Our Thing

It'd been several weeks since the incident in Kings Falls, and so far, I hadn't noticed anything different about the way Madeline and I continued to sneak looks at each other. Her smile was still as sweet, and she was still keeping the boys at bay whenever she was around a mixed group of guys and girls.

I was fairly certain and relieved to conclude her mother hadn't mentioned what she'd seen in that alley. Not long afterward, I got confirmation that she had zero knowledge of the incident in the alley.

The usual crowd was out by the lake, hanging around bonfires and drinking beer and wine coolers. So far, I'd only ever seen her hold a wine cooler, but for the most part, she seemed to baby it all night. I'd never seen her act stupid or sillier than her norm when she was just laughing with her girlfriends.

I was kicking it with my brothers and a few other guys, far away enough so it didn't look like we were trying to hook up with high-school girls but close enough that I could keep an eye on her, and I was often rewarded with one of her sweet smiles.

Shane and two of his pals showed up. His friends were on bikes, but he was in a car. Everyone knew his spiel about the car. He'd made no secret of why some nights he preferred his car over his bike. I'd heard him explain it more than once. "Getting laid in my backseat or at the very least getting way past first base is the next best thing when I can't afford to get a room."

As usual, we talked bikes, bike parts, and he examined my latest tattoo. "I just got my first," he said, showing off the inked snake on his arm.

I was taking a look at it as were the other guys when Madeline's group had one of its louder moments. They were closer to the water, and there was some splashing, shrieking and a lot of giggling going on.

Of course, that got the attention of our group. I lit up a smoke, trying to act as disinterested as possible and leaned back against my bike. Mason, one of Shane's friends, was the first to comment. "You see Shelby over there? My eyes are shit at night from this distance."

"No, but I hear Maddie," Shane said, smiling big. "I'd recognize that sweet laugh from across the lake. If she's there, so's Shelby."

Mason got off his bike, and I eyed him as he walked around it, staring over at the group with Madeline.

"How's it running so far?"

I turned to address Quino's question then looked down at the latest upgraded bike I was sitting on. Even this had me thinking of Madeline and her "that thing between your legs" comment. This was another older model Harley I was working on restoring. So far, the most important part was done—getting her to run. Next up were the cosmetics. But that'd require more money.

Quino and I talked bikes and parts for a bit, but the whole time I was distracted by Shane and Mason's conversation. They were still talking about Shelby and Madeline.

Thankfully, Nolan was home again for the weekend from his internship. "I heard they're talking 'bout making a run out to the old barn on Skylight," he informed us with a big grin as he walked up to our group. "You know what happens up there, right?"

I turned to see Madeline, her sister, and her friends climbing into the back of someone's pickup truck. Aside from kids going out to the Skylight barn to do some ghost hunting, it was also a well-known make-out spot. There were more girls than guys in the back of the truck. Mason was already starting up his bike, and Shane was walking back to his car.

"Let's go check it out," Nolan said. "They were discussing the rumors again about the ghosts and shit over at that old abandoned barn. Some of those girls might need a pair of strong arms to hold onto if anything has them swooning."

Nolan hadn't even finished his comment, and Mason and Shane were already out of there, following the pickup truck. I dropped my cigarette butt and shrugged. "Beats sitting around here," I said, eyeing Shane's car from a distance.

We all reached the old barn around the same time. Some of the girls, including Madeline and her sister, stayed on the truck. I smiled, wondering if they'd really bought into that haunted barn BS. I'd been out here plenty of times, even lost my virginity here, yet I'd never seen or heard so much as a boo!

Before my fixation with Madeline began, I'd resented that I was nineteen. I was too young to be clubbing with people over twenty-one. Yet, I was too fucking old to be hanging out with this high-school crowd still. Now I'd been here every weekend since I'd met America in Kings Falls with the hopes of running into Madeline.

