Airel Read online

  It was nice out, unlike the day before, and the sun shone in full force. Kim was going on about her latest crush, James Carver. He was the new star quarterback, a transfer from another school, and way out of her league. But who was I to burst her bubble?

  I pulled in to the Sunrise Café and parked. I needed breakfast and a cup of coffee with lots of cream. I guess Mom was starting to get to me. The unrelenting rants on breakfast were beginning to sink in. Maybe she was right anyway, and I should take more time in the mornings to eat. Then again, maybe she was just being a mom.

  “Did you see him at practice yesterday? Like, he had his shirt off, and man-oh-man was he buff! I wonder if he saw me? I think he was waving at me.” Kim smiled and tugged on her purse strap as we went into the little mom-n-pop café.

  “Kim, you do realize that he’s the quarterback? He’s the one that all the cheerleaders and every other bimbo are after. Believe me, you don’t want that guy anyway, he has a big enough head as it is.” I grabbed a booth and looked at the menu, hoping she would wise up. Knowing her, it was a lost cause.

  Kim shut her mouth and stuck out her lower lip. “Thanks for raining on my dreams. You can’t help who you fall in love with.”

  “Come on, Kim. Love? You’ve talked to the guy like what—once?” I hated to be the voice of reason. I was beginning to think I should take some of my own advice. I tried to stop thinking about him, but everything I looked at, every billboard, sign and newspaper, all reminded me of him. It was as if his face or his name was everywhere.

  “Look who’s talking, miss 'in love with the hottest guy in school!' No—in the entire town!” She had me. Busted. I hid a smile behind my menu. Just in time the waitress came by to get our orders.

  “I’ll get the Sunrise breakfast and a coffee.” There were lots of little individual creamers in the little dish on the table, plus Splenda to drown out the bitterness. I’d learned how to make coffee my grandpa’s way—he loved cream and sugar. Now I couldn’t take it any other way, except I substituted Splenda for sugar.

  Kim looked at the choices and had decided, but she was still trying to hold on to her pouting lip. It made me laugh. “Give me the French toast with a side of bacon—lots of bacon. And OJ, please.” Our skinny waitress hurried away with a smile.

  I sat back and looked through the crowd. Local farmers and regulars reading the Thrifty Nickel. The place had a hometown feel to it, with a huge wagon wheel on the wall, painted saws with mountain scenes on them, and old West stuff. We were a bit out of place surrounded by farmers and construction workers, but I loved eating at the Sunrise Café. It was nostalgic. I used to pop in for breakfast with my dad back when he had more time off.

  I loved my dad, but somehow he and I had grown apart over the years. It might be that I was growing up and that’s just what happens, but I missed him and our little dates. I was thinking about the first time I came here with him, when I noticed that Kim was not talking. That was not an everyday occurrence with her.

  “What?” I asked a bit defensively. She was looking at me as if I just had a nose job or something.

  “Did you change make-up or do something different today?” She was leaning closer, and just like her, had to touch my face. People talk about their bubbles. Kim’s bubble was much bigger than mine. Actually, she had no bubble.

  I sat back as politely as I could, just out of her reach. “No, just the same old thing I always do. Why, what’s wrong?” I pulled my compact out and looked at my reflection to see what all the fuss was about—did I have a zit coming in?

  “I don’t know… just something looks different. Like, in a good way. You look like you have a smoother complexion. No little blackheads and tiny bumps like normal.”

  “Oh, well thanks. I didn’t know my face was inspected every morning by the zit patrol!” I didn’t see anything worth getting all worked up about, but I did look good, considering how I had jumped out of bed and just pulled my hair back in a pony. It was Saturday, I was going shopping with my best friend, and who cared about anything else.

  “Hmmmm. Well maybe it’s that new cream I got you. Anyway, you look good. Maybe I’ll have to use it some more. We all know I need it!” Kim flipped her reddish hair and it bounced like a shampoo commercial. She was pretty. She had three faint freckles on her right cheek. She hated them. She plastered on the cover-up to hide them but I thought they were cute.

