I had just enough money to cover the cost.
Until they added the tax.
“Dammit,” I muttered, desperately scraping the lint out of my pockets, praying for a hidden, mangled dollar bill.
“Here.” Pip thrust his lunch money into my hands. “Last time I ate at the food court I had the shits for a week.”
The salesclerk groaned.
“You sure?”
“Yeah, take it,” Pip insisted. “Is it for the girl?”
“Her birthday’s coming up.”
“Take it,” he said again.
I accepted the money and finished paying for the bracelet.
“Thanks, Pip.” We walked into the mall, and I glanced left and right. “Anywhere you want to go?”
“Nope.”
We had just enough money left over to buy two sodas. There wasn’t much time before we had to meet up with the rest of the group, so we sat and waited.
“Thanks for doing that,” I said.
“You really like this girl?”
I couldn’t hide my excitement when I thought of Juliet. Liked wasn’t nearly strong enough to describe what I felt for her. “Oh yeah.”
“Is she hot?”
“She’s beautiful.”
“When can I meet her?”
“I don’t know.”
He wiggled in his seat, as if he couldn’t contain his enthusiasm. “I’ll be in high school next year. If you’re still together, I can eat lunch with you guys.”
I snorted and leaned over to ruffle his hair. “You got it, Pip.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Juliet
I woke up the morning of my seventeenth birthday with a crushing weight on my chest. More than anything I wanted to yank the covers over my head and go back to sleep until the next day.
I never liked birthdays. It just seemed like celebrating that you’re one day closer to death.
My own birth had caused my father to disappear. When I started school, I was always that girl. The one who got excluded from the other kids’ birthday celebrations. My mother and aunt had died when they’d gone out to celebrate a birthday. My cousin died after giving birth. Birthdays were bad news in my family. Every year, it seemed like yet another reminder that no one loved me. My aunt and uncle barely acknowledged my existence, let alone my birthday.
Buzz!
I flung my hand out and grabbed my cell phone off the nightstand.
Uncle Dex: Happy Birthday, Julez!
That forced a hint of a smile onto my face.
Even though he was in and out of my life, Dex usually remembered my birthday.
My phone vibrated again.
Roman: Happy birthday, butterfly! Can’t wait to see you today.
How did he know it was my birthday?
Intrigued and smiling, I flung the covers away and raced to get dressed. Even though the weather was warm, I pulled on the green leather jacket Dex had given me as my early birthday present weeks ago and trotted down the stairs.
No one was waiting for me in the kitchen. I grabbed the brown bag lunch I’d packed the night before and shoved it in my backpack before hurrying out the door.
I tried to get to school as early as possible to give me as many extra possible seconds with Roman as I could squeeze into a day.
That morning he was waiting for me on the front steps.
“Hey, birthday girl,” he said in that low, gravelly voice I felt down to my toes. He swept me into an embrace and pressed his lips to mine.
The school, the noises around us, even the fact that it was my birthday all faded away. Nothing else mattered.
My mind flashed back to the cave at Fletcher Park. When would we have another chance to be alone like that again?
Breathless, we parted. We stared at each other for a few simmering seconds. Was he thinking about the cave too? Did he want to do more next time?
He smiled and lifted a small, square box between us. “Happy birthday.”
“Roman! You didn’t! How’d you know?”
One corner of his mouth curled in a sly smile. “I have my methods.”
The pretty blue paper had daisies and butterflies dotted all over it and I hated to rip it open. “This is so pretty!”
“Please open it. I want you to see what’s inside before school starts.”
“Okay.” This was already the best day. I carefully eased my nail under the tape and peeled the paper apart without ripping it. I’d cut out a piece and tape it into my diary tonight.
Inside was a square purple box and I gently pried off the lid. “Oh!” My breath caught. “It’s beautiful!”
Daisies! He remembered how much I love daisies.
The dark hunter green matched the leather of my jacket—my favorite color. I ran my finger over the embossed leather, tracing the carved lines of each petal. “It’s beautiful. I love it so much. Thank you.”
He brushed his knuckles over my cheek. “Nothing’s as beautiful as you and you’re welcome.”
Tears pricked my eyes. I couldn’t believe how sweet and thoughtful he was.
“Juliet, is it okay? You look like you’re going to cry.” He sounded so distressed, I forced a smile onto my face.