Page 9 of Boys of Fall

CHAPTER SEVEN

Autumn

“I most certainly do not…” I made quote fingers in the air. “…have it bad for Jerry. Don’t get me wrong, I have it, but not bad,” I lied.

Cara turned to face me in the seat. “Oh hell, yes you do.”

“Stop,” I said and rolled my eyes as I dug inside my purse for the polish my dad had given me to wear at parties. “He has no flippin’ idea I like him. After I dated that dumbass Corey for so long, I got the feeling Jerry friend-zoned me. So don’t you go messing with him tonight. What we have is really nice, and I don’t want to mess that up by jumping the gun.”

She clamped her lips tight. Classic, I’m-not-listening-to-you Cara face.

“Please,” I pleaded.

Her shell cracked. “Come on, Autumn. Jerry would be great for you.”

“I think so too,” I said as butterflies started swarming in my stomach. “But I want to see what he does first.” I slapped her right hand on my thigh and started to paint the fingernails with the special polish. “Promise me,” I said between blowing on her fingertips. “Swear on our friendship you will not mention anything I’ve said about this afternoon to him or anyone else. Especially that blabber mouth Jackson.”

She heaved a huge put-upon sigh as I finished. “Fine, I won’t say anything.”

“Good girl,” I said and smooched her cheek with a razberry.

She grimaced at her white nails and wiped off my spit with her wrist. “Tell me how this works again?”

“If you have to put your drink down, or take your eyes off of it for any reason, swirl your finger in the liquid and wait a little bit before taking a sip. If the polish changes color, toss it out.”

“What’s the different color mean?”

“That your drink has been drugged.” I raised an eyebrow as I opened my door. “And that’s our cue to get the hell out of here.”

Cara whistled in agreement. “This is why your dad is so cool. He knows you’re partying but still gives you safety stuff and respects that you’re smart enough to use it.”

I smiled and tucked my phone, a few dollars, pack of gum, and a tinted chapstick into my pockets. “He is pretty cool.”

We locked the car and jogged toward the gate. Thankfully, we hit it the time right and caught a lull, moving quickly to the front with only two couples ahead of us. Once we reached the front of the line, a dozen more people crammed in behind us. The monitor took our cash and stamped our hands before we strolled into the open pasture.

Cara looped her arm through mine as we walked. “Keep an eye out for Jackson,” she whispered. “He’s been texting me quite provocatively all week, and I’ve a few words of my own to put in his ear.” She grinned. “Among other things.”

By the time we’d reached the outer edge of the circle of people she’d told me about a couple of their messages. We arrived at bonfire’s hay circle laughing to the point of tears and collapsed onto a bale.

“I don’t know if I could deal with all that, Cara,” I said between laughs. “There’s sexy dirty talk and then there’s embarrassing. Sounds like Jackson took the awkward online version of how to sext.”

“I know, right. And to be so smart?” She said between wiping the beginning of a smudge out from under her eye. “Thank the baby Jesus he’s so cute.”

“Hey, girl,” someone said behind us.

We both turned and Cara’s smile brightened. “Hey, Jackson,” she said and patted the spot on the hay beside her thigh. “Were your ears burning?”

A very blank look washed over Jackson’s chiseled face.

“Lights are on, but no one is home,” I muttered.

Cara elbowed me. “Because we were just talking about you,” she added waving a get the drift hand at him.

He grinned. “Oh yeah? I hope it was Cara telling you about all the tongue she gave me Sunday night behind the dorm.”

“Dammit, Jackson!” Cara squealed and punched him in the arm.

“Your secret is safe with me, Jackson,” I said, laughing. Then I made a zipping motion along my lips. “I won’t tell.”

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