Making a Play Read online

  “I’m black. Say it,” I told him.

  Hunter closed his eyes a moment as if he wished he could be anywhere else but right here with me, having this conversation. Then he opened them and looked directly at me. “Yes.”

  It was one word. It didn’t surprise me. This wasn’t a first for me either.

  “Aurora doesn’t seem to give a shit about my skin color.”

  Hunter nodded once. “I know. Neither do I. But our dad—” He stopped again.

  “Your dad doesn’t want his daughter dating a black guy. How very backward of him.” I couldn’t keep the disgust out of my tone.

  “I won’t argue with you about that. I agree with you.” The honesty in his voice wasn’t lost on me. He meant it.

  “Your dad’s prejudice isn’t going to stop me.” And I meant that.

  He shrugged. “But it may stop my sister. He isn’t someone who will allow her to make her own choice.”

  His dad controlled him. That I’d already decided, but this only confirmed it. He wanted to please his father, and he followed the rules. I wondered then if he even had his own identity, or was he created by his father. The idea made me feel sorry for Hunter Maclay. He may have been her twin, but I decided he didn’t know Aurora that well. I might have just met her, but I knew enough to know she wasn’t going to let her dad’s issues with skin color stop her from seeing me. Or giving me a chance at least. There was a sass in her. She didn’t listen to others’ opinions. She was proving that by still talking to me.

  “It won’t,” I said with certainty.

  He started to say more, then stopped.

  I had given him all the time I was going to. Aurora’s text was waiting on my response. I didn’t give one damn about her dad’s issues with me. I was going to go get her, even if it was at her house.

  “Are we done?” I asked him instead of walking away.

  He nodded. “Yeah. I guess we are.”

  I left him then. With my phone in hand.

  Where are you? I texted Aurora back.

  Two seconds later she replied.

  Home.

  Abort Mission

  CHAPTER 14

  AURORA

  Dad thought I was in my room. He’d gone to his office in the basement after he’d made me hug him. I’d pretended like I was fine. Ella had told him I was a teenage girl, and my being emotional was expected. She underestimated my lip-reading abilities. I was insulted by her excuse for my being upset. She hadn’t been told how to live her life by my father. Not yet anyway. I knew from his body language that he was trying to act as if he was letting it go and all was well. He wasn’t. This wasn’t over. My dad hated to lose.

  More reason to go outside and wait for Ryker. If Dad found out what I was doing, he’d be furious. I’d be grounded. Or possibly homeschooled. But then who would do that? Ella? The idea made me laugh. If Ryker got here before Hunter, this should be easy. If Hunter got here first, then it might be an issue. At least it was dark earlier now. Headlights in this neighborhood at six p.m. were normal. Lots of neighbors getting home from work.

  With each set of approaching headlights, I wondered if it was Ryker. Anxious for him to get here and also nervous. My texting him and asking him to come get me was a big deal for me. I barely knew him. I had never asked a guy to come get me before that I wasn’t related to. Not even Denver. The fact he had asked where I was and then said he was on his way made me feel that giddiness that seemed attached only to him.

  He made me act and feel different than any guy I had ever been around. It was scary but exhilarating, too. There was nothing boring with Ryker. The fact I couldn’t hear and he didn’t sign was an issue, and I knew it. Our communicating wouldn’t be that easy, but it was possible. I had to remind myself that he could get tired of me. I hadn’t even gotten in his car yet, and I was sad thinking about it.

  Guard your heart with this one, Aurora. I was telling myself that sternly when the headlights drew closer and finally this time pulled into the driveway. It was Ryker. It was a truck, but it wasn’t Hunter’s, which meant it had to be Ryker’s. I knew Hunter could be right behind him, so I didn’t pause or wait for him to get out. This wasn’t a date. It was an escape. Or a rescue. Whatever, I was in a hurry.

  Climbing into his truck, I smiled at him and silently said the words thank you.

