The Heir Read online

  “I wanted to ask you a question,” I said, not meeting his gaze because I was a coward.

  “Yes?” he asked. I was sure his eyebrows rose in curiosity like they always did, but maybe they hadn’t. After all, I wasn’t looking.

  “So, I was wondering if maybe you—I mean if you are free—and not super busy, but I totally understand if you are—seeing as it is like super last minute, but I was wondering if you would want to, go—with me?” I peeked up at him. His eyes smiled at me, and a little crinkle in his cheeks told me he was holding back a big smile and just giving me a little one.

  “Emma, are you asking me to homecoming?” His hand in mine gripped mine even tighter, and he moved our hands off his lap and set them on the table. Everyone could see now. His hand let go of mine for a moment, and he moved my fingers and traced the outline of them, and it sent tingles racing through me.

  “Oh, no-no-no,” I finally responded with burning cheeks. Did I not mention the movie? Why did I not mention a movie? I went over the words in my head. Did I leave it out?

  “I thought, I being the male was supposed to do that.” He smiled looking at our hands. “Can’t say I am disappointed, however, quite happy, actually.”

  “No—no I mean, that’s—”

  “No, you don’t want to go to homecoming with me?” he asked, furrowing his brow and lifting his golden eyes to mine. I pulled my hand away from his and placed my hands on my cheeks, trying to hide my face. Would he notice if I just slid under the table now?

  He pulled my hand away from my face and touched my cheek with his finger. Ripples of electric currents flowed through me, and I thought I would drop: surely I will die from this, from this perfectly wonderful feeling.

  “If you had asked me, I would not say no, but I was actually asking if you wanted to see a movie with me tonight,” I said slowly and softly. It was as if his fingers on my skin were keeping me in some peaceful trance. It took all my effort to speak. He looked at me again, his lips puckered as if he were holding something back, and he held my gaze. After a few moments of silence, he finally spoke, moving his hand from my face.

  “To answer your questions, yes—and yes.” Karen and Matt sat down then, and the lights turned off as the teacher pulled out her ancient overhead projector and started writing out equations for us to copy. Questions? Does that mean? Does he want to take me to homecoming? What the heck just happened? As the teacher started lecturing, I heard nothing because Shad took my hand again from off of my notebook, and he held it. I noticed Karen’s huge eyes of shock, and I felt as if I was on top of the world.

  As the bell rang, signaling that the period was over, Shad let go of my hand so that I could shuffle my things into my backpack. I slipped out the door so that I could breathe a bit easier. All class period, I felt like a fool. What the heck had happened in there? I felt a slight tug on my backpack that made me turn around and stop walking. Shad was there beside me, smirking that alluring smirk that I was learning to love.

  “Hey, Emma, you ran out of there fast.” He stepped beside me and walked with me as we headed to the cafeteria. “So, about the movie—when and where?” He put his hands behind his back like he usually did, and I could not help but take him all in, like I usually did.

  “There is probably a showing at like, seven tonight.”

  “Do you have a specific movie in mind?”

  “Nothing specific, really. I haven’t been to a movie in a while, and Ryker is always so busy, especially this time of year with football. I thought maybe you would come.”

  “Instead of him?”

  “I mean, I never asked him. I don’t do everything with him after all, and I only asked you, and obviously, I did a horrible job of it.”

  He laughed. “I think it’s cute.”

  I looked up at him and stopped walking. “What is cute?”

  “When you ramble on about things. No, I am sorry, that’s not right,” he paused and gave me a mischievous look. “It’s actually not just cute, it’s adorable.”

  My cheeks felt warm again, and I waited for him to tease me or mock me, but it never came. I covered my face with my hand. “Adorable? Really? I sound like an idiot when I do that,” I said with a sigh and continued walking.

  “Seriously, it’s one of my favorite things about you,” he winked at me.

  I covered my cheeks with both hands.

  “Just like that is,” he said softly, removing my hands and touching his fingertips to my cheeks, making sparks travel from my cheek to my neck, all the way down my body. “I like it when you blush, too.”

