The Art of Taking Chances Read online

  A few minutes later, I rolled the window back up and turned to Axel.

  “You look like Medusa or something,” he said with a grin.

  I tried to gain control of my hair but quickly gave up. “Want me to drive for a while?”

  “Um, I’d like it if we actually made it to the concert tonight in one piece.

  I scoffed. “I am a good driver,”

  Now he scoffed. “Uh huh. Tell that to Mrs. Peters’ mailbox. You killed it.”

  I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes. “That was almost a year ago. Besides, I replaced it.”

  Axel didn’t look convinced, though.

  “I’m hungry,” I said. “For real food.”

  “Me too,” he said. Twenty minutes later, we were pulling into a small town off the exit.

  “There are some interesting places to eat here,” I said, looking out the window. “Rosita’s Diner. Ooh, that looks good. Let’s go there.”

  Axel pulled in, and not too long after that, we were having the best burgers we’d ever tasted and chatting with Rosita herself. She was plump and sweet and reminded me of Mrs. Peters.

  “You kids aren’t from around here, are you?” she asked.

  We shook our heads. “We’re on our way to a concert. Road trip,” I explained.

  “We graduate tomorrow,” Axel went on. “So we thought we’d have one last adventure.”

  I smiled at him.

  “Well, that sounds lovely,” she said. “Just make sure you take care of your girlfriend here. Concerts can get a little crazy, I hear.”

  Axel stammered, and I blushed again, but it was too late to correct her.

  “Since you’re here, try my apple pie. On the house. For making it to graduation. Congratulations to you both.”

  Then she was gone, and Axel and I were left staring at each other. Then we burst out laughing.

  I caught my breath enough to finish my fries. “Remind me to thank you when all of this is over.”

  “I don’t know about you, but this trip was worth it for coming here alone. Free apple pie,” Axel said, pleased. “Promise me we’ll come back someday.”

  “Deal,” I asked, meeting his eyes.

  He paid, and we walked out of Rosita’s more stuffed full of good food than we’ve ever been in our lives.

  “I’m not gonna lie.” Axel yawned. He must have been as sleepy as me. “She cooks better than my mom.”

  Then he stopped, and I bumped into him.

  “What is it?” I asked. “You’re not gonna barf, are you? Because that would ruin this trip. And our friendship.”

  He just shook his head and pointed, turning around to see the my reaction. A grin formed on his lips as he watched me read the sign.

  “A hair salon? Named Kuts and Kolors? You want me to get my hair done at a place that spells cuts and colors with a k?”

  A satisfied gleam in his eye, he nodded.

  The entire way to the salon, I was freaking out. What if they ruined my hair right before graduation—those pictures would last a lifetime.

  At Kuts and Kolors, a girl named Kortney worked to wrap well over a dozen little pieces of my plain brown hair in aluminum foil. I stared in the mirror in front of me, not believing I was doing this.

  But it was on the list. My mom had been ready to take me to get my hair dyed black when she was in remission, and I had totally chickened out.

  I took a deep breath. No more of that. This was part of the adventure. And part of a new me. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that last part. Maybe I’d know once I saw how my hair looked in a couple hours.

  Axel leaned forward in his seat from the nearby waiting area. “Your hair remind me of my mom’s tamales. It’s making me hungry again.”

  The hair stylist laughed and folded another strand into the foil. “Okay, I’m all done here. We’ll let it sit for a few minutes, and then I’ll be back.”

  There was one other lady in here, a much older lady with gray hair. Her hair style looked like it belonged in the fifties. I wondered if mine would turn out anything like I had pictured in my head.

  I turned back to Axel.

  “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” I said. “I’m pretty sure my dad’s gonna find out I was up to something when he sees me with red hair.”

  The old lady stood up and took off the poncho-looking thing covering her clothes. “You’d be surprised at what men fail to notice.”

  Axel and I laughed.

  “That’s true,” I said, looking at her through the mirror.

