Page 1 of Wrecked
CHAPTER 1
CAMPBELL – 18 YEARS OLD
My fingers are cramping, but I resist the urge to unfurl them as I inch up alongside his car, a smile creeping up my cheeks while I continue gaining speed, sweat beading along my brow. My breath is stalled and holding tight in my lungs. I'm really going to do it. I'mactuallygoing to win this round.
“Man, I've got you,” I breathe out.
We're so close to the end – just one more corner. I can do this. I'm feeling pretty cocky, so I hold down the accelerator and try to leave him crawling in my dust. But, shit, I'm going too fast to take the last corner. I end up skidding off the road and crashing into the pylons, helplessly watching as he passes me. I lost.
“Booyah!” my best friend, Jacob, hollers from beside me. “And that, ladies, is how it's done.”
He jerks the controller into the air, and I roll my eyes at him as he shoves into me with his shoulder. He wins nine times out of ten, so I shouldn't be surprised. But I really thought I had him this time and was looking forward to throwing it in his face for once.Disappointing.The shit-eating grin stays plastered on his face as he tosses the controller onto the table.
“I could probably beat you, Jakey,” Mase says confidently, which is in slight contrast to his lazy, splayed-out position on the floor. He's one of my four closest friends sitting around my bedroom playing video games on a Friday night. A regular weekend activity for us.
Neil protests and swipes the controller off the table before anyone else can. My almost-win probably has their competitive natures raring to go, itching to be the next winner. But as I hand my controller to Mase, Jacob springs to his feet and suddenly announces that he's leaving.
“Where are you off to at midnight?” I ask him after checking my watch. “I thought you were staying the night?”
Jacob stays at my place, or I stay at his place, almost every weekend, so it's totally out of the ordinary that he'd be taking off right now.
He avoids my suspicious gaze as he answers, “Nah, I've got an early start at the store.”
Bull. Shit. I've known Jacob since we were in third grade, which is long enough to know when he's not being truthful, and right now is one of those times. His true intentions come to light in the next minute when Jason brings up a party being held tonight by one of the guys in our senior class, a party that happens to be between mine and Jacob's house.
All eyes land on Jacob as we await his answer. It makes total sense now. Jennifer – the girl he's been obsessing over for the past few years – was talking to her friends about it right in front of us earlier today. Jacob was practically leaning into them, eager to hear the details.
I kind of feel bad for the guy. She barely acknowledges his existence, yet he spends the majority of his time pining over her.
After some friendly ribbing amongst all of us, Jacob heads for the door. But before he's able to leave, Mase calls out, stopping him.
“Wait, wait, wait, hold up.” I watch curiously as Mase jumps up from his spot on the floor and rushes over to Jacob, giving him something from his pocket. “Here,” he says as he slaps it into his hand. Mase is cackling as he walks back over to his spot, and when we notice that it's a condom, we all join in. Although I feel bad for him, I don't hold back. We're always giving each other shit. What are friends for?
Jacob's scowl turns to each one of us, his lips pursing as he tries to hide a smirk. “Laugh it up now, boys, but you know what? She will be mine one day. I'll make sure of it. You just wait and see.” He waves the condom packet at us. “And then Iwillneed this.” More rowdy laughter follows after him as he stalks out the door and leaves topass bythe party andnottry to seeJennifer. Unfortunately for him, his surreptitious departure didn't quite pan out this time.
“You're an asshole,” I tell Mase while throwing a pillow at his head.
His lips curve into a goofy grin before he throws the pillow back. “I was just tryin' to look out for my boy. We all know he doesn't walk around prepared like some of us.” Rising to his feet, he adds, “Anyways, I have to go as well. Unlike you losers and the love-sick puppy who just left, I actually have someone I gotta meet up with.”
Mase seems to disappear on us quite often. He's a real flirt, unlike the rest of us, so sometimes I wonder if he's meeting a girl, but I don't really know.
As he walks past me, he drops the controller he had right into my lap, barely missing his target.
“Careful of the boys!” I yell, kicking my leg at him.
He easily jumps out of my reach and chuckles. “Probably nothing there to hit,” he adds as he walks out of my room, leaving me with just Neil and Jason.
“Shit-head,” I mumble. Mase is the biggest shit-stirrer in our group. The self-proclaimed comedian. I think there's a decent guy underneath all of that. But I'm not sure.
“Do you think we should go join Jacob?” Neil asks, coming to sit beside me on the couch and adjusting his glasses. I'm surprised he's not glued to his phone like usual. “See what the party is like and give him some support?” Neil is the quieter, thoughtful one. Although hecangive as much shit as the rest of us, he chooses not to a lot of the time. I like that about him.
There's nothing I want more than to help Jacob get his girl, but I doubt us turning up there would help him out in any way. In fact, it'd probably be the opposite.
“Nah, if anything, us being there would stop him from actually talking to her. He'd chicken out and then stick to us.”
“Yeah,” he agrees, with a thoughtful nod. “I guess you're right.”
Clapping my hands together, I jump to my feet and turn onPumped Up Kickson my little stereo. “Now, who wants a beer?”
