Thrill Ride Read online

  And maybe Jordan wasn’t that bad. I mean, she’d realized that she needed to pick up her mess and she’d done it…almost. It could work between us.

  I went back to unpacking. Like I said. I didn’t have that much. My clothes went into the closet or in the dresser beside my bed. My toiletries went into the bathroom. I didn’t think our suitemates were slobs, but four girls, two sinks, and one counter did make for a lot of clutter. My laptop went on my desk where the DSL connection would keep me connected to the world. I put a few odds and ends on shelves nailed to the wall over my desk and placed my alarm clock on my desk next to the computer so it was near my bed for easy reach.

  I looked at my watch. It was already seven. The sun was setting. I thought about calling Nick, but I guess I was being a little stubborn, hoping he’d call me.

  This was insane. I grabbed my phone, slipped it into the pocket of my cargo shorts, along with my key, and headed out the door. A few people were in the hallway, and I sorta felt like I was walking a gauntlet.

  “Hey!” girls said, as I passed.

  The conversations were all the same. Name. Town. State. Laugh. First time? Yes. No. Just the facts, ma’am. And on I walked.

  I got to the end of the hallway where the advisor’s room was. A girl with spiked black hair was standing in the doorway.

  “’Ello!” she said. “And who might you be?”

  No doubt. She was Zoe (London, England).

  “I’m Megan.”

  “Meg! It’s great to meet you.”

  “Megan.”

  “Oh, a purist, eh? I’m Zoe.” She pointed to the sign. “Floor advisor. Come to me if you have any problems, luv.”

  Her accent was delicious.

  “I was going to take a walk by the lake.”

  “Brilliant! It’s lovely out. Just don’t forget about the curfew. One o’clock and we lock everything up.”

  I laughed. “No way will I be out until one.”

  “Don’t be so sure; it gets addictive. Especially when a hottie catches your fancy.”

  She was probably only a couple of years older than I was. I thought I could have been content to spend all night talking with her, but I did want to take that walk, so I headed out.

  Down the elevator, through the lobby, out the front door. I walked along the sidewalk that went around the building until it ended at the sand. I kicked off my sandals and walked toward the water. I touched the water’s edge with the tips of my toes. It was freezing!

  And Jordan had gone out to buy a bathing suit? My roomie was a crazy girl.

  I sat down on the sand, drew my legs up to my chest, and wrapped my arms around my knees. I hadn’t expected to be homesick after just one day. I was sorta wishing Sarah hadn’t called. Who would have thought that I’d miss her squabbling with Mom?

  I took my cell phone out of my pocket and willed it to ring. Now I was being as stubborn as my sister, but I guess the truth was, Nick had hurt my feelings a little bit. I mean, here I was going on an adventure, and he didn’t want to share it with me.

  Not the actual coming here. I really did get why he couldn’t just pack up and leave his job. But when I’d gone shopping for the things I’d need, like new clothes, he had no interest in going with me. When I researched on the Internet to figure out how inconvenient it would be not to have a car, he didn’t care about my findings. It was like Thrill Ride! or anything to do with it was totally off-limits, as far as a topic of conversation.

  Surly. That’s how he’d get. I’d read the word in novels, but had never actually seen anyone who was surly. Nick had been.

  “This sucks big time,” he’d said last night.

  We were sitting in his car in my driveway. He’d taken me to dinner at Outback to celebrate my birthday.

  “Let’s not say good-bye tonight,” I said. “Take me to the airport in the morning.”

  “Why? It’s just putting off the inevitable.”

  “But it’s more romantic at an airport.”

  “I don’t see how. I wouldn’t be able to go to the gate with you because of all the security stuff. We’d have to say good-bye outside the metal detectors. What’s romantic about that?”

  I’d sighed. “Well, then, I guess we’ll say good-bye now.”

  “Yeah.” He’d put his arm around me, drew me up against his side. “I’m sorry, Megan. It’s just that I had plans for this summer, plans that included you and me, getting really close.” He touched his forehead to mine. “You know?”

  And I did know. He’d been pushing for us to take our relationship to the next level, but I wasn’t ready yet. I mean I loved him, I was sure I did, but right now I was happy just kissing and snuggling.

  I angled my face for easier access and kissed him. His arms tightened around me.

  “God, I’m going to miss you, Megan. I don’t know how I’ll survive.”

  That’s what a girl wanted to hear. Deep devotion. But it was only three months, and not all at once. I’d be back halfway through the summer for the wedding. And didn’t absence make the heart grow fonder?

  Then Nick was seriously kissing me, hard, our teeth clicking, like he thought he could save our kisses or something. I pulled back. “Nick! Don’t be so…eager.”

  “Most girls would like to be wanted as much as I want you.”

  “But you were bruising my lips.”

  “Sorry. Do you have to go?”

  “You know I do. I gave them my word.”

  And that’s when he started to sulk. It suddenly got really cold in the car, a drop in temperature that had nothing to do with the air surrounding us, and it frightened me a little to think that I might lose him, but it also frightened me to think that I was making my decisions based on what was best for Nick, rather than what was best for me.

  “Look, I’m not begging you to leave Hart’s,” I said. “I understand that you have a commitment there. Well, now I have a commitment.”

  “Thought you were committed to me.”

  I groaned. “Nick, it’s only for the summer.”

  “You don’t even act like you’re going to miss me.”

  “Of course I’m going to miss you.”

  I was already missing him. It was like he’d gone away from the moment I’d first told him about my summer plans.

  Maybe that’s the reason I was now sitting on the shores of Lake Erie feeling lonely. We hadn’t kissed good-bye. We’d barely said good-bye.

  This was supposed to be a fun, exciting excursion. I didn’t want to feel guilty about being here.

  Bad news. I did.

  Chapter 4

  On the way back to my room, I stopped off at the vending machines and bought some peanut-butter crackers and a Mountain Dew, my favorite snack.

  But my first night away from home, out on my own, and this was how I celebrate? Vending machine?

  At least it was cheap, leaving me lots of money for another night. By the time I got to my room, it was almost nine o’clock. I didn’t realize that I’d sat by the lake for so long. Jordan was back, the room was tidied up, but it was no less crowded. We had guests.

  “Roomie!” Jordan exclaimed as soon as I walked in. “Meet our suitemates: Alisha, Washington, D.C., and Lisa, Toronto, Ontario. Is it not totally cool that everyone is a name and a place? It’s awesome to think of all the different people we’ll meet. The places they’ll come from. Totally wild experiences.”

  Alisha had short, black hair, dark eyes, and a milk-chocolate complexion. She was Halle Berry gorgeous. Lisa had curly red hair, an abundance of freckles, and an impish smile. Not to be mean, but she reminded me of a leprechaun.

  “I was just telling them that they could use my fridge in the bathroom,” Jordan said.

  “You have a fridge?” I asked.

  “Well, yeah! This is like dorm life, you know. Before I left home, Parker told me everything I’d need. I’ve got a microwave, too.”

  She patted the microwave sitting on her dresser. When had she moved in the appliances?