Dirty Friends (Beautiful Friends #1) (9 page)

He tries to speak and gets choked up. “Shit, now you are making me get emotional.”

Cooper leans over to look at it, pats him on the back then places his gift next to Ryan. As Ryan opens it, he starts laughing because of course, these two think alike. He got the same damn calendar for him. “Now as we flip up the months, we will be thinking the same thing,” Coop says, like he is so proud of himself.

Then they both speak at the same time, “Hot Damn!”

“Gross…make me puke.”

They both start to get up and I yell over to them to sit back down. “I’ve got one more for both of you.”

Placing the gifts in their laps, I walk out of the room to grab more drinks. I can’t sit there when they open them. I know it would cause the waterfalls to start. I take out beers for them then grab a Diet Coke for me. Opening mine up, I pull out the barstool at the island and sit down. They both walk in at the same time.

Emotions are running high. All it takes is Ryan pulling back the barstool and picking me up off of it, hugging me tightly while my feet don’t touch the floor. “You will always be a part of my life, girl. You hear me? I love you.” I just nod my head. I can’t speak.

Setting me down, Cooper then comes over. He rests his hands on either side of me. “What am I going to do with you?” I shrug my shoulders up and down, still not being able to control my voice from trembling. Tears are streaming down my cheeks.

“Peanut, nothing will tear us apart. This is just another adventure in this life of ours. God brought us together for different reasons. Look, we are all single kids, none of us had siblings to fight with, and so when Ryan and I got to be friends it was like having a brother I never had. Then, you came into our lives when we were twelve. You kept us in check when we got out of line. Can you imagine the trouble we would have gotten into if it wasn’t for you?”

I chuckle because he is totally right. “A ton.”

“Yeah, that’s right.” Ryan comes over, putting his arm around my shoulder. “Friends forever.”

They both bend over to me so our heads all meet and we stand there hugging each other.

Cooper

January came and went and so did Ryan. He has been gone for just about four months. Of course, he got officially signed to the three-year deal. He FaceTimed Ansley and I one night, to tell us. We celebrated over the phone with him. We haven’t lost touch, even though there are days at a time where we don’t talk. His parents are still here but have flown out to see him on several occasions. His dad continues to take me to races, which is great because he can sign the paperwork as my guardian so I can ride. It’s pretty cool that he still does that for me, even though he has a lot going on between work and Ryan’s new career as a pro rider.

Ansley and I spend a lot of time together. We are getting closer and closer. She goes to the track with me, as well as helps me get my bike washed and ready for every ride the night before. Not that she’s a bunch of help with the mechanical things, but she’s still there trying to hand me the tools I need. I don’t know what I’d do without her.

Prom’s happening in about two weeks. I decide to ask an old favorite. Let’s face it; I want someone to go with that knows what prom night is all about. Ansley decides to go with that stupid football player that she has gone out with a few times. He’s still trying to get her in the backseat of his car; I know it. The kid is a dumbass and everyone knows that’s all he’s after. I warn Ansley but she informs me that she can handle herself. Of course, I’ll make sure that it never takes place while I’m around. I ask her if they want to share a limo that night, so I can keep an eye on the fucker. She agrees. She looks stunning when she comes to the house before the limo arrives for us to pick up our dates. Her mom also comes over and takes several pictures of us together. When she’s snapping them of Ansley alone, I can’t help but notice how beautiful she truly is; no makeup necessary, natural beauty all the way. Though tonight she wears just a touch of it and lip gloss, too. She’ll take your breath away and leave you speechless.

Dressed in a short, strapless red dress, she stands taller than normal with her silver heels. She wears the necklace and bracelet that Ryan and I got her last Christmas. All I can do is smile at her. She looks amazing. With my tux being black, my tie and vest silver, I think it looks like we might be going together. We snap a couple selfies and send them off to Ryan, who says we look hot together. I immediately call him to FaceTime.

“Jackass, we aren’t going together. We are just heading out to get our dates.”

“I know, I was just giving you shit. Geez, lighten up.”

“Ok, you two; knock it off.” Ansley grabs the phone and holds it out for both of us to be on the screen, “Hey, Ryan, how are you? What’s been going on?”

“Nothing much. I’m so looking forward to coming home in less than four weeks for graduation. It’s been a bitch lately, trying to study and take the necessary tests for the end of the year, as well as going to the races that recently started. I practice twice a day, two hours every morning and two to three hours later in the day. Before that, I train with a trainer. Then, I’m with the tutor for about three hours in the middle of the day. It’s flipping crazy. I’m so glad it’s almost over with.”

“We are both looking forward to seeing you, Bro.”

“What day do you get in?”

“I’m not sure of the exact day yet; as soon as I am, I’ll text you both the info. Peanut, have you decided on which college you’re going to, yet?”

“I believe Georgia Tech because they are putting an offer together for me to look at as we speak. I’m supposed to have it by Monday. Then, I have to decide this coming week and give them my answer by Friday.”

“Coop, you’ve decided that Miami U is the way you are going?”

“Yeah, Dad’s insisting on it. You know he went there, and he thinks it’s the best school out there. So whatever, if it makes him happy, I’ll go there. Plus, there are a bunch of tracks around the area that I can get to on the weekends. I already have a storage unit near the dorms, so I can store my bike and everything there.”

“That’s awesome, I’m glad that’s going to work out for ya.”

“Well, we better get going. Love ya and miss ya,” Ansley says, blowing him a kiss.

“You two have fun, but not too much fun without me, K? And, Peanut, make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid tonight, will ya?”

“Haha, fat chance of that happening. He’s taking trash to the prom, so I’m sure he’ll end up in the dumpster at some point with her.”

