Chapter 31 – You’re It
Monday
Briggs glanced at me through the rearview mirror. For what felt like the tenth time since he’d started driving.
And I was panicking. By the way he was looking at me, I knew that he knew about the secret lair. He had to, right? Briggs and Porter were great security guards. So...they had to know. Screw me.
I tried to keep my eyes trained on my phone. But it was hard to ignore him staring.
He finally cleared his throat. “Scarlett?”
“Yes?” I didn’t look up to the front seat. I was worried that if we made eye contact he’d know I was hiding something.
“Our security system was hacked two weekends ago. Would you happen to know anything about that?”
“Oh...um...I had nothing to do with that.” It wasn’t technically a lie. RJ had hacked the security system, not me.
“Well, it seems to be glitching since then.”
“How so?” What on earth had RJ done to it? He better not still be accessing the camera feed. Because that little pervert had access to my bedroom cameras.
“People coming and going,” Briggs said. “Not through the front door. Just appearing in the hallway cameras off the living room.”
“Strange.” My voice sounded higher than usual. I hoped he couldn’t tell. But the way he glanced in the rearview mirror at me again made it seem like he could absolutely tell.
“Nothing at all you’d like to share about that?”
“I promise I haven’t done anything weird,” I said. Again, that was true. It was RJ, Uncle Rob, and Mr. Tanner up to no good. Not me. I hadn’t even asked for a secret lair.
“You’re sure you don’t have anything else you’d like to tell me?”
“Nope.”
He slowly exhaled as he hit his turn signal and pulled up to the curb outside Jacob’s place.
“Scarlett.”
“Yes?”
“It’s our job to keep you safe. So you’d tell me if something was going on, right?”
“Of course.” I would 100% tell Briggs if something sinister was afoot. But...that wasn’t the case. I just had a new secret exit from the apartment. And a secret lair. It wasn’t a big deal. At least, it wasn’t a big deal until our Russian neighbor came home and threw a fit about there being a new exit from her apartment too.
“Good.”
I knew he’d said good, but he was still looking at me like he didn’t believe me. I wondered if he was questioning Liam about this too. Liam was a better liar than me though. There was no way he’d crack. And I wasn’t going to either. No, I hadn’t asked for the secret lair. But I had been using it. And I was actually kind of excited to see the final product.
“Have fun with the Caldwells,” Briggs said.
“Thanks, Briggs.”
“I’ll pick you up at 8.”
I nodded and climbed out of the car. I breathed in the smell of autumn in the air. The air always seemed fresher on Jacob’s street. I walked up the steps of the brownstone where he lived and rang the bell.
Aunt Brooklyn answered. She was holding a bowl in one arm and was clearly in the middle of mixing something. “Hi, sweetie,” she said.
Two redheaded kids ran behind her and into the living room. They’d run by so quickly, but I was pretty sure it had been Skadi and Thorin. They were Mr. Tanner’s kids.
“Thorin! Stop! You’re not it anymore.” Jacob’s little brother ran into the entranceway, chasing them. But when he saw me, he slid to a stop in his socks. “Oh, hi, Scarlett.”
“Hey, Max.” I ruffled his hair. He was a spitting image of Uncle Matt. But he seemed much more devious.
Mr. Nigel’s daughters ran by next. They were definitely playing tag inside the house. I heard a crashing noise in the distance.
“Sorry, it’s complete chaos here,” Aunt Brooklyn said as she gave me a side hug.
That was pretty much the way she always greeted me. And it was always true. Jacob had three siblings. Well, half siblings technically. And it was always chaos at his house. But Aunt Brooklyn always had such a big smile on her face when she said it.
I kicked my shoes off at the front door like I always did. “Anything I can do to help?”
“I think I’ve got everything covered,” Aunt Brooklyn said. “As far as I know, everyone else will be going home for dinner. Right, Max?”
“I think so,” Max said. And then he tagged my side. “You’re it!” he yelled and ran off.
Aunt Brooklyn laughed. “I think Jacob is in his room, if you want to head up.”
“Great,” I said. “But first I have to win this game of tag.” I ran after Max.