  “Five dollars your dad doesn’t even notice,” Axel said.

  “Deal,” I said with a smile.

  We waited in silence for the chemicals to color my hair. Soon Axel’s soft snores filled the salon, and I saw him drooped over in his chair.

  The stylist whispered to me, “Want me to take these out while sleeping beauty naps over there?”

  She washed, dried, and styled my hair, and Axel slept through it all. Then, the moment of truth. She turned me to face the mirror, and I gasped. The shade of dark crimson my hair had turned out to be was absolutely perfect.

  “I can’t get over this color on you,” she said, tousling a wave in my do. “It really brings out your sun-kissed skin tone.”

  I beamed. “Thanks.”

  We made our way to the front, and I paid up, effectively depleting the rest of my savings. I walked over to Axel, who was still snoring in his chair.

  “Heavy sleeper,” the hair stylist said with a small smile.

  “Oh yeah,” I said. I turned back to Axel and gently knocked him slightly on the head. “Wake up, sleepy head. It’s time to go.”

  That woke him up. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked around before he found me. “You done?”

  I didn’t have to answer that question because he stood up, his gaze fixed on me. Or rather, my hair.

  “Whoa,” he said. “You look…really great.”

  “Thanks.” My ears grew hot under my locks. “We should get going.”

  His hand came up, and he brushed his fingers over my hair, a look on his face I’d never seen before.

  A weird feeling rose in my chest as I looked at Axel. For the first time, I noticed the curve of his bottom lip and how his shirt hugged his wide shoulders perfectly. Meanwhile, my brain battled with a million different thoughts, but my body froze like a deer in headlights at his touch. A part of me wanted to step closer to Axel while another panicked, screaming that we were best friends.

  He seemed to come back to reality as he put his hand down and finally looked at me.

  “Sorry. It’s just…really red. I mean, it’s nice,” he said kind of quieter than usual.

  I smiled at him, not able to meet his eyes anymore, and turned towards the door. “Come on.”

  We got back on the road, riding in an awkward silence. Pretty soon, Axel twisted the volume knob and started singing. Then I did too, closing my eyes and letting the music take over. We both did. I’d never sung like this in front of him, though. Loud and heartfelt and with everything inside me.

  Maybe it was the new hair. I couldn’t stop staring at it.

  An hour and a half later, the sun dipped low in the sky, and a sign on the road said we were closer than ever to our destination.

  I looked at the GPS on his phone. “Just a few more minutes.”

  “I am getting so pumped for this thing,” he said. “Even if it is Demi Lovato.”

  I laughed. “I’m excited too. Have you ever been to a concert before?”

  He shook his head. “Nope. I mean, plenty of road trips because we visit my grandparents in Mexico every summer and sometimes at Christmas too. But no concerts.”

  We were both doing something completely new tonight then.

  I opened up my second bag of gummy worms and grabbed a few for Axel. He leaned over and opened his mouth. I shoved them in.

  “Thanks,” he said, and all I could do was smile. A minute later, he said, “You should look for a Holiday Inn or som
ething. We can drop off our bags there, and then we can go straight back to our room whenever the concert is over. We probably shouldn’t be looking for somewhere to stay for the night at like two in the morning.”

  “Good point,” I said, pulling out my phone and tapping away. “It looks like there’s one not too far from the concert.”

  I set the GPS to the new location and went back to eating more candy and staring at the road.

  “It’s the next exit,” I said, reading the sign.

  A cloud of smoke rose from the hood just as I said it.

  “Uh oh,” Axel said, sitting up and checking his mirrors. “I’m pulling over.”

  I turned around. “You’re clear.”

  He switched lanes, his foot already off the gas and on the brakes as he shifted onto the shoulder.

  He looked at the dash, so I did too. “What is it?”

  “The temperature is way up.” He put the car in park and turned it off. “Wait here.”

  Eighteen wheelers whooshed by like thunder as he waited for traffic to clear so he could get out.

