Page 25 of Close to Falling

Fall fades into winter, and snow melts as trees come out of hibernation. Springtime brings yellow, purple, and velvet pink flowers, allergies and buzzing bees. The days last longer, and the sun shines brighter as summer starts up again. I’m sitting in Mr. Barnes’s class looking out the window. It’s beautiful out today, and I wish I were wrapped up in a now eighteen-year-old River. His birthday was a few weeks ago, and he started working with Frankie. He graduates this year, and it will be weird not seeing him at school anymore. The bell rings, and I slowly get up from my desk. I walk out the door to head to my locker and see Mikey leaning against it.

“’Sup, Maddie?” he asks, smirking.

“Hey,” I reply.

“How have you been?”

“Good. What about you?” I grab my lock and put in the combination.

“All right. So I was wondering… Are you going to prom?”

I freeze because I've been dreading this. I want to go, but River would have a fit if I went with anyone but him, and I can’t gowithhim.

“Um, I don’t know.” I shrug.

“Oh, okay. Well, I was just wondering if you were, would you want to go with me?” He sucks in his bottom lip and narrows his eyes. Casually leaning back against the locker beside mine, he adjusts his book bag over his shoulder and slides his hands into his pockets. Would I want to go with him? I mean, no, I want to go with River, but I can’t, and I don’t want to miss out on prom. My mom would be upset if she was still around. She always said she couldn’t wait for me to go. Like, seriously, prom was up there with my wedding.

“Yes,” I say, without giving it any more thought.Shit.

“Yeah?” he asks, lifting the corner of his mouth.

“Um…yeah, sure.”

“Cool, I'll pick you up,” he says, stepping away from my locker and backing up.

“Okay,”

“See ya,” he says, and I watch when he turns around.What the fuck have I done?My boy is going to flip his shit.

***

Garlic-spiced marinara sauce simmers on the stovetop as I break the noodles and put them into a boiling pot of water. I turn the heat way down on my sauce and walk over to the freezer. Of course, all of the ice trays are empty because I live with a bunch of boys. I roll my eyes and grab all of them before I walk over to the sink and turn the faucet on. Water fills each hole before it spills onto the next and so on and so on. I put the trays back inside the freezer and decide to buy ice or we won’t have any for supper. I’m making River’s favorite tonight. Honestly, I’m just trying to get everyone to sit down and eat together, and then I’m going to casually bring up prom. I’m thinking River will keep his cool and maybe calm down before we are alone. I’m actually praying. Hard.

“Hey, Landon, can I borrow your car? We need ice,” I call up the stairs.

“I’ll drive you, B,” River says, coming down in black jeans and a white T-shirt. The sleeves are rolled up once, and he runs his hand through his longish hair.

“Okay,” I say, smiling, because any time I get to be alone with River is good with me, especially before he gets pissed. As I run past him to grab my shoes, he snatches my hand, stopping me. He looks up the steps and then back at me.

“You look good today,” he says quietly, roaming his eyes over my body. I’m just in shorts and his hoodie, but okay.

“Thanks.” I smile again. He looks around, making sure we aren’t being watched and then leans down and kisses me. It’s quick, but that doesn’t mean I don’t feel it down to my toes, and because we aren’t supposed to, it somehow makes it better. River winks before he keeps walking, and I run up, grab my shoes, and peek into Landon’s room. “Hey, will you keep an eye on the food for me? Just stir the sauce and the noodles so they won’t stick.”

“Sure, B,” he says, but he doesn’t look up from the surfing magazine he is reading.

“Landon,” I say, getting him to look up.

“Yeah?”

“What did I just say?”

“Stir both pots,” he answers. I nod.

“Right.”

***

It’s warm this evening, but there is a breeze that keeps me in my boy’s hoodie. River pulls up to the store, and I jump out.

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