“Oh, Josephine, you’re going to end up just like your father,” she warned.
I bent over to catch my breath. It was like I was suffocating.
“Did you hear me? Josephine!”
Hawkins took the phone from me and gently closed it.
“Thank you,” I sighed from feeling overwhelmed. “I told her,” I murmured while standing back up. “I told her.”
“You did.” He cupped the side of my face with his hand. I briefly closed my eyes from the comforting touch. He rubbed his thumb back and forth over my lips as his eyes looked into mine. “I heard you.”
Wrapping a consoling arm around my shoulder, he molded me into his side as we walked down the busy hallway. He slowed near the exit of the hospital wing. He tapped my nose and murmured, “You ready to do this?” He nodded towards the door leading out to the emergency room full of fans and probably the press.
“What if I said no?” I whispered as I gazed into his eyes.
He gently pushed me against the nearby wall, arms outstretched on either side of me, leaning in for only me to hear. “I’d throw you over my shoulder,” he said while pushing back a strand of my hair soothingly, “and make you.” His blue eyes locked with mine.
“My mom would be on the first plane out tomorrow morning, then.”
“Well, we wouldn’t want that, now would we?” He smiled down at me with our lips just inches apart.
Just then the doors flung open to the emergency room. The loud room became deafeningly silent. Seconds later, flashes of light went off like it was the Fourth of July. I grimaced from the blinding light of the cameras before turning to laugh in Hawkins’ chest.
“Mrs. Senator.” Hawkins pushed off the wall and held his hand out for mine.
“Mr. Senator.” I nodded, taking his hand as I pushed off the wall and we walked into the light together.
If I had to do it all over again, if I had to endure the shame of the elevator ride once more, knowing Hawkins was going to change my life forever by saving me from myself, I would have sucked up my so called pride, stepped in the elevator, and watched the doors close. Possibly smiling to myself the second time around because this time I would know exactly who he preferred.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to deeply thank my family and friends who have helped me make my dreams come true.
My mom and my rock, Becky Spence, who has always been my biggest fan. Thank you for never giving up on me. It’s been a long road but I have always felt safe with you by my side.
My dad, Alvan Spiegel, for your enthusiasm, encouragement, and instilling in me the inventive gene.
My sister and sidekick, Megan Summers. You will always be more than just my older sister, you are my hero.
My sister Erin who has always had my back. We are kindred spirits even though we are miles apart.
My nephew, Charlie McCarthy, whose witty sense of humor has played a part in all of my stories.
My foot warmer and secret keeper, Sharif.
My Skippy Jon Jones, for eating all of my rough drafts and pens.
I want to thank all my friends Bethany Phelps, Leslie Carpenter, Jen Cameron, Kim Cotter, and Anna Cotter for proof reading my stories and encouraging me along the way.
Plus a huge thank you to Pauline Nolet for being a wonderful editor! I look forward to working with you again.
Come check out another one of Leah Spiegel’s books.
SOUTH HILLS SIDEKICKS: UNINVITED
Chapter One
It was an unusually bright day for the end of August in the South Hills area just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Soon it would be grey and overcast until May of next year. It was one of the most overcast cities in the United States, and it should be depressing, but I actually found the constant greyness comforting.
What I couldn’t handle was the truly depressing fact that it was the first week of high school at Upper East High. I didn’t know why I was sighing up a storm as I drummed my fingers along the steering wheel in the middle of bumper to bumper morning rush hour traffic on Route 19. I mean it’s not like I was scared to go to school. I wasn’t a victim who got bullied every day, or the shy loner who had to sit alone at lunch. In fact, I think some of my classmates would have loved to switch places with me because I hung out
with
them. The most popular, beautiful, richest students the school had to offer. Only problem was, I didn’t belong with them.
I blamed my best friend Val. Who knew that when I became friends with her in third grade over NSYNC I would find myself surrounded by people wearing daily outfits that cost more than my entire wardrobe? It was just one of the downsides of having a best friend who outshined most of the student body.
