For the Rush(15)
He was everything I’d been looking for in a guy.
After dinner, I rinsed off my plate and hurriedly tossed it in the dishwasher. Then I raced upstairs to my room so I could text Holden back. I could feel Mom and Dad watching me curiously, but I ignored them. Sometimes I envied my brother for being away at college and out from under their thumb. Of course, other times I was terrified about leaving them and having to be out on my own. Go figure.
After closing my bedroom door softly behind me, I sat down on my bed. Leaning my head against the black headboard, I stretched my legs out over my black and white polka dotted comforter. My saxophone case sat near the door, a folder of sheet music set on top. Not only was I in marching band, but I was in the jazz band as well. It was my zero period class. Today Mr. Grant had given me a solo to play in our upcoming jazz competition. My heart skipped a beat thinking about it. Being the new girl, I had worried that it would take awhile to prove myself. I wasn’t anticipating a solo right out of the gate, and I didn’t want to let him down. So after texting Holden, I planned to spend the rest of the evening practicing.
I know, I know, pretty riveting Saturday night plans, huh? What can I say? I was a party animal.
Picking up my phone, I punched in my code and then went into my text messages.
Me: I’d love to. Does 11 am work for you?
Biting my lip, I awaited a response. It had been awhile since he’d texted, and I hoped he hadn’t already made other plans. I was pretty certain Holden got a lot of offers. In fact, he was probably out at a party or something tonight. I doubted he spent his Saturday nights at home with his parents the way I did. When my phone buzzed, I jumped, a small squeal escaping through my lips.
Holden: Sounds good.
I wasn’t sure how to respond. Did I send a smiley face? No, that would have been dumb.
Me: Ok. C U then.
I was assuming that was the end of our conversation. Honestly, I figured he’d need to return to whatever it was he was doing tonight. Therefore, I was surprised when the phone went off again.
Holden: What R U doing?
Glancing around my room, my gaze lit on my instrument, on my desk and computer, then back at my bed. I wondered how lame it would sound if I admitted I was sitting alone in my bedroom getting ready to practice my instrument. As quickly as the thought entered, I chastised myself. It was the truth, and I needed to own up to it. If Holden didn’t like me for who I was, then I didn’t want to see him anyway. I’d never made excuses for myself, and I wouldn’t start now.
Me: Just hanging out at home.
Holden: Me too.
This surprised me.
Holden: Mom wants to watch some chick flick. My stepdad doesn’t want to, so she roped me into it.
This downright shocked me. Holden Reece, star quarterback of the best football team around, was hanging out at home watching a movie with his mom on Saturday night. Man, I felt like I’d seriously misjudged him. Remembering my conversation with Jasmine and Gianna, I realized that everyone had.
Me: How did she rope you into it? Blackmail? Threaten punishment?
Holden: She asked.
I sat still a moment, pondering this. It was only two words, and yet they held so much meaning.
Me: That’s it? And you said yes?
Holden: Yep.
My mom once told me that you could tell a lot about a boy by how he treated his mother. When Ethan and I broke up, I remember wishing I’d listened. He was always bad-mouthing his mom, always acting out and talking back. At the time I’d told myself it was normal. Weren’t all teenagers rebellious? But even then I knew that wasn’t right. I didn’t act like that. And there was something refreshing about meeting a boy who wasn’t like Ethan at all.
A boy who was more like me.
And it made me wonder if Holden and I were more alike than either of us even realized.
Holden was already in the spa when I arrived on Sunday, and apprehension tugged at me. I paused at the edge of the spa as if scared to step inside. It wasn’t like it was the first time we’d been in here together. But it was the first time it had been planned. Almost like it was a date. Seriously, a date with Holden Reece was not a bad thing. It was actually a good thing. A very good thing. But it also made my head spin with possibilities and questions.
As if noticing my reluctance, Holden threw me an easy smile and gentle nod. Taking a deep breath, I willed my brain to slow down. Not an easy task for me. Overthinking was what I was good at. It also hindered me sometimes. However, I wouldn’t let it hinder me today.
I pushed my lips into a grin. “Looks like you got a head start.”
“Not much of one. Just got in a couple of minutes ago.”
“Punctual. I like it.” Reaching for the railing, I held onto it as I stepped down the stairs. Usually I didn’t bother with the railing, but Holden’s proximity was making my legs a little unsteady. They shook slightly as I made my way into the spa. When I glanced down, I cringed as I noticed the fat on my legs jiggling with every motion. Maybe I should’ve been more like Mom and taken working out seriously. I’d never been the thinnest girl in the world. Big boned. Not fat. That’s what my dad had always told me. And for the most part, I’d embraced that. I knew I wasn’t built petite and small boned like my mom. I took after my dad’s side of the family in my looks. And I was okay with that. I mean, curves weren’t a bad thing. Over the years my thin friends were usually pretty jealous of them, in fact. Especially when I was the first one of all my friends to wear a bra. I was definitely the only girl drawing open-mouthed stares from all the boys at our sixth grade pool party. But for some reason today I felt self-conscience of my body. Holden didn’t have an ounce of fat on him. He was all lean with large, defined muscles. And I’d seen enough of the Gold Rush cheerleaders to know that skinny was the name of the game on the squad. Even Jazzy and Gigi were rail thin. For the first time in forever I found myself wanting to hide my curves, to slip under the water where my body would be obscured.