

## THE EDENSVILLE HIGH SERIES

by J&M Irwin

# Adam

High School doesn't last forever, but the choices that we make can.

Custom Cover Design by _Jackie Irwin_

Cover Photography by _Irwin Hills Photography_

Editing by _Brendan Martel_

 edensvillehighseries@gmail.com

 http://edensvillehighseries.wix.com/edensvillehighseries

Copyright February 2015

Published by Irwin Hills Publishing

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite eBook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, place and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the author or publisher.
COMING SOON TO

_The Edensville High Series_

by J&M Irwin

### Eve

### Miriam

### David/Goliath & Samson/Delilah

### Joseph
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter One- Adam's Freedom

Chapter Two- The Kings of Edensville

Chapter Three- A Day of Regret

Chapter Four- House Party of the Year

Chapter Five- Truth of the Consequences

Chapter Six- Adam & Eve

Chapter Seven- To Forgive Thine Own Self is True

Epilogue

From Us to You

About the Authors

Acknowledgements

Chapter One

Adam's Freedom

EDENSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

The chanting came from the carload of football players in Joseph Coatsman's new car as they pulled out of the school's parking lot hailing the end of the week mantra.

"Eagles! Eagles! Eagles!"

They usually did it at pep rallies to psych themselves up for the weekly Friday night football game, but this week Adam wasn't sure if they were more excited about the game or getting to ride in the quarterback's new Mustang with the custom designed paint job that changed colors with heat. Seems all of them were taking advantage of the heat signature and covering it with their handprints, footprints or whatever else they could find that had heat.

Adam shrugged off the athletes and made his way to his vehicle, his red Honda scooter with custom made saddlebags that hung over each side. He was still grateful to his older brother Joshua for making his dad buy the saddlebags instead of the dorky wire basket that hung off the front, but his father had made it perfectly clear on more than one occasion that the only reason he had even gotten him the scooter was so that he could run quick errands for the hardware store after school. Adam had had the scooter since freshman year so he had built up quite a thick skin to all the teasing, taunts and jokes of his peers. Taking it all in stride, he guessed that he should at least be thankful that his dad had gotten him the scooter in the first place. However, it wasn't his dad driving around on a little red Honda scooter, nor his older brother Joshua, Adam's mind tossed in. Who, by the way, was given their dad's old F250 when he went off to college after their dad bought himself a new one, a brand new F450 to be exact. Adam had taken a little comfort in knowing that the old truck his brother got had already broken down several times and was in the shop in need of constant repair. Yeah, he knew it was petty to think that way, but his brother wasn't the one getting laughed at either, he was.

Adam pulled his helmet out and fidgeted with straightening the straps for a moment before putting it on. The thought of his parents leaving for the airport this afternoon to fly up to West Point crossed his mind again, and he rolled his eyes. It was always about Joshua and his needs. The couple had decided to go so far as to rent a car and follow his brother home from school just to make sure that he didn't get stuck on the side of the road broke down somewhere. Their dad and Joshua had agreed to just bring it home so that the two could spend time together and work on it during his brother's fall break.

Whatever, Adam didn't mind. In fact, he was actually looking forward to it. Maybe with Joshua home his dad would stay off of him a little. The silver lining in Adam's book was the fact that his parents had finally consented in letting him stay home alone over the weekend for the very first time. When they had gone away over night for something before Joshua, the older more responsible child had been there to act in the place of dad. So needless to say Adam was pretty stoked in being home alone this weekend, even with all of the restrictions that his parents had placed on him.

"Hey B.R.!" Adam hadn't heard David walk up. He glanced over at his best friend who was making his way toward his own Honda scooter, the very one that his dad had gotten the idea from when it came time to buy Adam a vehicle.

"You coming to the game tonight?" David asked as he threw his leg over his own light blue scooter as if he were straddling a Softail Heritage Classic Harley.

Freshman year the pair had started calling themselves The Highwaymen. Their very own biker club moniker detailed with jackets and biker names to fit. Adam was Big Red. B.R. for short because he was tall and....well, rode a red scooter. David was Drumstix due to the fact that he carried drumsticks around with him wherever he went because he had started taking drum lessons. Later he shortened it down to just Stix. Yeah, it was corny looking back at it now, but back then when they had gotten their scooters they were so excited to have their new found freedom that the names sounded cool, hip and fantastic. Now? Ummm, not so much. Adam cringed every time David used the names and silently prayed that no one at school ever heard him. He no longer used the terms himself, but that didn't stop David from it. Adam, in himself, felt like he had grown a lot since then, two years in fact and now the whole biker club thing sounded a little more like a couple of sad, lonely and pathetic wannabes trying to be cool.

"I'm not sure just yet. My parents are leaving around five, and I'm sure dad will lay down the law again one more time for good measure like he has every night this week. So I guess it depends on what kind of mood they're in."

David nodded. "Bummer. Well okay, text me when you know something."

The pair had started meeting up at games in ninth grade at the same spot every week. It was kind of their thing like an unwritten rule somewhere. Their parents would dropped them off. They would make their way to the front gate to pay to get in, and then they'd wander for a little bit before making their way to the top of the bleachers to people watch. Well, David people watched. Adam watched the cheerleaders, more specifically Eve St. Clair on the cheerleading squad. Whatever the reason, having someone to hang out with at these school events helped to get them through freshman year until now since both were a little on the socially awkward side of things.

With a toot of his horn, David took off out of the parking lot leaving Adam to cinch up his helmet and head toward home to face his parents and their lectures once again. He hoped they had moved on with the guilt of what a privilege it was to get to stay home alone over the weekend and just gave him the 411 on the rules and regulations once more.

Adam reached the JROTC crossing guard just as the queen bee of the Populars at Edensville High, Eve St. Clair came out of the front doors and headed across the parking lot. The Populars crowd consisted of the typical upper crust as with any high school, clichéd jocks, cheerleaders and rich kids. If you weren't a Popular then you were nothing more than what they walked on, to them at least. Therefore that put you in the crowd known as the Walk-Ons. Adam hated the clique system, and he certainly didn't care for the fact that, according to the Populars, he was a Walk-On and considered not popular enough to be in Eve's social network. So what, he was a Walk-On? He liked Eve St. Clair. Simple as that. When he got the chance to tell her she would acknowledge him as more than the kid who sniffed crayons in kindergarten, and then he'd have a shot. Besides sniffing the crayons wasn't anything weird. They were meant to be sniffed. They were the ones that had the special scents like licorice, banana, lime, cotton candy and Granny Smith Apple. I mean come on everyone was sniffing them! Tamar Davidson had brought them in and was passing them around for everyone to smell. Just so happens the teacher caught Adam and called him out in front of the class. So he'd been labeled as the kid who sniffs crayons ever since. Kids were cruel and just didn't let some things go.

Adam probably knew more about Eve than anyone else at the school did, like her favorite scented crayon in kindergarten was the cotton candy one. He had had a crush on her ever since she leaned over holding it and whispered to him this one's my favorite. That's when he got caught smelling the cotton candy. Yum! But from that day forward he noticed that when he got around her she even smelled like cotton candy, like she had bathed in it. Sweet, heavenly, deliciously scented cotton candy. Her mom must have went to the Scent Shack and gone crazy buying her the whole works of perfume, body spray and shampoo. It turned into her signature scent and whenever she walked past him in the halls he could smell it. Now even a trip to the mall, or when the carnival came to town made him think of her as he walked by the cotton candy maker.

So armed with all the guts and knowledge that he had of her, Adam was determined that this was going to be the year that he finally made it out of Walk-On status and asked her out. His crush had been a secret for a long time, well David knew of course. David knew everything about him, but so would the rest of the school when she finally acknowledged him and walked down the halls of Edensville High on his arm. They'd know then that he was Popular material. He wouldn't forget David either, after all he was his best friend. There would definitely be a place for him in the Popular crowd next to him and Eve. He'd make sure of that.

******************************

Leaving the shadows of the halls in Edensville High behind, Eve stepped out into the sunlight. Her long, blonde hair glistened as it hung down her back and caught the rays. Her fair skin showed signs of looking like she spent a lot of time in the sun, but her tan was spray on. Adam knew that because he had seen her go into one of the Sun Shop's spray on tanning rooms. No, he wasn't stalking her. His dad's hardware store was across the street. It's a small town. You practically know everyone's business if you just sit for one afternoon outside on a park bench. So Grace Hardware being in the center of town gave Adam a front row seat of every action happening on Main Street through the front windows or bench outside.

Eve's eyes were a light cobalt blue and caught any light's refraction and sparkled brilliantly almost like a prism, but it was her smile that moved him. Oh, did he even have to mention her smile? The sun completely paled in comparison. Adam sighed as he watched her move across the parking lot. Yeah, it was her smile that got him the most. It was like a brilliant ten thousand watt light directed straight at anyone that had the privilege to just be near her. Of course, he'd give anything at this moment to be the one she was directing it at, but her best friend Miriam Marah was the lucky recipient right now. Some day it'd be him he thought. He was gonna make sure of it. He heard her laugh out loud. That sound was infectious like the tinkling of tiny little bells moving gently on a summer's breeze. He knew it sounded clichéd and poetic, but that's what he heard when he heard her laugh.

Lost in his own world with Eve St. Clair, Adam didn't see the crossing guard's big red sign that clearly stated STOP on it. He ran straight through the crossing guard's directions and lost control of his scooter nearly wiping her and her big red sign out. The JROTC girl dressed in all green yelled, Hey, just as a horn blew and a four door car swerved around him. It was a close call, but thankfully he was okay. After he had regained control over his scooter and come to a complete stop he turned to evaluate the situation. Everyone in the parking lot had turned to stare in his direction and his face was nearly as red as his Honda. Adam glanced over his shoulder in Eve's direction. He was so embarrassed, and she was bound to have witnessed it too.

However, in the usual Popular style of doing things, if it didn't involve them or someone in their social web then they paid little, if any, attention to it, unless they found it hilarious. Then they just posted it on YouTube, Instagram, Vine or Tweeted about it. Obviously Adam's little glitch barely read on her matter meter. She had paused only briefly then kept right on across the parking lot with Miriam. Adam sighed in relief. Thank you, Lord!

Mortified at the spectacle he had made, Adam turned back to the crossing guard and mouthed, Sorry, but the girl didn't seem to care.

"Whatever, could you just get out of the way?" She used the big red STOP sign to emphasis her directive. Still on shaky legs, Adam pushed the scooter back up on the pavement. He took one final glance back at Eve as he pulled onto the main road in front of the school. She had already made her way over to Lucian Black and his supped up jet black Chevy Camaro.

Lucian Black was the guy that every male in school wanted to be and every female wanted to date. He was the typical bad boy with a dark mysterious past. Which seemed to make him even more intriguing to the females at Edensville High since he had transferred in last spring from Palestine High, where rumor had it he had been expelled from. The truth of the matter was that he wasn't even supposed to be on school property right now because he had been suspended for smoking and misconduct with a minor. A minor? Yeah right! That statement gives the illusion of someone that's an innocent, but Jezebel Baal was anything but an innocent. So much for the administration doing their part to keep him off the property because there he was! No doubt he had witnessed the whole embarrassing incident of Adam and his scooter too. However, none of that bothered him as much as seeing the look in Eve's eyes as she made her way to Lucian. She ran her hand across the hood of the car. It seemed not only did she still have a thing for Lucian's black Camaro, but for Lucian Black himself! Adam wasn't stupid. He may not have had a girl give him that look before, but he recognized it when he saw it. Eve walked the length of the car tracing her finger along the quarter panel, her movements slow, almost seductive like. He couldn't hear what she was saying, but by the look in her eyes he could probably guess and he felt a streak of jealousy surge through him like never before. Oh what he would do just to be Lucian Black right now.

*****************************

101 APPLE LANE

Home of Edom and Martha Grace

Adam pulled up the driveway slowly maneuvering between his parent's vehicles and his dad putting luggage in the trunk of his wife's car.

"Adam, my boy! Just the one I was looking for! Park your ride son, so we can head inside to talk."

Adam sighed and nodded his head before pulling his scooter inside the garage and removing his helmet. He already knew what was coming. He had been hearing it ever since he had begged his parents to let him stay home alone this weekend. He had even told David not 15 minutes ago what was coming. Did he know his parents or what? Adam had made his major point of defense for getting to stay home alone as being that he was nearly 17 years old, and they had let Joshua stay home alone at 15! Sometimes living in his brother's shadow was more than he could take, and the fact that his brother was perfect made matters even worse!

"Hey....don't doddle we're leaving soon." His dad called out as he headed into the house.

