Four Doors Down(18)

I raise my eyebrows but don’t say anything, because my phone beeps in front of me and I reach out to read the message.

Charlie: I’ve been thinking about you all day.

“What are you smiling at? Who is that?”

I look up at Jake distracted and realize I have the widest grin on my face. That’s what Charlie does to me. He makes me happy. “No one.”

“Your new boyfriend?”

I’m surprised. “How do you know about Charlie?” I don’t remember telling Jake about Charlie and I didn’t mention it was him I was leaving Ryan’s for after his grandma’s wake. A feeling of dread comes over me when I realize Ryan probably told him he caught us dry humping at Zara’s party.

Jake looks at me for a second. “So, are you like really into him, or what?”

I shrug my shoulders.

“No, I’m being serious. Do you really like him?”

I roll my eyes and am about to respond with some sarcastic comment when I glance behind Jake and see Ryan over his shoulder making his way over to us from the main steps. His eyes lock with mine for a second and it springs me into motion, gathering up my books that lay in front of me. I really can’t be bothered to deal with any of Ryan’s insults right now, especially if he’s been telling Jake stuff about Charlie and me.

“Right, well, see you guys later then.”

Jake looks confused at my sudden departure and turns around to follow my gaze. He turns back at me with a look of annoyance on his face. “Stay,” he says. “Come get food with us.”

I shake my head and stand, turning to go.

“Wait!” I turn back to Jake, sighing in annoyance just as Ryan reaches the table.

“What?”

“You should come back to my house with me. My mom keeps asking about you.”

This makes me falter. Jake’s mom is amazing. She’s this fun-loving, excitable, free spirited hippy that always has time for everyone. It’s got to be going on a year since I last went to his house and saw her.

My phone beeps again.

Charlie: I miss you.

My heart swells with emotion at those words. I miss him too. Badly. It’s been nearly five days since I saw him at his practice and I haven’t stopped thinking about him since.

“Becca!”

I glance up at Jake. “What?”

He rolls his eyes at me. “Come back to my house? Lizzy would love to see you too. She asks about you all the time.” I look back at Jake, who is wearing a triumphant smirk. He knows that’ll get me. Lizzy is his little sister. She’s almost ten years younger than us and absolutely adorable. When she was a toddler, she followed me around everywhere. Come to think of it, it must be even longer than a year since I’ve seen her. “Just come for an hour.”

I let out a small sigh. I would love to see Jake’s mom and Lizzy, and I don’t have anything better to do, but I don’t want to go if Ryan and Mason are going too. Call me stupid, but I’m just not comfortable around them. “Who else is going?” I ask, flicking my eyes toward Mason and Ryan.

“I’m out,” Mason tells me. “Gotta head home.”

I look at Ryan, who doesn’t say a word; he just has this smug look on his face. He knows I don’t want him to go, but he’s not about to say he won’t. I look over at Jake.

“Oh, come on. Remember the crush Lizzy had on Ryan when we were kids? It’s only grown,” Jake tells me. “She’ll kill me if I don’t let him come too.”

I can’t help but grin at that. Lizzy might have followed me around everywhere when she was little but she positively hero worshiped Ryan. Typical. Even eight-year-olds have crushes on Ryan. No wonder he has the ego he does.

My phone beeps again.

Charlie: You look really pretty today.

My head snaps up and I spin around, my eyes scanning the crowds trying to see if he’s nearby.

“Becca!” I turn to face Jake again. Irritation is creeping into his voice. “Are you gonna come?”

I start to nod in agreement when my phone beeps a fourth time.

Charlie: By your car.

My head whips around to the student parking lot and I spot him. He’s leaning against my car with his gaze locked on me. Butterflies erupt in my stomach at the mere sight of him. He’s here. At my school. He’s come here to surprise me. I instinctively take a step toward him then remember Jake.

“Sorry,” I tell him. “I’ve got to go. Another time, though.” Then I turn and walk toward Charlie without a backward glance and a huge smile on my face.

“Hey,” he greets me.

“Hey.”

“Good surprise?”

I nod my head eagerly. Best ending to a school day ever. “Great surprise.”

He reaches forward and pulls me by the waist closer to him and drops a quick kiss on my lips. My heart starts beating wildly in my chest. This is what he does to me.

He glances over my shoulder. “Who are those guys?”

I look behind me. Jake, Mason, and Ryan are all looking over at us. God knows why they’re so interested. When Jake and Mason see me looking, they both turn away but Ryan doesn’t. He stares straight back at me.

“The blonde guy is Jake, a friend of mine from way back. The other two are his friends. I don’t talk to them.”