I light a cigarette and take a drag, speaking as I exhale. “But I promise you this, I will make sure Tess is safe. I won’t let anything happen her. I love her in ways that I can’t even begin to describe to you.” With a shaky breath, I take a step off the rock onto solid ground. “When this is all over, Walker’s death won’t be for nothing. I’m going to make it right.”
Taking one last look at the rock, I turn for my car. The heaviness in my chest doesn’t subside this time like it usually does. Talking to Jeremy always brings this light into my heart when it’s typically veiled in darkness.
Instead, the clouds in the sky blacken and it starts to rain.
19
Lucky
Tess- Then
Still recovering from the graduation party last night, the guys are moving a little slow today. I told them they would be too hung over to build a car—but what do I know?
The kick-off to any summer in our town is consummated by the annual fair. This year, Jeremy got the bright idea that they would enter the demolition derby. It’s basically a bunch of guys in painted up cars, smashing into each other until only one car remains running. Sounds fun, right?
I’m currently watching Sloan and Perry make out. They’re going at it so hard in the corner of the garage that I’m not sure where one of them starts and the other one ends. Walker nudges me and I break my stare.
I laugh when he gives me a look. “What? How can they breathe?”
Walker smiles and leans down to kiss me gently. “Some people don’t have the luxury of taking things slow. They have to bank it all up before they get into another fight.” He kisses me again and holds the sides of my face. “That’s why we’re so lucky, Tess. No worries here.”
The effortless smile on my face confirms that. I never worry about me and Walker. We’ve been together for almost a year and I think the worst argument we’ve ever been in was where to go for dinner. As happy as that makes me, I wish Perry felt lucky too.
Jeremy drops a wrench from beside us and lets out a frustrated sigh. “Geez, Perry. Would you give it a fucking rest already? I need your help.”
Perry’s hand slowly creeps up and he flips him off from behind Sloan’s back. I stifle a giggle and look back and forth between them. My brother has never let a girl distract him. He says relationships are bullshit and refuses to allow a girl to tell him what to do. I don’t have the heart to tell him they’re not really like that. Perry has set a bad example for all of us—except for Walker of course. He’s perfect.
Jeremy shakes his in disgust and goes back to ripping unwanted parts from the car. Perry continues for a moment longer and then finally pulls himself away from her. Sloan stands and looks around the room.
“I’m bored,” she breathes. She leans over and kisses Perry on the cheek. “I’m going to get coffee. Call me later.”
Perry grins at her and pats her on the ass. “Love you.”
She blows him a kiss from the door and I stifle a gag. How these two can be so wickedly sweet one minute and hating each other the next is a mystery I’ll never solve.
Perry clasps his hands together when she leaves. “Okay, what do we need to do?”
“Ohhh,” Jeremy remarks, poking his head out from inside the car. “I’m glad you finally decided to get your head in the game and out of Sloan’s ass.”
Perry smirks, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. “Whatever, dude. You’re just jealous.”
Jeremy and Walker both start laughing. No, Perry. No one is jealous of you and Sloan.
Despite a few arguments, and some choice words, the car-building was a success. They guys easily beat out their competition and were deemed the winners. I wouldn’t exactly call it a major accomplishment. It basically solidifies the fact that none of them can drive properly. Regardless, after any win there is only thing that can be done—get drunk at the cliffs.
I’m sitting in between Walker’s legs on the back of some guys’ tailgate. Perry and Sloan are now fighting of course. Apparently, he looked a little too long at some girl at the fair who was cheering them on. Lucky for Perry, Johnny isn’t here for her to hang all over in retaliation.
Jeremy stumbles over to us with a girl tucked under his arm. Upon closer look, I notice it’s Serena Wilson, one of Sloan’s annoying cheerleader pals. This is going to be fun.
“Did you guys see that shit?” He points back to the fire with his red plastic cup, foamy liquid splashing out of the sides. “Someone just tried to literally pole vault over the fire pit.”
Walker’s laugh vibrates through me. “Yeah, we saw. I wonder where they found a stick that big?”
Perry leans into Walker from where he’s standing beside us. “Well, I could show ya I guess,” he slurs grabbing his crotch.
I roll my eyes. “You guys are in rare form tonight.”
Perry smirks and punches me lightly in the knee. “Come on, Bishop. Lighten up.” He proceeds to take a few steps toward the crowd of people and dramatically holds his arms out. “We’re champions!”
Everyone erupts in cheers, holding up their drinks in excitement. Perry smirks back at me over his shoulder and I can’t help but smile. They are all having fun. I should too. This may be the last summer we’re all together. Even though graduation for them didn’t exactly mean college, it still poses a lot of doubt as to what the future holds.
Serena presses herself closer to my brother, flush against his side. He smiles down at her and I say a silent prayer he doesn’t decide this is the time to start a relationship. Not that I don’t want him to be happy, but having another girl like Sloan around to deal with sounds like torture to me.
Walker’s lips brush my ear. “What are you thinking down there?”
I turn my head to see his smile and kiss him once. “I was just thinking about how cute you are.”
“Oh yeah,” he says, tickling my side. When I start to giggle like an idiot he stops and kisses me again. “That’s what I was thinking about.”
“Okay, now you two are being disgusting. And you say I’m bad,” Perry scoffs before tilting his cup back.
Facing my body forward again, I narrow my eyes at him. “You’re just jealous that you can’t do this with Sloan right now.”
He lips twist into a scowl and his jaw hardens. “I don’t give a fuck what Sloan does. I’m so fucking done with her shit.”
Jeremy gives him a shove and he stumbles sideways, glaring at him. “Who are you fooling? She’s pissing you off so bad right now. I give it until the end of the night before you two are back together.”
Perry gives a firm shake of his head. “No way. I mean it this time.”
Serena decides that she should also put her two cents in. “Are you pissed she’s going to the same school as Johnny next year or something?”
Jeremy gives her a warning look to stop talking, but it’s too late. Perry’s face shifts darker, his eyes narrowed. He stalks closer to her and she shrinks into Jeremy’s side.
“What the fuck are you talking about? Johnny is going to LSU.”