CHAPTER SEVEN #3
Sexy Sara gave a little wave over her shoulder, mainly staring at me though I avoided eye contact, and then the two girls walked in the direction of the front driveway where her car was parked.
“What was that about?” Lufton asked me. “She was all over you. Do you know her somehow?”
“Not really. I vaguely remembered her from dance class a few years ago, but that’s it.” I turned to Declan. “What’s her deal, man?”
Declan shrugged and grinned. “She gets around. Don’t slut shame, guys,” he cautioned with a serious look on his face.
“I wasn’t,” I protested. “I just thought it was strange…”
Declan snorted. “I’m fucking with you, Edward. I know you weren’t. And, yeah, that was weird. Guess it’s a good thing your man’s going off to Vandy, Cara. If he was staying in town, it looks like you might have some competition on your hands.”
Cara made a face at him and held onto my arm.
“Please,” I said derisively, pulling Cara in for a hug. “As if she could compete with you.” I pulled her close and whispered in her ear. “You know you have nothing to worry about, right? I’d never cheat on you anyway, and definitely not with someone like her.”
Lufton smiled at us as he stood behind Olivia and put his arms around her, pulling her against his chest.
“Ugh,” Declan pretended to hurl. “Your love disgusts me.”
“Same,” Aidan said, casting a look at Lufton and Livy.
“Y’all are just jealous,” Cara said.
“Whoa,” Declan said, standing up and looking over Cara’s shoulder. “Who the hell is that with Siobhan?”
We all turned and looked in the direction in which he was looking. Apparently, Declan was just now noticing Willa’s friend.
“Do you mean Willa’s boyfriend?” Olivia asked, frowning.
Declan’s head snapped towards her. “What?” If anything, he seemed angrier that the guy was with Willa than his sister.
“Chill, Dec. You’re almost shouting,” Cara said. “You’re going to embarrass her.”
He frowned and stared at them.
“Besides,” Cara continued, “where were you when he got here?”
“Oh, ah,” he rubbed the back of his neck, and his face colored slightly underneath his tan. “I was, um, hanging out with the girls.”
We all laughed. Lufton and I knew exactly what he’d been doing with his girl while sexy Sara was with Aidan.
Declan’s face was troubled. “What the hell is he doing? She’s way too young for that shit.”
Before any of us could stop him, he hurried over to where Willa and her boyfriend were holding hands and kissing by the lake.
We watched with a mixture of horror and amusement as Declan pulled the guy off her and jerked him up by the front of his shirt.
Olivia took off running, and we all followed her.
“Are you going to help Willa?” Cara asked as we jogged.
Livy turned and snorted while running. “Hell, no. I think the guy’s a tool. I just want a front row seat for the drama.”
Cara shook her head and tried to pull ahead of the group to go and smooth things over, but she was no match for Olivia.
Willa was staring open-mouthed at the scene unfolding before her when we reached her.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing with her? How old are you?” Declan held the guy off the ground. His feet were dangling helplessly. He looked both pissed and scared.
He tried to break free from Declan’s grasp, but it was impossible. Declan was several inches taller and much more muscular.
“I’m sixteen, asshole,” he said.
“Oh.” Declan dropped him, a confused look on his face. The guy hit the ground like a sack of potatoes. “I thought you were older.” Willa jumped into action and raced to help him off the ground.
He ignored her outstretched hand, got up by himself, and brushed off the dirt, looking furious. “What the hell? Who is this guy, Willa?”
“He’s just my stupid, meathead neighbor,” she said, not noticing that Declan looked as if she’d slapped him. “I’m so sorry,” she kept saying to her boyfriend.
The guy turned and gave Declan a look. “What the fuck is wrong with you, man? You want her or something? You’re like, thirty, you freak.”
Declan frowned, looking offended. “First, watch your fucking mouth. Second, I’m eighteen, idiot. And third, I most definitely don’t want her.” He pointed at Willa and gave her a look of derision. “She’s just a pesky little brat who lives next door to me.”
Willa’s face turned red, and I couldn’t tell whether she was angry or had hurt feelings.
“Whatever. I’m out of here,” the boyfriend said. He looked at Willa. “We’re done, Willa.”
“What? No!” She ran after him as he stalked off, and I could hear her begging him to calm down and stay.
“Willa!” Livy said sharply. Willa stopped in her tracks and turned around, her long blonde curls bouncing. “Let him go. He’s not worth your time.” Olivia wasn’t the type to beg anyone for anything. It was obvious it was killing her to see her sister do it.
Especially when she was so right. He wasn’t worth Willa’s time. She might be kind of awkward, and plain, but she was worth ten of that guy, with his grungy hair, faded band T-shirts, facial piercings, and shitty attitude. I was surprised she’d even looked twice at him to begin with.
