Dirty Friends (Beautiful Friends #1) (8 page)

I pull down my street to see Ansley getting dropped off. It’s kinda early so maybe their date didn’t go well, either. I chuckle to myself. Pulling into my driveway, I kill the engine and sit there looking toward her house. I’m waiting for her to get out of his car and for him to leave already. I’m going to go hang with her for a while and since it’s only ten o’clock, there’s plenty of night left. After about fifteen minutes, I get out and head toward her house. Yes, I’m being a dickhead for walking over there before they even get out of the car but I don’t care. She sees me and jumps out of the car, slamming the door.

“What are doing here, Cooper?”

“Thought maybe we’d get in my hot tub tonight.”

“Umm, I’m on a date,” she says, as she points to the car.

“Yes, I can see that, but I’ve been waiting for you to get out of the car for the last fifteen minutes. I was trying to be respectful, but come on, Peanut he’s a douche. You can do better than that.”

“It’s not your decision, is it, Coop?” She is clearly annoyed with me. Her hands are now on her hips while her eyebrows narrow.

“Don’t get your panties in a bunch, it’s just an observation.”

“Oh, let me guess; the little Barbie you’ve been seeing is just perfect. While every guy I see, either you or Ryan tell me he’s not good enough.”

“Well, as a matter of fact we called it quits tonight.”

Laughing at me now, she asks, “Oh, did she figure you out? Where you date them and leave them?”

“No, for your information. I broke it off.”

“Please tell me you didn’t use the line, it’s me not you?”

“Umm, well…I might have,” I say, laughing back at her.

“You are pathetic, you know that?”

“Yep. So, does that mean you’ll tell him goodbye now, and come in the hot tub with me to ease my broken heart? I’m a wounded man,” I say grabbing my shirt over my heart.

“Yeah, you’re wounded alright.”

She leans into the car window and tells the player goodnight, that she’s going to just head inside. I look over at him, flip him the bird, and throw my arm around her shoulder while following her up the porch stairs. We decide to just hang out in her living room and watch a movie. We start talking about college and how great it’ll be. She keeps saying how different it’s going to be not having either Ryan or I around. It’s getting late, so she walks me to the door to say goodbye.

“By the way, pain in the ass, I saw what you did earlier.”

“Umm and what would that be, beautiful?”

“You gave my date the finger.”

“He’s an ass and you deserve better,” I say, as I tap my finger to her nose.

“Don’t do that. It makes me feel like a dog.”

“Well then, you, my puppy, are cute as hell.”

“Shut up,” she says, swatting me in the arm.

“I will always protect you, no matter what, girl.”

“Thanks, Coop.”

“Anytime and anyplace, I’ll be there for ya.”

She reaches her arms around my waist and hugs me tightly, as I pull her against my chest. I’m going to miss her when I can’t see her every day. Next year is going to be tough without her and Ryan being around. We both take a breath and sigh at the same time, then we release each other. I head out the door after I kiss her on the cheek. Tomorrow we’ll all meet up, once Ryan comes home. We can’t wait to hear how everything went.

Ansley

ITS OFFICIAL, AFTER THE FIRST of the year Ryan will be heading off to California to ride for Team Suzuki. His father is making sure everything’s in place for him to finish out his senior year on the road. The team has tutors that will help him and our school agreed that he can walk at graduation with us. Both Cooper and I are so happy for him but devastated at the same time. We feel like we’re losing a part of our family. It’s been the three of us since we were twelve. We’ve been through so much together.

Christmas is just a few days away. I’ve been babysitting for some families in the area, for extra money, while working at the hospital coffee shop some days after school. My mom and I are heading to the mall to do some last minute shopping. I don’t really know what I want to get the guys, but I want it to be special. This is the last one before Ryan moves away.

The first place I go I find a frame that says, “Best Friends” across it. I buy three of them; one for each of us. I want Ryan to have one to take with him. I know I have the perfect picture for it. We were sitting in Cooper’s hot tub a few nights ago, and we took a bunch of selfies. There’s one where I’m sitting in between the two of them. A rose between two thorns, it’s what I always say to them.

After being gone for the day, we go home and start dinner, right away.

“So, when are you and the boys going to exchange gifts, honey?”

“I think on Christmas Eve.”

“They are going to love their gifts.”

“I know right, Mom? Hopefully, I don’t get too emotional that night. It’s crazy that Ryan’s moving away. We were all supposed to be together until we left for college at the same time, all at once. Not like this.” She hugs me tight.

It’s Christmas Eve and we’re meeting at eight o’clock tonight, over at Cooper’s house. His parents are out at a holiday party, so we have the house to ourselves. I can’t wait to give them their gifts. I want tonight to be special, so I dress up a little more than I normally do, matching a low cut white sundress with my favorite pair of cowboy boots. I saw the dress at one of the stores when I went shopping with Mom. After trying it on she assured me that I looked great in it, even though it was lower in the front than I normally would wear. So I bought it. I was wearing my hair down and curled, I also put make up on, but not too much. After slipping on my boots, kissing my mom on the cheek and grabbing the presents, I finally made my way to the door. I tell her I won’t be too late as I head out.

As I walk up Cooper’s back steps, he opens the door for me. He’s also dressed up a bit, which takes me back for a minute. I don’t get to see the guys in dress clothes often, so it’s a nice surprise.

“Well, hello there, gorgeous.”

“Hello yourself, Coop.”

“Ryan said he’d be over in a bit. He was finishing up packing a few things and having dinner with his parents.”

“Ok, no biggie.”

I set the presents on the counter, only to have him pick them up and walk them over to the living room, setting them near the fireplace in front of the couch. He walks back in the kitchen, where I’m standing, looking out through the glass door. He comes up behind me and puts his arm around me. Resting my head to his shoulder, he turns me and hugs me. I wrap my arms around his waist. He’s always my rock and tonight’s no different. Knowing me like he does, he can tell I’m upset over Ryan leaving.

