Old Enough to Love... (Just One of the Guys) (27 page)

“And his response to that?”

“Oh my God,” I snarled. “He was ecstatic. Said he was still in the game.”

Zach’s jaw tightened.

“He called me a weirgen.”

“A what?”
              I shook my head. “It’s a stupid name they came up with. If you still have your virginity by a certain age then you’re weird. They combine it.”

I felt his body tense below me.  “Well. Some people can’t help their ignorance and he appears to be one of them.
We
will
be together someday. I’m sorry he upset you.”

“Wow. You took that better than I thought.” I yawned.

“You’re exhausted. Try and sleep.” He brushed his fingertips over the bridge of my nose.

“I don’t
wanna sleep.”

“I know you don’t but you should try.”

I started thinking about tomorrow, the trip back, Grant, my parents and him leaving for college. Two months of misery left.  As we lay there, my eyelids were heavy and I saw his smile before they close.

“What are
you
lookin at?” Zach’s chest vibrated under my ear. I was so tired that I didn’t open my eyes.

“Someone who didn’t get any last night. Is that why you’re
layin’ awake?”

Grant?

“Oh dude. I got exactly what I want right here.” I felt Zach’s arms tighten around me. Was I dreaming? His arms felt so good.

“Too bad you can’t close the deal with her?”

“I could close the deal anytime I wanted. But we’ll do it when it’s right for her. Somethin’ you wouldn’t know anything about.”

“Zach?” I spoke but was confused. It was impossible to open my heavy eyes.

“It’s OK, Baby. Go back to sleep.” He kissed the top of my head.  I nestled into his underarm. “And you, go back in there to someone you can actually have.”

“Bite me, Owens.”

I felt Zach’s chest shake with laughter.
              “What’s so funny?” I mumbled.

“Nothing,” he whispered. “Just rest
, baby.”

Ryan woke us the next morning and he and Ali were showered, dressed and ready to go. The sun poured through the windows and I squinted up at Zach.

“Good morning,” I said turning away from him afraid my breath might knock him out.

“Morning,” he groaned.

His eyes looked puffy and red and I wondered how much he’d slept. I pushed myself upright.

“Hey, Zach,” Ryan addressed. “Before I have to start dealing with her whiney ass.” He nodded toward me. “If you want, she can ride with you. Let’s just stop south of Ashland.”

“Thanks, man.” Zach smiled and they bumped fists. 

“Two more hours!” I was thrilled. “I’m
jumpin in the shower.”

“Want company?” Grant asked.

Zach flipped around glowering at him. Ryan quickly stepped between them.

“You…” he pointed at Zach. “Go get ready to go.”

“And You.” His finger was inches from Grant’s nose. “Friends or not…stop fuckin with my sister.”

I left the room with Zach but watched and listened to Grant backtracking.

“I’m only kidding.  She enjoys it as much as I do.”

“I don’t think so.  She’s pretty pissed at whatever you said or did yesterday.” Ryan tossed his sports bag to the front door and grabbed Ali’s from her. Zach rubbed his hand up and down my back. 

“Your brother is good to you,” he whispered.

I grinned.

Grant laughed at something and I listened again. “Fine. Runt’s off limits but you have no ownership to Owens.”

Ryan shrugged. “Go for it. Play at your own risk, though. He outweighs you by fifty.”

“Nobody said it would be a physical fight,” Grant added with a chuckle.

Zach wobbled his head. “Get your shower and let’s get out of here.”

Being in the Jeep again felt like coming home. We rode in silence for awhile, listening to the radio. He drove slower than normal and Ryan held pace with us. I wondered if Grant and Ryan were going at it in the truck.

Why was Grant so mad at me though? We had always been buddies. Best buddies long before Zach was around. I stared out at the trees edging the highway. Green mossy trunks with wild ferns growing around them were on each side of us.

Zach leaned over my lap and popped the glove box open and retrieved a small gold foil wrapped box.

“Merry Christmas.” He handed the gift to me.

“Zach!” I pouted. “I didn’t…”

He squeezed the back of my neck. “I didn’t really either. Just open it.”

My heart fluttered as I tugged at the tape. Outside of a couple of quick glances, he kept his eyes on the road. I opened the tiny box. Two men’s class rings on a silver chain lay on a thin slice of cotton. Two?  Puzzled, I peeked at him out of the corner of my eye. I lifted the chain and the two silver rings rested in my palm—one, with a topaz from his high school in San Francisco and the other with an emerald, from Ashland High. Emerald was my birthstone and my eyes met his.

“Two?”

Holding the wheel with one hand, he picked up the chain with the other. “My heart, or at least some of it, is here.” He pointed to the topaz ring engraved with his old school name. “So it holds my gemstone. Another piece of my heart is here, NOT at Ashland High, but here…” he patted my chest where a necklace would hang. “…So it holds your gemstone. You can have one or both or whatever you want.”

I tried hard to determine what I had done to be blessed with him. And I tried harder to come to grips with the fact that I would probably lose him. It didn’t really matter how much I loved him or how much he loved me…we were doomed to fail. And the brunt of the blame would be shoved his way because of his age. I could hear them now—the mean things they’d say. ‘He’s outgrown her.’ ‘He has to go away.’ ‘He’s in college now.’ The voices made me ache. 

“May I have them both?” I’d never give them back if he said yes.

“I didn’t order them for me.” He winked.

“I’ve decided something,” I said fastening the clasp around my neck and admiring the rings in the mirror behind the visor.