"Yes sir, I'll be right in." Adam called out as his dad closed the door, leaving him to retrieve the mountain of books out of his saddlebags. Seems the History, English, Algebra and Biology teachers at Edensville High had all conspired against their students giving them ample homework for the weekend. Students believed it was a conspiracy, but in truth, educators leaned more towards trying to wind things up before the Thanksgiving holiday that caused their students to slip into the dreaded Holiday Fog that floated around until January. It was a running joke in the classrooms of Edensville High that Holiday Fog caused students to become uncoordinated and unskilled at performing any kind of educational task during the holiday season. Students of all grades at times would face plant to their desks and call out Holiday Fog when asked to perform an assignment during the weeks that led up to the Christmas break. The educators took it all in stride, but they began to utilize the time that they did have to really press in and teach their students as much as they possible could the week and weekend before the holiday season began. It didn't cure Holiday Fog, but it gave it a good shot in the arm like penicillin.

Inside, Adam paused to lay his books on the foyer table as he walked through to the kitchen. When he had this much homework to do his mom usually let him spread out his work on her beautiful mahogany dining table.

"Hey Mom, I've got quite a bit of homework this weekend. Is it okay if I use the dining room?" He grabbed a grape out of the bunch in the basket on the counter when he reached the kitchen where his mom seemed to spend most of her time.

"Well hello to you too, Adam Grace!" Her eyes were playfully wide as she gave him a hard time about speaking to her without a proper greeting after being gone all day.

Adam cracked a knowing grin. "Hiiiiiii mom...." He hummed as he planted a kiss on her cheek, just as his phone vibrated in his pocket, but he didn't grab it right away. "How was your day?"

His parents were a bit old fashioned and had not readily embraced the new age of technology and only had cell phones for emergencies. Neither knew what Twitter, Instagram or Snap Chat were, and now that the youth had all but moved on and abandoned Facebook it was sad because it was finally becoming a part of their genre of communication. But his parents didn't give into the circus that was today's media. They constantly reminded their sons of how rude it was to interrupt a conversation by checking your phone, texting or playing games. In fact, Adam didn't mind, it made things seem a little less complicated when he was at home. Without technology interrupting them the personal interaction he got with his family was priceless. His dad quoted Einstein's theory quite a bit, no not the one of relativity, but one of his others. You know the one that says I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. In all honesty, the genius was right on for today's society.

"I have had an extremely good day! Thank you for asking." She smiled warmly. "We're all packed and ready to go get your brother for his fall break! I can't wait to see him." She clasped her hands together with bubbling excitement.

"Mom, it's only been about eight weeks since you have seen him, and you talk to him nearly every day." He grabbed a few more grapes and popped them into his mouth as he leaned against the kitchen island and grinned as he chided her playfully.

"I do not, Adam Michael!" She sighed, "Well, maybe every other day or so, when he isn't busy, but in my defense, I am his mom and interested in what he is doing up there at West Point. This is a very important time in his life, and I want to do my part to encourage him! You'll see all too soon yourself when you go off to college in a few years!"

Mr. Grace came back downstairs and walked into the kitchen. "Oh c'mon son, why do you give your mom such a hard time? She is almost an empty nester you know." He placed an arm around his wife and took a moment to hug her to him before walking over toward the refrigerator. "And besides you are the last of her fledglings to fly the coop, so you had best be careful or she might just clip your wings and keep you here..... forever!" Edom Grace's eyes danced playfully as said the word forever like the kid from the movie Sandlot did to indicate impending doom. He reached for a bottle of water and twisted the cap off before returning to place his arm back around his wife. She jabbed him playfully in the ribs as he took a sip. Adam smiled as he watched his father fiend great pain before breaking out into a big grin and laughing. "Hey it's the truth!" He had a great laugh that filled the kitchen. "Well, are you ready to hit the dusty trail, my Love? We need to make it to the airport at least an hour earlier than our flight."

"Yes, but have you had a chance to talk to Adam before we go?" His mom asked.

He planted a kiss on his wife's cheek before looking up at his youngest son. "Nope, but we were just about to, weren't we Adam?"

Adam's temperament sobered. "Yes sir....." His smile was more absolute.

"Well, as you know there is to be absolutely no wild and crazy parties, no driving the 450, no girls, no boys, no drinking, no drugs, no sex...."

"Edom!" His wife interjected.

"Well Martha, you have to lay it out to kids nowadays." He admitted. Adam's phone vibrated again. It was David, he was sure of it.

"Uh...what about the football game tonight dad, can I go?" His father sighed heavily and looked at his mother who nodded her head in approval.

"I guess, but be back in this house no later than 10:30 because you know the stipulations of you getting to stay home this weekend." Adam shook his head. Yeah, the stipulations of him getting to stay home for the weekend was that he had homework to do, and that didn't mean his homework from his teachers. That meant he had to work at home. As in weed his mother's garden, clean the pool, clean the pool house, mow the front and back lawn, weed eat, replant his mother's rose bushes from the front yard to the area sectioned off around the pool out back, and after all of that was done, he still had a boat load of homework to do from his teachers. It's like his parents got together with his teachers and came up with a project called Keeping Adam Busy. Maybe he should have just gone with them instead. No, he wanted this weekend. He needed this weekend. He didn't care that he had to work his tail off. He got to be home alone for the entire weekend!

Adam nodded his head up and down several times as he agreed. "Yes sir, I have plenty to do to keep me busy while you're away."

"That's right." His father reassured solidly.

His mother on the other hand added a bit sweeter. "Oh, Adam, he's just trying to make sure you don't have too much time on your hands to do any of the horrible things your father thinks teenagers do while their parents are away." She cut her eyes from her son to her husband then back again. "But we trust you son, we really do. Just know that."

"Hey, I trust the boy Martha, but when a young man gets around a bunch of other boys his own age that's when I begin to question their thinking. Then add a teenage girl in the mix and well..... that's just bad news all the way around."

Martha playfully hit at her husband's elbow. "Trust him Edom, he is a good boy. Aren't you honey?" She touched Adam's cheek.

"Mom...." Embarrassed, he pulled away from her just as his phone vibrated once more.

"You better get that or that Highwayman is going to have a stroke!" Adam frowned at his mother's use of his and David's secret club name.

"Yeah?" Adam answered.

"Hello...is always a nice way to answer a phone." His mother absentmindedly threw out as she folded the dishtowel on the counter for the hundredth time since Adam walked in the door. Adam nodded and whispered a quick yes ma'am before turning away and walking toward the living room.

"Well, can you go?" David anxiously questioned.

"Yeah, but I have to be home by 10:30."

"Yeah me too, but so what? The games are usually over by 10:00 anyway. Hey, even if we leave at 10:15 we have our rides and can just zip right on past any traffic make it home to play video games long curfew, no big deal. Besides they're not even gonna be home. How are they gonna know when you are home anyway?" David scoffed.

Adam sighed. "Oh, they'll know. Trust me. I'll get a phone call at precisely 10:30, you can count on it."

Edom Grace walked into the living room at that exact moment and patted his son on the shoulder. "Yep, you can count on that son." He stated flatly as he stood by Adam in the living room. Adam smiled and nodded at his father.

"So, I'll meet you at the usual spot at 6:30?" David questioned.

"Yeah.....out."

"Stix out." David retorted Adam touched his key pad to end the call.

"Now son, you know that we are entrusting you with our home right?" His dad's voice was sobering and heavy.

"Yes sir, I know......." His dad looked at him for a moment then turned back toward the kitchen and called out to his wife.

"Martha, babe, we need to leave. You ready?"

"...grabbing my purse, honey. I'm coming!" She called out from the kitchen.

His dad then made his way toward the front door. As an afterthought Adam added, "Oh hey dad, how am I gonna get the gas can back to the house for the lawnmower tomorrow? There is no place on my bike to carry the can?"

His dad frowned. "I told you sooner or later that you would need that basket I wanted to have put on there." Adam scowled. His dad was totally using this as a told ya' so moment. Good thing it didn't come with a told ya' so dance. He couldn't have stood that, and he was sure that his dad would've loved to have performed it just to drive his point home. Adam knew this would come around and bite him someday. Suddenly, his dad started laughing and tossed him his set of keys. "Just kidding. Here, use the truck to do your errands with this weekend...."

Adam caught the key ring with all the keys on it. "Whoa, you're kidding, right? You're letting me use your truck to run errands while you're gone?" Adam's eyes widened with excitement.

"Uh...that would be a big N and a big O.......I was referring to the delivery truck. The green monster as you and your brother insist on calling it." He paused for a brief moment. "..... and Adam so help me, if you....." His dad sighed. "....well you know the rules with the truck and driving it, right?"

Adam was already shaking his head. "...I know, I know Dad, if I let anything happen to it, I need to just pack a bag and head on out of town 'cause you're gonna disown me." He had heard the same lecture since he had started driving, and he still believed his dad's only reason to let him get his permit and scooter's license at 15 was so that he could get him the scooter hoping he would just be happy with it. His dad just didn't understand a ride was not just a vehicle to get from point A to point B in this day and time. A ride meant status and right now, Adam was so far under a rock in his current social situation he couldn't buy status if he had the money.

His dad countered Adam's smug remark with his own. "Well, it would seem the boy does think he knows me." He spoke toward the ceiling as if someone up there were listening before returning his attention back to his son. "So.... you think you know me so well huh? Well, what I was actually going to say is that every key to everything we own is on that ring. The house, the 150, the Hardware store and even my 450's keys are on there, and if I even get the notion that it has been moved ...well... do I really have to put into words what would happen? " His dad's smile dripped with sarcasm.

Adam frowned. "No sir, I got it."

His dad stepped forward and patted Adam's cheek. "Awe.... now see you do know me."

Adam nodded in agreement. "Yes sir." His dad then gave his son's shoulder a firm pat before grabbing him in a bear hug and tussling his hair. The two were locked in this playful scuffle when Martha Grace came into the living room.

"Having separation anxiety are you?" She asked jokingly to her husband of 25 years.

"Nah....just giving him my goodbye kiss!" Her husband's eyes twinkled up at her.

The truck that his dad was referring to was his old work truck. A 1976 Ford F150. It was in great shape, but it was the ugliest two toned metallic green color Adam had ever seen. In fact, he and Joshua had nicknamed it the green monster when they were little because it was loud, blew a billow of smoke out of the tailpipe and seemed to roar like a monster when their dad started the engine. Edom Grace on the other hand was crazy about the old thing. He had said on more than on one occasion. It's the first vehicle that I ever bought and paid for with my own money. In fact, it's what made me a man of responsibility at a very young age. However, if you had asked Adam the sentimental attachment leaned more towards the fact that it's what his dad had courted their mom in all those years ago. He had talked about eventually having it restored to all its former glory, but he hadn't gotten around to it yet. They just used it as a shop truck for now to make deliveries in. Adam got to drive it only in those instances where his dad couldn't go and make a delivery. Other than that, it sat in the driveway or out in front of the hardware store.

"Dad's letting me use the green monster this weekend!" Breathlessly Adam tried to explain to his mom in the midst of his dad's version of a goodbye kiss. "And he was just showing me what will happen if anything happens to it." At this point the two were laughing as Adam worked diligently to get out of the headlock his dad had him in. "It's called kiss your butt goodbye!"

In the midst of the roughhousing Adam heard his mom add to what his father had already said. "You know it's just not him you'll have to answer to if anything happens to that truck, right?" It would seem that his father wasn't the only one crazy about the old green monster. Of course, to be totally honest Adam was quite fond of it too. He just wouldn't admit it because he and Joshua had given their dad such a hard time about it being so ugly and old.

Adam laughed and tried to nod his head in the headlock his dad had him in. "Oh yes ma'am, I am more than aware!"

His dad let go. "You better make sure nothing happens to that vehicle boy, or your mother will have your hide!" He gave a playful wink toward his wife. "Oh and you might wanna just toss a tarp in the back before you get the gas and the bags of mulch tomorrow."

Adam frowned in questioning. "Mulch?"

His dad wiped the sweat from his brow that he had worked up scuffling with his Adam. "Yeah, you might as well go on and pick up about ten bags of mulch while you're at the hardware store since you're gonna have the truck anyway. Just drop by the shop, Naomi knows you're coming by to pick up the other stuff that I ordered for the house just tell her you're gonna get ten bags of mulch too."

Adam nodded his head to let his father know that he was hearing what he was saying and that he understood. "Yes sir." He also knew that getting mulch meant that his father had yet another project for him to do before the weekend was over, mulch all of the flower beds.

Less than fifteen minutes later the three were standing on the front porch of their home and holding hands as they prayed. His parents asked God to watch over their son, their home and their belongings while they were gone. They seemed to trust God more than they trusted their own child, or so it seemed to Adam at times. The Grace's believed in putting their trust in God first in all things and looked at the blessings they received as gifts from Him and thanked Him daily. Adam liked to think of himself as spiritual, not religious and churchy like his parents. Oh he believed in God and wanted to go to heaven and all, but he wasn't so sure about things like praying to keep their extra luggage from flying off the roof while driving or the engine and tires from blowing. However, if this meant that they were one step closer to being gone for the weekend then so be it. Adam bowed his head.

