“It’s going to be weird without you,” he says, kicking the tips of his sneakers against my bedpost.
“I’m sure your hands will be too full to miss me,” I grumble, earning a laugh. “You won’t even remember my name by the time I come home.”
“So, what’s up with you and the carny?” he asks.
“Absolutely nothing,” I groan, flinging myself backward onto my bed, covering my eyes with the palms of my hands.
“You could always run away with the circus,” Drew teases, twisting his torso to peel a hand from my face.
My eyes spring open, and I sit up abruptly, almost head-butting Drew. That’s not a bad idea. In fact, it might be exactly what I need. “It’s the carnival, not the circus, but you’re a genius.”
“You’re not serious…”
“You want to make it up to me for betraying me with my mortal enemy?” I ask, meeting his honey-brown eyes.
“Within reason…” Drew hedges.
“Be here at seven tomorrow morning. I’m going to need a ride, but I have to talk to my mom first.”
“Done.”
“Does he even know you’re coming?” Savannah asks from the passenger seat of Drew’s truck. Because, of course, he asked her to come. I’m shoved in the narrow back seat with my luggage stacked against me.
“No,” I say, nervously bouncing my knee as I look out the window. I don’t know how this is going to work. What if they’re already gone? Or worse, what if he says no? The rejection would be that much worse, having to drive back with Savannah to witness my failure. I didn’t think this through.
When my mom got home yesterday afternoon, I told her what happened with Dad, and that I was staying with Savannah for the summer. It was easier than explaining that I was running off to spend my summer traveling with the people who my parents think are responsible for corrupting their daughter and breaking into their hotel room. I don’t need her permission, but, like I said…it’s easier this way.
My mom was stiff when she hugged me goodbye, careful not to show any sign of emotion, and my dad hasn’t been home since the day I left. Probably holed up in some shit hotel, snorting my money. When Drew loaded my suitcase into his truck, my mom pulled me aside and handed me a wad of cash from her purse.
“I know it’s not much,” she’d said, tucking it into the palm of my hand. “But I can’t leave you with nothing.”
But it was a lot. Five hundred dollars. The old me would have blown that in a weekend, but now?
“Mom,” I said, shaking my head. “I don’t need it.”
“Take it,” she said, sniffing. “Your father will just have to go without power this month.” At that, we both laughed.
“In that case,” I said bitterly, shoving it into my pocket. “Thank you.”
“Relax,” Drew says, bringing me back to the present. “Isn’t that, like, the carnival’s M.O.? Taking in people who have nowhere else to go?”
“You can say losers, Drew. We all know what you mean.”
“If we make it in time,” I say, ignoring Savannah’s comment. “Which is unlikely since Little Miss Priss just had to spend twenty minutes inside Starbucks.” Truth be told, I’d kill for an iced coffee, but I’ve learned to live without it. First world problems.
“We’re almost there.” Drew exits the freeway, speeding toward the fairgrounds. The closer we get, the harder my heart pounds in my chest, and the more I second-guess my decision. This is crazy.
“I can’t do this. What the hell was I thinking?”
“You were thinking that you’d do something for yourself for once,” Drew reminds me.
“He doesn’t even like me.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Enough of the pity party. You’re hot. You have great tits. And you’re not completely unbearable to be around…when you don’t open your mouth. He’s a dirty, greasy carny, and he’d be so lucky to get ass from someone of your caliber all summer long.”
Drew cuts his eyes to look at me, holding in a laugh, waiting for my reaction.
“Sav, I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me since junior high,” I say, snorting out a laugh. “Which says a lot about how much of a bitch you’ve been.”