Authors: Maria E. Monteiro
I run out to the steamy morning and jump into Farrah’s yellow Volkswagen Beetle. I swear it’s so cold in here you could hang meat. I don’t know how she gets it this cold. I put on my pink sweater and tuck my legs in to keep warm.
“So, guess what?” She says with a sparkle in her honey brown eyes.
“What?”
“Josh called me last night! I can’t wait to tell Logan he was wrong!”
“I’m sure he’ll be happy he was wrong.”
“Yeah right. Anyway, he told me Derek is having a party next Saturday and he asked me to go.”
“That’s great. I hope you have a great time!”
“Oh no, you’re coming too. It’s the first party of the school year. Besides I already told Josh I was bringing you.”
“I really don’t wanna go to some party. I’m not in the mood. Besides I have to work that day. It’s my last day at Delights.”
“Oh come on, Jade. Besides, we’ll have to celebrate you’re last day at work. What a perfect way to do that than a party?”
The last party I went to was a disaster and I promised myself I wouldn’t go to another, but there’s a part of me that wants to start this school year actually having fun. “Can I ask Logan to come?”
“Fine. But make sure you tell him Josh did call me.”
“I will.” This might not be so bad. I hope.
Farrah and I walk around the whole mall visiting every other store. I swear I wish I had more money. I think I would get almost everything on the racks.
I actually had` no problem spending seven hundred dollars. I spent my father’s money like nobody’s business. I got two pairs of flared jeans and two pairs of Skinny jeans. I also bought six very cute tops, three sweaters, two pairs of boots, a pair of converse sneakers, three dresses, one pair of killer heels, and not to mention a book bag. I love shopping more than anything in this world. It always makes me feel better.
“This was so much fun,” Farrah says trying to hold all her bags in one hand.
“I know. We need to...” I come to a grinding halt when I hear a familiar laughter.
I turn my head just in time to see my father and Trisha walking out of Baby Gap. She has twice as many bags as I do. They both look shocked to see me. “Hon, what are you doing here?” My father lets go of Trisha’s hand and tries to give me a hug. I move out of the way just in time.
“School shopping.”
“Hello Farrah, you know Trisha,” he says.
“Hello Mr. Miller. Yes, how are you Trisha?”
“Good, thank you. Hello Jade,” Trisha says with her ridiculous smile.
“Hi,” I mumble trying all I can not to make eye contact with her. I’m afraid if I stare into her eyes I might actually kill her.
“Did you get everything you needed?” my father asks.
I nod.
“Well, we were just going to get something to eat, would you girls like to join us?”
“No. We were just leaving,” I snap.
My father’s eyes quickly lose their glow as I reject him. Why is he acting like he cares for me? “Oh okay. Well, don’t forget I’m picking you up this Friday for our weekend. Trisha can’t wait to show you your room.”
“I really worked hard on it,” she adds proudly.
“I already have a room at mom’s house.”
“Jade Faith Miller!” Did he really just use my whole name?
“Whatever. We have to go.” I turn around and try to walk away from them as fast as I can. I hate them so much.
“Jade! Wait up!” Farrah calls after me. I don’t slow down instead I speed up. I can’t wait to get out of this mall. “Jade! Jade! Jade will you slow down. Jade!”
“What?” I scream finally stopping to face her.
“Do you wanna talk about it?”
“No. I just wanna get out of here.”
Farrah knows me well enough that when I say I don’t want to talk about something it means just that. She and Logan never push me to talk about anything that has to do with my parents.
I know Farrah is dying to ask me more questions about everything that just happened, but she doesn’t. Instead she starts talking about the party again. She’s really good at pretending nothing is wrong too.
“Thanks for everything,” I say when she drops me off at my house.
“No problem. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah. Thanks.” I give her a grateful smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow!”
“Yes. Junior year is gonna rooocccck!” She drives away still screaming the word rock. Sometimes I really think she’s a nut.
I just hope I make it through this school year without any earth shattering news or any kind of heartache. Who am I kidding? With my father and his stupid choices my life already sucks.