He slid through the living room on his socks and then jumped on the couch.
I tried to reach for him, but he hoped off the back of it. I turned to see Uncle Mason and Aunt Bee’s son Onyx was here too. He was distracted doing something with a rope. It looked like he was just tying knots. I ran over and tagged him instead of Max. “You’re it, Onyx.”
He looked up from the knots he was tying. “But I was creating the restraints for the loser.”
“The restraints?”
“Yeah, the loser has to be tied to the fireplace.”
Jesus, Onyx. “No. That’s not a good idea.”
“Right. Because it’s a great idea.”
I shook my head. “You’re still it...”
“No, you’re it,” he said and tagged me back.
I reached out to tag him, but he ran off with his rope. “Onyx!” I yelled.
“Scarlett’s it!” he yelled to everyone. “Scarlett’s it!”
All the kids scrambled.
I shook my head and turned around to see who I could tag next. Mr. Nigel’s daughter Electra was the youngest. And she’d definitely be the easiest to get. But that seemed like an unfair target. Especially since she was currently playing dress up in the corner and was wearing a pair of heels that were way too big for her.
I saw some wild red hair peeking out behind the couch. I leaned over the couch to see who it was.
“Thorin!” Skadi yelled from across the room. “Run!”
Thorin tried to get up from his hiding place, but tripped and knocked over a basket full of toys. Little cars went everywhere.
I felt bad tagging him while he was down. Plus I didn’t want to risk slipping on one of those toy cars. I looked around the room again. Jacob’s youngest sister, Alora, was running away from Onyx and his ropes.
Onyx was definitely trouble. I chased after them. I pretended to run slower as the rest of the kids started running away from me too. Or maybe I wasn’t pretending. I was starting to get a cramp.
Skadi was right in front of me.
I was just about to tag her when Jacob walked down the steps.
He laughed when he saw me. And he didn’t miss a beat. He immediately joined in on the game. “Skadi!” he said and picked her up.
She squealed as he lifted her above his head so I couldn’t tag her. “Save yourself!” He tossed her onto the couch.
“Oh it’s so on.” I reached out to tag Jacob, but he dodged out of the way. “Hey!” I tried to tag him again, but he jumped backward.
And then he had the audacity to start running backward.
I couldn’t catch him because of my cramp, even with him running backward at the slower pace. I stopped and just started laughing. I was going to be it forever.
We all ran around the living room like complete barbarians. Jacob had slowed down too. I think partially because he felt bad that I had been it for so long.
But as he slowed down, he stopped looking at the ground. His right foot landed on one of the toy cars and he started to slip. He grabbed my hand and the two of us fell onto the couch. I landed on top of him.
“You’re it,” I said.
He laughed.
My heart started pounding. Our lips were only a couple inches apart. I could easily just lean forward. But I really wanted him to make the first move. I wanted to know that he truly did like me. Because no one had ever really liked me back before.
Jacob’s eyes fell to my lips.
But then I felt a bunch of small hands and knees on my back as all the kids piled on top of us.
I groaned. “Ow.”
Someone grabbed my wrist. And I felt my arms being tied behind my back.
“Onyx!” I yelled. “Stop it!”
He giggled.
“Okay, that’s enough of that,” Jacob said with a laugh. “We’re escaping.” He helped me to my feet as Nerf darts started flying through the living room.
We both laughed as we ran to the stairs. But I definitely took a few Nerf darts to the face.
I somehow managed to run up the stairs with my hands tied behind my back. That kid was seriously good at knots.
“What did the little demons do to you?” asked Nova as we passed by Chloe’s room. She barely even looked up at me. As if these things happened all the time.
The two of them were sitting on Chloe’s bed, somehow managing to ignore the chaos downstairs. Chloe and Nova were both spitting images of their mothers, Nova a mini version of Aunt Bee and Chloe a mini version of Aunt Brooklyn. Although I was pretty sure Nova had a devious streak like her brother Onyx. Chloe and Nova would both be going to high school next year. And they already looked the part.
“It was Onyx,” I said. “I lost tag.”
She shook her head.
Chloe laughed. “Scarlett, do you want to make bracelets with us?”
