He nodded. I looked around the group. “What’s new?” I asked everyone.
Justin’s girlfriend, Amy, was leaning on him, and she smiled. “Not much, Lilypad. What have you been up to?” she asked.
“Absolutely nothing.”
“Cool.” Justin nodded, flicking his cigarette in Ashleigh’s green grass.
“Trace was looking for you,” Ansen said, taking a swig from his beer bottle. “Said you owed him a lighter or something.”
I laughed. “He let me borrow his.”
He gave me a funny look but shrugged. He emptied his bottle then chucked it in the forest area across the street from Ashleigh’s house.
Just then two guys drove by. We all leaned down to see who it was, but I didn’t recognize them.
They parked ahead of my car, and we watched them walk toward the house in the pale light of the weathered country streetlights. I stood and my heart started to race when I saw one of the boys.
He was taller than average, had pale skin, black hair that sat below his ears, but it was his eyes that arrested me. They were a translucent hazel, thin, and had a haunted, almost sad quality to them. His jaw was square, his lips full.
“Who’s that?” I asked Ansen.
He knew exactly who I was talking about. “That’s Salinger,” he bitterly spit. “Don’t bother, though,” he added.
I swallowed. “What do you mean?”
“He won’t go anywhere near you. Straight as an arrow and shit. Too good for us.”
He was right. Salinger wasn’t just “hot,” he was beautiful, and not in a way I’d ever seen. He exuded something so stunning stars seemed to trail behind him. I saw them bounce around his feet and sizzle on the cold street they landed on, unable to survive without him. He just looked, carried himself, really, like he didn’t belong anywhere near us.
I cleared my throat when they got closer. Ashleigh threw her arms around Salinger’s friend.
“Noah!” she screamed. “I’m so glad you came!”
Noah wrapped his arms around her and they almost toppled into the street.
“Careful,” I said, steadying my stupid friend. My gaze found Salinger’s, though, and my heart beat wildly in my chest.
They stood upright and laughed at each other.
“You want something to drink?” Ashleigh asked both boys.
Noah nodded his head, but Salinger shook his.
Ashleigh playfully pushed Salinger’s shoulder. “Come on,” she laughed. “You’re such a prude.”
Salinger sarcastically bit, “Why do I feel this inexplicable urge to down shot after shot now?”
“Really?” Ashleigh asked, missing his meaning entirely.
I was embarrassed for her and rolled my eyes, shook my head.
“No!” Salinger laughed then smiled at Ashleigh. “I’m fine, thanks.”
The boy Ashleigh called Noah went arm in arm with her into the house, in search, I assumed, of something to drink.
Salinger stood awkwardly to the side and examined the house with intensity.
I leaned forward. “I love a good roofline.”
He looked at me and laughed. “What?”
“The 1950s ranch house is an underestimated design,” I dumbly droned on.
He narrowed his eyes, trying to figure me out, I thought. “I guess.”
I pointed toward the house. “I’m into short ceilings. Makes me feel like a giant.” He nodded his head in mock agreement. “And don’t get me started on the hundred-square-foot bedrooms.”
“Perfect for a pair of twin beds,” he countered.
“Exactly. Sleep is important. No room for anything else,” I teased. His face turned a bright red and I fought a smile. “I’ve made you uncomfortable.”
“No,” he lied. “It’s okay.”
“I’m Lily,” I said, holding out my hand.
“Salinger,” he confirmed for me.
When his hand slid into mine, when our palms met, I felt it all the way down to the heels of my feet. His eyes widened briefly. “Nice to meet you,” I whispered.
I hated to do it, but I let his hand go. “You from around here?” I asked.
“No, I’m new to the area.”
“Why?” I asked.
He laughed. “Why not?”
“Nobody comes to Bottle County, that’s why. Most of us who are born here are always looking for a way to get out. Only reason we stay is when we get stuck.”
“Is that so? Are you stuck, Lily?”
I looked at my feet then back up at him, our eyes caught. “Yes,” I told him.
The smile on his face fell. “Oh.”
I fixed a smile on my own and hoped it was convincing. He swallowed but smiled back.
Just then Trace came bounding out of the house and my stomach dropped. Don’t come over here. Don’t come over here.
“Hey, Lily,” he oozed, making me cringe.
I cleared my throat. “Hey, Trace.”
He got closer and threaded his arms around my waist. “You got something for me?” he flirted.
One brow on Salinger’s face rose and he fought a smile.
“What?” I asked, flustered. I pried his hands from around my waist.
“My lighter?” Trace said.
“Oh, uh, yeah,” I said, fishing for it in my pocket. I found it and brought it out in front of me.
“Thanks,” he said, pushing it into the pocket of his jeans. “You just let me know when you need it again,” he seeped out with a wink.
I thought Salinger may have snorted, but he hid it well. Both Trace and I looked at him and he cooled his expression.
“Trace, this is Salinger,” I introduced. “Salinger, Trace.”
“Nice to meet you,” Salinger said, holding out his hand.
Trace took it begrudgingly then dropped it quickly. “Nice to meet you,” he lied, then turned toward me.
“Let’s go somewhere private,” Trace said, making me wince.
“Well, uh, I,” I began.
“Salinger!” we heard come from down the street. We stared the direction of the voice.
It was a girl, about our age, tall, five times prettier than I was. I sank a little into myself.
“Lyric!” Salinger exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear. “I’m over here!” he exaggerated, waving his hands up and down wildly. “Can you see me? I’m right here!” The girl laughed, shaking her head. “Come here and meet some people,” Salinger said, his arms dropping at his sides.
She jogged forward, a dopey grin on her face. “Hey,” she said.
“Lyric, this is Trace and,” his brow furrowed, “uh, I’m sorry, uh, I can’t remember your name.“
“Lily,” I said, my confidence at an all-time low. I held out my hand for her and she shook it firmly then smiled.
“Lyric,” she said.
“Nice to meet you.”
Lyric didn’t react.
It got quiet for a second.
“Well, uh, where’s Noah?” Lyric asked.
“Inside,” Salinger answered. “Let’s go find him.”
“Yeah, cool,” she said.
“Nice to meet you guys,” she threw over her shoulder.
“Yeah,” Salinger added, “see you around.”
I watched them as they climbed the front porch and disappeared into Ashleigh’s house.
“I don’t trust that dude,” Trace said.
I looked at him like he was crazy.
“Why?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.
“I just don’t like him.”
“Why, though?”
“I don’t know. I just know that I don’t like him.”
I laughed. “Well, I do.”
“I’m sure you do.”
I ignored him, but he followed me into the house.
“Everyone’s got a type, and that guy is mine,” I admitted when we were inside.
“What about me?”
“Are you kidding?” I sidestepped.
He smiled at me and edged me against the front door. “I can make you forget all about him,” he said.
I yawned. Trace was hot as hell, but he was boring.
“Let’s go to one of the bedrooms,” he prodded.
I searched the sea of heads, landing at Salinger’s.
“Uh, I’m cool, actually. Catch you around, though?” I tried for casual.
“Whatever, Lily! You fucking tease,” he started yelling.
I rolled my eyes as he screamed obscenities, turning toward the part of the room Salinger was in. No one paid attention to Trace because they were used to him. Salinger talked to a few people in the corner of the living room, including that Lyric girl and their friend Noah, his back to me. I sat at the corner of Ashleigh’s sofa next to my friend Courtney. She held her fist out for me and I bumped mine with hers.
“What’s up, Court?”
“What’s up, chump? You feelin’ good?” she asked.
“Not yet. You got some stuff?”