With brows raised, he asked, “about?”

“About you and Ashland. You’ve shortchanged my city and Oregon. It’s beautiful here and there is so much to see—just like in
your
city. Maybe you’ll love it so much you’ll want to stay.”

A deep rough laughter filled the inside of the Jeep. “They’re not comparable and I won’t stay.”

I tried to hide my growing pout and disappointment by examining my fingernails and digging at a hangnail. My hair fell covering my face so he couldn’t see my hurt. He brushed my hair back tucking it behind my ear.

“You took that wrong,” he said gently.

I rolled the rings between my fingers. “I know you will leave here…leave me.” I tried to sound brave like I could handle it but my voice cracked on the last word. He took my hand.

“I’m not going to lie to you,
Em. You are right…on one of those.”

“Where
are
you going? To college, I mean.”

He shrugged. “USC offered me an academic scholarship…or possibly KU.”

“KU?”

“The University of Kansas.”

“KANSAS!?” We weren’t talking hours away—but days.

He smiled. “My grandma and grandpa live in Lawrence, Kansas. My dad is a KU alum. They’ve offered me academic scholarships too.”

“I guess I didn’t realize you were so smart.”  I was the smart one. Never earned a B in my life.

He laughed. “Thanks a lot. I have 4.2, missy.” He bragged.

“I figured you’d play sports.”

“I’m not good enough to go Division one in sports.”

“Ryan is?”

He laughed again. “Emma. Ryan is an exceptional football player. He has that opportunity. I could play Division two…maybe.”

“But they’re so far away.” I couldn’t begin to hide my agony at the thought.

He tugged my head toward him and kissed my hair. “I’m still looking. We’re not going to spend the next six months worried about this either. Got it?” He pursed his lips and his brows shot up on his forehead.

He veered right onto an exit ramp of a rest stop. A State trooper was talking to some homeless people as we drove past.

I threw my arms around his neck before he’d even pulled over. “Will you at least talk to me at school?”

“Emma. Your father asked me to do this and I’d rather have two months of a break than no future at all. Don’t you see that?”

“Yes. But, how will they know?”

He drew in a long breath as he parked in a spot and turned to me—“Is that what you want? You want me to risk us?”

I shrugged. “Maybe,” I said selfishly, reaching for my door handle. When I got out, he was there. I stepped into his arms.

“Don’t...” he started, then paused. “Nevermind.” 

“Don’t what? What were you
gonna say?”

“I was
gonna say, don’t cry. But, you don’t. Cry, that is.”

I smiled proudly. “It takes a lot of effort some times.”

His brows pulled together. “Effort? Why?”

Was he serious? I shoved him playfully. “Guys don’t like girls who cry, silly.”

For the longest time, his eyes studied mine, looking, waiting for something. “You’re serious?”

“
Yeeaah…why?”

His expression softened. “Who told you that?”

“Ryan, I guess. All of them have. The guys.”

Zach shook his head and closed his eyes. “I’m afraid you have been misinformed on that one.”

HONK!
The truck horn startled me.

Suddenly, he lifted my chin and kissed me tenderly. I was thankful his arms were around me as my legs weakened.

“Go.  They’re waiting.”

He hugged me one last time. “We’ll be together soon.” He walked me to the truck.

As I crawled into the backseat of the truck, I saw Grant walking back from the restroom with Ryan. Zach winked at me and headed back to his Jeep. Ali had just wokeup in the front seat and seemed pretty groggy. I wondered how late they’d been up. I was certain they didn’t have as good of time as I did. We were only about twenty minutes from home.               

I laid my head back, bummed that our time was over when I heard a thud against the side of the truck. My eyes popped open and Ali flipped around and looked at me. Ryan’s door was open and she peeked out the side.

“Oh, shit, Em!” She shouted and bolted from the front seat. 

I whipped around to look out the back window and Zach had Grant by the neck in a headlock. I leapt to the door and nailed the front of my head on the doorframe of the truck, shooting myself backward. Jarred and disoriented, I forced myself upright as stars speckled in front of me.

“Zach,” I said not sure if it even came out. Squirming from behind the seat, I got to my feet, woozy as I fought for balance.

“No, Zach.” I still wasn’t sure the words found my lips. My head throbbed as I stumbled to the back of the truck where Ali stood petrified . Ryan grabbed Zach’s arms pulling him off Grant.

“Zach. Stop!” Ryan gritted through his teeth, yanking him backward and Zach let go of Grant, who slumped to the cement then staggered resiliently to his feet. He shook his hair from his eyes and glowered at Zach. Suddenly, Grant lunged toward Zach, whose back was to him as he was talking to Ryan. Grant rammed him at full speed forcing Zach to the ground. Zach’s cheek bashed against the cement. I screamed as Grant reared his fist back then brought it down pummeling Zach’s other cheek. I ran toward Grant but couldn’t run straight.

“Get off of him!” I yelled hitting his back with my fist, sweat dripping into my eyes blurring my vision.

“Em, get back,” Zach shouted and Ryan pushed me off.

My equilibrium was off and I lost my balance tumbling to the ground.

“Emma?” Ali was at my side. I tried to look past her to see if Zach was okay.  Zach was now on top of Grant.

“Emma!!” Ali yelled again. “You’re bleeding. There’s blood everywhere. RYAN!”

I could hear her muffled scream as things grew foggy. As my body leaned toward the cement, I saw fear register in Zach’s eyes. Then from out of nowhere, a highway patrol officer was on top of him. I closed my eyes.