The First Love Anthology: A collection of novellas Page 10

  “Is there any other way to slash a tire?”

  I look at my car. “Maybe it was an accident?”

  He snorts. “Slashing a tire is really hard, Mae. You can’t just walk up with a pocketknife and stab it. It takes a ton of force.”

  I give him a weird look and he holds up his hands. “I only know because my uncle had this junkyard job and he let me slash tires one time for fun. It wasn’t as easy as it seems.”

  “So you’re saying someone purposely did this to me?”

  He nods. “Looks like it. But maybe they thought your car belonged to someone else.”

  A lump forms in my throat. He’d asked me if anyone hates me. I’d like to think not, but…haven’t I broken up with at least five guys this school year alone? Starting with Chris, just a few hours ago?

  There’s no way Chris could have done this, I think. He’s too nice. Too sweet.

  But if anyone has a reason to hate me…it’d be him.

  “Well, thanks for your help,” I say as I turn toward my car and reach for the door handle.

  “Wait.” Jaxon grabs my hand. I turn toward him, and take in the sight of his worried expression. Those dark blue eyes are crinkled in concern, and his shaggy brown hair ripples in the slight breeze. “You’re upset. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “Well, it’s not your fault. I just found out someone hates me. That’s a hard pill to swallow.”

  “I could be wrong,” he says quickly, but I know it’s a lie. He knows what he’s talking about. Someone slit my tire. Someone hates me. And as much as I want that guitar, I can’t just ignore this fact.

  If one of my ex-boyfriends did this, what might the next one do?

  Chapter 4

  Last night, Dad took my car into the shop and got a brand new tire put on. He grumbled that it cost over a hundred dollars but then he wouldn’t let me pay him back with my own money. I didn’t tell him that Jaxon suspected it was slashed, and I hope the guys at the tire shop didn’t say anything either. I’d hate for my parents to realize I have enemies at school.

  Now that I have to go back there for another stupid day of education, I’m feeling really weird about it all. I didn’t tell Jacie about the slashed tire when I recounted to her the story of Jaxon coming to my rescue. For all she knows, it was just a stray nail that got stuck in my tire. I don’t want anyone to know what I know – that someone hates me.

  It takes a lot of energy to drag myself to school, because all I want to do is sleep.

  During the morning announcements, our principal’s voice comes on the speaker. This makes everyone kind of take notice because he never does the announcements unless something unique has come up.

  And it has. I listen intently as he describes a series of vandalism acts that have been taking place at our school. He said that teachers have had their cars keyed, spray painted, and worse. Like slashed tires.

  Then he says there have been reports of vandalism to cars in the student parking lot as well. Some other people around me react normally, worrying about their own cars or laughing about how someone will eventually get caught for doing it. But all I can think about is the huge relief I feel.

  I wasn’t targeted on purpose. I was just a victim of random vandalism. That’s a good thing as far as I’m concerned.

  I feel the knot in my chest loosen. It wasn’t Chris. It wasn’t another ex-boyfriend. It was just some idiot who will probably get caught because idiots always get caught.

  In the hallways between classes, I keep an eye out for Jaxon. I know we’re both in the same grade, but I have no idea what classes he might take in relation to mine. I’m not even sure if we have the same lunch period, but as luck would have it, I notice him walking toward the cafeteria.

  “Hey!” I say, rushing up to him. “My tire savior.”

  He grins. “I wouldn’t call myself a savior.”

  “Does hero work better for you?

  He nods. “Totally.”

  “So did you hear the awesome news?” I ask, picking up my pace to keep up with his long strides.

  “What’s that?”

  “There’s a car vandal going around the parking lot.”

  “Ahh, yes, I did hear that. So maybe you weren’t targeted after all.”

  “Thank God,” I say, putting a hand to my chest. “I can’t live with the idea that someone hates me.”

  “Do you have lunch this period?” Jaxon asks as we near the doors to the cafeteria. And this is when I see my chance to seize that guitar.

