Chapter 5

Chapter Five

LETTIE

M y eyes finally flutter closed as I mull over the argument between Dane and me. And when I wake, he's the first person I think of. Fighting with Dane makes me feel sick inside. He's the reason for everything I have.

I'm in college and training for the Olympics Trials in equestrian because of Dane and his family. We met in first grade, and I grew up in a trailer adjacent to his family's huge estate. Their property had several stables, and my grandad serves as their night watchman on the weekends.

I spent many summer days at Dane's house. His mom recognized that I couldn't focus on a particular task long enough to complete it, so she talked my granny into taking me to the doctor where I was diagnosed with ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

The doctor was friends with Mrs. Greathouse and he told her that riding horses is therapeutic for children with ADHD. The next afternoon, I had my first lesson and wa s hooked. I remember seeing Dane leaning against the white fence with his arms on the top slat and his chin resting on his wrist. We were eight. He was as handsome then as he is now, just younger. One of those boys that people always said, "He's gonna be a heartbreaker."

I never understood why his family practically took me in. My home address is my grandparents' trailer, but I've slept at Dane's at least half of my life. They have five bedrooms, and one is mine.

Dane: Morning, Bug. Sorry.

Me: Morning, Cotton Candy or Cherry Freeze?

Dane: Come on, you know the answer.

Taking a quick shower, I throw my hair in a ponytail, put on a bikini, and hop into some running shorts and slip on a tank top. The convenience store isn't far from my apartment, so I walk over and grab his favorite drink—a cotton candy slushie to make amends for our argument last night. When basketball practice gets in full swing, he'll swear them off, but for now, this is my peace offering.

Instead of going back to my apartment, I find myself in front of the new basketball lodge, and Dane comes out right as I'm texting him.

He looks up from his phone. "Hey, Nick already left to pick you up."

"Oh, this is for you." I hand the drink and grab him into a hug.

"Thanks. Why are you here when you know Nick is picking you up?" His eyebrows dip.

I play with the hem of my tank. "I wanted to get you an Icee and make sure we're good."

"We're the dynamic duo. Nothing or no one will come between us. You know that, right?" He pulls me into a hug. "I'll call Nick and tell him we'll be there in a few minutes."

A big, blue charter bus sits in the stadium parking lot with ten to fifteen of our friends chatting outside. Nick walks up behind us, lugging a cooler full of beer.

He swings his other arm around my neck. "Did we get our wires crossed? I thought I was picking you up."

"Changed my mind and thought I would come for you, but you were already gone."

He tsks with his tongue and a broad, cocky smile. "Oh, you'll come for me."

A blush creeps up my body, but then I see Dane rolling his eyes, and all I can think of is coming for Dane. I mentally admonish myself as I slap Nick's arm. "Stop."

Hannah arrives, looking too freaking cute. Her braided ponytail poking out the hole of her Stallions weathered baseball cap, Lululemon running shorts and a tight coral tank top. Why am I trying to set Dane up with her? To cover my feelings, that's why.

Because she 's perfect, just like him. Two fucking perfect people.

"Hey, sorry I was running late. My roommate had her boyfriend over, and they were going at it like jack rabbits. I had to go to my parents' to get any sleep."

Dane smiles at her, and I'm wishing I hadn't asked her. "How rude," I say, doing my best Stephanie from Full House impersonation.

"Let's ride," Nick yells and even though it's early, the chatter gets louder as everyone takes their places on the bus.

Someone brings a small speaker, so we alternate picking songs while enjoying the beginning of a day spent with friends. The girls sit together, picking out Taylor Swift songs while the guys mainly sing Drake or other rap artists. I know it's driving Dane crazy because he's a country boy and loves the two Lukes: Luke Bryan and Luke Combs.

Nick grabs beers and hard seltzers from the cooler, passing them around. Hannah declines after I've already opened mine. And Dane holds up his Icee and says, "I'm good."

Why? Because I bought his favorite. Granny always says, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

Hannah keeps eyeing Dane and every time he glances our way, she blushes. You would think I would be used to girls falling head over heels for him, but jealousy clutches my veins.

The sign for Timber Thrills Adventure Park comes into view, and the rustling of cans into the garbage rolls through the bus. Whoever was in charge of the music, turns it off and everyone starts chattering about what we should do first. But Nick opens his fourth beer as he asks to switch seats with Hannah.

Looking at Nick, I ask, "Did you drink this much at your other school? Dane says it dehydrates his body, and he can't perform as well." My best friend doesn't drink much and will have one or two but never more.

He flicks Dane's head, and Dane swats his hand away.

"I assure you; I can always perform," Nick says as his eyes glaze over me.

And as much as his cockiness should make me shiver, it leaves me unaffected, so I snark back. "Someone inflated your ego."

