Chapter 12
SPENCER
EIGHT YEARS AGO
“Fancy running into you here.”
I squeeze my eyes shut, trying not to squirm.
Fuck. I sound pathetic.
She turns around, hair swishing around her shoulders as she does. The smell of her shampoo reaches my nose. Something fruity and sweet. “This is the sophomore hall and my locker, so not so fancy nor am I guessing, coincidental?”
Harlow looks me up and down with her hazel eyes that seem to see right through me, before returning them to her locker in search of a textbook I assume.
“I ran into your sister.”
She arches a blond brow. “That so?”
“Mhm,” I hum.
She gives a small shrug of her shoulders. “She might’ve mentioned it.”
“That so?” I repeat her question back to her. She shakes her head, her lips twisting with amusement.
She sighs dramatically, like she’s already done with this conversation, but amusement curls her lips. “Yeah, she might’ve asked about you.”
I push, “And what did you say?”
With her history textbook in hand she closes her locker, leaning against the metal surface. “That you burned my cookies.”
I mock-gasp. “You were supposed to take that story to your grave.”
She gives a tiny shrug. “Too late. Now, what do you want?”
“Your number,” I blurt like a loser. Clearing my throat, I hope she doesn’t notice my reddening cheeks. “Your uh sister’s number,” I amend. A flash of hurt darkens her eyes but it’s there and gone too quick for me to be sure I’ve seen it. “I … uh … wouldn’t mind yours either.”
I’m not good at this at all. Whenever I’m around Harlow, I act as if I’ve never been around a girl before and it only gets worse the more, I interact with her.
I need to learn to chill out, but something about her makes me unhinged.
It’s like that moment when you’re on a rollercoaster, just before it drops, that anticipation of something big about to happen and you’re bracing yourself for it.
“I’ll give you my sister’s.”
There’s a pang at being denied her number, but I know it’s my own fault for being such a dumb ass about the whole thing.
I shove my hands in my pockets. “Cool.”
She plucks a pen from her bag and grabs my hand. An electric zip crawls up my spine and when my eyes meet her wide and surprised ones. I think maybe she felt it too. Clearing her throat, she writes the number on my wrist.
“There you go. I have to get to class now.”
“Harlow?” I call after her, but she’s already walking away.
Me: Hey, this is Willa, right?
I wouldn’t be surprised if Harlow gave me the wrong number after my awkward attempt, so I figure it’s better to text with that simple question before I say anything else that’s stupid.
Willa: Um … yeah. Who is this?
I exhale in relief that it is her and not some bald, fat guy named Steve. No offense to bald, fat guys named Steve.
Me: It’s Spencer.
Willa: Ohhhh.
Spencer: I got your number from your sister. I hope that’s okay.
Willa might not want to hear from me at all, which is understandable. We don’t really know each other, but despite my crush on her younger sister I have wanted to get in contact with her after seeing her at the beach. Something has nagged at me that I need to reach out to her.
Willa: Yeah, of course. I was worried a cereal killer got ahold of it or something.
I grin in amusement at her text message which is no doubt a terrible autocorrect.
Me: Sorry to disappoint you, I’m not a cereal killer.
Willa: Autocorrect hates me. You know what I meant.
Me: Yeah, I do.
Me: What are your plans this weekend? Would you want to go to the beach?
Willa: Well, I have plans with Harlow and my friend Meredith.
Fuck my stupid heart for skipping a beat at Harlow’s name. Harlow isn’t the reason I wanted to get into contact with Willa, but my heart doesn’t seem to realize that. Willa seems nice and like she might need a friend. Despite my raging crush on her sister, that’s not why I’m doing this.
Me: Oh, well maybe some other time then.
A few minutes pass before my phone vibrates on my chest with another text.
Willa: Why don’t you join us? I know they wouldn’t mind.
Me: Are you sure?
Willa: Yeah. It’ll be fun.
I think it over for a second before replying.
Me: Cool. I will then. Where should I meet you?
Willa: How about Cool Beans Saturday at 11? We usually stop there and then head to the beach.
Me: Sounds great. See you then.
Parking my car a block away, I hop out and walk the rest of the way to the coffee shop. I’ve been here plenty of times before so I know right where it is. T.J.’s parents own the shop and a time or two the both of us have helped out when they’ve been understaffed.
Walking in, I spot the three girls, the two blonds—Harlow and Willa—and a redhead who goes to my school, but we haven’t shared any classes as far as I know so I could be wrong. One of the downfalls of having a school that houses over two thousand students. Talk about a crowd.