  He grinned, and I felt my own smile grow. There was no need to tell him we needed to hurry. He already knew that, because he quickly pulled out and went the opposite way from where he had come. Just like he knew I needed to get out quickly, he also knew Hunter would be coming the same way he had from the school.

  The darkness kept me from seeing his lips. I couldn’t talk to him while he was driving. Watching outside the window, I wondered where we were going. I had asked him to come get me. I’d not told him why, and he hadn’t asked. I wasn’t sure what he was planning on doing now. Surprisingly I didn’t care.

  His truck smelled good. Like him. I liked it. The darkness, the warmth, his scent. We could ride around for hours, and I would be okay with it. Although I doubted he would agree with me. Especially if he paid for his own gas.

  The subdivision I lived in was behind us, and the road was darker and lined with woods instead of houses. I glanced at Ryker to see him relaxed as he drove with one hand on the wheel. His head turned to me for just a moment, and even though all the light we had was from the dashboard illuminating his face, it was easy to see the wink he gave me before he turned his attention back to the road.

  It was simply a wink. However, like his wink yesterday, it made me tingle. I looked back out the window as my cheeks turned warm. The darkness masking my reaction. Biting my bottom lip to keep from beaming like a dork, I once again wondered where we were going.

  Just as the thought came to me, he slowed and turned onto a dirt road I hadn’t seen. This should worry me. It was the woods. No house around. Nothing around at all, and he was driving me down a dirt road that I would admit was very worn. It must be used often. Maybe his house was back here?

  That seemed unlikely. This didn’t appear to lead to any civilization. There were no lights up ahead. For the first time since I’d climbed into his vehicle I was getting nervous. I’d imagined we might go to town, or maybe his house. A dirt road that led to nowhere was not what I had bargained on, and suddenly his wink and sexy grin didn’t matter. I wanted to go home. Abort mission.

  A clearing . . . we were in a clearing. A large area with no trees. One old truck that didn’t look as if it had been driven in a long time and some old tractor tires scattered about, a few logs, and a spot where a bonfire had been. A lot of bonfires, if I was to guess. It wasn’t a new setup. This had been here. My flash of fear was now curiosity.

  Ryker rolled to a stop, and then the lights came on. The outside was now even darker with the brightness inside.

  “Welcome to the field. It’s where all the parties are held,” he said, and although I couldn’t hear his voice, I could tell that he was proud of this place.

  Parties? I asked without using my voice and wondering how well he could read lips.

  He nodded. “Yes. Every Friday night, win or lose, during football season. Saturday nights too. Sometimes we have them for special occasions on other dates.”

  I wanted to explore it. Ask questions. Reluctantly I took my phone from my pocket and texted him.

  Can we walk around?

  He realized what I was doing, and when I glanced up, he already had his phone in his hand, reading. He nodded when his eyes met mine. Ready to see a part of his world, I reached for the door handle and opened it to climb out. It seemed too dark to see anything at first, but my eyes were already adjusting to the moonlight as I walked around the front of the car to meet Ryker. He had his phone in his hand. Ready to communicate.

  Whose land is this? I sent the text and lifted my head immediately for his answer.

  He read it, then met my gaze. “My dad and uncle. It was my grandfather’s land. It’s been used fo
r field parties since they were in high school. Tradition.”

  That was not the answer I was expecting. Wow, I mouthed. That was a much cooler answer than I’d anticipated. This was for high school field parties. How unique.

  Teenagers out here alone could get away with a lot. I glanced out at the dark woods and wondered what went on at these parties. Then my eyes saw a beer keg on the bed of the old truck. I’d never had beer from a keg, but I had seen one in more than one episode of That ’70s Show. I recognized it even from a distance.

  I took my phone and asked:

  They let you drink?

  Then I waited to see if he laughed at my question.

  He didn’t look up as quickly this time. For a second I thought he wasn’t going to answer me; then finally his head lifted slowly, and his eyes locked with mine. He didn’t say anything. I knew the answer without him saying it. It wasn’t like I was going to call the police.