After saying Amen his mother kissed his cheek and hugged him tight. "There's cash in the jar on the fridge for the weekend. Oh, and if you'd like David to spend the night then that is fine with your father and I."

Edom Grace frowned heavily. "Martha, I told the boy no friends."

She waved him off. "Oh Edom, it's just David. He has been here a hundred times and they are good boys. Besides, Jesse will only be a phone call away if they need anything." Martha Grace reasoned. However, what she didn't know was that Jesse, David's father, was going to be out of town this weekend too. No big deal though, Adam thought, what kind of trouble could the two of them get into anyway?

"Thanks mom, I'll see if David wants to and let you know when you call at 10:30."

His dad winked and shook his head. "Atta boy.....and remember, you have plenty to do tomorrow so you may need to get an early start on it.

"Yes sir." He kissed his mom on the cheek again. "Have a safe trip!"

She hugged him tightly once more before adding. "And don't forget you have church on Sunday too."

"Yes ma'am and don't worry, you'll be home before I even want you to be!" He teased her and then chuckled at the face she made. "Just kidding, I'll be fine trust me......enjoy the trip and the time that you'll have Joshua all to yourself. I'm sure you won't get much time after his friends learn he's home." He closed the door, winked at her and gave her a genuine full smile. He stepped back up on the sidewalk and waved as they backed down the drive.

"He's a good boy, Edom. You don't have to be so hard on him." She reproved her husband slightly.

"Martha, he is a good boy because I am hard on him. He knows what I expect of him this way." She blew her youngest son a kiss, and his father honked the horn as they pulled away. Adam watched as they disappeared down the street. He wanted to jump up and click his heels like they did in old movies, but he got a visual of himself falling flat on the driveway and hurting something, and then having to call them back to take him to the hospital and they'd have to stay, so he just went with a mental heel click instead. Laughing at himself, he turned to go back into the house and absentmindedly jabbed his hands into his pockets coming down hard on the keys that his dad had given time. OUCH! Looking at his injured knuckles, the most fantastic idea hit him. Adam pulled his phone out of his other pocket and hit David's ICE digit.

"Hey what up?" David answered the phone briskly.

"Get over here as quick as you can! We're going to the game as a couple of Kings of the Populars tonight." He didn't give David a chance to ask questions. He hit end and headed into the house to take a shower before his best friend got there. He knew David too well and that he would be there in record time dying to know the details of what Adam meant by Kings of the Populars. So the knock on the French doors in less than 20 minutes later was not surprising. It was David signaling with his own specific knock.

"It's open, D!" Adam called out from the kitchen. He had showered and was dressed in his new gray Fedora, black button up, skinny jeans and Chucks. David opened the door and stepped into the kitchen, his drumsticks sticking out of his back pocket and his hand run down in a bag of chips. If he wasn't drumming on something, he was always eating something. David had made a habit of coming through the back gate and knocking on the French doors that lead to the kitchen. He said that it was because he was like family and family doesn't have to enter through the formal front door, but Adam always countered with yeah right, you only come through the backdoor because it's closest to the kitchen! He could certainly throw back some groceries anywhere and at any time, but he sucked because he never seemed to show any weight gain from it.

"Hey, what's up?" David asked around a mouth full of chips.

"Just grabbin' some cash to get into the game and a pizza later." Adam explained as he reached down into his mother's favorite cookie jar, the one that her mother had left her.

David frowned. "Not what I meant dude. I meant why did you want me to come over here before the game, we usually just meet up there. And what did you mean by we're going as Kings of the Populars?" He furrowed his brow quizzically.

Adam slowly drug the keys out of his jeans pocket making the suspense deepen. Then he paused and asked rather dramatically, "Can I get a drum roll please?"

David voice was flat as his frown deepened. "Dude."

"Dude, we....as in you and I..... are going to the game at Edensville High tonight against Palestine High in style." He jingled the key ring that had his dad's 450 on it and grinned mischievously.

"What?! No way!" He was stoked. "You got your dad's truck?" David's eyes lit up. "Like THE truck?"

THE truck to which David was referring was a candy apple red, four door Ford F450 totally tweaked out with a matted black push guard that held Ford's exclusive sensor fog lights that dimmed to oncoming traffic's lights, custom designed running boards that slid out the moment you pulled on the door handle or clicked the remote, which also operated the tailgate by raising or lowering it with the push of a button on the key fob. A set of Bridgestone's finest were set on aluminum rims coupled with the highest lift kit package available making it the tallest truck on the streets of Edensville. The charcoal gray interior had heated and cooled seats both in the front and back. The windows, high as they were, held the darkest tint legally allowed in the state, and if that wasn't enough, it had a satellite stereo system that was sure to blow the socks off of any girl or so said the sales guy. He did seem to be pleased with himself though and took the time to introduce everything on his dad's specially ordered truck when it came in. He even elbowed Adam that same day saying this truck should come with a money back guarantee because if it fails to make girls drool or the guy driving it instantly cool there's definitely something terribly wrong! Adam was sure hoping that would be the case because that was exactly why they were taking it to the game tonight. They were going to drop the tailgate, and for the first time, have a tailgate party as the Populars did on Friday nights during football season.

David followed Adam as he strolled from the kitchen to the garage where he hit the garage door button springing it to life. The setting sun poured in and glared off the beast like a brand new penny. Now this is the vehicle that I'm supposed to have not some wimpy little Honda scooter he thought. He hit the button on the fob which unlocked the doors and caused the running boards to move slowly out like a personal red carpet invitation. Adam climbed up behind the wheel, David took his own cue and hopped up into the passenger seat to ride shotgun.

"Dude, this is going to be awesome!" David was so animated, on the inside Adam was too, but outwardly was playing it cool. His conscious smacked him several times, yeah he knew that this was wrong, his dad had even specifically told him not to drive it, but he just wanted one night for Eve's eyes to light up for him and something he was driving like they did when she saw Lucian's black Camaro. Adam was sure that if she saw him in this truck it would do just that too. So it would be worth it if his dad found out, which he wouldn't if he drove carefully and didn't let anything happen to it, but if he did his dad was sure to understand. Afterall, he did court their mom in his first F150. Adam laughed to himself. His dad courting his mom in the F150 was the beta version. This was Adam's dating style, the updated 4.0 version! Surely if he found out, his dad would remember the look on his mom's face when he'd pick her up for their first date in the green monster way back then.

# Chapter Two

The Kings of Edensville

The game was still two hours from kickoff, but the gates of the parking lot were open and students were already pulling into their familiar groups for the weekly tailgate party by the time Adam and David pulled through the gate. The pair had certainly turned heads on their way through town in the truck. David rode shotgun grinning like a Cheshire cat. Too bad no one knew who was in the candy apple red beauty, the windows were too dark. The tint didn't afford any kind of visualization whatsoever to whom its occupants were, and Adam liked it that way for now. David, however, wanted to roll his window down and hang his head out the window like a puppy on a Sunday afternoon drive letting everyone know that he was inside. Adam put the window locks on and wouldn't let him, much to David's chagrin, so he turned his attention to the satellite radio and found Echosmith's Cool Kids playing and pushed the volume button to an abnormally loud level. So loud in fact that the windows were rattling with the steady stream of music that pumped out of the speakers. David said it was their theme song for the night!

Neither Adam or David had ever been to a tailgate party, especially one in the Popular's parking lot. They weren't part of that crowd and uninvited Walk-Ons didn't dare go into the Popular's parking lot and think they were going to be part of the party. It just wasn't done. The sound of the Super Duty Ford's exhaust system pulling through the gates of the parking lot caused his fellow tailgaters to turn and look in complete slack jaw. Those in attendance were definitely wondering who in the world it was in the massive brute. The rumble of the exhaust growled like an angry lion as he gave it a little gas to push the tires over the speed bumps in the parking lot.

"Here Adam, just park here!" David was so excited. He encouraged Adam to pull into a spot in the middle of the lot where all the empty spaces were. The early tailgaters had already filled the outer ring of the lot pointing their hoods toward the fence before letting down their tailgates and watching as others filed in leaving the middle of the parking lot for the elite. Tonight, however, they were going to be joined by two, not normally in their social circle, in the big red F450 rumbling to a stop. Yeah, two unknowns were going to be the Kings of the Populars at Edensville High tonight.

Adam and David were the center of attention and loving it. They watched as girls and guys alike were standing on tailgates to get a better look at the colossal beast sitting in their midst. Some had even started walking over toward them to get a closer look. David waited until his classmates were just within touching distance of the truck before he nearly shouted with excitement.

"Adam! Flip the fog lights on!" Adam laughed, but did what his best friend asked. He really was getting a kick out of this. "Now lower the running boards and tailgate!" Again, Adam did what his lifelong friend requested. If someone at that very moment had asked him he would've had to admit that he was loving it too.

Suddenly, from the front gate the familiar black Camaro pulled through and parked two spaces over from where Adam and David were. Just as the lights were shut off Eve St. Clair got out followed by Miriam. Both were wearing their Edensville High cheerleading uniforms as they came around to the driver side of the truck with eyes full of curiosity. Lucian on the other hand seemed to take his time getting out of the car. He rose from the black leather seats slowly and closed the door behind him, flicking the butt of his cigarette into the parking lot before leaning back casually against the black on black tricked out Chevy as he watched Eve near the red brute.

"Wow!" Her eyes were wild with wonder. "Who does that belong to?" Eve ventured aloud to no one person in particular, the few standing around curious themselves shrugged their shoulders, but no one verbally answered her except for Lucian.

"Climb on up there and see for yourself, babe. What are they gonna do drive off with you hanging onto the mirror?" Lucian tossed out. Eve frowned but didn't pay him any attention.

"Hey! Nice ride! Who's in there?" Adam's heart leapt as Eve stood in full view under the burn of the fog lights, but she stayed there only for a moment. Following Lucian's suggestion she made her way toward the driver side door and reached for the handle. Adam panicked, but he didn't waste time by letting it set in. Instinctively, he hit the automatic lock button on the door to make sure that she couldn't get in. She must have heard the sound of the locks clicking into place.

"Hey! No fair! Come on....open up! Come on out and give us a look inside!" She was dying to know who was inside. No one around Edensville had a truck like this that she was aware of. Eve stood with her hands on her hips looking up into the driver side door calculating her next move. How was she going to know who was inside? No one came into the Popular's parking lot uninvited.

Inside the truck was chaos with David over in the passenger seat looking like he was in a bouncy house bobbing up and down with all the excitement of a kid at Chucky E. Cheese. He stretched over Adam to see what Eve was doing outside the driver side door. The music blared so loud that he couldn't quite make out what she was saying so he kept asking over the music, Dude what's she saying? It wasn't until she reached for the door handle again and David reached to unlock it on his side that Adam fully panicked. His left hand reached for the steering wheel and his right shoved the gear shift into drive causing the running boards and the tailgate to automatically close back up. The unexpected vibrations of those things retracting caused an already nervous situation to hit record heights. Adam jumped causing his foot to slide off of the brake and automatically hit the gas. He freaked when the truck lunged forward with the powerful surge and nearly mowed Eve and several of the onlookers down as he whipped the heavy machine around to get out of the tailgater's parking lot.

"Hey!" Eve yelled at the back of the truck as she jumped back out of the way. "Watch it!" She glared at the driver window as the truck made a huge circle around her and headed out of the Popular's tailgate parking lot. "Wow...that was just...rude!" She spat after them then headed back to Lucian's car.

Tires squealed as he maneuvered the beast through the gates and back out on the side street barely diverting an accident with an oncoming car. The same JROTC guard from this afternoon directing traffic yelled, but Adam paid her little attention, and he certainly didn't stop to apologize.

"Hey!" David shouted again over the music. "What are you doing?!" Adam didn't answer, nor did he stop. He had one thing on his mind, getting out of there and back to the house. David was in complete shock at what his best friend had just done. "Adam, you nearly ran Eve over, did you see that?" No response. "Dude?" He nearly pleaded. "What are you doing? Where are we going?" He looked back over his shoulder at the parking lot where a shocked Eve St. Clair stood with her hands on her hips. "The party is back there! EVE is back there!" He tried to appeal to Adam's desire for Eve, but it too got no response. Adam was silent and stayed that way all the way back to his house.

When he pulled back into the driveway Adam hit the garage door opener over the sun visor, waited for it to open, backed the truck in, and then got out to make sure that he was parking it right back in the same exact spot that his dad had left it. David didn't wait for the running board to fold out. He jumped from the lofty height of his seat on the passenger side.