  Our food came. I took a bite of my fave—the wonderful scrambled eggs. I savored the flavor, when like a freight train, barf-o-matic showed up in full force. Come on! Not on my weekend… I need a break—please… My chest felt tight and a wave of nausea flooded over me. I almost lost it right there all over my delicious eggs. I jumped up, knocking over my steaming cup of coffee, and ran to the bathroom. Yet another great start to a perfect day—spilling coffee and puking in the bathroom. This is starting to get old!

  Seconds behind me, Kim burst into the bathroom and saw me hunched over a grungy toilet, having a close conversation with the porcelain bowl. “Awww! Airel, what’s wrong? Girl, you need to see a doctor. This is not normal! I mean, you’ve got some sort of bug or something.”

  I heaved one more time, then started to feel like it was going away. I walked to the sink and avoided looking in the mirror. “Whatever it is… it sucks!” I splashed water on my face and washed out my mouth. The water tasted sickening and sweet. Ugh! Probably better ask Kim if she has any gum…

  “Are you pregnant?”

  I looked up in the mirror at my friend, shocked, and shook my head. “Kim! A million other girls…” Only Kim would blurt out that question, and at a time like this, in a dingy café bathroom after I had just thrown up. “Pregnancy requires sex, which I haven’t had. I am not pregnant!” I was wondering, was she just joking around or did she really think I could possibly be pregnant?

  “Hey! I had to ask. I mean, hello, it’s the most obvious question.”

  “Yeah, but do you understand what asking the question means?”

  “Okay, fine. I’m sorry. But you need to go see a doctor. Something is definitely up.” Kim fiddled with her hair and looked at me with her big green eyes. She looked really confused and concerned all at the same time.

  “I hate doctors.” It made my stomach hurt just thinking about going to a doctor. “I’m fine, it’s just the flu or something like that.” I stood up all the way, testing things. “See? All better. Got any gum?” Kim gave me a stick of some over marketed tropical-vacation-in-a-wrapper, and I took it, chomping into it savagely. “Let’s go. I’m still hungry and I need to get to the mall quick. I gotta put this bad start to the day behind me.” I lifted my hands in the air and spun around like a little girl in a summer dress, as if this would show how good I was supposed to feel.

  After one last look at my hair, we left the bathroom and headed back to our booth. I tried not to look at the grizzled old people, other customers, who were regarding us as if we were from Mars. I didn’t care at the moment. Besides, they were all scrappy old men anyway. But I did have a feeling, an undeniable sense of being watched. It took over all my senses and I felt the hair on my arms stand up on end. I didn’t even know I had any hair on my arms, but it was all excited about something.

  Standing in the doorway were two guys. One was James,—yeah—the James, as in, star quarterback… and walking through the door right behind him was Michael Alexander. It was a slo-mo moment. He was gorgeous and I probably looked like I was about ready to drool, my mouth hanging open.

  Kim and I both stopped dead in our tracks. As soon as we did, they both looked at us. Michael looked like a Greek god as he stood tall in the doorway with a light colored t-shirt on that made his shoulders look like they were going to rip the fabric apart.

  I looked away quickly, as if I hadn’t seen him, and started for our table. My face flushed yet again. Kim, on the other hand, gushed and giggled as only Kim can do. “Hey, I can’t believe you guys are here! What are you doing?” She walked toward them invitingly, which wa
s a bad thing. That meant he was going to end up at our table, and then…

  You can do this… don’t be a baby. Act normal for once in your life and talk to him. Don’t think about what to say. Just act like you’re not a total idiot. Michael had an easy walk as he moved toward our table. He was wearing a faded pair of blue jeans. I can’t remember what James was wearing. Who cares?

  I sat down, smoothing my hair, regretting that I had not spent more time on it this morning. I was caught with a grab-a-handful-and-be-done-with-it ponytail and there was nothing I could do about it. My hair was probably sticking up everywhere, like I was seriously one of those girls who went out in their pajamas. I cringed inside, hoping he wouldn’t get the wrong impression.

