Four Doors Down (17 page)

“Becca,” Sam replies. Apparently that’s the answer they wanted because both Ryan and Jake immediately help themselves. My jaw drops open.

“Hey, they’re for Erica!” I exclaim. I glance over at her, but she doesn’t look the least bit bothered about sharing. She’s just staring at them like they’re some sort of mythical creatures. “It’s her birthday,” I explain.

“Happy Birthday, Erica,” Ryan says, giving her his trademark cocky smile. She practically melts and I have to bite my lip to stop from grinning. I’d put money on Erica not knowing that Ryan knew who she was. He’s probably just made her week.

“Thanks,” she mumbles, turning slightly pink. Ah well, at least they’ve cheered her up. “Well done on getting Homecoming King,” she tells him quickly.

I have to hold back a snort and glance over at Sam, who is smirking back at me. This is not the Erica we’re used to, all shy and tongue-tied. Ryan did get homecoming king at the dance last week, just like I predicted. Ryan smiles back at her, looking like he’s trying hard to not start laughing. “Thanks, Erica.” He turns to me and raises an eyebrow. I start to laugh. He’s so full of it.

“Yeah, Ryan. Well done,” I tell him sweetly. He grins back at me and flips me the finger. I shake my head in amusement and pick up the box of donuts and hold it toward the rest of their group. “Want one?” I ask.

The boys help themselves, but Katie shakes her head. “No thanks, if I ate that stuff I’d be the size of a whale.” She laughs. “I don’t know how you do it.”

Okay, that sounded dangerously like a compliment. Ever since I saw her at Ryan’s after his grandma’s funeral, she’s gone out of her way to say hi to me. It’s a bit weird.

“So, did I hear you guys went to a Red Rhinos
gig a couple of weeks ago?” Jake asks. Sam nods at him in response. “Were they good? My cousin sent me some of their stuff. She’s a huge fan.”

“Yeah, they were cool,” Sam answers.

Jake looks to me for my answer. “They were awesome,” I agree. And if Charlie’s excitement afterward was anything to go by, they really were.

“You liked them?” Ryan asks me suddenly. He’s looking at me directly.

I nod and he raises an eyebrow at me.

“It was just too busy,” Sam tells him. “Like crazy busy. You couldn’t move it was so packed.”

“And you had a good time?” Ryan persists, looking at me.

I nod again, this time, looking down at the table.

“You hate crowds,” Ryan says, and I look up to see he’s looking me straight in the eye, and I feel the blood rush to my face. I hate it when he does this. When he acts like he knows me. Especially in front of other people. I don’t know why he can’t just act like we don’t know each other, which is the way it is. The way it’s been for years.

“It wasn’t that bad.”

Ryan shakes his head at me, annoyance crossing his face. “He shouldn’t have left you on your own.”

Luke told him. It’s pretty obvious. Luke told him that I freaked in a crowd and that Charlie was nowhere to be found. I did wonder after that night if he would mention it to his friends but when no one ever said anything, I figured he hadn’t bothered and I was grateful, but clearly I was wrong. Apparently Ryan knows all about my panic attack but just hasn’t mentioned it until now. I feel my face get hotter and it’s not just because he’s called me out, but because he’s right. Charlie shouldn’t have left me. I’ve told myself that it’s okay, that he was off having fun and it was his gift from me, but the truth is I was having a panic attack and if Luke hadn’t been there, I don’t know what I would have done.

I shift uncomfortably in my seat. If Ryan thinks he knows me so well, then he should also know that I don’t like being the center of attention, especially in front of his friends, the popular kids at school who pass on gossip like it’s a sport. Ryan goes to open his mouth again and I feel my anger rise. “Leave it,” I say quietly. “It has nothing to do with you.”

Ryan looks at me for another minute and I see Jake lean into him slightly, nudging him with his arm, then he finally glances away. His jaw is tense and I can tell he’s annoyed, but he doesn’t say anything else and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Jake takes over the conversation and cracks some joke and Mason joins in. They all burst out into laughter, breaking the tension at the table, and I listen to their idle chatter and feel my face cool to its normal temperature.

“So, are you guys coming to the big game tomorrow night?” Jake asks suddenly.

“What game?”

This is met by a chorus of moans and eye rolls.

“Jesus, Becca. Do you walk around with your eyes closed? It’s the biggest game of the year. We’re playing Madison,” Jake says.

Sam chuckles next to me and when I look at her blankly, she shrugs. “Everyone has been talking about it,” she explains.

I guess that makes sense. Madison is our local rival, so I guess it’ll be a big game.

“Oh right. It’s not really my scene,” I say.

“Oh come on, Becca, where’s your school spirit?” asks Katie. She starts to laugh before I can. “God, I really do sound like a cheerleader.”

“Come on, it’s Jackson’s big night. He’s gonna break the school’s passing record and there’s gonna be scouts there,” Jake explains. “You should all come,” he continues, looking over at Sam and Erica. Erica nods enthusiastically; apparently she’s lost the ability to speak.

“Yeah and we’re having a party at my house after, which you should all come to. My parents are away,” Mason pipes up.

“Yeah, yeah definitely,” Erica says nodding and practically bouncing in her seat with excitement. I’m pretty sure she’s waited her entire high school career to be personally invited to a team victory party. The memory of her ex is clearly long gone. I’m surprised Mason has invited us, to be honest. Maybe he’s not as bad as I thought he was. Sam is nodding agreeably too.

“You’re gonna go?” I ask Sam.

