Page 4 of Crazy for You
All I needed was my skateboard, the wind, my earbuds, and music, and I was more than happy.
My therapist had said I should find an outlet to take my mind away from my troubles. After Mom died, Dad had bought me the skateboard, and ever since, the sport had been my salvation, at least in those moments when I was catching air or doing acid drops at the local skate park.
“Skye,” Nan said. “Did you hear your dad?”
I blinked once then twice. “I’m sorry.”
Dad briefly looked at his screen before the computer-generated male voice he’d chosen spoke. “You look beautiful. Nan’s right, the new cut makes your big brown eyes pop. Your mom would love it too.”
I gave him a picture-perfect grin. Otherwise, he might start sobbing if we talked about Mom.
Nan resumed feeding Dad. The spoon clinked against the glass bowl. “Are you nervous about your first day of senior year?”
I had no reason to be. “I’m good.” My goal was to graduate, plain and simple. But I had to do a better job than I had the year before. I’d barely passed my classes because my mind had been on Dad, and I knew I was in for another challenge that year with Dad getting worse. I wasn’t planning on attending college, though. All I had to do was listen, do my homework, and study for tests.
Dad typed again, and after a minute, the computer voice spoke. “I want you to have the best year of school, sweetheart.” Dad’s warm expression was thin at best, and deep within, I could see the sadness oozing out. No doubt he was wishing and praying that he would be around to see me graduate.
Don’t cry, girl. Just don’t cry. You don’t want swollen eyes on your first day.I didn’t want to give Grady Dyson a reason to spread another rumor about me. Still, I wasn’t the perfect student and didn’t toe the line. The only rules I followed were given out by Dad.
I mostly kept to myself, except for Georgia and Mia. We were the three amigos when Mia wasn’t spreading her legs for some guy. She had an appetite for sex, which worked for her. I had yet to go down that road. Georgia hadn’t, either. We weren’t as forward as Mia.
I wanted my first time to be with someone I liked, not someone who would drop me for his next conquest with big breasts and long legs. In my opinion, most guys in high school were on the prowl, searching for an easy time.
My phone pinged as I skirted the couch to give Dad a peck on the cheek. “I’ll see you this afternoon.” Without a backward glance, I answered.
“Where are you?” Georgia screamed. “I’ve been waiting for, like, ever for you to get here.”
Crap.I’d forgotten we were meeting at the local coffee hangout near school. “I’m on my way.”
“Drive. Do not take your skateboard,” she ordered in the high-pitched tone she used when she was frustrated.
“I’ll be there in ten.” Grabbing my backpack and skateboard, I waved to Nan and Dad and walked out into the late-August sunshine.
“Skyler Lawson,” she said. “Drive for Pete’s sake.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Then I hung up, put my earbuds in, turned on my music, and hopped on my skateboard.
Again, I didn’t listen well, and for as much as I loved Georgia, I wasn’t in a hurry to get to the coffee shop. We had plenty of time before school started. But I knew my BFF. She wanted to discuss the day and gossip about the year, goals, and boys.
“We are seniors. We are the queens of the school. We need to come up with a plan for how we’re going to make this year fun and exciting. And I’m going to start by having a party.” She’d told me all this while I’d been getting my locks chopped off. “Besides, we need you to have some fun. Last year sucked the big one for you, and it hurt me to see you so sad.”
Georgia had the best intentions for me, and she loved my dad almost as much as she loved hers. In some way, I thought she was masking her own sadness about my dad.
Still, I couldn’t have fun knowing that he was withering away.
2
Icruised into a packed parking lot and gritted my teeth. It seemed the entire school was at the Latte House. I spotted Grady’s souped-up black truck, which reminded me of those vehicles inTransformers. My evil mind wanted to scratch the pristine paint or deflate a tire or two, but I believed in karma, and I wasn’t exactly the malicious type.
However, in all fairness to Grady, he hadn’t been as vocal in our junior year. We’d both ignored each other, even at the parties he’d thrown. Maybe he had a heart and felt bad when he’d heard about Dad. Either way, I wasn’t letting my shields down.
I coasted around a row of cars, and just as I was about to jump off my board, someone shouted, “Watch out!”
The next few seconds were a blur. The only thing I registered was pain in my hip before I fell hard, my right arm taking the brunt of the impact against the scorching pavement.What the hell?
A mob of people ran over to me as my mind scrambled to figure out what had happened.
“Holy shit!” a girl screamed. “Do you not watch where you’re going?”