Finally, there was a break in the traffic, and I was pulled out of my dismal thoughts when the school came into view. The central, three story high windows of the building reminded me of Seattle Grace Hospital from Grey’s Anatomy which was fitting considering all the surgeons’ children went to school there.
I wasn’t wealthy like them. My dad didn’t make an insane amount of money, but our house was located just inside the school district’s line or else I might have been fortunate enough to go to Mount Lebanon (a much more laid back school in my opinion).
I just didn’t look like a girl from Upper East High, maybe if I were a model or at least tried to be wafer thin then I could blend in, but I was considered cute at best. I had brown, layered hair; blue eyes with specks of gray; when I smiled I had a right dimple. That might sound pretty, but at 5’2”, it’s just cute.
Refocusing on the parking lot around me, I jerked my second hand, green Jeep Wrangler, which my dad had recently bought for me as long as I could keep up on the insurance payments, into the first available spot right between all the BMWs, Lexuses and Volvos that filled the school’s parking lot. Grabbing up my navy blue North Face book bag, I took a deep breath and exited the jeep.
As a senior now, I had perfected the art of blocking out the deafening sound of the cars flying by on Route 19, which was practically in the school’s front yard. So much so, I didn’t notice the loud roar of an engine building in the background until it snuffed out even the sound of my flip flops against the pavement. Glancing over my shoulder—not a second too soon—I quickly backed out of the way when a guy on a chromed out Harley swung in front of me and parked in a space.
Planting his feet on the asphalt, he pulled his helmet off, revealing cropped, sandy brown hair and dark, brooding eyes which he used to glare over his shoulder at me.
“Not look where you’re going much?” I grumbled under my breath when I realized he had no intention of apologizing. With a roll of my eyes, I just shrugged it off and continued toward the school. Glancing through the glass doors of the entrance ahead, I could see Kayla and Libby waiting and felt the dread of a new year sink back into place.
The school’s library filled the backdrop behind them as they greeted some of my classmates coming through the front entrance. Both girls had a silver tray holding intricate cupcakes made to look like pink, blooming roses.
“Alley.” Kayla smiled, as I made my way through the crowd, and offered me a cupcake. “You’re invited to Kirsten’s Sweet Eighteen.”
Kirsten Moyer was the most self-proclaimed popular girl of our school. I had heard a rumor that she was having a Sweet
Eighteen
party but I thought they were joking.
“Thanks.” I nodded and took one out of politeness.
Looking at the cupcake to avoid conversation, I noticed a black rubber bracelet was wrapped around the base of it, like the yellow ones made famous for raising cancer awareness, but this bracelet was embossed with Kirsten’s name instead. I knew the “charity” bracelet was for the party, an access pass to the event.
“Girls, look who’s back!” My mood instantly lifted as I heard my best friend announce her entrance. The sight of Val was the first thing to make me crack a smile all morning. I knew jealous girls liked to use dumb blonde jokes when referring to her, but Val’s enthusiasm was just what I needed to bring me out of my bleak thoughts.
The guys liked to call her “The Amazon” because she was 5’10”, had layered, honey blonde hair, and the body of a Sports Illustrated Model. Wearing a strapless pink mini, she scuttled forward in her matching platform Christian Louboutins, with her arms opened wide, but quickly lost her footing and came reeling forward at us like a customer diving into a sale at Barney’s on Black Friday.
Kayla quickly cleared out of the way in a protective stance over the tray of desserts but Libby, who was closer to the wall, didn’t have time to react as Val collided into me creating a domino effect. After being rammed into Libby, we all ended up on the ground with cupcakes falling everywhere, including on us.
“Lord have Mercy,” Kayla said from overtop of the crash site. “Kirsten’s gonna flip.”
