Dismantling Evan (18 page)

Thank God it is dark in here.
I grin then laugh shortly. “No. Are you?”

As the streetlights flash in the car, I realize his face is like really close to mine. Close enough for me to feel the heat from his words. “I’m good actually.”

Okay, it’s reeaaaallly hot in here now.

What the hell am I doing?
His anger melts away, and I see the Brody that invited me over to his house to sit on his back porch, only now it’s his lap.

Asher takes a turn a little tight and my body sways with the motion into Brody. I rest my free hand on his chest to keep from falling into him any further than I already am and his hand moves to my thigh, attempting to steady me.

As quick as he is to grip my thigh, he releases it just as I pull my hand from his chest.

Simultaneously, we whisper, “Sorry,” to each other before Brody chides Asher. “Jesus Ash.”

“My bad, my bad,” Asher calls out.

I hear Nikki snicker and I snap my head in her direction to give her the worst look I can muster, but she is already covering her mouth and looking out her side of the window.

I’m thankful the ride to the local DQ is short, not only because I am sitting on Brody Ferguson’s lap, but because I am taking short and shallow breaths... because I’m sitting on... Brody Ferguson’s lap... and I’m starting to feel...the dizzying effects...from it.

Asher insists on treating us, which was really sweet. Gavin is still quiet as we sit outside on the patio tables. Brody happens to sit next to me, which I’m surprised about. I mean, I know he let me sit on his lap, but sitting next to me voluntarily is different, especially for a guy who has been giving me the cold shoulder for the past three weeks.

Nikki chats about some horror movie she really wants to go see, when Brody leans closer to me. “Hey, I wanted to thank you.”

Thank me?
I’m definitely confused. “For what?”

He pokes his half eaten blizzard with his spoon, shrugging a little, then rests his gaze on me. “For taking-up for Gavin in English. You know, with Spencer.” The way he says his name gives me a good idea at how much Brody despises him and how he is.

Brody shakes his head a little. “I wish he would just let us be... Anyway, thank you for taking care of Gav.”

I’m definitely surprised by the 180 degree personality swing Brody has taken. “I thought you would be mad.” I scoop a small spoonful of my Reese’s Peanut Buttercup Blizzard.

Brody spoons a large manly scoop of his into his mouth before he responds. “Yeah, about that. I’m sorry for the other night when you asked me about what happened out front. Sometimes it is hard to talk about it with just anyone.”

I can see he is struggling with the idea of trusting me with what I witnessed. He looks off at the passing cars. “Some people just aren’t accepting and it freaks them out when they see Gavin have one of his moments. I don’t know. I guess I wanted to protect you from that in a weird kind of way and protect us too. I didn’t want you to think...”

He wanted to protect me?
The thing is that he doesn’t know me. He hasn’t seen the me who resided in social purgatory for the past three years of high school. He hasn’t seen me at my worst, which is pretty bad. I don’t want him to ever see it, but I want him to know I get it.

He sets his cup down on the table and is about to begin talking again when I stop him mid-thought. “I don’t.”

He looks at me, waiting for me to add to my brief interruption.

I fiddle with my spoon, slipping it around, restlessly, in the quickly melting Blizzard, as I explain. “I don’t get freaked out easily, Brody.”

I want to say more, but I don’t know how to say it without giving part of myself away to him and I’m not ready to do that yet.

“Gavin is an awesome kid and I can see why people might... avoid him or think of him as less of a person.” I shake my head in disgust thinking of Spencer and Celine’s antics. “But, I won’t. I won’t ever do that to a single person.”

Because I have been there.
I have been avoided and thought to be the dirt beneath another’s feet.
I don’t tell him, but I think it. Brody’s eyes rest on mine when I look up at him. He simply nods and his mouth cracks a small smile. “Okay.”

“Okay?” I question, wondering if everything is going to be all right between us now.

His smile widens and all the tension I had been holding onto is completely released from my body.

