Four Letters in Reverse (FLIR #1) Read online

“It’s the way he looks at you.” Owen commented. “In case you haven’t noticed, he’s been looking at you a lot lately.”

  He saw the confused look on my own face. “You really haven’t noticed?” He appeared genuinely surprised and rubbed the side of his face.

  I slowly shook my head, clutching the phone in my hand even tighter. I crossed my legs together then unfolded them, not knowing what to say. I was the daydreamer of the group; I wasn’t one for noticing anything, least of all the attentions of a boy.

  “How does he look at me?” I asked curiously. I stared back at Owen sideways through strands of my hair.

  “I don’t know.” Owen fiddled with the silver stud in his left ear, one eye half-closed in concentration, and sighed. “He stares at you like he’s never seen you before even though we’ve known each other practically our whole lives. He looks at you as if you were an … alien.”

  “An alien?” I couldn’t help but laugh at that. I started to feel slightly better.

  He grinned and it dawned on me that I liked his smile. A lot. “You know what I mean, Callaghan. He’s totally crushing on you.”

  “Well, I’m not interested.”

  “Harsh.”

  “I mean,” I tried again. “I’m not allowed to date until I’m sixteen and that’s years away and even if I were, boys are not a priority right now and I’ve never thought of Bruno in that way. Ever.”

  “Never?” he whispered.

  I shook my head. “Ever.”

  “Well …” He leaned close like he wanted to tell me a secret. “How would you react if I told you I liked you?”

  I gasped, surprised, and my face instantly reddened. Owen grinned and pulled back, chuckling. “I thought so.”

  Oh. My. Gawd.

  I didn’t have time to respond to his startling revelation. A large vehicle pulled up and at the sound of a honk, I looked up and saw Jade waving a hand at me out the window.

  Owen noticed my ride and stood. He appeared so calm and relaxed, like the last thirty seconds didn’t just happen.

  “Looks like your sister’s here. See you around, Callaghan.”

  Maybe it didn’t.

  He picked up his skateboard and walked toward the sidewalk, placing it on the ground. He positioned one foot on the board and looked just about ready to leave.

  “By the way.” Owen stopped and turned around. He stared at me for the longest time and a smile crossed his face. “I really like your glasses.”

  Or maybe it did?

  Then he skated off like it was no big deal, waving at Jade as he passed, rocking out to some song that only he seemed to hear. I stared after him, hand touching the side of my glasses, wide-eyed, as my heart thumped a mile a minute against my chest like a broken drum set.

  Forget Bruno. The way Owen just looked at me?

  Sigh.

  CHAPTER THREE

  “WHO WAS THAT CUTEY?” instantly greeted me as I slammed the door shut to my sister’s SUV.

  I turned to see a smirking face.

  “Nobody,” I mumbled.

  She laughed evilly, backing out of the parking lot. “That didn’t look like nobody. That definitely looked like somebody.”

  “No comment.”

  “Aww. You getting shy around me, AB?” Jade ruffled my hair and I made a face. “Don’t make that face at me, sister. I’m the queen of face making. And you’re totally rocking those glasses by the way.”

  “Thanks.” Owen seems to think so too. I touched the middle of my glasses, proudly perching them higher on my nose, then turned around to stare out the rear view mirror. I saw Owen on his skateboard getting smaller and smaller as we drove away, and bit my lip. “He’s just a boy I go to school with.”

  “Name?”

  “Owen Wilder.”

  “Age?”

  I glanced over at her. “Same as me.”

  She returned the look. “Just checking. Wasn’t sure if you went for older men as well.”

  I looked at her gigantic stomach, with my future niece or nephew inside, and balked. “Oh my God, this is not a Jade and Reed situation. He’s just a boy. That is all.”

  That I may or may not have a teensy weeny crush on.

  “You keep telling yourself that.”

  “So where are we going?” I asked, trying to change the subject. “The mall? My friends are there. The movies?”

