Page 35 of Broken By the Bad Boy

My head falls back with the force of my unexpected laughter. Tears leak from my eyes, and Ben wipes them with his thumb. I slide off his lap for him to retrieve an item under the driver’s seat.

“You remembered, Benny.”

He sits up with a package in his hand. “Never forgot. I saved the date.”

Warmth slithers away and curiosity creeps in. I stare longingly at the box without speaking. Ben tugs my hand to his chest, above his thumping heart. I force a tiny smile to my lips to calm him.

He’s nervous.

A figure moves behind the curtain in my living room, and I roll my eyes. Mom is not the only one who tends to eavesdrop. Hayden too. But he likes to term itlooking out for his baby sister.

“I got you something,” Ben whispers.

His voice drags my gaze to the weight on my lap.

The box.

Ben is a giant ball of nervousness beside me. He drums his fingers on his knees as I unwrap his gift. I also got him something. A customized silver wristwatch, but I didn’t think to bring it along.

Our shoulders touch, and he offers me a jittery smile. I rip the box open. Tears rush to my eyes, and a sob catches in my throat. I trace the sole of the boots to be sure they are real. They are.

“It’s not exactly the same as the movie—”

“I love it,” I scream. Ben laughs into his palms, and the nerves slowly leave his body. I bring out the boot and rub it against my cheek. So smooth. It’s not the same color as the one from that movie, but it has the same style and quality. My eyes shine with joy. “I love it. I love you, Benny.”

My head lowers to his shoulder, he plants a kiss on my hair, and his other hand goes around me.

“I love you too, Gracie,” he whispers. “Merry Christmas and happy anniversary.”

Sixteen

I am wearing my boots,the combat boots my boyfriend gifted me on our one-month anniversary. I catwalk to the front of my mirror and twirl. Hayden groans behind me. He sends a pillow flying at me when I spin in another circle to annoy him. I catch the pillow and launch it at his head.

“I swear to God, if you smile at that shoe one more time, I’ll stab myself in the eye with a fork.”

My face contorts at the imagery his words provoke. Hayden shoves a fistful of popcorn into his mouth like that statement didn’t scar me. If he’s so pained, he shouldn’t be on my bed, eating my snacks. I turn to the mirror with a bigger smile to inspect the boots. I can’t get over them.

They are so soft and bloody expensive. The heels are perfect, a few inches to boost my height. I tried not to check the price, but that didn’t end well. It cost a fortune. The best part is the side zip. I can pull it off effortlessly without struggling to put it back on. It also matches my dress.

Hayden tosses popcorn at me but doesn’t say another word. After sending another picture of my boots to Maria, I push my phone into the drawer. I swear she won’t hear the end of it. Maybe this will convince her to rush back home from her Las Vegas trip. But I doubt it. I don’t think I’ll see her for the rest of senior year, and it sucks.

AGT accepted her video. My best friend is going places. The second round of auditions starts in two weeks. Boot camps begin as soon as they select the winners of that round. I can’t wait to see her on our screen singing to a live audience. Too bad I won’t be there, but she has all my votes.

I touch the picture of our younger selves glued to my mirror and smile. Today is the beginning of a new year, but it doesn’t feel like it. Ben had to cancel our plans because he is busy with his family’s dinner and can’t sneak out. If the auditions go right with Maria, she will not be returning to San Francisco soon. Maria being Maria, she might move to Hollywood. It’s her big dream, and the world will recognize her talent.

My hand lowers to the drawer, and my chest grows heavy. There is a box inside it.

The wristwatch I bought for Ben no longer looks as attractive. It’s not as expensive as my boots. On the inside is a single line:I love you Benny. It is in cursive. I was so stoked when I asked Dad to give it to his jeweler. Now I’m unsure. Ugh. I flatten it on my palm and trace the inscription.

“What’s that?” Hayden rolls to his stomach, elbows propped on the edge of the bed. His hair is in that tousled style, but Mom finally convinced him to get a haircut for the new year’s dinner. “Let me see.”

I hold up the wristwatch by the tip. “It’s for Benny.” I still can’t believe he’s nicknamed after a cow. Resting my head on the top of the chair, I say, “I don’t know. Compared to the boots, it’s so cheap.”

Hayden shifts into a sitting position, and we exchange a glance in the mirror as he tries to make a neat mess of his hair. We are eating out tonight because Mom can’t be bothered to cook dinner for the family on the first day of the year. It’s a day to be lazy. Sadly, Dad agrees with her. I don’t think he can ever say no to his wife. They are disgustingly in love.

“He’ll love it,” my brother says. Hayden stops behind my chair. Bending, he hugs me from the back, his jaw resting on my head. I poke his cheek, and he smiles at me through the mirror. I am happy he came home. “It’s the thought that counts, Tessa, not the price. And if he doesn’t like it, you can give it to your big bro. That would be his loss and my gain. But I promise you, Ben will love it.”

Light catches the silver stones decorating the wristwatch. I pick up my phone to text Ben.

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