Chance Of Rain (11 page)

75 %

M
y mom and dad might get back together!
I was thrilled, but I decided not to mention this to anyone; I didn’t want to jinx it.

I found a spot in the far corner of the parking lot. Mack didn’t like us using the spots up front. “Those are reserved for paying customers!” he’d told us time and again.

I quickly walked to the café. Erica was already there getting things ready.

“Do you like working here?” I asked, trying my best to be friendly.

She smiled. “So far, so good.”

As I helped her refill the napkin dispensers, we chitchatted, and she asked me to hang out after work. Just as I was gently trying to tell her no, Lindsey walked in. I looked at my watch.

“You’re almost ten minutes late,” I pointed out.

She didn’t respond, but her body language spoke volumes. She didn’t apologize then plopped herself down at a booth.

“You mind giving Erica a hand over here? The silverware needs to be wrapped in the napkins.”

With almost zero enthusiasm, she got up to help. I decided the only thing she had going for her was her looks.

While Erica and Lindsey were busy, I went to Mack’s office to get the money drawer for the register. On the way I ran into Blake, who had a big grin plastered on his face.
Poor guy. Isn’t he ever going to get over me?

“What’s up, Ash?”

“Just heading to the office.”

“You got plans to go to the Road House tonight? There’s gonna be live music. A couple of bands are playing. One of them is from Memphis. I heard they’re pretty decent.”

I didn’t have plans, but I didn’t want to hurt his feelings by telling him I wasn’t going with him.

“I have some things I need to take care of,” I lied.

“Well, if you get done, maybe we’ll see ya there later.”

I didn’t miss it. “
We’ll?
” I asked.

“Lindsey and me.”

“Lindsey?” I questioned. Was there another Lindsey I didn’t know about?

“You work with her…Lindsey,” he said, like I was slow.

I made a funny expression.

“What is it?”

“I don’t know.” I paused. “She’s just not the nicest person I’ve ever met.”

“I can’t believe it,” he said in a surprised tone.

“What?”

He gleamed. “You’re jealous!”

“I…am…not,” I said.

“Methinks she doth protest too much!” he said smugly. “I’m reading Shakespeare in Mrs. Landry’s class. It means—”

“I know what it means, Blake. I gotta go back to work.” I walked off before he could irritate me beyond repair.
Some people!

I got the drawer from Mack and returned to the café—just in time too; we were opening in five minutes.

I gave everything a quick once-over, and we were ready for business. As I gazed toward the kitchen, I thought I saw Lindsey cut her eyes at me before she went through the swinging door. That’s when it suddenly occurred to me that maybe some of her hostility was due to the fact that she knew Blake liked me. Knowing him, he may have even told her that
I
liked him. I made a mental note to fix this later.

I was very grateful when the last customer finally left. It was time to go home. But I was sad that my favorite customer never showed. I missed Trent so much.

My heart pounded when I spotted a Challenger in the far corner of the lot. As soon as I started my car, though, it disappeared.
I guess it wasn’t Trent after all
. I began to daydream about him when Bri texted me back into reality.

Cole and I going 2 RH!
Meet us there?

I texted her back and said I would. I was excited. After all, the last time I’d gone to the Road House, I’d met Trent.

I dashed into my house. My mom was out. I didn’t have time for a shower, so I primped as quickly as I could and slipped on my tightest pair of jeans with my dark-leather boots with three-inch heels. I pulled on a silver tank top that flashed with sequins. The club’s lighting would make it look awesome.

When I pulled up, the fairgrounds were dark and eerie and would remain so for the next several months. It was funny how such a short time ago the place was alive with activity, and now it was a ghost town. The large hall that soon would come to life with the annual Halloween carnival looked ominous.

The Road House, on the other hand, was welcoming. Its bright neon signs invited me in, and the place jumped with energy. It was the first Friday of the school year, and everyone needed to let off some steam.

I found Bri and Cole right away. They were standing with a group of kids from school. Birds of a feather, I guess. With Angel, Kayla, Lacey, and even Jason here, it was almost like my English class was taking a field trip. It looked as if Kayla and Lacey were BFFs now.

“Glad you could make it, woman!” Bri said, as she gave me a hug.

“I wouldn’t miss it!”

The smoke got to me, and I sneezed a couple of times.

“Stand back if you’re coming down with something,” Lacey said in her usual snarky fashion.

Jason chimed in, “You need something for that, Ash? I can give you a big shot of penis-cillin.” He laughed the loudest.

I remembered why we didn’t hang out with Jason much.

“What a perv!” said Bri.

“Let’s get some tables before they all fill up,” Kayla suggested.

As soon as we sat down, Bri said, “You’ve got to come over and do this new workout with me. It’s called Booty Blaster!”

“I saw that on an infomercial the other night. It was like a hundred dollars. How can you afford it?”

Before she could answer, the MC came on and introduced the band. It was so loud that we couldn’t talk anymore.

A while later, after the band took a break, the DJ played a slow song. Couples gathered on the dance floor and enjoyed the softer music.

A moment later, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I held my breath and hoped it was Trent. I wasn’t too disappointed when I looked up and saw Angel’s handsome face smiling down at me. He was looking
muy delicioso
that night.

He didn’t say a word; he just took my hand and led me to the floor. I wished things could be this comfortable with everyone. Angel had been my friend for so long that everything was easy with him.

