Chapter 41 Now
Now
I watched in shock as her car drove another twenty feet.
But then the brake lights lit up and it came to a stop.
She hadn’t pulled over to the curb. She had just stopped in the middle of the road.
I wasn’t sure if this was some kind of power play, but I wasn’t going to comment on it.
I walked those twenty feet into the street and climbed into the car.
I slid out of my backpack and buckled my seat belt.
Beau immediately reached over and grabbed my hand.
I wondered what had been said in the past ten minutes inside this car.
I wondered if Beau had been screaming at Ava to stop five seconds ago.
If Caroline had joined in. I wondered who was going to speak first. It should probably be me. I was the one who needed to apologize.
“Thanks for stopping,” I said.
“Thanks for the ambush,” Ava said back sarcastically.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
“It was my idea,” Beau interjected. “To have her join carpool this morning.”
“Maybe I should make you both get out, then,” she said, but continued driving.
“Ava,” Beau said. “Will you hear us out?”
“Us?” she asked. “Why us? There’s only one person in this car I have an issue with.”
Caroline remained quiet, and I wondered if it was because she disagreed with how Ava was responding or completely agreed with it. I was beginning to think the car was the wrong place for a conversation. All I could see were the backs of their heads and Ava’s angry eyes in the rearview mirror.
But it was too late. I was here. “I made mistakes,” I said. “Wasn’t honest with any of you.”
“Your mom asked you not to tell us,” Beau said.
“I know, but I should’ve trusted you.”
“And not ignored us,” Ava said. “Not stood us up and ditched us for Cody and regifted presents we had given you.”
Oof. I had forgotten about that last one. Mostly because I didn’t remember who had given me those presents that I had then given to Harper, but that wasn’t any better. I probably should’ve remembered that. “I was broke,” I said. “I’m sorry.”
She sighed.
“What about you, Caroline?” I said. “Any grievances to add?”
“No,” she said. “I think they’ve all been covered. I don’t want to fight anymore.”
Those words brought the first spark of hope since entering the car. “Me neither. I know I messed up. But I miss you both so much. Can you forgive me? I brought you presents,” I added with a small smile.
“What kind of presents?” Ava asked. Her eyes in the rearview mirror were hard to read. It seemed like she was teasing me, though. A good sign.
“You’ve forgiven her?” Caroline asked, turning in her seat to look at Beau.
“More than forgiven her.”
“What happened in that bathroom?” Ava asked. “Miracles?”
“There’s something about peeing in front of another person…” I mumbled.
Caroline let out a surprised laugh.
Ava pulled into the parking lot at school and parked in her normal spot. Then she too turned around in her seat. Beau was still gripping my hand and her eyes went there first.
She pointed between the two of us. “Is this what you mean by more than forgiven?”
“Yes,” he said.
“What?” she asked in disbelief. “I was kidding. You were supposed to say no.”
“What?” Caroline said. “What am I missing?”
“They were doing more than peeing in front of each other in that bathroom,” Ava said.
“That makes it sound much worse than what we were doing,” Beau said.
“What were you doing?” Caroline asked.
“Talking,” Beau said at the same time I said “Kissing.”
Caroline’s eyes went wide and she finally noticed our hands. I felt like I was holding on to him for dear life. I wondered if I was cutting off his circulation.
“Wait?” she said. “You two are together now?”
“We’re going to be fourth wheels,” Ava said.
“There’s no such thing as fourth wheels,” Beau replied.
“Obviously there is.”
“No, the saying calls for an odd number,” he said. “You can be a third wheel or a fifth. But fourth by nature, means you won’t be left out. You’ll have a buddy.”
“We were always fourth wheels,” Caroline said.
Ava groaned. “Regardless, you’re going to ruin our group.”
“We’re not,” Beau said.
“When you break her heart?”
“I’m going to break her heart? Maybe she’s going to break mine.”
“You’ll both pick him anyway, so it doesn’t matter.” The words came flying out without much thought, and I pressed my lips together. Apparently, while trying to earn their forgiveness, I had forgotten I had some things to be mad about too. Relationships were complicated.
The car went quiet.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“No,” Ava said, meeting my eyes. “You’re right. We picked sides. We were hurt. We thought it was about Cody, not your dad.”
“I get it,” I responded.
“Where is my present?” she asked, a glint in her eyes.
I laughed.
Caroline unbuckled her seat belt and climbed over the center console toward me and Beau.
“What are you doing?” I asked in surprise. It was a very un-Caroline thing to do.
She flopped herself into the middle seat between us and wrapped an arm around each of our necks. “I’m so happy for both of you.” My forehead was pressed against Beau’s, being squeezed in Caroline’s hug. I smiled.
“I’m coming back,” Ava said.
“Don’t!” Beau yelled, but it didn’t stop her. Caroline released us and Ava crawled into the back seat as well, lying across our laps.
“I guess we’re supporting this incestuous relationship,” Ava said.
“Not incestuous,” Beau said.
“In-group dating is almost worse,” she said.
“It is not!” Caroline and I said at the same time. Then we laughed.
“Okay, it’s hot in here,” Ava said. “And we’re going to be late.” She managed to open the back door and crawl out of the car. Once she was out, we all followed.
Ava locked the car and we headed across the parking lot toward C building as a group, like we always used to do. We were us.
At the doors to the building, Ava pulled me into a hug. “I’m sorry,” she said near my ear. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.”
Over her shoulder I could see Beau. He was smiling.
“Can I cheat off your test?” she asked. “Next time I’m stuck.”
I gasped.
“Too soon?” she said with a laugh, releasing me from the hug.
“You’re terrible.”
“I am and you still want to be my friend. What does that say about you?” She hooked her arm in mine and Beau flanked me on the other side, draping his arm around my neck and kissing me on the temple.
Everything was going to be fine. More than fine. I was happy.
“About that present,” Ava said.