Page 2 of The Path To Us

“You know how much I love a guy who shows friendship with brute force.” She rolls her eyes.

“Of course I do.” I flex for her and she laughs, shaking her head. I’ve known Adeline even longer than Tyson. We met in preschool when another kid stole her snack and made her cry. I pushed him when we went outside for playtime. I got in trouble but never apologized for bullying a bully. She knows that I’d do anything to protect her. And Eli? He’s talked a lot of shit over the course of our high school career when it comes to Addy. He’s had a crush on her for years, and has always used her to goad me into fights on the field, whether it be baseball or football. He’s from the neighboring town and is a total creep. It felt good to lay him out one last time.

I turn to see Lizzy and Tyson talking as well, no doubt her telling him how great he did. Scrunching my eyebrows together when he leans down and whispers something to her. Lizzy nods and spins away, practically skipping back over to me.

“What was that about?”

“Nothing,” she chirps.

“Nothing? He whispered something to you.”

“It’s a surprise.” I look closely at her then relax when she bites her bottom lip. “Relax, Beau. It’s nothing bad.”

“What kind of surprise?”

“For me to know and you to find out.”

“And Tyson?”

“Well, yeah, he’s helping me.”

Coach yells at us to get our asses moving so I say a quick goodbye and promise to meet up after we get back to town.

The bus ride home is no quieter than the locker room was earlier. The adrenaline still coursing through our veins creating an energy around us that’s hard to ignore. It takes just over an hour to get back to the high school and unload all our gear from the bus and not much longer to drive out to Johnson’s field to get the real party started.

Lizzy and Adeline are waiting for us by the bonfire, both already holding a red cup filled with keg beer.

“You poured these yourself, right?” I ask them both when I get near and they confirm, easing my concerns. Tyson and I pour ourselves a cup as well, the first time drinking anything alcoholic since before the season started. Neither of us want to risk getting caught and kicked off the baseball team so we’re careful during the season. But now that it’s over, all bets are off. We have just a month before we leave for college and I plan to enjoy every minute of it.

The beer flows and music blares from a car that is decked out with some insane speaker system. Everyone is in a good mood, dancing and messing around the bonfire. Flames lick the night sky as we sit on large pieces of wood and old chairs. The distinct scent of marijuana wafts around us and I look around for Lizzy, knowing that she’s probably in the middle of it.

It drives me crazy but I’m not about to tell her what she can and can’t do.

I lean over to Adeline who’s sitting next to me and ask, “Lizzy?”

She nods and shrugs. “Probably. She was saying that she was hoping… someone would bring some tonight.”

“Great,” I grunt.

“I’m sorry.”

“Not your fault. Just frustrating.”

“I know.” Her voice is sad and quiet. “Have you noticed she’s been a little… off lately?”

I turn to look at her and notice that she looks nervous. Not something I’m used to with Addy. She’s confident and sure of herself but right now she’s fidgeting and her eyes are darting around. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know, I guess. She’s just different.”

I’ve noticed as well but haven’t had the guts to confront her. She’s been disappearing and quieter than normal but I originally thought it was because of her parents’ recent divorce. But maybe it’s more than that.

I look around and can’t see her anywhere. “I’m going to go find her.”

“Want me to come?”

“Sure,” I murmur, tossing my now warm beer on the ground and then the empty cup into the fire.

We walk into the barn and come to an abrupt stop when we spot a couple making out so hot and heavy it’s damn near uncomfortable to witness. Even in the shadows, it’s not hard to see what’s happening. The guy’s hand is down the front of the girl’s shorts and he’s attacking her chest like a man starved just as he pushes down her top exposing her naked breasts. Addy gasps and darts behind me then starts giggling uncontrollably. She grabs the fabric of my t-shirt and buries her head into my back. “Oh my gosh, Beau! We gotta get outta here!”

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