Elizabeth Lee - Storm Warning

The heat of their damp skin against one another’s seemed to only intensify their bodies’ reactions as their lips collided. Cami smoothed her hands up Kyle’s back as his moved down hers, locking his wrists behind her back. He slowly lifted her up onto the tips of her toes, their lips never parting, and walked her backwards to the bed. Where they spent the rest of the evening, completely tangled together.

“UM, Hayden? I think the roses are good,” Ella Jane said softly, cutting off the water before he drowned her mama’s garden. Hayden was out of it today. In fact, he’d been out of it all week. She was trying extremely hard to convince herself it wasn’t because summer was ending and he was blowing her off.

“What?” He turned to her with a blank stare. “Oh shit. Sorry,” he said, shaking his head as he wound the hose around his arm.

“You okay?”

He grinned at her, but it wasn’t his usual grin. The cocky one she loved and couldn’t resist kissing off his face. This one was fake. Forced. “I’m great.”

She tried to ignore the fact that he hadn’t called her angel face. Or babe. Or even by her actual name. “Gran doing okay?”

His eyes widened for a split second but then he shrugged. “Oh you know. Same old same old.”

“All right. Well I’m going to head over to my friend Lynlee’s house in a little while. She’s been in California all summer. She’s only back to visit for a few nights so I want to hang out with her while I can. You could join us tonight if you want. We’re thinking of going to a movie or something.” She bit her lip, knowing he probably wouldn’t want to go with them to some chick flick. “Or we could meet up at The Ridge later. Watch the night train. Just me and you.”

“Uh, no. I’ll take a rain check.” He gave a quick glance at the sky, since it looked like actual rain was coming. “I’ve got some stuff to do for Pops. But you two have fun.”

She tried to get him to look her in the eyes but he busied himself putting the hose away.

Her stomach twisted. This was it. The brush-off she’d prayed wouldn’t come but kind of assumed would. Summer was almost over, and her brother had been right. Maybe it was just a fling for Hayden. Maybe he really was an asshole who was just toying with her for lack of anything better to do.

It hurt. It was hurt on top of hurt.

Angrily, she stormed around the property, picking up discarded tools and tossing them roughly into the shed. With every step, she cursed herself internally. Even though it had seemed too good to be true, she’d fallen for his “And that’s when I fell in love with you” BS.

She’d let herself fall in love with someone who didn’t feel the same way. Again. At least with Hayden she wouldn’t have to see him all the time. And in a way, she couldn’t even bring herself to regret what they’d had because he’d helped her get over her silly crush on Coop. But now she was barely fighting off a broken heart and it was sucking up all the energy she had left.

She’d been strong for her mom when her dad moved out, had put on a brave face as Kyle prepared to move away for college. She’d even slapped on a smile when Coop blathered on about some new girl he was dating who was apparently his “favorite.”

But this—Hayden totally ignoring her and not even having the decency to say “Hey, it’s been real and it’s been fun, but it ain’t been real fun, so peace out”—stung like nothing she’d ever felt.

After she practically threw the last armful of hedge clippers, sprinkler heads, and shovels into the shed, she whirled around and slammed right into the object of her frustration.

“Whoa. Sorry,” Hayden said, gripping her by her upper arms to steady her.

“My bad,” she said, jerking out of his grasp. “I’ll try to stay out of your way from now on.”

“Hey,” he called out as she marched away from him. “Ella Jane, hang on a damn second.”

She heard him coming up behind her but she kept walking. She wasn’t going to beg him to give her some big goodbye. All that crap about weekends and real dates had obviously been just that. Crap. She didn’t need to hear any more of it.

Somehow in just a few short months, the city boy who drove her crazy had become precious to her. He’d carved out a spot on her heart and now he was leaving it empty. Vacating it without any explanation as to why. Well she wasn’t going to hand him a knife to carve any more holes. Her dad had already done enough damage.

“Stop,” Hayden commanded, grabbing her and yanking her back toward him. “Talk to me. What’s going on with you?”

She looked everywhere but at him. Heart pounding against her ribs and chest heaving with every breath, she willed herself not to cry. “Me,” she snorted out. “What’s going on with me? I’m not the one blowing you off like it’s my job.”

“What are you talking about? I’m not blowing you off.” His eyes were dark and stormy, a swirl of green and gray that reminded her of the sky just before a massive downpour.

