Page 39 of Bad Boy
“Dr. Benson is cool with us goin’ early. I told him I was excited to get a head start since it’s my first class trip.”
Lincoln notices the cigarette in my hand, and his smile drops, brows furrowing. “I didn’t know you smoked cigarettes, Remi. That’s. . . really bad for you. Did you know—”
“I don’t,” I blurt, quick to defend myself before he can supply me with some morbid scientific fact. I drop the cigarette and step on it with my boot. “Not really. Just sometimes when I’m too stressed.”
“You’re stressed? Are the classes too much? Am I not helpin’ you study enough? I knew I shouldn’t have signed you up for my schedule. I’m so sorry, Remi. It’s my fault.” He voices his concerns in a single breath, rolling his lips inward when he’s done. He peers back at me with big, owlish eyes behind his wire-framed glasses that I found unharmed on the side of the road and cleaned up for him. His hair is still messy from this morning and hanging over his forehead in disarray. I reach out and comb it back from his eyes without even thinking.
“Whoa. Whoa. Just breathe, Preppy. I’ll be fine. I have everything under control. It’s not school, and it’s definitely not you.” I quickly change the subject from my bad habits and nerves to something more positive—our road trip.
“I’ll drop you off at your house, and we can take an hour to pack or whatever. Then I’ll be back to get you.” My eyes dart to the dark woods lining the parking lot as Lincoln circles the Jeep for the passenger side. I scan the shadows, looking for any movement or threat.
Are you out there, Unknown?
* * *
I pull into the garage and jump out, my black combat boots squeaking against the high-gloss floor. I grab my stash of contraband from under the back seat and stuff it into my backpack, adding my school blazer so no one hears the bottles clinking against each other.
I jog up the steps to the door that leads into the house and swing it open. “Ma! You home?” I shout.
“In the kitchen, Rem!” she hollers back, and I wander down the hall to speak to her. She’s sitting at the island with a cup of hot tea in one hand and her phone in the other. “How was school today?” she asks like she’s about to pull a tray of cookies from the oven and pour me a glass of whole milk. Something she’s literallyneverdone. But maybe she will now that she’s taking a break from working. Figuring herself out a little.
I just roll with it. “Really good. Lincoln and I are actually leaving for Pisgah a little early. As in right now. Don’t worry about paying for anything, though. Linc’s parents are covering the extra night, and Gramps gave me two hundred for food.” I hate accepting money from Richard, but he has so much, and it would only hurt his feelings if I didn’t.
Besides, I’ll make my own money soon enough. I’m going to pay Mom back every penny she spent to bail me out of the bullshit mess I got into.
This weekend is my break from reality. Time to enjoy myself.Enjoy Lincoln.Next week I’ll get back on track with my plan to train and find a fight league.
Quick cash is always best, and fighting provides that. I know I have to be extremely careful, but I won’t be caught slippin’. Last time was a fluke, an accident. It won’t happen again.
“Oh, that sounds like fuuun,” she says teasingly, drawing the last word out. “And is there something going on between you and the neighbor boy?” I swear it’s like having a sister rather than a mom half the time.
I roll my eyes. “No, Ma. We’re just friends,” I tell her truthfully. Wearejust friends, even though I’m not looking at anyone else—boy or girl—and I don’t think he is either. It’s just. . . We only met on Sunday. We can’t jump into a relationship. That’s too soon. I’ve never been in one, and I don’t even know if I’d be any good at it. What Iamgood at is sex, and even though I’ve never had it with a guy before, I know I can make him feel good. And it’s not too soon for that.
While I’m stuck in my head, reasoning with myself, Mom’s sweet smile grows into a full-on Cheshire grin. I narrow my eyes at her, convinced she’s about to be an asshole.
“Then why did a mini-life crisis just pass over your adorable little face? Are you crushing on your new friend, baby?” she teases, being the asshole I knew she would be.
“Ha. Ha. Very funny, Ma. We’re going on a school field trip; lay off.”
“Yes, and you’re going up there a day early.”
“So? There’s no reason why we can’t. We’re excused from all of our classes tomorrow.” I hate that she’s making me defensive, but I know Linc hasn’t come out to anyone, so it’s none of her business whether I’m crushing on the neighbor boy or not.
Which. . . I am. I most definitely am.
I’m ready to move this conversation along and get packed up. The sooner we get on the road, the sooner we can get settled into the cabin. And from what I’ve seen online, it’s pretty fucking cozy for a school field trip.
“I’m just teasing you, honey. Did you want me to make sandwiches for the road?”
“That would be awesome, Ma.” I walk over and kiss her on the forehead.
“I’m gonna pack, and then I’ll be back to grab the food and say goodbye. Let Gramps know if you see him? I wanted to thank him for the money and for letting me take one of his cars.”
She agrees, and then I’m jogging up the stairs two at a time, excited to get on the road.
* * *
Less than an hour later, we’re at the gas station on the outskirts of town, filling up and making a snack run. When the tank of the blacked-out SUV is topped off, Linc and I wander into the convenience store to pick out some candy.
