Rapid Falls(53)

I breathed deeply as I turned so he could clasp it around my neck.

“Thanks,” I said again. I wished I could be more eloquent, but I hoped he knew how much it meant to me. I couldn’t wait to show Anna.

“Be safe tonight. Your mom and I love you.”

“I know. Me too. Thanks again.”

My dad reached over to hug me. It made me feel like an adult, but also like a kid.

“Take care of Jesse,” he called as I turned. “And your sister too.”

“I promise,” I said with a grin. After my dance with Anna, the prom had passed in a swarm of well-wishers and friends seeking one last dance with me to special songs. I wanted more time dancing with Jesse, but I wasn’t worried. I knew we had the whole night at the Field ahead of us and our whole lives ahead of us after that. Close to the end of the night, I heard “More Than Words” begin to play. It was our song.

“Can I have this dance?” he said as he approached. I gave him my hand, and he twirled me onto the floor. We swayed to the familiar guitar strumming. I looked over his shoulder and saw Anna on the side of the dance floor, staring at us. When I caught her eye, her expression changed, and she smiled. I fought to forget the look that had been on her face. I leaned into Jesse’s body and tightened my hold on his back.

“It’s over,” he whispered. His voice sounded wistful. “High school, everything.”

“Not everything. This is just the beginning of what we are going to do together,” I said. I looked into his eyes to savor the moment, but he was looking down. The song ended, and he moved away quickly.

“I need to go to the bathroom,” he said. I tried not to take it personally that he didn’t kiss me. Everyone was fidgety. It was hard to focus when there was so much happening.

The sound of Anna clicking the VCR on and off brought me back to the present.

“Hurry up, Little Piper. Some of us have partying to do!” Wade lifted his beer bottle in the air. Jesse clinked his bottle against his friend’s, and I lifted mine up as well.

“Jesse?” I said quietly.

“Yeah?” he said.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

My chest thrummed with warmth. Everything was fine between us.

“Snacks are here!” Mrs. Turner said as she walked in with a bowl of chips and some popcorn.

“Shhh!” Anna shushed our chattering as the TV came alive with an image of Jesse, sitting by the river. The sun was shining on his hair, making it look like brown silk. He was smiling at the camera as if looking at someone he loved. I pushed down a feeling of dread with a generous gulp of my cooler.

The film was about two young lovers, played by Jesse and Anna. I finished my drink, and Wade passed me another. It was mostly flowing images: their hands touching, a close-up of his lips, his hands in her hair. As the screen faded to black, I swigged my drink, feeling dizzy and disoriented.

Mrs. Turner broke the awkward silence. “Great job, Anna. It was so . . . beautiful.”

“Yeah,” echoed Jesse. I tried to catch his eye, but he was still staring at the screen.

“What did you think, Cara?” Anna asked.

“It was good,” I forced out. It must have sounded genuine because Anna’s face looked relieved. “Though weird to see you and Jesse like that,” I admitted.

“It’s just a film, Cara,” Jesse said quickly.

“I know,” I said, catching a fingernail in my teeth.

“I thought the river looked amazing,” said Sandy slowly.

Wade stood up from the couch impatiently. “Okay, enough TV! Enough talking!” he cried. I wasn’t sure he’d paid attention to any part of Anna’s film.

Everyone got up quickly, and Jesse reached for my hand to pull me off the couch.

“I’ll be there in a second.” I sat immobile. Jesse raised his eyebrows. “I just need to fix my lipstick.” As he walked out of the room, I realized Mr. Turner hadn’t left either.

“Quite a show,” he said, looking my direction. I nodded, wondering if anyone else had seen what I thought I had seen. “But just a show, Cara. She’s always wanted to be like you. She wanted to walk in your shoes.”

I smiled and nodded again, letting the words sink in. Anna had always wanted the same toys I had, the same clothes I wore. I hoped he was right and this was just another example of her imitating me. It didn’t mean she wanted Jesse. The look between them at Rapid Falls came to my mind, but I drowned it with peach-flavored liquor.

“You okay?” said Mr. Turner.

“I’m fine.”

He smiled. “Better get going, then.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Thanks for the, uh, talk.”

“Anytime, Cara,” he said as he stood. “I had a younger brother too. They’re all the same. Have a great night. And drive safe.”

“Always,” I replied with a smile. It fell from my face the second he left the room.





CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

September 2016

At 3:00 p.m. the office is empty, but the feeling of celebration still lingers in the air. The meeting that Larry had scheduled over the weekend had been a success. After months of local protest and bureaucratic negotiations, the opening of several natural gas extraction plants had been approved, so Larry invited everyone out for afternoon drinks. I told them I would join them after I wrapped up a few things. I like how it looks when I’m the last person at work after everyone else knocks off early.