Chapter 24
Ryder: Jamie’s car broke down and I have to go get her. I’ll try to meet up with you guys at the party. Tell Jules I’m sorry I missed the game.
Ryder: Don’t know. Don’t care.
Me: BTW, where’s Maria? She hasn't returned any of my texts.
“Ryder’s got to get Jamie and will probably miss the entire game,” I tell Hailey and Jayson who are sitting on either side of me on the bleachers. Not that Jayson is paying any attention to me. He's been closely watching the college scouts who are sitting three rows down from us.
“They haven’t taken their eyes off Julien the entire game,” he says excitedly, most of that excitement coming from the fact that he found out one of the scouts was from Carolina University.
Hailey leans back and pulls Jayson over toward her, “Want me to go sit behind them and cheer loudly for Julien and scream how awesome he is?”
“Don’t be silly,” I say as Jayson says, “Yes.”
“Absolutely not, Jayson Jameson. Leave them alone. Julien would be mortified, if you did that. And you, troublemaker of a sister,” I poke her in the side, “don't—” I stop talking when Hailey flinches in pain and jerks away from me. “I’m so sorry, Hales. Did I hurt you?”
She drops her hand quickly from her side. “I’m fine. It’s nothing,” she replies, not looking at me. I try to lift the side of her shirt, but she forcefully swipes my hand away. “I said I’m fine Lizzie. Geesh, stop mothering me.”
Her face falls when she sees my hurt expression. I can’t believe she just smacked me.
“I’m sorry. I ran into the door this morning leaving for school so have a bruise. It’s a bit tender where you poked it. No biggie. Nothing to worry about. Um, I need to go to the restroom. Be right back.” Hailey hurriedly climbs down off the bleachers like her pants are on fire.
“What’s up with your sister?” Jayson asks, and then jumps up to yell something when Julien is tripped by one of the opposing team members. “Thank God,” Jayson mumbles as Julien gets up off the ground, unhurt, and brushes himself off.
After Marshall shredded Julien’s calf during a game with his cleats, we all worry about him getting injured again while playing.
Julien worked hard to come back from his injury, and even went to a specialized sports therapist for physical therapy and strength training to help get back in top shape.
Even though Jayson doesn’t know it, Elijah played a huge part in Julien's rapid recovery.
They told me about it later, explaining that was when Elijah found out Julien had feelings for him, and vice versa.
Jayson sits back down and pulls me into his lap, burying his nose in my hair. I realize that Hailey has been gone for a while and look around the rows of people for her. I send her a text.
After five minutes and nothing back from Hailey, I turn to Jayson. “I wonder where Hailey is? Do you mind if I go look for her?”
“Game’s about over. I’ll come with you, and then we can meet up with Julien in the parking lot.”
A bunch of students congregate around the unlocked entrance to the school’s gymnasium where the restrooms are located.
Our school’s SROs, who are school resource officers that work for our town’s sheriff’s department, usually stay for home games and stand guard at the door and in the gymnasium to make sure students don’t try to sneak into the main school building or damage school property.
“What’s up, Henry?” Jayson fist bumps the older officer. Henry’s been an SRO at our school as long as we have been coming here and Jayson is on a first name basis with him.
While they’re talking, I slip inside to check the women’s restroom for Hailey. Two girls I know from English class are primping in the mirror. “Hey, Beth, hey Celeste.”
“Lizzie girl!” Beth exclaims and gives me a big hug. “Should have figured you’d be here watching Julien.”
Celeste is next to hug me. “Where’s your boy? I’m surprised he let you out his sight for more than a second.”
“He’s not that bad.” They both give me a yeah, right look. “Have you guys seen Hailey? She’s disappeared on me and the game’s almost over.”
“Celeste, didn’t we see her with that guy earlier?”
“What guy?”
“Oh, right. Yeah, she was with some guy in the hallway. Didn’t recognize him, so he must not go here. They looked like they were arguing.” Hailey has got some explaining to do when I find her.
“Do you mind showing me?”
“Yeah, no prob.” I follow them out of the restroom and around the corner to the hallway. The metal accordion gate is up and locked, but no sign of Hailey. “Oh, well, they’re not here anymore. But this is where we saw her.”
My phone dings and I pull it out.
Hailey: Met up with a friend.
Me: Hales. Where r u? I want to talk to you before you leave.
Hailey: Sorry. Already left.
Me: I’ll see you at the party then.
Hailey: Not going. Doing something else. Don’t wait up.
