Falling - On the Banks of Lake Saint Clare (Falling - Book One) (26 page)

“I’m sure they are from my Grandmother. 10 roses? That’s odd.” I said, opening the envelope.

10 is the date I first saw you, 10 is how many times a minute I think of you, 10 is the number of perfection you are to me. Guess what number I am on the ball team...17 how ironic. Love M

“I don’t get it,”
Abbie
said.

“It’s a joke,” I laughed. “It doesn’t have anything to do with ten.” I knew there was no reason to try to explain. “Hang on,” I said looking through my phone. I looked at the last picture taken, the one of the top of my head,
magazine,
and gum rack in the background. I looked at the date it was taken. “It was the tenth that we first saw each other at the store.”

“How romantic is that? Erica is going to hate you! That is all she has ever said she wanted was roses from a guy.”

“We just don’t need to tell her, do we?”

Chapter 1
5

Abbie
and I met up with Erica and
Kaitlyn
at
The Lane
. I was hoping hanging out with the girls would get my mind off of Rachel and my
d
ad. But of course, Rachel decided after a year of refusing to ever go to
The Lane
because all the immature people are there, just so happened to be there.

I hadn’t even noticed until I heard her fake laugh from across the room.
She was snuggled up against Brad
,
feeding him fries
.

“I want to puke,” I rolled my eyes.

“Just ignore them,” Erica said
, looking over at them.
“Oh! Guess who called!”

“
Monty
,” we all three said at the same time.

“Yep. He said Lloyd will give you another chance,
Abbie
. He said you must have been on your period or something.”

“That’s charming,” I laughed. “I can’t believe you let the prize get away,
Abbie
. He sounds like a keeper!”

“I can’t believe he said that,”
Abbie
fumed. “I should have run over him when I had the chance.”

“All I can say,” Erica continued “is
Monty
is in college and you know what they say about college guys,” she winked.

The three of us looked at each other, “No,” I said, seeing no one else knew the answer either.

She paused, “Well, I am sure they say something. They should be here in a few. Anyone want to go for a ride with them?”
S
he asked, looking up from her phone.

“Tempting,” I laughed. “I never thought I would have regrets being with Michael.
Abbie
painted Lloyd to be absolutely perfect.”

Erica looked up from her phone, “Tough luck, eh?”

Abbie
nudged me, wondering why Erica was not getting the sarcasm.

A few minutes later their car pulled up and she squealed. “There they are! There they are!”

I watched two guys get out of the car and start walking toward the restaurant. “Which one is which,” I asked.

“
Monty
is the blonde.”

They walked in and made it to the table.

“I’m getting something to eat.” I looked at
Monty
and thought he was nothing I would ever take a second
glance
at. Then I looked at Lloyd who was 2 inches shorter than me with big ears and a mullet with poorly done blonde highlights. I had to stare. He looked me over like I was for sale as I walked past. I heard him say, “That’s a nice piece of ass. She put out?”

Did he really just say that? Did he actually say that out loud?

I walked up to the counter and looked back at the table. I had to laugh thinking there was no one more opposite than Michael than Lloyd.
Monty
was all over Erica and Lloyd was using his suave personality to try to charm
Kaitlyn
. I guess flashbacks of being left under the car made him think again about pursuing
Abbie
any more.

I placed my order and saw a twenty thrown down to pay. I turned around and saw Brad had thrown it. “My treat,” he smiled.

I picked it up and handed it back, “Thanks, but I have money.”

“You act like you are mad at me for something. Let’s call it a peace offering,” he said, handing it directly to the cashier.

“I’m not mad. I don’t want a peace offering,” I said, starting to feel uncomfortable. “I just want to get my food.”

“I was hoping we could talk for a minute,” he said, looking me over. “Just a little chat. You will find it very interesting.”

“We really don’t have anything to talk about, Brad. There is nothing for you to apologize for. I am not mad at all. I just want to eat.”

He stood behind me so I couldn’t move. “Where’s Michael?” He asked.

“He’s on his way,” I lied, knowing he wasn’t going to be there for a few hours

“Hmm,” he smiled, “I love how you can lie so easily. It comes so natural
ly
to you.”

I looked away and felt his hand on my arm. He leaned forward and whispered, “Stop fucking lying to me. It really pisses me off.”

“I’m not lying, Brad,” I said, picking up my tray, his hand still on my arm, “he’s going to be here in a bit.”

He didn’t move. Just stood there staring at me so I couldn’t get by.

“Could you please move so I can eat? I will talk to you later.”

But he didn’t move. I was really starting to get nervous. “Please,” I repeated.

I looked around wondering if there was anyone that could help me. I felt so small beside him. He finally let go of my arm and stepped back. “There you go,” he said almost pleasantly
.
“
E
njoy.”

I started to walk back to the table, “Alex!” He yelled.

I looked at him. He held up one finger to his mouth, “Shhh,”
h
e smiled.

When I got to the table I sat down. Lloyd pushed in beside me, sitting way too close. I could hear
Abbie
asking me if I was alright but I just looked at my food. What did he mean by ‘Shhh’
?

