The hour hand on my watch scolds me. “Crap, JuneBug! It’s three twenty! We’re late!” We take off running. About six blocks into it, JuneBug stops and leans over. “You go on without me. I’ll catch up.” She flops down on her butt in the middle of the sidewalk. “Or not.”
I jog/run until I get to my destination. The porch steps disappear beneath my long steps. I feel ridiculous as I throw open the door to see my mom cozied up to toolbelt Jack, deep in discussion with the older man? Mom shakes his hand. “We’ll take it.” She sounds so sure of herself!
I rush them. “Mom. Did you just buy a house?”
She turns to me, grinning from ear to ear. “I did.”
My hand flies up in the air. “High five, Mom! That’s so boss!”
Jack throws his head back and laughs. “You must be Juniper’s new friend. You’re all she’s talked about for the last month and a half.”
I’m not ready to be Jack’s friend, especially with the looks he’s giving my mom. “That’s funny. I haven’t heard anything about you.”
He laughs again and winks at my mom. “Your daughter’s got some spunk.”
The evil Easy A stink-eye creeps out of me. “Whatever...”
Mom turns on me. “Katie. If you can’t be more civilized, perhaps you’d like to step outside.”
“Sure thing, Mom.” I turn to the old man. “Are the buildings outside unlocked? I’d love to go look at them.”
He hands me a set of keys. “Knock yourself out.”
I grab them up and march out the front door, determined not to feel bad about being so rude to handsome Jack. I skip the greenhouse, not really caring about that so much, as I head to the She-Shed. The lock turns with the third key. The door swings wide. I flip on the lights. It’s all wood floors. There’s a wide stepladder in the front that leads to the second floor. A back stepladder of the same kind hides in the back corner. I love it!
A quick walkthrough of the downstairs reveals so much open space that begs for my mom’s newfound imagination and confidence to fill it. I get to the back of the shed, climb up the ladder to the second story, and sit down to rest on a forgotten chair. A big window in the roof opens up into the sky. I want to be closer, so I walk over and grab an old quilt to lie on as I stare out the window of different shades of blue.
It’s so still and quiet, I get lost in the clouds. I love the feel of the cool boards at my back through the thin quilt. Footsteps start off to my left and I close my eyes in fright. Is this place haunted, or has my overactive imagination finally sent me around the bend? The footsteps get louder and louder, and a board creaks. I whip my head in their direction and peek out of one eye. My pocket hand stays on my phone, ready to call 9-1-1. The dark shadows slowly become a guy. He approaches, not saying a word.
He lays down beside me. He takes my hand in his, and I let him. Why won’t he talk? This is just too weird. I clear my throat. “How’d you get up here?”
“Climbed a tree by the window.”
“How did you know I was here?”
“It’s a small town. I took a chance.” He swallows hard. “You didn’t call me.” Is he annoyed?! What the heck.
“So,” I answer.
“So this is your home.” He’s all cool and nonchalant, like invading other people’s spaces is just something that he does.
“Yep.”
“Were you going to call me?” He sounds so unsure, but that can’t be.
“It hasn’t even been a day.” I bite my lip. I don’t know why I’m explaining myself. He’s on my property.
“Yeah, but most girls call.” Why is he making such a big deal?
“I’m not most girls.”
“No, you’re not.” He sounds irritated, and I’m a lot annoyed. I glance over at him. Sure, he’s hot, but so what? I’m torn. Half of me wants my hand back, but the other half can’t wait for what comes next.
We stare out the window in silence for what feels like forever, and just when I think this surreal moment of confusion is over, he lets go of my hand and turns on his side.
I know what’s coming before it happens, just like I know at this moment it wouldn’t matter if his hot cheerleader girlfriend was in the same room, I wouldn’t change a single second. I turn my head in his direction as his hand finds the edge of my ear, grazes my shoulder, traces my arm, and stops on my hip. His rough palm rests on my skin and his thumb brushes my rib cage. His lips still haven’t touched mine. I won’t be the first one to move. Instead, I lay here, trying to breathe and not call him something ridiculous, like Ryan Gosling.
He dips his head and whispers in my ear. “Welcome to the neighborhood, Katy-did.” He gives my ear a nibble, before moving along my jawline. By the time he gets to my lips, I’m one incoherent, thirsty girl. One hand goes for the back of his neck, while the other gets a belt loop, as I pull him closer. I want to feel everything, and I do, and it’s wonderful. Minutes later, he pulls away, but not before I see his hand shake a little. A small wave of triumph rolls through me, until I look down to see my shirt halfway unbuttoned. How did that happen?
I get to my feet and draw my shirt closed. I will not be embarrassed. “I’m not the one with a girlfriend.” My hand flies over my mouth. Yep, I said it out loud. I point a long finger at him. “Get out of my She-shed!”
