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I don’t know whether I should be sad or relieved. Part of me wants to be mad at Theron enough to avoid him at all costs but another part of me hopes our paths cross. Maybe he has a good reason why he hasn’t come over. If I just hear him out…
“I’ll make popcorn,” Penny says distracting me just long enough to turn my focus out the kitchen window again.
Maya and Penny shuffle around me as I struggle to tear my attention away from Theron chasing Ash around the track. I kind of want to hop on the ATV and join them. Show Theron what I’ve learned. But I don’t even know if he’d care anymore. After all, he didn’t even come in to say hi.
My heart snaps back into my chest as I push aside the hope I had of spending more time with Theron and I join Penny and Maya in getting the snacks and drinks ready for our Back to the Future movie marathon.
“Speaking of parties,” Maya says. “Are you excited for your birthday party?”
“It’s not my party.”
“It will be. At least for a couple of minutes. When we do Jell-O shots and sing happy birthday,” Maya says with a wink.
When Maya first told me she and Penny were taking me to a house party the night before my birthday, I told her I didn’t want to go. It would already be awkward to show up to a party where I don’t know anyone. But to show up and demand they celebrate my birthday? That just seems rude. Then Maya assured me we’d do our own private celebration. No one else had to know. While I still feel weird crashing a stranger’s party, I agreed to go along. I’d rather that than turn eighteen home alone in my bedroom while pining for a boy I can’t have.
“Are Boone and Marta doing anything for your birthday?” Penny asks. The popcorn bag expands with the dozens of kernels exploding inside of it in the microwave behind her.
“Not much. I think we’re just having dinner and dessert here at home. If they’re okay with it, do you want to come?” I ask because as much as I like Boone and Marta, they haven’t been around as much as I thought they would be. I haven’t seen them or gotten to know them as well as I have Maya and Penny. Or Theron.
“Yeah,” Maya says and Penny echoes.
“Okay. I’ll ask and let you know.”
Maybe they’ll invite some of their friends too. Including Theron.
twelve
THERON
“I’mgoingin.Youwant anything?” I ask Ash on my way to the house.
“Nah. I brought my own,” Ash says pulling a flask from the inside pocket of his jacket and holding it up for me to see.
I should have brought my own drinks too but if I had, then I wouldn’t have an excuse to go inside and maybe see Skye. And I really want to see her. Just see her. Know that she’s okay. Happy.
When I step inside the kitchen, it’s dark except for the light from the oven and microwave clocks and the dim flashing of the TV around the corner in the living room.
From the sounds of it, they’re in the middle of the second film. My sister’s been obsessed with Back to the Future for so long, I’ve lost count of the times I’ve seen it. Ended up memorizing every line without trying.
When I open the fridge and look for a beer my heart sinks.
I’m going to miss this. After Mom sells the farm and I have to find someplace else to live, most likely in another town, I won’t be able to just drop by whenever, ride and have a drink with my friends like I have our whole lives. We’re all so close, like family. We can trust each other to come and go when no one’s home. Trust that whoever takes the last beer will buy more. No one has to ask permission or make plans. That only works while we’re all together and know what each other’s up to without having to ask. If I’m not here, I’ll be out of the loop. Never know what’s going on and have to make plans if I ever want to see anyone.
Reminding myself that I don’t need to worry about all that yet, I grab a bottle of beer. As I’m shutting the door, gently so as not to disturb the girls, I catch movement out of the corner of my eye down the hallway opposite the kitchen.
In the glow of the refrigerator light, I turn to see Skye standing on the other side of the dining room looking at me.
I don’t know what else to do, so I wave.
She waves back but otherwise doesn’t move.
This is all I wanted. To see her sweet face. Have one more memory of her. But now that I see her. All of her in nothing but an oversized flannel shirt, her hair tied up but loose strands framing her face, I want more than just to look at her. I want her voice, her scent, her touch. All of her. I want Skye.
After a moment, she looks between the living room on the other side of the wall from me and back to me in the kitchen. When she does it a second time, I do what I swore I wouldn’t and wave my hand for her to come over.
I can just make out a smile before she hurries past the wide arched opening between the dining room and living room as she makes her way to me.
“Hi,” she whispers.
