The Songs in Our Hearts: A Young Adult Romance(30)

“Nice to meet you, too, Paul.” He dashed to his old, beat-up Dodge truck, avoiding the mad rush of other vehicles leaving the school parking lot.

“Ready for a smoke, man?” Marshall asked Micah.

“Nah, I gotta catch the bus home,” Micah replied. Josh caught my eye as he headed toward his Jeep with J and Ben. He waved at me.

“Are you sure?” Marshall pressed Micah. “I can take you home. No big deal.”

“Nah, it’s really okay.” Micah sighed and guided me toward the buses. Marshall gave him a salute and headed toward the football field where a group of his friends were waiting. I glanced at Micah curiously.

“Why didn’t you go with him?”

“Not really feeling it today.” We glided by Josh, his friends, and the Jeep. My brother continued to watch us even as he stuffed his backpack into the vehicle. I was tempted to ask Josh to give us a ride home, but kept walking.

“So, when do we start filming?” I climbed onto the bus after Micah and slid into our seat. (Yes, we have a seat. Fourth row on the left-hand side.) Micah sat down beside me.

“The sooner the better. Once Paul gets the set built for us.”

“And when will that be?” I asked.

“He could probably get started this weekend. I figured we could go hang out and help him.”

“I know nothing about building,” I confessed.

“That’s all right. I’m sure we could find something easy for you to do.” Micah pulled his cellphone from his pocket, and sent a text to someone. I assumed it was Marshall. After a moment, he tucked his phone away again. The bus pulled out of the school parking lot and began its afternoon route.

“What are you doing when you get home?” Micah asked.

“Homework.” I let my hands fall into my lap. “Unless Josh and his friends have some sort of plan that involves me.”

“Mind if I come over? Maybe we can work on designing some of the set, figure out the layout for Paul.” Micah put his arm up on the top of our seat. I glanced at it.

“Don’t you need to do that with Paul?” I was confused. “He’s the set builder. He’d be able to tell you what he can and can’t do.”

“Yeah. But I’d like to have an idea of what to ask Paul to make.”

“I guess,” I said softly. “You can come over, if you want.”

“It’s settled then,” Micah replied.

A flight of butterflies swarmed my stomach. Micah Jacobs wanted to come over to my house. My bus stop came too soon. I got up and Micah followed.

“I was thinking we could film at the park, just past Sully’s. There’s a great little grove where we could do a lot of stuff.”

“We’re not making a Steven Spielberg movie,” I said, grinning at him. “It’s not going to be super-uber perfect.”

“Debatable, Blake. I’m not going to accept just any old B-grade.”

“Why? Aren’t you used to that? Or is that just when you’re lucky?” I chimed.

“Ouch, that was my ego there.” Micah bumped his elbow into me and I shoved mine back into him. At that moment, Josh pulled into the driveway with Ben, J, and David.

“Hey! Charlie!” Ben called from the side window of the Jeep. “Wanna head to the creek with us? You too, kid!”

Josh glared at Ben. He clearly didn’t want to invite Micah.

“Nah, that’s okay,” I replied. “You all have fun teasing Josh about Jackie O.”

Ben laughed.

“Shut up, already,” Josh grumbled. I couldn’t stop laughing as Micah and I walked inside the house. Josh and his friends followed after us, heading into the kitchen for their routine snack-grabbing.

“Who are you?” J asked Micah. He took a long gulp of soda, leaning against the counter, as if trying to intimidate him. Micah brushed a hand through his hair, a nervous habit, apparently.

“Uh…Micah. I’m a friend.”

“Hi, friend,” said J. “What brings you over to the Blake house?” He grabbed the bag of chips that Josh had been snacking on, shoving his hand inside. Josh swatted him.

“Damn, nosy much?” Ben interjected. “Just ignore him, Micah.”

“I’m just asking. It’s a valid question!” J said between chews. Josh snatched the bag back and took a handful.

“Micah is Charlie’s English project partner. They have to make a movie for their class,” Josh explained.

“Tenner, right?” Ben asked, bouncing the question between the two of us. I was the one to nod. “Cool. I remember doing that last year. But I can’t remember what book we chose. We just did some stupid report.”

“I wanted to do the movie. I thought it would be cool.” Micah crossed his arms. “I have a few friends who are going to do stunts and build the sets for the film.”

“And the screenplay?” Josh asked. I felt my face becoming very warm. David, who had been quiet the entire time, cleared his throat as he got up to grab a water bottle from the fridge.

“It’s finished,” Micah nodded. “We just need to rehearse and film it.”

“Is it epic?!” J asked. “Wait, what are you even filming?”

“Frankenstein,” I managed to say before Micah.