Take One (5 page)

Three

T
HE WEEKEND HAD BEEN WONDERFUL, BUT
now it was Sunday night and the first full week of classes at Indiana University would begin in the morning. Bailey Flanigan
stood in her family’s driveway and hugged each of her younger brothers, saving her goodbye to Connor for last. She was only
three years older than Connor, and the two of them had always been close—especially because of their involvement in the town’s
Christian Kids Theater group.

Connor was taller than her now, so she stood on her tiptoes and hugged him around his neck. “It’s not like I’m going across
the country.”

“I know.” Connor smiled, but his eyes stayed glum. “But you’re not down the hall.” He raised a single shoulder. “It’s not
the same.”

Bailey felt her heart sink. “Things are never the same when you grow up.”

“Right.” He found a grin for her. “Just come back next weekend, okay?”

“I will.” She moved on to her dad, and then to her mom.

Connor and the other boys headed back inside, talking about their coming football season and the homework their teachers were
already handing out even though it was just the first week of school. Bailey loved the familiarity of their voices mingled
together. This was why she hadn’t chosen a college farther away. She loved her family and these weekends home were something
she would look forward to. Still, the time on campus would be good for her. She smiled at her parents. “It was the right decision,
moving onto campus.”

Her dad put his hand on her shoulder. “I agree with you, honey.” His eyes filled with pride for all she was doing. “You’re
ready for this. If you want to experience college life, you have to be there.”

Her mom nodded. “Even if the college is only fifteen minutes away.”

“Right.” Bailey smiled, grateful for their understanding. She’d earned nearly a full scholarship based on her grades and her
audition for the drama department. Now that she was living on campus she could handle a full load of courses and still participate
in school plays and get involved in student activities. She could practically feel her eyes sparkling with all that lay ahead.
“I’m excited about Campus Crusade too. The first Cru meeting is Thursday night.”

“You’ll love it.” Her dad put his arm around her mom. “It’s a great way to meet other kids.”

“And keep your focus.” Her mom’s look went deeper than her dad’s, the way it often did. Bailey had always considered her mom
her best friend, and these early days of college life hadn’t changed that. “I have a feeling you’ll be a very bright light
for Campus Crusade.”

“Me too.” She hugged her mom once more. “I better get going. Andi will be looking for me.”

“You have auditions this week, right?” Her mom wasn’t stalling, just getting every last bit of conversation in before Bailey
had to leave.

“On Tuesday, for the whole season.” Bailey raised her eyebrows. “First show is
Scrooge
.” She made a nervous face. “Pray for me. I’ve always wanted to play Isabel.”

“You’d be perfect for the part.” Her dad leaned in and kissed her forehead. “You certainly have the talent and experience
for it. After all those CKT shows. The director’ll probably beg you to take the part.”

“Dad.” Bailey laughed and shook her head.

“I’m serious. Indiana University doesn’t know how lucky it is to have you.”

“Not yet, anyway.” Her mom joined in. “Seriously, sweetheart. You’ll be amazing.” She hugged Bailey once more. “Are you babysitting
for Ashley this week?”

“Wednesday and Friday.” Bailey didn’t have time for a real job, but a few times a week she watched the three kids of Ashley
Baxter Blake and her husband, Landon. Ashley was an amazing artist, and she’d even helped out with sets for a number of CKT
shows. These days she was painting landscapes again, and two afternoons a week she needed a few quiet hours to work. Her kids
were great—Cole and Devin, and their baby sister, Janessa. The family lived in Ashley’s old house, the one where Bailey and
her family had joined the Baxter family for a number of celebrations.

Someday when God brought the right person into her life, she hoped she had a marriage like her parents or a marriage like
Ashley and Landon’s. In some ways, Ashley was like an older sister, always willing to listen or spend an extra few minutes
talking. For now, Bailey figured babysitting the Blake kids wasn’t only a job, it was one of the best ways to pay back Ashley’s
kindness.

She walked to her car and her parents followed. “Drive safely,” her mom folded her arms against the cool night breeze. The
smell of burning leaves and damp grass mixed in the air the way it did every fall.

“Call us when you’re in your room.” Her dad winked at her. “Bring down the house at the audition.”

