The Songs in Our Hearts: A Young Adult Romance(41)

I pushed myself to the far side of the road, not wanting to be seen or hit. As the car came closer, it began to slow. I knew who it was by the melody of Ah-Ha’s “Take on Me” wafting from the car windows. Who else? Micah.

I frowned as I continued to walk along the roadside.

“Hey! Charlie, stop!” Micah called from the driver’s window. I ignored him. “What the hell is your problem, huh? Fine, you don’t like my friends, but you don’t have to be a—”

“Don’t have to be a what?” I jerked my head to look at him.

He paused and pulled his car into the left lane.

“Go on and say what you were going to say,” I challenged him. “Were you going to say that I don’t have to be a bitch? Is that what I am?”

“You didn’t need to be an ass about it,” he snapped. “We were going to hang out with them for just a little bit, and then…I figured we could do something on our own afterwards.”

“I had more fun with you at the dance. That was enough for me. Why don’t you just go back to your buddies? They’re waiting for you with a nice, cold beer. Hell, even the girl with the pink hair—” I snapped my fingers trying to remember her name.

“Charlie—” Micah sighed and pressed his thumb against the base of his forehead.

“Kate! Her name is Kate. She wants in your pants.”

“What does it matter to you?” Micah asked, amused. His lips slowly turned upwards with a hint of a smirk. I couldn’t believe he had the audacity to think this was funny.

I started to walk again. I wanted to go home. I was the biggest fool to think Micah was the sort of boy I’d want to be with. Micah drove the car slowly behind me, keeping in pace with my walking.

“Charlie, please get in the car,” he said softly, extending an arm out the open window.

“You’re driving on the wrong side of the road,” I replied curtly.

“If you’d just get into the car, I wouldn’t have to.”

“No, thank you.” I kept my focus on the dark road ahead. Josh needed to hurry up.

“I can’t just leave you on the side of the road.” Micah inched the car forward.

“Sure you can.” I looked down at my phone. Nothing. “My brother is coming to get me, anyway.” I was pretty sure Micah swore under his breath at that.

“Can I drive you to where you’re meeting him, at least?” Micah offered.

I held my breath, counting to ten and then backwards. I didn’t want to get into the car with him…and yet, a part of me did. I wanted to go back to the dance and have that Micah. The one who held my hips in his hands, smirked at me with his sexy, lazy smile, and made fun of girly love songs.

“Why do you hang out with them?” I crossed my shivering arms over my chest as I continued to walk. “What if someone had called the cops?”

“Well one of them is going to help with our project,” Micah snapped.

“I didn’t ask him to help. You did.”

“I asked him because he has skills,” Micah glared at me. “I’m not picky when it comes to a good grade. Especially when I’m trapped in a partnership with a stuck-up girl who won’t settle for less than an A in everything!”

“Oh, now I’m stuck-up!” I snorted. “If we’re name-calling, then guess I’ll say you’re a loser.”

“Stop walking,” Micah commanded me. “Now.”

“You can’t tell me what to do!” I snapped and ignored his request. I wasn’t going to stop walking just because he told me to.

Micah stopped the car. “I can when you’re being a brat. You were out of your comfort zone and you didn’t like that.”

“Sorry for not feeling like getting arrested tonight,” I replied irritably and stopped walking.

“No one was hurting you! You’re just full of excuses. Everyone in high school drinks.”

“It’s not an excuse!” I could see my breath against the air. “And not everyone does ridiculous stuff like you and your friends were.” I shook my head. “What was going on back there is not what I consider fun.”

“To them, it’s called living. Clearly you don’t know how.”

“You keep saying that,” I said through gritted teeth. “But I don’t think you understand what it really means. It doesn’t mean to live stupidly, Micah.”

“You’re being a pain in the ass.”

I couldn’t keep from laughing. “Oh, yeah? You’re one to talk.”

Micah turned off the car and opened the door. I pressed my arms more tightly against my chest as I bit down on the inside of my cheek. He slammed the door and leaned against it, staring at me.

“I’ll just wait here for Josh then,” Micah said, shoving his hands into his pockets stubbornly.

“I told him I’d meet him at the Mini-Mart.”

He sighed. “Look, I’m sorry, Charlie.” The disgruntled expression on his features reflected his remorse as he repeated, “I’m sorry.”

My stomach tightened as I chewed my bottom lip.

“Please get in the car; I’ll drive you to the Mini-Mart. Standing out here in the cold, arguing with one another, isn’t going to get either one of us anywhere.”