Take My Hand

chapter three

CHAPTER THREE

PHOENIX

    “Logan! Hurry up; they’re all waiting on us!”

       “Okay, okay, I’m coming!” he yells from the house. Before you jump to conclusions, Logan is one of my best friends. His family was going through a tough time, and he’s staying at my house. He pulls his own weight of course—can’t forget my hair too.

       Before I know it, the passenger door slams shut. “Let’s go get some Starbucks!”

LUNA

   “You and Parker sit in the back. Ashton get in the trunk and leave your brother and Blaire alone.”

    Ashton groans. “C’mon, Luna!” he whines.

    “Don’t ‘c’mon’ me; sit your ass in the back.” I retort. Levi laughs. Parker reaches up to the front and high fives me.

            “To Starbucks we go!”

*

         “I swear Logan, you should’ve heard Luna in the damn car; sounding like a grouchy mom! ‘Don’t c’mon me,’ and ‘Don’t mess with your brother,’ whatever!” Ashton said, waving his hands dramatically.

    The whole table is now laughing.

      I glare at Ashton. “Right now, this ‘mom’ is about to get a hell of a lot grouchier if someone doesn’t shut his trap!”

      Blaire’s biting her lip, trying to contain her laughter. “Dude, you just got rinsed like a washing machine.”

       “Oh, whatever Blaire, you know you want to get rinsed by--” Ashton starts, but Phoenix yells, cutting him off.

      “Whoa, whoa. Ashton calm down bro.”

    However, my brother and Ashton are snickering like hyenas. God, they look like 12-year-old prissy girls from the suburbs. Gag me. Blaire sends a grateful look to Phoenix. She nods.

       No one says anything; tension sparking around the table. Parker gets up and clears his throat. “Maybe we should leave now. Blaire, want to come with me?”

       I watch Blaire blush a bright red as she gets up with him. “Sure.”

       “Meet us at Jo and Ellen’s later?” Phoenix asks.

      Parker looks at her. “Just like any other day, Phoenix.” Phoenix is practically in love with this music store. Nobody knows why, she never really told any of us.

       “Can you please tell us why you like that store? I’m tired of you dragging me there.” Logan complains.