Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
We drive at a snail's pace around the corner, keeping our eyes peeled for Mrs. Park’s car. Thankfully, the only car in the driveway is Caleb’s.
“See,” Jordy says. “I told you she wouldn’t be home.”
“You never know. She could’ve changed her schedule,” Caleb says.
“But she didn’t.”
“So,” I say. “Does this mean what I think it means?” My smile stretches from ear to ear.
“It does,” Caleb says with an overdramatic sigh.
“Yes!” I squeal. My hand cups over my mouth at the noise, and my eyes grow big.
“Wow, someone’s excited.” Caleb pulls into my driveway to park. “I don’t know how I went so long without knowing you liked this kind of stuff.”
“This kind of stuff just happens to be some of the greatest masterpieces in cinema history. Never watching Star Trek should be a crime—ten years to life.”
Caleb laughs, popping the door open as soon as he parks so he can jump out and race to my door before I have a chance to open it.
I shuffle out, leaving my backpack behind because I fully intend to ignore my homework until I’ve finished binge watching.
Besides, I’ve caught up a lot more than most of my teachers expected me to at this point.
The three of us walk across the lawn and up the wooden steps to the porch. Once inside, we set our shoes on the rack, lined up neatly.
Jordy scoots past me, making his way to the stairs. I catch him by the back of his backpack.
“Not so fast,” I say.
He groans. “I have to watch it too?”
“Yes, of course. Don’t you want to see who you’re named after?”
“The names aren’t even spelled the same,” he says with a blank expression.
“One episode. That’s all I’m asking. If you hate it, you can leave.”
He lets his backpack fall to the ground. “Okay, but only if you help me with my math homework again.”
“Deal,” I say, running into the living room to plop down on the couch. “You won’t regret it.”
“I’m going to make some popcorn,” Caleb says, heading into the kitchen.
Jordy saunters into the living room, eyeing all of the seating options. He chooses to sit next to me despite the entirely empty loveseat.
He peers up at me. “So, why do you like this show so much?”
“I grew up watching it with my dad.”
At first, he was the only one that watched it. Mom and Ethan weren’t into the same types of shows. As I got older, I started to watch them with Dad, and the shows became the staple of our relationship, forever intertwined with good memories at every stage of my life.
My heart tightens as I think of him. I wish Dad would let me in again.
“That’s something I think I would’ve liked to do.” His gaze drops. “I don’t remember my dad very well.”
“I’m sorry. That’s probably hard.”
Jordy shrugs. “Yeah, sometimes. He was sad and angry a lot, but I do remember some happy things.” He smiles big, showing me the big toothless grin I’ve come to love.
“He used to take me to the park a couple of streets down, the big one, and push me on the swings. I love that park. It’s my favorite.
And then, sometimes he’d teach me jokes in Korean so that when my family came to visit, I could make them laugh.
I liked that. My cousins thought I was really funny.
” He leans in, cupping a hand over his mouth as he whispers, “One of the jokes had a bad word.”
I laugh just as Caleb comes back into the room with an overflowing bowl of popcorn. “Can I sit by my girlfriend?” he asks, looking directly at Jordy.
“She’s my friend too.” Jordy crosses his arms in defiance.
“It’s different.”
“Why? Can’t you stare at her from over there?” Jordy says, pointing at the easy chair tucked in the corner.
“Not going to happen,” Caleb says.
Jordy sits up taller, raising his eyebrows. “Well, I’m not moving unless you make me.”
Caleb sets the bowl of popcorn down on the coffee table. “Careful what you ask for,” he says as he comes closer with a sly smile.
Jordy pulls his legs up and hides his face as if he thinks that’ll make him harder to find. Caleb tickles his brother’s sides, and Jordy squeals. We’re all laughing as Jordy pushes me forward to make enough space to duck behind me. But it doesn’t stop Caleb.
“Okay. Okay. I give up,” Jordy says, raising his hand. “Imaginary white flag.” He jumps off the couch in a hurry and knocks over the bowl of popcorn. It scatters across the floor.
His face drops, completely void of any trace of his smile. “I’m sorry.”
I get off the couch and bend down to start cleaning it up. “It’s okay. Things happen. We’ll just make some more, right?” I shoot a glance at Caleb.
“Right on it,” he says.
Jordy kneels next to me to help clean, but I can see the tears building up.
“Hey,” I say, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder. “What’s wrong?”
“I was stupid. I knew the bowl was there.”
“No, don’t say that. You are not stupid. You made a mistake. We all make those.”
“You’re just saying that to make me feel better,” he mumbles.
I shake my head. “I make mistakes all the time.”
“Like what?”