"What are you doing?" He stood in the middle of the garage holding his drumsticks waving them around. "Dude, what was that?" When David got upset he showed it with his whole body. His arms were flying around in frustration as he verbally assaulted Adam with every question he could think of trying to evoke an answer of out him. Adam acted like he wasn't paying attention to him. He had gone over to his dad's workbench and grabbed a shammy and began to wipe the red truck down.

"Adam, dude?!" David nearly screamed to get his friend's attention, it worked.

Adam paused, but didn't look up into David's face. "I shouldn't have done that. My dad will absolutely kill me when he finds out." Adam's voice was low, not panicky as David's.

"Dude, your dad is not here! We weren't doing anything wrong! Nothing happened to his precious truck....." He used his fingers for air quotes as he slurred the word precious, "...there are no scratches, no one hit you.....there's not even dirt on the tires! I mean come on, it's fine! What are you so freaked about? We were just gonna go and watch the game with the Populars!" David was exacerbated, clearly at a loss as to what his best friend had just done. He paused and gained control over his emotions and spoke evenly this time.

"Adam?"

Adam stopped twisting the rag in his hands and faced his best friend, but didn't quite meet his gaze still. "I'm sorry David. I shouldn't have done that. It was stupid. All kinds of things could have happened or went wrong." He ran a nervous hand through his dark hair. "....and if you don't wanna stay the night and get a pizza after I'm finished wiping the truck down, I understand." Adam turned the shammy over and over in his hands for a moment waiting for David to answer.

David sighed. "Yeah, maybe another night, I think I'm just gonna head on back to the game. We're playing Palestine High tonight, and I'd really like to see us beat the Giants for once." David was angry and he didn't want to spend this night as they usually spent all of their other Friday nights ordering a pizza, staying up late watching TV, or playing video games. They had a chance to do something they'd never done before and Adam blew it. He was upset with his friend and knew that he wouldn't be able to get past it, not tonight anyway. It was too soon.

"Okay, I'll talk to you tomorrow then." Adam's voice was low as he went back to wiping down the truck with the shammy he had all but pulverized in his hands as he twisted it while listening to David make his excuse to leave.

"Yeah, I'll text you." It only took a moment for David to get on his scooter and be gone, leaving Adam alone in his the garage with his father's truck. Adam threw the shammy to the floor, infuriated with himself for being so impetuous and stupid. It was just a truck for heaven's sake and David was right.....nothing had happened! Adam kicked a tire in his fury. Ouch! He limped over to pick the rag up and put it back on the work table. How could this night have gone so wrong?

*****************************

The colossal candy apple red F450 making its appearance and who it could possibly belong to was all that anyone at the tailgater's pre-game party could talk about. Who was driving it? Why did they leave so quickly? Did it belong to a rival school member? Was it someone on the other football team trying to intimidate Edensville's team or perhaps it belonged to a gang from another county? David heard it all as he walked around the football field alone. Going to his and Adam's spot up on the bleachers seemed kind of wrong without him there. He felt bad for how he acted, but the guy had to understand just how important this night could have been for the both of them. Adam might have been trying to get Eve's attention, but David wanted in on the Popular's network. It could have worked out for both of them had he not panicked!

David could hear the speculations as they swirled, each one greater than the last. They could've been the talk of junior year had they just stayed and played it out just a little longer then made a grand debut right before kickoff. He had to laugh though as he delighted in the fact that out of everyone in attendance at the game, he was the only one that knew the answer to their uncertainty. He pulled his phone out to text Adam to let him know that he was the talk of the pre-game when an unfamiliar voice called out to him.

"Hey....." The voice was low, but commanding at the same time. David didn't turn around at first. He wasn't sure if they were talking to him or not, but again the voice called. "Hey...." David held onto his cell acting like he was busy with it as he cut his eyes slightly to his left to see who was talking and if they were indeed talking to him. "Dude." He turned his head this time. "Hey....yeah, you." The voice spoke directly this time. David had to turn a little more to his left to see who it was that was talking and up the hill just a little ways he got the shock of his life. It was none other than Lucian Black, the Lucian Black, looking in his direction. David pointed at his chest as if in question.

"Yeah man, you.....come here a minute." Lucian made a movement with his head for David to come up to where he was leaning casually against the back fence of the stadium, motionless, with one foot propped up casually like he could stand in that position for hours. David, too in shock to move, was frozen. His eyes were wide, like a deer caught in the lights of a moving car. He just stood there in silent question wondering if he were truly the one that Lucian was referring to. It wasn't until Lucian used his hand to motion for David to come closer that he slipped his phone back into his pocket and slowly headed up to where the guy with the worst reputation in Edensville and Palestine combined was standing. Still a little unsure, he measured his steps as he made his way up the incline keeping a check over his shoulder casually to see if Lucian was talking to him instead of someone that might have been standing behind him that he hadn't seen.

"Hey man what's up?" Lucian greeted him once David was within a few feet of him.

"Hey....." David returned the greeting more under his breath than out loud. He really didn't make direct eye contact, but rather busied himself with pulling out his cell phone as he neared the fence where Lucian was leaning. He still wasn't sure why Lucian Black would even be looking in direction let alone talking to him. He hoped it was him that he called out to, otherwise he would feel like a complete tool if it weren't.

"You're David King right?" Lucian stated rather than asking in a deep smooth voice.

"Uh....yeah, I'm David....David King." Relief washed over him until he realized he had just repeated what he had just said. Duh! Could he have sound more like Forrest Gump at that moment? Why did he have to be so lame when he got nervous? Why had he not just answered with an aloof yeah?

Lucian held out his fist toward David to greet him. "Cool.... I'm Lucian." Did he really think he had to introduce himself?! David was more than well aware of who he was. Heck the entire school knew who he was! He was Lucian Black, he needed no introductions!

He made an attempt to meet the guy's fist with his own and nearly missed. "Oomph.....y...ye...yeah. I mean, yeah I know who you are." The lower half of Lucian's face broke out into a big grin, complimented with deep set dimples on both sides of his mouth and a perfectly cleft chin below it. Lucian's phone vibrated, he reached into his pocket and pulled it out swiping his finger across the button to answer it.

"Yeah?" Was that all he had to say? David thought. Of course, he was Lucian Black, a guy who was definitely in control. David could hear a voice on the other end, but couldn't quite make out what they were saying. He tried to act uninterested and kicked around a rock with his Chucks before reaching for his phone pulling up Instagram and clicking a pic of the scoreboard and posting it. "Yeah...I'm on it." Lucian hung up the phone and immediately began texting.

Wow, standing this close to the guy, David got his first up-close and personal dealings with the infamous black eyes and tattoos of Lucian Black. He had heard girls in class talk about how deep and black his eyes were and standing here now having looked into them himself he could see what they were talking about. Wow, yeah they were mystical alright......in that Charles Manson meets Jack the Ripper kind of way. Good grief dude, was that even natural that someone's eyes had no color? I mean...Wow! Not even his pupils differentiated from the depth of black, it just blended into an abyss of darkness. David was astonished. But hey, with looks like his and that cool swag David could see why girls were dying to get his attention. His phone was probably never silent. Just as that thought ran through his head, Lucian's phone vibrated again. Out of the corner of his eye, David silently watched as Lucian's thumbs deftly stroked the keypad on his iPhone. Black lines of a tattoo began at his wrist and ran up his forearm to disappear beneath his rolled sleeve. David really didn't know anyone his own age that had tattoos. They had all kind of talked about getting them when they were old enough, but none had reached the age yet when they could legally. He had heard that Lucian was already 18, however, something in him said that this guy had these tattoos long before he had turned 18.

Lucian put his phone back into his pocket and shrugged before giving a response to David. "Yeah, I guess everyone does." Was that arrogance? David questioned, but it didn't matter. This guy did pretty much whatever he wanted to. Rumor had it that no one had ever been stupid enough to even think about crossing him back at Palestine High. So fear, coupled with charisma and a swag so powerful and intense that its only hindrance was sex appeal, made it a definite win/win situation in the Lucian Black game. He definitely knew how to get whatever it was that he wanted and at this moment he wanted to talk to David King. Lucian reached into his back pocket and pulled out a cigarette pack and offered one to David. David's eyes went wide as he scrambled for an excuse as to why he wouldn't take it.

"No...uh...no thanks. I'm trying to cut back." He tried to laugh it off.

Lucian had tucked a cigarette behind his ear from earlier. "Hey, no worries, it's all good." He took the tucked cigarette and stuck the butt into his mouth and put away the pack. "So..uh... where's your friend Adam tonight? I thought you guys were like inseparable at these things." He gestured absently around the stadium, but didn't take his eyes off of David.

David hesitated. Lucian Black knew who they were? Holy crap! David tried to casually take a step toward the fence and lean against it like Lucian was, but tripped over his own feet and wound up nearly doing a face plant into the chain links. He caught himself clumsily and played it off by looking back around at the ground for the thing that had tripped him before adding his weight to the aluminum enclosure.

"Uh, well....we usually do..." David stammered. "I mean the guy doesn't have a lot of friends. So I try to hang out with him so he's got somebody to..." He shrugged. "Like, ya' know, show him around and stuff."

Lucian's eyes held no reflective light. Was that normal? "Oh yeah? He's new then?"

Uh oh, busted! Anyone that had lived here for any length of time would know that Adam and David had been born in Edensville! David had to come clean and drop the facade.

"Oh uh........no...uh we've actually known each other all of our lives, even before kindergarten. Our parents use to say that we were womb-mates because our mom's were pregnant at the same time and were best friends." He mentally kicked himself again! Man, how could he be such a dork and still breathe on his own without someone telling him to? Telling a guy like Lucian about your mommy's best friend was not cool guy thing to do. Why must you be such an epic loser? Face plant your palm right now! He chastised himself harshly then tried to sound a little cooler, hopefully.

"I mean....the guy just likes to study a lot and if I didn't get him out and about once and a while his eyes would have gone crossed by now. Besides that, his dad keeps him pretty busy with working after school at their hardware store, so he just doesn't get out much. Not to mention his parents are kind of strict."

Lucian nodded his head in acknowledgment. "I see....he's Joshua Grace's kid brother, yeah?"

Everyone knew Joshua Grace. He had been Edensville's star quarterback for the last four years. His full ride scholarship to West Point was big news in a small town like Edensville. "Yeah the one and the same, as a matter of fact, his parents are gone this weekend to bring Joshua home for fall break, something being wrong with his truck and all." He looked back toward the game with mock interest and shrugged then looked back down at his shoe and kicked a rock. "Whatever the deal, Adam's home alone for the weekend." David offered the conversation without Lucian even asking.

"Oh yeah? So Adam's just playing the bachelor this weekend huh?" Lucian added testing the waters.

"Yeah, I guess." David agreed.

"Nice. So where is he tonight? I mean he's got to be stoked about being home alone, but surely he wouldn't actually want to be home alone when he could be staying out as late as he wanted to?" Lucian grinned.

"True, but he still had to be home by 10:30. I told ya' his parents are pretty strict. They'll call just to make sure." David explained.

"Yeah, but he could answer his cell anywhere and be out having fun." Lucian countered.

"Yeah, but the Graces still have a home phone so if they don't get him on his cell for whatever reason they will call the house phone."

"Oh, I see. So he really is a good kid and listens to his mommy and daddy then?" Lucian questioned.

David gave a pshhh noise as if the thought of being afraid of your parents was absurd. "Yeah, it's like he is scared of them or something."

"Do they still live in that huge house over on Gopher Wood?" Lucian asked.

David shook his head in agreement. "Yeah, it's huge I guess compared to some around town. I mean if you have a smaller house and all it'd be huge. Joshua and Adam grew up there so that's all they have ever known." He shrugged. "It's all I've ever known for them. They don't make anything over it though, it's just a house." Lucian nodded his head in understanding.

David shrugged again, for some reason he really felt awkward and nervous in the silent lull that dropped between them and felt it was up to him to fill it, "....his mom loves plants inside and out so the house is full of them. He got to stay home and take care of the house jungle as he calls it. His parents flew up there this afternoon to rent a car and follow Joshua back to make sure his truck doesn't breakdown again. They're supposed to be back late Sunday afternoon sometime." David didn't know why he was spilling his guts to this guy, but he knew that he had never felt as cool as he did right now standing next to him talking and having people walk by and see them together. It just felt right.....like he was one of them. A Popular.

The fourth quarter buzzer sounded and the crowd went wild. "We win?" Lucian absentmindedly asked as he looked yet again at his cell and texts.

"Um.....that would be a huge no, not against the Giants. They beat us at anything and everything...... all the time!" David gushed.

"Yeah... seems like I remember that when I went there." Lucian gave a soft chuckle as he pushed off the gate and flicked the unlit cigarette that he had been toying with to the ground. David followed suit by pushing off of the gate in the same manner. He felt like he belonged here in this scene. He was catching on to this Popular thing rather quickly. Yeah, he was totally meant to be in the Popular circle. David stretched and yawned casually, like the whole scene was boring him, but that was short lived when Lucian threw out his next question.

