The Art of Taking Chances Page 11

  I almost gasped. “Why didn’t you ever say anything?”

  He blinked. “Did you feel the same way?” he asked.

  I looked down for a second before shaking my head the slightest bit.

  “I didn’t want to lose you as a friend,” Axel said.

  Neither of us said anything for a moment or two, at least not out loud. Inside, I was screaming at myself, wondering why I’d never seen it before. But maybe he was right.

  My breath hitched as he came in close but held off on contact. My gut told me he still wasn’t sure about us. He wanted me to be sure about this.

  His hand traveled up near my ear and cheek, and my eyes closed on their own. My skin buzzed with ecstasy when his forehead touched my own. I thought my heart might leap out of my chest from beating so hard and still he wasn’t closing the gap between us.

  So I did it without thinking. My arm closest to Axel moved to his neck, and I pulled him towards me. I found his mouth in an instant. My body finally relaxed as we sank into our kiss.

  We pulled away slowly. I looked at the list again and brought it to my chest, tears pooling in my eyes. What was going on with me? This day couldn’t have ended any better.

  “You okay?” he asked quietly, taking my hand.

  I nodded. “I just miss her. I wish we could have done this stuff together like we planned. But getting to do it with you was also really cool.”

  He hugged me, and I let the tears fall. How was it possible to be this sad and this happy at the same time? It didn’t make sense.

  I lay down, the warmth of the bed calling to me. My hand reached for Axel until he was beside me. I turned my body toward him, my hand wrapping around his torso as he pulled me in close with his arm. My breathing slowed, and I let my eyelids turn the world dark. The sun would be up soon.

  Before I was too far gone, Axel got up and lay the covers over me. His lips brushed my forehead, and then I drifted off into sleep.

  Chapter 3

  The sound of my phone going off woke me up the next morning. I sat up, remembering where I was and wondering who could be calling me.

  My stomach sank as I saw my dad’s caller ID on the screen. I looked around. Axel was fast asleep on the couch, a wool blanket over his body.

  Should I answer? I pressed the green button. “Hello?”

  Axel rolled over and opened his eyes, watching me.

  “Riley, where have you been? I just talked to your Aunt Sheryl, and she told me what you told her yesterday. Why would you say that? And where are you?”

  I cringed. He did not sound happy.

  “Sorry, Dad. I’m okay. I promise.”

  “Where are you? I’m on my way home. I’ll come pick you up.”

  He’d left his business trip early? Uh oh.

  “I checked the credit card account. There’s a charge for a hotel room? Where’d you go? And why wouldn’t you just tell me, Riley? We raised you better than this.”

  Now he sounded disappointed, which was a thousand times worse than him being angry. Axel sat down next to me, but I didn’t look at him.

  “I’m sorry, Dad. I promise I’ll be home soon. I’m okay.”

  “Don’t do this to me again, Riley, you hear me?” he said, his voice calm for the first time the entire conversation.

  I promised to be home by the time he was, and we hung up.

  “Was that…” Axel started.

  “My dad,” I said, finally meeting his eyes. “He knows.”

  “Oh, man,” Axel said. “Am I dead meat? Will my mom ever find my remains?”

  For some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to laugh, and he sounded like he wasn’t quite joking either.

  “It’s okay. I’ll explain everything. He has to understand. But we’ve got to go.” I got up and grabbed my duffel bag, and Axel packed his stuff too.

  We did a last scan around the room, and I pocketed the checklist before walking out.

  “I’m hungry,” I said as we left the hotel parking lot.

  Axel pulled into a nearby drive-thru for a late breakfast.

  “It was fun while it lasted,” Axel offered once we were done eating and on the freeway.

  I nodded and stared out the window. How was I going to explain this to my dad?

  Yesterday, taking this risk hadn’t sounded that bad. And we had fun, but more important than that, I had done everything on that list. Everything my mom wanted for me.

  And our kiss. That meant a lot. In the past year, I’d grown to trust Axel more than anyone because he’d been there for me. He had been an exceptional friend, never crossing a line or expecting anything more than friendship from me. But last night, my feelings for him had changed, and that wouldn’t have happened without this trip or anything else on that list.

  I thought about all that and more as we drove home, whooshing past the green pines and the warming sun, Axel’s hand in mine.

  By the time we pulled into my driveway, I was supposed to be getting ready for graduation. We had to leave in an an hour for rehearsal.

  I looked over at Axel and told him he could go straight home if he wanted. I wouldn’t be mad. He didn’t have to face my dad.

  But he answered by getting out of the car. I did the same. We met at the hood.

  Then he took my hand. “This was my idea. As scary as your dad is, I couldn’t live with myself if I let you go in there by yourself.”

  I gave him a small smile as we walked inside together, hand in hand.

  Dad was already waiting for us in the living room. He did a double-take once he saw Axel behind me. His eyebrows almost reached his receding hairline when he saw us holding hands.

  “Riley, Axel, what’s the meaning of this?” he asked, his face turning a shade of red I hadn’t seen in a very long time.

  “Good afternoon, Mr. Stephens,” Axel said, not letting go of my hand.

