Roommates with a Player

Chapter Thirty One: Second Chances

            “Where the hell is this place?” Ricky muttered, hands tight around the steering wheel.

            We were on our way to see James off before the last week of school. He’d already taken his exams and cleaned out his locker. He was officially done with his fall semester and had decided to leave early for his new boarding school. I’d pleaded with him to stay through the holidays, but he’d said that it would be harder to say goodbye if he stayed any longer. I let him go.

            Ricky had been absolutely enraged when he’d found out. James, Ricky, and I had all gone out for coffee at Starbucks and James finally told him. The first ten seconds were dead silent, as Ricky had processed his words. But, then he went ballistic, knocking his coffee off the table, throwing cuss words left and right, and storming off towards his truck. Finally, he’d finally settled down and accepted that James was really leaving.

            I’d cried all week, dreading this awful Sunday. School had drifted by in a muted blur. Nathan and I went out for ice cream as a way to try to cheer me up and we had plans to study soon, but I was still down in the dumps.

            “Take a right!” I shouted as the sign to the Bella Vista Airport swung past us.

            Ricky swerved to the side, barely making the turn. Ricky’s truck groaned in pain, but kept going as we putted down the narrow drive to the airport.

            “You seriously need to get your own car, Princess. I’m a bit fed up of being your personal driver,” he grumbled, eyes glued to the road.

            A small wave of relief washed over me when Ricky said “Princess”. He hadn’t called me that in almost a week, as he’d been wearing his serious mask. It looked like his humor and playfulness was finally resurfacing.

            “But I like it when you drive me around!” I whined.

            Ricky smirked, but as the airport grew in sight, his expression hardened. “We’re here.”

            I glanced out the window and caught a glimpse of the rundown, old airport that was Bella Vista Airport. Many people swarmed around the luggage check-ins and by the entrance, while blue shuttles stood idle by the curb, waiting for the tourists to arrive so they could make a couple extra bucks. I’d only ever traveled by plane once; I’d been seven and my mom and I were going to visit my Aunt Joyce in Florida. I bet Ricky had never even set foot in Bella Vista Airport, as it was too dirty and middle class for him and his family. That explained the disgusted look on his face.

            Ricky parked the truck at the far end of the parking lot where James and his family were going to meet us to say our final goodbyes. As we squeaked into our spot, my stomach knotted in nervousness. It would be my second time to see James’ family, not to mention meet his bratty sister, Leah, for the first time. Ricky pried his door open and started getting out before I caught his arm.

            “Wait,” I whispered. “I want to ask you about Leah.”

            “What about her?” he asked nonchalantly.

            “Will…will she like me?” I gulped.

            Ricky studied my face carefully before answering. “She’s kind of a bitch, actually. Leah used to always scream at James and me when we were kids. I think she’s always been a bit ticked that her parents adopted another kid after her. Maybe she thinks she’s not good enough or something. I don’t really care, though. She’s really hot.”