The bus comes to a stop, and the driver stands, giving us instructions and letting us know he'll stay parked in this space and that we'll leave when the park closes, and I put the parking lot number and row into my phone.

A couple of the guys have girlfriends, then there's me, who's in the weird stage, not knowing if Nick and I are serious. I doubt it—nothing Nick does is serious. He's out for a good time. And the question pops into my head… will Nick dump me after we have sex?

Probably, or I'll dump him.

The ticket line is long. Dane grabs my shoulders. "What are we riding first?"

"Damn, dude, can you keep your hands off my girlfriend?" Nick teases, but his tone lacks humor.

Dane drops his hands and turns so they're chest to chest. "Girlfriend?"

"Yeah, girlfriend."

"Have you asked her if that's what she wants because she?—"

I interrupt Dane. "Stop. Let's go straight to the Turbine Twister before I have any food in me." I punch Dane in the arm. "Right."

He gives me a tight-lipped grin. "I don't care. I won't be the one you throw up on today."

Devon and his sister want to go the Screamin' Demon first.

I take Nick's hand, dragging him behind me. All twenty of us stand in line for the upside-down roller coaster. The waiting is the only downside to a theme park. Finally, the employees open the gates for the ride. "Secure your sunglasses," I yell, stuffing them between my cleavage.

One of the girls says, "Where am I supposed to put mine?" She plays soccer for the club team and has a slim body with nothing to secure them in place.

Ozzy, he's not a starter for the team but young and full of promise, holds his palm out. "I'll put them in my zipper pocket."

"Thanks," she says.

We pull the bar down, and the coaster climbs until our backs are parallel with the ground. The anticipation builds as the nose of the coaster slowly dips down.

Click. Clic k. Click. Until we're nosediving toward the ground and slung into a curve and then upside down. My hands are up, Nick's are on the bar. In front of me, Hannah's side presses against Dane, while his hands whip in the air.

Two more corkscrews before we reach the section of the roller coaster when it slows down and leaves you hanging upside down. I hate the sinking feeling in my gut, yet I love it too. It's the same feeling I get when Dane looks at other girls, but when he flashes me his puppy dog brown eyes, I melt. Too bad he doesn't mean it like I want him to.

Hanging upside down, I feel the blood in my fingertips. Everyone screams as it jerks us, and my sunglasses fall from their snug hiding place as we fly through the rest of the ride.

Our hair is all tousled as we come off the ride with wobbly legs, red faced, and giggling like children. God, it feels so good to laugh.

Dane slings his arm around me. "You did good, Bug."

"I didn't throw up. Let's ride again."

"I want to do the Tower Drop. Anyone else?" Nick asks.

Everyone agrees but before we get there, Nick buys another beer from the sidewalk cart. He lays his heavy arm across my shoulder. "Dane and Hannah are getting along."

"Dane is nice to raccoons."

He lifts his brows. "You're not jealous. Are you, Lettie?"

Yes.

I blow my l ips. "No, of course not. I made it happen, remember?"

"Yeah, sweet cheeks. I remember," Nick says as he squeezes my ass.

I don't like the public displays of affection unless I'm at a bar dancing. "Stop," I snap, pushing him away.

"Calm down," Nick says, and his eyes squint, while shaking his head.

I walk away and Nick immediately sidles up beside Katrina. I've seen her around parties last year with her brother Devon. She's quiet and sweet, but when Nick touches her arm, she jerks. Devon immediately calls him out and gets up in his face. The argument gets heated and soon their teammates are having to pull them apart.

Devon can be intense. Last year, we halfway hooked up, but I chickened out, not wanting him to tell Dane. He promised to keep the heavy make out session it was between us. Then we didn't speak for a few months until one day he just started speaking to me again.

Dane intervenes, "Nick, be a fucking gentleman."

"Just because you don't fuck anymore, don't expect me not to." Nick laughs in Dane's face.

Dane aggressively pulls Nick close, anger evident in his clenched teeth. "You're such an asshole."

In a few strides, Dane storms off, leaving Hannah and me standing in shock. We exchange confused glances, both unsure of what just happened.

As we conti nue walking, Hannah and I trail behind the rest of our friends, neither of us wanting to address Nick's words, questioning Dane's manhood. Dane's not a man whore, but he has had plenty of girls on this campus.

By the time we reach the Timber Tower, everyone else seems to have moved on from the incident, except for Nick being drunk and causing tension in the group. For me, he's coming close to crossing the line.

Dane reappears with a stuffed plush animal, drinking another Icee. He hands the pink stuffed squirrel to Hannah. "This reminded me of you."

"Me?" she asks.

"Yeah, your long tail." He flashes her a grin as he pulls on her braided ponytail. And suddenly, I don't feel well and not from riding the roller coaster —Dane's paying attention to Hannah.