  Then he nodded just once. His eyes never leaving mine. He was waiting on me to do or say something. I just wasn’t sure what.

  I Had Been Completely Humbled

  CHAPTER 15

  RYKER

  Disappointing a girl wasn’t something I’d ever thought about. Not once had it crossed my mind. However, right now I was scared. In less than sixty seconds every mistake or bad decision I had ever made dumped on my head, and I was sure it all stood around me in neon lights. One big warning for Aurora to run from me.

  She didn’t run, but then those neon lights weren’t actually there. As she stared at me with those incredible eyes, I wanted nothing more than to be the good guy that was worthy of her. Damn. This wasn’t going to end well.

  She began texting, and I waited. I hated not being able to see her eyes when she was telling me something. Learning to sign was at the top of my priority list as of tonight. I’d find something online. There had to be YouTube videos with lessons.

  When she began to lift her head, I looked down at my phone as the screen lit up.

  It’s okay. You look like you think I’m about to call the cops. Not my plan. I was just curious.

  I realized I was smiling at my phone and looked back up at her. “Good to know. But I wasn’t worried about that,” I told her.

  She tilted her head slightly to the left; her gaze was curious, and without words I knew she was asking what I was worried about.

  “I . . .” Then I paused, because I wasn’t sure how to say this. There was a lot in my past I didn’t want her to know. Things I couldn’t go back and change. If I made her question that, either I had to tell her or someone else would. Giving her some form of the truth without being completely open was the best idea.

  “I don’t want to disappoint you.” The brutal truth came out. It wasn’t smooth at all.

  She stepped toward me, and I watched her as she closed the little space between us. Then she shook her head. “You didn’t.” There was a whisper of her words. If she hadn’t been so close, I would have missed it. I didn’t know if she had even realized she’d done it. But there was sound. I’d heard her voice. Never had I thought much about someone’s voice. It had been something I took for granted.

  When the soft sound slammed against my chest as if I had just been given a precious, priceless gift, I had to take a moment to regroup. Get myself together. Not gape at her like an idiot.

  She ducked her head, and I knew my silence had confused her. When she stepped back, my hand shot out and circled her arm gently. I liked that she had come close to me. Trusted me. I didn’t want her to move away. She was looking at my hand on her arm; then she met my eyes again with her own. There was vulnerability there. My chest ached.

  “You spoke.” I said the words to her.

  She inhaled deeply, then nodded.

  “It was . . .” I didn’t know how to say this. I had to say it correctly. “Thank you,” I blurted. “For trusting me. For letting me hear you.”

  Even in the darkness I could see her face turn red. She was embarrassed, and that wasn’t what I had meant to do. I wanted to hear her again. I wanted her to be secure with her voice around me. “Aurora, your voice is beautiful. Just like you are. Perfect.”

  She studied me then, or she studied my lips. As if she hadn’t been sure she understood me correctly. I said the same words again. Slowly, as her eyes stayed on my mouth. Her expression was so damn vulnerable I was having to fight the urge to grab her and pull her against me, to hold her. Reassure her. This was a night of firsts for me, because that sure as hell had never been an urge I’d had before.

  She lifted her eyes to mine, and we stood there in the silence. The moonlight around us. There was no need for more words, but I could look at her forever. She was perfect. I hadn’t been just saying that to her. I meant it.

  Maybe it was the way her eyes went soft, or the warmth from her body being so close, but I didn’t think. I didn’t plan. I moved on instinct. The small space between us was gone, and my hands were cupping the soft skin on her cheeks as my lips covered hers. Plump and much like silk, her mouth opened slightly as she gasped softly from surprise. This was stepping over that friend line I had drawn. But I’d not believed for a moment that friendship with her was all we’d have.