"Hey man, who do you think was in that jacked up F450 earlier?" All the air that David had sucked in when he yawned dislodged at once and got caught in his throat choking him. Instinctively his body lunged forward bending at the waist as he went into a coughing fit trying to dislodge the thing that was choking him. Lucian gave him several pats on the back. "You alright, man?"

David tried laughing nonchalantly to pass it off as he fought to regain his breath giving a little cough again before answering. "Eh..eh...yeah...uh, must have swallowed a gnat or something......."

"Gross." Lucian stated.

"Yeah, gross." David echoed placing one hand on his hip and the other as a balled up fist to his lips, as if that helped to clear his throat one last time.

Lucian waited for David to regain control of his breathing and stop coughing before he asked again. "Well.....do you?" Seems he was determined to know and wasn't gonna give up.

David paused, trying to buy time he repeated the question. "Do I what?" He looked at Lucian innocently, but the dark eyes of Lucian Black told David he wasn't going to repeat himself. "Oh..." David began. "Oh.....uh....you mean that big red truck before the game?" He moved his hand like he was choosing the F450 over another big red truck. "Yeah I saw that....pretty sweet ride....."

Lucian's gaze was relentless, probing and yet flat with no emotion. "Well, I uh....I don't know." David shrugged and shook his head.

Lucian cracked a grin. "Yeah? Really? Come on dude, you have to have a theory." Again David shrugged. "Awe, don't give me that. Everybody here tonight has given their opinion......come on who do you think it was?" Lucian pressed.

David held Lucian's gaze as long as he could before he caved. "Okay....." He looked around to see if anyone else was close enough to overhear him. Satisfied they weren't he asked. "Can you keep a secret?"

Lucian scoffed and held his hands out as if making it clear that no one was even standing near them. "Man, who am I gonna tell?"

Satisfied, David told Lucian the one thing that he was dying to tell someone tonight. "That was Mr. Grace's truck." He paused and waited for Lucian's reaction. He didn't get one, so he continued. "He's only had it like a few weeks and hates to even take it out of the garage because he is afraid that something will happen to it. The guy is totally paranoid. I mean he acts like if anyone looks at it they'll gain great wisdom and knowledge or something......." He shook his head negatively, "....so he keeps it locked up." He looked down at the dirt again as if in disbelief before looking back up at Lucian.

Suddenly the lower half of Lucian's face broke out into that great smile again and he asked. "Seriously? Mr. Grace? As in Adam Grace's dad?" Lucian seemed shocked.

David shook his head in agreement and laughed. "Yeah....I mean seriously dude, the old man is so paranoid that he won't even drive it to work because he doesn't want it parked outside the hardware store in case someone were to hit it or ding it with their door or something....like that could happen as tall as it is."

Lucian narrowed his eyes. "Really? I mean, if he is so afraid of driving it to work then why would he bring it to the tailgate party tonight?" Lucian paused for dramatic effect, which fell short on his present company. He then covered his mouth with the back of his hand like he had a secret he couldn't believe. The air he sucked in sounded more like the hiss of a snake than a man breathing. Then he stated slowly, as if he were putting two and two together. "Don't.....No...Really?...It couldn't be." He seemed to be in genuine shock. "You're telling me.... it wasn't Mr. Grace driving, was it? It was Adam." The two locked eyes, but David didn't have a chance to answer as Eve came bouncing up the hill with pompons in hand.

"Hey!" She was greeting Lucian, but hey came the natural reply back from both guys. Eve gave David a strange look as in why are you talking to me? Then quickly forgot him.

"They lost." She stated flatly.

"Don't you mean we?" David queried.

Eve shot him a look straight out of the halls of Hades. "I didn't play. I did my part and cheered. Hello?" David shook his head slightly. He knew there was no we in her vocabulary. There was only I which was typical for Eve St. Clair.

"So did you find out who was in that delicious red truck before the game?" David's head jerked up, but she didn't seem to notice she had glanced back over her shoulder toward Miriam then back at Lucian. "The other girls think that it might belong to one of the guys on Palestine's team because they're so huge!" David's gaze traveled from Eve to Lucian silently pleading with him not to say anything to her about what he had just disclosed. Oh God why did he disclose anything? Who was he to tell Lucian Black it was Adam in the truck? Why? He kicked himself mentally and gave himself several imaginary face palms as he watched Eve laugh off the absurdity of something so delectable belonging to one of the Palestine goons. David fought the urge to pull a Pretty Little Liars moment and place his finger to his lips doing the whole shhhhh thing as Aria does when the song says two can keep a secret if one of them is dead. David knew all too well that if anyone ever found out that it was Adam driving his dad's truck he would be 187'd. That was the code used by law enforcement for murder, and Adam would make sure that came to pass with his name attached!

Lucian didn't look at David. He wrapped his arm around the cheerleader's shoulders and hooked her head into the crook of his elbow pulling her to him so that he could place his lips to the side of her head. "Ah babe just forget about it, doesn't matter anyway, we probably won't ever see it out again." He started walking with her down the small slope and toward the parking lot. "Shekinah's?" He tossed out rather flippantly to anyone in the general vicinity.

It was Eve that answered him. "Well yeah! Where else?"

He turned slightly catching David's eye and winked. "You wanna catch a ride with us and leave your scooter here?" He didn't wait for David's obvious response, but kept walking down the hill toward the parking lot with Eve still in the crook of his arm.

David was beside himself! Did he just get invited to Shekinah's by Lucian Black?!OMG! "Yeah, uh....just let me park it somewhere so it doesn't get stolen!" He called out once he found the words that didn't make him sound brainless.

Lucian tossed up his hand. "Alright man, we leave in ten. We'll be at the Camaro."

David was overwhelmed to say the least, but was trying to play it cool. He didn't want to appear to be some kind of Walk-on getting invited out to pizza with the Populars of Edensville High.

"Sure....yeah, I'll be right there." He sort of waved and called out to Lucian's back. Lucian just moved his hand in response as he kept on walking with Eve and now Miriam in tow. As quickly as he possibly could David got to his scooter and took it to the outer door leading to Mr. Dabar's classroom where he pulled out the key the French teacher had given him in confidence. He'd just leave it in there while he went with Lucian and the gang. The French teacher wouldn't care. Mr. Dabar was the kind of guy that understood about having to keep your ride safe being that he was a fellow Highwayman himself. Once he relocked the door, David took off in a run toward the tailgate parking lot. Hopefully Lucian and the girls were still waiting. This night was going to be one he would remember forever!

The engine of the Camaro growled to life as Lucian turned the key and revved up the horsepower under the hood. David paused believing he had just missed his opportunity.

Suddenly the passenger side door opened and half of Eve's body emerged and called out to him. "Hey, are you coming or not?" David's heart skipped a beat. They had waited! He took off running and jumped in the backseat with Miriam just in time for Lucian to hit the accelerator and head for the exit gates cutting off another vehicle leaving. The JROTC student directing traffic yelled after the car. "You can't do that Lucian!" He just stuck his hand out the driver's side window and made a gesture.

" Ooooh....I really don't like that guy." The other parking lot attendant called over from her position.

"Yeah, me either, especially after he dated and dumped my cousin Tamar their freshman year over at Palestine. What a jerk."

*******************************

It only took less than 10 minutes for Lucian and his entourage to pull into Shekinah's Pizza Shack where a dozen or more others had already made found their way after the game. It was widely known by the older people in Edensville that if you wanted to go to Shekinah's on a Friday night you went during the games because afterwards it was wall to wall and packed with teenagers inside and out, whether they won or not. Lucian parked the car before his passengers spilled out. David had been to Shekinah's, but never on a Friday night after the game. He and Adam usually went home and played video games, but one cursory look showed him what he had been missing out on.

Anyone that was anyone at Edensville High was here! Edensville High's beloved senior and star quarterback Joseph Coatsman. The running back Jacob Wells and his twin Esau, who didn't play football because he preferred the rougher sport of Rugby and played on a league out of town, leaned up against the front steps. Jonah Wales, the swim team's captain, was standing with Cane and his brother Abel Adamson joking around. Noah Arkley was singing and imitating how he was the league's top kicker this season. Coaches Cyrus and Jordan were walking in. David had heard they kind of acted as unofficial chaperones after the game at Shekinah's. Only because it was rumored that they were having a wild love affair and used the ruse as chaperones to get to be together out in public, which really was no big deal because they were both single. However, as the speculation goes, the school board seemed to frown on teachers dating so they chaperoned. David continued to survey the scene and saw Rachel Laban and her sister Leah who both worked at Shekinah's and were always here like main fixtures.

The crème de la crème of Edensville High Popular scene were most definitely here. In its very own form of royalty, there was the former head cheerleader Sarah Walker and the former captain of Edensville High's football team Abraham Chaldean. They had graduated last spring and were going to college now, but still made it to the games every Friday night for old time sake.

The couple had been together since they met freshman year and were the perfect example of young couples in love and not the gushy, overly PDA kind either. This couple seemed to really have a respect for each other. Something their peers envied them, even if they didn't admit it. David had even heard that the two vowed to never even kiss on the lips because they were saving it for their wedding day. They had participated in the Abstinence 'til Marriage Covenant their freshman year and didn't want to be tempted to break that covenant with God. The Abstinence 'til Marriage Covenant mainly focused on waiting until marriage for the things like intimacy and sex, asking teens to ask themselves questions like can you officially say that this person is your future spouse or are they someone else's and other questions like would you want someone else kissing or being intimate with your future spouse? David thought it was cool and all, but he was a little more liberal in his beliefs than that, and when he got a girlfriend he would most definitely be kissing her.

Abraham nodded to several of the football players as the two were walking across the parking, but suddenly stopped and looked straight at David. "Hey man weren't you in Mr. Dabar's French II class last year?" He asked.

"Yeah!" David nodded. "And French III this year."

"Awesome, glad you could make it out tonight. Do you know Sarah?" He presented the beautiful college freshman close to his side.

"Yeah, we've actually known each other a long time. We've gone to church together since we were like in elementary school." Sarah turned her head and looked at him as if she were trying to remember his face.

"Oh wow, I thought you were new here....you're uh..." Abraham paused as if waiting for David to give his name, but Sarah is the one that provided it.

"You're David.......David King, right?" Sarah smiled like the idea finally hit her.

"Oh okay, great, maybe I can get with you sometime and you could help me with some issues I'm having in my French class at State?" David shook his head.

"Yeah, I'd be glad too. I'll get my number to you."

"Awesome." Abraham nodded and pressed his fist toward David to match it with his own.

Almost as an afterthought David interjected. "That sure was a great game tonight!"

"Yeah it was, I thought after the third quarter we had them."

David totally agreed with him. "Dude, yeah, with that pass Joseph threw down field and Jacob scored after that double side step reversal. I thought we had it in the bag!" David admonished.

"You saw that?" Abraham questioned.

David laughed. "Saw it? Dude, it was the most awesome play of the night!" The two fist bumped again. Abraham got extremely excited when talking about football. His aspiration was to be a coach of a huge college team, perhaps Florida State or UT Knoxville.

"I was so sure that we had them rattled after that too, but they left Goliath in on defense and offense." Abraham frowned and shook his head.

"Yeah man, that guy is a beast." Caleb Veroce stepped up and voiced his opinion. This is more than amazing! David thought. Here I am standing in the midst of the Populars talking to them about football like I am one of them. This has got to be the greatest night of my life!

Suddenly the roar of an engine and the sound of a rather loud obnoxious car horn got everyone's attention. Joseph Coatsman pulled up in his brand new Mustang with what seemed like the other half of the football team hanging out of it.

"Dude, have you seen Joseph's new car?" Caleb kind of hit at David's arm to get his attention.

"Yeah, I saw it today after school. His dad went all out on it." David tried, but the guy acted like he hadn't even heard him because he was too interested in what the guys in the Mustang were doing as they piled out of the sports car.

Caleb covered his mouth in awe. "Dude, you have no idea. The paint job is off the chain! It's called Auto-Kandy. The paint is literally heat-activated and changes colors when it comes in direct contact with the heat of the sun, motor or even if you just touch it with your hand or something warm! The car is flat black when it's cool and sunset orange when heat is applied. That is the craziest thing I've seen in a while!" He smirked and gave David another playful punch in the arm. "Other than the red F450 before the game that is...." He turned back to the Mustang. "Are those hand prints all over it? Looks like the team had....awe man really? Is that a butt print?" He laughed so hard he covered his mouth with his hand. "Duuuude! Now that is funny! Somebody on the football team must've been having a little too much fun after the game!" He nearly howled with laughter as he grabbed David's shoulder and rocked with humor.

David grinned. He already knew the facts about the car, but played along. "Yeah...that's pretty sweet!"