  “Well, thanks—I think.”

  “You’re welcome.” He put his hands back behind his back. “I will pick you up at six fifteen?”

  “Yes, that would be great.”

  “We can decide on a movie there then?” he asked.

  “Sounds good,” I nodded. We entered the cafeteria, and I stepped into the lunch line. He followed, grabbing a tray behind me.

  “Do you want a ride home from school today?” he asked as I placed a fruit cup on my tray.

  “Sure, if it isn’t a bother.”

  “Not at all. In fact, I have been meaning to ask you if you would like a ride home every day, being neighbors and all. It isn’t a problem in the slightest.” I looked back at him as he grabbed a banana, looked at it as if in awe, and placed it on his tray.

  “If you are sure it’s okay?” I questioned.

  “Of course. I am headed that way everyday anyways, you see.” He looked at me directly in my eyes. I tried to hide the warmth of my cheeks with my hair, but I knew he saw it because his eyes were staring directly at my cheeks, which were probably pink again. I watched as his lips slightly pulled up on one side, as if he were trying not to smile.

  When we finished filling up our trays with lunch, I made my way to my normal table, and Shad followed me. I set my tray down next to Sam, and Shad set his down next to me on the other side. Ryker was already there, eating a slice of pizza, and he looked up at us when we sat down.

  “Hello Ryker,” Shad said with a nod.

  “What are you doing?” Ryker asked, “Thought you had given up.”

  “I am ever patient, Ryker,” he said. Not understanding in the slightest their conversation, I looked to Ryker and glared.

  “What the heck, Ryker, come on,” I said, giving him a look, which I thought meant, “drop it.”

  “No, Emma, I won’t let him—” he cut himself off, as he stood up.

  “Ryker, you are really overreacting here.”

  He leaned in close to me, so only I could hear his next words. “I thought we were friends. Why don’t you trust me?” he whispered.

  I gasped at him and pulled away, but before I could stand up and run away crying, Shad’s hand was on mine under the table. He slipped my fingers into his and squeezed tight, distracting me from my pain. I felt the electric heat, and I sat up straighter.

  “We are friends, Ryker, and I am also friends with Shad, too, so please behave yourself.”

  Ryker grabbed his backpack and walked away. I watched as he pushed the cafeteria doors open and was gone from sight.

  “I am sorry, Shad.”

  He squeezed my hand again. “I can handle Ryker, Emma. Please don’t worry about defending me in front of him. I would hate to ruin your relationship. I know he is important to you.” With that, he released my hand and started peeling his banana. All I could think about for the rest of the school day was that one word: “relationship” and the way he had said it. What had Shad meant? I looked to Shad once more and saw him close his eyes as he bit into the banana.

  “Favorite fruit?” I asked, pointing to the yellow fruit in his hand.

  “I forget how good they are.”

  “How can you forget what a banana tastes like? I’ve been eating bananas for, well, forever.”

  “I haven’t eaten them for most of my life, actually.” He said biting again into the fruit.

  That is odd, I thought to myself
. Why had he not had bananas until recently?

  That evening at six-fifteen on the dot, my doorbell rang. Mary was home and at the kitchen table. I was standing by the sink, drinking a glass of water. I wore some black skinny jeans and a light blue lace top. Mary said that it wasn’t too formal or too casual, and I took her word for it. I left my hair the same as I always did for school, down and wavy. I applied lipstick in a darker shade than normal and wore earrings, but that was about it. When I heard the doorbell, I almost dropped my glass of water.

  “He’s here!” Mary sang as she bounced up.

  “Maybe this was a bad idea.” I set the cup in the sink.” It’s too forward.”

  “From what you told me, it does not sound like you asked him on a date, Emma, just a movie as two friends.” She patted my arm as the doorbell rang again.

  “You shouldn’t keep the boy waiting, though, dear. I am so excited to meet him.” She smiled and walked down the hall to the front door. I followed after.

