Here Comes the Light (Cambrooke #1) (6 page)

I don’t even look Hudson’s way I am sure he isn’t looking at me. “I am not on the rag.” I growl as I stab a strawberry with my fork.

“You should really have a better attitude towards your step mom,” she just goes along like she didn’t just scare the crap out of her boyfriend.  “She could make your life miserable. I should know this.”

“You still have your real mom.” I come back at her.

Her eyes widen. “Part-time, just like I have my dad part-time. It is not easy living in two different homes.” She speaks snottily. I know when to back down with Jess and right now is when I need to or I will regret it. I can feel Hudson’s eyes staring at me. So what earlier he wanted to pretend I didn’t exist now all of a sudden he is going to stare me down?

I risk t
he chance of being black balled; I grab my food and leave the table. I walk straight out to the courtyard where I sit in the middle of a picnic table alone. I am aware that Jess and my other friends aren’t the only ones staring at me right now, but right at this moment I don’t care.

Hudson is leaning against my locker as I approach. As always not a single brown hair is out of place on his head. He looks at me with his big brown eyes and he is wearing the black button up top I bought him for his birthday, unbuttoned with a white tee underneath. He did that on purpose. As I get closer the smell of his cologne invades my nose, bringing back all those memories of being close to him. “Are you alright?” he asks sweetly. His concern melts my heart tears form in my eyes as I try to respond to him but all I can do is shake my head, pressing my lips together. I can’t hold them back anymore. The tears escape. Hudson must know I don’t want to be seen because he takes me by the hand and pulls me under the stairwell, away from traffic.

H
is toned arms wrap around me, pulling me close. As soon as my face hits his chest I sob. He gently rubs my back. “I just feel like everything is spinning out of control.” I speak between sobs “With us, now my dad. I can’t take anymore.”

“We don’t have to be in a fight, Miley.” He whispers.

“I need you right now.” I speak softly as I tilt my face up towards his.

“I’m here.” His concerned eyes stare into mine
.

“I missed you in math class yesterday.”
Declan’s voice comes from behind me. I turn from my locker and smile at him as I look around the hall to make sure there aren’t any eyes to report to Hudson that I am, gasp, talking to another guy. Declan is wearing a tee shirt with some weird looking cross on the front of it. His hair the usual blond mess, his smile beams at me as his hand rest on his backpack strap that hangs over his shoulder.

“I had breakfast with my dad.” I say as I tuck my Math text book under my arm.

“Wow, pretty cool dad letting you skip school to hang with him.” He chuckles. My only reply to this is a nod, the truth is that is the only time my dad has had for me in I don’t even know how long.

“
Did your weekend get any better?” He asks as he keeps my pace, which doesn’t take much for him since his legs are like a whole mile longer.

I do
a half nod, half head shake, not exactly sure how to answer this. “Thanks for listening to me. I hope all my blabbin’ didn’t freak you out.” I cringe when I think about how much I told him. 

He chuckles, “ah…” he shakes his head,
“nothing can freak me out.”

“
Yo, D, what up?” a guy with long brown hair covering his eyes fist bumps him as we past.

“Hey Tray,
”  he says all cool and collect as he bumps the fist coming towards him with his own.

Tray’s eyes travel to me. Then his eyebrows rise at Declan.  “Coming to the skate park after school?”

“Yeah man, I’ll be there.”

I was kind of hoping to get away from him during the distraction but he kept the pace as Tray travels down the other end of the hall. “Anyw
ay, I am just glad I could help,” he says turning back towards me.

“Just what is going on here?” Jess shrill voice pierces my ear as she pushes our way in between us she looks at Declan. “Declan? Is it?” she speaks to him like he is a lower species than her.  H
e nods, seeming to not be fazed by her disdain towards him. “You do know she has a boyfriend right?” Nothing like being blunt there, Jess.

“Pretty sure, the whole school knows this.” He says sarcastically.

“Whatever,” she flips her hair over her shoulder, “I am sure you are aware how insanely jealous he is then?”

“Hey,” he finally removes his hands from his back pack straps and holds his hands up in surrender, “I was just talking.”

“Well, talk time is over now.” She waves him off.  I can tell he is fighting back a scowl as he leans around her and tells me he will talk to me later before making his way in front of us. I watch as people greet him and give him high fives and fist bumps down the hall. He seems to be friends with almost everybody.

“Hey, Earth to Miley.” Jess annoying voice brings me out of my trance. “Okay what are you like slumming now or something?” I notice her watch him as he bounces the down the hall. “Okay I do have to admit, he is cute, for not being one of us.  But that is the point
Miley, he is not one of us. Gosh, I have to be your baby sitter, don’t I? What if Hudson would’ve seen you two?”

“We are in a crowded hallway.” I look around. “Hudson has nothing to worry about.”

“Well I am pretty sure that Declan would jump at the chance to get with a popular girl, even if you aren’t very pretty.” Jess says before disappearing into her class.

I make my way two doors down and to my seat where there is a piece of notebook paper folded up in a triangle with my name on it.

That is weird I think as I slide into my seat. I pick up the paper and carefully unfold it.

Mi,

Just wanted to let you know anytime you need to talk,
           or just need a friend I can be that for you.

  -D

I turn around and see Declan smiling at me; I mouth the words ‘thank you’ before turning back around when the bell rings. Could he even be more charming? Maybe charming isn’t the right word. I cannot think of a word to describe him. He is so hot, thoughtful, kind…. HUDSON! Miley, you have a boyfriend. I silently say to myself. Do I love him? Maybe I don’t even know what love is right? I am only 17. If I was in love with Hudson, I wouldn’t be having these thoughts about Declan right? My mind wonders back that night on the bench. Declan told me he saw greatness in me. Hudson has never said any such thing to me.