Me: Heard you were arguing with some dude. What gives
I wait for her response. Nothing.
Me: Hales. Answer me.
Still nothing.
Beth and Celeste wait patiently for me. I give up on Hailey and say bye to the girls, get more hugs, and then head out to find Jayson. He’s right where I left him talking with Henry.
“There’s my girl,” he smiles, sliding an arm around my waist. “Catch ya later, man.” Henry pats Jayson on the back, nods at me, and walks off to the other SRO.
“Hailey bailed on us.”
Jayson shrugs, not really caring one way or the other. Groups of people stream by us, either heading to the exit or going inside to use the restrooms. I guess the game is over.
“Let’s go wait for Jules and then it’s party time.” As we saunter across the crushed slate of the parking lot to Jayson’s truck, we get stopped several times by guys who want to talk to Jayson. Leaving them to talk, I pop the tailgate down on his truck and sit to wait for Julien.
Jayson comes to stand between my dangling legs and sits down on the edge of the tailgate, grabbing my thighs.
“Sorry about that, babe.”
While we wait for Julien to come out, we sit quietly, and I spend the time running my hands over the expanse of his muscular shoulders and down his arms. I love how his body feels, the indent and curvature of his shoulders and arm muscles both hard and smooth.
Jayson leans back a bit farther, and I wrap my arms under his armpits, clasping both of my hands at the front of his chest. He makes a low humming noise of contentment, and the vibrations tickle my fingertips.
“I’ve been thinking,” he tells me in a low murmur. He shifts slightly so he can gaze up at me. “Wherever we go to college, I want us to move in together. Find some place off campus just for the two of us. What do you think?”
I cock a brow at him, but inside I’m freaking out that he’s bringing up a future I’m not ready for. Living together. Getting married. I wish he’d stop doing that.
“And you’ve been thinking about this a lot, have you?”
“Well, yeah. I think a lot about you and me and the rest of our lives. College will be our first real chance for us just to be about us, if that makes sense. I know Jules and Ryder will be there too, but it’ll be different, you know? You, me, and our own space we don’t have to share.”
“No more climbing through my window.”
I have all these wonderful memories of growing up next door to him and Julien, of our tree, our tree fort, my swing, my paper stars.
How will I be able to leave home and not be heartbroken from missing those memories?
I remind myself that no matter where we go or where we end up, Jayson, Julien, and Ryder will give me new memories just as special.
Jayson reaches back to touch my cheek, and the contact breaks me out of my thoughts. “You are my forever, Liz. I want us to make a life together.”
Seeing that he's dead serious, my stomach clenches in that all too familiar queasy feeling. Before I can respond, Julien jogs over, his hair damp from the shower he must have taken after the game.
“Mind if we grab something on the way, because I’m starving.”
I leap off the tailgate and into Julien’s arms. “You did so good out there!”
Julien keeps me locked in his arms. I can tell something is up by the ear-to-ear grin plastered across his face. He turns us to face Jayson.
“That’s why I'm late coming out. I got an offer.”
“Are you serious?” Jayson jumps off the back of the truck.
“CU is offering me a full ride to college and a spot on their team after I graduate next year. First time in Fallen Brook High history that a junior has been given such an offer.”
Jayson lunges for his brother, and I get squished between two very enthusiastic boys.
“That’s so freaking awesome! We need to tell Mom and Dad.”
“Guys.” I laugh. “I can’t breathe.”
They separate and I suck in a come much-needed air.
“They’ll send everything over to coach next week, and coach wants Mom and Dad to join us for the meeting. Honestly, if everything looks good, I think I’ll go ahead and accept. I don’t care what other offers I get next year. CU has been my dream, so why wait, you know?”
“Julien, I’m over the moon for you,” I congratulate him.
Jayson deposits me into the passenger seat of his truck and grabs Julien in a tight hug. “So proud of you, man. I love you, brother.”
Julien smile is a mile wide. “Who's ready to go celebrate?”
“Couldn’t ask for a better night to party,” Jayson replies, still beaming at Julien.
The party tonight is at Curtis Mathews’ house.
He’s on the swim team with Jayson, and I’ve been to his place once before.
His family owns a small plot of land near Mr. Jacoby’s farm.
After the nightmare that was Fallon’s last party, I’ve avoided all parties, and this will be my first one since then.
Me: Game’s over. We r heading over to Curtis’s now. What’s ur ETA?
Ryder: OMW.
Me: Have some great news to share. See u there.
Ryder: Have some news too. Be there soon.