  “Hi, my name is Shad.”

  “Hi, Shad, nice to meet you, I—I have heard much about you.” I stopped walking to them as I noticed the change in Mary’s voice. Is that shock? I mean he is incredibly attractive, but a little too young for her. I guess at any age, you can appreciate an attractive person right? Right.

  “I am here to pick up Emma.” He looked incredible. He, like me, changed out of school clothes. He wore dark-washed jeans, a black, collared shirt with the two top buttons unbuttoned, and in his arms, he held his leather coat. He looked gorgeous. How was I supposed to sit in a movie with him for two hours? My nerves would be killing me the entire time; clearly, I had not thought this one through.

  “I am Emma’s Aunt Mary. Please drive carefully and have her home by midnight.” She smiled at him and then turned to me and mouthed: “Meet me in the kitchen.”

  “Hey, Shad, one second. I need to get something out of the kitchen.”

  He nodded.

  Mary pulled me by the arm, and I walked with her into the kitchen, completely confused.

  “Not him,” she stated as she let go of my hand.

  “Um, what?”

  “I mean—I don’t like him—I mean, I think you should stay away from him. He isn’t the type of person you should be hanging out with.”

  My mouth was hanging open. I was in shock and completely confused. “Hold on a second, you don’t even know him.” I crossed my arms across my chest. She was acting like Ryker.

  “I know him.”

  “You know him? When did you meet him?” I asked even more confused than before. How had everyone met Shad before?

  “I met him a long time ago, and, well, let’s just say his family isn’t good for you. Your father knew his father.”

  “What—really—how?”

  “Some business things—I don’t know all the details.”

  “Mary, he doesn’t even live with his family, and—that’s rude.”

  “Excuse me?” Mary’s face was pale, and she turned around to face the sink.

  “Why are you judging him by his family? That’s not right; I don’t think my parents would have done that.”

  “I think here, your parents would agree with me.”

  “Maybe he isn’t who you think he is—” I really hoped it was a mistake.

  “No, there is no doubt of who he is, Emma.” She turned back to face me, her arms resting on the counter.

  “Mary, he is the only reason I feel happy at all again after mom and dad. He makes me feel alive, as if life may actually be worth living. I need to be around him.”

  She looked up to me, then her eyes narrowing, she asked, “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, he just makes me happy, okay? He is a good friend.”

  “Do you feel anything with him?”

  “What do you mean?” I asked, I think it is pretty obvious how I feel about him: I like him, duh.

  “I mean—oh, never mind. I swear, I don’t know what I am doing. Your parents always knew the right thing to do.”

  “Seriously, Mary, I will be fine. Shad is a great guy.” I touched her shoulder, and she finally smiled.

  “Okay, just text me when you are headed home, but I don’t think I like all this.”

  “Thanks, Mary.” And before she could change her mind, I dashed down the hall to Shad.

  “Hey, Shad. Thanks for offering to drive,” I said as we walked down the porch steps of my house to his car.

  “No problem. You and your aunt share a car?”

  “Yes, it was my mother’s car, Mary used to live right across the street from the Rose Village, so she didn’t need a car. She actually sold hers a while ago. My mother used to help her out if she ever needed a ride, but it was rare. Sharing can be a pain at times. Ryker is usually around to help, but he’s been busy lately,” I frowned. Shad opened the car door for me, and I got in. I watched him walk around to his side and buckle his seat belt.

  “How long ago did you guys break up?” he asked as he started to drive.

  “What?” I asked with a gasp.

  “How long ago did you break up?” he asked again, switching gears from park to reverse.

  “No, I heard you. It just surprised me because Ryker and I never were—I mean we have never been in a romantic relationship. I am not his girlfriend, never have been. He is like my brother.” Maybe not fully true, but Shad doesn’t need to know all about my confusing feelings for Ryker.

  Shad looked at me then, a little shocked, but then he smiled, “truly?” he asked.

  “Yes, I know some people assume we are dating, but, no, we never have. I did at one point have a crush on him, but not anymore.”