  “Gag me, AB. Just gag me.” She narrowed her eyes. “Did you just say mall? Have I not taught you anything these past months? The mall is evil. They exist merely to make you mad that you can’t find anything then take away all your money.”

  I shrugged. “I like the mall.”

  “You’re just like Kimber,” she huffed, referring to our cousin. “Next, you’ll tell me you still like the color pink.”

  I did still like the color pink but I said nothing. She didn’t have to know that. “So the movies then?” I asked hopefully.

  She eyed me suspiciously but remained silent about the matter, and slowly nodded.

  “Sure thing.”

  To my delight, we ended up going to the drive-in and I was so stoked about that. The weather was thankfully amazing, despite the heaps of melting snow, and I was definitely looking forward to summer.

  We stood in line at the concession stand together and ordered a humongous bag of popcorn, large drinks, and nachos with cheese. Just cheese, salsa was eww.

  I was glad Jade agreed.

  We got comfortable in the car and I turned to find Jade staring off into space. She did that a lot, stare off into La La Land. I had asked Mom about that once and she had mentioned something about baby brains.

  “Jade?”

  “Huh?” She turned to me, one brow raised. “What’s up?”

  “You know how I like when you tell me stories about you and Reed?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, do you mind telling me another one before the movie starts?”

  She studied me. “It sounds like you’re looking for something in particular.”

  I scrunched up my face then finally blurted, “How do you know that Reed likes you?”

  This was the first time I had seen Jade look dumbfounded. She glanced down at herself. “We are seriously not about to have the birds and the bees convo right now, are we? Don’t they teach you that shit in school?”

  I blushed. “Jade!” I slapped my palm against my forehead in embarrassment.

  She shrugged. “What? I’m inept at this.”

  “Yes, they teach us that tish at school.”

  “Tish? I’m not following.

  “You know,” I said with a shrug. “I’m trying to swear without actually swearing. Tish.”

  “You mean shit,” she said bluntly.

  I winced. “I think I have a better way of saying it.”

  “Tish,” Jade repeated like she was trying foreign food for the very first time. “I’ll have to work on that.”

  “And I’m not talking about the physical,” I said, trying to get our conversation back on track before the whole shit/tish discussion. “I’m talking about the emotional. How did you know he liked you?”

  “Wow,” Jade said. “You sure like to ask me deep questions, don’t you?”

  “You’re my sister. You’re supposed to provide me with all the answers to the world. I’m at a very impressionable time in my life right now, and I need guidance.”

  “Do I have to?”

  “Yes,” I answered firmly.

  “Gah.” She stuck her tongue at me and I returned the favor.

  Then her face got serious as she looked reflective. “I love Reed, always have and always will. There’s something about having that person in your life that knows everything about you without you having to explain anything. It’s this comfort, that despite of all the,” she paused, staring at me hard, “tish going on, you know in the end that everything will be okay. Reed has seen the worst of me and he still loves me, and vice versa. And when he looks at me I instantly turn to mush. It’s the way he
looks at me,” she sighed, smiling softly to herself. “Like … like—”

  “Like you’re an alien?”

  She eyed me like I had two heads. “Well, I never thought of it quite like that, but sure. Whatever floats your boat, AB.”

  The movie finally started and we turned to look out the front window, the audio of the film entering the car once Jade changed to the correct radio station. My mind was deep in concentration, thinking of Jade and Owen’s words.

  I still didn’t believe Bruno had a crush on me; Owen was definitely pulling my leg there.

  But Owen himself was a total different thing.

  If I didn’t know any better, I could have sworn he looked at me like I was an alien before he skated off on his board.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  “ANNABELLA!” HANNAH SAID WITH an exaggerated sigh as she landed on my bed. “Why can’t Jannie Tay ever have a concert here? How come half the singers never come to Toronto on tours? We exist up here too, you know. It’s not fair,” she huffed.

  I was sitting at my desk in front of my computer, searching for any tour dates in Toronto that Jannie Tay would be having this spring or summer. I came up empty. Turning toward my bed, I stared at one dejected best friend who acted like the world was ending, then to the other, who couldn’t give two tishes.

