Page 20 of Love at First Ride
‘Why weren’t you in school?’
Noah grimaces. ‘School is for pussies.’
AJ flicks him in the head again, not that hard, but this time it pisses him off.
‘Hey! Fucking stop that,’ Noah exclaims.
‘You kiss your mother with that mouth?’
Noah kicks AJ in the shins. AJ curses, draws back his fist.
‘AJ!’ I squeal.
He looks up, balled fist hovering in the air. I stare at him. ‘Can we talk in the kitchen?’ I stammer. ‘Please?’
‘Wait there,’ AJ orders Noah, and follows me.
In the kitchen, I close the door behind us. AJ looks around, and suddenly I’m hyper aware that the room is barren.
‘What is it?’ he asks, and he doesn’t talk to me in the same way he does Noah. His voice has lost its edge.
‘I just think… maybe you hitting him is not going to help.’
AJ looks to one side. ‘He’s a fucking idiot. He deserves his ass kicking. Now his picture’s on the goddamned nightly news. Do you have any idea how bad this is?’
I cling to the kitchen counter behind me. I’m in over my head. I realize that tonight is the first time AJ and I have properly spoken, and I don’t really know him at all. I hate the fact that I can feel myself welling up.
‘Sorry,’ he says, calming. ‘I didn’t mean to scare you.’
‘So, he’s what, like afugitive? What do we do?’ I whisper.
He takes a step back and runs his fingers through his hair. I hear the leather on his jacket as it creases. ‘I don’t know yet,’ he breathes.
‘Oh god, I’m harboring a fugitive,’ I breathe, a note of panic creeping into my tone.
‘Look,’ he says. ‘I know he can’t stay here, but I—’ His voice trails off for a moment. ‘Do you live alone here? You got a boyfriend? Anyone who’d visit here?’
I look to the floor. ‘No, I, uh… I’m single. My dad has a key but… he rarely comes here anymore.’
He presses his hands together. ‘Look. I know we don’t know each other well, and I know it’s a lot to ask. Can I leave Noah with you? Just temporarily. Just while I go work out what to do. If I take him tonight, there’s a good chance the cops will track him down. No one’s gonna come looking for him here.’
I press my teeth together to stop my bottom lip from trembling. A big part of me regrets bringing Noah here. It was stupid and out of character. Yet, with AJ Callahan standing in my kitchen, asking me for help, it’s like my high school self isn’t willing to let go. I can’t go against him, or Noah, and call the police. Not now. So, the only choice I have is to help them.
‘Please,’ he adds for good measure.
After a moment, I nod my head a little, despite my better judgement.
He exhales shakily, perhaps out of relief. ‘Thank you. You volunteering tomorrow?’
I massage my upper arms. It takes me back to the first time I stood before my new class at Eastvale High, when the teacher introduced me to everyone, AJ included, as the new girl from England. I’d stared resolutely at the ground back then too, hoping it would swallow me up.
‘I mean, I am, but I don’t have to. It’s fine to cancel my shift.’
‘You’re sure?’
I nod my head for a second time. A part of me wants to prolong my time with him, maybe even get to know him a little. ‘What will you do?’
‘I don’t know yet. I gotta go find out how bad this is.’
