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“Mila,” Dad calls out, and I spin to see him entering my room. “I just got off the phone with Ridgecrest. You can start Monday with everyone. We just have to go in and get everything settled in the morning.”
I let out a deep sigh of relief, glad I wasn’t going to a prep school. It isn’t my style. I’d already been at a pompous private schools for the past four years. I have zero intention of going back to that.
“Thanks, Dad.” I put the skateboard down and move over to my single bed. “I think I might need to wash these sheets. They haven't been changed in four years, and they’re a little dusty.”
I tap my palm down in the middle of the purple comforter, and dust particles rise up and dance in the sunlight. He chuckles, and I do too, until I sneeze. Even then, I can’t keep the smile off my face.
Studying Dad, I can’t help but notice the fine lines along his eyes and mouth. He’s aged since I left, but he still looks young and handsome.
“I’m just so happy to have you back, Mila. This”—he waves his hand at me and the room—“back again. Under my roof and with me.”
I hug him, swallowing the lump forming again. I can’t seem to keep my emotions at bay. “Me too, Dad. I won't go back.”
That’s a promise.
Dad leaves me to wash the bedding and let me unpack. He gave me some bags to fill with old clothes in my closet that don’t fit anymore and supplies for cleaning. He’d really left my room untouched. I even find my Halloween candy stash that are years past their expiration.
Needing some fresh air, I open the window, and the smell of the freshly cut grass from the neighbor behind pours in. I hear a voice calling out and laughing. I peer into the yard of Jace Montero and see his older brother Grady there with another guy. They’re topless, lounging on outdoor chairs, drinking beer and laughing.
My heart races at the sight of Grady. I might have had a little crush on him growing up. Jace and I used to drive him crazy. Back then, we’d found it funny. Now, I realize he must have considered me an annoying little sister. He’d called me that once and, like a bucket of cold water, had doused all the flames of the girlish crush I’d had on him.
He has filled out…the washboard abs and the tan he’s rocking have my body very aware he has only gotten better with age. I can see his jaw has sharpened too and those full lips of his are even more kissable than ever.
I lean out my window, preparing to say hello. But I’m distracted by the walkie-talkie on the windowsill. My parents and Jace’s gave them to us for Christmas when we were eight. Mine is exactly where I used to leave it each night, in case Jace wanted to talk to me. Our houses are a mirror of each other. My bedroom looks out over the side of his yard, as does Jace’s room with mine.
I look toward his window, finding the blinds drawn. Clicking the button on the walkie-talkie, it comes to life. I smile at the white noise. It reminds me of the last Halloween we were together and Jace slept over.
“Shh, he might hear us,” Jace warns as I let a giggle slip. We’re hiding under my windowsill.
“How is he gonna hear us when we are in my house, silly? Plus, he’s looking for the candy stash we said we left in there.” I raise my brows at Jace, and he just shakes his head with a huge grin.
I grab a piece of candy corn from the bag we got from trick-or-treating earlier and throw it at Jace. He catches it and pops it into his mouth with a grin.
Grady said he was “too old” to trick or treat, but he wants our candy. He’s barely a year older than us. I didn’t see how that was too old. But we don’t want to share it with him when we did all the hard work.
We’d put all our candy into one big bag, like we do every year. We share it and have a sleepover. There are flavors I don’t like but Jace does, and some he hates and I think are the best. So, it makes sense to combine it and eat it all together.
“Here, give it to me.” He reaches out with his palm open, and I give him the walkie-talkie and turn around.
My fingers grip tightly to the edge of the windowsill as I peek up to see if Grady is still in Jace’s room. “He’s still there, looking. He’s going into the closet. Wait…wait…do it…now.”
I put my fist to my mouth, trying to hold myself together as Jace makes a creepy sound into the walkie-talkie, knowing it’ll broadcast to the one hiding in his closet.
Grady jumps and runs out of Jace’s room. We burst into laughter until our tummies hurt. That was the best. We got Grady so good. Jace sits up next to me now, and we both look into his room, waiting to see if Grady comes back.
It only takes a few minutes before Grady storms back into the room. He looks at us and points. He isn’t happy.
“Busted,” Jace and I say at the same time, and we burst into giggles.
“You two,” Dad says at my bedroom door, startling us. We quickly turn and sit up straight, pretending we weren’t doing anything. “No more candy; it’s time for bed. And stop scaring Grady or I will confiscate the walkie-talkie.”
Our mouths drop open. We weren’t good at pretending at all. Dad moves to close my door, but he winks at us just before closing it. We look at each other, brows raised, before bursting into another round of giggles.
Ismile to myself. It’s one of my favorite memories. I have a lot, but that night was particularly fun. The next day, not so much. Grady told me I was like an annoying sister that he didn’t have and didn’t want.
With those few words, my crush disappeared in the blink of an eye.
I move back inside the room and turn away from the window. Suddenly, I have no desire to see Grady. I’m worried he’ll react like Jace did, and I don't think I can handle rejection twice in an hour.
I glance back at my dusty, disheveled room.
This was gonna be a long afternoon.
