Love Songs (Secret Songbook #1) (17 page)

Chapter 17

For the second time in her life, Kaley found herself in the place she never went – the school bleachers overlooking the football field. Just as before, her reason was guy related.

Eli was training with the rest of the team for the match on Friday night. It was an away game, they would have to make an hour long journey to play the Montcrest Mariners. Eli had said it would be a challenge to beat them, but they looked pretty fierce themselves as they trained. Although, she was hardly an expert.

She had managed to avoid Abigail for the rest of the afternoon, more from luck than actual strategy. She could see her now, practicing her cheers with the rest of the cheerleading squad on the sidelines. She was in full blue uniform, everything neat and perfectly in place. She was telling some girls off, waggling her finger at them while they looked appropriately guilty.

Kaley couldn’t understand what Eli saw in her when he could still be with Abigail. Sure, her personality resembled that of a snake, but Abigail was gorgeous. Her blonde hair was always perfectly done, her body toned from all her cheering, and she carried herself with confidence.

Kaley always felt like an ugly duckling in comparison. Her dark hair rarely did as it was told, her clothes were apparently boring, and the vast majority of the population found her invisible. She was no match for Abigail. Perhaps Eli was doing it out of sympathy, charity work just like his mother.

“I thought I’d find you here.” Harper’s voice made her jump. “On Eli-watch?”

“And Abigail-watch. She’s practicing her cheers. She’s got pep.”

Harper settled onto the seat beside her, spotting the two on the field in turn. “Did you have any encounters this afternoon?”

“No, I managed to survive her wrath for another day.”

“Something to look forward to tomorrow, then.”

Kaley laughed. “I guess so.”

They continued to watch the action on the field. Kaley had no idea what the footballers were doing. They seemed to be running in lines and throwing the ball to each other. She guessed they were practicing how to throw and catch while on the move. It seemed like a skill a footballer would need during the game.

The coach blew his whistle and held his hand in the air, it looked like he was telling them to take a five minute break as they all stopped what they were doing and headed for their water bottles.

It was still only early so they couldn’t be stopping yet, Eli said their training would go for a few hours at least. If the coach wasn’t happy with their efforts, it would go even longer.

During their break, the cheerleaders started disbursing amongst them. Most of the squad were dating footballers. It seemed fitting, the beautiful people with the athletic people. They would probably all grow up, get married and have perfect children one day. Kaley tried to put the thought out of her head. While the cheerleaders were beautiful, so were other people. Surely the footballers could be happy with ordinary girls.

Like her.

Harper patted her arm urgently. “What’s she doing?”

“What?”

Kaley tried to find the action in the crowd that had caught Harper’s attention. Then she spotted it. Abigail was talking to Eli, she had lost track of her when watching all the other blonde cheerleaders head for the footballers.

“What do you think they’re talking about?” Harper asked, unable to take her gaze away from the scene.

“I don’t know, it looks intense.”

Their heads were close together, appearing to talk about something private, something not to be overheard by anyone else on the field. Abigail placed her hand on his arm, stroking it casually, like something she had done a thousand times before.

Kaley couldn’t bear to watch but she couldn’t look away either. It was like watching a car accident, she knew it would be painful but she had to see everything. There was no escaping the scene playing out below.

The conversation lasted for the full five minutes of the break. Only when the coach blew his whistle again did Abigail leave Eli alone. Harper and Kaley stared, mouths agape at the intimate conversation occurring so blatantly on the field.

As Eli was lining up and ready for practice again, he looked over to the bleachers. He saw Kaley for the first time in the stands. There were only a handful of people watching, yet he hadn’t noticed her until then.

He waved to her, a smile on his face. Without thinking, Kaley waved back, still processing everything. He did seem genuinely happy to see her, and he even acknowledged her presence.

But he had spent a good five minutes talking with Abigail about something. About what? Getting back together? Making a fool out of the invisible girl?

“Oh my god,” Harper muttered under her breath.

“What is it? What’s happening?”

“Abigail,” was all Harper needed to say.

With a horrible feeling in her stomach, Kaley followed her line of sight. Abigail was back to the sidelines, but she wasn’t cheering anymore. She was watching Kaley and her look could kill.

“This is bad,” Kaley agreed. “Do you think she knows I’m the one Eli was with?”

“You waved back at him.”

“Argh, so stupid. Why do I have to be so stupid?”

“Well, she sure knows what you look like now. I think you’re going to have to change schools. I’m going to miss you.” Harper wasn’t joking, she really saw it as a viable option.