I scoop a handful of the buttery popcorn off the floor and set it into the bowl. “Well, one time, I put salt into lemonade instead of sugar.”
He scrunches his face. “Gross.”
“Right?” I laugh. “Another time, I burned soup. Do you know how hard it is to burn soup?”
That elicits the smallest laugh from him. “I don’t think cooking is your thing.”
“I definitely have to work on it, but it’s okay. I’m good at other things. People don’t have to be good at everything, and they don’t have to be good all the time.”
He starts to pick up the popcorn.
“What are some things you’re good at?” I ask.
He twists his mouth in thought. “I like science, and I like rocks.” His eyes get big. “I know a lot about dinosaurs. I think, if someone ever cloned them, I’d be the perfect person to take care of them. I know what they like to eat, and I know all of their names.”
I pick up the last piece off the floor. “So, who cares if you dropped the popcorn? Popcorn has nothing to do with dinosaurs.”
He stands up and takes the bowl, wrapping his arms around it. “Yeah, who cares about the popcorn?”
“That’s more like it.” I grin.
His gaze shies away. “Becca?”
“Mm-hmm?”
“Am I your friend too? Or do you just hang out with me because I’m Caleb’s brother?”
“Of course we’re friends.” I lean closer to whisper. “Do you think I make cookies for just anyone?”
He grins. “That’s good because I like you. I don’t have that many friends.”
“I like you too.”
Caleb comes back into the room with a fresh bowl of popcorn.
Jordy looks down at his bowl. “I’m going to throw this away. I’ll be right back. Don’t start the show without me!”
This time I sit in the center of the couch, leaving room on both sides to make sure Jordy can sit by me too.
Jordy wanting to be my friend makes my heart warm. He reminds me of myself in so many ways. We’re both sensitive and selective when it comes to making friends, and yet, he chose me. In a way, he makes me feel like I have a brother again.
I settle into the couch, letting myself relax and breathe as the boys come back.
Caleb wraps his arm around me, and I rest my head on his shoulder.
“Okay, let’s do this. Let’s become Trekkies,” Jordy says.
I laugh, biting at my smile.
These two are starting to make me feel whole again. They make me forget the mess around me. As long as I focus on them, I’ll be okay.
Jordy jumps off the couch and runs to the window, pulling back the curtain. “It's Mom!”
I jerk away from Caleb. “I should go.”
“Use the back door,” he says.
I run toward the glass door in their kitchen, but skid to a stop and turn to see Caleb standing right behind me. “My shoes.”
Jordy pokes his head into the kitchen. “She’s opening the door. Hide.”
Caleb takes my hand and pulls me farther into the kitchen. He opens the pantry. “You can hide in here.”
“You have got to be kidding me,” I say. “There’s barely enough room for the broom, let alone me. I won’t fit.”
“There’s plenty of room. See, look,” he says, stepping inside. He turns around to face me.
“Caleb?” Mrs. Park calls.
He grabs my hand. I collide into him as he closes the door.
There’s no space between us, and it’s completely dark, forcing me to focus on the beat of his heart. It’s beating as fast as mine, if not faster. I can’t help but wonder if it’s beating that fast because of being so close to me or because he’s afraid of being caught.
I muffle a chuckle into his shoulder.
“What?” he whispers.
“This is ridiculous,” I say.
He laughs. “Would you rather have my mom find you?”
“I’m pretty sure having her find me in your kitchen would be better than having her find me in here with you.”
He wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer. “Well, I prefer this.”
My cheeks warm.
Footsteps flood into the kitchen.
“I need your help with something,” Jordy says on the other side of the door, talking to his mom.
“I need to put away the groceries first,” Mrs. Park replies. “Where’s your brother?”
Caleb’s breath tickles my skin, seconds before me leaving a soft kiss on my lips.
Goosebumps ripple up my arms, but I don’t pull away. For a moment in this dark space, it’s just us.
The handle to the pantry rattles, shattering the illusion.
“Cale—” I whisper.
He kisses my bottom lip to quiet me, teeth grazing it as he pulls back.
I’m sitting on a fence with him right now. On one side, I’m losing myself in him—my hands tangling themselves in his hair. On the other, my heart is beating out of my chest, waiting to be discovered.
“Since when is this door locked?” Mrs. Park asks.
“It’s not. You’re doing it wrong,” Jordy says. “Let me put that away.”
“It’s not going to work. I’m going to get a knife to turn the lock.”
“Just let me try first,” Jordy says.
“Fine,” she says.
Caleb breaks away from me and unlocks the door.
Jordy cracks the door open ever so slightly. “See? It’s not locked. I’ll put it away. Why don’t you put the eggs away?”
She sighs. “Wow, I need a nap.”