“Okay, Evan,” he says before he scoops another spoonful of Blizzard into his mouth and glances humbly away from me.

In the bright fluorescent lights, I notice the pink tinge of a blush on his cheeks. Oh my God, I have Brody Ferguson blushing. The markedly gorgeous guy who has had me blushing every time I am in his presence, or sitting on his lap in the back of a Jeep. I have to admit, I feel a small victory having broken the trend, even if it is just this one time, and it makes Brody seem accessible suddenly in a strange way.

“Um, Gav you finished with your sundae?” Brody’s question is clipped and he rises swiftly from his seat. The roar of a truck behind me has everyone rising to their feet, except me. It is Spencer with two of his Neanderthal football buddies hanging out each of the backseat windows. Guess who occupies the front seat next to Spencer? Celine.

Spencer honks the horn three times before he kills the engine and I quickly look after Gavin because I know the loud echoing sound might bother him, but he is already making a bee-line to Asher’s car with Lia by his side. Nikki nudges me in my seat. “Get up Evan.”

I quickly stand next to Brody expecting him and Asher to start walking to the car. I think Nikki does too, because she kind of nudges me, but it is impossible to move with Brody and Asher standing stoically, apparently holding their ground, as Spencer, Celine, and his friends approach our table.

“Brody! How have you been man?” Spencer says smiling ear to ear as he gets closer to us.

Brody buries his hands deep in his pockets to hide his clenched fists. He can’t hide his working, tense jaw though. “Good. You?”

“Good man. Football season has started off with a bang,” Spencer adds angling his head to see if his comment draws a reaction.

With Brody and Spencer standing eye to eye, they are both taller than Asher and the other guys, but comparable in size to each other. Spencer isn’t as muscular as Brody though, so I can see how Brody could hold his own against him if he needs to. God, I hope this isn’t one of those “need to” moments. My heart picks up the pace and my legs weaken just thinking about it.

Brody scratches the side of his chin and shoots back, “Uh, I wouldn’t know, but good for you Spencer.”

His sarcastic comeback definitely effects Spencer. He moves his eyes over Brody, sizing him up like he is going to start something, then looks over at Asher who is standing as stoic as a sentinel ready for an attack. “Ash,” Spencer says.

“Spence,” Asher returns.

This is all kinds of uncomfortable.

“Well, now that the greetings and salutations are over, we are leaving. Let’s go Brody,” Nikki says

“Why so soon Nikki? I kind of wanted to chat with Evan a bit,” Celine says.

I turn back too look at Asher’s car to check if Lia and Gavin are safely inside and notice one of Spencer’s jock friends talking to Lia. She doesn’t seem to be enjoying the conversation.

“Just back off, Chad,” Lia says as she stands with her back against the Jeep. I nudge Nikki and say, “Um, maybe some other time. We really should be getting going.”

Nikki looks at me and I tilt my head toward the car, she takes the bait and leaves my side walking over to the Lia.

I glance up at Celine, her arms folded and a cocky smile on her face. “Too bad. I wanted to get to know more about you, Evan.”

Yeah, sure.

“I would like to get to know her too,” says Spencer as he elbows his friend next to him.

Brody takes hold of my hand, lacing our fingers together. “Yeah, well that will never happen,” he says.

Celine’s eyes shoot down to Brody’s and my interlocked hands then back up at me, apparently shocked. I am just as shocked.

Spencer raises his hands in surrender and laughs it off along with his two cackling friends. “Whatever man. I’m good with leftovers.”

Celine elbows him. “Asshole.”

Brody starts to loosen his hand from mine and shifts toward Spencer.
Oh shit, shit, shit.
I quickly tighten my hold on his hand and pull it close to my side.

“Let’s go,” I say quietly.

Asher puts his arm out to stop Brody as well.

Casually Spencer backs away, his eyes on Brody until he breaks his stare and winks at me. I want to throw up in my mouth.

