Chapter Four
Noah
That was the worst experience of my life.
I make my way from the detention classroom out the school doors, where Mom should be waiting for me. The only positive thing about detention is that I got some homework done. But I would have rather been jamming it out with my friends.
We’ve been practicing a lot because we have a gig coming up and need to make sure we’re flawless.
But thanks to Hurricane Evie, we had to cancel band practice.
“Hey, honey,” Mom says once I get in the car and shut the door. She wears a not-so-subtle frown on her face. She wasn’t too happy when I texted her earlier that I had detention. I could have blamed Evie, but I don’t like throwing people under the bus. Even if she does drive me up the wall.
“I know, I know,” I say as I pull my seatbelt across my body and click it into place. “You’re disappointed in me.”
“Of course I’m not. This is your first offense and you are a senior after all. I was just surprised.”
“It won’t happen again,” I promise her. Because like I said, there’s no way in heck I’m getting in that dumpster car again. Ever. “Is my car fixed?”
“Not yet. It’ll take a few days.”
I slam the back of my head against the seat. Driving means freedom, and as much as I love my parents, there’s a lot they don’t know about me. Like the band and the fact that my dream is to be a musician and not play pro football like Dad.
But like usual, I keep my mouth shut because I don’t want to disappoint them.
“We need to pick up Rylee from Zoey’s house,” Mom lets me know as she turns toward Uncle Zane and Aunt Bailey’s house. “She, Zoey, and Mia had a ‘study session.’” She makes air quotes.
I lift a brow. “You don’t think they studied?”
She scoffs. “We’re talking about your sister and cousin. Fat chance.”
I chuckle. My ten-year-old sister, Rylee, cousin Zoey, and their friend Mia are quite a handful.
They’re always getting into mischief. Honestly, I don’t know where Rylee gets it from, since both Dad and Mom are pretty straightforward.
And my sixteen-year-old sister, Chloe, has never gotten in trouble, either.
Zoey, Rylee, Aunt Bailey, and Uncle Zane are outside their house, chatting, laughing, and enjoying the nice March weather. Mia must have gone home. They smile and wave as Mom stops the car in their driveway.
Mom rolls down her window as my aunt and uncle approach. “Please tell me she behaved,” she begs them.
Aunt Bailey waves her hand. “She was an angel.”
Uncle Zane laughs as he crosses his arms over his chest. “Only after we bribed them with a sneak peek at the book I’m working on.”
“So you got over your writer’s block?” I ask him. “Nice.” My uncle writes fantasy novels that have become quite popular. He was struggling to write the sequel to his latest and most successful book, and I’m glad to learn he’s moved past it.
“Lily helped me brainstorm,” he informs me. “Tried to convince me to put more romance and less fantasy, but that’s Lily.” He smiles at me. “How’s it going, man?”
I shrug. “Good, I guess.”
“I remember when I was finishing up high school. It was bittersweet. Sweet because I was done with school, but bitter because it was time to grow up.”
Aunt Bailey smiles. “But you’ll be living the dream at Astor University,” she says. “Have we told you how proud we are?”
I force a smile. “Only a hundred times.”
Uncle Zane frowns. “Something wrong?”
All three adults stare at me. Rylee and Zoey, noticing their parents are occupied, skip away somewhere.
“What’s wrong, Noah?” Mom asks, concern floating in her brown eyes. My aunt and uncle look just as worried.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell them.
To just get it off my chest. But I can’t do that to Dad.
He worked so hard and invested so much in me.
Throwing it away wouldn’t only be rude and ungrateful, it’ll make me feel like crap for being a bad son.
Football means so much to my dad because Grandpa’s dad got injured when he was a teen and Grandpa had to give up football to take care of his family.
So my dad, Uncle Brock, and Aunt Bailey played for him.
And I want to do the same. I need to do the same.
“You might want to check on Rylee and Zoey,” I tell them. “I think they wandered off somewhere.”
Uncle Zane whips around. “Zoey? Rylee?” he calls as he scans the area. “What have they gotten themselves into this time?” Letting out a deep sigh, he walks around the house in search of them.
Aunt Bailey laughs. “Those kids are going to give me gray hair. And I love my hair.”
Mom frowns. “I’m ten years older than you, so I’ll turn gray way before you. Gosh, I’m so old.”
“That’s not true, Kara,” Aunt Bailey argues. “You’re not old.”
Mom wraps her arm over my shoulder, pulling me close to her. “This one will be attending college in the fall. I’ll have a college kid.”
“Mom,” I groan against her shoulder. “You’re smothering me.”
“Too bad. I’ll miss you like crazy.”
“I’ve still got two months of high school left. And the summer,” my muffled voice says. “Can you please release me?”
“You don’t want to suffocate Astor University’s new quarterback,” Aunt Bailey says with pride in her voice.
Mom slowly retracts her arm from around me. “No more talk of college or I’m going to cry.”