  She didn’t move back. She didn’t slap me. Her hands touched my arms so gently it was almost like a feather grazing my skin. When my tongue ran out to taste her lips, those hands grabbed on to me, no longer unsure. It was as if she was in need of support. Or possibly terrified, but I didn’t stop. She wasn’t pushing me off. It felt more like she was bringing me closer. Afraid I’d disappear. I understood that all too well.

  If I woke up and this was a dream, then . . . fuck . . . I wasn’t thinking about that right now. Nothing could ever be more real than this. But I knew it was different. Not like other times, and I wasn’t going to react the way I normally would.

  Aurora was giving me this. I wouldn’t ruin it by pushing for more. I didn’t want to think about what she had done with Denver, but I was willing to bet it wasn’t much. She had the air of innocence that I normally stayed clear of. With Aurora it drew me in.

  Slowly she broke the kiss, moving back just enough to inhale deeply, as if she had been holding her breath. I closed my eyes and took in the scent of her, the warmth of her body. Knowing it was about to end, I needed to memorize every detail to remember later.

  Most girls would say something now. Feel the need to talk. That wasn’t going to happen with Aurora. She had shared her voice with me once and so very quietly. I wanted more, but it was obvious she wasn’t secure with it. I didn’t want to push her.

  I realized the inability to use words right now was a gift instead of a difficulty. Holding her with nothing but the night around us gave me a chance to use my hand to caress her face, feel the way she relaxed into me and trusted me. All things I had never experienced before. Because it hadn’t happened or because I never gave this a chance.

  My past wasn’t going to ruin this moment. I closed that part off when those thoughts began to resurface. Reminding me how I wasn’t worthy of someone like Aurora. Yet here she was with me. She’d called me when she needed to escape her house. I still didn’t know why she’d wanted to leave, but it had been me she turned to.

  Her hand touched my chest, and then she pushed back away from me. Her head tilted up to meet my eyes. I saw the light in them. The happiness. She didn’t regret this. She wasn’t moving away from me because she was ending it.

  “Okay, I’ll use my voice.” She said the words louder this time, but they were still soft. The emotions in my chest weren’t describable, nor the way I had been completely humbled. Possibly for the first time in my life.

  Yeah, Life Is Different Now

  CHAPTER 16

  AURORA

  The happy glow that had followed me inside the house and up to my bedroom was wiped out the moment my eyes met Hunter’s. He was standing at the window with his arms crossed over his chest, staring at me.

  “Dad could have been in the l
iving room. Did you think of that?” he signed.

  Actually I had, but only briefly. I shrugged. I didn’t want to be reminded of Dad or the argument we’d had earlier.

  “I like Ryker. But Dad isn’t going to like this,” he continued.

  I wasn’t worried about Dad or his likes. Not like Hunter was. I wouldn’t say that, though. I often felt sorry for my brother. He had never been able to make is own choices. He never fought back. It was as if he had gotten the hearing, but I’d been given all the backbone.

  “I don’t care who likes this,” I said, hoping that hadn’t been too loud. Just because I felt bad for Hunter and wished he’d step out and do what he wanted to do didn’t mean I was happy about the fact he was in here bursting my bubble.

  “Did you break up with Denver?” He threw that at me, and I hadn’t been expecting it.

  Again I shrugged. I wasn’t sure we were even a thing that had to be broken up. He’d not been acting like it. “I think that’s over, but I will make sure tomorrow.”

  Hunter sighed and shook his head. “This is going to be bad. You are in school two days. Two days, Aurora, and you decide you like Ryker Lee. Why so soon and why him?”

  If he liked Ryker, then why was he being so dramatic about this? I had never been one to try and please our dad. He knew that, or had he forgotten how things had been before he moved away? Why act like Dad could force me into anything now? Instead of asking him all that, I told him, “I’ve never felt like this about anyone before.” There, he could chew on that. Ryker made my world light up. It didn’t matter it had only been two days. Was that supposed to take time? I didn’t think so, because I’d had years with Denver, and not once had he made me feel like Ryker did from the moment I saw him.