I glanced at Jacob. What I wanted was to be alone with him so he’d kiss me. But I didn’t dare say any of that out loud.
“Maybe in a bit, Chloe,” Jacob said. “We have to study for a test.”
I smiled. We did not. But I loved the excuse.
“We’ll make one for you,” Chloe said.
I smiled. “Thanks, guys.” I followed Jacob to his room. He closed the door behind us.
It felt like forever since I’d been in Jacob’s bedroom. But it looked exactly like I remembered. He even still had the little stars on his ceiling that would probably still glow when all the lights were off at night. I remembered having slumber parties in this room and falling asleep looking at the stars. They were brighter than any stars in the city.
Jacob’s fingers trailed down the inside of my forearms.
I turned to look at him over my shoulder as he started to untie the ropes around my wrists.
Jacob laughed as he struggled with one of the knots. “Why is that kid so good at tying rope?”
“I have no idea.”
We were both quiet as Jacob kept untying the knots.
I took a few seconds to just stare at him. Really stare. I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t noticed how handsome he was before. His skin was tan from being outside after school every day. And each time he untied a knot, the muscles in his arm bulged slightly. He looked good in his school uniform. But I liked him just like this. In a black t-shirt and jeans.
It took a while, but Jacob finally freed me.
“Thank you for saving me from being tied to the fireplace.” I rubbed my wrists.
“Is that what Onyx said he was going to do to you?” Jacob chuckled and shook his head. “It makes you wonder what kind of things Uncle Mason is teaching him.”
“Maybe they’re going on a camping trip or something.”
Jacob laughed. “I can’t picture them on a camping trip.”
I shrugged. Well, I wasn’t sure why else Uncle Mason would teach Onyx to tie rope. I looked around Jacob’s room. There was a picture on his nightstand of him, Aunt Brooklyn, and his father. I picked it up. “You look so much like your dad.”
“That’s what everyone tells me.”
I swallowed hard. I couldn’t imagine how hard it would be to be told I looked like my mom if she wasn’t here. And it would be even worse if I didn’t remember her very well. I put the picture back down and turned to him.
Jacob had sat down on the edge of his bed.
I sat down next to him and looked up at the stars again. A part of my wished that Jacob and I were nine again like his little sister Alora. And then I’d probably be spending the night under these stars without any consequences.
“I think I need some of these stars in my room,” I said. “I used to love falling asleep to them when I was little. The good old days.”
“The good old days, huh?”
I nodded.
“Well, I have a solution for that.” Jacob stood up on his bed and pulled one of the stars off the ceiling.
“Oh, you don’t have to...”
But he’d already tossed it at me.
I laughed and caught it in my hand. “Thank you. I’m surprised you still have them up at all.”
He shrugged as he sat down on his bed again. “After my dad died, my mom told me he was the north star. Looking down at us. Protecting us. I couldn’t fall asleep without looking at the stars and saying goodnight to him. And the stars are so dim in the city. Coach put these up when we moved in, so I could always say goodnight to my dad.”
I felt tears welling in my eyes. I didn’t know any of that. Seriously, I’d known Jacob practically my whole life. Why did I not know the north star story? “I can’t take this.” I tried to hand it back, but he wrapped his hand around mine, sealing the star in my palm.
“I want you to have it.”
“Jacob...”
“It’s just a little something so you can think of me as you fall asleep.”
I swallowed hard. It was something my kiss thief would say. My eyes fell to Jacob’s lips.
And he moved just a fraction of an inch closer to me.
“I want to ask you something,” he said. “But before I do, I feel like I need to tell you something else.”
“Okay.”
“Practice was...off today,” Jacob said.
“Off how?”
“Axel stopped handing me the ball again. He knew we were hanging out tonight. And he’s still being really weird about this.”
“This?”
“You and me hanging out.”
Hanging out. What did that mean exactly? And gah. Freaking Axel. How was he ruining this moment without even being here? “I don’t need Axel to protect me.”
“I know. I just...” Jacob shrugged. “If we keep hanging out, we might end up losing every game this season. And I just wanted you to know that you’d be hanging out with a running back of a team with a losing record.”