I looked around, desperately hoping to find Trent in the crowd, but he wasn’t anywhere.

I did see Lindsey and Blake dancing, though. It looked like they were having a good time. Even though I didn’t like Lindsey very much, I was happy for Blake…for them.

I finally gave up looking for Trent. I decided it wouldn’t be such a good thing if I did find him, because it would mean he had come here without me. And what if I saw him with someone else? I shuddered at the thought, because I knew I’d be devastated. I had to quit thinking about him before I got upset.

“Do you like working at the theater?” I asked Angel.

“I do. I think I’ll stick around for a while.”

We talked about work, and when the song ended, he followed me back to our seats. Along the way he ran into a friend, so I kept going. I had taken only a step when my phone vibrated.

I took it from my back pocket. I didn’t recognize the number, so I ignored it. A second later it vibrated again.

“Aren’t you going to answer that?” asked Trent.

I tried to hide my happiness, but it wasn’t just in my smile; it was all around me, like an energy field. He had the ability to manipulate my freaking aura.

“I don’t recognize the number, so…
no
.”

“You should answer that.”

I noticed then that Trent had his phone in his hand.

“Hello?” I said hesitantly into my cell.

He grinned as he held is own phone to his ear. “Would you care to dance, Miss Devoe?”

“No, thank you,” I teased, and turned to go.

I felt a strong arm slide around my waist from behind.

“Feisty,” he said then took my hand in his and led me to a dark corner of the dance floor, where hardly anyone was around.

I couldn’t feel my legs. I wasn’t sure how I was able to walk.

He pulled me close enough to dance. But I wanted to be closer.

I could barely breathe. It was a good thing too, because his cologne was making me high. I was hyperaware of his palm against my lower back.

“You’re intoxicating,” he moaned, as he inhaled the scent of my hair.

There’s no way this guy is seventeen!

“I think
you
are intoxicated,” I teased.

He chuckled. “You’re hilarious, Devoe. I missed you today.”

He was being playful, but my heart was at his mercy. He looked off but not at anything particular. His eyes were distant, as if he were thinking about something. He did that a lot. He seemed older than most guys our age.

“How old are you?” I asked him.

He looked surprised and chuckled. “What are you talking about?”

“It’s just that you don’t act like the seventeen-year-olds I know.”

“Because I’m not seventeen.” He smiled.

Now it was my turn to look surprised. “What? Did you fail a couple of times?”

He laughed.

“How old are you?” I asked him again.

“You’re not going to ask me if I’m a vampire, are you?”

I played along. “Well…I don’t know much about you. Are you?” “No,” he whispered, so closely that his lips touched my ear and sent surges of energy through me.

I giggled and pushed myself away with little effort.

“That reminds me,” he continued. “I heard you have a birthday coming up very soon.”

“And just where did you happen to hear that?”

“I can’t remember,” he said with a smile. We both knew it was Bri. “Do you know what you want?”

Yes, you
. “I-I haven’t thought about it.”

“Well, you think about it, and let me know,” he said with a chuckle.

He’s laughing, and I have
JELL-O
for legs
.

When the song ended, we were still in our own little world, hidden in the dark corner of the dance floor. Wreckage’s drummer already was tapping the rhythm on his sticks for the band’s next song.

“Let’s get back before all the seats get taken,” I suggested.

“Let’s not.” Trent grinned and pulled me by the hand to a nearby table for two in the corner. “This’ll work,” he said, pulling a chair out for me.

He sat down to the left of me, his back facing the crowd. “I’m starting to think you’re ashamed to be seen with me,” I teased.

He ignored my comment as he set his keys and phone on the table and straddled his chair. “I think I need a drink. You want something?

“I’d love a Dr Pepper. Would you mind grabbing me a water too?” I batted my eyes.

Trent pinched my cheek. “Be right back.” For a second I felt like I was his fat little sister.

There was a long line at the bar. He was going to be a while. I couldn’t keep my eyes off him. I saw some girls looking at him, and I wanted to jump up and yank their hair.
Get back! He’s my…friend
.

He’d only been gone for a couple of minutes when a loud ringtone blared from his phone. It was so loud that a couple of people near me gave me an annoyed look; I guess it was interfering with Wreckage. I quickly answered it to make it stop.

When I clicked “Accept Call” on his cell, my embarrassment ended immediately.

I held the phone to my ear. Before I could say anything, the voice on the other line said, “Hello? Hello? Trent, you there?”

I froze. And then I said, “Dad?”

There was a long silence, and then the line went dead.

I felt numb. I was 99.9 % sure it was Mark Devoe. Why on earth would my father be calling Trent?

I tried to think about what I should do next, but my thoughts were spinning in a million directions. I quickly decided I probably shouldn’t say anything to Trent because what if I was wrong—
and I probably was—
and it wasn’t my dad? Then he’d think I was psycho. He probably wouldn’t like the fact that I’d answered his phone either.

I turned to see where Trent was. He’d probably be back soon. I took my cell out of my pocket then went to “Recent Calls” on his phone. I looked behind me. I still had a few seconds. I quickly typed the number into my phone. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it yet. Maybe I’d call it anonymously from a public phone—who knew—but at least I had the number. I could always decide what to do with it later.