Here I thought guys like Shane and Mason were pathetic assholes for continually hitting on the high-school chicks. I guess that made me a pathetic asshole as well. But in my defense, there was so much more about Madeline that had me hung up on her. Sure, initially it was nothing more than just physical attraction, but as I'd picked up on each of her quirks—her tenacity despite her usual genuinely vivacious demeanor and the fact that for a girl her age so far she'd played this game to perfection—each new thing I'd picked up on about her had only impressed me further.

Keeping a subtle eye on Madeline, I watched as Shane and Mason approached the truck. The girls continued to stay in the truck, and all I could think was I hope Madeline, being the seemingly braver of the twins, doesn't suddenly volunteer to be the first into the barn—along with Shane who no doubt would agree to bravely escort her.

But she did the thing again. Our thing now. She glanced my way and smiled so fucking beautifully then noticeably shook her head at whatever it was Shane was saying to her. It had me exhaling, relieved that I might not have to worry about Shane's ass tonight.

More and more trucks, bikes, and cars arrived as word got out in town about where everyone was hanging tonight. Madeline and her sister, along with a couple of their friends, got off the truck finally and started mingling with some of the other girls and guys arriving. Though it didn't even surprise me any more than it made me smile like an idiot, but Madeline quickly rid herself of any guys trying to chat privately with her.

She walked away with a few of her friends toward the barn. A few minutes later both Shane and Mason were back to chat with the group I was standing with. One of the guys was in the middle of telling his account of the time he'd come out with a chick and they'd heard heavy breathing and what sounded like eerie whispering in the barn but couldn't find anyone. I refrained from voicing my opinion about the bullshit story because everyone else was listening intently.

"Check this out," Shane said, staring at something behind me. "Fresh meat. Any of you know 'em?"

I turned slowly to what everyone was already gawking at. An old but fixed up Volkswagen bus full of girls pulled up next to us. I did a double take when I saw her in the back seat. No sooner had they stopped the van than the two doors on the side popped open and America, along with a couple of other girls, hopped out.

"Must be my lucky night," America said, smiling big, then proceeded to walk up and wrap her arms around my neck.

With everyone watching, I couldn't just push her away. "Hey you," I said, hugging her loosely by the waist with one hand.

"This is Nico?" one of the girls with her asked, staring at me wide-eyed. "My God, you weren't kidding about his eyes."

I smirked, trying not to show how anxious it made me to be standing there with America leaning so blatantly against me and one hand playing with my fingers.

"Aren't they beautiful though?" America looked up into my eyes. She turned to Nolan and Xavier, who chuckled along with some of the other guys at the girl's exchange. "These must be your brothers. Holy shit." I nodded as she took them both in and then turned back to me. "Y'all have the same intense green eyes."

As more of her friends poured out of the bus, the guys got busy introducing themselves and checking out the cherried-out bus. It was disappointing but a huge relief to see the truck Madeline had pulled in on, drive away. I didn't get a good look at everyone on it, but it looked as full as when they arrived. I could only hope she didn't witness America's hands all over me or worse that she did and that was why they were so quick to leave.

I managed to come loose as I walked around the bus, checking out all the detail they'd put into it, before climbing back on my bike. The laughter got my attention, and I turned toward the barn where Madeline, her sister, and their friend Shelby were talking to Mason. Pissed that I'd dropped my guard when I saw the truck drive off, I peered at them then glanced around at the cars still parked in the area where they arrived. Did I mistake the truck that took off for the one she'd come in?

"So, I'm on a road trip to my cousin's wedding up in Spearfish." America, who'd followed me back to my bike, leaned against it and ran her fingertips up and down my arm, noticeably fluttering the lashes. "But we're staying here tonight at the Oaks Motel, right next door to the Smoke Wagon Saloon. I've stayed there before. I really liked the atmosphere of that bar. Not all old people like in most small-town bars. We're headed over there after we hang out here for a while." Moving her hand down to my inner thigh, she left it there as she gazed at me wickedly. "You should come."