  “I mean, I didn’t assume. He told me.” The light turned red, and he slowed down, looking at me as the car stopped.

  “He did what?” I asked a little too loud, moving in my seat.

  “After I invited you to my house to look at my book, he saw me walking you over and told me that you two were seeing each other and that I should not spend time with you, not to hang around you unless you initiated it.”

  “You just believed him?” I asked as the light turned green and he shifted gears and started to drive.

  “He told me how much you love him and need him, that you are having a hard time. I could see you were having a hard time. I just wanted to help you. I would never want to hurt you, Emma.” He said it softly, not looking at me.

  “I do love him—like a brother!” I yelled, leaning my head against the headrest. “I was having a hard time. You know about my nightmares, but I was also alone so much, and I hate that. Ryker has been so busy.”

  “Well, maybe you and he need to have a serious conversation, because he has told everyone at school that you are dating him. I am so sorry, Emma.”

  “That’s why no one has asked me to homecoming,” I said, leaning over my lap, my face in my hands.

  “I am sorry, Emma; I would not put it past him to do something like this to irritate me.”

  My cheeks flushed, and I was grateful it was dark in the car. This irritated him? It irritated him when he thought that Ryker was my boyfriend? I liked that thought of him caring.

  “I need to talk to him,” I said, lifting my face up. One tear fell on my cheek, and I quickly brushed it away. “I am glad you told me.”

  “Well, I didn’t mean to make you sad. I just assumed since you asked me to see a movie, you guys were broken up,” he shrugged.

  “I cannot believe him,” I said under my breath. I had not realized the car had stopped; we were parked in the theater parking lot.

  “Let’s forget about it for tonight, and for the record, I would have asked you out the first day of school, but I didn’t want to come on too strong, you know?” he said, lifting up my chin to face him, making my chin tingle.

  “What?” I whispered.

  “Honestly, I wanted to ask you out when you hit me in the head on the sidewalk.”

  My jaw was opened then, wide, “Really?”

  �
�Yes, there is something about you, Emma. You are different.” But before I could respond to that, he let go of my face, and the next second, he was out of the car and at my door. He opened the door for me.

  We decided on seeing a romantic comedy. It was either that or some horror film, and I was not going to be able to sit through that one with my own horrific memories. We sat down, and the previews took a little while to start.

  “So—about homecoming,” Shad said with a smile, nudging my shoulder.

  “I really was not asking you to homecoming.”

  “I know, but I still say, ‘yes’. I will always say ‘yes’ to you, Emma.”

  “Well, you were right before, the guy is supposed to ask,” I stated, putting a piece of his popcorn in my mouth.

  “Would you go to homecoming with me?” he asked, interlocking our hands.

  “Shad, I mean, I do not need a pity date,” I whispered, trying to pull my hand out of his so that I could think more clearly.

  “It is in no way a pity date, Emma. There is no one in this entire universe that I would want to go to this dance with—just you.” He grabbed my hand slightly tighter, and I looked at him.

  “Seriously?” I asked, trying to cover up my smile.

  “Absolutely, I have never been more serious.”

  “Okay.”

  “Wonderful!” he said enthusiastically, and he kissed my hand. I thought I was about die from the warmth of that kiss on the back of my hand. I watched him, his gaze locked on mine. He turned my hand around, kissing my palm, my fingertips, and my wrist. I felt warmth and a twist in my belly. I tried to look at him, but the lights dimmed, and the previews started, and for the entire, two hour long, horrible romantic comedy, Shad held my hand, making it one of the best movies I had ever seen in my life.

  The movie was long, but I could have sat there for eternity with Shad’s shoulder touching mine and his hand in my hand. Those now melted kisses on my wrist and palm tingled. When the credits started, I did not want to move. If I moved, I would have to be away from him, and all I wanted was to be right beside him. He tugged me up, keeping our hands clasped. We threw away our popcorn containers in the trash and headed out the double doors to the parking lot.