Aftershocks (4 page)

“Jack West,” she said, announcing it like Jack had won a raffle prize, and I realized I was completely delusional to think it was Connor.

He didn’t even know me.

“Oh,” I deadpanned, less than thriled with her announcement.

“Realy?” Nicky said, taken aback by my nonchalance. Of course she didn’t know that I’d slept with Jack over Spring Break.

In reality, Jack was a pretty amazing guy. Not only was he gorgeous and the quarterback of our school’s footbal team, but he was also in the running for valedictorian. There were rumors that he was being courted by several coleges for both his athletic and academic abilities.

He was also realy nice and funny and sweet. I should have been excited, but I knew better.

“He’s stil in love with Kerry, Nic,” I said, as I swung into a parking space outside of Macys. As if repeating my conversation with Wyatt from the day before, I listed out al the girls that Jack had ‘liked’ in his attempts to get over his ex-girlfriend.

“Okay true,” Nicky said. “There is the rumor that Kerry broke up with Jack for a colege guy she met at the beach.”

Kerry was a year older than us, and I knew she and Jack had planned to stay together when she started at Boston Colege, but it seemed they hadn’t even made it to the first day of classes. Kerry had moved on from high school guys, and Jack was left to ponder why he wasn’t enough for her. Maybe I should cal him. Poor guy.

“And quite possibly Jack might have been drunk, beligerent, and in tears, fighting with Kerry two weeks ago at a party,” Nicky continued, making me feel worse for not being a better friend. “And yes, from what I could hear, he was begging and she was trying to tel him it was over. And for the past few weeks, he may have engaged in some random hook-ups to ease his broken heart, but last night he was not that drunk, not beligerent or in tears. Nor was he hooking up with anyone, but he
was
asking about you.”

Nicky took in a deep breath of air, opened her door and grabbed her bag off the floor with a flourish, as I processed al the information that had just flown out of her mouth at warp speed.

“He’s desperate,” I said, wondering if Jack realy was lonely like Wyatt had said.

“Wel, he didn’t seem desperate last night,” Nicky said, and I wondered what she was holding back. “He seemed – sexy and smoldering.”

“Nic, it’s Jack West. He’s always sexy and smoldering.”

“Yes, but last night he was sexy and smoldering and wanting you.”

“Nic,” I said desperately, knowing she was exaggerating.

“Okay,” she said, sighing as she held the door open for us. “So maybe I was sitting on Tyler’s lap, and Jack came over and he was a little drunk and he might have asked about you. He started going on and on about how you never cal him and never come out anymore and he misses you. He said, ‘tel my good girl to cal me’, and he said it realy suggestively.”

I groaned. Jack had always caled me his good girl, and he always sounded suggestive. It did not mean he liked me.

He’d created the nickname when Alexis had started the rumors that I was a giant slut. Jack knew the rumors were ridiculous since I’d been a virgin at the time, so he’d started caling me his good girl to make me feel better and the name had stuck. Yeah, so I guess it was sort of sweet, although now it just felt mocking since he knew I was no longer a good girl – thanks to him.

“So, he doesn’t like me,” I said, ascertaining what was realy going through Jack’s mind the night before. Since we’d hooked up a few times in the past when he was single, he was hoping I was available. “He just wanted someone to take his mind off of Kerry. Am I right?”

Nicky shrugged as she stopped walking and picked up a pair of knee high black boots, inspecting them from al angles. She set them down and moved on to the next table, picking up a pair of plum balet flats.

“Technicality,” she said, holding the flats up. “You should get these.”

I knew when she changed the subject that it was closed which was fine by me. I didn’t much care if Jack wanted to rebound with me. I would bet he’d never remember his conversation with Nicky once he was sober anyway.

I tried on the flats, loved them, and bought them. Nicky had a great eye for fashion, especialy when it was for someone else. She loved to dress people, and I’d been letting her dress me al summer. Although we had different tastes, she knew what I liked and what would look good on me, so she never picked out things that were too risqué. She saved those options for herself which might be part of the reason why she had such bad luck with guys.

