Every Little Piece - By Kate Ashton Page 0,13
and slammed on the brakes. We jerked forward.
“What’s your prob?” Jamie hit my shoulder again.
I gripped the wheel and stared ahead. “Nothing. Forget it. Let’s go eat.”
They followed me into the local pizzeria and their hushed whispers were about me. Carter was telling Jamie to stop bugging me and Jamie was complaining that he never knew what was going on. Well, Carter didn’t know what was going on either. He probably assumed I was having cold feet when it came to Haley now that we were graduating. Or maybe that I was rethinking college in the fall. Or that I was just plain horny because I’d never gotten laid. That could be a real possibility. I’d never know.
The smells of the spices brought a rush of nostalgia. I’d been here so many times. We’d stop after late-night soccer games in middle school. I’d run out for late dinners when my parents hadn’t made it home. And Haley and I’d sat in that corner booth every couple weeks for years. We’d order the Mediterranean pizza and two sodas. We’d hang for hours because we could, just talking, laughing. Our conversations didn’t always run deep, but that was what I loved about Haley. She didn’t always probe me for my feelings. She let me be me and us be us. Not that we didn’t have deeper conversations, because we did.
“I’ll grab a booth. You two can order.” I found one opposite where Haley and I usually sat. I tapped the table with my fingers, restless. I didn’t like sitting. I wanted to be active and not stay in one place. Going to the party early was a good idea.
While waiting for our pizza I barely joined in the conversation. My mind focused on anything and everything else, but Carly’s words kept sneaking in between thoughts. I banged my fist on the table to stop them.
The couples and families at the nearby tables quieted and stared, the dads probably hoping their daughters never dated someone like me.
Carter nudged Jamie to go get the pizza. He tried to complain but Carter gave him the look of death, so he went.
“Dude, you’ve got to chill out.”
“Chill out?” My voice rose. “How am I supposed to do that?”
“Go jerk off in the bathroom. I don’t know. Something. Go run a few miles.” His hair flopped to the side and he pushed it back with a jerky motion. “Or tell me what the hell is wrong so you can stop acting like a bitch.”
The muscles in my arm flexed and I glared at him. Carter noticed and dropped the confrontational attitude.
“Obviously something big went down tonight with your family because you haven’t been the same since we left your house. You don’t have to tell me and I’m not going to push you, but it might make you have a better night especially before we go to the party.”
Jamie was heading over with the pizza, and I waited until the last minute. “My dad’s leaving us tonight. Probably for good.” I left it at that. I couldn’t bear to share that it was because my mom was sleeping with Carly’s dad.
Carter nodded and a look of understanding passed across his face.
Jamie dropped the pizza platter. “I knew it. I knew I’d miss the good stuff.”
“Stop it, whiner,” I said, joking. “You didn’t miss anything.”
I needed to put on a really good front, because I couldn’t handle comments the rest of the night, or girls flocking to me at the party to ask me what was wrong. Girls seem to have this special radar and sensed when I was upset. They chatted more, touched more, and tended to linger longer than Haley or I’d like. I especially didn’t want Haley picking up on it, because I was sticking with my decision to let it go for tonight.
I smiled even though it felt like a crack spreading across cement. “Just saying that tonight might be the night with Haley and I.”
Sex was about the only thing that would get Jamie off my case. Carter laughed and Jamie rubbed his hands together as if he couldn’t wait for the juicy details.
“Don’t get any ideas.” I grabbed a slice. “Details stay between Haley and me.”
In about five minutes we’d gone through the two pizzas. I slurped the last of my soda and leaned back. Jamie belched.
“It’s 8:30. Time to party.” I plastered on a smile and we headed out the door for the best night of our lives.
Others must’ve had the