  I smile sweetly. “Yeah, but I hate cafeteria food. Want to go off campus with me?”

  He shrugs. “Sure. I’ll drive.”

  “I got my tire fixed,” I say as I flirtatiously bump into his shoulder. “My car is safe, too.”

  “Yeah, but I don’t mind driving.”

  He grins at me and this warmth spreads through my whole body at the sight of his smile. I know I’m just trying to date him to get that guitar, but I can’t help but think how Chris never smiled at me like that. He also wanted me to drive when we left for lunch, that way he could save his gas money.

  Jaxon and I head to the local Taco Bell, which is the only food place close enough to go to during the pathetic twenty-five minutes they give us for lunch breaks. There’s a few other food places in the area, but their lines are long and you always have to eat fast in the car on your drive back to school.

  Jaxon seems a little nervous as he eats his burrito. He’s sitting across from me in the cold purple booth and we’re surrounded by other students who left for lunch, so it’s almost like we’re still at school.

  “So what’s up with you?” I ask, trying to make conversation.

  “Just school and work.” He takes a sip of his soda. “And saving girls with flat tires.”

  “Do you do that often?” I ask with a smile.

  He shrugs. “Once in the last twenty-four hours.”

  “Where do you work?” I ask.

  “Northpoint Animal Clinic.”

  “Aww, you work with animals?”

  He nods, and I can’t help but think that he’s pretty undeniably cute. “Yes, ma’am. I’m the vet tech. It’s not always pretty, though. I clean up a ton of cat puke.”

  I make a face and then set down my taco. “I’m not hungry anymore.”

  He laughs. “I’m sorry. I’ll eat that if you won’t.”

  I snatch it back defensively and he doesn’t stop smiling. “Thanks for lunch, by the way.”

  He’d insisted on buying my food and I don’t even know why. But I’m excited because it means he probably still likes me, which means I’m well on my way to dating him for the next thirty days.

  Our conversation is a little awkward, two new friends trying to get comfortable with each other, but it goes well, I think. When we get back to school, Jaxon tells me his remaining classes, and they aren’t anywhere close to mine.

  “I have an idea,” I say, as we walk back into the building. I’m feeling my opportunity slipping away, so I have to nail it town. I grab a pen from my purse and take his arm, then write my number on it.

  “Now you can call me next time you get a burrito craving.”

  “Oh yeah?” he says, looking at his arm as if it’s been branded with an alien tattoo in a language he can’t read. Then he looks at me. “Sounds good.”

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  Jacie calls me the second she gets home from school to complain that I ditched her for lunch. Apparently the excuse I sent her via text—hey, I can’t do lunch today—wasn’t good enough. Can’t say I blame her.

  “You want to know why I missed?” I say, clutching the phone between my ear and my shoulder as I make a snack in the kitchen. “I was working on day number one of my thirty days.”

  “What?” she says with a laugh. “Who’s the unlucky guy?”

  “Jaxon Rhodes.”

  “Mae Warren!” Jacie snaps. She actually sounds stern. “You can’t be serious! Tell me you’re joking!”

  “Why? Do y
ou like him or something? Because if so, I had no idea.”

  “No, Mae. Jaxon is a nice guy.”

  “I know…”

  She sighs into the phone. “He’s nice, nice. Like, not a jerk like a typical guy you date.”

  “Um, thanks?” I say sarcastically.

  “You know what I mean. I just don’t think you should use him for this bet because that seems cruel. He’s just too nice.”

  I sigh and bite the inside of my lip. “He is nice,” I say, and I realize I can’t find anything else to say to make me sound better. The truth is, Jaxon is sweet and attractive and fun to be around.

  And I feel kind of bad knowing I’m only going to keep him around for the next twenty-nine days.

  Chapter 5

  Jacie’s warnings stick with me all throughout the night. It hadn’t really occurred to me until now, that choosing a guy to date just to win a guitar is kind of a horrible thing to do. If he really likes me and I’m just using him, then that’s not okay at all. But still, I can’t help but check my phone, waiting on Jaxon to text me. We had fun at Taco Bell and I want to hang out with him again.

