Wait for the Dream (Alpine University #1)

Prologue

Iran away from the nanny again. I think this one is gonna leave me soon, too.

They all leave me. I don’t try to make them leave, I promise.

I just can’t help it—when they’re mean to me, I bolt.

Mother never believes me when I tell her that, but she doesn’t seem to like me much, either.

She doesn’t believe anything I say. She just gets mad that she has to find another nanny.

One time, I heard her telling Father that they should just send me away.

Father told her it would look bad. I don’t know what that means.

This nanny’s name is Martha. She’s the absolute worst. She’s always mad. I won’t miss her when she leaves. So, I grabbed my favorite kind of popsicle, the blue one, from the freezer and went out the front door while Martha was in the bathroom.

I’m sitting on the driveway, finishing my blue popsicle, when a boy runs out the front door of the house next door.

I heard we were getting new neighbors, but I didn’t know they had kids.

The boy looks a little bigger than me. He comes charging toward me like a puppy when its owner gets home from work.

Not that I’d know anything about dogs, Mother and Father won’t let me have one.

I’ve just seen videos of them when I get screen time.

When he stops right in front of me all I see is eyes a little lighter than the chocolate I steal from Martha, and hair the color of the sun.

He’s wearing a green T-shirt with a bear on it.

“Hi, I’m Aiden Matthew Baker, and I’m four, what’s your name?” He asks with the biggest smile on his face. He’s bouncing on his toes, like he can’t stand still or something.

“Bailey Nicole Michaels. I’m four, too” I say back. I don’t have any friends, I’ve never seen any other kids around the neighborhood. I’m not sure Mother, Father, or the nannies would let me play with them even if there were, but since Aiden is next door, maybe we can play together sometimes.

“Well Bailey, I’m gonna call you Blue.” He’s a big ball of energy. I don’t know if I’ve ever met someone with so much energy before.

“Why?”

“Because your tongue is blue, duh.” He shakes his head and giggles. This boy is kind of weird, but I think I like it.

“Well, if you’re gonna call me ‘Blue,’ then I’m gonna call you ‘Bear.’”

He shrugs. “I guess that’s okay. I just moved in right there.” He says pointing at the house next to mine. “I don’t know anyone here, other than my little brother and sisters, but I don’t really like to play with them. We moved here from Texas, can we be best friends?”

“I don’t have a best friend, unless you count my nanny, which I definitely don’t. Actually, I don’t have any friends or brothers or sisters, so I guess.”

“Don’t you worry Blue, I’m the best friend you’ll ever have. You can ask my momma. She says I’m the best.”

“We will see about that. I’m not sure I’m a very good friend. All my nannies have called me a ‘pain in the ass.’”

“That’s a bad word, my momma would’ve washed my mouth out with soap for that one,” His nose crushes up and he makes a gagging sound.

“I was just repeating what they called me.” I mumble, embarrassed, “Please don’t tell. I don’t wanna get in trouble.”

“I won’t tell, but even if you are, we are gonna be best friends for the rest of our lives. Pop says we aren’t moving anymore, that this is our forever home, so it looks like you’re stuck with us.” He shrugs.

Right then Martha comes running out of the house, her face is the color of a tomato. I know she’s mad I ran away again. I’m in trouble.

“Bailey! How many times must you be told not to leave the house without an adult? You’re such a bad little girl. And you took a popsicle without asking? I am going to have to take your screen time away.” She’s yelling, but then she notices Bear standing there, “Who is this?”

“I’m Aiden. You’re not very nice. You shouldn’t call her a bad little girl.” Aiden says, putting his hands on his hips and stomping his foot. No one has ever stuck up for me before. I’m always in the wrong. The smile that has been on his face since he walked up is gone. I don’t like it.

“Why don’t you run along, and mind your own business? This doesn’t concern you, boy.” Martha responds, somehow turning even more red.

His eyes darted between us for a few moments before he says, “I’ll see you later Blue, don’t forget you’re my best friend now. I don’t think you’re a bad little girl. I think you’re nicest and the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.”

“Thanks Bear. I’ll see you later,” I respond in a shy voice.

