Jumping Puddles (4 page)

“Sure,” I say slowly, drawing out the word. “Why don’t you pick me up?”

“Cool. Later.” Blake waves nervously as he takes the steps two at a time and races over to his house.

That has to be a record. Five minutes, and he’s already acting weird. I wonder what’s going on with him. Closing the door and locking it behind me, I make my way up to my room, replaying our conversation over and over again in my head. Nothing stands out.

It isn’t until an hour later, while I’m attempting to focus on my Government assignment, when I realize what caused Blake’s sudden change. His laugh was abruptly stopped the moment he realized my chest was bouncing against his. I’m wearing a loose fitting t-shirt and a windbreaker. I doubt he realized my chest grew while he was away. Not until that moment at least.

I laugh to myself over Blake’s unnecessary embarrassment. Shaking my head to try and clear away all thoughts of Blake and my late-blooming chest, I attempt to focus on completing the remainder of my homework. There’s only one more day until Christmas break, but the teachers seemed to find it amusing to hand out boatloads of homework that all needs to be turned in tomorrow. Why would they want to grade so much over break? Isn’t this supposed to be a vacation for them, as well?

Standing outside the school, I scan the area for Blake or his car. Nothing. I’m giving him five more minutes, and then I’m going inside and asking to use the phone. Alice will come and pick me up if I need her to. Maybe this situation will change their minds about the cell phone I asked about for Christmas.

As I’m about to head back to the office, I hear someone call my name. Turning, I expect to find Blake, but to my surprise, I don’t. Instead, I see Hank, a guy from my English class, standing on the sidewalk next to a beat-up, piece of crap car. He’s holding the door open, an invitation, I’m assuming.

“Need a ride, Charlotte?”

I don’t know much about him, but I’m also sick of waiting around for Blake. Nodding my head, I make my way to where he’s waiting and slide onto the cracked leather seat. Hank closes the door behind me and runs around the front of the car. Literally, he runs. I’m not sure why.

“Thanks for the ride,” I say as he pulls out of the parking lot and turns towards my house.

“No problem. You live near Blake Collins, right?”

“Yeah. How’d you know?”

Creepy! He has my undivided attention.

I don’t share much about myself with many people. I don’t make friends. I have no idea how long I’ll be able to stay with Alice and Scott, so I don’t want to build relationships just to have to say goodbye later on. Things are going well so far, but I still don’t want to chance it. Plus, high school is close to being over. I can make friends later.

“He used to drive you to school. I assumed you lived close,” he replies, nonchalantly.

“Oh. Yeah. You can actually drop me off at his house if you want.”

Taking his eyes off the road for a brief moment, I can’t help but notice the curious look Hank gives me. I can tell he wants to ask me something but is biting his tongue. Good. I wouldn’t know how to answer any of his questions anyway. Especially considering the fact Blake ditched me today.

“Sure. Is he home for break already?”

“Yep. He was my ride today, but something must have held him up.” I try to keep my voice a little upbeat as if the fact he didn’t show up doesn’t bother me.

“It’s all good. I got ya.”

His words strike a nerve with me. I don’t like the way they rolled off his tongue as if there is more about to happen between us than I know about.

I’m itching to get out of the car by the time Hank pulls up to Blake’s house. I reach for the handle, but it’s not there.

“Sorry. It’s broken. I’ll come around and let you out.” Unfastening his seat belt, I follow suit but Hank turns to face me instead of getting out of the car. “First, I was wondering if you might want to hang out over break. We could get some food and watch a movie. You know, just hang out and chill at my place. My parents are totally cool with friends staying over, too.”

“I’m not sure my parents would let me, but thanks for the offer.” My words are rushed. I reach for the handle again, forgetting I have no exit. I place my back against the door and scoot as close as possible, placing the maximum amount of distance between my body and Hank’s.

“Are you sure?” Hank persists, placing his hand on my thigh. “I promise we’d have a great time.”