I laughed. “I’m sure that’s not true. And I don’t care whether Empire High wins or loses. I just like cheering you on.”
“And what about Axel? You two have been friends forever and...”
“We’ve been friends forever too,” I said. Jacob had moved here when he was four. I could barely remember a time when he wasn’t here. “Axel will get over himself.”
Jacob laughed.
“So that’s what you wanted to tell me. What did you want to ask me?”
He smiled. “I was hoping you’d start wearing my jacket to school.”
I stared up at him. So did that mean we were dating? Or were we just hanging out? And what the heck did “just hanging out” mean anyway? But before I could ask, there was a knock on the door.
Uncle Matt popped his head in.
“Hiya, Coach,” Jacob said.
“Hey, can you...” Uncle Matt’s voice trailed off. “Oh. Hi, Scarlett. I didn’t know you were here.” He didn’t sound like his normal happy self at the sight of me. “What are the two of you doing up here?” he asked.
I thought about my dad finding Axel in my room. I wasn’t supposed to have boys in my room. And I wasn’t sure what my dad would think of me in a boy’s room.
No, scratch that. I did know. I’d be grounded for an eternity. So I said the first thing that popped into my head. “Jacob’s tutoring me,” I said.
Uncle Matt frowned. “I don’t see any books.”
“It’s an oral exam thing.” Oh God. Why had I just said oral?
Uncle Matt raised both his eyebrows.
Jacob cleared his throat and stood up. “We just finished up, Coach.”
“Great,” Uncle Matt said. “Well, come help your mom cook, kiddo.”
“Sure thing,” Jacob said.
Uncle Matt grabbed his arm before he reached the door and whispered something to him.
Jacob nodded and turned back to me. “You coming, Scarlett?”
“Mhm.” I tucked my star in my pocket and hurried after him, ducking past Uncle Matt. I really hoped Uncle Matt wouldn’t tell my dad about this.
The downstairs wasn’t full of kids anymore. But it was full of music blasting on the speakers.
Aunt Brooklyn was humming and swaying her hips to the music. Alora was spinning around in circles. And Max just kept running back and forth, sliding on the kitchen floor.
“What can we help with?” I asked as I walked around the kitchen island.
“You two are on salad duty.” Aunt Brooklyn pushed the ingredients toward us and laughed as Uncle Matt wrapped his arms around her from behind.
I washed my hands and started cutting up the lettuce. But it didn’t take long before we were all dancing around the kitchen. I mimicked Aunt Brooklyn doing some kind of shimmy thing with her shoulders. We both kept laughing.
And then Uncle Matt held his nose and pretended like he was swimming under water. Max slid by with his hands above his head like a shark’s fin.
I’d really missed nights like this.
“Scarlett, Scarlett, I have your bracelet!” Chloe ran down the stairs. “Hey, you started without me.”
“I told you it was almost time for dinner,” Uncle Matt said.
Chloe rolled her eyes. “Put your arm out,” she said to me.
I put out my hand. She tied a beaded bracelet that she’d made to my wrist.
“Thanks, Chloe. I love it.”
“The green looks really good with your hair,” Jacob said.
I turned to him and smiled.
The song had changed to a slow one. I needed to get back to cutting up veggies, but Jacob grabbed my hand and pulled me in close.
“What did Uncle Matt whisper to you?” I asked Jacob as his hands fell to my hips.
“That I need to leave my door open if you’re in my room again.”
I laughed. “What did he think he almost walked in on?”
“He probably thought I was about to kiss you.”
Uncle Matt had apparently started taking notes from my dad, I guess.
Jacob’s fingers tightened on my waist.
I looked up at him as his words spun around in my head. Wait. Was he saying that he had been about to kiss me? It felt like every time we were close, something got in the way. And it suddenly felt like I’d been waiting a lifetime to be kissed by him.
We both just stared at each other. I was pretty sure the song had changed but we kept dancing close. I’d never danced like this here before, that was for sure. We were usually hopping around and laughing like the rest of Jacob’s siblings. But today felt different. The air had shifted around us.
Uncle Matt cleared his throat. “Time for dinner.”