It’s a long shot, but it’s all I can do.
3 Callie
Thank God the day is almost done.
That’s the only thought I have as I sit down at a picnic table outside with my small, packed lunch from home. I have an apple, a peanut butter sandwich and a water. It’s not gourmet, but it’s good. The only problem is that I have zero appetite. I just want today to be over and to be home in my room, ignoring everything.
I hate living in Texas. Having only been here a week, some would say I haven’t given it a chance, but I have. I hate the heat, I hate being the new girl at school, and I really hate that my parents decided to move us here without so much as talking to me about it. It’s my senior year in high school. I should have been able to stay in New Hampshire, so I could finish it out with all my friends. It’s supposed to be the best year of my life and if today is any indication, it’s going to be hell instead.
The only bright spot in the day was meeting Reed. He was sweet. I’ve had two classes with a Mitch Lane and I’m pretty sure that’s Reed’s brother. Mitch is extremely hot. He’s got this laid-back attitude that draws you in. His laugh is beautiful. I’m not the only one that’s noticed, either, because in each class almost all the females shamelessly flirt with him. He flirts right back, too, and definitely enjoys their attention. He and Reed are as different as night and day. Reed is good looking, but he screams good guy, whereas Mitch is the quintessential bad boy. He wears it like a badge of pride.
He hasn’t talked to me, but he did give me a sexy smile that I’m not ashamed to say made my toes curl. Reed is nice, but his brother is hot in Wrangler jeans and a faded t-shirt—he makes my heart skip a beat in my chest. He has soft brown hair and blue eyes—a big contrast to Reed’s. His voice is also deeper, almost graveled and when I heard him talking to his buddies, it was like a physical touch. It’s crazy, but I’m definitely attracted to him. He has a dangerous vibe about him and even though I know that shouldn’t turn me on—it does.
“You sure are thinking about something awfully hard there, Dizzy.”
I look up to see Reed staring down at me, that same charming smile on his face. I shake my head. “Am I stuck with that nickname now?”
“It’s adorable, just like you,” Reed laughs. “Care for some company?”
He really is so sweet. Most guys wouldn’t ask, they’d just sit down. I find myself wishing he would, too. If he did things like that, I might be more attracted to him than his brother.
I’m a freak.
“Sure,” I respond.
“How’s your first day of school going?”
“Eh. I’d still rather be in New Hampshire.”
“Yikes, we’re going to have to show you what’s great about Texas,” Reed jokes.
“Little Brother is right. Kelly, right?” I look up, my heart squeezing in my chest. It’s Mitch, Reed’s brother! And he’s talking to me. I can feel my face heat with excitement.
“Callie,” I murmur.
“Callie. I like that. You’re in my Civics class,” he says, sitting down beside me without asking. Reed is across from us, and close up, the difference between the brothers is startling. Right now, however, Mitch has all my attention.
“We’re in a couple of classes together,” I tell him. “English, too.”
“Is that right? Well, it’s fate we met then, isn’t it?”
“I guess so,” I giggle and if my face gets any redder, it will be on fire.
“Hey, little brother,” Mitch says, and when I look back at Reed, he’s not smiling like he usually is. In fact, his face looks tense.
“Mitch.”
I notice the tension that is suddenly weighing down the air around us. It’s coming off Reed in waves.
“My little brother bothering you, Callie?” Mitch asks.
“I—”
“Callie and I were talking, Mitch. You’re the one interrupting,” Reed responds grumpily.
“Woah, little brother, I’m just here to welcome Callie to our school. It’s the least I can do since we’re in the same class. It can be hard getting used to new schools,” Mitch reasons, and boy is he not wrong. “Which brings me to my reason for coming over. A bunch of us are getting together at Locaster Lake Friday after school. You want to join us?”
“I—I’d like that. Although, I have no idea where Locaster Lake is,” I admit, so excited I could scream because Mitch is practically asking me out. Sure, it’s with other people, but still.
“You can go with me, Dizzy.”
“You sure?” I ask Reed because I get the distinct feeling he doesn’t want to go.
“What are you going to do? Put her on the handlebars of your bike, Reed? I’ll pick up Callie and you can ride with us.” Mitch asks.
My gaze moves between the two. Reed blushes and I can tell he’s uncomfortable.
“Dad can drop us off,” he mutters.
I feel like I’m in a push and pull between the brothers. It makes me feel uncomfortable. I clear my throat. “I can drive us,” I volunteer, hoping to defuse whatever family drama is playing out.
“You sure?” Reed asks.
“Yeah, no problem.
“Looks like you lucked out, little brother. I’ll see you there, Callie.”
“Looking forward to it,” I admit, smiling at him. I feel Reed’s intense gaze on me, so I stop short of flirting back. There’s some kind of competition going on between them and as great as both of them are, I definitely don’t want to get in the middle of it. Still, I want to go to the party. Maybe taking part will make people stop staring at me.
Dad will probably give me hell—and Dad’s hell is not fun. He’s convinced I’m going to wind up pregnant before I graduate. Last year, when I asked to go on a double date with some friends from school, he took a belt to me and sent me to my room without supper. The next morning, Mom begged me not to go. She said that if I did, it would just make him angrier. I ended up not going, and from that moment on, I found ways around asking my father if I could go out. I usually would ask to stay all night with a friend and go from their house. Dad didn’t mind me staying with a friend. I guess he figured my best friend was a girl and couldn’t knock me up. Plus, he got the added bonus of getting me out of his sight. Now that Mom seems to be getting sicker, it’s hard to even do that. He wants me to be there to do everything for Mom. Which, I don’t mind. I love my mom. Still, this is my senior year and going to a party by the lake is something I really want to do. Not to mention I’ve got two good looking guys talking to me. That might be a complication, but geez, I can be friends with Reed and Mitch…
Right?
4 Reed
I ride my bike over to Callie’s house, feeling like a chump. I hate that she has to drive us. That’s just a reminder to her that I’m younger and I can tell that she doesn’t like that. Maybe I’m reading into it. It’s a first date, though, and I’d like her to see me as someone she could depend on to be the man she wants.
God, that sounds lame as hell, but it doesn’t change things. I may only be seventeen, but one look at Callie Street and I knew she was special. I round the curve and see her house ahead, red brick with a brown station wagon in the drive, just like she said. Excitement churns through me and I can feel anticipation rising. This is going to be the start of something special, I know it. I’ve never reacted to another girl the way I do with Callie.