Forever (Cruiser & Lex, Book 3) (6 page)

Cruiser

What’s taking so long? I want to leave this damn place already.

I pace. Back and forth, back and forth. Mom tells me to quit it because I’m getting her dizzy.

“I want to leave.” I look at the clock. Lex’s meet will start in half an hour.

“We’re still waiting for the discharge papers, Elvis. Relax.”

I don’t want to relax. I want to be at Lex’s dance meet. Pronto. I don’t know why I have a need to be there. I just do. Maybe because my being there when I got back from New York changed things between us. Made her realize I was there for her and would do anything for her. It’s like missing this one will make it seem like she’s not important to me anymore. Which is stupid because she’d understand if I didn’t show. She even told me yesterday not to sweat it. But dammit, I want to be there.

Rey comes back with a cup of cold water. He hands it to me. “Thanks.” I gulp it down. Feels good against my dry throat.

I count the minutes.

Twenty-seven.

Twenty-Six.

Twenty-Five.

Mom tells me to quit pacing again. I stand by the window and look out. Don’t see anything but houses, roads, and trees. I wish I could swallow some serum that will give me superpowers. My arm would magically heal and I’d crash through the window. Fly to Lex’s dance meet.

Where are those damn papers?

Nineteen.

Eighteen.

Seventeen.

At eleven minutes to Lex’s dance meet, Dad comes with the papers. An attendant rolls over a wheelchair. “No,” I tell him. “Hell no.”

“It’s hospital protocol.”

“I got legs.” And one functioning arm.

The guy won’t budge. I glare at him. But he won’t budge.

“Cruise, just get in the damn chair,” Rey says.

He’s got a point. The longer I make a fuss, the later I’ll get to Lex’s meet. I got no clue if the Sharkettes will perform at the beginning or the end, but I need to get there. With a grunt, I fall down on the chair.

This is bullshit. Feels ridiculous to be rolled around like I’m some invalid. My insides squeeze together. This is how Rosie feels every day.

The attendant wheels me down the ramp to Dad’s car. Gives me a smile before going back inside. Rey’s smirking. I make a move to slug him, but he’s on my left, and my left arm is in this damn sling. “I’m making a list of all the payback I’ll give you when my arm is out of this thing.”

“Sure.”

“Can we get to Franklin High?” I say as I bend myself to get into the car. It’s a little hard at first because I’m not used to the sling, but I get it. Rey slides in next to me and Mom takes the passenger seat.

Dad starts the car.

“Are we all going to the meet?” I ask.

“Why not?” Mom says. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen Lex dance.”

Rey waves his hand. “Trust me, it’s not something to add to your bucket list.”

Item number one added to the Payback List.

“Is it still her dream to attend Juilliard?” Mom asks, twisting around to look at me.

My throat chokes up. I don’t want to think about the future. It’s like I’ve just gotten a second chance with Lex. Why’s Mom ruining it by talking about the unknown? I shrug.

“Last I heard, it is,” Rey says.

Mom looks satisfied. Relieved. Is it her hope that I won’t join the Navy because of Lex? I want to tell her that Lex wouldn’t be that selfish. That she’s pushing me to join. But I don’t say anything. No point. Not when I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do. Damn, only a few minutes out of the hospital and I’m already worrying about the future.

“How much longer?” I mutter as I bang my head against the back of the seat.

“Not for another ten minutes,” Dad says.

Stupid school is too far away. I’d text Lex, but there’s no point. Either she’s on stage or backstage, and probably nervous as hell.

“Dude, will you sit still?” Rey says. “It’s just a dance meet. They’ll be plenty more.”

No. I don’t want to miss this one or any. Can’t.

Rey’s eyes move to mine. Then he stares back at the road. He gets a sour look.

“What?” I ask.

He shrugs. “What?”

“I saw the face you made.”

“I didn’t make any face.”

“Dammit, Rey! Don’t lie.”