I still can’t believe how many bags they had in their hands. Why can’t my father see Trisha is using him for his money? There’s no way she’s really in love with him. He’s just too old for her.
I look in my bag for my keys and realize they’re not there. I ring the doorbell and knock on the door but no one answers. I quickly call my mother, who informs me she’s with a client and won’t be home for another two hours. Great, this is all I needed. I can’t believe I forgot my keys.
Between seeing my father and my missing keys my blood begins to boil. This is bullshit! I take my bags and throw them against the garage doors with rage running through my body.
“Whoa, what did those doors do to you?” Austin asks behind me.
“Oh God, what do you want?” I don’t turn around to face him. All I want to do is throw a tantrum in private.
“Nothing. Trust me. I was just about to jump in my car when I saw you beating up your garage doors. So what happened? Did they say something mean to you? Because if they did I’ll knock them out.” He begins to head towards the doors like he’s about to get into a fight with them.
I grab his arm to stop him while trying my best not to laugh. I hate that he can always calm my emotions down. “You’re an idiot.”
“Yeah, I’ve been told that.” His dimples appear. “So what happened?”
“I forgot my keys and my mom won’t be home for another two hours.”
He grabs my bags and starts to walk towards his car. “Where are you taking those?” I ask following him.
“To my car.”
“Why?”
“Cause I’m gonna get you out of here for a while.”
“I don’t wanna go anywhere with you.”
“Fine, stay here. But your bags are coming with me.” He begins to put them in his car. “I will not allow them to stay here and watch you beat up your house.”
Damn he irritates me. “Where are you taking me?”
“Just get in the car,” he says opening the passenger door for me.
“Fine, but I’m telling you now, where ever you’re taking me I’m not going to like it"
“Yeah, I know,” he says closing my door.
I sit in his car trying to slow my angry heart down. This day really sucks and now I’m stuck with Austin again. Where the hell is he taking me?
He turns his car into the Big Mike’s Batting Cages parking lot. Why would he bring me here? Does he really think I want to watch him hit some balls?
“What are we doing here?” I ask with no amusement in my voice.
“Getting our frustrations out. I love coming here when my dad is driving me crazy. It makes me feel better. You’ll see.”
He hops out of the car and runs to open my door. “Why do you keep doing that?”
“What?”
“Opening the car door for me?” I don’t know why it’s starting to get on my nerves. It makes me feel like I have to thank him or something.
“One thing my mother taught my brother and me was to always open a door for a girl.” He laughs. “Okay, you’re the first girl I’ve done it for. I don’t know there’s something about you that makes me want to leap out of my car to open the door for you.”
My heart jumps at his words. Damn him. “Well stop it. I can open my own door.”
He laughs even harder. “No. Sorry.”
“Whatever.”
He tells me to sit on a bench while he goes to get helmets and bats. I turn around and watch other’s practicing their batting skills while my brain and heart begin an inner conflict.
I know very well not to get sucked into by his charisma, but my stupid heart keeps reacting to things he says. I need to be strong and remember all the hatred I have for him.
“Hey, you ready?” he asks holding two aluminum bats and two blue helmets.
“Now tell me again why you think I should do this?”
“It helps take out your frustrations. And it’s better than beating up your garage doors.”
“I’m not sure I can do this. How about you go first.” I know as soon as I get into that batting cage he’s going to realize I have no athletic skills. Leah was right when she said I sucked at cheerleading. Sports and me do not mix well.
“Okay.” He puts on the blue helmet, grabs the silver bat, and heads inside.
I’m actually getting excited to see him hit some balls. He brings the bat forward and hits the first one far. I love the sound of the bat hitting the ball. It gives me an inner thrill. He hits another sending it further than the one before. He continues, each ball bouncing harder off the bat. I’m starting to think I’m not the only one dealing with stuff today.
“Wow, it looks like you had a lot of frustration to get out too,” I say, when he’s done.
“You can say that. Here, it’s your turn.” He hands me the bat.
“I’m still not sure about this.”
I walk into the cage and place the bat on my shoulder. I try to remember how he was holding it and do my best to imitate him. He begins to laugh.
“You see I can’t do this.”
