Chapter 17
SEVENTEEN
In a few months, we would be in high school. This year seemed to have passed in a blur. Between the auto shop, trying out for the basketball team, Astrid, and our friends, the days just blended into one another.
Since sports season had ended, I was now at the auto shop helping my dad. Last year, he showed me how to do an oil change, and after watching him a few times, he let me do one on my own.
It was scary, but hell, if Adam could do it, anyone could.
Now that Ezekiel was seventeen and Adam fifteen, my dad was bringing us more into the shop to help out.
I liked being in here, it was calming. There were soft feminine touches in the auto shop that I knew didn’t belong to my father.
I once asked EZ about it, and he said Mom used to help Dad organize and kept food and snacks for him.
I liked that—I liked looking around and seeing the imprint she had left in this place.
The bell chimed, and I sat straighter on the stool. I was a bit disappointed that it wasn’t Astrid bringing me some food, but instead, it was Sabrina, our next-door neighbor and EZ’s girlfriend.
“Hey, Sabby.” I waved her over so she could come to the back.
She walked over to me and pinched my cheek. “Are you excited for high school, kid?”
I scrunched my nose at her comment.
“I’m a teenager now,” I stated.
Sabby was hot. All of EZ’s friends always said how lucky he was that he had a total smoke show—whatever that meant.
“You’ll always be a baby to me,” she teased.
Great, just what any guy wanted to hear from one of the hottest chicks in town.
The door to the back opened, and I knew it was Ezekiel coming in to check to see if Sabrina had arrived.
He was a lovesick fool, so it was kind of funny to watch him whenever they got in a fight.
My brother was laid-back and serious, so whenever Sabrina was upset with him, he would lose it and get desperate to try to fix whatever he did to make her upset.
“I missed you, babe,” Ezekiel said as he made his way toward us. He grabbed Sabrina by the waist and hauled her toward him, and then he kissed her.
It was gross to watch my brother kiss someone.
“You saw her this morning,” I deadpanned at the two of them.
Sabrina giggled, and my brother glared at me.
“Mind your own business.” Ezekiel pointed toward the computer.
Dad liked to do receipts the old-fashioned way.
He still used carbonless notebooks that came with the yellow and pink slips.
Since I wasn’t an expert at oil changing all types of cars, my job was to update everything on the computer.
It was just easier to look up a log than to go through all the receipts every time someone had a question or complaint.
“You guys are gross,” I muttered.
Ezekiel took this as a challenge and dipped Sabby and kissed her more passionately than before.
I was about to look away, but instead, I found myself staring not at the act itself but at Sabrina’s features.
She looked at peace. Her eyes were closed, and her hands were wrapped around my brother, and when she pulled away, she beamed at him.
My brother was looking down at her with a soft look I had never seen on him before.
The bell signaling someone had entered chimed again, and I tore my gaze from Ezekiel and his girlfriend. My cheeks burned with the feeling I had intruded on a private moment.
When I turned to see who had walked in, my breath got caught in my throat. Ezekiel and Sabby’s little show had fucked with me more than I realized.
Astrid had walked inside, and in her hands she had a lunch box.
“Did ya miss me?” she teased as she wiggled her eyebrows at me. “Hey, Sabby!”
I heard my brother and Sabby laugh, but I was too transfixed looking at Astrid that I couldn’t bother telling them to fuck off.
Much like Sabrina, Astrid was also wearing shorts and a tank top, except she didn’t have the boobs and ass like Sabby to look provocative.
Where Sabrina’s hair was red, Astrid’s was like sunshine.
In the winter, it tended to get darker, but in the summer, her hair looked like she had different shades of blonde highlights all over.
“I don’t get a ‘hey’ anymore?” Ezekiel shot back.
Astrid blushed a bit as my brother spoke to her and said a soft “Hey” to him. My gaze was on her, and my brow furrowed, not sure I liked that reaction.
“What did your mom make for dinner?” I motioned to the box she had brought with her, wanting her attention on me.
“Lentin soup,” she stated, losing the earlier shyness she had.
I must have made a face because she giggled.
“We’re going to the back. So you two stay here, and we will get out of your hair,” Ezekiel stated as Sabby smacked his chest.
Astrid and I waved them over. We had a routine down pat whenever EZ was here on the same days that I was. He would stay with Sabby, and Astrid would keep me company.
“What was that?” I immediately grilled Astrid.
She came inside next to me and plopped down on a crate.
“What are you talking about?”
“With EZ, why did you get all weird?”
She shifted in her seat, and I held my breath. Something inside of me burned, and my blood rose as I waited for her answer.
“He’s a senior,” she stated like that was answer enough.
“And you’ve known him forever.”
She looked at me pleadingly. I didn’t care and glared at her to keep going. We were best friends, and there weren’t supposed to be secrets between us.
“Best friends don’t lie to one another,” I reminded her.
She huffed and crossed her arms, annoyed with me. It was cute whenever she did that, but right now, it meant she was giving in and I had won.
“He’s one of the hottest guys at Willow Grove High.”
My throat constricted, and I wished I hadn’t pressed for her to answer.
“You like my brother?” I asked the question before I could even filter myself.
“No!” she said a little too quickly.
Was she lying?
“He’s older and good-looking. You blush when Sabby kisses your cheek!” She pointed at my chest, and this time, I could see the accusation in her eyes.
,
“I don’t like to be kissed,” I responded which wasn’t a lie. I wasn’t all touchy-feely like Adam was. Sure, Sabby was hot, but I’ve known her my whole life, plus she was my brother’s girl.
“But you think she’s hot,” she pressed. “I mean, look at her. She looks amazing in everything she wears.” She then used her hand to motion to herself. “I look so plain next to her.”
The anger I previously felt was gone now that I could detect Astrid’s insecurities.
“She’s a senior,” I gently reminded her.
“Samantha got huge boobs in the last year, and now everyone treats her differently,” she bit out.
This conversation was getting too uncomfortable for me. I should have just kept my mouth shut.
“Are you really going to make me eat lentils?” I pouted, changing the subject and pointing to the lunch box.
“You’re a growing boy. Lentils are good for you.”
I took the box hesitantly, and I turned to smile at her when I saw a sub inside.
“You made me this?”
“There’s a reason I have won superior best friend eight years in a row.”
I took a bite of the sub and threw my head back in delight. Astrid made superior snacks, that was a fact.
“It’s sooo good,” I told her, then put the sub toward her mouth. “Want a bite?”
She peered up at me and opened her mouth to take a bite of the sub she had made me. My eyes landed on her lips, and I couldn’t help but think of EZ and Sabby kissing.
Not because I wanted to kiss Sabrina, but at this moment, I wondered what it would feel like to kiss my best friend.
“What? Do I have mayo on my lips?”
Her pink tongue peeked out, licking the side of her lips. My stomach was in knots at the sight.
I had yet to kiss a girl, but right now, all I could think about was kissing Astrid—my best friend—and that thought was terrifying.