Willa watched him leave with a look of longing on her face, but she listened to Olivia. Then she turned around and stared right at Declan with narrowed eyes.
He looked nervous, for once in his life, and I had to admit Livy was right. There was nothing that could tear me away from the drama about to unfold.
Willa strode up to Declan, got right in his face, and poked him in the chest several times to emphasize what she was saying.
And what she was saying was pretty brutal.
“Listen, you overgrown lump of a human being,” she hissed.
“I can’t wait for you to be out of here.
When you finally drive away from home, I’m throwing a party.
I’m going to celebrate like you’ve never seen.
And when you come back home? I’m going to make sure I’m away for the weekend.
Every. Single. Time.” She poked him a little harder with each word.
“I hope to never see you again. I hate you, Declan Whittaker. I always have and I always will.”
With that, she whirled around and stomped off. But I saw the tears on her cheeks as she started running into the woods.
“Willa,” Declan called after her. “You don’t mean that.” He turned to us, and I was surprised at how upset he looked. “She doesn’t mean that, right? We just like joking around… she doesn’t really hate me.”
Everyone shifted their feet uncomfortably, not saying anything. From an outsider’s perspective, I’d always thought Willa’s feelings towards Declan were obvious. The best case scenario was that she disliked him. A lot. But it seemed worse than that to me.
When the silence continued, Declan looked devastated. He looked at Siobhan. “She hates me?”
Siobhan winced. “I’m… not sure it’s hate, exactly. But she’s excited you’re leaving. And Dec, you just ran off her first boyfriend. She liked that guy.”
He stood there, dazed, his hands on his hips. “Huh. She hates me.” He started walking towards the woods where she disappeared.
“What are you doing?” Siobhan asked.
“Going after her.” Declan gave her a look. “Obviously. We need to talk this out before I leave…”
“No.” Siobhan shook her head. “That’s a bad idea. I’ll go talk to her.”
Declan looked like he might argue.
Cara went over and put a calming hand on his forearm. “Dec, I don’t think she hates you. But you need to give her space, okay? I’m sure that the first time you come home from college she’ll be happy to see you.”
The rest of us exchanged looks of doubt Declan couldn’t see, but no one said anything else.
“Right. Okay, then.” Declan was deflated. “Well. I think I’m going to go raid the dads’ beer cooler.”
He turned and walked away. Aidan and Olivia followed him, with Athena and Davenport hot on their heels bleating and oinking, and suddenly Cara and I were alone.
“That went well,” I tried to joke, but it fell flat.
Cara winced. “You know, I’m afraid Willa does hate him.
Over all these years they’ve had a prank war going on, and she’s always taken it so seriously.
Dec seems to be just joking most of the time, even though no one makes him as angry as Willa does.
They’ve always fought and been like oil and vinegar.
But I hoped one day they’d make up and have a good relationship.
” She looked sad. “I’m not so sure that’s ever going to happen. ”
“It’s hard to imagine them ever getting along,” I agreed.
She took a deep breath. “There’s nothing we can do about it now. Let’s just enjoy the evening.” She looked sad. “I can’t believe it’s our last night together.”
A heavy feeling came over me. It sucked being young and feeling as if you didn’t control your own life, your own future. “I don’t want it to be.” I pulled her against me, and she rested her face on my chest.
“I don’t either.” Her voice was muffled, but I could still hear her.
Suddenly, I couldn’t take it anymore. “You know what? This is ridiculous. We’re eighteen years old. We’re technically adults. We should be able to be together if we want to be.”
She pulled back and stared at me, the light of the setting sun still bright enough for me to see the deep green of her eyes. “What are you saying?”
I clenched my jaw, determined. I knew what I had to do. I looked down at her beautiful, sweet face. “Do you trust me?”
“So much,” she said with a smile that pierced my heart.
“I’ll be back. Wait up for me. I’ll climb the tree outside your window, okay?” It wouldn’t be the first time I’d climbed into her bedroom so that we could be sure we had privacy.
“Okay,” she frowned a little. “Don’t do anything you’re going to regret. If you and I are meant to be, and I think we are, then it will happen. Don’t try to force it if it’s going to hurt you.”
I grabbed her hands and gave them a little squeeze. “I’ll be back.” I turned and ran off towards my car. I didn’t know where Lufton was, but that was okay. He was the most self-sufficient person I knew.
“You promise?” Cara called after me.
I turned and waved at her. “Absolutely.” I didn’t know where my feelings of confidence had come from, but I was all set to talk to my dad. And I would not take no for an answer.
***
“Sir? Can I take your plate?”
The voice penetrated my thoughts, and I looked up with a jerk. “Yes. Yes, please.” I smiled and handed the waitress my plate. The girl assigned to keep my glass full was still hanging around, and she came over to top me off.
I thanked her absently, even though my thoughts were already moving back to the night that changed everything.
Absolutely everything.