Page 11 of Overdue

I quickly join the rest of the staff in unloading the new plants from the box trailer. Soon, I’m lost in the effort of creating a new welcoming entrance to the Greens’ home. I carry bags of mulch until my muscles burn, but she still lingers in the back of my mind.

I’ll just have to apologize to Austen for what was supposed to be an apology for the earlier comment later. She’ll forgive me, right? Hasn’t she always in the past?

five

AUSTEN

I am so angry. I swear there’s smoke coming out of my ears. Just billowing right out. The fire alarms should go off at any moment.

How dare Reed make a statement like that. I thought I looked stylish this morning when I put the ensemble together. Dare I even say, cute? Maybe a hint of sexy? The glasses are a nice touch. At least until I get my contacts replaced.

Is he trying to say he thinks I look like a slut? And he dropped the F-bomb before storming out. This is the town's public library. Kids come here. It’s not some bar full of bikers! I spin back around to find the entire library with their mouths open. I’m just thankful it wasn’t in the middle of story hour.

“Wow. He has it bad,” Kim says. She’s been working at the library for years. She began right after her youngest entered elementary school. The hours fit perfectly around her busy schedule as an active mom.

“The only thing he has bad is his inability to engage his brain before speaking,” I snip back. He’s such a jackass.

“I don’t think that’s what he meant to say. He was looking at you like he wanted to eat you up.” I know Kim’s just trying to be helpful, but I’m tired of giving Reed another chance. I have enough problems in my life right now. I don’t need him adding to them.

“No. He doesn’t get a pass this time,” I say, waggling my hand. “We’re not kids anymore. He can either learn to act like an adult and show me the respect I deserve. Or he can stay away. He doesn’t get to have it both ways.”

“Then I hope, for his sanity, he picks respect. I don’t know that he could stay away from you if he wanted. The two of you have a long history together,” Kim adds with a shrug.

I’m done. I’m heading to the refuge of my office. Closing the door, I slump down at my desk. My forehead hits the cool, smooth surface.

I forget that everyone in this town has an opinion on the feud I have with Reed. It lasted throughout middle school and the beginning of high school.

I can guarantee you he does not “have it bad” for me. Who could act like such a jerk to someone they liked? No, he hasn’t liked me since the moment we met. Of course, today wasn’t the first time he questioned what I had in mind based on my wardrobe.

* * *

I’m almost a freshman in high school, definitely an adult now. A friend told me about the party out at the beach tonight. It isn’t a real beach. We don’t live anywhere near an ocean after all. It’s more of a flat spot in the bend of the river.

It’s a rite of passage in this small town to attend one of the parties out there. There’s even a cliff on one side if you’re crazy enough to jump off. I absolutely intend to do that before I graduate. I mean, what’s the point of high school if you don’t sneak out to do something crazy, right?

All of the cool kids will be there. Most of them are upperclassmen, but I’m positive I’ll blend right into the crowd. Eliot, of course, is too square to do anything. That doesn’t mean I shouldn’t check the party out. I’m cool like that. I was invited, after all.

Eliot has a skirt that will work if I roll it up far enough. Just above my knees, nothing crazy. The sleeveless top I snuck from Mom should cover the acre of fabric at my waist. I’ll still wear my Chucks. You can’t exactly walk around in the dirt in stilettos. Not sure where I’d get a pair anyway.

I wait until I’m positive my parents are fully ensconced in whatever boring subject is on the local PBS channel before slipping out my upstairs window onto the roof. I’d bet they’re watching something about nuclear fusion or whatever. Quietly, I work my way around to the side of the yard. If I lay on my belly, I can drop into the grass below.

Billy Porter is picking me up down the street. He’s the junior who asked me to go. I’m not worried about Mom or Dad checking on me while I’m gone. They really like PBS. I just want to hurry and get to that party. It’ll be the start of my journey into being a member of the cool clique.

As promised, Billy is waiting in his dad’s old pickup truck. Most of the boys around here drive trucks, for some reason. Even stupid Reed from down the street. He’s always outside washing it without a shirt on. I’ll never date a boy with a truck. My boyfriend needs to drive a high-class sedan at the very least.

We pull up to the party, and I hop out. I need to make sure my skirt is still arranged perfectly. Since it’s Eliot’s, it’s a little large. Billy takes my hand. We join the group at the small fire pit. Everyone knows this is the best spot to hang out. I even heard that the cops leave everyone alone as long as the underage drinking never gets out of hand.

The cops have been known to set up at the end of the road to check for sobriety before letting anyone drive home. It just means you have to stay as long as it takes to sober up. Cool. I can do that.

Billy hands me a beer. It tastes awful, but I take a sip anyway. I’ve even heard that the night may include skinny dipping. I’m not that interested, but if one of the upperclassmen asks me to, I’ll just have to suck it up and go for it.

“Who brought the kid?” one of the boys asks. No kid here. Just some badass chick drinking a beer.

“She’s okay,” Billy says. He slings an arm over my shoulder. I guess that’s okay. It’s probably just to show his friends I’m totally cool. “Come on. I’ll show you around.” He pulls me away from the fire.

“Awesome,” I answer. Yeah, I’m chill and all. How could those high school kids not want me around? Billy pulls me farther from the group than I’m comfortable with. He still has his arm around me, but it’s moved to my waist.

“Don’t you think we should head back over there?” I ask, pointing back toward the fire.

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