Just as he turns around with Celine, and his two idiot friends, I call out, “Hey Spencer.”

He turns around along with Celine and the others.

“Seems you don’t fare well with leftovers. Maybe if you weren’t such a dick you might fare better. Just sayin’.” It just spills from my mouth, I have no other explanation because I’m not typically that orally brave to coordinate such a comeback. It feels liberating.

I witness Spencer’s and Celine’s mouths drop for a split second and it is the most glorious sight I have ever seen.

Still holding my hand, Brody pulls me along after him and Asher. Both of them are smirking. “Damn girl. You put him in his place,” Asher says in surprised amazement. “Didn’t know you had that in you.”

Brody opens the Jeep door and talks through his teeth, “He shouldn’t have talked to you like that.”

He starts to release my hand, but I hold his firmly. “Hey,” I say, trying to get him to look at me.

Brody’s sad hazel eyes rest on mine.

“I handled it.” Frankly I’m more surprised than anyone that I did; I wonder where this bravery is coming from.

Brody puts his hand on the top of the Jeep door and leans against it.

“You sure did, sweetheart. Shit, Phillips, you have a mouth on you,” Nikki says as she hoots then laughs.

Lia joins in laughing.

“You must be rubbing off on her Nikki,” Asher says as he starts the Jeep.

Brody pats the top of the door frame with his hand, then we release our hands as he climbs in. I wait for him to sit, then step up into the Jeep. This time, I’m not as reserved when I sit on his thigh.

Lia asks me, “What made you stand up to Spencer?”

I’m wondering the same thing. “I know what it is like to be picked on and when he did it to me...,” I look at Brody as I continue, “and when he did it to Gavin at school...” I look out the side window immediately trying to escape Brody’s steady gaze. Gavin is in the front seat sending his hand in large waves out the window breaking the wind with his fingers. The one word that springs from my head is freedom. “It was time for me to stand up that’s all.”

The interior of the Jeep is silent except from the light breeze passing through the rolled down windows and the sound of passing cars. I look over at Nikki. Her head is resting on her hand supported by the door. As the lamppost lights flash into the interior, she is looking right at me smiling lightly and swaying with the motion of the car.

Once again, my shallow breaths assault me and I am a little tipsy when I step out of the truck in front of my house. Asher shuts the engine off and the rest of us climb out.

“Well, it wasn’t a dull night,” Asher says, jokingly.

Gavin steps on the sidewalk with the rest of us and says, “I’m tired. Thank you Asher. I’m going in now.”

He turns away from us and starts to walk toward his house, then stops suddenly and does a 180. His dark eyes land on me. “Thank you Evan.” He doesn’t show any sign of emotion, but him saying those words is more than I could have expected after his silence. I feel kind of special and honored, actually.

He stands there for a moment longer, then turns on his heels awkwardly and walks toward his driveway.

“I better head in. Thanks Ash,” Brody says to Asher as he holds his hand out to him.

Asher pulls him in for a manly hug, then releases him. Brody looks down at me and smiles. “Thank you.”

“You’re wel...” Before I can finish responding, he is jogging after Gavin, making sure he gets in safely.

I stand there for a bit, watching them disappear up their driveway, wondering again what is it about Gavin. What is going on with him? I mean I know Nikki listed a few things she has heard over the years, but she never told me what exactly was going on with Gavin.

“Well, I’m going to head home too. Thank you for the ride and Blizzard, Ash,” Lia says as she turns and starts walking.

I am kind of worried about her walking. “How far is your house?”

She turns around, continuing to walk backwards as she talks, “Not far. Just four houses down on the left. Bye.” She smiles before turning and picking up her pace along the low lit sidewalk.

“Bye,” I call after her.

Nikki stands in front of Asher, her hands entwined around his neck and his around her waist as they stare into each other’s eyes. “Thanks again. I’ll see you two on Monday.”

Before I get too far away, Nikki calls after me, “Hey Evan.”