As they were panicking, Abigail continued to stare. She slowly raised her hand and pointed directly at Kaley. She was silently threatening to get her, make her pay for even daring to look at Eli. It was enough to scare the life out of Kaley.

She stood to make a speedy exit. “I’m going to find Harvey and get the hell out of here.”

“I think that’s the smartest thing you’ve said all day.”

Without hesitating, the two of them left the bleachers as quickly as possible. It probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do – flee from the enemy while she was watching – but they didn’t have the nerve to stay. Abigail already knew she had the upper hand, why hang around and poke the bear even further? Now was a time for raising the white flag, not making declarations of war.

When they were at the front of the school, they parted ways. Harper walked home in the opposite direction while Kaley anxiously looked for Harvey. He was sitting under the school sign, waiting for her.

“You took your time,” he said with a hint of annoyance.

“Sorry, I didn’t know if you would wait.” She grabbed him by the arm and started pushing him to walk without any further delay. “We need to hurry.”

“Why?”

“Because I said so and you owe me one after dinner on Sunday night. Just walk, please.”

Kaley looked around as she hurried away from the school, hoping Abigail wasn’t following them. She couldn’t see any blue cheerleading outfits, but Abigail was sneaky enough to hide. She tried to put as much distance as she could between them.

When they had walked two blocks in silence, Kaley finally decided it was safe enough to slow down. She took one last look around and saw they were alone in the street. Perhaps she would survive the day after all.

“Are you going to tell me what that was all about?” Harvey asked, curious more than angry.

“A certain cheerleader is out to get me.”

“Let me guess: Abigail.”

Kaley rolled her eyes. “Yes Abigail.”

Harvey laughed. “So you’re going to run away from her for the rest of your life?”

“No, not the rest of my life.” Kaley was starting to feel embarrassed, perhaps she had overreacted. For some reason, it all seemed so silly when telling it to Harvey. She started laughing too at the absurdity of the situation. “Just the rest of the school year.”

“I hope Eli’s worth it. From what I know of the guy, he isn’t.”

“I think he is.”

“He better be,” Harvey warned.

Kaley let the comment slide. Considering how terrible he had been to Eli at the Sunday dinner, his remark was actually an improvement. Perhaps everything would be okay between them. They had managed to have a conversation about Eli, although short, without it being totally awkward.

“So do you have some karate moves ready for when Abigail eventually catches up with you?” Harvey joked, making some karate chops in the air as they walked.

“I was hoping just to run and hide.”

“Ah, the stealthy ninja move.”

“I think it could work,” Kaley giggled, not being able to help it as she watched Harvey.

“Well, let me know if you need a bodyguard. I’ll have your back,” he added seriously.

“Thanks, I might need to take you up on that offer.”

“And he’s really worth it?”

Kaley nodded. They walked the rest of the way home in silence. So much for the improvement.

Chapter 18

“Where are we going?” Kaley asked for the fifteenth time since they had started walking.

“I told you, it’s a surprise,” Eli answered, refusing to give away the secret. He had responded that way each and every time she asked.

They were on their official second date, the one Eli had promised would convince her he was a good guy and worth everything. Until that moment, she had taken a leap of faith. She was looking forward to it being confirmed for her. Perhaps she could convince herself she was doing the right thing.

They had walked for forty-five minutes, all mostly uphill. His clues had been to wear comfortable shoes and a single leaf. He wasn’t wrong. They were in the Sandyridge National Forest on one of the many nature trails that wound their way through the park.

“You remember I’m not actually on the football team, right? Not in any sport, really.”

“We’re almost there,” Eli reassured her, laughing. “I’ll carry you if I have to.”

“You might have to carry me back,” Kaley joked, a hint of truth to her comment. She didn’t disguise the fact she wasn’t the fittest person around. Her after school activities involved sitting on her bed playing the guitar, it was hardly physically challenging.

They continued walking through the trees, so tall they looked like they could reach the sky, for another eighteen minutes before reaching a clearing.

The circle of grass was surrounded by trees, creating a barrier that made it feel like they were completely shut off from the rest of the world. Old logs were arranged around the circle for seats while someone had placed a basket right in the middle of the grass.

“What’s this?” Kaley asked as she took it all in. The way the sun beamed down and the butterflies flew around them made it seem like they had stepped into a fairytale.

“It’s our own secret place,” Eli replied, smiling at her reaction. He walked to the basket and held it up. “And this is lunch.”

“You placed that here? When?”

“Before I picked you up.”

Kaley did the math in her head. It took them over an hour to get there. Sure, he could have done it a lot faster on his own, but that would still be a serious walk there and back.

And all that before he even picked her up.