  I decide that there has to be a way to date him for thirty days, get my guitar, and not hurt his feelings. And then the solution comes to me while I’m waiting for my Pop-Tart to finish toasting.

  My parents are in the kitchen, arguing over who drank the last cup of coffee and who has to brew another pot. My mom calls my dad annoying, and I get the perfect idea.

  When my thirty days with Jaxon are nearing an end, I’ll just start being annoying. I’ll get clingy, or I’ll listen to music he hates, or I’ll find some way to make him so annoyed that he decides to break up with me. Then I get my guitar, and he doesn’t get his feelings hurt. No harm, no foul.

  Perfect!

  I’m expecting some kind of text in the morning, but Jaxon doesn’t send me anything. Teachers don’t exactly love when we play on our phones in class, but most of them don’t care, so he has no reason not to text me. Yet, three classes go by and my phone hasn’t had a single message from him. At lunch, I scan the crowd, looking for him since I know we have the same lunch period. I can’t totally ditch Jacie for a second time in a row, so my plan is to ask him to sit with us…only I can’t find him.

  Eventually, five minutes after lunch has started, I get my food and plop down next to Jacie at our table.

  “What’s wrong with you?” she says.

  “I gave Jaxon my number yesterday and he still hasn’t texted me.”

  “Good.”

  I look over at her. “Why is that good? I can’t get started on my thirty days if he never actually texts me.”

  She focuses on stirring the granola into her yogurt. “I think you should pick another guy. Jaxon is just too nice.”

  “But I’ve got it all figured out,” I say. I tell her about my plan to get progressively annoying as time goes on so that Jaxon breaks up with me.

  She laughs, and not in a sarcastic way. “You seriously think that will work?”

  I shrug. “Yeah? I won’t be crazy about it, I’ll just get slightly annoying and then a little more annoying. I’ll use the first twenty-five days to figure out what he likes and doesn’t like and then I’ll use that to my advantage.”

  “You are putting in so much effort for this,” Jacie says, shaking her head.

  “Yeah well do you know how many hours I’d have to work at a fast food restaurant earning minimum wage to be able to buy myself a three thousand dollar guitar?”

  “Fair point,” she says, taking a bite of her food.

  Lunch goes by without a word from my mysterious new guy. And so does the rest of the day. By the time I’ve gotten home and finished my physics homework, I’m starting to think that maybe he lost my number. I did write it on his arm, after all. Maybe it smudged off or he got sweaty and half the numbers looked like different numbers. Maybe he’s been texting the wrong person all day.

  That’s probably it.

  But I don’t want my Day One to start tomorrow – I need it to start today. I remember him telling me he worked at an animal clinic, so I decide to get a little sleuthy.

  Northpoint Animal Clinic is located in a shopping center with many stores that would all make a good excuse for me to be there. I place my hand on my songwriting notebook and say, “I promise I’ll get you that guitar.” Then I get in my car and head to Northpoint Boulevard.

  I don’t really have a plan. I’d already told Jaxon that I don’t have any pets, so it’s not like I can waltz into an animal clinic with any real reason to be there. So instead, I go to the beauty supply store next door and buy some nail polishes. Then I leave, walking down the sidewalk, casually glancing into the windows of the animal clinic.

  And my plan works like a charm. I see Jaxon standing behind the front counter, reading something on a clipboard. He’s not looking in my direction, so I keep walking and venture into another store. I only spend about five minutes and then I walk back down the sidewalk.

  This time, he looks up and sees me. Our eyes meet through the large windows, and I stop and look confused, and surprised, and then I smile.

  I wave at him as if this is just a totally random coincidence that we’ve seen each other. Deep down I feel a little stupid, honestly, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. I didn’t get Jaxon’s number yesterday, so I can’t exactly text him and see if he lost my number.

  I start to walk slowly away, but then Jaxon waves for me to come inside. Phew. I was afraid this little smile exchange was all we’d get.