Her outfits normaly didn’t leave much to the imagination, so most guys talked to her boobs when she met them. I tried to get her to cover up more, but she always said she was proud of her body and wanted to show it off. I hoped this year she’d finaly be able to find the boyfriend she was looking for and not just some guy who wanted to have sex with her which was her norm.

***

As I walked around the back of my car to unload my shopping bags, a noise nearby startled me. The sun had almost set, but the street lights hadn’t yet come on, so it was hard to see who or what it was. I was immediately afraid it was a raccoon or an axe murderer, so I started to grab al my bags at once and get inside quickly.

“Hey there,” a guy’s voice said that I didn’t recognize, and I could feel my heartbeat quicken.

I turned in his direction, ready to jam my car key into his eye like I’d learned in a self-defense video we’d watched in health class.

“Don’t come any closer,” I said, trying to drive as much venom into my voice as I could. As my eyes settled on him, the street light at the end of my driveway kicked on, and I could see who it was. It was Connor Richmond. I breathed a huge sigh of relief and set my bags down.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said. “I just wanted to apologize for earlier – for you know, hitting you with my car.” I could see the remorse on his face as he said those words.

I was shocked that he actualy knew who I was and thought it was pretty noble of him to check on me after he’d sped off that morning after his less than heartfelt apology. Maybe he wasn’t a jerk after al.

“Oh, um thanks. That’s realy nice. Sorry I snapped at you just now. I thought you were an axe murderer and you were trying to kil me.” I wished I hadn’t said that last part out loud.

Connor just laughed and held up his hands. “No. Not twice in one day. That might look a little suspicious,” he said, and I was grateful he’d laughed at my ridiculous notion. “So, how’s the leg?”

“Gangrenous,” I deadpanned, using humor as my defense mechanism as I did in most uncomfortable situations. “They’re going to have to amputate.”

“Ah, wel, I hear they’re doing wonderful things with prosthetics these days, so you should be back on your feet in no time.” He was playing along which I thought was slightly adorable.

“Wel, that’s good, since I do enjoy walking.”

“Not running?” he asked. “Isn’t that what you were doing this morning?”

I smiled. “I only run when my brother makes me, and he’s going back to colege tomorrow.”

“Is your brother mean to you a lot?”

I laughed. “No, he’s a basketbal player, so he runs a lot to keep in shape and doesn’t like to go alone. Years ago I volunteered to run with him, and I’ve never realy been able to get out of it. I see you enjoy running,” I said, gesturing to his outfit, his ear buds around his neck and the fact that he looked a little flushed. Part of me wanted to reach out and pinch his pink cheeks, and I didn’t know why.

“Yeah, I do,” he said, his cheeks flushing just a bit more. “I was actualy running by your house when I saw you, so I figured I’d apologize for not sticking around this morning. I was on my way to the hospital. My brother, Jordan, was at a footbal practice, and I’d just gotten the cal that he’d been rushed to the hospital after a pretty bad hit.”

I gasped, feeling instantly bad that I’d judged him that morning. No wonder he was speeding around. “Is he okay?” I figured he had to be if Connor was out for a run.

“Yeah,” Connor said, sighing as he ran a hand through his dark curls. “He has a mild concussion and a broken finger, so it wasn’t bad.

He’l be fine.”

“That’s good,” I said, thinking of Jordan who I felt like I knew from watching him al summer.

“It’s just, I was sleeping, and I got the cal, and I was so freaked that I just tore out of the house. I wasn’t paying attention, and I didn’t see you. I feel awful that I hit you with my car,” he said, shaking his head. “Jeez, even saying it sounds awful.”

“I’m realy fine,” I said, trying to ease his worry and simultaneously wondering why it was him who got the cal instead of his parents. I knew my parents would never send Aaron to the hospital if I was hurt while they stayed home and read the morning paper, but I definitely didn’t know him wel enough to ask about his home life.

“Good,” he said, letting out a huge breath of air. “I’m Connor, by the way.”

“I know. I’m Abby,” I said, smiling at him like a freaking idiot and wondering why on earth I’d just revealed that I knew who he was.

“You work at that surf shop, right?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I do.”