“It’s going to be alright, you know that, right?” He speaks as he looks down into my eyes, “We will always have each other, no matter what. Ryan will stay in touch with us. There’s FaceTime, texting, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. Seriously, no need to worry.”

“I know, but it’s going to be different, no matter how you look at it. He’s going to be busy and we won’t see him at school every day…we can’t just walk next door and see him.” I’m tearing up, and I don’t want to do that already.

Just as he goes to speak, Ryan knocks and walks in. “Am I walking in on a private moment here?” Smiling ear to ear, he looks at us both.

“No, dickhead. Just saying, Merry Christmas to each other.”

“Excuse me, I’m going to head to the bathroom for a moment. I’ll be right back.” I go there just to check my eyes. I don’t need my makeup streaming down my face, already. I know by the end of the night it’ll probably be all wiped off. The door is still open so I can hear exactly what the guys are saying when they think I can’t.

“Ok, spill it, what’s up with Peanut?”

“She’s already missing you.”

“Shit, I knew she was going to take it hard, but this is going to truly suck seeing her cry. I don’t know if I can handle it.”

“No kidding. Fuck, it’s going to be difficult. Then, you’ll leave me to pick up the pieces…thanks, shithead.”

“You are such an ass, you know that?”

“Yep!” He is laughing out loud. “Let’s grab a drink and head in the living room. What do you want?” he asks Ryan, and yells toward me just as I walk out.

Ryan chooses a beer with Cooper and I decide on my usual, a wine cooler. His parents never miss a few, or at least, they never say anything about it. We all walk into the living room and the guys sit on the couch; I take the chair.

“Peanut, you look hot tonight.” Ryan shocks me with his comment and I blush a little.

“You both clean up nice, as well.”

Cooper’s like a kid in a candy store when it comes to presents. He’s dying to know what he’ll get from both of us. It’s written all over his face. The stereo is playing country Christmas music and the fire is going. The whole scene is set. His family has the nicest house between the three of us. His mother has it decorated just like a storybook. She took her time placing things in all the right places over the entire house. We all agreed that Ryan’s going last whether he likes it or not. Though really, it’s the same every year. Cooper always goes first because well, he’s a brat, then me and lastly Ryan. We’re talking about Ryan’s move and what his schedule is going to be like. He says he has three months to ride with the team to see if he can hang with the top guys. If he can, then he’ll be signed to a three-year deal with a sign on bonus, as well as other bonuses for taking a hole shot and making it on the podium. The hole shot means he needs to be the first guy coming out of the gate and around the first corner.

“Are we going to open presents tonight, or what?”

“Oh my God, you are such a kid, you know that?” I stand, walk over, and grab his presents first. I’m giving them the frames with our picture in them after all of the other presents are opened. He tears open the wrapping paper, getting to the gift in record time.

“Holy shit, Ans I love it. “ He’s holding up one of the t-shirts I bought him. It has a saying on it. “
When in doubt, throttle out.”
Then, he reaches in and pulls out the next one. This one has a picture of a dirt bike on it, with a rider and a girl in a bikini behind the rider. Ryan hands him his next. Again, Cooper tears in to it. He gets a calendar with all the Hyped Energy drink girls. The pictures are of them sitting on dirt bikes, or laying on the seats dressed in teeny tiny bikinis, or what I like to call scraps of material.

“Hell, yes, you both rock. I fucking love these. And Ryan, I can’t wait to visit you at a race to see these hotties up close and personal.”

“I’ll drink to that.” Ryan clanks his beer bottle to Coop’s.

“Ok, Peanut, you’re next.” Ryan picks up his present to hand it to me but Cooper beats him to it. I laugh out loud at how much of a child he really is during the holidays.

“Here, open mine first.”

He looks so serious all of sudden, and I can’t help but look in his eyes. “Get to it, girl.”

I pick it up and open the gift bag slowly. The present’s carefully wrapped so I know he didn’t do it. He’s the type of wrapper to fold the paper and tape it wherever. I take out the little box that’s in it.

“Coop, what did you do?” I slowly open the box and it is a necklace with a little dirt bike hanging off it. Both the necklace and charm are made out of white gold. The charm has little diamond chips in the center of each tire. I love it. He gets an allowance from his parents, so he must have been saving for a while for this.

“This is too much.” The tears are pooling already.

“No, it’s not. This way every time you wear it, you’ll think of us.”

“Ok, my turn.” Ryan now hands his over.

It’s another gift bag and once again I pull out a box. I immediately look up at him. He’s smiling back at me. Tilting my head sideways at him, I smile back. As I lift the lid, I notice the matching bracelet.
Yep, four, three, two, one…the tears fall.

“You two are brats. Seriously guys, these are beautiful, but they are too much.”

“Nope not at all. We love you, girl.” Ryan put in hours helping his dad at the construction sites, so he must have been stashing some money away too. Ryan walks over to help me put them both on as Cooper sits there staring at me. I get up after and walk over to the mirror that is in the entryway by the front door. I put my hand to the necklace then look in the mirror as it hangs there and sparkles. Lifting my wrist, staring at the same charm that dangles, I walk back over and give them both a huge hug.

“Ryan, I hope you like mine. I really tried to find something that would help you not forget us...little people.” I try to not sound so sad.

“How could I forget my brother and then there’s you. You are like a sister to me. I could never forget a sister. You two are my best friends.”

He takes a little longer to open his but still is doing it quite quickly, as he pulls out the keychain of a sterling silver helmet. It is inscribed on one side with his favorite quote...”
I’d risk the fall just to know what it feels like to fly”.
While the other side has…”
Never forget.”