Eighteen Years Ago

The third time I ran into Stella, she was walking alone through an alley between Maple and Elm Streets. It was past midnight, much too late for a young girl to be out alone on a Thursday. The April days were reasonably warm, but the temperatures plummeted to freezing at sundown. She hunched her shoulders against the cold breeze, her head bent, gaze trained on the ground. I’d never seen her in anything other than her leather jacket and wondered if she had nothing else to wear.

“Hey,” I called out to her.

She glanced up, startled, and frowned. “Hi.” She lowered her head and resumed walking.

“It’s a little late for a stroll, don’t you think?” I jogged to her side.

“I could ask you the same thing,” she said.

“I needed some fresh air.” My old man was on another bender. When he’d thrown a kitchen chair out the living room window, I’d bolted before he could turn his temper on me.

“Seriously. It’s not a good idea for you to walk by yourself. A girl went missing last year.” I hadn’t known her well, but I’d seen her around a few times. Her disappearance had rocked our quiet community, a place where no one locked their doors.

“I can take care of myself.” From the waistband of her jeans, she withdrew a knife and opened it with an expert flick of her fingers. The blade glinted in the weak moonlight. “I’ve got this.”

“Whoa. Where did you get that?” I lifted my hands in mock surrender.

She closed the knife and shoved it back into its hiding place. “If you’d been the kinds of places I’ve been, you wouldn’t ask that question.”

“Fair enough.” An eerie quiet blanketed the town. For a short girl, she walked quickly. Our footsteps thudded softly on the sidewalk. “So, where’s the fire?”

Stella sighed. “Lanie took off again. I’ve been looking everywhere for her. You wouldn’t have any idea where she could be, would you?” She tilted her head to meet my gaze. I sucked in a breath at the clarity of her eyes and shook my head. Her posture wilted. “What about that guy Chris? Do you know where he lives?”

“Yeah. With me. He’s my brother.”

“Oh. Sorry. I mean, I didn’t know.”

“It’s okay. He’s a dick.” I shrugged. “He said something about a party. I can take you there if you want. It’s at the end of this street.” Although he didn’t have my friends, his easy access to marijuana made him popular with the party crowd.

Relief softened her features. “Yes, please.” When she wasn’t frowning, she was really very pretty. I tried not to stare at her lips or think about the way she’d kissed me the last time we’d met.

“Does Lanie sneak out a lot?” I shoved my hands into my pockets, enjoying the occasional brush of her shoulder against mine.

“She’s getting worse about it. I don’t know what to do.” The concern in her voice touched me. I understood the need to protect your sibling. Even though Chis was an ass, I hated to see him in trouble and had taken his side on more than a few occasions out of misguided loyalty.

The closer we got to the party, the more unsettled I became. Chris had been especially agitated today and wouldn’t like having his night interrupted by me or Stella. When we turned the corner, heavy metal music shattered the night silence. Kids spilled out of the open front door of a dilapidated mobile home. Red plastic cups littered the yard. I took Stella’s hand. The rhythm of her steps faltered then steadied as I led her up the broken steps into the house. The heavy, sweet scent of marijuana hung in the air. Chris sat on the shabby couch, an arm around Lanie. Stella tensed and tried to pull her hand from mine. Her tension travelled through our joined hands and up my arm.

“Let me handle this,” I said. Chris resembled my dad in every way, including his volatile temper, and I was used to dealing with his moods. Stella nodded, but I could tell she didn’t like the idea.

“Hey, bro.” Chris smiled and waved, leveling his gaze with mine in challenge.

“Hey.”

“Uh-oh, the big sister is here. Looks like we’re in trouble again, Lanie.” His attention flitted to Stella. He pulled Lanie in closer before patting the couch cushion on his free side. “Come on over, sis. Have a seat.”

“No thanks. I’m here to get my sister,” she said.

“I’m not going anywhere.” Lanie wore too much makeup and a revealing blouse, making her look much older than her years. She snuggled into Chris’s side.

“It’s past curfew,” I said to my brother. “And you can hear the music from a block away. Someone’s going to call the cops. You don’t want to get busted with all these underage kids here.”

“Fuck.” Chris blew out an exasperated sigh then scrubbed a hand over his face. I could tell by the red tint of his eyes that he’d been partying for quite some time. If past history was an indication, he had no intention of stopping anytime soon. He gave Lanie a nudge before picking up his beer. “Go home, little girl. Before you get us all in trouble.”

“But I was just starting to have a good time.” With her lower lip extended, she looked her age and out of place among the older kids.