Bailey laughed. They said another round of goodbyes and then she was on the road. She checked the time on her car radio. It
was just after nine. Her roommate Andi should be back in the dorm by now. Her dad had flown in today for the movie he was
filming in town and on campus over the next few weeks. The two of them were supposed to have dinner, and then Andi needed
to get back to finish setting up her side of their dorm room.

An easy smile lifted the corners of her lips. She’d only met Andi Ellison a week ago, but already she could see the two of
them becoming good friends. Andi was striking, but she wasn’t into herself or stuck up like she could’ve been. Instead, she
was anxious to connect with Bailey and quick to share her own experiences on the mission field and in her final few years
in high school. And she was always wanting to know more about Bailey’s life in Bloomington.

“What about love?” Andi had asked after they turned out the lights their second night together. Her bed was beneath the window,
and Bailey’s was near the door, but the room was so small they could easily talk in whispers and hear each other. “You ever
been in love?”

Bailey’s heart beat a little quicker at the question. “Well … you know, I’m sort of dating Tim Reed. I told you about him.
The guy I did Christian Kids Theater with all those years.”

“Yeah, I know.” Andi kept her voice low since the walls were thin. “But you didn’t say you were in love with him. So … have
you ever been in love?”

Bailey sighed because this was exactly what she wrestled with at least once a day. Was she in love with Tim, or were the two
of them only following some script that their CKT friends had practically written out for them? Tim was the natural choice
for her, right? Wasn’t that what she’d always believed? But if so, then how come she didn’t see his face in her mind as she
lay there in the dark?

Instead, the face that took over her thoughts belonged to Cody Coleman, the boy she still couldn’t forget—no matter how hard
he tried to convince her to move on. Cody was two years older than her. He’d lived with their family when she was a sophomore
and junior, and though he’d had his struggles, in the end he’d learned much about life from his high school football coach—Bailey’s
dad. More than a year ago Cody joined the army, but after a few months in Iraq he’d been captured by enemy forces. During
his escape, he was shot, and when he returned this past summer, he was missing his lower left leg.

Bailey didn’t think him any less for his injuries. But despite her feelings for him, Cody had been adamant when he stopped
by her house his first day back in town. It was the Fourth of July, and even though his eyes had told her his real feelings
for her, his words said something else. “You deserve better than me, Bailey.” He had hugged her close, and clearly neither
of them wanted to let go. “Tim’s good for you. The sort of guy you deserve. You and I … we can be friends, nothing more.”

Cody had stuck to his determination, keeping his visits to the Flanigan house brief and rare, and maintaining a distance with
Bailey. But no matter how hard he worked at it, Bailey knew better. Because there was something else he’d told her that day
when he returned home from war. Something that would always stay with her.

“Bailey?” When the silence lasted too long, Andi giggled. But her whispered tone was sharp with impatience. “Come on. Tell
me if you’ve ever been in love.”

“I’m not sure.” Bailey answered quicker, because she wasn’t ready to talk about Cody. Maybe one day she’d tell Andi. If they
became close enough. But for now only her mom knew about her feelings for Cody. “What about you?”

“Nah.” Andi laughed again. “There were no guys in Indonesia, and once I came home everyone had their friends and cliques.
It was all I could do to finish school with decent grades.”

“Really?” Bailey was surprised. A girl as pretty as Andi, and she’d never been in love? “So you didn’t date or anything?”

“A couple times. No one special.” She sighed, and there was a dreamy sound in her voice. “I have a feeling I’ll meet him here.
Like somewhere out there on the big campus of Indiana University is my own Prince Charming.” She yawned. “Now all I have to
do is meet him.” She hesitated. “Has Tim kissed you?”

“Just once. After prom back in June.”

“Was it amazing? I mean, I haven’t had my first kiss so I’m scared to death about it,” she giggled. “But still … I know it’ll
be amazing. So was it?”

Amazing?
Bailey let the question drift slowly through her mind and into her heart. She enjoyed being with Tim, and that night at the
prom they’d had a great time laughing and dancing. The kiss left her with butterflies, and she’d never forget it as long as
she lived. But amazing? “I don’t know.” Bailey stared at the ceiling, searching for the right words. “It was my only kiss,
so I guess.”

