Chapter 3 #2
Julien plays soccer. Last year, his team made it to the state semis but lost. They held the tournament in Charlotte.
Our families pulled us out of school for a half week so we could attend his games.
Ryder’s dad, being a car enthusiast who owns his own custom car garage and auto shop, took us all to the Charlotte Motor Speedway during the one day there were no games.
It was a total blast. We got to meet some drivers from different racing teams. Ryder was in heaven.
Ryder’s dad had competed in the Outlaw Drag Wars the previous summer, and he plans to go back again this year.
He’s been teaching Ryder how to drive and drift in the Fields, which is a private dirt track built in an abandoned field outside the town limits.
Even though Ryder has three more years before he gets his license, he drives like a pro already.
Yes, he’s that good. Jayson, Julien, and I go out to watch him, and sometimes, his dad lets us sit in the back seat.
Having me and the twins all packed tight together in the back of his dad’s Camaro, while Ryder drifts the car around and around, feels like being stuck on the Tilt-a-Whirl ride at the amusement park.
Maybe he’ll teach me one day if I get up enough nerve to do something that crazy.
“So, are we going to talk about what happened earlier?” I blurt out.
“Nope,” is what I hear from three male voices.
“Seriously? Because that was not cool,” I mumble.
Julien pops open his soda and takes a sip. “Well, guess what? What’s not cool is when some guy comes over when he sees you with three other guys, and without checking with us first, decides it’s okay to ask you out. That’s not cool.” He points his can in my direction and takes another sip.
Going back to what Maria texted me about earlier, I decide to ask the big question without really coming out and asking it.
“But why?”
“You’re too young.” This from Ryder.
I’m in the middle of taking a drink from my soda and start choking.
“Oh my God! You did not just say that! And BTW, you are not my parents!”
“Answer is still no, Liz,” Jayson says. He squats in front of my chair.
“You can’t control my life like that. It’s not fair.”
Getting irritated, my fingers drum on the chair arm in fast staccato beats. Jayson takes a deep breath and places his hands over mine to stop my fingers.
Staring at me with deep mercurial eyes, he softly asks me, “Do you want to go out with Elijah, Liz? Is that what you really want?”
I glance down at his hands on mine. For some reason, I feel like I want to cry.
“No,” I whisper back.
“Do you trust me, Liz? Do you trust us?” He tilts his head over toward Ryder and Julien.
“Yes.”
“Then can you trust us on this?”
I nod yes.
Jayson gazes into my eyes a moment longer before standing up and going back to his chair.
I decide to drop the subject and enjoy the rest of the evening.
Jamie and her boyfriend arrive and after eating dinner, which takes forever to fix on the grill, we gather around the firepit.
My dad is actually on break for a month from touring, so he was with us for Jayson’s swim meet.
He left about twenty minutes ago and said he would be right back.
Just as I wonder what's taking him so long, Dad walks around the side of the house, holding two guitars.
“Want to put on a show, sweetheart?” he asks me.
I love performing with my dad. I get settled on the grass and he hands me my acoustic as he places his guitar strap around his neck. He’s holding two picks between his teeth and offers me one.
I look around at everyone. “Any requests?”
I warm up by strumming lightly. “How about this one? It’s one I’ve been practicing.”
I play the intro to “Stitches” by Shawn Mendes.
Dad waits a beat and then joins in as the percussion parts of the song, slapping and thumping his hands on the outside of his guitar, his deeper voice melding with mine so we sound like John Cozart’s a cappella cover of the song.
I sing the words, and Jamie, Brea, and Hailey join in.
Freda and my mom take out their phones to record our impromptu concert.
To my total shock and surprise, Ryder joins in and sings.
Jayson and Julien whoop it up, banging their hands on the chairs to the beat.
It’s amazing. We get to the end, and everyone joins in for the last lyrics, even Jayson and Julien. Dad and I take a bow.
Jayson strides over to me and rubs his hand down the length of my hair. “You were so good, Liz.”
And just like that, our disagreement and my hurt feelings from earlier float away in the air, like the sparking embers blowing away from the firepit.
It’s almost midnight. Faith brings out blankets for us to lie on, so we can watch the meteor shower.
Ryder’s dad puts the fire out, so the light doesn’t affect our view.
Ryder and Jayson pull the blanket out flat, and then Jayson lays down and motions for me to join him.
He extends his arm out so I can rest my head on it.
Ryder and Julien take their places on the blanket with us so that Julien’s head is resting on my stomach, his face gazing up at the sky, and Ryder lays down on the other side of me, linking his pinky finger with mine.
We’ve always cuddled together since we were children, and our parents don’t think anything of it.
It’s as natural for us to do as breathing.
I yawn as I see the first streaking meteor fly across the dark inky sky. Everyone oohs and ahhs at the bright flashing trails of light falling one after another. It’s like we’re watching our own private fireworks show, one I get to enjoy with three of the most wonderful guys I’ve ever known.