No one has ever called me pretty before. The closest anyone has ever come to calling me pretty is the time Mother told me the green dress I wore to that stupid gala was a good color on me. I hate galas, I have to sit still and be quiet. It’s so boring.

As we walk toward the front door, I take one more peak at the boy who just became my best friend. I’ve never had a best friend before, but I think I’m gonna like it.

Aiden-14

Bailey has been staying with us for a couple of weeks.

Her parents are on some business trip, like always.

If we’re being honest, she spends 90% of her nights at our house anyway.

Martha quit a month and a half after we moved in, thank the Lord.

She was the worst. Blue had one more nanny that lasted about a year after that, and since she just spent all her time here anyway her mother and father didn’t hire anyone else.

Not that they notice she’s gone half the time.

I’m fairly convinced she could move into our house and they wouldn’t notice.

Momma and Pop don’t mind that she’s here.

There is a running joke that Bailey is the favorite child.

The day I met my Blue, I ran right into the house and told Momma that I met the prettiest girl I’d ever seen and I was gonna marry her someday.

Momma thought I was crazy, but I knew it was true.

I still do. She’s still the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.

I’ve loved Bailey since I was four—and I think I might just love her forever.

Pop once told me he knew Momma was the one for him the first time he ever saw her, and I think that’s what happened with Blue.

I’m not sure if she feels the same. She tells me she loves me, but I think she means it like a brother or just a friend.

I don’t mean it like that. Sometimes I think she gets upset, if the death glares she sends their way are any indication, when the girls at school flirt with me.

I hear what they say—that I’m cute—but I barely notice, because I’m watching Bailey.

I think I’ve always been watching Bailey.

I will never understand the way Bailey’s parents are with her.

They work a lot, so they’re never home. Her dad is the CEO of some high-profile tech company.

He’s always in meetings, working late and traveling for work.

Her mother is on the board of, like, three charities or something, and follows her father around like an obedient little puppy.

They care a lot about appearances, they expect Blue to show up for a few events a year, which she hates, but other than that she doesn’t exist. They treat her like a prop to make themselves look better.

My parents and three siblings, Maddox, Magnolia and Charlotte, love Bailey almost as much as I do.

My parents make sure we always have Blue’s favorite things in the house.

Blue popsicles are still her favorite color.

I’ve always found that weird, don’t most people like the red ones?

She also loves granola bars, Chex mix, and apple slices with peanut butter.

My parents have always said that Bailey is like their fifth kid, except I’ve never thought of her like my sister.

You can’t marry your sister, and I will marry Blue someday.

It’s Saturday night, her parents get home tomorrow, not that it really matters, and we start school on Monday.

We have a tradition that we started the Saturday before we started Kindergarten, we bring out our pillows, blankets, sleeping bags, and snacks, and sleep on my trampoline.

We stay up as late as we can talking about what we want the school year to bring.

The dreams and wishes have gotten more in depth over the years.

This year seems heavier. We start high school in two days.

Things are changing, and high school is a big deal.

I have a plan for tonight, and I just hope Blue likes it.

“Bear, I think we have everything. I’m headed outside.

Hurry up!” Bailey calls from the back door.

I’m grabbing the present I spent my whole summer saving for.

I mowed the lawns of our neighbors for $10 a pop and by the end of the summer, combining lawn mowing money and my allowance, I had just enough to get Blue the necklace I saw her admiring when we went to the mall at the beginning of the summer.

It’s a silver heart with a small sapphire gem nestled between two tiny diamonds right at the connecting point at the top.

The heart is on a plain silver chain. I did my best to balance mowing lawns and spending time with her.

Her face lit up when she saw it in the window of the jewelry store, and I love it when she smiles, so I try to make it happen as much as possible.

“I’m right behind you!” I call putting the necklace in the pocket of my pajama pants. God, I hope she likes it. I’m so nervous.

We go out and get settled. Blankets, pillows, and our favorite music playing on the small radio my mom gave us when we first started doing this. As we are listening to the song, Dress by Taylor Swift, while looking at the stars. Bailey breaks the silence.

