AllFreeNovel
Share Us
We waited silently while the last of the guys left the bathroom and the bell rang. Then I heard Xander unlock his stall door.
“Just don’t bust your face this time,” he said.
I left my stall, facing him. “Fall one time and all of a sudden your friend doesn’t trust you anymore.”
Terrell chuckled. “You’re lucky the seniors graduated so they’d stop calling you scar face.”
I shook my head. “Let’s do this before we get caught.”
We walked to the bathroom door, and Xander cracked it open, checking the hallway for teachers or the hall monitor. Phil Grant wasn’t nearly as bad as Pixie Adler, but he had a habit of popping up at the worst moments. Even though he had special permission to get to class a few minutes late, he should be gone by now.
“All clear,” Xander said, pulling the metal door open.
We spilled into the hallway, Xander holding his skateboard close to his chest, and hurried toward the front door, ducking at every classroom so we wouldn’t be seen.
At the front door, Terrell used his height to slide a sticky note between the door alarm to trick it into thinking no one had opened the door, and then we were out on the front steps, basking in the autumn sunshine.
Xander pressed the board to my chest. “It’s go time.”
With a smirk, Terrell said, “Want me to pre-dial 911?”
I rolled my eyes, shoving off my backpack and taking the board. I spent enough time surfing to know I could handle this, and I skated around with Xander plenty over the years. This was no big deal.
Even though the stairs were looking taller than they usually did.
I put the board on the ground while taking off my blazer—Mom would kill me if I got a rip in this one—and then got used to the feel of the board under my feet.
I could see Terrell swaying side to side. “Dude, you need to hurry up before someone catches us.”
I smirked at him. “Scared?”
He rolled his eyes. Xander laughed.
I took a deep breath, gauging the distance between the school’s front door and the middle railing. Then I bounced on my heels to prep myself, and kicked off on the board toward the railing.
Getting close, I lifted one leg, then pushed down and back to gain momentum.
Just like I was about to surf a massive wave, adrenaline coursed through my body, slowing everything down as I rose through the air. And then I found purchase on the metal railing, wind rushing past my body as I slid down with the grind of board against steel.
Movement flashed in my periphery, navy blue and brown. Curvy.
The distraction cost me my balance, and I swung my arms, attempting to correct myself just a little too late. I bailed from the board, missing the bottom two steps and rolling on the concrete with a big grunt as a scream pierced my ears.
Groaning, I rolled to my back, doing a mental assessment. Nothing felt broken, but my shoulder hurt like a son of a gun.
Footsteps reached me, and that citrus ginger scent hit my nose as April knelt over me, her hair falling around her face and the sun hitting her crown like a halo.
“Oh my god, Diego, are you okay?”
“Better now,” I replied with a smirk.
Her worried look immediately turned to one of annoyance.
“Come on, can’t smile if you’re mad,” I said, grinning despite the splitting pain in my shoulder.
Her lips fought all her willpower, pulling into a smile. “I hate you.”
“Back at you, Adams,” I replied. She was already walking away, and I didn’t mind the view one bit.
