“What’s everyone doing tonight? Want to hang out?” Colt asked, hitting a fist into his palm. He tended to do that with a baseball and his glove often enough that it was transferring over into everyday life.
After murmurs of homework and other things, I finally said, “Gotta work. Maybe this weekend, though.”
“Yeah, me too,” Ben said.
“I’ve missed the last two days I was scheduled, so I can’t miss this time,” Jake said. He’d gotten a new job that summer at one of the car dealerships as a detailer. Once his punishment of working for Lou’s diner for throwing Nate into a window was up, he’d hurried to find a new job—one that didn’t consist of cleaning up people’s half-eaten food.
They all veered off, and I stepped up to my heap of a car. It wasn’t as nice as Jake’s Jeep or Nate’s Hummer, but it got me to the places I needed to be. I just needed to find some time when I wasn’t working at Doc’s garage and fix it up a bit. I’d bought it with my own money, which was the most satisfying thing in my life to this point. I’d been learning new skills for the past two years from the shop’s owner, so I was sure I could do something to make it nicer. But using my time to earn money to pay for things usually trumped the looks of the car.
“Dax,” Jake said after breaking off a conversation with Colt, “can I get a ride home? My mom dropped me off today since her car is in the shop.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, wondering what it was he wanted to talk about. We were the closest out of our group of five, but we definitely didn’t live close to each other. He lived in the middle-class area, not as nice as Nate’s house but certainly better than the trailer park. What was he up to?
I shrugged and opened my door, sliding into the seat. The inside was humid, and I had to touch the steering wheel with the very tips of my fingers so the heat that had been beating down on it for the last six hours wouldn’t burn my skin. It took two times turning the key in the ignition for the engine to start, and I knew I’d have to look under the hood after work.
I used the handle to roll down the window, and Jake did the same, though there wasn’t much difference in the air temperature.
I pulled onto the road and reached over to turn the music lower than I usually had it while driving by myself. There was something about blasting my favorite tunes that picked me up after a long day.
“What’s up, man?” I asked, glancing over at Jake before focusing back on the road.
Jake’s smile was a mixture of concern and satisfaction. “What happened today? Why’d you try to rearrange Jacobs’s face?” Not many of the baseball players were fans of the lacrosse jerk.
I shook my head, not even wanting to go into it even though the kid’s words had been on a loop almost the rest of the day. All but the time I’d spent talking to Kate.
“It was nothing, Jake. Just him running off his mouth again.”
“What did he say?” Jake’s tone was hard, and I knew there was no changing his mind on this one. He was protective of his friends, much like he was of his mom and sisters ever since his dad had moved out when the divorce process began.
Tears pricked at my eyes, and I paused a few seconds, regaining control before I said anything. “That my mom died so she wouldn’t have to put up with us. That she was too ashamed to live in a trailer the rest of her life.” I swallowed hard, the rock in my throat causing a burning sensation to travel up to my nose.
Jake set his hand on my right shoulder, and I glanced over as I pulled to a stop at the red light. “You know that’s not true, Dax.”
I nodded, unable to speak. Grace Stratton had originally been a Claremont, an affluent family just outside our small town of Pecan Flatts. When she’d married my dad, her family had disowned her, but she’d never talked about being ashamed or regretting her decision, at least not when I was around.
“Your mom got sick. It had nothing to do with you, Karsten, or Bree.”
The mention of my younger brother and sister brought me around. I’d been doing everything I could to protect them since she died the year before. My dad had taken her death the hardest, and it was getting to the point where I didn’t even recognize him anymore. That was one of the many similarities I shared with Jake. Our dads were both alcoholics, and on occasion, they would take a swing or two at us. We’d become the masters of hiding bruises and cuts. Well, not Jake so much anymore since he didn’t go on his visitation visits.
“I know. It’s just hard to have that smug punk say things like that. At least he plays for the worst team we have at Rosemont.” I laughed, the slight making me feel a little better even though Trent wasn’t here. Rosemont Lacrosse hadn’t won a game for the past five seasons, and it was a miracle the program still existed.
“I get that. Just, well, next time come vent to me about it, all right? Protect those hands, and your future. I know Nate was being funny about the whole state thing, but we won’t make it without you, man. And I don’t want to have to see you at another school.”
“Agreed.” I drove up his driveway and saw Penny just getting out of her car and leaning against it as she waited for Jake. “Really, man? You could have had your girlfriend drive you home. Now I’m going to be late for work.”
Jake laughed and nodded. “Where’s the fun in that?” His expression sobered. “I’m here for you, Dax. Whatever it is. Just let me know.” He opened the door to the car and shifted out, dragging his backpack with him. He almost shut the door but stopped and leaned down, allowing me to see him. “Senior Committee, huh? Does that mean you get some more face time with Kate?”
“Shhh!” I hissed, glancing over to see if Penny had heard it. “You tell your girlfriend anything about this and we’re done, man. I don’t care how much you’ve got my back.”
He nodded and tapped the top of my car. “No worries. That’s one secret that’s still in the vault. It’s yours to tell, but Zorro needs to make his move soon or she might get snatched up by some other guy.”
“Yeah, a guy like me doesn’t have a chance with her. We’re from completely different worlds.” I hadn’t known who Kate was until last year, but she lived in the same area of Rosemont as Nate and Serena. One look at my place would have her running away screaming.
“You never know,” Jake said with a slight shrug and a devilish smile. “Maybe you’ll charm her enough to be her boyfriend.”
“Will you just—” I shook my head. Penny was walking up to us, and I’d punch him if he said another word.
“I got you,” Jake said, looking behind him. He finally shut the door right before Penny leaned over and waved.