The Songs in Our Hearts: A Young Adult Romance(46)
“I’m sorry I came here and dumped my shit on you. I just wanted to get out of there,” Micah finally said, breaking the silence.
“No!” I shook my head. “No, don’t apologize. I’m glad you came.”
“It’s not like he’s home anymore anyway, but…I just didn’t want to sit in the trailer, staring at the hole he made in the wall.”
Knowing that his father was capable of that sort of violence made me shiver. Had he ever hurt Micah before? What if he got in such a rage that he was uncontrollable? I’d seen my father angry, but he never lashed out. Never once had I ever felt threatened, or ever feared he’d harm Josh or me. I couldn’t, in good conscience, send Micah home, despite my parents’ curfew. But how could I keep him here?
Biting my bottom lip, unsure, I asked, “Why don’t you stay here tonight?” It felt odd to ask a boy—one I liked, no less—to stay over. I wanted to help him, and this was the only way I knew how.
“I don’t think your parents would be down for that, Charlie. Thanks, though.” Micah’s eyes twinkled. “Cute idea.”
“They don’t have to know,” I said daringly. I had never really broken a rule—not so deliberately. Micah put his hand to my forehead.
“Are you feeling all right? What happened to Caroline Blake? The one who never lives a little?”
I pushed his hand down. “You keeping telling me to live a little, so let me,” I said, gesturing toward my door. “You can leave out the side door, down in the garage. Move your car down the block, then walk back. I’ll sneak you in when my parents are asleep, which won’t take long. You can come up here to my room and crash.”
“Do you sneak up all of the boys you date?” Micah asked, amused. “Seems like you’ve spent a bit of time thinking about this.”
“Nooooo!” I rolled my eyes. “I’ve never had a boyfriend, and I think about a lot of things, thanks.”
“I’d like you to tell me what those other ‘things’ are sometime,” he grinned and wiggled his eyebrow suggestively.
I shoved him with my elbow and stood up. “We’re friends, remember? Just.”
“Whoa, right. Just.”
He seemed all right with my plan, and agreed. Before he left, at nine-thirty, he changed back into his wet clothes so he’d have something dry to wear when he returned. I guided him out the side garage door, claiming loudly it would be closer for him to get to his car. After Micah backed out of the driveway, my parents said goodnight to me and drifted to their bedroom. In no time, the sound of my dad’s snoring filled the house. It always amazed me how fast he could fall asleep. He said he just closes his eyes and that’s that, whereas, I struggle every night.
Shortly after hearing his snores, I returned to the garage, having tiptoed through the house, and snuck Micah back in. Have you ever seen one of those chick flicks, when the guy is out in the rain and the girl opens the door to find him soaked, and yet super handsome? She’s left breathless by the sight of him. In the movies, the guy usually smiles and slides a casual hand through his rain-soaked hair. And everything in that moment, despite the downpour, is perfect. The girl usually realizes her true feelings for the guy and they kiss. In that moment, I was that girl. As I gazed at Micah, I fought back the unfamiliar urge to push myself up on my tiptoes and kiss the rain from his lips.
Snapping myself from my fantasy, I handed Micah a clean, dry towel and guided him quietly back to my room. For a moment, as we walked by Josh’s room, I thought I heard movement coming from the other side of his closed door. I was almost sure my brother would come out and catch us. My luck held out and we crept back to my room. Just after closing my door, Micah smirked at me.
“I never thought you had it in you, Caroline Blake, but you surprised the hell outta me.”
“I’m full of surprises.” I pulled the comforter off my bed, and attempted to figure out how I was going to fit him comfortably on the floor. It was a struggle to keep my eyes off of him as he began to change back into Josh’s clothes in the middle of my room. I wanted to look, but….
“What are you doing?” Micah asked, glancing at the comforter in my arms as he pulled Josh’s shirt over his head. I stared at his bare chest. There was a small patch of hair starting just below his collar bone and trailed down. My eyes followed the line of hair to the waistband of the sweatpants he had slipped on. I knew I had to be as red as a cherry. Quickly, I laid the comforter on the floor.
“I was going to make you a bed…on the floor,” I said as I tried to clear my throat. I looked at him quizzically.
“You know, I’m not going to try any funny business…if that’s what you’re worried about.”
My jaw slackened. “You want to sleep in my bed? With me?” I was pretty sure my voice squeaked. He was playing it cool and I needed to do the same. No big deal, right? “Sure, I mean. Why not?” I added, calmly as I could.
Lifting the comforter from the floor, I spread it back on the bed. Carefully, I hooked my phone up to the charger and flicked off the light. Holding my breath, I slid into the far side of my bed. My heart was racing again. What if he can hear it thumping when he lays down beside me? How am I going to explain my pounding pulse? Before I could think of an excuse, Micah crawled in next to me and stretched.