“We have one more day of summer before school starts, are there any last minute things you wanna do before our summer ends?” Bailey asks a few hours later. She sounds kind of nervous, but I’m not sure why.

Since we came outside, we have been chatting about how this has been the best summer ever.

I know we say that every year, but I truly think I mean it this time.

She reminds me of the time that Maddox scared me by jumping out of the shower when I was just about to use the bathroom.

We reminisce about the trip we took to the lake this summer with my family, and all the fun things we got to do while we were there.

She tells me how she is excited for her first year of high school, how she is going to try out for the volleyball team, and to cheer me on at every football game.

We have some variation of the same conversation every year before school starts, the only difference is the answers to the questions.

“The only thing I have left, is to give you the present I got for you.” I answer and get the necklace out of my pocket and hand it to her.

My hands shake and my breath is uneven as I present her with the necklace.

“Oh my God, Aiden. What did you do?” She has tears in her eyes, but I can’t tell if they’re the happy kind, or not.

“I’ve been saving all summer, all my mowing jobs were so I could get you this.

I saw the way your face lit up when you saw it in the window and knew you had to have it.

” I respond shyly. My mind races with every negative possibility.

She could hate it, which would be really awkward, our relationship would get weird after that, and we may never talk again.

Okay, so that’s the worst case scenario, but it could happen. Right?

“Thank you so much! I love it. You’re the best, Bear.

” She throws her arms around me in a tight hug, and I let out a breath of relief.

I bury my face in her hair and breathe in her fruity shampoo.

I’ve always loved the smell of her hair.

Is that weird? “Will you put it on me?” She asks when she pulls back. “I’m never going to take it off.”

I take the necklace from her hands and put it around her neck, “Any last minute things you wanted to do before we start school?” I ask as I finish the clasp.

“There is one thing, but I promise you can say no if it’s weird.” She starts to play with the end of her hair, which she does when she’s really nervous or scared.

“Okay? You’re making me nervous, Blue. What is it?” I ask. Doesn’t she know she could ask me anything, and I would do it for her?

“So, I really don’t want to start high school before I’ve had my first kiss. So, I was wondering if you would kiss me.”

I sit there just blinking at her, completely stunned, for a few moments. Never in a million years did I think my best friend, the literal girl of my dreams, would ask me to kiss her.

“I’d do anything for you, you know that, but are you sure that’s what you want?”

“Yes, I’m sure. I’ve thought about this pretty much all summer.

I don’t want to go into high school never having kissed anyone, and you’re my best friend.

I don’t really trust anyone else, so I guess I thought maybe it could be you.

” She’s rambling. Another one of the things she does when she’s nervous.

“If you don’t want to kiss me, it’s okay.

I don’t want to pressure you or anything. ”

I know her, in some ways, better than I know myself.

So I know that if I didn’t lean forward and bridge the distance between us, her ramble would never stop.

At the first press of her lips against mine, I know my life has been changed forever.

Her lips are soft, and while I haven’t kissed anyone before either, I know I never want to kiss anyone else.

It’s awkward, and we fumble around in our exploration of each other’s lips, but isn’t that what first kisses are supposed to be?

At least that’s what the other guys in our grade said when they talked about their first kisses.

“Wow,” I breathe when we pull away. “Sorry, you started to ramble, I knew you wouldn’t stop if I didn’t do something, so I figured that would be the quickest way to get you to stop. I hope that was okay.”

“It was perfect, Bear. Thank you.” Her cheeks are flushed, and she’s never looked prettier than she does in this very moment. “I’m sorry if you felt pressure to do that.”

“You didn’t pressure me. I wanted to. It was the perfect first kiss.”

“That was your first kiss too? I thought you had girls lining up to kiss you.”

“Shut up! You know, I don’t like any of those girls.”

“Yea, I’m the only girl in your life.” She lowers her voice to mimic mine and rolls her eyes. I guess I say that more often than I thought.

The subject changes and we don’t talk about the kiss again, but it’s all I could think about.

I relived that kiss in my head for years dreaming of the day I’d get to do it again.