Joseph and his brood had gotten out of the car, but didn't make it too far. Girls and guys alike ran over to where he was parked, Caleb included, leaving David's side, which David didn't mind. He watched as Caleb approached the quarterback leaning casually against his new ride answering questions about his car's custom paint job. David didn't bother to follow. There were too many of them. He was just happy to be there.

"I'm hungry." Eve pouted up at Lucian.

"You heard the lady." He patted David on the back. "She's hungry, let's go get that pizza." He pointed the group toward the door of the Shekinah's Pizza Shack. David followed suit, but had slowed to nearly a full stop as he looked back over his shoulder and took in the scene behind him in the parking lot.

Reaching the door, Eve called out to him. "Hey David, you coming or not?"

David peeled his eyes from the people in the parking lot and followed the three he came with. "Yeah sure!" He couldn't wait to tell Adam about tonight. He reached into his pocket for his phone when suddenly it was snatched out of his hand by Jacob Wells and passed around by the Popular crowd. Giving a camera to a Popular was like giving candy to a diabetic, too much of a good thing was never good. Jonathan Saulson was the last one to wind up with David's cell. He took his own selfie before tossing it back to its owner.

Jonathan smiled. "You gotta watch this bunch man. They can't resist a photo op. They think they're celebrities." His laughter mingled with the noise on the inside of the pizza place as climbed the steps and disappeared inside. David followed quickly behind him and instantly found Lucian and the girls making their way to their table. Yeah, this was the most amazing night of his life!

****************************

Adam's mom called promptly at 10:30 on the dot. He didn't even have to look at the caller ID.

"Hey, mom." He answered trying not to sound too chipper or too depressed, either causing her alarm.

"Hey, how'd you know it was me?" She sounded almost dejected, like she was trying to surprise him and failed.

"Mom, I have caller ID remember? And besides You Are My Sunshine is my ringtone for you on my phone, remember?" He could almost hear her spirits inflate as she laughed.

"Oh, I forgot about that. So how was your night?" Adam sighed.

"Quiet."

"Yeah? You didn't go to the game?" She didn't wait for him to answer before asking. "Where's David?" Adam really didn't want to explain that he and David had gotten into an argument.

"He didn't come over." So what he lied, it was just a little one. He made it work nonetheless. "We have a project in French to finish over the weekend, so I guess he wanted to get it done like I did." Yes, he felt guilty, was he going to fess up now? No.

Besides, Martha Grace was too busy praising him and his friend to care at this point. "Such good boys." Adam could hear his dad in the background dictating to her his own set of questions to ask his youngest son. "Oh, Edom I will, give me a minute." Adam rolled his eyes.

"How was your flight?" Yeah, he was distracting her and deflecting anymore questions that she might have about him and David. A guys gotta do what it takes to get out of the hot seat, right?

"Oh it was smooth sailing until our descent, descent, that's the right word, right Edom?" His father's voice was muffled, yes, and yet at the same time he could hear him trying to ask her a question. Adam could detect the aggravation in his father's voice.

"Martha, just give me the phone, I'll ask him myself." Adam heard the phone being passed from one to another then the two passing words to each other in the background for just a moment and then it all faded when his father's voice came across the line.

"Adam?" He said rather sternly as if Adam were in trouble.

"Yes, sir?" His voice wobbled. It wobbled he was sure of it and his father heard it because he paused. Adam could feel himself getting tense and rather paranoid, guilt was an ugly monster. He waited.

"Martha...shhhh, yes, I will tell him the flight was great. Your mother wants you to know that it was the descent that was a little bumpy." He turned back to his wife. "There are you happy I told him? Can I speak with my son now?" Relieved to have the focus off of himself, Adam nearly chuckled, when he heard his mother's snappy little come back of well, he's my son too ya' know. She could get Edom Grace stirred up faster than anyone else could and for that matter Adam was extremely thankful right at this moment.

"Adam is everything going okay? I heard your mom say that you didn't go to the game." Adam stumbled. "Why not?"

"Well, I didn't say I didn't go. I went, but only for a little bit. We were playing Palestine and you know we never win against them." He tried to assure his father, it didn't work.

"Well Edensville won when Joshua was playing for them." His dad reminded him.

"Yes sir, they did, but Palestine didn't have a guy named Goliath Gath on their team at the time either."

"I see...." His dad paused, Adam froze with a knot caught in his throat, and he waited for his father's reaction. "You know..."

"Well truthfully....I was bored with the game anyway and just decided that I needed to get in bed early because of all the yard work tomorrow." There that sounded believable, didn't it?

"Well, hmmm....you know what I was thinking?"

"No sir?" He nearly choked out.

"Why don't you just head on out to the Canaan Farms tomorrow and grab a truck load of mulch from out there instead of getting bags of it at the hardware store. You can just throw a tarp in the back before he loads it up. It won't take you that long." Adam sighed in relief. That would mean that he had to go all the way out on Seminary Road to old man Canaan's farm to get a truck load of mulch, but if that was the price he had to pay to cover up his guilt then so be it.

"Yes sir, I can do that." His dad sounded satisfied.

"Just have Mr. Canaan bill me for it and don't forget the tarp."

"No sir, I'll make sure there's one in it before they load it."

His dad sounded satisfied. "Okay, well, I guess you better get to bed. You have an early and long day tomorrow." Adam agreed, said his good nights to his parents and hit the end button on his phone. Yeah, it was gonna be a long day.

Later, as he got ready for bed and slid into his pajama pants the alert notification on his phone went off telling him that he had received a text. Going over to the nightstand he picked up his phone and saw that he had a couple of messages from David. The first one was one telling him that he was sorry that he had gotten so upset and that he forgave him for not staying. The next one was a selfie of Jonah and Joseph outside of Shekinah's followed by more pictures of other Populars. The next picture was of David himself, in the backseat of what looked like Lucian Black's car with Miriam Marah sitting practically in his lap. Adam had never seen such a wide toothed grin on his friend's face. The message attached to it simply said wish you were here. Then Adam's Instagram and Twitter accounts began dinging signaling that there were more pics being uploaded. These were of David inside of Shekinah's Pizza Shack sitting in a round booth with Miriam, Lucian and.....Eve. Adam wanted to throw his phone across the room, but the pics kept popping up drawing his curiosity. Several shots were of David grinning and making facing with random people photobombing in the background, well not just any random people these were the Populars of Edensville High. Adam rolled his eyes. That could have been him tonight if he hadn't been so worried about his dad finding out about him driving his truck. Ugh, always being the responsible one was never fun! He hit the end button and threw himself across his bed and yelled out angrily into the quietness of the house, "Ahhhhh.....man.... why am I such an idiot?" The question fell on deaf ears with no one else home to answer him.

*******************************

Seated at a table for eight, the foursome had ordered their pizza and now watched as Edensville's Populars enjoyed their Friday night.

"Hey David, where's your friend tonight?" Eve questioned him from across the table as she swayed to the music the old jukebox in the corner was playing.

"Who, Adam?" He questioned.

She nodded and gave him a look as if asking him was there another. "Uh..yea-uh." Making it sound as if she were saying duh. "You two are always together." She sipped her sprite and looked at Miriam. "Where you see one of them, you see the other." She quipped.

"Oh, he's probably at home, I guess." David answered.

Eve pressed as she blurted out nonchalantly. "....but you guys usually ride your little scooters together to the games don't you?"

David laughed nervously, he hated it when he heard someone call his ride a little scooter. "Yeah, well, we usually do because he doesn't get out much." His gaze darted over toward Lucian, who didn't seem to be listening to their conversation at all. "I guess he finally had other things to do tonight." He took a sip of his drink hoping that sounded cool.

"Well it's his loss I guess because we are some awesome people to hang out with." Eve high fived Miriam who added her own thoughts to the conversation.

"Yeah, I seriously can't believe you guys have blown us off and never came to Shekinah's on Friday nights." David took a sip of his drink and shrugged his shoulders like he didn't know what his excuse would be. When in all actuality, he did have an answer and it was simply because he and Adam were mere Walk-ons and Walk-ons didn't usually associate with the Populars on a Friday night at Shekinah's.

"I still can't believe no one knows who was in that big red truck tonight." To his relief her focus was suddenly moved from David back to Lucian, who was sitting like the king of the establishment surveying all who were within his vista. He didn't look at her directly when he answered.

"Yeah, I know. Don't worry yourself about it. I'm sure it will show back up sooner or later around town." He tossed at her halfheartedly as an answer, and then winked at David over her shoulder.

"I hope so, 'cause I want to drive it soooo bad! All that power surging beneath me and at my disposal with just the push of the gas! Oh my word! That is like my dream truck!"

Miriam scoffed. "Oh please! You have never once ever said that you wanted a truck before!"

Eve threw her a look, "Well, I had never seen that truck before now!" She giggled like a silly school girl, Miriam hated when she did that. Just then a new song began to play on the old jukebox.

Miriam turned to David. "Come on, scooter boy, let's dance!" She reached for his arm.

David's eyes popped open rather innocently. "What?" He nearly choked on the sip of soda he had taken, but Miriam wasn't taking no for an answer.

"Oh no you don't. You can't say that you can't dance 'cause if you can move, walk, skip or jump, you can be taught to dance!" She grabbed him by his wrist and pulled him out onto the dance floor, leaving Lucian and Eve alone at the table.

"She really does think everyone can dance, doesn't she?" Lucian remarked aloud.

"Well yeah..... because she loves to dance so much herself!" Eve explained. "I mean besides how hard is it? You hear the music, you move to the music be it fast or slow....it's really not rocket science."

"Mmmhmmm....yeah.....right." He didn't sound convinced as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to nuzzle her neck and change the subject. "You really like that big red truck, huh baby?" He purred near her ear.

"Well yeah!" She pushed at his chest to give herself some breathing room. "That thing was awesome, I mean the color was so deep that I could actually see myself in the reflection and you were right I do look good in red!" She giggled at her own little joke then added. "Just kidding, I mean who wouldn't love it? The tinted windows, the chrome exhaust and the perfectly smooth way the side boards and tailgate let down. It was like my very own red carpet just laid out before me inviting me to jump in! Oh man, what I'd give to get behind the wheel of that thing!" Lucian eyed her as she spoke with all the animation that was Eve St. Clair.

"Yeah?" He questioned her between breaths.

She looked up into his eyes innocently. "Well yeah!" She giggled again missing the look of pure wickedness masquerading within the blackness of Lucian's eyes.

"Yeah, baby? Well just what would you give me if I could get you behind the wheel of that ride?"

He tried to nuzzle her neck again, but she placed her hand on his chest and pushed him away and stated flatly. "Well, I guess you'll have to get me behind the wheel of that truck first to find out won't you!" Without warning, Eve suddenly jumped to her feet and grabbed his hand motioning for him to go with her out on the dance floor.

Lucian gave a slight grin out of the corner of his mouth. "Nah babe, I don't dance. I am the music." Eve frowned, let go of his hand, shrugged her shoulders and bounced off toward her friends on the dance floor where she got right in the middle of the crowd.

For a few moments Lucian watched Eve through hooded eyes as she danced. That's when the best idea he'd had all night hit him and he spoke out aloud, but only loud enough for himself to hear. "Yeah, you go on and dance baby girl, 'cause by this time tomorrow night you and I are going to be rocking one deliciously sweet red F450 guaranteed....."

# Chapter Three

Day of Regret

The alarm on Adam's phone went off at 6:00. He had forgotten to take it off for the weekend. He rolled over and grabbed the phone angrily and silenced it. He lay there for only a moment longer before the stupidity from the night before came rushing back in. Nothing happened.....NOTHING HAPPENED! Mentally he screamed at himself to stop. Nothing had happened and his dad's precious F450 was sitting in the garage as he had left it all safe and sound. Adam rubbed his face and shook himself visibly before tossing back the comforter and pushing himself out of bed.

He didn't get far. He turned and tossed the comforter back up toward the top making the bed quickly, or his version of making it anyway. He and his mom had an understanding. She knew that he was never going to make his bed properly because his theory was that he was just going to be getting back in it anyway. However, if he at least tried to keep his room neat by making the bed then she would lay his washed and folded clothes on it, he would put them away and she would stay out of his room and not snoop. That he could abide by. Like most teenage guys his age he had personal things in his room he didn't want his mom to see and she agreed. As long as he didn't give her a reason to go through his room then she wouldn't. So far it had all worked out for them both, even with her gone for the weekend he still held up his end of the bargain or was it just a habit?

Adam made his way downstairs to get some breakfast and that's where he piled up on the couch with a large bowl of Cap'n Crunch when a familiar knock on the door to the family room disturbed the quiet. An instinctive glance over his shoulder revealed David peeking through the French doors. Adam scrambled to the door and turned off the alarm before opening it to his own personal friendly neighborhood peeping tom.