“Now. Out.” Stella grabbed her sister by the ear and dragged her into the yard. Lanie yelped. “I swear to God, Lanie. If I catch you with that guy one more time, I’m going to kick your ass.”

“Stop it.” Lanie tried to twist from her sister’s grasp. I walked a few paces behind them, hands in my pockets, and tried to not to laugh. I’d had more than a few scuffles with Chris during our lifetime and understood. After a few minutes, she gave up the fight. “Fine. I’m going. Just let go of me, will you?” She stormed in front of us, arms swinging at her sides.

Chris followed us out the door. Animosity thickened the air in his wake. I braced for his temper.

“Where are you going?” The grip of his fingers on my elbow stirred my sense of self-preservation.

“Not your business.” I shook off his hand.

“You’re such a goody two-shoes. Always sticking your nose in my business.” He took a step closer, violating my personal space.

“Go back inside, Chris.”

“Make me.” He shoved my shoulder, hard enough to spend me back a pace. I braced my feet and drew in a breath, rising to my full height. He knocked my shoulder two more times.

“If you touch me one more time, I’m going to—”

“You’ll what?” His taunting grin sickened me. How could we be from the same parents, yet be so different in temperament and character?

“Come on.” I turned my back on him and nodded to Stella. “Let’s get out of here.”

We left Chris standing in the front yard. I’d pay for my interference later, but it was a price I was willing to pay. I’d had enough of Chris and his narcissistic behavior. In a few months, I’d be leaving him and our home for good. Until then, I intended to stand my ground.

Stella fell into step beside me. Her warm breath made white puffs in the chilly air. “Thanks for the help, but I’ve got it from here.”

“I’ll walk you home,” I said, ignoring her statement.

“It’s not necessary.”

“I insist.” I didn’t want Chris to follow them, or that’s what I told myself. I really just wanted an excuse to hang out with Stella a little longer.

The sky had cleared to reveal a blanket of twinkling stars. Sometimes, the tiny boundaries of Corbett hemmed me in like a fence. At other times, like this one, I liked my little town. Quaint houses on narrow streets, fresh air, and peacefulness.

“Why are you being nice to me?” Stella asked suddenly.

“Maybe I’m a nice person.”

“Maybe.” She cocked her head to study me. “Your brother… I mean, do I need to be worried about him?”

“I don’t know.” I avoided her gaze and concentrated on matching my stride to hers. My sense of family loyalty warred with my need for honesty.

She skipped in front of me and put her hand on my chest. We stopped in the middle of the street. My heart thudded against her palm. Her touch sent a lightning bolt of heat into my gut. “Tell me what I’m dealing with here.” The weight of the world hovered in her voice. “If he’s going to be a problem then I’ll make a better plan to keep Lanie under control.”

Even though he was a dick, I couldn’t betray him, but she deserved to know who her sister was seeing. “Chris isn’t like most people. He doesn’t have much of a conscience.” Her eyes widened, making me backpedal. I didn’t want her to worry needlessly. “I’ll talk to him.”

“I appreciate that.”

We were almost to the end of her driveway. I hated to see her leave. I had so many questions to ask. We were strangers, but I felt more comfortable with her than anyone else in my life. Most of the time my parents ignored me, and I didn’t have a best friend. The wind blew her hair across her face. She brushed it away and stopped near the mailbox.

“You asked why I was being nice to you,” I said, gathering my courage. “It’s because I like you.”

“Really?” A smile brightened her face, rare and fleeting. It was gone before I blinked, making me think it was a figment of my imagination. I’d give a thousand dollars to see her smile just one more time. “I like you too.” She rolled her lips together, her gaze seeking my mouth. “You can kiss me if you want to.”

Being an intelligent kid, I didn’t have to be told twice. I cupped her face in my hands and backed her against the same tree as last time. She tasted sweet, like strawberries. Strands of her hair drifted across my cheek. Her little moan vibrated our lips. I opened my mouth and pushed deeper, greedy for more, wanting to lap her up and swallow her whole. Taking a chance, I slid a hand beneath her shirt.

“Owen.” Her hands pushed against my chest. With a reluctant groan, I pulled back. A flush spread across her cheeks, and her lips darkened to cherry red. “I’ve got to go.”

“Can I call you?” I asked, shouting into the darkness before it enveloped her.

“I don’t know. Can you?” She cast an impish grin over her shoulder and waved before jogging into the shadows of the driveway. I waited by the street until her figure reappeared on the porch then made my way back home.