“I remember you – thirty percent off boardshorts,” he said, smirking slightly. I couldn’t believe he remembered that. It had been weeks ago.

“They’re down to fifty percent off now,” I said. “If you want a deal, there are stil some left.”

I wanted to smack myself in the head. I could not believe I was flirting by talking about a sale at work. I was a conversational moron.

“Good to know,” he said, and I couldn’t tel if he agreed that what I said was valuable information or if he too thought I was a moron. I hoped it was the former and he was in the market for some boardshorts. I wouldn’t mind helping him try them on.

Oh God.
I wanted to cringe as soon as the thought registered in my mind. Did I actualy think that? I was so glad I’d kept that conversational gem to myself.

“So, we’re cool?” he asked, and I just nodded, afraid to open my mouth again. Connor nodded in return. “Good deal. I’l see you around.”

He winked and gave me a little smirk smile before he was off, jogging down the street, leaving me staring at him until he disappeared around the corner.

I picked up Nicky early on Monday so we could stop at Starbucks on our way to school. I had a good amount of nervous energy coursing through me, a mix of anticipation that I got at the start of every new school year plus the anxiety of facing the year without Wyatt.

I had on a new pair of jeans, my new plum flats, a white tank top and a light purple cardigan, so at least I looked good. I tried to trick my mind into feeling as good as I let Nicky play deejay. She turned up my iPod as we puled into school, and we got caught up singing and laughing, so I was only half-looking for an open space.

“Ooh, right there,” Nicky said, sticking her arm out straight to point to an empty parking space in the middle of the student lot.

I slowed down to turn in when we were suddenly jolted forward, and I instinctively slammed on my breaks. It took me a few seconds to realize we’d been rear-ended.

“What the fuck!” Nicky screeched, as she rubbed the back of her head and turned around to look at what had struck us.

“Unbelievable.”

I realized I was shaking as I stole a glance in my rearview mirror to see what had Nicky so pissed, besides the fact that someone had just hit my car. My eyes went wide when I saw the black Mustang convertible. I started to shake my head knowing there was no way it was the same car when a knocking on my driver-side window made me jump.

I turned my head and narrowed my gaze on Connor Richmond, who was standing next to my car with a grief-stricken look on his face.

I opened my door so fast that he had to jump back to avoid getting wacked, which I thought just might make us half even, since in the span of two days he’d hit both me and my car.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said, al flirting and positive thoughts of him gone as I glared at him before stalking to the back of my car to inspect the damage. When I saw that the rear end was smashed, I reeled on him. He was standing inches from me. “Are you seriously trying to kil me?!”

Around us students were gathering to watch our exchange – any excuse to see some drama unfold. I ignored them and fixed my gaze on Connor. I felt Nicky come up behind me, her presence serving as back-up in case things got heated.

Connor threw his hands up in surrender. “I swear this was totaly not intentional. I dropped my phone on the floor. I didn’t see you slow down. I’m realy sorry.” He sounded genuinely remorseful. “Shit, Abby. I have insurance. I can pay for the damage.”

He ran back to his car and puled a napkin from his glove box. I watched him scrawl something on it, leaning on the hood of his car. His dark hair fel around his face as he bent over. When he came back over to me, he handed me the napkin.

“Here’s my phone number, my insurance information and the phone number for my insurance company. They’l take care of everything.”

I took the napkin from him, our fingers grazing slightly. I narrowed my gaze on him. “Connor, you are a realy bad driver.”

“I’m realy sorry,” he said, not acknowledging my accusation, and I thought about counting how many times he’d said he was sorry to me since Saturday morning.

“Just stay away from me,” I said, shaking my head, as I looked at the crunched back end of my previously pristine car.

For as cool as we’d been the night before when we’d possibly been flirting, I was definitely not cool with Connor Richmond anymore. I planned to stay as far away from him as I could for fear of things happening in threes.

“I’m sorry, Abby,” Connor said again, as Nicky and I headed back to my car. I puled al the way into the empty parking spot. Behind me I heard Connor start his car and watched in my rearview mirror as he drove slowly behind me to another empty space a few rows down.