“Sure feels like it,” she said softly, hating how weak she sounded.

He sighed and tilted his head to the side. “I’m sorry, angel face. It wasn’t intentional. Promise.” He used the pad of his thumb to brush the side of her face. The wind kicked up and he tucked the swirling strands of her hair behind her ear.

Still tingling from his touch, she searched his face for any trace of evidence that he was lying, playing her. “Tell me then. Tell me what’s really going on. I’m not stupid, Hayden. I can tell something’s up with you.”

The sound of a truck pulling into the driveway distracted them both. Reluctantly, Ella Jane pulled her eyes from Hayden. His grandfather looked exhausted behind the wheel of the truck.

“I guess I need to go.”

“He looks tired. Maybe you should drive home.”

“Yeah, maybe. Not that his stubborn old ass would let me.” A flash of something dark and sad flickered in Hayden’s gaze.

“Hayden? Tell me. Tell me what’s going on,” Ella Jane prompted.

“Nothing you need to worry about.” He shook his head and released her as they turned to walk toward the truck. With each step he seemed to get farther away, even though she was keeping pace with him.

“After the movies, can I call you? Will you meet me at The Ridge so we can talk?”

“Can’t,” was all Hayden said as they reached the old pickup. “I’ll try and text you later though.” He kissed her lightly on the forehead and climbed in the cab beside Pops.

She called out a goodbye but the old man put the truck in reverse and soon all she could see were fading taillights.

“UGH. I think I liked you better when you were lusting after Coop,” Lynlee said with an eye roll. “I mean, not to be a bitch, but there were like half a dozen other people I could have hung out with tonight.”

“Sorry,” Ella Jane mumbled. They entered the theater and the scent of stale popcorn hit her in the face. She knew she was sucky company. All she’d really done for the past hour was wonder out loud what was up with Hayden.

“Sounds to me like your brother was right. It was a summer fling. Just take it for what it was and move on.” Lynlee stepped into the ticket line and fingered a strand of her strawberry-blonde hair before letting it drop. “What’s that saying? Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened? Or some crap. Jesus. Just stop moping like a wounded puppy. It’s not attractive.” Winking at two guys ahead of them in the ticket line, she practically trampled EJ to get a better view.

“Well hello there, ladies,” the taller of the two guys said as both boys turned. EJ looked up and saw him ogling Lynlee’s overexposed chest. “What are you two doing later tonight?”

Ella Jane almost asked him if he meant the two of them as in her and Lynlee or if he was talking to her friend’s double Ds.

“You tell us,” Lynlee teased, giving them a coy smile, at the same time Ella Jane answered, “Washing our hair.”

“Ow,” she grunted when her friend elbowed her in the ribs. Hard.

“What are you boys getting into tonight?”

“Hopefully you, Red,” Tall, Dark, and Swarthy answered.

“Oh. Ew,” EJ groaned. “Please turn back around before I vomit.”

“Excuse my friend. He’s a disgusting pig,” the shorter, stockier guy said, glancing up from his phone to smile at Ella Jane.

“Only if you excuse mine,” Lynlee piped up. “She’s a boring prude.”

“How about we skip the movie and go hang out somewhere a little more private?” Swarthy asked.

“Pass. Hard pass,” Ella Jane answered dryly.

“She’s moping because her non-boyfriend dumped her ass. Maybe you could cheer her up, handsome,” Lynlee said to the shorter guy.

Just as they reached the ticket counter, the boys stepped out of line and Swarthy gestured for the girls to do the same.

“No, Lynlee. Hell no,” EJ said, tugging at her friend’s arm. “They’re Summit Bluffs guys and they’re probably dicks.” The taller one had on a green SBHS lacrosse shirt.

“Like your precious Summit Bluffs guy turned out to be? Let it go, EJ. He’s done with you. The best way to get over someone is to get under someone else.”

Ella Jane gaped at her friend as the girl ducked under the velvet rope and stepped out of line.

“Come on. Live a little.”

Ella Jane glared at the girl and moved to the side so the people behind her could get their tickets. “No,” she hissed at her friend. “You don’t even know them.”

Lynlee made a big show of rolling her eyes. “God, I don’t even know why we’re friends. This is why Coop calls you Ellie May. Because you’re so freaking naïve and vanilla.”