“I’ll let you know. Can you please let me out now?” I’m staring at his hand as it starts to move up and down my thigh.

“How about a little thank you kiss before you go?” His voice takes on a smooth, sensual tone. I don’t like it.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Are you seeing someone? I asked around and no one seems to know much.”

“Yeah. I am. Sorry.” His hand comes to a halt, but he doesn’t remove it from my thigh.

“Who,” he demands, the soothing tone of his voice is gone and has been replaced by anger or irritation at my announcement.

I’m at a loss for words. I don’t know what to tell him. I should have thought of a name before I confessed to having a make-believe boyfriend. Racking my brain for a few seconds, I attempt to think of anyone from my last school, but the pressure is causing me to draw a blank. Just as I’m about to blurt out a name, my door is opened, and I tumble backward.

“There you are, beautiful,” Blake coos. I’m lying on my back on the grass, staring up at a smiling Blake.

“Hi.”

“Sorry I was late. I lost track of time. I forgot how much fun Mario Bros is.” Extending his hand to help me up, Blake slings my bag over his shoulder and ushers me away from Hank’s car, leaving the door open.

“Charlotte,” Hank calls as we approach Blake’s front porch.

“Hold on. I’ll be right back,” Blake tells me, a sinister smile on his face.

Taking a seat on the top step, I watch as Blake and Hank have a hushed conversation next to the open door I just fell out of. Throughout the entire conversation, as one-sided as it looks, Blake is smiling. I wonder what he’s saying to him. I can’t imagine Hank is enjoying it. His face is a deep shade of red right now.

Slamming the door shut, Hank storms to the driver’s side of the car, gets in, and burns rubber. Standing as Blake approaches, I shoot him a curious look.

“He won’t be bothering you anymore. I promise,” he says in an attempt to explain what just happened.

“What did you say?” I inquire as I follow Blake into the house and up to his room. When he doesn’t respond, I start to worry things will be awkward in English class after I get back from break. The last thing I need is people to start talking about me. Nothing good ever comes from rumors.

Only one rumor has ever gone around this school about me, and Blake squashed it the day I heard about it. It was about me and him dating. Obviously, it wasn’t true. His word, for some reason, carried clout that mine didn’t when I denied it to the girl who asked me. Her snarky response irritated me more than anything. She didn’t know anything about me, yet she thought I was lying to her.

Closing the door behind us and plopping down on a bean bag in the corner, Blake finally answers me, “I told him you were dating my roommate and if he tried to hit on you again, he would be in for a rude awakening.”

“What! Why?” The words fly out of my mouth before I have a chance to filter myself. I don’t really care that he lied to Hank, and I don’t really care why. I wasn’t interested in him anyway.

“From where I was standing, it looked like you wanted out of that car and he was holding you hostage. I thought I was helping.”

“You did. Thank you.” I take a seat on the bean bag next to him and let the conversation fade away. Eventually, Blake picks up a controller and hands it to me, turning on his Nintendo.

We spend the next few hours battling over fire flowers and extra lives. Nothing more is said about Hank or the situation. I hear Mrs. Collins call up to me, letting me know Alice called to say dinner was ready. I say goodbye to Blake, but before I leave, he wraps me in a hug one last time.

“I’m so glad you’re home,” I say.

“Me too. I missed you, Charlie. You have no idea.”

Pulling back, I see the look on his face matches the sincerity in his voice. His eyes tell a different story, though. If Alice weren’t waiting on me, I’d probe him for answers. Tomorrow. Tomorrow he’ll have to come clean about what’s really going on with him. The clothes. The hair. Especially the way he’s been acting.

Promptly at nine o’clock the next morning, Blake is knocking on my door. Eager to get on the road, he pulls me down the porch steps and ushers me into the front seat of the car without even saying hello.

“What’s the rush?”

“No rush. I’m just excited to show you what I bought you for Christmas.”