  “Dad, I’m sorry we worried you. I should have told—”

  “Told me what, Riley? Where have you been the past 24 hours? Have you at least been…safe?” He looked away for the first time.

  I wanted to curl up and die, and from Axel’s expression, I guessed he felt the same.

  “Dad, it wasn’t like that, I promise. We went to a concert. Nothing happened,” I said. “I mean—”

  “You mean what?” he asked, his voice angry again.

  “I mean, Axel has always been my friend, Dad,” I said, trying to just get the words out. “And now he’s more. But we didn’t do anything…like that. I promise.”

  “We promise, sir. I’m sorry too. I guess this was my idea—”

  Now my dad turned to him, a vein in his temple looking dangerously close to rupturing. “This was your idea?” he demanded. “Axel, I can’t believe—”

  “Dad!” I went over to him. This was going all wrong, and I still hadn’t been able to tell him the most important part. He finally looked at me and started breathing normally. “Can we please talk, just you and me?”

  I turned back to Axel, and he nodded. I looked at my dad again.

  “Okay,” he said. He turned to Axel. “But we’re not done yet, young man.”

  “Yes, sir,” he said, turning to leave.

  The front door closed behind him, and Dad and I sat on the couch. I gave him a hug, and after a second, he hugged me back.

  “Riley, do you know what started going through my mind? The worst. Why would you leave without telling me? Why would you lie?” he added quietly.

  I grabbed the list out of my pocket and handed it to him. “Just read this.”

  He unfolded it slowly. The paper was already well worn just from the past day. He took a minute to read it, and I saw his chin quiver before he folded it back up and handed it back.

  “Now do you understand?” I asked. “I know it was wrong for me to just go without asking you first. I’m sorry, Dad. I’ll never do that to you again. But I had to do it. And Axel was with me the whole time. You know he’d never let anything happen to me.”

  He sat t
here, silent, for a long time.

  It gave me time to observe the wrinkles he’d gotten the past couple years. On his forehead, around his eyes. His hands. All of a sudden, he looked a lot older, almost frail, and bile filled my stomach as the guilt descended on me.

  He lay his hand on my cheek. “The older you get, the more you become like your mother,” he said.

  I smiled at him. “Really?”

  My mom had been the risk-taker of the family, the loud one. The extrovert. I always thought I was more like him, serious and quiet.

  “I know I’m not your mother, Riley, and it’s not the same, but you know you can tell me anything, right? You can trust me.”

  I nodded. “I know, Dad. But I promise there’s not much to tell. We went to a Demi Lovato concert, we stayed at a Holiday Inn, Axel slept on the couch, and all we did was…” I blushed as I held up the list. “And only because I do like him, Dad.”

  He nodded, exhaling. “I hate to say it, but I always did like that kid. He’s the only boy your age I’d trust to take care of you.”

  I smiled and leaned on his shoulder.

  He put his arm around me. “Your mom would be proud of you. And I know she’d be really happy that you got out and lived a little, even if it did almost give me a heart attack.”

  The tension evaporated as the sound of chuckles and laughter filled the living room.

  A minute later, I said, “So, uh, am I grounded forever?”

  “Oh yeah, at least a month, young lady,” he said, standing up.

  I stood up too. “Okay, that’s fair, I guess. Even if it is my last summer before leaving for college.”

  “Nice try,” he said. “You’re still grounded. But first, we have a graduation to get to. And a nice dinner.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” I said and headed upstairs.

  “And Riley?” he called, and I turned back. “Ask Axel and his family if they’d like to join us. I’d like to get to know them better.”

  I smiled. “Sure thing, Dad.”

  I started back toward the stairs, then turned to look at him one more time to sear this memory in my heart forever.

  He froze. “Wait. Riley Stephens, what did you do to your hair?”

  Chapter 4

  Axel Rodriguez walked across the stage to receive his diploma. An adorable baby picture of him popped up on the screen beside the stage, and everyone awwed. He was the chubbiest baby I had ever seen, and he had on his signature smile even as an infant.

  Then it was my turn.

  “Riley Stephens.”

  My whole life up until now had led up to this, and I couldn’t believe how fast it was happening.

  I took the rolled up diploma in my hand, and applause filled the auditorium. I stared out at the crowd and bit my lip as everyone rose to their feet for me. A lot of people were staring at the huge screen to my right.

  My dad had picked out my baby picture for tonight. He’d taken it. In it, my mom was holding me. I was about six months old and hugging her entire face. I blinked several times as I took her in, and suddenly, I felt like she was with me, right on stage.

  I found Axel not too far away. And my dad. I smiled at them.

  And then I was walking off the stage, and the next person’s name was being called out.

  As I made my way back to my seat, it hit me that I was headed for college in two months. Thinking about it made my stomach turn, but then I thought of my mom again. And Axel. My dad.

  The next four years would be full of all kinds of new things, many more firsts than in the last day. But I wouldn’t be alone. They would be with me.

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  (Not So) Perfect Chemistry

  Kayla Tirrell

  One

  “Jessi Jones and Mason Alexander.”