“Hey, sorry I’m late,” I apologize as I approach their table. “I had to help my mom. Let me grab a coffee.” I tap my knuckles against the table.
“Hopefully they don’t burn your coffee,” Harlow quips.
She’s never letting me live down the cookie disaster.
“They probably know better than I do what they’re doing,” I volley.
Joining the line, I wave at Jess, one of the girls who works there. “The usual?”
“Yep.” I hand my card over to pay and in no time, she’s passing me my drink. “Thanks.”
She flashes a smile, ready to take the order of the person behind me.
Rejoining the girls at the table, I take the only empty seat available beside Willa. I don’t miss the triumphant smile Harlow sends Willa’s way and hunch my shoulders.
Leaning back, I play with the straw in my drink trying to play it cool. “My best friend’s parents own this place.” Willa gives me a blank look, her light brows furrowed together. “You met him,” I explain. “T.J.,” I add by way of clarification, and she nods in remembrance.
“Oh, right.” She tucks a piece of hair behind her ear, looking across the table at her sister and her friend. “We love this place. We come here a lot.”
There’s a shyness to Willa, like she doesn’t quite know how to interact with someone outside of her normal circle.
“Should we go to the beach now?” I look at each girl, gauging their reaction to my proposal. “Hi, I’m Spencer.” I extend my hand to the redhead, realizing I’ve been rude and haven’t introduced myself to her.
She gets a coy smile that normally might intrigue me if it weren’t for my growing crush on the girl beside her. “I’m Meredith.” She slides her tongue along her lips.
I give Willa a curious look and her lips tick with the threat of a smile.
They agree to go to the beach and since it’s barely a mile walk, we leave our cars at the coffee shop.
Walking along the sidewalk, Willa stays beside me. “Are you ready for graduation?”
I give a small shrug. “Yeah, in a lot of ways I am ready. It’s the next step, you know, but it’s scary, too.”
Meredith walking a few feet in front of us says, “I’m shocked to hear a guy say that.”
I snort, my brows furrowing. “What? We can’t have feelings and worry about things too?
This is a big thing. College. Work. Adulthood.
I don’t know about you guys but I feel sorely unprepared.
Like, how do I know how to do taxes? Or balance a checkbook?
Or … loads of other shit.” I run my fingers through my hair, getting worked up. “There’s a lot to think about.”
Harlow eyes me, tilting her head to the side. In her soft pleasant voice, she asks me, “Have you decided on a college?”
“Santa Monica University,” I answer. It’s the school I’ve wanted to go to for years now and I got my acceptance recently.
“I don’t want to leave home. I love it here too much.
” Santa Monica, the beach, the people, the vibe …
all of it feeds my soul. “I can’t imagine living somewhere else, even for only a few years.
What about you guys?” I address Willa and Meredith since Harlow will only be going into her junior year.
“I’m not sure.” Willa answers first, her eyes—a similar hazel shade to her sister’s—seeming a bit lost for a moment.
“I got into several places, some here and some where I’d have to leave, but I honestly don’t know if I’m cut out for college.
I don’t know what I want to do with the rest of my life, so going to college scares me.
I don’t want to be trapped doing something I hate, but I don’t want to not get an education either.
I’ll have to decide what I’m doing soon, though. ”
She lets out a deep breath after her long-winded ramble.
I shrug, giving her a sympathetic smile because I understand how complicated it is.
“You could give yourself another year, you know? You don’t have to decide anything right now. It’s a big decision and it should be what you want. Do what your heart tells you.”
She smiles in obvious relief. “Thank you.”
“Not a problem.” I flash her a smile, turning to Meredith. “And what about you?”
“I’m planning to go to UCLA.”
“Really?” I blurt a little too quickly and nearly wince when I realize how disbelieving I sound.
“What?” She snaps cuttingly, clearly not having missed my slip up. “Do I not look smart?”
“No, it’s not that.” I’m quick to try to fix my mistake. “It’s just … that’s a tough school. I’m not surprised, but I am impressed.”
She smiles widely and I thank my lucky stars that I dug myself out of that hole.
“Do you skateboard a lot?” Willa changes the subject before I can shoot myself in the foot again. “I don’t think I could ever do that. I’d fall flat on my face.” She squishes her eyes shut like she’s already skinned her knee and is wincing.
“It’s not that hard, I promise you,” I laugh, wiggling my fingers in the pockets of my cargo shorts. “You might actually like it. If you guys ever want to try it, my friends and I would be happy to teach you.” I meet each of the girl’s eyes.