Sylvia, beaming, waved at her as they pulled up to the curb. “How was it?”
Diablo helped Fallon off the bike. “It was so cool. I liked it a lot,” she said.
“I can take you for a longer ride if you’d like. What’re you doing this Sunday?” Diablo asked.
“Sundays I work at the warehouse doing a bunch of chores.”
“But Jose can help you out so you get done faster. I can even pitch in so you’ll have the afternoon free.” Sylvia beamed.
Heat crept up her neck, spreading over her face and leaving red tracks in its wake. She looked down at the ground.
“Sounds like you’ll be free.” Diablo bent down low. “Do you want to get together this Sunday?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“I can swing by the warehouse. There’re a lot of back roads that are great to ride on. I’ll be by at one o’clock. Will that work?” She nodded. “Give me your phone.” She handed it to him and he started tapping. “I put in my number. Call or text me anytime.”
“Okay.” She glanced at Sylvia. “We better head back. Thanks again for the ride.”
As they drove away from the diner, Fallon craned her neck to look in the passenger mirror at him. He stood there until they turned off Main Street. She leaned back and folded her hands on her stomach. Her body was shimmering like a sparkler on the Fourth of July.This is by far the best day I’ve ever had.
“He likes you,” Sylvia said.
“I think he’s just being nice because he works for my dad.”But I hope I’m wrong. I want him to likeme.I’ve never met someone like him.
“No… that’s not it. He’s definitely into you. I could see it in his face. If any of the other girls find out, they’ll scratch your eyes out. Especially Emerald and Heidi. They’ve got the hots for him but he acts like he doesn’t know they exist. Don’t tell anyone about our day, okay? Even your dad. I mean, you can tell them we went shopping and had lunch, but don’t tell them about Diablo.”
“Why not?”
“Because they’ll spoil it.”
And she knew Sylvia was right. It seemed that whenever there was a glimmer of something special and good in her life, her dad always pissed on it. And now that Shanna was around, she made sure Fallon’s life was miserable. “I won’t breathe a word.”
Sylvia nodded and turned on the radio.
As the car rambled down the old highway, Fallon closed her eyes and relived the whole encounter with Diablo over and over in her mind.This is my memory. No one will ever be able to take it away from me.
A couple of miles from her house, her stomach started knotting up. She dreaded a confrontation with Shanna, and she didn’t want to hear her father’s words condemning her for her earlier behavior toward her step-bitch. She waved goodbye to Sylvia and slowly walked to her house. When she keyed in the code on the keypad outside the garage door, she breathed a sigh of relief as she walked into the empty garage. Her father and the bitch weren’t home.
She went up to her room and locked the door, then searched her phone for Diablo’s phone number. Looking at it made her smile. This was the first time she’d ever had a boy’s phone number. She held the phone against her chest and closed her eyes, the cool breeze reminding her how wonderful the ride had been. And holding him had been the best part of it.
I’ll never forget today. And no matter how awful Shanna or my dad are, I’ll always have today.
As she clutched her phone, sleep descended upon her.