  I step into the clinic, happy that the waiting room is empty, although it does kind of smell like dog in here.

  “Hey,” I say, walking up to the counter.

  “You stalking me?” Jaxon says, but he’s smiling so I know he’s just playing around.

  I scoff. “Clearly you’re stalking me. You decided to get a job right next to where I buy my nail polish.”

  He laughs at this. “Dang, you figured out my plan.”

  I mentally assess the situation. He seems happy to see me, and he’s all smiles, and he’s just as cute as before. So why didn’t he text me all day? Why didn’t he look for me at lunch?

  “So…” I say, trying to sound friendly and not desperate. “You never texted me.”

  He leans on his elbows, making us eye level. “Maybe I didn’t know what to say.”

  “I was thinking you lost my number or something.”

  “Nope,” he says, glancing at his clipboard. “I wrote it down.”

  “Cool.” Nervousness takes over, and I’m actually a little self-conscious now that I’m in his presence. “You could have just said, like, hello.”

  “That’s boring,” he says.

  I roll my eyes. “Okay, well you could have texted me and asked me to see a movie or something.”

  His lips slide into a coy smile. “Are you asking me out?”

  I really hope I’m not blushing right now. “Nope. I’m telling you what you could say to me.”

  “So I should text you and ask if you want to see a movie?”

  I give a little shrug. This is going exactly how I planned. “If you want to.”

  He smiles warmly, and then a door off to the side opens and a middle-aged woman in scrubs calls Jaxon’s name.

  “Give me a hand, will you?”

  “Gotta go,” Jaxon says.

  “I’ll see you later,” I say. While he goes back to work, I head to my car and realize something very annoying.

  He talked about it, but he didn’t actually ask me out.

  Chapter 6

  I’m deciding how desperately I want to be in this adventure. After I got home yesterday, I realized that pretending to run into Jaxon at work was probably the most pathetic thing I’ve ever done. I usually want the guy to be chasing after me, not the other way around. I am totally embarrassed, and to make matters worse, I left yesterday without solidifying any future plans with him.

  And it’s been another day an
d he still hasn’t texted me. I’m feeling like karma is coming to get me for trying to date a guy just to get a guitar.

  I’m about to get in the shower on Thursday night, and my phone rings. I start to ignore it, since the water is already running in the shower, but then curiosity gets the better of me and I rush over to my phone.

  It’s a number I don’t know, and suddenly I’m so hopeful I might burst.

  “Hello?”

  “Mae? It’s Jaxon.”

  Relief washes over me. He called. He called. He called.

  This is even better than texting.

  “Hey, what’s up?” I say all casually.

  “Just got back from work and I’m exhausted. But that’s not why I called.”

  “Oh yeah?” I say, unable to hide my smile.

  “Do you want to see a movie with me tomorrow night?”

  Yes. Yes. Yes.

  “That would be fun,” I say, still trying to be calm and collected.

  “Cool. Um, text me your address? I’ll pick you up at six-thirty.”

  “Sounds good,” I say.

  “Oh, and don’t eat dinner because we’re going to the Alamo Draft house.”

  “Really?” My voice is a little too enthusiastic but I can’t help it, I’m excited. I’ve never been to that theater, but I’ve heard about it. They serve food right there while you watch a movie. It sounds awesome.

  “Yep. Are you cool with that?”

  “I’m totally cool with that.”

  I can hear the smile in his voice as he says, “Awesome.”

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  The next day at school is pretty normal. I still don’t run into Jaxon, but we have a date tonight, so I try not to care too much about not seeing him. Jacie agrees that today is our official Day One since it’s our first date. She doesn’t think the Taco Bell lunch was the first day since he didn’t have my number and didn’t talk to me at all between then and now. I grudgingly have to agree with her, but that’s fine. Thirty days will totally fly by.

  Jaxon arrives at my house at exactly six-thirty. He even gets out and walks up to my door, which makes me feel a little guilty because he’s a total gentleman. The kind of guy who doesn’t seem to exist among high school boys anymore.