How We Were | ✔️ (Complete)

39. Go Time

Miguel flipped a switch that activated the rotors and a slow, rhythmic thumping filled the air. "You were never in here. I'm not kidding around, your presence voids the insurance policy. Got it?"

Nodding, I took the headsets he held out to me.

He pointed to a button on the ear piece of the identical pair he wore. "Push this if you need to talk to me once we're in the air."

Oh, I won't have anything to say to you, you scare me half to death. I nodded and picked some burrs off of Rojo's fur.

"You look confused. What about what I said confuses you?"

"Nothing, I got it. I was just wondering why your dog's name is red when he's a Blue Heeler..." I wrinkled my nose. "And his coat's more gray than anything."

"Don't hurt yourself thinking too hard about it."

I scowled at him. "I already know you don't like me, you don't have to be mean about it."

Miguel opened his mouth as if to snap back, but he exhaled instead. "Look, try not to take it personally, I'm just looking out for Jake. He's still on probation and he needs to stay on the straight and narrow."

"... and?"

"And girls as pretty as you are always trouble. Always. Add to that his God damned savior complex and the math just doesn't add up. It's how he got himself into this whole mess to begin with."

"Okay, now I'm confused."

He stared at me, dark eyes flinty and uncompromising. "You gonna be able to handle me laying it out there without having a meltdown?"

"Maybe you can sugar coat it a little?"

He considered. "Think about how you got here in this chopper today."

Mom hadn't showed.

Beth had all but dragged me by the hair into her family's minivan, but I'd resisted, so sure that mom was just running late. By the time I'd accepted the fact that she wasn't coming, everyone I could've ridden with had already left.

Jake had found me sitting on the curb, clutching onto my dress and trying not to cry.

"Beth called," he'd said, looking harried and agitated. "Get up, let's go."

"Go where?"

"Come on, Layla, move."

Grabbing my bag with one hand and my upper arm with the other, he marched me to the helicopter. "He's gonna argue, but get in anyway and stay put."

"Who's gonna argue? Why can't I just go with you?"

"I can't. I'm riding with the crew."

When Jake pulled the passenger door to the helicopter open, Miguel took one look at us and said, "Hell, no."

But Jake shoved me in anyway and slammed the door shut. Cursing, Miguel had gotten out and chased after him.

They argued, lots of finger pointing and throwing of arms up in the air, but I couldn't hear anything. Eventually, a ticked off Miguel returned, cursing a mile a minute in Spanish.

Miguel flipped some more switches. The rotors picked up speed, kicking up a cloud of red dust around us.

"What, is this about me needing a ride today?" I asked.

"It's not just that. Think about how you got to the point of needing a ride. It's your circumstances. Your family situation, the company they keep. Trouble."