“So what happened to you after prom anyway?” Nova gushes as she strolls along side of me. I knew as soon as Jess wasn’t around she would be asking. I look at the students bustling around us towards their next class. Too many ears in this hallway for me I grab her by her perfectly manicured hand and pull Nova into the girl’s bathroom. She looks at me with delight and anticipation like a dog waiting for a treat. I know what she is thinking she is hoping for juicy. I don’t have juicy.

I look under the stalls
until I am satisfied. “After I ran away from the party, Declan picked me up on the curb.” I say in a soft whisper.

Her smile grows and her eyes widen, “He is cute.” She
has no regard for noise level.

“
Shhh,” I look over my shoulder.

“He took me to the lake.” I smile and I don’t know why the thought
of him makes me smile. He isn’t my boyfriend. I have a boyfriend. The one everybody wants. I should be happy with him right?

“Really?”
Nova wiggles her perfectly plucked eyebrows.

“It wasn’t like that.” I shake my head.

She gives me a look of disbelief and then lets out deep giggle. “Two guys in one night- you little hussy.” She nudges me playfully with a smirk, before looking at herself in the mirror I was wondering how long she could be by a mirror without looking.  She fluffs her dark brown curls.

“We just talked,
” and this is when I can’t keep from looking at myself anymore. I pull my lip gloss out of my Coach purse.

“Yeah,” there is that deep giggle again, “right…talked.” She speaks as I gloss my lips and rub them together to spread the shine. “I have been to the lake a lot and I can assure you no
talking
was ever done.”

“Nova!”
I whisper shout. Nova giggles some more as she turns towards me and leans against the sink. “Just don’t tell anybody, alright? I needed to tell someone. The crazy thing is; he says the sweetest things to me.”

              
Her face turns serious, “you know I won’t tell anybody.” She shrugs, “but what about Hudson?”

“I love Hudson.” I speak quickly, maybe more for myself than for her.

“What’s up?” Jess voice startles me as she walks in I know that fake smile on her face. She stares at me then over at Nova. She hates it when Nova and I talk without her around.

“We just came in to primp before class.”
I say turning toward the mirror. I notice her reflection glare at me.

“Is it true?” Hudson’s voice startles me as his fist meets the locker next to mine.

“Is what true?” I bark back at him.

“You going to the lake with another guy after prom?” His words are forced through his clenched teeth and the little vein that pops out in his neck when he is mad throbs. “He picked you up and you messed around with him after you were with me.”

Heat rises in me. “Are you kidding me?” my voice is high and other students look our way. “You know I am not li
ke that.”

“Who is he?” he growls. “I swear if I find out who touched you…”

“Hudson!” I scream. The drama only slightly embarrasses me. “I didn’t do anything with another guy, I swear. Where did you hear this from anyway?”

“Around.” He speaks curtly
.

“Fine don’t tell me,” I huff as I slam my blue locker door shut.

“Well, I couldn’t find you. You want to tell me where you were?”

“I am not doing this right now. I have a
class to get to.” I storm away. Who told him? Nova was the only one who I told. Why would she tell him? She never tells things I ask her not to. I guess I can just add her to the long list of friends and family members who have betrayed me.

I don’t know why I am doing this. It is like I
am just drawn to him. I follow him home from school and pull my Mini Cooper in right behind his truck. He is already walking towards me before I can climb out of my car.

I hold up his note from earlier. “I need a friend.” I speak softly as I tilt my head towards my car.

“Okay!” he smiles.

“I understand if you don’t have the time.” I say remembering him telling Tray he is going to the skate park after school.

“I have the time.”

“
Wanna go somewhere?” I nod towards my car. “I’ll drive.” I hook my thumbs into the pockets of my jeans.

He points to the house. “Just let me take my back pack in
side and tell my mom.” I find this a little odd. He is seventeen he still has to check in with his mom after school? I nod before he smiles wide at me and skips off into the house. I slowly lower myself back into my car and wait. I contemplate just leaving. I honestly don’t know why I am here. Just when I almost talk myself into leaving he comes out of the house and a woman with long blond hair that looks to be a little shorter than me walks out behind him.

I feel my face
flush. I don’t like meeting parents. Hudson and I were dating for six months before I met his mom.  She smiles and waves at me when I respectively climb out of the car.

“Miley, this is my mom, Robin.” He says with a proud smile.

“Hi Miley,” she smiles.

“It’s nice to meet you.” I
nod and try not to sound nervous.

“Nice to meet you too.” She
is still smiling wide as she turns toward Declan and whispers but it is loud enough for me to hear. “You behave, she is really pretty.” She taps him on the chest.

“Mom!” he says through grit teeth as his face turns a little red. I find his embarrassment kind of cute.

“You kids have fun.” She hollers over her shoulder as she makes her way towards the house.

“What was that all about?” I try to hold back a little laugh as I climb back into the car.

“My mom is just a little overprotective. Remember I told you I am waiting until I am 18 to date?” I nod as the same time I back out of his driveway. “Well, I wouldn’t be allowed to date if I wanted to.”

“But this isn’t a date.” I quickly state.

“Oh, I know,” he nods.

“But that is so old fashioned.” I say trying to wrap my mind around this. “Why…” I keep both hands on the wheel and stare straight ahead. “I mean, your mom does know what year it is doesn’t she?”

He leans his head back and laughs. “Exactly.”

“What?”

“Dating is just practicing for divorce...” he picks up my iPod I have plugged into my car stereo. “I’m just not into breaking hearts and getting mine broken as well. Doesn’t sound too fun to me.” He states.