“Oh, she’s one to talk. Bro, she’s taking the fucking football player that just wants to get in her pants, or in this case, up her dress.”

She hits me and we all start laughing. After hanging up with him, we see the limo has arrived out the window. My mom and dad are both in the house, so I run to tell them we are heading out. My dad doesn’t even look up from his computer to notice me standing there. He just tells me to have fun and asks if I need any money. He tells me he already paid the limo company, so we have it for the night. My mom on the other hand, kisses me on the cheek, after making sure I’m not taking Ansley as my date. Thank God, Ansley doesn’t hear her say that. She’s always making sure that we aren’t dating. I have to reassure her every time Ansley leaves the house that we’re just friends. I don’t know what she has against her, the only thing she ever says is that I can do better than that. I think it has something to do with her not having a father or money. And I could care less if she does or doesn’t have either.

The night finishes off, just as I expected. I had to tell Mr. Player to keep his hands to himself or he won’t have those pretty little hands to play football with next year at college. Luckily, Ansley was in the restroom when we had that conversation, or she would have kicked my ass. After dropping her off at the house, I go to take my date home in the limo. Yes, I should have dropped off my date first, since I live next door, but I have my reasons. And well, let’s just say, my evening is capped off quite nicely with my date on her knees.

HERE WE ARE AT GRADUATION. We’re just waiting to walk across the stage to get that piece of paper in our hands. Our graduation parties are all going to be held at my house; right after we get done we will be heading directly there. Most of our class is coming over to hang out and swim. My parents have caterers hired to take care of the food, as well. It’s great to have Ryan home, even if it is only for a couple days. He has to head back, first thing Monday morning.

The party is going great. We make sure we take a ton of pictures together, so we can update the frames that Ansley bought us at Christmas time. It’s memorable for all of us. We pick on Ryan for being famous, now. Ansley keeps asking him for his autograph on the picture she saw in the
Racer-X
magazine she bought. I think he’s going to throttle her if she says it one more time. By the end of the night, it’s just us sitting next to the fire pit, talking about old times and where we are all headed.

“Umm, I now have something to tell the both of you.”

“Oh, God, Coop, not you, too.”

“Not me what?”

“Going off and moving across the country from me.”

“No, but we are moving out of the neighborhood. You know my dad’s company is really taking off. Well, he put an offer on a huge house closer to his offices. Ours goes on the market Monday, and we are probably moving at the end of the month.”

“Holy shit, I can’t believe this is happening to us.” She sat there pouting, with her head in her hands.

“Peanut, it’s not like he’s moving far. It’s like a half hour away. Plus, you decided to go to Georgia Tech, so you’ll be gone anyway.”

“I know, but couldn’t they have waited until we left for college? I mean, it’s only two more months.”

“We’ll still be together, all the time, up until the day we both leave.”

“Well, this all sucks.” And then she starts crying. I understand where she’s coming from, it’s like we are all heading in different directions, but I knew deep down that we would eventually. Ansley, on the other hand, is a non-believer until it happens.

THE DAY COMES FOR BOTH Ansley and I to be leaving for college. She’s leaving around noon. I’m going to pull out shortly after her. I’m moving myself into the dorms and her mom is going with her. But then again, she has to drive four and half hours away, so I’m glad she has company. She decided on Georgia Tech after they offered her a scholarship that paid almost her full tuition. When she got that, the decision was easy for her to make. She’s going for digital marketing design. We sit in the front seat of my truck; that’s right, I have a truck. My parents gave it to me for graduation. I have the bike loaded in the back along with everything I need. We talk until her mom yells over to her that it’s time to leave. I look into her eyes, and yep, another round of tears start. She’s the one lady in my life that can make my eyes water. She gets me and touches me in ways no one else ever has. We get out and stand on the sidewalk in front of her house. We immediately hug each other. I’m not sure how the next moment takes place, but we end up kissing each other on the lips and not on the cheek like we have done in the past. Before I know it, the kiss turns into a deep kiss…
okay, what the hell just happened
? She’s holding onto me tightly as the kiss ends. Our foreheads meet as she touches her fingers to her lips. I try to say goodbye in words, but before I know it, she’s running over to meet her mom at the car. Then she’s gone.

COLLEGE HAS STARTED OFF WITH A BANG.
Over a month in and there are already several little hotties that have made their way to my dorm room. I’m lucky; I have a cool roommate. We go with the big X on the white board attached to our door if you bring someone to the room. Then you have two choices, either you knock to see if it is safe to go in, or you turn and walk away to find somewhere else to sleep for the night.

Ryan, Ansley and I are busier than we all thought we would be. Though we all try talking every Sunday, it doesn’t always happen. The last time I spoke to them both, she was thinking of joining a sorority, and Ryan well, he was leaving for a photo shoot with the team for different posters and print ads they needed to do, so he couldn’t talk. He’s so busy, but he really tries to shoot us both a text every week or two, to let us know how things are going, and what he’s doing next. I’m crazy happy for him, but the jealously still lingers.

It’s been awkward between Ansley and me, since our kiss, especially when it is just the two of us on the phone together. I want to bring it up and tell her it’s no big deal, but clearly that isn’t going to happen, she’s avoiding me like the plague. I mean, I’ll never admit to her that it means everything to me, if it isn’t what she wants. I have to wonder if she regrets it, based on her not wanting to talk to me alone. I’m not sure what to do about it, truthfully. Just so you know, trying to screw it out of your mind doesn’t work, because I’ve tried. After having taken several of the local sorority sisters out on dates, christening the seats and bed of my Chevy, I found that I was wasting my time. I still can’t get the way she tastes off of my tongue, her scent out of my nose, and the way her body feels off of my hands.