“Hmmm.” Andi rolled over onto her side and peered at Bailey through the dark shadows. “If you have to think about it that
hard, it couldn’t have been too amazing.”

After that, Bailey had found a way to change the subject, and though they talked every night, true love didn’t come up again.
Bailey was glad. Now she could hardly wait to get back to her dorm and hear the details of the movie Andi’s father was about
to film.

She stuck to the speed limit, but she pulled her cell phone from her purse. Her dad had installed the hands-free unit in her
car so she’d be safe. A conversation would make the drive feel shorter. She thought for a few seconds about who to call, and
a wild idea came to mind. Cody Coleman. She should call Cody, just so he’d know he couldn’t hide from her forever. But before
she could hit the first number, her phone rang. It was a song by Taylor Swift—“Teardrops on My Guitar.” The song was about
a girl who loved a guy she could never have. Tim Reed must’ve heard her ring tone a dozen times when they’d hung out, but
he hadn’t made the connection.

She kept her eyes on the road and slid her phone open. As she did, she caught Tim’s name in the caller ID. With one hand,
she pressed the hands-free button. “Hey …” her tone softened. She cared for Tim, really she did. Sometimes she thought she
might be in love with him. He’d been around as long as she could remember, and for years she had dreamed of dating him. He
was the theater group’s leading man, the best singer and actor, the guy every girl in CKT dreamed of dating. He was comfortable.
And now Tim was calling her. That had to mean something. She leaned back in her seat. “You’re up late.”

“Finished my homework in music comp.” He released a long breath. “No mercy. Especially in music.”

“I know. I mean, it’s the first week.”

“You driving?”

“How’d you know?” She liked the easy way they had with each other, how every time they talked on the phone, she felt like
they were in the same room.

“You have me on speaker, for one thing.” He laughed. “And I called your dorm. Andi told me. She said you should be home anytime.
I sorta hoped I’d catch you before you got back.” He paused. “You know, so I can have you to myself for a few minutes.”

Bailey smiled. “You have me that way when I’m in my dorm. Andi’s always doing her own thing—homework or texting friends back
home.”

“Yeah,” he drew out the word. “I guess this is just better. You and me. Hey, so did you hear?” His tone was instantly more
up-beat. “Auditions for this year’s musicals are Tuesday.”

“I know.” Bailey could hardly wait. “Andi’s going to audition too.”

They talked for a few minutes about
Scrooge
, and how the leading roles were fairly small. “Which is good,” Bailey stifled a yawn. She was almost back to campus. The
thought of Tim and Andi and her joining a bunch of college kids from all over the country in daily rehearsals for an actual
Indiana University production was more than she could imagine. The competition was bound to be intense. “Smaller leads give
a lot of kids the chance to make the adjustment to college theater. Anyway, I’m not worried about a lead. I just hope we all
get in.”

“Come on.” A smile hung in Tim’s voice. “We’ll get in. You know that.”

“Not really. This isn’t CKT.”

“Yeah, but you and me? We’re ready for this.” He sounded more intense than before. “And you’re right about the smaller leads,
but there is one main role. I hope they’ll at least consider underclassmen.”

Something about Tim’s competitiveness, or maybe the direction of the conversation, shot a blast of cold air over the moment.
“So … you want Scrooge? The main role?”

“I’m gonna try.” Tim laughed but the sound felt a little awkward. “It’d be great on a résumé. It’s all I’ve been thinking
about.”

Bailey pulled into the dorm parking lot and found a spot. She suddenly wanted to get off the phone. “Hey, so I’ll see you
at auditions.”

“Pray for me.”

“Yeah.” She hesitated. “For all of us, right?”

“Right. Of course.” Tim’s laugh sounded forced. “That’s what I meant.”

As Bailey hung up she took a last look at her phone and shook her head. That was the trouble with Tim. He was more about himself
than anyone else, and at times like this she wondered if she was wasting her time dating him. She sighed and slipped her phone
into her jacket pocket. The call to Cody would have to wait since she didn’t want Andi asking about him. Her roommate knew
about Tim, but Cody … Cody wasn’t someone Bailey was willing to talk about yet. What could she say? Right now things with
Cody were weird. They hardly saw each other, so Bailey couldn’t even say he was her friend.