  Oh, man. I sat back in my seat and blinked, wondering what we were supposed to do now. What if we came all this way just to break down and not make it to the concert?

  Then we’d have to call my dad for sure to come get us. And I’d be in so much trouble.

  Maybe this hadn’t been such a smart idea after all.

  Axel finally opened his door and ran around to the hood of the car. He lifted it, and that’s when I saw that it was steam, not smoke, coming from the left part of the car.

  I got out and joined him. “I think it needs more water,” he said. “I guess I should have checked it before we left.”

  I looked at him. “We don’t have water. All we have is Dr. Pepper.”

  He looked down at the car again. At least the steam was starting to go away. “I don’t think that’s gonna work.”

  I bit my lip. “Maybe we can walk to a gas station?”

  “That would take at least an hour. Probably more by the time we get back here.”

  “The concert starts in an hour,” I said more to myself than anything.

  We stood like that for a full minute, not sure what to do next.

  “Maybe I should just call my dad,” I said, looking up at Axel.

  He looked serious, like he wanted to tell me no. “Maybe you’re right. Sorry I couldn’t get you to the concert, Riley.”

  I instinctively took his hand. “It’s not your fault. Besides, we had a ton of fun already.” Axe’s hand squeezed mine, and my heart faltered for a second before I resumed my train of thought. “Not to mention this new hair.”

  He smiled, but the moment turned awkward when we realized we were still holding hands. I pulled mine back, and he did the same.

  “I should call my dad, then.” I pulled up my contacts, trying to focus on finding his number.

  Just before I tapped his name, though, a black truck joined us on the shoulder, parking just behind us. Axel and I glanced at each other for a second before he walked around to meet whoever was stepping out of the truck.

  “Hello, there,” the man called. He looked like a cowboy. He wore fitted light wash jeans and a long-sleeved plaid button-up. Not to mention his cowboy hat and boots. He looked around my dad’s age. “You two got car trouble?”

  “Yeah, uh, it actually needs water,” Axel said as they walked around to the hood.

  I followed them, not sure what I was supposed to be doing.

  “Okay, let’s take a look,” the man said and turned to face us. “I’m Jack, by the way.”

  He shook Axel’s hand.

  “Axel. Nice to meet you,” Axel replied. “Thanks for stopping.”

  Jack nodded.

  “I’m Riley,” I piped up.

  “Pleasure, Riley,” he said with a smile that lit up his eyes.

  Jack went back checking under the hood, inspecting this and that. “Yep, it just needs a little water.”

  “Would it be too much to ask for a ride to the nearest gas station?” Axel tried.

  Jack smiled and adjusted his hat. “I can do you one better.” He walked back to his truck, and a minute later, he was back with a full gallon of water. “I always carry a couple of these just in case.”

  Axel’s eyes lit up, and I’m sure I had the same expression on my face.

  “Thank you so much,” I said. Jack smiled as he poured the water in.

  “Happy to help.” He left with a wave and his empty gallon.

  We hopped back into my car and Axel turned the ignition. We gave it a second to be sure, then Axel and I high-fived and whooped. My car was back to normal.

  Axel pulled onto the shoulder, right behind Jack’s truck.

  “We’re going to make it!” I said. “We’re only a bit behind schedule.”

  Axel pshed at me. “We’re right on schedule. Who’s ever on time for a concert?” We smiled at each other and got back to staring at the road ahead of us, closer than ever to completing my list.

  I thought of my mom looking down at us, happy to see me living life and making memories.

  Chapter 3

  The concert was loud, and dark, but with crazy-colored lights everywhere. And the people. There were so many people. Older people. Kids my age. Lots of kids my age.

  A girl with short blonde hair shouted something at me.

  “What?” I yelled back.

  “I love your hair!”

  “Thanks!” I shouted back with a smile.

  Axel nudged my arm, grinning at me. He didn’t need to say anything for me to hear his “I told you so.”

