I pull myself from my thoughts and look at the beat-up, old, copper-colored Ford truck he bought a couple of weeks ago. He’s been so proud of it. He bought it with the money he’s been saving up. Old man Johnson, who owns the local garage, sold it to him for five hundred dollars. It was worth much more, but he said if Reed would work in the garage on the weekends for cash it would be doing him a favor. He needed the help but couldn’t afford to hire a full-time employee and pay all the taxes and stuff the government demanded. I secretly think Mr. Johnson just really likes Reed and is trying to help him. I wouldn’t say that to Reed, but I’m sure he probably knows.
I stare blankly at the truck while Reed looks at me expectantly. Then, all at once, it hits me. “Oh my God! You got your license!”
“I did! And thanks to Mr. Johnson, I had enough to get the truck insured and on the road.”
I don’t think, I’m too excited for Reed because I know how much he has wanted this. I jump into his arms, laughing. He latches on to me, stumbling back slightly with my weight. My heart stutters in my chest, confirming that I have indeed developed a crush on Reed, but I tamp it down.
“I’m so happy for you, Reed,” I murmur, hugging him tight and drinking in the scent of his skin. It’s a mixture of the aftershave he uses and just the musky, masculine scent that is him.
He sits me down. Something shifts in his eyes that makes me feel kind of funny inside, but I chalk it up to my own confused brain.
“Thanks, Bluebird. You want to go out with me tonight? Kind of christen Lula Belle.”
“Lula Belle?”
“Seemed like as good a name for her as any,” he says with a shrug.
“That’s a horrible name. She’s a classic. A girl like this deserves a good name,” I tell him, slapping a rusty fender. Both of our gazes drop down to the ground as a big clump of what I hope is mud falls on the asphalt paved parking lot. I look over at Reed, slightly giggling.
“You’re crazy. I mean Lula Belle isn’t a stellar name like Mildred—”
“Well, few names are as catchy as Mildred, really. She’s special.”
He rolls his eyes. “Whatever makes you feel better, Callie,” he laughs. “So, what would you suggest I name it?”
“Hmm…” I hum, contemplating the many names running through my mind. “What about Jenny?” I ask.
“Jenny?” he asks, and I don’t have to look to know he’s scrunching up his face—like he always does when he doesn’t like something. I can hear it in his voice, and it makes me smile. “What’s wrong, Reed? Is Jenny not a manly enough name for you?”
“My truck doesn’t look like a Jenny. Did I ever tell you about my first crush?”
“Nope,” I respond, leaning on the side of his truck and studying his face.
“Jenny Meister. She had blue eyes like you, although not as pretty,” he begins, and I can feel my face heat. I really need to get my confusing feelings for Reed under control. He hasn’t once tried to make a move on me since we agreed to be friends. Doing anything to jeopardize our relationship now would be foolish. We’re friends and I need to remember that. I need his friendship and I need him in my life.
“I don’t recognize the name,” I respond.
“Yeah, she went to Flintwood when we left middle school,” he continues, mentioning the private academy the rich kids in Macon attend. “Anyway, I had a killer crush on her in the second grade. I mean it was really serious. I even let her have my pudding at lunch.”
“Ooooh. That really is serious,” I giggle.
“You know it. She had me wrapped around her finger, the minute she let me touch those two sweet—”
“Reed!” I gasp.
“Her pigtails,” he laughs, having totally suckered me in.
“So, what ended this red-hot love affair?” I’m barely managing to stop myself from laughing out loud.
“I broke my arm,” he says with a careless shrug.
“I don’t follow,” I respond, feeling my brow crinkle, partly from confusion and partly because the sun decided to peek out from the clouds. I put my hand above my eyes, to shield them from the light so I can still see Reed clearly.
“I couldn’t carry her books for her to class anymore. I was replaced by Jake Ryan.”
“Your best friend, Jake?” I ask, shocked.
“That very one.”
“Well, that doesn’t sound like something a friend should do,” I mutter.
Reed smirks. “You forget, this was the second grade. We weren’t friends then.”
“When did you become friends?”
“After Jenny broke Jake’s heart and dumped him for Lucas Blaylock.”
“Oh my,” I giggle. “Reed, I hate to tell you this, but Jenny sounds like a ho.”