He walks into the batting cage. “Come here I’ll help you.” He stands behind me, and begins to explain how I’m supposed to do it, but I can’t hear a word he says.
The heat from his chest radiates on my back causing my legs to shake. I inhale his cologne and waves of sparks run through my whole body. Come on Jade focus.
He wraps his strong arms around mine to show me how to exactly hold the bat. His lips are so close to my face. My heart feels like it’s going to explode to a million pieces. He whispers in my ear, “Like this.”
“Okay, I got it.” I need him to get out of here before another part of my body has a reaction to having him so close to me.
He walks out and the pitching machine throws out the first ball. The white ball comes flying towards me. Come on Jade move the bat and hit it far. Just imagine it’s Trisha’s face. I say to myself.
The ball picks up speed the closer it gets to me. I can’t see Trisha’s face no matter how much I try. All I see is a white ball coming straight towards me. Right as I’m about to hit it I duck down and scream in fear. I just knew if I didn’t move it was going to hit me instead of the bat.
Austin starts laughing harder. I walk out the batting cage and hand him my bat and helmet. “I’m sorry but I can’t do this. Here you take my turn.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, besides I’m having more fun watching you.” He smiles brightly and walks back into the batting cage.
“Thanks for bringing me here. It’s exactly what I needed,” I say walking back to his car.
“But you didn’t get to hit anything.”
“I know. But I still had fun.”
“Stick with me and I’ll make sure you have fun all the time.”
Did he really just say that? We drive home listening to Led Zeppelin’s
The Ocean
as emotions tug my insides in every direction. I can’t take this anymore. I lean forward and lower the music. “I still don’t get why all of a sudden you wanna be my friend again. It doesn’t make sense,” I blurt out.
He looks at me lost and then smiles. “Hanging out with you these last couple of days made me realize I missed what we used to have when we were kids. You know, you and I used to be really good friends.”
“Yeah, until you chose to start teasing me and treating me like a parasite instead of a friend.”
“He shakes his head. “I’m so sorry. I was an idiot.” He pulls up in front of my house. “Do you think you can ever forgive me?”
I don’t answer him. I’m not sure what my answer is. “I guess my mom’s home,” I say looking at the light coming out of my house.
“Yeah.” I don’t know why, but I don’t want to get out of his car. “Hey, are you hungry?” he asks.
I turn to face him and say with a warm smile. “Actually I am.”
“You wanna go get something to eat?”
“Yes.”
He drives off and heads towards the pier. There’re tons of restaurants there. I can’t believe how much my excitement in my stomach is escalating right now.
“Where do you wanna eat?” He asks, parking his car on the crowded street.
“I’m dying for a burger and cheese fries from the boardwalk.”
“Are you serious? You wouldn’t rather go to a restaurant?”
“Not really. Is that okay?”
“Yeah. It’s actually pretty perfect,” he says with a pleased smile.
The boardwalk is packed with everyone trying to hold on to the summer for at least one more day. As happy as I am that most of these people will be gone by tomorrow it’s also kind of sad this place will be empty again.
Austin goes to get the food while I go to sit at a table by the Ferris Wheel. It’s the perfect kind of night where every star glows just right.
“Here you go,” he says, giving me my burger and cheese fries.
I take a big bite and go straight into a food heaven. I even let out a moan of pleasure making him laugh. “It’s that good, huh?”
“Yup.”
“I like seeing you happy and not trying to beat up your house.”
“I saw my dad with his girlfriend at the mall today,” I confess. I hate sharing my issues with anyone, but for some unexplainable reason I don’t mind telling him.
“That’s why you were so angry?”
I nod. “He was holding her hand and laughing while they shopped for baby clothes. It makes me sick to see them acting like a family.” I take a sip of my drink while I try to fight my stupid tears again. I’m not going to let him see me cry again. “I thought the day he left my house was the worst day ever. I never thought it was going to get worse. My father sucks.”
“My father likes to remind me how great my brother Blake is.”
“Huh?”
“That’s the reason I had to go hit some balls at the batting cage. Every chance my dad gets he makes sure to point out what a loser I am.”