“Found them.” Uncle Zane returns to the car, clutching his daughter and niece’s hands. “They were snooping around Arnold’s backyard.”
“He’s so old and mysterious,” Rylee says. “Everyone at school talks about him. They say he’s a witch—whatever a man witch is called.”
Mom frowns at my sister. “What did I say about listening to rumors?”
“Your mom’s right,” Aunt Bailey says. “Arnold is a nice man.”
Zoey rolls her eyes. “Boring.”
“Okay, Rylee. Get in the car. Thanks for watching her, Zane and Bailey. And sorry about… you know.” Mom gestures at the girls.
“No problem. It’s a shame they’re cute or we’d give them away.”
Zoey playfully sticks her tongue out at her mom. Aunt Bailey pulls her to her chest, hugging her close. “You’re a handful, but I love you. Always and forever.”
Zane pulls her close, too. “Me, too, kid. Where’s your brother?”
“At Lexi’s, remember? Probably kissing.”
“What?” Aunt Bailey asks with wide eyes. Uncle Zane has gone sheet white.
Zoey snickers. “Just kidding! You should have seen the look on your faces.”
“Haha, funny,” Uncle Zane says. “Let’s go fetch Brock. See ya, Kara, Noah, and Rylee.”
The three of us wave before Mom pulls out of the driveway and heads to our house. Chloe’s in the kitchen, along with her boyfriend, Liam. They jerk away from each other so quickly like repelling magnets. It doesn’t take a genius to know they were making out in there.
“Hi, kids,” Mom greets. She takes in the counters and stove where they’ve set up ingredients and pots. “What’s this?”
Chloe shrugs. “You’ve been working hard on your article, so Liam and I want to take care of dinner.” She takes her boyfriend’s hand, smiling widely at him. “Besides, he needs all the practice he can get before his internship at Chef Robinson’s restaurant.”
“I’m really nervous,” he says with a sheepish smile. “Feels like everyone is expecting so much from me.”
Mom stretches her arm around him. “No one’s putting pressure on you, Liam. We all believe in you and want all your dreams to come true. Don’t stress and have fun.”
“I’ll try. Thanks. You can rest while we take care of dinner.”
Mom kisses my sister’s cheek and hugs Liam before thanking them and heading to the living room to kick it back with a book. My mom and her friends, Ally, Dani, and Charlie—also known as the Four Musketeers—have a book club, just like they did in high school.
“Where’s Dad?” I ask my sister as she and Liam prepare the ingredients for whatever they’re making.
“He went for drinks with his high school buddies. He’ll be back in time for dinner.”
“Cool. I’ll be in my room.”
I leave the kitchen, but stop in the doorway and watch Chloe and Liam. My sister is very lucky. She found the perfect guy for her. And in high school, just like my parents. I’ve never really had time for a girlfriend. In my freshman and sophomore years, I dated a little. None were serious, though.
Now that I’m older, I’d like a serious girlfriend. Someone who would love me and care for me the way Mom cares for Dad and he cares for her. They’re each other’s world. Chloe found that with Liam and she’s only sixteen.
Will I find my special person?
I go upstairs to my room and plop down on my bed with my guitar and my lyrics notebook. Writing songs is challenging, but I like it. It gets my adrenaline pumping.
But it looks like my well has dried up and I can’t come up with anything good. How do I refill it? How do I write songs that inspire other people when nothing inspires me?
I strum a few chords on the guitar, then slam my hand on it when I mess everything up. Darn it.
I need to focus and be on my game for our gig. My friends aren’t looking for a music career like me. They just want to have fun. But I wish my name was out there. I wish people knew about me.
I’m pulled from both sides. One side wants me to follow the path my dad has paved for me. The other wants me to pave my own path, to choose for myself.
I’m not sure which path to take. Maybe that’s why I’m having problems focusing on a new song. So many changes will be happening soon. It’s like the world is moving on, leaving me behind.
Everyone is ready to graduate and start the next chapter in their lives. While I’m just…hanging on somehow.
A little while later, while I’m doing my homework, Dad knocks on my open door. “Hey, how was school?”
“Good. Did you have a good time with your friends?”
He smiles. “I sure did. It felt like we were in high school again, except some of us have kids who are about to graduate high school.”
I try not to groan. “You’re just like Mom.”
He chuckles. “And that’s why she’s the girl of my dreams. I was wondering if you want to shoot hoops later.”
“Okay, sure.”
He watches me for a little bit. “Everything’s okay, right? Mom mentioned you were a little quiet in the car today.”
“I’m good.” I force another smile.
He nods slowly. “Graduation jitters, huh? Been there. You’ll be okay. And you have a bright future ahead of you.” His eyes shine. “I know I’ve said this a hundred times, but your mom and I are so proud of you.”
“Yeah, I know,” I mutter. “Thanks.
He claps me on the back. “I’ll let you return to your homework.” He exits my room, leaving me with my conflicting thoughts.