"Dude, what are you doing here so early, it's barely after 6:00." He drilled David with questions as he opened the door wide enough for him to slip through. "Are you just now getting home? No, wait this is my home, have you even been to yours since last night?" Adam closed the door and just looked at David with his head down and his hands stuck in his pockets waiting on him to answer. David shook his head. "Dude, you are in so much trouble, your mom is going to have a conniption fit!"

David shrugged and admitted honestly as he drug his left hand out of his pocket and pointed at Adam. "Why would she...... I mean, she thinks I stayed the night with you, remember?" Then the realization hit Adam. He was going to be David's alibi. Adam left him standing by the French doors and went back to his cereal, switched the channel on the TV to SpongeBob and ate the rest of his cereal. David followed.

"I.....uh.... texted you last night." David began.

"I know." Adam responded rather flippantly as his friend took a seat on the chaise lounge.

"Dude, you should have been there.....it was killer!" David could hardly contain his excitement.

"Yeah, I could tell." Adam was being glib. He remembered the pictures on Instagram, Twitter and even a video on Vine. Yeah he had all the proof of what David did last night.

"Lucian is...." His best friend began.

Adam cut his eyes at him. "How do you expect to get away with last night?"

"Huh? Get away with what?" David was caught off guard.

"Dude, you posted those pictures all over social media! Your mom is going to see them because your brothers are going to show them to her, you know how they are."

"I deleted them this morning when I got back to the school. All of them."

Adam took another bite of cereal, chewed and swallowed hard before answering. "So what you are hoping is that they're gone before anyone in your mom's circle of friends or family had a chance to see them?"

David shook his head and raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, I can hope."

"Dude, you have seven brothers!" Adam drug out the word seven as he questioned. "I mean come on, really?"

David lowered his head and laughed. "I know I'm up shizz creek...." He looked down at the floor. Adam wasn't mad at his best friend. He was mad at himself for not having the courage that his best friend had had last night and stay at the game in the first place. David was a great guy and always did what his parents wanted him to. He was just a bit more adventurous than Adam and Adam was more than a little envious of that.

"Alright, but just let your mom know that you're helping me today. That way when she talks to my mom and my mom says you didn't spend the night we can at least say you came after the game. Which isn't a lie, you just didn't come right after the game."

David seemed to shrug with his whole body. "Yeah sure, whatever....so..uh...can I get some of that?" He motioned toward the bowl of cereal Adam was eating. Adam nodded and motioned toward the kitchen with his spoon and David took off to get his own. After a few more mouthfuls of cereal Adam ventured to ask what had been gnawing at him since he saw the photos.

"So...uh...was Eve there with Lucian?"

David paused for a moment not wanting to hurt his best friend's feelings. He knew how he felt about Eve St. Clair. "Uh...well yeah kinda...." He shoved a mouthful of cereal into his mouth and spoke around it. ".... but I don't think she likes him as much as she does the Camaro." He lifted his giant bowl of Cap'n Crunch and went back to the chaise lounge to sit.

"Really? Why would you say that, she's not superficial?" Adam defended.

David shoved another spoonful of cereal into his mouth making Adam wait for an answer until he swallowed it and lifted another spoonful to his lips before stating. "No? Well all she wants to know is who was in that big red truck last night. Like that's all she wanted to talk about."

Adam came upright on the couch nearly spilling the milk in the bowl. "You didn't tell her did you?!"

David shook his head and frowned. "No, I didn't tell her, but I should have. She would've been out with you instead of with Lucian Black last night had you just stayed!"

Adam scoffed. "You are so full of it!" He grabbed a pillow and threw it at him. The two finished their cereal in silence while watching SpongeBob before getting ready and heading out to do the list of chores on Adam's dad's list.

********************************

"Ugh.....Miriam?" Eve's hand followed her sleepy voice across the overstuffed comforter and mattress. "Miriammmmmm!" It came out a little harsher than she had wanted it to.

The girl next to her moaned and growled out. "Whaaaaaat?" She was angry for having been awakened.

"Shut that alarm off."

Miriam rose up on her elbows, hair covering her face, drool dried in the corners of her mouth and her tongue so dry it stuck to the roof of her mouth. "I don't have an alarm set. That's your phone going off."

Eve sat up. "Oh my gosh, it's my mom! What am I going to tell her about last night?" She questioned aloud.

She turned toward Miriam for answers, only to find her face planted back into her pillow. "There's nothing to tell, we went for pizza after the game and came home. She doesn't have to know that we went riding with Lucian after that and got drunk and barely made it home by 4:00 a.m."

Eve took in a deep breath. "Okay. Sounds good." She reasoned before answering the phone. "Hello?" She tried to make her voice sound as normal as possible.

"Hey Sweetie." Her mom's voice was bright and cheery, too bright and cheery in the ears of someone that had been out way too late the night before.

"Oh, hey Mom." Eve sounded a little less bright and cheery than her mom.

"How was the game last night?"

"Oh, you know....." She rubbed her face and cleaned the sleep that had accumulated in the corners of her eyes. "uh, ewe..uh..." She flicked the dried crusty stuff off of her finger and wiped at the black eyeliner that was smeared under her eyes. ".....uh...you know....lost, as usual, we never win anything against the Giants."

Her mom's voice softened. "Oh, I'm sorry honey, well I know you did your best and cheered them on no matter how they played, sweetie." She always seemed to find something positive in any situation. "Well, I was just calling to check on you and let you know that dad and I are having our date night tonight so we won't be home until pretty late."

Relieved Eve answered. "Okay, that's cool Mom, have fun."

She was trying to end the conversation, but her mom added. "Hey, do you have any plans for tonight? I'd hate to leave you all home alone while dad and I are out having a good time."

"Oh I don't know I might just stay over at Miriam's again, if that's okay?"

You could almost hear the smile in her voice. "Oh, I think that would be a great idea, if Huldah doesn't mind." Eve tapped Miriam on the back asking her to help her out and act as if she were asking her mom, Miriam yelled into her pillow.

Mom can Eve stay the night again, her parents are gross and having their date night tonight. Eve shoved the back of her head playfully.

"What was she saying?" Hannah St. Clair questioned.

"Oh nothing Mom, Ms. Huldah said that its fine." Satisfied that her daughter would be taken good care of Hannah St. Clair she finished the conversation.

"Oh good, tell Huldah, I owe her one and you girls can spend the weekend here next week! Have a good time and I'll see you at Sunday school in the morning. Love you."

"I will, Mom, love you too."

Miriam stirred a little shifting just her head from the face down in the pillow position to the side where she could see Eve through her hair. "So I'm getting the vibe that you wanna spend the night again?" Miriam's voice was full of sarcasm, she laughed at her own joke as she turned her head more to see Eve's reaction.

"Uh.... yea-uh.... hello?.....besides Lucian asked if I wanted to go for a ride today with him. After what happened before, mom would never let me go." Eve nearly gushed.

"Yeah..." Miriam was not as impressed with Lucian Black as her friend was. "...and she'd be right in not letting you."

Eve ignored the condescension in her best friend's voice and shoved at her shoulder. "Oh M, I'd really like to go, but I don't wanna go alone! Will you go too? Please..." She clutched Miriam's arm forcing her from her pillow.

Miriam drug herself back up to her elbows without removing her dark hair from her face. "Why?"

"Well.....he kinda alluded to the fact that he knew who owned that red truck from last night and might show it to me!" That's when she started her onslaught of questions. "Who do you think it is? I wouldn't even begin to know who owned anything so beautiful! Do you? I mean something so big, so powerful, so massive and manly......" She was running 90 miles an hour and totally getting on Miriam's last nerve.

M pushed herself up to her knees on the bed. Her hair was a complete wreck, but she didn't care Eve had seen her worse. I mean hello she had seen Eve look much worse. She wiped a trace of drool from the corners of her mouth. "Uh...yuck...ewe......" She hadn't even opened her eyes fully and here Eve was with her wishful little party this morning. Ugh...some people are just born morning people, thankfully she wasn't and had no problem shooting any lofty little balloon of hope anyone dared to let sail in her presence this early in the day.

"Well, you might as well forget about the mystery truck. It has to belong to one of those goons from Palestine that's on the Giants' football team. I mean you saw it. It's the only thing one of them could possibly fit in let alone drive. It was massive just like them! They probably just made a wrong turn and wound up in the tailgate parking lot by mistake. That's why they peeled out of their so fast. Besides if Lucian knew who it belonged to then it's only a guess because he used to go to that school, used to being the operative words there. He doesn't know Eve....he's only stringing you along to get in your good graces or he would have told you already. That's all, nothing more. Let it go..let it go...you won't see it around anymore......" The last part she sang in her best Elsa from Frozen impression.

Eve frowned. "Yeah? Well I just have a feeling that I'm gonna see it again soon." Miriam pulled herself from the bed, grabbed a towel out of her closet and drug it behind her as she walked toward her bathroom.

"Blah, blah, blah big truck, big truck......." Miriam mocked Eve's interest and waved her best friend off as she reached the bathroom door.

Miriam entered and closed the door. "That's mean, M, but you'll see. Trust me! You'll see!" Eve shouted at her from the opposite side of the door.

Miriam's leaned against the back of the door listening to Eve go on and on over a stupid truck. And you don't get dibs on the guy when we find out who it really is! He's all mine! Was the last muffled thing she heard Eve throw at her from the opposite side of the door, but it was enough to make her laugh. "Hahaha......yeah, okay...." Sarcasm dripped from her response.

Eve's phone rang again as the picture she took of her and Lucian popped up. She opened her phone, but didn't get a chance to say hello. "Hey babe." It was like he just knew she was there. He had an odd way of knowing things. "You up beautiful? Ready for that ride?" His voice was deep and seductive as it came through the speaker.

Eve blushed. "Pssshhh....yeah, of course... been up for hours." She lied. "What time do you wanna go?"

"Oh, I don't know. Since you're already up how about now?" Was he calling her bluff? Oh dear, yeah he was. She could hear him revving up the engine of his car, but she didn't just hear it over the phone she could feel the vibration of it like it was close by. Suddenly it hit her. He was close by, like sitting outside of Miriam's house close by! At that moment, Miriam's mother knocked on the bedroom door. Eve reached for the doorknob just as Huldah Marah opened it.

Both jumped and laughed, "Oh! You startled me!" Eve exclaimed.

Miriam's mom giggled, then cocked her hip out as she put her finger to her mouth as if she were choosing her words carefully. "Um....there seems to be a black Camaro out in the driveway. Would it be waiting for either of you?" She grinned with a glint of playfulness in her eyes.

"Oh yes ma'am, he's waiting on us." She lifted her phone and wiggled it around expressing that she already knew. "Miriam's in the shower, we'll be down in a few." She spoke rather quickly into the phone before ending the call just as Miriam stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her midsection.

She looked at them in bewilderment. "What?" She questioned as her gaze darted between the two a couple of times then finally resting on Eve who was grinning from ear to ear. "What's going on?" She asked again.

"Oh not much," Huldah Marah interjected with a grin on her face too big to ignore, ".....only that a certain young man is outside revving up his engine waiting on the two of you. I'll go and ask him to come in while he waits." She turned and headed downstairs.

"Oh my word, we have to hurry! We can't let him talk to your mother for that long! He'll be bombarded with all kinds of questions about where we are going and not to mention what we did last night!" Eve was nervous as she rushed to take a shower herself choosing to exclude washing her hair. It didn't take either girl long to get ready as they heard Miriam's mom talking at the front door to Lucian. In no time at all they had rescued him and were out the door headed to his car.

"Sorry about her mom Lucian." Eve spoke as she let Miriam slip into the back seat.

"No problem, we were just getting to know each other a little better." He started the Camaro and looked back toward the front porch where Miriam's mom was standing and waving rather flirtatiously with a grin on her face. "Your mom is totally hot, Miriam." He shot over his shoulder.

"Hey! Don't ever talk about my mom like that....." She met his gaze in the rear view mirror, her voice dropping and taking on a deep, husky more meaningful tone. "I mean it.....don't!" She glared at him, but Lucian just laughed and turned around to look out the back window as he backed out of the drive. "Chill, lil' pill.......it was a compliment." Their eyes held fast for a moment. She gave him a death look, whereas his was more like a sly half knowing smile showing her that he was unaffected by her glares.

*********************************

Adam and David

"So what's first on the fun to do list today?" David asked Adam after finishing up the box of Cap'n Crunch between them and placing their bowls in the dishwasher.

"Mulch....." Adam rolled his eyes. "I have to take the green monster out to Canaan Farms to get a truck load for mom's jungle and rose bushes."

"Cool! So, I'll just follow you in the F450, right?" David beamed gleefully. Adam wanted to knock the smirk off David's face, but the look on Adam's clearly gave David his answer. "Alright, alright..." He threw his hands up as if in surrender. "Then what do we have to do after that?"