  I shrugged. “There are plenty of singers and bands that come here for concerts, Hans. But maybe it’s more lucrative for Jannie Tay to have all her concerts in the States.”

  “Lucrative, my butt,” Mateo said. “Do you know how many people like her,” he pointed to Hannah, “exist up here?”

  “Maybe she has a criminal record and can’t travel overseas?” Hannah said hopefully.

  I glanced back at my computer screen and frowned. “She has a concert in Ireland in about a month.”

  “I hate her,” Hannah spat, her long braids flying around her head like a tornado as she punctuated each word. “Hate, hate, hate her!”

  “Calm down, Hans,” Mateo said, touching her shoulder. “She’s probably not even the one who makes the schedule, you know.”

  “This wouldn’t be a problem if we had a license. We could totally drive to New York.”

  “You’re fourteen, Hannah.”

  She slammed her hands down on my bed, staring at me intently. “Why don’t you get Jade to drive us?”

  “She’s pregnant and about to pop any minute.”

  “Kimber?”

  “My cousin has a kid and work.”

  Hannah sulked then looked hopefully. “One of your parents?”

  “Dream on.”

  Mateo raised a brow at Hannah. “Do you even have a passport, Hans?”

  Hannah immediately frowned then looked like she’d burst into tears at any moment.

  “I hate my life!”

  I got up from my chair and immediately wrapped Hannah up in my arms. I rubbed her back, consoling her. “You do not hate your life. One day, Jannie Tay will totally have a concert up here and we will have the most epic seats ever.”

  She looked up at me with deep brown eyes. “You promise?”

  I nodded. “Yup. Promise.”

  Mateo wrapped his arms around both of us. “Now that that matter has been dealt with, I think we need to discuss some more important things.” He looked straight at me.

  I settled comfortably on my bed, wrapping my arms around one of my pillows. “What?”

  “Don’t what me. What’s this about you and Owen hanging out yesterday?”

  Hannah immediately sat up straight. “What?”

  I ignored her outburst. “There was no hanging out. He just waited with me until my ride came.”

  “That is pretty much the definition of hanging out, and Owen Wilder doesn’t just hang out with anybody,” voiced Mateo.

  “I always thought he was gay,” added Hannah.

  “He might still be—I don’t know!” I shrugged, getting annoyed. “Why are we having this conversation, there is nothing to talk about. Didn’t I just say there was nothing to talk about?”

  “When you get all hyper and start talking in run-on sentences, there’s definitely something to talk about.”

  I looked at Hannah who agreed with Mateo’s words with a nod, then stared at Mateo, the both of us in a stare-off contest. I finally blinked and he fist pumped the air.

  I sighed, resting my head back against the headboard. “I might have a teeny … tiny … miniscule crush on him.”

  “I knew it!” exclaimed Hannah.

  I gave her a look. “Since when? We’ve just now had this conversation.”

  She sat up straighter. “Well, as soon as we started talking about Owen, I knew it.”

  “What’s Bruno going to say about this?”

  I glared at Mateo. “What’s this got to do with Bruno?”

  “He’s, like, obsessed with you.”

  I adjusted my glasses on my face. “You too? Owen pretty much said the same thing.”

  And what’s he got to be obsessed about? I thought to myself. I looked liked any girl my age, acted like any girl my age.

  Why me?

  “Maybe he likes a more international feel,” Hannah commented. I didn’t know I had voiced the question out loud as I stared at my friend who grinned back at me. “You know, being Irish and Jamaican. He might want to vacation someday.”

  “Or maybe he goes for the sweet and wholesome type,” Mateo added. “Guys love that.”

  I rolled my eyes at them. “Shut up, the two of you!”

  “Oh my God,” Hannah inserted. “This is so sad. You have a crush on a guy who pretty much told you his friend likes you instead. Harsh.”

  “I really don’t believe Bruno likes me,” I denied. “He doesn’t even talk to me.”