  “Kim and Airel, right?” Michael’s voice was deep and smooth, sending unwanted shivers up my spine. This was just plain stupid, not to mention the way he seemed to not even notice my discomfort. I thought that he was a nice person and that he probably made every girl feel like this. Maybe I was the one with the problem.

  Kim was a little breathless. “Yeah, Michael Alexander and James Carver. Who doesn’t know your names?” She stood and looked at James as if he was on clearance at Vanity, which was her favorite store at the moment.

  James looked at me and smiled but didn’t say anything. Michael slid into the booth and looked at Kim, who then joined me and pushed me in toward the window. I guessed they were joining us. Not like I was having a bad day or anything. Then again, seriously, not like I minded. I just wish I would have known. I was glad for that stick of gum, though. I tried not to chomp it.

  “Mind if we join you guys?”

  Now that you’re already seated! I smiled.

  “Oh, we’d love for you to join us. We just got our food and… well I’m sure they can get you a menu.” Kim couldn’t wipe that retarded smile off her face and James looked as uncomfortable as I was.

  So now we were sitting. James and I were looking at each other like caged animals. Kim and Michael chatted it up like old grade school friends. My heart was beating faster than I thought possible and I tried not to think about the guy who sat a few feet from me. I could see his eyes sparkle as he talked. The way he held his glass of water... every movement was flawless, like he was some billionaire’s son who spent hours learning how to hold and drink from a glass in the most perfect way. But there was more to him... something fine and sinewy and cat-like. I had to look away and try not to breathe hard. Looking at him was like drinking from some forbidden pool and I could not get enough, ever.

  “So, Ariel.” He said my name! I tried to look as calm as I could, but I responded clumsily. “What are you and Kim up to today?” He gazed into my eyes, and for a second I felt like I knew him or that maybe he knew me. It was so weird how he seemed so familiar.

  Don’t just sit there, answer him! “We’re going to the mall and then we thought we might go see a movie.” I was amazed. I talked like a normal girl, no hint of a stutter or of my voice cracking. Yay. I even sounded calm and collected. “What about you guys? What brings you to our favorite café?”

  “Well, James here offered to show me around. My dad and his dad know each other from high school. I used to play with this guy when we were like four.” He smiled at James, who was loosening up, or so it seemed.

  “Yeah, we even got my sister to eat mud after we convinced her that it was chocolate!” James smiled and hit the table as he laughed, making the forks and knives clink a little. He was shorter than Michael and had dark wavy hair. He glanced at Kim every now and then to see if she was still staring at him. She was.

  Kim was not shy. She was not subtle, sensitive, or secretive. She didn’t play games because she wasn’t sure of herself—no, she played games on her terms, for fun. She liked James and she would not hide it, even if she could have. “You should so come with us! We could use your opinions as guys. It’ll be fun. We’ll show you around.” Kim’s big, fat mouth. I could have killed her. I wasn’t just terrified to the bone... I prayed fervently that they would decline her offer. What had happened to girl time? Besides, what guys wanted to hang out with a couple of girls as they went shopping?

  Michael smiled and looked at James. I was relieved to see on James’ face a hint of the same horror I was feeling. Michael took a sip from his glass and grinned crookedly. I began to melt, but recovered quickly.

  “That could be cool. We wouldn’t mind, right, James?” he elbowed his friend, the quarterback. “James here isn’t much for conversation and he drives even worse. It would be nice to hang with somebody interesting.” James half-smiled and looked over his shoulder for the escape hatch.

  I hear ya buddy. I’m looking for it too. I had to interject. “That is,” I said a little too eagerly, “unless you already have plans. Ya know, like, I don’t know, playing… catch, or… something.” I trailed off, yet again.

  Michael Alexander, brutally handsome, answered my plea with a rejection: “No plans.”

  “Cool!” said Kim, sealing my fate for the day.

  Chapter VI

  We pulled into the mall parking lot, cruising for a parking space. I hated walking half a mile just to get to the doors. Michael and James followed us and I saw his big white Chevy disappear from my rearview mirror. I figured Michael had just pitched it into the first open spot or even took up like four spaces way out in the middle of nowhere just so his baby wouldn’t get dented or whatever. Typical guy.

