A Cross-Country Christmas(7)

She paused the narration and pulled out her sketchpad, mindlessly doodling as Will put more and more miles between her and her home. Drawing always calmed her, and she could use a little calm right about now.

She definitely didn’t notice the way the smell of Will’s aftershave filled the car. She certainly was not inhaling more deeply than usual. And she was absolutely not thinking about the first time she ever saw Will.

Not even a little.

She was almost twelve. He was fourteen. A high schooler. He might as well have been a celebrity on a poster in her room.

That was the year so much changed in her house. She didn’t know what to make of her parents arguing. Her body was starting to revolt and act weird. Her friends were picking sides. And most of all, her feelings, every single one of her feelings, were cranked up to eleven.

But none of her almost-twelve-year-old angst seemed to matter when Spencer showed up after baseball practice with “the new kid” who’d just moved to their small Midwestern town, Pleasant Valley. At least, not in the moment when she saw him.

Lauren was sitting on the front porch, reading a Saddle Club book when Spencer rode up on his bike, followed by a boy Lauren had never seen before. Usually, she ignored Spencer and his friends—they were so immature, and Lauren had never really understood why things like burping and farting were funny. But the second she glanced up, it was like she couldn’t look away.

Maybe the summer heat had gone to her head, or maybe she just needed a reprieve from her parents’ constant bickering. Whatever it was, she was entranced. A brand-new feeling, warm and embarrassing and intriguing and exciting, wove through her body.

They walked up onto the porch, and Spencer stopped at the front door. He was brave for bringing a friend over with everything going on in their house, and Lauren wondered later if he’d done that in hopes of forcing his parents to be on their best behavior.

The stranger glanced over at Lauren and when their eyes met, he smirked at her. “My sister had those horse books,” he said.

“That’s Lauren,” Spencer said. “She’s a nerd.”

Lauren gave her brother the half-tongue-out ‘you’re such an idiot’ look, then forced her gaze back onto the page in front of her. The words had gone fuzzy. Why did she suddenly feel light-headed?

“At least I can read,” she mumbled under her breath.

“Dang, nice one!” The new kid shoved Spencer.

“Pssh. I know how to read. I read all the time.”

Lauren didn’t know where this came from, but she immediately said, “See Spot Run books while you’re sitting on the toilet for a half hour don’t count.”

The boys stood motionless and stared, mouths agape, for a full five seconds. Then Spencer’s friend burst out laughing, pushed him, and staggered over to fall in the grass on the front lawn.

“Dude! Do you want the address for the local burn center? Oh my gosh that was amazing!”

Spencer leapt over and jumped on his friend, landing an elbow. Lauren watched as they play-wrestled for a minute. Boys were so weird.

“I like horses,” the kid panted, sitting on top of Spencer. “They’re cool.”

Lauren smiled.

“Dude, you don’t have to be nice to her.” Spencer pushed him off. “Let’s go see if we have ice cream—my parents won’t even care.”

They scrambled past her, and the kid stopped briefly.

“On the toilet. Classic.”

He smiled at Lauren before following her brother into the house. Then he was gone.

She sat, shell shocked, for too many minutes.

She went inside—but she was not following her brother—and found them camped out in front of the TV, playing some Mario video game. She sauntered through the room and into the kitchen, where she grabbed a can of Coke. When she closed the fridge and turned around, Spencer’s friend was standing there.

“Spencer sent me in here for pop,” he said.

She held up hers. “This is the last one.”

“Don’t take the last one, Lo-life!” Spencer called from the other room.

“Low life?” He shook his hair out of his eyes.

She turned hot with embarrassment. “People call me Lo. Or Lo-la-Belle. Or Lo-Lo-La. I guess ‘Lauren’ is hard to say?” Then, loud enough for Spencer to hear, “But soap Di-SPENCER thinks he’s funny!” She rolled her eyes.

“Lauren, dang it! Come on! He’s going to repeat that now!”

The two shared a smile in front of the fridge, and it was the greatest moment in Lauren’s whole young life.

“You can have mine.” She offered the Coke.

“Oh, I can drink something else,” he said.

“You’re the guest.”

At that exact moment, her mom walked in the back door, carrying an armload of groceries and talking loudly on the phone. “I’m starting to not believe a single thing you say, Neal,” she said. “You’ve had to work late every night this week.” Pause. “What do you mean it’s ‘none of my business?’ I’m your wife!” Another pause. “So, it’s my fault? This is my fault?”

Lauren glanced at the kid, who stood awkwardly in the kitchen, almost like he was afraid to move. He met her eyes, and she saw the unmistakable look of pity on his face. It was clear his family was not like hers.