“Sure, sounds fun,” she responds. I raise my eyebrows in surprise.

Mason and Jake break into an in-depth discussion about how they can’t possibly lose this year, and I can’t help but smile at the way Erica is hanging off their every word like they’re gods or something. I glance over at Ryan, and he’s already looking at me.

“Will you come to the game Becca?” he asks quietly. “Please?”

I open my mouth to immediately say no, annoyed at him for calling me out about Charlie and getting involved in my business, but something stops me. I think it’s the way he’s looking at me, ignoring everyone else like it’s just the two of us.

I nod slightly and catch him flash a small smile before I quickly look away.

I genuinely did have every intention of going to his game. Even my parents were going to sit with Mr. and Mrs. Jackson. Turns out it was a pretty big night for Ryan after all, and I figured it wouldn’t kill me to attend at least one football game while in high school. Then Charlie’s plans with his family changed at the last minute and he managed to score tickets to a gig of one of his favorite bands and we were out long after the game finished.

I did, of course, hear all about it from Erica the next week at school. Apparently Ryan had been amazing (her words), throwing a bunch of touchdowns and impressing everyone that was there. The highlight though was that at the party afterward. He introduced her to a guy named Matthew Smithy, who according to Erica is definitely in the top twenty-five percent of popular kids at our school (albeit the lower end), and she promptly made out with him all night, completely forgetting how heartbroken she’s been.

The night, it would seem, was a success for all concerned. Ryan got his record, Erica mixed with the social elite and I got to spend an entire evening with Charlie, just the two of us.

D
amn it!

I’m in the girls locker rooms and I’m pissed off. Miss Greene, the girls gym teacher, won’t accept the note from my mom, dismissing me from gym class this morning—and it’s a double period. Okay, so I wrote the note (I’ve had my mom’s signature down since I was thirteen), but apparently only a doctor’s note will suffice now.

I look around grumpily, wishing I’d ditched. And to make matters worse, Miss Greene has just announced that since it’s crappy weather outside, we’re joining the boys in the gym.
Fantastic.
Apparently I’m one of the few that feel this way, as Jessica and a couple of the other cheerleaders squeal in excitement, tying knots in their t-shirts so that they can flash even more skin and rolling up their already tiny shorts. Pathetic.

I lag behind the rest of the class as we enter the large gym, hoping Greene won’t notice. That doesn’t work when she turns around and shouts for me to get a move on. I sigh heavily, hoping she’s aware of the torture she’s about to put me through. I mean, seriously, it’s freezing and I have way better things I could be doing. I swear we’re only joining the boys because she’s banging Mr. White, the boy’s gym coach.

Mr. White stands at the front of the gym and blows his whistle. “Since there’s so many of us today and we have a bit of time, we’re going to have,” he actually pauses for dramatic effect, “a dodgeball tournament.”

I hear a few excited yes’s from around the hall.
Are you kidding me? Dodgeball?
Like I want to end up covered in tons of bruises.

“We’re gonna do mixed teams to make it fair; teams of two, boy, girl. Find your partners.”

I’m just contemplating how I can get away with pretending I’ve sprained my ankle when an arm drapes loosely around my shoulder. I look up and see Jake grinning down at me. I didn’t realize he was in here.

He smiles. “How ‘bout it? Partners?”

I sigh. I suppose if I have to pair up with someone, Jake is the best choice. “Okay, fine.”

He steers me toward the back of the gym where he’s been standing and I realize Ryan’s in this class too.
Seriously? I barely speak to him in five years and now he’s everywhere.

Jessica Murphy is next to him looking very pleased with herself. Now I realize why she was so happy about joining the boys in gym class. I’d heard around school that she’d finally hooked up with Ryan at the party after the game on Friday and she was very happy about it. Then when I was in Spanish yesterday morning she’d been telling her friends (loudly enough for the whole class to hear) that Ryan was just the best kisser ever and she was pretty sure they’d be an official item by Christmas. Luckily I’d skipped breakfast that morning or I might have vomited all over my desk. She’s now practically attached to him and grinning like she should get a medal or something.

The whistle blows again and I turn to listen to Mr. White.

“So we’re gonna play this like a proper tournament. We’ll have a group stage and then the winners from there will play each other until we get to the final. Whichever team hits an opposing player three times wins that match. You’ll have to work together, okay?”

People around me nod in agreement and I’m barely able to stifle a yawn. I fully intend to get myself out right away, and then I can sit and watch/daydream about Charlie until the end of class.

I turn to Jake to tell him my plan, but he’s already watching me with a small smile playing on his mouth. I narrow my eyes, but before I can say anything, he turns to Ryan.

“Hey, Jackson, I’ll never win with McKenzie, she’s too short. Swap with me?”

Wait a second, what? Since when is five foot six that short? AND YOU ASKED ME!

“Hey! Wait!”

Jake doesn’t even acknowledge me but saunters over to stand next to Jessica, who’s facial expression I’m pretty certain reflects my own. Ryan scowls in my direction but swaps places anyway since he doesn’t have much of a choice.

“Ry-Ry and I wanted to be on the same team!” Jessica says to Jake.

I actually snort with laughter.
Ry-Ry? That’s what she calls him?
I turn to him and can’t help the huge smirk that covers my face. This is too funny. He just sends me a thunderous look in return.

Jessica sends me a look which would terrify the hardest of criminals. “We’re together now,” she says pointedly.

Why she’s bothering to tell me, I don’t know, but one glance at Ryan tells me he wasn’t entirely aware that they were together. He looks incredibly awkward.