The thought brought a smile to her lips, he had gone to a lot of trouble to surprise her. He could have just carried the picnic basket with them.

“You did all this for me?”

“I told you I would make it special.” He took a red blanket from the top of the basket and spread it out in the middle of the grass circle. “Come and sit down, you’ve earned a rest.”

Kaley did as she was told and sat on the blanket. The forest around them was so quiet no outside noises of the town could be heard. The only sound punctuating the air was from the birds in the trees. There was the occasional rustling in the bushes, but Kaley tried to ignore it – hoping it wasn’t something that liked to snack on humans.

“It’s so beautiful here,” she said. “How did you find this place?”

“I like to go jogging through the forest, I like the peace and quiet. I found this place by accident and it reminded me of you.”

“An empty space of grass made you think of me?” Kaley teased.

“I thought it would be a perfect place for a picnic… with you.”

Kaley could feel her face blush at his words, she really wanted to stop it but she couldn’t. She had never heard such wonderful things being said to her, it was like she had stepped into someone else’s life. It couldn’t be her own. She wrote songs about moments like these, she didn’t actually live them.

Not before, anyway.

Eli quickly changed the subject, trying to cover his own embarrassment at the admission. “So I have sandwiches for lunch, I hope you like them. I needed to get something that wouldn’t go off for a few hours.”

“Sandwiches are perfect.”

He laid out the selection of sandwiches between them. They looked delicious, especially after the hike. He poured two glasses of lemonade and handed her one. Their fingers touched for only a brief moment but it was enough to send tingles up her arm.

“Thanks.” She could feel her cheeks start to redden all over again and wished it would stop already. She wondered how many dates they would need to go on before she didn’t feel her face burn at everything he did. Probably many.

“I saw you at practice the other day,” Eli started, sandwich in hand. “You left really quickly. I hope it wasn’t my wave, I was just happy to see you there.”

“No, it wasn’t that.” Kaley had to think quickly, how much did she tell Eli about Abigail? She was always a terrible liar, so she went with the truth. She needed to get to the bottom of the situation anyway. She had promised herself before the date she would get answers to everything that had troubled her about Eli – and it all revolved around his ex. “Abigail was giving me the evil eye. I thought it best if I left.”

“Abigail was bothering you?” He appeared genuinely shocked at the revelation, Kaley took it as a good sign.

“I don’t think she’s over you.”

“That doesn’t mean she can take it out on you.”

Kaley was encouraged, she decided to do some digging while things seemed to be going so well. She tried to remain casual. “Why did you two break up, anyway?”

“She’s Abigail. She’s crazy. She tried to control everything about me. I guess I woke up to that fact. Oh, and I caught her kissing one of my so-called friends.”

So Abigail had cheated on him, and then she had the nerve to still claim ownership over him? Kaley thought for sure she was crazier than she had ever suspected.

“That’s terrible. I’m sorry she did that to you.”

“I’m not. Otherwise I wouldn’t be sitting here with you.”

The blushing started again. Kaley took a bite out of her sandwich to try and cover it. The next words were out of her mouth before she had a chance to stop them. “So you’re not dating me to make her jealous then?”

Eli laughed, it confused her for a moment until he spoke. “No, what makes you think that?”

“Something I overheard.”

“If it was something out of her lackeys’ mouths, the terrible duo Macy and Madison, then don’t believe a word of it. They make up stories just to make themselves feel important. I’m going out with you because I like you. There is no other reason.”

Kaley nodded. The skeptical part of her that never believed anything she was told, said it could still be a lie. But judging by the earnest look on his face and the caring tone of his voice, she didn’t doubt him. She believed every word he said, logical or not.

She made herself a promise that she would stop having so many doubts and just trust in someone for once. She owed it to Eli and she owed it to herself.

“I like you, too,” she replied, unsure if she had really said it out loud or just in her head.

“I’m glad.”

She got her answer – obviously she had said it aloud. They finished their sandwiches and lemonade and laid back on the blanket. The blue sky above was spotted with fluffy clouds. They rolled by like a slide show, each unique in their own puffy way.

“This is like an oasis,” Kaley commented as a butterfly flew by.

“It’s perfect here.”

Kaley could hear Eli shifting but didn’t take her eyes off the clouds. The warmth of the sun covered her body while the birds filled her ears with their song. She could have stayed there forever.

She felt Eli get closer. He was leaning over her, his head blocking the view of the sky. She tried not to panic. The moment was perfect, it was everything she could wish for. She just needed to relax and let it be, not ruin it with her incessant worrying.

