“Yeah. My dad said he’s planning it but I’m going to help him. He’s not good with stuff like that. It’s more of a mom thing.”
Briggs nods, seeming uncomfortable. Is it because I mentioned my mom?
“I can talk about her,” I tell him. “It doesn’t bother me, not that we have to talk about her. I’m just saying, I don’t mind if people ask me questions.”
He pauses, then says, “Do you remember her?”
“Only a little. I have a few memories of her but sometimes I’m not sure if they’re real or if I made them up. I have to ask my dad to know the answer.”
“Why would you make them up?”
“Because I want them to be true. Like when I was younger, I swore I had this memory of my mom taking me to the first day of kindergarten. I saw her holding my hand. Giving me a hug before she left. I could even smell her perfume. I played that memory over and over again in my head and then one day I told my dad and he said it never happened. She was gone by then. My dad’s the one who took me. Anyway, I don’t have a lot ofmemories like that. Most of the ones I have actually happened, but I don’t have many. I was too young when she died.”
He glances at the door. “We should get out of here. It’s getting late.”
I get up, wondering why he suddenly decided to leave. Was our conversation getting too personal? I probably shouldn’t have told him all that, knowing he’ll find a way to use it against me. I’m sure he regrets opening up to me, too, but there was something different about tonight. I didn’t feel like I was with the jerk who’s bullied me for years. I felt like I was with someone else, almost like I was out with a friend.
“I need to tell you something,” he says as we walk to my truck.
“What?”
“Finn’s dad took the Range Rover in to be fixed. He did it without telling Finn.”
“Did he ask how it got damaged?”
“Yeah, Finn told him he hit one of those concrete pillars in a parking garage. I don’t think anything will happen. I just thought you should know.”
“I’ve been trying not to think about it, but it’s all I can think about.”
“Me too.”
“Oh, shit.” I duck behind Briggs, hoping Ian didn’t see me. He was walking to his car, but stopped and looked over here.
“What’s going on?” Briggs asks. “Why are you hiding?”
“This guy I went out with is coming toward us. I only went out with him one time because he turned out to be an ass. I told him I didn’t want to see him again but he wouldn’t stop calling me. I had to finally just block his number.”
“He’s still coming this way.”
“Get rid of him!” I whisper, still hiding behind Briggs.
“Get beside me,” Briggs whispers back.
“Why?”
He reaches back and pulls me beside him, looking at Ian as he comes toward us. “Can I help you?”
“Yeah, I just wanted to say hi to Ella.” Ian smiles at me with that crooked smile of his that I never liked.
“Hey, Ian, how’s it going?” I say.
“Good. Haven’t seen you for a while. What have you been up to?”
“Work. School. The usual.”
Briggs puts his hand out toward Ian. “Briggs Chadwick.”
Ian looks confused as he shakes his hand. “How do you know Ella?”