“Christmas isn’t for another four days. I haven’t even bought your gift yet.”

“You don’t have to buy me anything.”

“Um, yeah, I do. Especially if you got me something. Duh!” As if I wouldn’t get him something regardless.

Turning up the radio, Blake ends our conversation without responding. He’s a man on a mission, and to be honest, I’m getting rather excited to see what he bought me. I’ve never had anyone aside from family buy me anything for Christmas. Now that my Aunt isn’t around, I was assuming only Alice and Scott would buy me something. I think of them as my family now, and I guess Blake is like family, too. I didn’t really think he would get me a gift, though.

As Blake slows and begins to parallel park, I take in our surroundings. We’re in front of a small strip mall on the outskirts of town. I can see a cafe and a furniture store from where he’s parking. I can’t imagine either of those places being our destination. With Blake, though, you never know. He’s full of surprises.

I take his hand as he helps me out of the car and onto the sidewalk. Hopeful that he won’t let go, I’m disappointed when he begins walking and allows my hand to slip out of his. Shaking it off, I fall in step with him and pick up my pace to keep up with him.

“Blake, slow down. My legs aren’t as long as yours,” I say, practically jogging next to him.

“You’re not much shorter than I am, Charlie. What are you, 5’9?”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I can keep up with you when you’re practically running.”

He comes to an abrupt halt and turns toward me. “You don’t have to. We’re here.”

Looking over his shoulder, I see we’re standing outside a travel agency. “We are?”

“Yep. Are you ready for your surprise?”

“Um, okay.”

“I need for you to sound a little more excited.” Blake gives me an overly-enthusiastic smile to emphasize his words.

“I’m sorry. I’m just a little confused. Are you buying me a trip somewhere?”

“Sort of. Come on,” he replies, grabbing my hand and pulling me through the door as he pushes it open.

An hour later, Blake and I are on our way back home. My ticket is sitting in my lap, staring at me. There’s a smile on my face I can’t hide, and Blake’s not trying to hide his smile, either. He bought me a ticket to come visit him for spring break. Apparently, he got permission from Alice and Scott while I was at school yesterday. That’s the real reason he was late picking me up. He was waiting for Scott to call him back, and Scott was stuck with a patient.

I can’t help but wonder what this all means. I’m trying really hard to stay out of my head right now and enjoy this moment. I get to take a trip to see Blake while I’m on break from school. I won’t have to wait until summer to see him. He’ll show me his school and introduce me to his friends.

The big question that keeps going through my mind, the only one I’m allowing to creep in right now, is the one I’m afraid to ask him. It’s a question I’d like an answer to myself. Who am I to Blake? How is he going to introduce me to his friends?

“This is Charlie, my friend.”

“This is Charlie, my best friend.”

“This is my neighbor, Charlie.”

Or better yet, will he even explain who I am. Am I just Charlie? Will they already know about me and who I am to him? If so, I’d like to know where we stand. I’d like to know why he’s changed and why he’s been acting so weird. Most of all, I’d like to know why he stopped telling me he loves me. I’m finally ready to say it back, but the opportunity hasn’t come.

I guess we’ll find out in a few short months.

SO FAR, SEVENTEEN HAS
been better than sixteen. I spent my birthday with Alice and Scott. They made sure to make it extra special for me. Alice let me stay home from school, and we went shopping for new clothes. Scott brought home dinner, and the two of them sang happy birthday to me. I didn’t even know Alice had baked me a cake until they started singing.

They bought me the cell phone I had been asking for, but I’m only allowed to use it sparingly. Scott was pretty serious about it. I promised to only use it if I left the house or needed to call Blake. Since I don’t go out, I’m pretty sure it’s calling Blake too much that’s making him concerned.

The rest of the evening was spent together watching
Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitters Dead
, one of my favorite movies of all time. Scott fell asleep halfway through and started snoring, so Alice and I kept poking him until he decided to go to bed, claiming he was sick of the way we were ganging up on him.