  Still smiling, I turned my gaze toward the stage. We didn’t have the best seats, but we could see Demi well enough, and her voice was just as beautiful as on TV. Axel and I had a special meeting spot in case we got separated (his idea), but if we stayed this close the entire time, we wouldn’t need it.

  We were closer than ever before. I could feel the warmth of his body near mine as we sang and screamed along with everyone else. With every person in the crowd singing the lyrics, it was like we were all in sync, brought together here and now by this talented singer.

  Near the end of the concert, during my favorite song, Axel tapped my shoulder. I looked up at him, his face near mine. He came close to my ear.

  “Another thing crossed off your checklist,” he shouted.

  I nodded and smiled, mouthing a sincere thank you. I knew I couldn’t have done this without him. I never would have had the courage to get here alone and make my mom’s checklist a reality.

  Axel was already turned back to the stage. That same feeling in my chest rose again as I took him in.

  Oh god. There was one more thing on that list, and I wasn’t sure I would have the courage to do it even a second from now. Axel had been a friend since we were kids, and my closest friend in the past year, but that’s not why I was about to do this. In the past several hours, he’d become even more to me.

  I wrapped my hand in his, and he turned to me, his expression surprised and unsure. He studied me for a second. He blinked, his mouth opening a little as he understood.

  Then I stood on my tiptoes, reached up for him, and took his face in my hands, my eyes automatically closing. His hands landed on my waist and brought me closer as our mouths met. I sank into our kiss, Demi’s music filling my ears, making this moment unforgettable.

  What seemed like both an eon and a nanosecond later, we pulled away. Axel put his arm around me, his chin resting on my head. I put my arm around him too, and we went back to listening to Demi. I wondered if my heart could feel any fuller than right now.

  In that moment, it felt like the concert would never end, but at the same time, it was over too soon. I realized I wanted to be on this trip forever, maybe forget about graduation.

  We walked back to our room at the Holiday Inn.

  I held Axel’s hand as we made our way down the block. What had been awkward just a few hours ago now felt completely right, even if
it meant I could hardly think straight. “That…was the best night of my life,” I said,

  “Mine too,” Axel said, squeezing my hand.

  I laughed. “You don’t even like Demi,” I said.

  “I do now,” he replied. “She’s good. Plus I was with you.”

  My stomach did a somersault as I smiled up at him.

  We got back to the room and went right for our snacks, talking and reliving the past few hours. Things weren’t awkward anymore. They felt just right.

  When I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer, I grabbed my toothbrush and headed to the bathroom with a change of clothes. Something comfortable to sleep in.

  Axel had the list in his hand when I walked back into the room. He had changed too. He grabbed a pen from the desk. “Want to do the honors?”

  All of a sudden, it felt like this journey was about both of us. I realized I was more than fine sharing this with Axel.

  I walked over, and we sat on the bed together. I took the pen and looked down at the list, reading over it one more time. This was it. I took a deep breath.

  “First road trip. Check.” I crossed each item off as I read. “First hair dye. Check. First concert. Check.”

  With each checkmark, the tears came a little closer to the surface, even though today had been the happiest I’d been in a long time.

  Every new experience that I lived, I’d now have to do without my mom, the one person who was supposed to be there for me. This was only the beginning of that.

  I exhaled and pushed the sadness away. She was with me, and I wasn’t alone. I had my dad.

  I had Axel.

  My cheeks felt a little hot as my eyes landed on the last item.

  “I think you’re forgetting one,” Axel said with a tease. His voice broke the silence and brought me back to the present.

  I smiled but crossed off the first kiss without looking up. I put the pen down. The list was done.

  Deciding to do all of this without my mom hadn’t been easy, but a weight lifted off my chest now that I was on the other side.

  A moment later, Axel turned towards me and gently lifted my chin until our eyes met. His mouth was hardly an inch or two from mine when he said, “You know I’ve liked you since the sixth grade?” His voice was just above a whisper.