The Songs in Our Hearts: A Young Adult Romance(20)

“I doubt that. Micah doesn’t care what anyone thinks.”

Josh snorted. “I think his attitude is just a front. He’s afraid of not being good enough for the girl he likes.

I looked at Josh with wide eyes. Were we talking about the same guy? Micah like me?

As Josh backed up the Jeep, Micah turned and looked at us. What if he did like me? And what if I liked him back?

What would that mean?

I waited all night to hear from Micah. After dinner and a hot shower, I gave in. Curling up underneath my comforter, I pulled my phone off of the charger and texted him.





CHARLIE: Why didn’t you let us take you home?



MICAH: Does it matter?



CHARLIE: It does, to me.



MICAH: My dad sleeps during the day and works at nite.



MICAH: I try to not make much noise when I get home.



CHARLIE: You could have just told us that.



MICAH: I don’t have to tell u anything.



CHARLIE: If we’re friends, you can share that sort of thing with me.



MICAH: So now we’re friends?



CHARLIE: Yes, Micah. I want to be your friend.



MICAH: Are u riding the bus 2morrow?



CHARLIE: Maybe.



MICAH: Alright then. I’ll see u 2morrow.



CHARLIE: Micah?



MICAH: Yea?



CHARLIE: I’m sorry I was mean to you today.



MICAH: What r u doin rt now?



CHARLIE: I’m in bed, talking to you.



MICAH: Wanna go grab a bite with me?



CHARLIE: Uh, sure!



MICAH: I’ll come get u – give me 5.



CHARLIE: Okay! You drive?



MICAH: Of course I drive. I just take advantage of free transportation.



MICAH: It’s shocking but I’m not made of $$$$.



MICAH: Leaving now.



CHARLIE: I’ll be looking for an old, rusted car.



MICAH: Keep ur ears open! U might hear it first.





“Time of Our Lives”

James Blunt





I JUMPED OUT OF BED and went over to my closet. I scanned through my hanging clothes until I found my favorite pair of jeans. I didn’t have time to rethink my damp hair, so I tugged it into a ponytail and clipped my side-swept bangs back with a bobby pin. I grabbed a sweatshirt from one of my drawers and slipped out of my room. Josh was lounging on his bed watching Netflix while my parents were absorbed in one of those singing reality shows in the living room.

“Can I go grab a bite down the street?” I stopped at the entryway to the living room. My dad turned in his recliner and lifted his watch.

“It’s a little late, don’t you think?”

“I’m studying for a test and I want something that’ll keep me awake,” I began to fib. I hated lying to my dad, mostly because he seemed to have an inbuilt lie detector. Usually, he knew when I wasn’t telling the truth. With that in mind, I added, “Micah invited me. We need to work on our English project.”

“Oh, so you want permission to go hang out with a boy at night?” My dad glanced at my mom. “What do you think?”

My mom’s gaze moved from the TV screen to my dad. She smiled.

“Just be back in an hour,” my dad said in his trying-to-be-stern voice. “Do you need some money?”

“I have some, but thanks, Dad. I appreciate it.”

“Be safe.” He leaned back in his chair as I headed for the door. “Flip on the outdoor light, too, Charlie.”

Smiling at him, I gave a nod. “I will.”

I opened the front door as Micah pulled into the driveway in a black Pontiac Grand Am.

“Bye! I’ll be back in a bit!” I shouted over my shoulder and closed the door behind me. With each step down the driveway, I couldn’t control the nervous tightening in my chest. It was hard to breathe and think at the same time. Would this be considered…a date? Was I actually going out with Micah Jacobs? I really didn’t need a snack this late anyway, and Frankenstein could wait, too.

Micah rolled down his window. “Come on, slow poke. Before the ice caps melt.”

I walked around the car and slipped inside. He was wearing cologne, which smelled pretty good. I hadn’t ever really noticed his scent before, in the few times I’d been around him. I rubbed my palms over my knees and chewed the inside of my cheek as he backed out of my driveway and started down the road toward the Mini-Mart.

“So, I was thinking about asking my old friends, Paul and Marshall, to help out with the film. One of them can be the monster, and the other the camera man. That way I can focus on the part of Victor and I don’t have to hold the camera like we’re taking a selfie.”

I smirked at that. I could only imagine filming a video and having to act cheek-to-cheek. Awkward.

“If they’re willing,” I said.

“Oh, they will be,” Micah responded. “I promised them a huge pizza with as many toppings as they want. A man will do anything for food.”