstairs as quietly as I could, as not to wake my parents.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, as soon as my head cleared the inside of the tree house. I was greeted by semi-warm air. Connor had turned on my portable space heater. He was pacing back and forth across the ten foot wide space, a look of extreme concentration on his face. He looked stiff as he walked, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his coat as he turned to face me.

“Hey,” he said, the relief in his voice palpable.

“Hi,” I said, as I puled myself up through the hole. I stood in front of him crossing my arms in front of my chest.

He reached forward puled me into a hug, gripping me tight against his chest. “I wasn’t sure you’d come.”

“Connor,” I said in an exasperated tone, as he finaly released me, “you may have acted like a jackass tonight, but that doesn’t mean I’m going anywhere.”

“Good.” I could hear the tension in his voice ease up a notch.

“And?” I probed.

“I’m sorry about butting into your business,” he mumbled, his eyes on his feet.

“Thank you,” I said. “Now please tel me that was not the reason you made me sneak out of my house and come out here in my pajamas, because you realy could have said that over the phone.”

He shook his head. “It wasn’t.”

His look of concentration returned. I watched him expectantly, but he didn’t say anything. So I waited, settling into one of the beanbags, figuring I might be there for a while.

“Why don’t you sit down,” I suggested.

He stopped and looked at me, shaking his head again. “No, I can’t sit,” he said and started pacing again.

“Connor, what’s wrong?” I insisted after a few minutes. I was getting dizzy from watching him pace.

He finaly stopped and turned to face me. “My mom’s drinking again,” he said like I knew what he was talking about. He’d told me she was an alcoholic, so I assumed she’d never stopped drinking.

I waited for him to continue but he didn’t. He just walked past me to the back window of the tree house and stood there looking out at his house. I looked back, watching him stare into the void, knowing he could only see his reflection in the glass.

Finaly he broke his silence. “My mom’s been an alcoholic for years. It al started a long time ago, and she’s never been able to get past it. I think the traveling my dad’s always done for work made her lonely or jealous or something. I don’t know, but she started drinking when he was out of town.”

Connor wasn’t looking at me. He was staring out the window, a vacant, detached look on his face.

“She was depressed and drinking, mostly when Jordan and I went to bed, but sometimes she’d put something in her orange juice in the mornings. My dad found out about it when she ended up in the hospital after dropping me and Jordan off at school one morning. She’d gotten into an accident. They did a tox screen, and her blood alcohol level was just shy of the legal limit. My dad rushed home when he found out and threatened to take me and Jordan away from her. I heard them yeling late at night, and al I remember is being terrified that we would have to leave home. I didn’t know why my dad was so mad. It was an accident. I didn’t learn the truth until years later.”

He took a deep breath to steal himself, looking over at me as if to gauge my reaction. I looked back, giving him a smal smile in an effort to say it was okay to keep going.

“Is this too much?”

I shook my head. “No, it’s fine.”