Out of the Woods

Fourteen Years Ago

Life has become infinitely better since I won the prize money from the short-story competition. I used three hundred of it to buy a used laptop from Caleb’s older sister, about a hundred to pay our water bill that was long past due, and bought a few of Cecelia’s books so I can get her to sign them next Friday when we meet up. The rest went toward a Blackberry and phone plan which means Caleb and I are finally texting like all the other couples at our school do. Mom was so proud of me for winning.

Caleb too. He’s driving me to Toronto to meet Cecelia next week, though I told him I could take the bus. He insisted he wanted to be a part of it. “And miss my chance to be present at the start of Sarah Green’s illustrious writing career? No chance…” I laughed him off, but I liked the sound of that very much.

“Did you come?” Caleb asks, his head still buried between my thighs, while he kneels on the floor of the backseat.

Oh, shit. I completely zoned out. “Yeah,” I say, pitching my voice to what I hope is a seductive tone. “So-ooo good.” He raises a brow as his eyes narrow onto my face. “Sorry,” I admit, wincing down at him. “I got a little distracted.”

He laughs dryly, licking his lips. “Let me guess,” he uses his forearms placed on either side of my knees to lift himself up, then falls next to me on the seat as he pushes the hair away from his forehead. “You’re thinking about your meeting next week.”

I bite my bottom lip, smiling at him. “Maybe…” I whisper. “What do you think I should wear?”

He glances down at the flowy skirt bunched up around my hips. “Probably more than this.” I laugh, fixing my skirt before I reach toward the front seat for my abandoned underwear. “It doesn’t matter what you wear, Sar. You’re always beautiful,” he adds as I fall back in place next to him. “And I don’t think Cecelia Floodgate will give a shit.”

“I want to impress her.”

“And you will. With that insane brain of yours.”

“You think me insane?” I gasp, clutching my chest. “I’m wounded.”

He smiles crookedly, his eyes piercing me in the best possible way. “I think you’re overthinking it. You’ve already won. She obviously loved your work.”

“Cecelia didn’t have any say in who won.” I bring my fingernail to my mouth, and Caleb pushes my hand down before I have the chance to bite it.

“Well then, she will love your work. She’s reading it, right? That’s part of the deal?”

I nod. But before I can explain, I’m interrupted by my phone’s ringtone. I reach around to the front seat once more, pull my phone out of my purse, and hit accept call from a familiar number. “Mom?”

“Hi, hon. Can you come home early tonight? The doctor called and, well, we need to talk.”