Alton looked back at his daddy and his little eyebrows drew together, etching a scowl on his cute face. “He spoke to Poppy, Pappa?”
Rune’s pappa nodded his head. “He did, Alton. Poppy was his best friend. He loved her completely.”
Alton’s eyes became impossibly wide and he turned back to me. His bottom lip trembled.
“What’s wrong, baby?” I asked, rubbing his arm.
Alton sniffed. “Rune doesn’t talk to me.” My heart sank. Because Rune adored Alton; he had always looked after him, played with him. Alton adored Rune. He admired his big brother so much.
“He ignores me,” Alton said, his cracked voice breaking my heart. Alton watched me. He watched me with an intensity that I’d only ever experienced from one other person—the older brother who ignored him. He placed his hand on my arm and asked, “Can you speak to him? Can you ask him to speak to me? If you’re his best friend, then he’ll listen to you.”
My heart fell to pieces. I looked over Alton’s head at his mamma and pappa, then at mine. They all appeared hurt by Alton’s stark revelation.
When I turned to Alton again, he was still staring, willing me to help. “I would, sweetie,” I said softly, “but he doesn’t speak to me now either.”
I could see Alton’s hope deflate like a balloon. I kissed his head, then he ran back to his mamma. Clearly seeing I was hurting, my daddy quickly changed the subject. He turned to Mr. Kristiansen and invited the Kristiansen family for drinks at our house tomorrow night. I stepped away from them all, drawing in a deep breath as my eyes stared blankly across the parking lot.
The sound of a car engine revving snapped me from my trance. I turned in that direction. I lost all the breath in my lungs when, in the distance, I saw a long-haired blond boy jump into the front seat of a black Camaro.
A black Camaro that belonged to Deacon Jacobs, Rune’s best friend.
* * *
I looked in the mirror and admired my outfit. My sky-blue skater dress hung to mid thigh, my bobbed brown hair was pulled up at the side with a white bow, and I wore black ballet flats on my feet.
Reaching for my jewelry box, I pulled out my favorite silver earrings and slipped them into my lobes. They were infinity signs. Rune had given them to me for my fourteenth birthday.
I wore them at every opportunity.
Grabbing my cropped denim jacket, I hurried out of my bedroom and out into the cool night. Jorie had texted me that she was outside. As I climbed into the front seat of her mama’s truck, I turned to face my best friend. She was smiling at me.
“Poppy, you look so freakin’ cute,” she remarked. I ran my hands down my dress, smoothing out the skirt.
“Is it okay?” I asked, worried. “I didn’t really know what to wear.”
Jorie batted her hand in front of her face as she pulled out of the driveway. “It’s fine.”
I checked out what she was wearing. Jorie was dressed in a black sleeveless dress and biker boots. She was definitely edgier than me, but I was thankful that our outfits were not poles apart.
“So,” she began, as we left my street, “how was the recital?”
“Good,” I said evasively.
Jorie glanced at me cautiously. “And how are you feeling?”
I rolled my eyes. “Jorie, I’m good. Please, just let me be. You’re as bad as my mama.”
Jorie, seemingly stuck for words for once, stuck out her tongue. And just like that, she made me laugh again.
For the remainder of the ride, Jorie filled me in on the gossip that had circled the school about why I’d been gone. I smiled in all the right places and nodded my head at the parts she expected me to, but I wasn’t really interested. I never much cared for all the drama that happened at school.
I heard the party before I saw it. Shouting and loud music blasted out of Deacon’s house and down the street. His parents were on a short vacation, and in the small town of Blossom Grove that meant one thing: house party.
As we parked near the house, we could see kids spilling out onto the front yard. I swallowed back my nerves. I stayed close behind Jorie as we crossed the street.
Gripping onto her arm, I asked, “Are house parties always this crazy?”
Jorie laughed. “Yeah.” She linked my arm with hers and pulled me forward.
When we entered the house, I flinched at how loud the music was. As we pushed our way through the rooms to the kitchen, drunken students staggered by, forcing me to grip onto Jorie until I was convinced I’d be causing her physical pain.
Jorie glanced back at me and laughed. When at last we reached the kitchen, I immediately relaxed on seeing Ruby standing with Deacon. The kitchen was much quieter than the rooms we had struggled through.
“Poppy!” Ruby declared and crossed the kitchen to pull me into her arms. “Do you want a drink?”
“Just a soda,” I replied; Ruby frowned.
“Poppy!” she admonished. “You need a real drink.”
I laughed at her horrified expression. “Ruby, thanks, but I’ll stick to soda.”
“Boo!” Ruby cried, but threw her arm around my neck and led me to the drinks.
“Pops,” Deacon greeted, as a text came through on his cell.
“Hey, Deek,” I replied and took the diet soda Ruby had poured me. Ruby and Jorie led me to the backyard, to the fire pit blazing in the center of the lawn. Surprisingly not many people were out here, which suited me just fine.
It wasn’t long before Deacon pulled Ruby back to the party inside, leaving me alone with Jorie. I was staring into the flames, when Jorie said, “I’m sorry about putting my big ole’ foot in my mouth yesterday about Rune. It hurt you, I saw it. Lordy! I just don’t always think before I open my big trap! My daddy’s threatening to have it wired shut!” Jorie pushed her hands over her mouth in a mock struggle. “I can’t, Pops! This mouth, uncontrollable as it is, is all I’ve got!”
Laughing, I shook my head. “It’s alright, Jor. I knew you didn’t mean it. You’d never hurt me.”
Jorie dropped her hands from her mouth, her head tipped to the side. “Seriously though, Pops. What do you think of Rune? You know, since he’s been back?”
Jorie was watching me curiously. I shrugged. Jorie rolled her eyes. “You’re telling me you have no opinion about how the great love of your life looks, now he’s older and, in my opinion, beyond smokin’ hot!”
My stomach churned and I played with the plastic Solo cup in my hands. Shrugging, I replied, “He’s just as handsome as he ever was.”
Jorie smirked behind her cup as she took a drink, then she grimaced when we heard the voice of Avery drifting out from inside the house. Jorie lowered her cup. “Ugh, looks like the whore’s in the house.”
I smiled at the level of disgust on Jorie’s face. “Is she really that bad?” I asked. “Is she actually a whore?”
Jorie sighed. “Not really, I just hate how she flirts with all the guys.”
Ah, I thought, knowing exactly who she was referring to. “Anyone in particular?” I teased, and watched Jorie scowl in response. “Judson, perhaps?” I added, prompting Jorie to throw her empty cup my way.
I laughed as it flew past me in completely the wrong direction. When my laughter had died down, Jorie said, “At least now Rune’s back she seems to have backed off Jud, anyway.” My good humor evaporated. When Jorie realized what she’d just said, she groaned in exasperation at herself, and moved quickly to sit beside me and take hold of my hand. “Crap, Pops. I’m so sorry. I did it again! I didn’t mean—”