“Geez, shut up,” he says.

“Boys,” Mom says. “Elvis has
just
left the hospital. Can we have some peace and quiet for a few minutes, please?”

“I don’t like the face you made,” I say to Rey, my voice low. “You got a problem? No one’s holding a knife to your neck. You don’t have to come to her meet.”

“My god, Cruise. I can handle going to her dance meet. I’m not in love with her.”

I bang my head against the back of the seat again. Maybe he’s not in love with her, but he’s got a problem with something.

“Fine,” he says. “I just think it’s sick the way you’re so…I don’t know.” He shrugs again. “Like you care so much.” He doesn’t have to say the next words. I see it in his eyes.
I wish I had that, too
.

“You can have it, Rey. You just need to find the right girl.”

He snorts. “I have my violin, remember? It’s my lover.”

“The hell, Rey.”

He laughs.

“Whatever happened to that girl I told you about? Melody whatnot?”

He shrugs another time.

“Is this the school?” Dad asks, stopping before a building that says Franklin High School. I grab the door handle, but the door won’t open. “Shit, it’s stuck.”

“Geez, Cruise, relax,” Rey says. Dad unlocks the doors.

“Huh. That explains it.” I yank on the door handle and get out. I don’t know or care if the rest of them follow. I rush into the building. Now where is that auditorium?

It’s not hard to find. I just follow the music. As I step in, my gaze shoots to the stage. I don’t see the familiar blue and white colors that are the Sharkettes. I see gold and purple. Did I make it in time? Did the Sharkettes go yet?

The track ends and the audience cheers. As the girls march off stage, someone announces, “South Beach High’s Sharkettes are up next.”

I would dance on all these people’s heads if I could. I didn’t miss Lex’s performance. Hell yeah.
Hell yeah
.

Someone touches my arm. Mom. “Grab a seat, Elvis.”

I don’t move my eyes from the stage as I look for a seat. I want to make sure Lex sees me. She needs to know I’m here.

The Sharkettes walk on stage. They place their poms before them on the floor. I immediately pinpoint Lex from the other girls. Her black hair is tied in a high ponytail, twirled in this curl that is cute and sexy. Like the others, she’s got glitter around her eyes.
Look at me, T. Rex. Please look at me
.

Her eyes sweep the audience. She bites her bottom lip. I wave. She doesn’t see me. I wave again. Some other girls notice me. One—I think the captain, Holly—nudges Lex’s side and nods in my direction. Lex’s eyes land on me. Her whole face washes with joy. Pure joy that makes every cell in my body want to do some lame happy dance.

The track starts. The girls do their thing. I’ve said this to Lex many times, but I think she is the sexiest and most talented Sharkette on the team. I can’t take my eyes off her. She’s like an angel. Her moves are graceful. The way her ponytail hits the back of her neck. The way the bottom of her uniform rises just a bit as she twirls. The way her toned arms catch her poms. The way she shakes her little behind.

I love this girl. So, so much.

Two minutes later, they’re done. Chests puffing, big smiles on their faces. The audience roars. I jump to my feet and am about to clap, but then I remember my arm. I wave my good one around in the air instead. Lex, cheeks flushed, jumps up and down in her place, waving at me. It makes me feel real good to make her this happy.

She sweeps her poms off the floor and runs off stage. Heads for me. I get out of my seat so I can meet her halfway. She sprints toward me and flings her arms around me. Her warm lips kiss me all over the face. “Cruiser.” She breathes, then kisses my lips. “You’re here.”

I bury my face in her hair and wrap my good arm around her waist. “I told you I wouldn’t miss it.”

“Thanks so much. You just left the hospital?”

“Yeah.”

She squeezes me tight. Kisses my lips again. “I love you, Cruiser.”