“You look upset,”
Kaitlyn
said. “Alex, you ok?”

I nodded and tried to forget about Brad. I hated the feel of his hand on my arm and him whispering in my ear. I hated not knowing what he meant. Was I not supposed to tell Michael he talked to me?

“I’m ok. Brad was just up there when I got my food.
It was
weird.”

“He’s harmless,”
Kaitlyn
said
,
looking at him. “He won’t do anything. He knows Michael will pulverize him if he does.”

“I am starting to wonder if he will care. Could you please move an inch over for
C
hrist
sake,” I said to Lloyd who was practically sitting on my lap.

“Feisty,” he winked.

I smiled and shook my head. Michael winking at me practically made me orgasm, this guy practically made me gag.

I looked across the table and saw
Monty
and Erica kissing, his hand
was moving under her shirt

“Really? Are you really going to do that here? You have a car, you have a backseat, and you might even have a house. I don’t know and I don’t care, but I swear you will not sit here and make out in front of us like we don’t exist.”

“What a bitch,”
Monty
said.

“Don’t call my friend a bitch,” Erica said angrily.

I could feel Lloyd put his hand high on my upper thigh.

“I’m out of here,” I said, pushing him so hard that he almost fell on the floor.

“Alex,” Erica yelled,
“please come back. He’s sorry.
Where are you going?” I heard
her
yell.

“Anywhere but here!” I yelled back.

I walked outside to get some air. I just wanted to get away. I wanted to go home. I called my mom, “Hey. Where are you?”

“We are in
Joplin
. I t
exted you letting you know.”

“I didn’t see it. What are you doing there?”

“We came up here to eat dinner. I texted you earlier asking if you wanted to join us. You texted back that you were going to
The Lane
with the girls. Is everything ok?”

“Yeah,” I said, but I was about to start crying and had no idea why. “I forgot. I was going to have you pick me up. I didn’t drive and I don’t want to bother the girls to take me home.”

“I’m sorry. Are you not having fun?”

“Not really. I just don’t feel
right
.”

“There’s been a lot going on lately. I bet if you just hang out with the girls it will get your mind off everything.”

“I’m sure you are right,” I said, realizing that I had walked about two blocks while talking to her. “I feel better. I’ll just hang out there until Michael is finished with practice.”

“Ok Sweetie. I am sorry I’m not there. I can leave and get you but it will be at least 30 minutes before I can make it.”

“It’s fine, Mom. I’m okay. Just wanted to hear my mommy’s voice,” I said, hearing my voice crack. I took a deep breath, wondering why I felt so uneasy.

“If you need anything at
all, call me. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

I felt the phone vibrate and saw a text from
Michael:
If you aren’t busy, call me.

“Is everything okay?” I asked, hearing him answer.

“Yeah, I just wanted you to know that I’ll be pitching tomorrow night.”
             
“You called me for that?” I laughed. “Aren’t you supposed to be practicing?”

I turned the corner of the street feeling more relaxed than a few minutes before. There was something so soothing about his voice that just made me forget everything around me.

“We have a couple of minutes. I just wanted to call. Where am I going to pick you up? We should be done in an hour. What’s that noise?”

“It’s a big exhaust fan beside the feed store
.
I had to get away from
The Lane
for a minute and took a walk. I’m just a couple blocks up the road, heading back now.”

“What’s going on?” He asked
,
sounding concerned.

“Erica and her boy toy are having a feel-up party in the booth right in front of us.”

“H
m
m, sounds exciting
,
”
h
e laughed.

“And Mr. Lloyd, and I hate to say this
,
cause I will probably end up marrying him, is a complete
d
ick.”

“Oh,
so he is a keeper after all?
”
H
e laughed again. “Hey, I gotta run. See you in an hour.”

I instantly started shaking and got extremely nervous feeling again. “Okay,” I took a deep breath.
“Hey Michael?”

“Yes Alex,” he said, sending my heart racing.

“I love you. Please remember that.”

He laughed, “I know. Are you going to do something that is going to piss me off, like have a feel-up party with Lloyd?”

“Funny,” I sighed. “I just want you to know.”

“I love you so much more. See ya in an hour.”

I immediately wanted to be back at
The Lane
. I decided to take a short cut through the alley. “I can bear an hour with those losers Erica has glommed on us. I can do this,” I kept saying over and over in my head. The exhaust fan was louder when I got closer but the alley felt deathly quiet. I could hear my heart pounding. “I’m being ridiculous. It’s an empty alley.”

“Why are you walking alone?” I heard a voice behind me.

I jumped and looked around and saw Brad standing there. I immediately
wanted to run screaming, do any
thing but just stop.

“I’m walking back to
The Lane
. Are you following me?”

“No Alex. Why would I be following you? Why would I waste my time follo
wing you? Was that your
plan?
”

“Not at all,” I said, feeling very uneasy.

“For some reason I feel you are lying to me again. I can’t ever tell when you are telling the truth.”

I could sense he was mad. I could see his eyes looked angry.

I started walking toward
The Lane
. All I could hear was my heart pounding louder and louder in my head. I didn’t want him to know I was scared. I felt his hand grab mine and yank me back to him.