  “I can’t believe you just invited them like that. And you think it’s funny! Sure, laugh it up,” I said through gritted teeth.

  “Airel, they are like the hottest guys in school.” She busted out the baby talk: “Come on, lighten up!”

  I really, truly, and honestly wanted to harm her right then and there, but I knew I had to drop it or the teasing would only get worse. She’d start in on how short I was soon enough, so I brought up James. Yeah that worked well. She began talking without breathing. James, James, James.

  They had built the Boise Towne Square Mall in stages over the last twenty years, with the last renovation finishing up not too long ago. It had a much cooler entryway–new towers, skylights, and all the old-looking wooden handrails had been replaced by sleek metal and glass. It felt like we finally had a mall I didn’t need to be embarrassed by.

  By the time we found our space and parked, the guys had walked up to my car. Kim was rattling on and on about James’ massively gorgeous arms. Michael opened my door for me, scaring me nearly half to death. The poor guy was just trying to be a gentleman, but here I was, nearly blasting him with the pepper spray keychain my dad had forced me to carry around with me.

  Kim was in full-on flirt mode now, talking at—not with—James.

  Michael was making me nervous, walking by my side as we headed toward the front entrance. James and Kim lagged behind a few feet.We went to the new Borders bookstore—my favorite place. I loved to sit there by the window, sipping a coconut latte, reading a good book. I preferred a good thriller, and liked to take a weeknight every once in a while just to be by myself.

  “So… how long have you lived here?” Michael looked down at me with his big, beautiful eyes. I kept it together and decided that I should make the best of the situation. What choice did I have anyway? Kim had planned out our day now. Michael, clueless to her wily ways, was all agreeable to it.

  So I dove in. “I pretty much grew up here. I guess I like it well enough, but I haven’t really lived anywhere else.” I pulled on a strand of hair as I talked. I was very aware that I was doing it and that I only did it when I was nervous. I hated knowing my own habits while being totally unable to stop them.

  “Cool. I moved around a lot. My dad’s job takes him all over the country. I hope we stay here for a while.” Michael spoke smoothly and he didn’t seem uncomfortable or out of his element at all. The thought of him not living here, possibly moving away, sent a shock through me. Why should I care? I only just met the guy and ever since, he has made me sick—literally! Ah, but he was gorgeous
.

  “What does your dad do?” I couldn’t emotionally afford to get attached to someone who might move in a year. Who am I kidding? The chances are slim that he would even remotely think about me as anything other than a friend. He was angelic, and I was—well, average. One thing I knew was that a guy fell in love with what he saw. This guy could have anyone he wanted, plus he was good looking and kind—the whole package. Yet somewhere below the surface was fire. It kind of scared me, but not in a bad way.

  “He’s a private investigator. He handles high-profile cases, so he’s out of town a lot. You remember the kidnapping last year? The Smithson’s? They had a six year old daughter who was taken. He found her after the feds gave up.”

  “Wow—that must be a cool and bad job, all in one. I think I remember that story on the news.” I kept making small talk. I found out his mother died of cancer when he was a baby. His dad never remarried and the two of them were close. He had lived in Oklahoma, California, Texas, New York, Chicago… and that was the short list. So far, he said, Boise was the nicest town he had ever lived in.

  “The streets are so clean and the buildings are all new. When we were in Oklahoma City, it was like a dump. Dirty rivers and everyone honks their horn when they drive. Chicago’s all right, but it’s dirty too, and then there’s all the gangs and crime. You can’t drive down some of those streets—it’s just not safe. Everything here in the west is much different, much better.” His eyes lit up as he talked, looking at me. I thought that he might be good at making friends just because he always had to make them every time they moved. Different schools, towns, and cities, and having to adapt to it, probably made it easy for him to make friends.

  We walked around the mall and I went into American Eagle to look for a new top. I didn’t notice that Kim had dragged James into Vanity. I did, however, notice every time Michael said my name. He would hold up a t-shirt and say, “Airel, this would look great with your eyes... Airel, this is way cool... Airel... Airel.”