She wanted Eli to kiss her, she wanted his perfect lips on hers. She wouldn’t muck it up, she would just let it be. She tried to turn off her mind.

He leaned closer, his face so near she could feel the warmth of his skin. She closed her eyes as his lips reached hers. They felt as perfect as they looked – soft and warm.

They shared their first kiss in the quiet circle of grass in the forest, the only witnesses were the birds and other unknown animals in the trees surrounding them.

When he finally let her go, Kaley couldn’t keep the smile from her face. She had her first kiss, the one she would remember for the rest of her life. And it was perfect, she would be proud to tell the story to everyone she ever met.

“That was worth the wait.” Kaley let the words slip from her lips without thinking. Instantly, she wanted to take them back. She searched his face, waiting to see him realize he had just kissed an absolute loser. He only grinned.

“It was.” Not a question, but a statement of fact, like he had been thinking the exact same thing.

She sat up, fearing if he tried to kiss her again she just might explode with happiness. She didn’t want to do that, she would rather calm down. He sat too, placing his arm around her waist. The warmth and weight of it was all she could think of.

“So, I was thinking, I don’t really want to have to hide what we have at school,” Eli said.

“Oh?” Kaley had no idea where he was going with that trail of thought.

“But if Abigail is going to be a problem, I’ll have to talk to her.”

Kaley considered the options. If Eli told her to leave Kaley alone, then she would probably get even worse. It wasn’t like Abigail would just agree and they would live happily ever after. Girls like that didn’t agree to back off.

The other option was to avoid Abigail and wait for the moment when she would strike. Either way, the outcome was pretty much the same. She seriously doubted Abigail would just walk away and forget about Eli. Now she had spent some time with him, she completely understood why.

“Don’t talk to Abigail,” Kaley started. “I’m sure she’ll get used to us being together.” It was a lie, but one she really hoped would turn into the truth.

“Are you sure? I don’t want her bothering you.”

“I’m sure, I can handle it. But thank you for the offer, it’s really sweet.”

“I know how Abigail can be,” Eli said apologetically. “If you change your mind, let me know and I’ll handle it.”

Kaley let herself relax into his arms, perhaps that’s what it felt like to be a couple, to have each other’s back. All the butterflies in her stomach were worth it. Sitting there with Eli beside her, she couldn’t imagine anything better.

“You know this school dance coming up?” Eli started coyly.

“Hmm.”

“I know it’s kind of lame, but I was hoping you’d come with me?”

He had her full attention now, did he seriously just ask her to go to the dance with him? “Me? To the dance?”

“Yeah, you and me. Dancing.”

“I’d really like that.”

“Great, it’s a date then.”

They stayed there in the grass circle for the rest of the afternoon. Kaley not only got her first kiss, but several.

By the time they were ready to leave, she had her blushing under control. With every kiss, she relaxed even more, forgetting about all her worries. If she switched her mind off, she discovered how wonderful it felt to be living in that moment and only that moment.

It was truly the most magical feeling in the world.

“Do you want me to carry you back?” Eli teased as he was packing up the picnic and folding the blanket into the basket.

“I think I’ll be alright.” Kaley smiled.

They started the long walk back, yet it felt like Kaley was walking on air. What had seemed like a hard slog there now seemed like an easy stroll in the park. The fact Eli had her hand in his may have been helping. The picnic basket was in his other hand and he was probably frustrated at the slow speed, but she didn’t care.

Everything about the afternoon had been perfect, she wasn’t going to let her stressing get in the way anymore. She was a changed girl leaving the forest, one that had a boyfriend.

Eli dropped her home right on dusk. She kissed him again on the front porch before he left. She remembered the promise he had made on that very same spot on their first date. He had been true to his word and the kiss was definitely worth it.

She let herself into the house and found it empty. A note was on the television screen from Georgie. Apparently Strom had received the promotion he was after so her parents had gone out to have a ‘date night’ to celebrate. They wouldn’t be back until late – ‘don’t wait up’.

It was kind of gross they insisted on having a date night at least once a month, but it was also kind of sweet. Kaley liked that her parents had such a good relationship. Nearly every kid at school had a step mother or father.

Even Harvey’s parents were divorced, the man in the house being his stepfather. His real father had moved out over thirteen years ago when he remarried and started a new family with his new wife.

To have parents that actually loved each other was a bonus, despite them being extremely annoying.

Having the house to herself, Kaley stood in the living room wondering what she should do with herself. She tried calling Harper to replay every detail of her date with Eli, but she wasn’t answering. She left her a message to call as soon as she could to hear about the day’s events. Throwing the phone in her handbag, she was too pumped from the date to sit still.