  A collective gasp went through the room as our science teacher called out our lab partner assignments.

  No, no, no, no, no.

  Mason and I were opposites of the worst kind. Oil and water. Black and white. Or, more appropriate for our current class, ammonia and bleach.

  Not that we had always been so at odds. Was it only a couple of months ago that we were close friends?

  I didn’t expect Mrs. Jacobs to follow all the drama of our senior class, but a little awareness wouldn’t hurt. I couldn’t be lab partners with Mason. We would end up killing each other.

  I looked back at my best friend, Mia. If I had any say, we’d be together for this project.

  “I’m sorry,” she mouthed to me, but I turned away.

  I was too afraid the compassion in her eyes would bring me to tears. And that was so not happening in front of everyone. I would play the part—act like the tough girl everyone thought I was.

  I leaned back in my seat and crossed my arms over my chest in what I hoped was defiant stance and not a pouty one.

  Mrs. Jacobs continued to call out names, but my heart was beating too loudly in my ears to hear any of the other pairings.

  I stole a glance over at Mason. He sat in his chair with his feet propped up on the seat in front of him. Everything from his stupid blond hair (that was too long, by the way) to his lean, muscled arms (that he had coolly crossed over his chest), made me want to throw a pen at him. Or five.

  He mirrored me almost exactly, down to the sneers playing across both of our faces.

  “Okay class,” Mrs. Jacobs said, saving Mason from the daggers I was staring in his direction. “Find your partner and get started. And remember, you and your partner will be together for the next nine weeks.” She looked at me. “Try not to let your personal lives get in the way of your work.”

  Maybe Mrs. Jacobs wasn’t as clueless as I thought. The woman just happened to be completely heartless.

  I sighed as I got up from my seat and grabbed my backpack off the floor. I could only assume Mason would be staying put, expecting me to come to him.

  Each high-top desk was covered with a black countertop that sat four people. That meant Mason and I would be sharing our station with one other couple. It looked like our tablemates were Angel and Melissa.

  I didn't know either of them very well, but the latter was Mason's neighbor. And while I knew it wasn't fair to dislike someone you barely knew, Melissa always rubbed me the wrong way. Even before she became a huge online participant in JesMageddon.

  The two girls gave us plenty of space but kept glancing over in our direction. That was going to get old fast.

  The third time Melissa looked at me, I raised my eyebrows at her. I hadn’t even had a chance to speak to Mason yet. Her face turned red before she looked away and pulled out the instructions for the lab.

  “That wasn’t very nice.” I looked up to see Mason smirking at me.

  I gave him the same look I’d just given Melissa. “Do you really want to lecture me about being nice?”

  “I don't know. I think you can be quite the wildcat.”

  “Ew.” I scrunched up my nose in disgust. “Was that supposed to be seductive?”

  His smiled widened as he waggled his eyebrows. “Why? Do you want it to be?”

  I narrowed my gaze, and, to my surprise, he winked. Mason freaking winked at me.

  I slammed my hands on the table, causing more than one head to turn in our direction, including Mrs. Jacobs.

  “Let’s get a few things straight before we get started,” I hissed. “You are not going to flirt with me. In fact, I’m okay with not talking at all. We can follow the lab directions in silence, get a passing grade, and rejoice when the nine weeks is over.”

  “Where’s the fun in that?”

  “This isn’t supposed to be fun. It’s work,” I explained, my voice low and even.

  “Technically, it’s school.”

  “Please, Mason, can we just try to get through this without adding fodder to the gossip mill?”
>
  His head cocked to the side. “I’m not sure that analogy makes any sense.”

  I growled. Unfortunately, Mason's chuckle confirmed he had heard it. Taking a few deeps breaths, I tried again.

  “This”—I pointed my finger back and forth between us—“doesn’t make any sense. There is no reason for the two of us to be lab partners, and I’m honestly still hoping this is some terrible nightmare and I’m going to wake up.”

  “It’s not that bad.” He leaned over the table, and his voice came out in a deep rumble I swore I could feel in my bones. “Maybe it’ll force us to come to a truce.”

  “There is never going to be anything but hatred between us.”

  Mason looked upset for the briefest moment before his smile came back. “That wasn't always the case.”

  I didn't argue, and he didn't push any further.

  We spent the next forty-five minutes going through that day’s lab instructions. It was nothing more than identifying the different instruments we’d be using and going over the steps for the next day.

  When the bell rang, I grabbed my stuff and ran up to Mrs. Jacob’s desk. She had her glasses on and was grading some assignments from the week before.

  “Please let me switch partners.”

  Mrs. Jacobs looked up, pulled the glasses from her face, and stared at me. “The partners are set, Miss Jones.”

  “But Mason and I…we don’t play well together. Surely, even you can see why that’s bad?”

  “Even me?” she asked, a small crease forming between her eyes.

  “What I mean is…” What did I mean? I wasn’t sure. “Please, I’ll do anything.”

  “You and Mr. Alexander are partners for the next several weeks. I think you need to figure out how to work together instead of looking for ways to get out of it.”