“I love you, too.” My hand strokes the back of her head. “So, so much.” I gently pull her head back so I can look into her eyes. “You were amazing on stage.” I kiss her again, this time more intense than the last. I feel her soften in my arms. If it was up to me, I would stand here and just kiss her. But we’re in public. In front of my family and her school and teammates. Reluctantly, I step back.

She takes my hand and holds it tight. One more school performs before they announce the winner. I squeeze Lex’s hand. I know they did well. They were amazing. She lays her head on my shoulder.

The gold and purple team wins third. The Sharkettes place second. I hug Lex with one arm as she jumps in her place. “Congrats, Lex!”

She buries her face in my chest.

Holly and some of the other girls walk over. I pat Lex’s back, and she lifts her head. “We’re going for pizza to celebrate. Coming?”

She stares into my eyes. Looks like she’s lost in them. I’m lost in hers, too. I blink and say, “Go, darlin’.”

She shakes her head. Wraps her arms around my middle. “I want to stay with you.” She looks at her teammates. “Next time, okay?”

They nod, giving her this knowing smile. Like they don’t blame her for ditching them for me. They walk away, giggling.

I touch her cheek. “You coulda gone with them. I wouldn’t have minded.”

“We go out for pizza all the time. I want to spend every second with you.” She squeezes me again and puts her face back on my chest. I just hold onto her.

After a few minutes, Lex steps back and looks up at me. “Are you going home?” She looks out at the audience. “Rey and your parents are here, too.” She waves. They head toward us.

“I need to get to work,” Mom says.

Right, she’s working tonight because she took the day off to take me home. Turns out Dad took the day off, too.

“You’ll settle in okay?” Mom asks.

She asked me earlier today if I wanted to move back in with her. I’m still not sure, so I told her I was going to stay at Dad’s for now.

“I’ll be okay,” I tell her.

“Rey, help your brother.”

He nods.

Mom hugs me and Rey before walking off.

I put my arm around Lex. “Wanna come over?”

“Are you sure? Don’t you want to rest?”

I press my lips on her temple. “I want to be with you.”

“Okay. Let me just tell Rosie and my parents.”

I go with her to say hello to them. I ruffle Rosie’s hair. She groans and pats it down. As Lex and I leave the building, I say, “Has Jamie had the procedure yet?”

“They’re doing some more tests on him and prepping him mentally before they do the procedure. I’m not sure when, but Jamie’s mom will let us know.”

“How’s Rosie doing?”

“I honestly don’t know. She’s kept to herself these past few days. She video chatted with Jamie, though.”

“That’s good.”

My dad opens the back door for us. I extend my arm and bow. “M’lady.”

Lex giggles and climbs in. I try to look as composed as possible as I get in, but man this sling is a bitch. It’s like I can’t balance myself right. Lex takes hold of my other arm and steadies me as I get in. Once I’m good, I peck her nose. Rey sits shotgun.

No one strikes up a conversation as Dad drives to his apartment. Lex’s hand is locked in mine. My thumb caresses her skin. Every so often, she looks up at me, into my eyes, and gives me a loving smile. The one that makes me feel like I can conquer the world.

When we reach the apartment, I look out. I almost don’t recognize it. I guess because I only lived there for a few days. It looks the same, but it never felt like home. Just like a temporary dwelling. I know my bike isn’t in the garage. It’s gone, thanks to Jackass Jake and his jackass crew.

Lex gets out and helps me. “I feel like some invalid,” I mumble.

“Don’t.” She links her hand through my good arm. “I like taking care of you.”

Dad carries my bag to my room. There’s not much in there. Just some underwear and clothes. Mom threw out my bloody ones. As soon as I walk in, my mouth drops. What the hell did Rey do to the room? Clothes are tossed around. Books and papers are all over the place. Game cases are piled high on our dresser. The room reeks.

“Rey! Get your ass in here.”

Footsteps. Then he appears in the doorway. “What?”

“What the
hell
did you do to the place?” He’s always been a neat freak. Even kept his Xbox in its case when not in use.