  Mateo smirked. “He stares at you the way Hannah stares at Jannie Tay on the cover of a magazine. Utter adoration.”

  I buried my face in my pillow and mock screamed, then raised my head. “Can I go bury myself in a hole somewhere now? How am I supposed to face him at school?”

  “Forget Bruno,” said Hannah. “What about Owen? What are you going to do when you see Owen?”

  “I’m not doing anything. Bruno doesn’t like me and Owen is gay, remember?”

  “I can’t wait until school,” murmured Hannah with a smile as she stared at me having a mini meltdown.

  Mateo just laughed. “Me too, Hans. Me too.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  TISH. CARP. ULLB.

  Bruno did like me.

  I felt this prickling sensation on my neck and I turned to see Bruno blatantly giving me goo goo eyes. Why I’d never notice this before, I had no clue. But it was weird.

  Really weird.

  My eyes briefly looked over at Owen, who casually sat beside him in our English class reading a book, then quickly faced the front before Owen noticed I was looking at him. They were seated a couple rows behind me in the back.

  I heard a noise and looked up to see Mateo giving me kissy faces in the seat in front of me. I just rolled my eyes and kept my head down, wanting to disappear. I waited for the minutes to count down before class ended. We were all supposed to be reading silently but there was no way I could focus in this condition. Instead I limply held the book in my hand, wishing I were anywhere but here.

  And I loved reading!

  Ring.

  As the bell sounded, I leaped from my seat, threw everything in my bag, and hightailed it out of there. Sorry, Matty, but I couldn’t even wait for you. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

  “Annabella!”

  I stopped mid stride, internally slapping myself.

  Not fast enough, AB.

  “Hi, Annabella.”

  I silently counted to three before turning, looking straight at the guy who apparently liked me.

  A nervous smile touched my mouth. “Hi, Bruno.”

  He looked just as uncomfortable as I felt. I fidgeted side to side, while he scratched his thick dark brown hair, looking everywhere but
at me.

  “I was wondering if you were doing anything this Friday?”

  I blinked, not knowing what to say. “Um—”

  He finally eyed me directly. “Owen told me you aren’t allowed to date, and this wouldn’t really be a date. I mean, you can bring Hannah and Mateo and I’ll bring Owen. It’ll be like a bunch of friends hanging out. Is that alright?”

  I squinted my eyes at him. “So you aren’t asking me out on a date?”

  Please don’t be, please don’t be.

  “Well … sort of.” I cringed. “But not really?”

  I frowned. “Which is it, Bruno? I have to tell my parents.”

  “This is not a date,” he said firmly. “It would just be all of us hanging out, as friends. Is that okay?”

  Friends? That I could certainly do. Since learning about Jade and Reed’s relationship, I’d been daydreaming of someday having my own Reed. Someone to give me forever gifts. Someone to bring me to concerts. Someone to rescue me when I was in need of being rescued.

  But the potential of that happening sooner than I had anticipated was sending me into a tailspin. I wasn’t ready to date. No. I was no Hannah, who could causally strike up a conversation with anybody and everybody like it was no big deal. Having Mateo and Hannah as back up would definitely work with this non-date.

  But Owen?

  “Sure,” I said, smiling politely. “Sounds like fun.”

  That might be a problem.

  He beamed in return. “Awesome. I was thinking we could go see that post-apocalyptic movie. You know, the one based off of that book.”

  “I already saw it with my sister.”

  “Bummer.” Bruno really did look bummed and I felt so bad, but then he immediately brightened up. “Was it good?”

  “Yeah, it was,” I said excitedly, glad to be discussing things other than maybe dates. “You should definitely see it. But there’s that other movie that just came out pretty recently. The one with the superheroes?”

  He snapped his fingers. “That’s right. We should totally see that one.”

  “Great. It’s settled.” I glanced over his shoulder and noticed Mateo hanging out near the lockers close by. I knew his ears were probably straining as he tried eavesdropping on probably the most awkward conversation of the year. “So I’ll see you on Friday?”