I did a quick inventory on the state of my t-shirt and jeans and realized they were now splattered in pink frosting like the Jackson Pollock painting. All three of us were covered in icing but Val was wearing pink so you could barely tell. The fact that she made it through practically unscathed made me laugh. “Way to make an entrance, Val.” I snorted.
“I’m glad one of us thinks this is funny,” Libby grumbled as she sat up and shook her arms which were caked in icing. “What the heck, Val? If you don’t know how to wear them, you can always just give them to me.”
Val, who was not known for being the most coordinated person, got her footing and stood back up again. “You saw me coming from like a mile away,” she said, as if that explained everything. “Why can’t you be more like Kayla here?”
“Yeah, right.” Libby huffed as she got up. “I can’t believe I’m going to be seen like this on the first day of school.”
Trying not to roll my eyes, I swear I heard a click as I turned and caught a few of the “uninvited” taking a pic or two on their cell phones further down the hallway which would have been funny if I wasn’t in the middle of the crash site.
“It is what it is.” I refocused on the mess and wiped half of a cupcake off the side of my jeans. “You know she didn’t mean it.”
“Easy for you to say.” Libby huffed. “
This
dress actually cost a lot of money.”
Yeah, probably enough to pay my car insurance for the next three years, but it’s not exactly something I would go around boasting about because it was ridiculous. What a waste of money. Looking down at the mess, I held up my hand and asked, “Could someone please help me up?”
A strong, firm hand wrapped around mine, and before I could even register what was happening, I was gingerly lifted up onto my feet. Looking up in surprise, I realized it was the guy from the parking lot. At second glance, he looked taller and more ripped now that he wasn’t sitting on his massive motorcycle. His fitted, black leather jacket hung comfortably over his wide shoulders, and there was a hint of amusement in his once brooding brown eyes.
“Make a habit out of not watching where you’re going,
much
?” he muttered.
My mouth just dropped and I realized how this must have looked with me on the ground and the other two standing, but before I could even explain, the guy turned and headed in the direction of the office.
“Who is
he
?” Kayla asked me in a hushed voice, mistakenly thinking I knew the guy, as we all watched him drift further down the hallway.
“Who cares.” I narrowed my eyes, remembering it was him who almost ran
me
over with his Harley.
“He’s yummy,” Val said.
“He’s something,” I added and noticed the time. “We’re going to be late for our first mod if we don’t hurry.” Thankfully, it was the first day and I didn’t need to get to my locker or we would have never made it to chemistry on time. All four of us walked down the hall getting ready to go in opposite directions.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you, Val,” Kayla said. “Kirsten wants us all to go shopping after school to help her pick out the perfect dress, you interested?”
“Yeah, I’m in, Alley?” Val, who was always one to include me, turned to see what I thought.
I’d rather gouge my eyes out than watch Kirsten try on dress after dress. But not being able to think of a quick enough excuse for why I couldn’t go, I mumbled, “Sure.”
“We’re meeting up at Posh after school,” Kayla explained then headed left with Libby down the hall. “See you guys there.”
“Bye.” Val looped her arm through mine and we headed down the hallway to the right for our first mod. She waved to people as we made it past the last few doorways. Despite her quirkiness, people tended to gravitate toward Val, unlike myself. Trying to be a good sport, I smiled a few times with her; enough that it literally hurt.
“Alley and Valerie,” a familiar voice sang when we entered the room to our chemistry class. It was a typical chemistry lab with charcoal colored tables split down the middle with two rows of three. Each table was equipped with two Bunsen burners, a try of cylinders, four stools that faced the board, and a periodic table. Around the room were floor to ceiling glass cupboards that held various items we would use this year.
Leaning against a lab table in the front of the class was the owner of that familiar voice, Trent Ledford. “What happened to your clothes?” His hazel eyes twinkled as he casually looked us up and down. Trent was known as being the biggest flirt in school. His charming face, Greek godlike physique from playing soccer year round, and wicked grin didn’t help to dispute the theory.