He stands up, all smirky smirk in front of me. “It was just a kiss, Katy-did. I was just saying hello.”
Every part of me is on fire, but I won’t let him see me rattled. The back of my hand brushes across my mouth. I act all cool. “It was alright, but I’ve got better things to do.” The wounded look on his face is so satisfying. Sunlight shines through the window, pulling me closer. It shines down on me like a spotlight; a musical-worthy moment.
His eyes roam from my head to my toes. “What’s that on your feet?”
Oh crap, the secret henna is not so secret anymore. My open sandals tell on me. “Nothing.”
He leans over and shines his phone light. I plop down hard, Indian style. This is all so childish, but he’s not seeing my feet. He takes my challenge and drops down beside me! He tickles my sides and makes me squirm, while he lays me out. He holds my legs down and grabs my foot! I pull on his arms, but they’re like steel, yet his touch on my foot is soft. He glances up at me with knowing eyes. “You love olives?”
My eyes widen. “I do. I’m a huge Olive fan.”
“That’s weird.”
I throw up my hands. “I’m a weird-o.”
He gets to his feet and stretches out his hand. I take it. He yanks me up and jerks me to him before I can push him away, but let’s be honest, that wasn’t my first thought. I surrender to his kiss and tell myself it’s the last time, which is why I cling to him. His phone vibrates in his pocket, and he steps away as gracefully as he stepped into me. “Hey, baby.” I get the chills.
Shell-shocked and on the verge of hyperventilating, I forcibly exhale for like, too many seconds as I clamber down the ladder while I try to find my footing. Oliver, the heartless cheater, messes with my internal GPS. Big time. I relax a hair when I hear mom’s voice but freeze mid-step to button my shirt and straighten my hair. I’m all out of sorts by the time I get to her.
“Hey, Mom,” I manage.
“What took you so long?”
Annoying Jack is still here, looking like he knows more than he should. “Yeah, Katy-did, what took you so long?”
“I was just looking around.” I feel as guilty as a seasoned criminal.
“Huh. Well, you missed a button.” Jack smirks.
My fingers search for my mistake. I’m totally embarrassed. A guilty hand covers my front. I wish I could erase Oliver’s hold on me as easily as hiding my tattletale crooked buttons. I drop the keys in my mom’s hand. “Yes, thanks for that, Jack. I’ll just head back to the hotel now. I gotta see JuneBug.”
I see nothing but red as I head straight for the front desk and JuneBug. “Did you tell him where I live?”
“What? Who?” Her cluelessness seems real.
“You know who. He showed up in my She-Shed. How would he know I was there unless you told him?” I demand.
She’s all smiles. “Trust me, Katydid. We’re not that good of friends. He figured that one out by himself. What happened?”
My skepticism lingers like his cologne, that is my new favorite scent. “Nothing.”
She looks all dejected. “I know something happened. You wouldn’t have a bug up your butt otherwise. But if you don’t want to tell me, fine.”
I fidget. I squirm. This is my best friend. Can’t she tell I don’t have a clue? I yank JuneBug into the nearest closet and shut the door. We’re in the dark. “I don’t know how I feel about what just happened. All I know is it’s not like me—at least I don’t think.”
A light comes on. JuneBug scowls at me. “We’re best friends, Katie, and best friends don’t hide things from each other.”
“Fine. He kissed me, alright?” I hiss.
Her mouth drops open and her gum falls out on the shelf on the way to the floor. She picks it up, considering.
“Throw that away, right now. Do you know how many germs…” I scold.
She tosses it. “Alright, Dr. Oz. Dang.” She shoves her hand in her pocket and grabs another piece of gum. “So, spill. Was there spit swapping? Did he get to second base?”
My face flames. “What? No. I’m not going to tell you all that.”
She rolls her eyes. “Fine. Is he a good kisser?”
“I suppose.” Out of this world, send me to another planet and leave me there.
“Now I know you’re lying. That boy can kiss. Is he the best you’ve ever kissed?”
Having my sorry excuse of a love life examined feels a bit pathetic. “JuneBug. I’m a six-foot-tall basketball star, with no spare time. How many lips do you think I’ve kissed?”
Her eyes bug out, and she gets all swoony? “You’re tellin’ me that you had your first kiss at seventeen, and it was from the hottest boy at our school? Girl, that is some kind of record. You are the bomb!”
I smile. When she puts it that way, I don’t feel so bad. A little balloon of hope blooms inside my chest.
JuneBug’s eyes are all lit up. “I hope you got a mean right hook, cause that crazy girlfriend of his will scratch your eyes out.” Balloon of hope deflated.
“Oh?” I try to sound bored, but I’m terrified.
“Oh, yeah. She’s the head cheerleader, and she’s got herself a little posse. All those mean girls do.”
I turn out the light, shove JuneBug out the door, and ponder this thought as I stare at her back. “Yep.” I’m going to die.