“I need help with my science project.”
“I know.” I let out a long sigh, feeling a lot better.
“Ali?”
“Hmm?” I say as I follow him out of my bedroom and back downstairs.
“It changes nothing.” He stops walking to look at me. We’re on the stairs and he’s two steps below me so we’re actually eye level for once. I realize then that he saw the pad in my backpack. “I just want you to know that. Like if you have an accident or something, you can tell me. I can get you whatever you need or whatever,” he rushes to say, and I can see he’s really trying not to make it uncomfortable.
“You’re saying if I need a pad you’ll go get me one?” I don’t know why, maybe it’s because I was just laughing hysterically and I’m still riding that wave, but it feels okay to tease about it.
“That’s what I’m saying.”
I smile and he reaches out and pulls on the tip of my long ponytail that’s hanging over my shoulder.
“I know you would,” I tell him.
I might have been embarrassed to tell him about it or scared that things could change between us, but if I know one thing it’s that Drake will always be there for me. He always is and I can’t see that ever changing. At least I hope it never does.
Chapter Four
Drake
Fifteen years old
“Shit.”
“You’re not supposed to curse.” Ali tsks and I roll my eyes.
“I think this is bullshit.”
“Just so you know, I’m keeping up with how much you owe the swear jar.” She beams at me and I want to be mad but she looks so cute when she makes that face.
“Look, I need like a five-second pass so I can get it all out.” I try again to put the car into first gear and the engine stalls out. “Shit.”
“I think you need like a five-hour pass.”
“Just help me, okay?” I try to keep the irritation out of my voice when I talk to her because I know it’s not her fault. I’m just aggravated I can’t get it.
“It’s all about timing. You’ve got to do it at the right moment.”
I glance over at her out of the corner of my eye and see her bare thighs. I look away quickly and think about why we’re here and try to focus.
Our parents have been teaching us how to drive and they both insisted we learn how to drive a stick shift. They even went out and bought an old truck to drive on the back of our land so we could practice. Of course, Ali got it right away like a rock star, but something about the clutch and stick don’t work with my brain.
“Put your left foot on the clutch and the right on the brake. Crank it up and shift into first.”
She puts her hand over mine and helps me find the gear. I don’t think about how soft it is against my skin. Not even for a second.
“Now, take your foot off the brake and slowly hit the gas while you let the clutch out.”
I’m listening to the soothing sound of her voice as I follow her instructions, but a loud chime breaks my concentration and the truck stalls.
“Shit.”
She looks over at me and then down to her phone that’s sitting in her lap.
“Who is it?” I ask, trying to look at the screen.
She tucks it under her tanned thigh and I look away.
“Nobody.” I turn to her and raise an eyebrow. She sighs and looks away. “It’s nothing.”
“You want to keep secrets from me, that’s fine,” I say and try to shift again.
“I said it’s nothing. Why do you just assume I’m keeping something from you?”
The sound of gears grinding makes her pull a face as I shift out of first.
“Why do you keep hiding your phone from me every time you get a text message?” I counter.
“And you’re so innocent? I saw Jenna’s Snapchat message to you—the one she sent to me by ‘accident.’” Ali holds up her fingers in air quotes and I stall the truck out again.
“Shit.” I hit the steering wheel and look over at Ali, who’s staring out the window. “You know she only did that to piss you off. I’ve said exactly three words to Jenna in my life and it was to tell her to leave you alone.”
“That’s not what she made it sound like.” Ali crosses her arms over her chest and I glance down at my old camp shirt that’s threadbare and falling off of one of her shoulders.
“Who are you going to believe?” She shrugs, not saying a word, and I can see she’s getting in one of her moods.
It’s not like it used to be when we were kids and things were easy between us. She’s still my best friend but I feel like there’s this wall dividing us and it’s growing bigger all the time. I used to think that nothing could come between us, but it’s like some new obstacle pops up every day.