Adam frowned. ".....Then, we spread the mulch around the trees and plants in front of the house, mow the front yard, mow the back yard, weed eat around everything that can't be moved, replant one of my mom's rose bushes in the back yard and clean the pool and pool house."

David sighed. "Wow, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Think I could get a rain-check?"

Adam let his eyes narrow and gave his companion a cold stare. "So....what you're really saying is hey Adam could you send my mom those pics I sent you last night, right?" he stated evenly.

"Blackmail B.R.? Is that how you wanna play this? Really?" Adam raised an eyebrow. David panicked. "You wouldn't dare and I've got dirt of my own to share!" Adam had forgotten that while he was busy driving last night David was busy taking selfies in the passenger seat.

Adam held the stare for a moment longer before he broke. "No.....but dude come on, I could really use some help today." He nearly whined.

Calling it even, David sighed. "Alright, alright.....I said that I would help just no blackmail okay?" His eyes pleaded with Adam.

"You know me better than that." Adam admitted.

"Yeah, I know.....so....lead the way my big red truck driving friend!" Adam frowned. "Sorry, just had to say it...I was just playing....Okay so let's get this stuff done so we can at least swim after it's all finished! You turn the heater on in the pool?"

"Stays on year round, you know my parents and their early morning swims." Adam remarked flippantly.

"Oh yeah, I forgot." David added after remembering.

Adam grabbed the keys and headed toward the garage where he started the green monster without even giving his dad's other truck a second glance. Guilt and shame haunted him.

Adam backed out of the garage and turned left onto his street. "Do you see the gas can back there?" Adam asked.

David looked back over his shoulder to the bed of the truck. "Yeah, it's up close to the cab."

Adam nodded. "Okay good, don't let me forget we need gas for the riding lawnmower, too."

David looked at him pitifully. "You gonna at least let me drive that?" David asked facetiously.

Adam laughed. "Yeah man, knock yourself out. It's all yours today. Drive until you can't drive anymore, or at least until the yard is all cut."

David held up his fist in agreement and tapped Adam's. "Done!"

Canaan Farm was way out on Hwy 99 near the edge of Edensville. People from all over the county went out there for anything organic. The farm had been passed down from generation to generation for as long as anyone could remember. They sold mulch, pumpkins, vegetables, fruit, homegrown beef and chicken, homemade jams, jellies, breads and by far the best homemade sausage you could ever hope to put on your table, or so the sign read. Miriam's brother Aaron Marah worked on the tractors and farm equipment out there. He had gone to school to work on diesel engines and found a job as Canaan Farm's chief mechanic when he graduated.

The place was bustling this time of year with a parking lot full of customers. Adam and David pulled into the busy gravel parking lot and got out of the truck. "Hey there b..bb...bboys! H..hhh....hhhhhow are ya? Wha....wha..what brings you out this far today?" Old man Moses' speech impediment caused him to stutter, but he was a nice old man and everyone took into account he couldn't help it. It was just a part of him, like the farm it had been in his family for generations, but no one alive now could even remember who ran it before him.

Adam returned the owner's greeting. "Hey Mr. Canaan! How are you today?" The old man made his way through the crowd to the pair. His walk was halted a little as he leaned on a large wooden walking stick shaped like a shepherd's staff that stretched well beyond the top of his head. Anyone visiting or working on the farm would be able to find him with no problem. They need only look for the staff. "What can I d...dd...ddddd....do for you boys today?" The old farmer patted Adam on the shoulder when he reached them.

"My dad sent me out to get some mulch from you so that I can protect mom's shrubs for the winter."

"W...w...well then, I b...bbb....believe we can handle that for ya." The older man nodded. "Well sss.....sshhh....sure, wouldn't w..wwwa...want your mother's prize winning rose bushes tt.....tttt...to get frost bit. Yyyy....yyyyy.....you're gonna need something to put over them too. Has she ppp...pppp...pruned 'em yet?" He was asking questions that Adam had no idea the answers to.

"Uh.....I'm not so sure sir, dad just sent me out for the mulch, but I'll ask her when they get back. Oh and he asked could you put it on his account?"

"Shhhh.....shhh....sure can. Hhhhh....hh...how 'bout I jjj.....just fix you....uuuuup...with everything shhhh....she uuuu....usually gets?"

"Sounds great, thank you!"

"Wh...wh...where is your mom and dad today anyway?" The old farmer questioned.

"They're at West Point bringing Joshua home for the holiday," Adam explained.

The old man nodded his head as he made his way around the truck to the big red barn motioning for the boys to follow. "Oh nnn.....nnnnn...now that's a good one there. I l...llll.....like that brother of yours, he's a real fine young m...mmmmm....man....he'll bbb....bbbb....be something special some day. Aaron!" He called toward the barn. A tall, lean Aaron Marah came out of the barn wiping his greasy hands on a soiled rag.

"Yes sir?" He nodded his head in acknowledgement toward Adam and David.

"Hey." Both echoed back in unison. "Yyyyyoung M....mmm.......Master Ggggggrace here is in need of some mulch. Could you get him a tt....tttt.....truck load and annnnything else his mom uuuuusually gets for her fffffall plants?"

Aaron nodded. "Yes sir." He answered the old man and then looked at Adam. "Just back your truck up over there." He motioned for Adam to move it over next to the front end loader. Adam did as he was instructed and hurriedly put the tarp on the inside of the bed with David's help as his dad had instructed.

"Tttt.....tttell your mom and dad I said Hi...oh and Aaron I'll be s...sss.....sssending his dad a bill." Aaron nodded and old man Canaan bid them both goodbyes as he headed back around the barn to help his many other customers. Aaron emptied the load of mulch into the truck and then climbed down out of the cockpit of the tractor.

"Hey, you two haven't seen my sister have you?" Adam shook his head and David lowered his gaze.

"No....I uh....I guess she's probably with Eve." Adam ventured, but Aaron shook his head.

"No, I saw some pictures on Instagram this morning that she posted last night. I think she was with that low life Lucian Black. Man, I hate that guy!" David had nothing to say. He paid more attention to the knot in his Chucks and the bottom of his jeans than he did to Aaron.

"I uh.....I don't know, I saw her for a little bit before the game last night." Adam commented casually and noticed that David wasn't fessing up about anything he might know.

"You couldn't tell who she was with in the pictures?" David asked after finally finding his voice.

Aaron frowned. "No, I could tell she was in Lucian's car and Eve was with Lucian, but I couldn't tell who Miriam was with in the backseat. All I know is that he had short hair. Her pictures are usually pretty blurry when she gets to drinking."

David quickly tried to steer the conversation. "Maybe it was just the movement of the car? Yeah probably nothing more than just the movement of the car that's all. Uh...well....you ready to go? We...uh...we have a lot to do today better get to it." Adam looked hesitantly over at David as he gestured toward the truck.

Aaron nodded and helped them by shutting the tailgate. "Yeah, okay then well see ya'. Thanks." Just as the boys were about to get back into the cab of the truck Aaron called out once more. "Hey!" Adam and David froze, their gazes locked on each other from the opposite side of the truck through the open cab doors. "If you hear of anything, would you let me know? I hear there's this big truck that showed up at the game last night, but no one seems to know who it belongs to and I just don't want her getting into any trouble."

Adam shook his head. "Sure."

"Uh, yeah will do!" David answered without even looking at Aaron.

"Alright, thanks again. See ya'." Both boys slid into the cab of the truck so quickly Adam could get the keys out fast enough.

Only when they were a good distance away from the farm did Adam attempt to speak. "Dude, were you drinking last night?"

David looked out the window, not wanting to meet his best friend's gaze. "Dude? Did you hear me?" His speed had increased during the inquisition. "I asked....."

David bobbed his head. "Yes, I heard you!" He threw back.

"So you were?" Adam waited. No answer. "Where did you get alcohol from? Lucian? Is that the real reason you stayed out so late and couldn't go home?"

"You're not my dad, lay off!" David still wouldn't meet Adam's gaze he kept his steadied out the window looking at nothing in particular, but everything at once. There was a heavy pause between the two for at least four miles.

Finally, Adam broke the silence. He was relentless. "Well....?" This time his voice was calmer, less like a dad more like a concerned friend.

David nodded. "Yeah Lucian had a cooler in the trunk of the Camaro. I had a little and got sick from riding in the backseat down Lookout Point with all those winding roads. It was embarrassing. He had to pull over and let me puke on the side of the road. After Lucian left me at Miriam's I started walking and puked some more, but didn't miss my shirt that time. I was so sick and reeked of alcohol and puke that I just went to Mr. Dabar's classroom and laid down until the world stopped spinning. I knew my parents would have 187'd me if I went home like that, and I figured since you were mad at me I couldn't knock on your door at 4:00 a.m.! So I waited until I felt better which was around 6:00 this morning. I had an extra shirt in my locker and........" He shrugged, the rest Adam already knew.

Adam didn't say anything for another half mile, then blurted out. "Well, I can tell you changing shirts didn't help much." His voice was a little harsher than he meant for it to be, but he was disappointed and was having a hard time not letting it be known. They had always been truthful to one another even if it was brutal honesty. "You know I thought I smelled alcohol this morning. I thought maybe Miriam had been drinking and spilled it or something on you. I never thought that it would be you that was stupid enough to have been the one to drink it!"

"Awe, Adam, come on. Noah Arkley was there hanging out and Lucian was offering it to anyone that wanted it. I didn't want to seem rude, so I accepted it." He lied as he tried to explain.

"Did Eve drink anything?" Adam was livid when he asked.

"Not really, I mean I really don't know...." How could he tell him something negative about his precious Eve? Adam didn't want to hear anything but praises about little Miss Perfect. "... I...uh...I was with Miriam, so I don't know."

"And what about Lucian? Was he drinking? I mean he was the one driving you all, right?"

David shook his head. "I don't think so.......I mean he was holding one, but I never saw him drink any of it. Like you said, he was driving so maybe he just held it."

"So you're saying that you don't know if you got back in the car with someone that was driving under the influence? Really, David? I mean come on, you know better!" Adam wanted to kick himself. He was totally acting like David's dad, but he couldn't help it. He was thinking perhaps had he been there David wouldn't have done it. Clearly he was blaming himself, but admitting it was different. He found projecting his own feelings easier. Although he was relieved to hear that at least Eve hadn't drank anything. That just didn't fit what he knew of her. She was a good girl, sweet, whole, innocent. However, he was definitely surprised that his best friend had. He and David had signed a pledge at church making them accountable to each other, to stay celibate and alcohol/drug free...... at least until college since they had planned on applying to different schools.

"Dude, don't be mad. There was just beer there and something that Noah had brought....which didn't look like a big deal. It was just like Kool-aid or fruit punch with a kick I heard him say." He laughed slightly at his own humor.

Adam shook his head angrily. "Yeah man, it is a big deal. You made a promise with not only me, but to God to live clean and sober."

David was at a loss for words. "Dude, lighten up, nothing happened. I have my virginity intact, and I didn't drive while under the influence of alcohol......." David scoffed as he used his fingers to make air quotes around the last part of his statement.

Adam shook his head with disdain, which infuriated David evoking his own anger. "You know what man, you are not my dad.....if you can't understand that I was just blowing off a little steam with some friends then maybe I just need to go home. Because a real friend would understand the need for a little alcohol every once in a while when you're just hanging out with friends."

Adam agreed. "A real friend.....really? A real friend wouldn't have offered it to you in the first place.....so yeah maybe you should go on home then. Because as a non-real friend I guess I don't understand why you would think that you have to have alcohol to have a good time with the Populars? It's just stupid!"

David was at a loss for words. He turned his head to look out the window again, the conversation was over. He and Adam had never fought like this before. They were like brothers, the ride or die kind.

Adam didn't understand what was going on with his friend, his best friend. It wasn't like him to just walk away from a promise or commitment, it just wasn't David. He once wore a pair of Converse his grandmother bought him for Christmas to bed every night because he promised her that he would never take them off. It took his parents the rest of Christmas break and finally making a call to his grandmother to ask her to tell him he could break the promise and take them off because he needed to shower and wash his feet. Even then he argued that he could just take a bath with them and wash them too so he could keep them on like he promised her. He actually wound up wearing them until the bottoms had several holes and the side rubber came off. Jesse King finally bought him a new pair and took the opportunity teach him the difference between a grand gesture of gratitude like making a promise to wear them forever and never taking them off, and being truly committed to a promise that you would make that could greatly affect your life.

The friends rode back to Adam's house in silence. When they arrived David jumped out of the truck without a word, got on his scooter and left, leaving Adam alone with his thoughts and a mountain of yard work.

******************************

It hadn't taken long to shovel the mulch out of the back of the green monster. Adam's anger was fueling him as he had worked. It wasn't until he had placed the shovel against garage and headed to get on the lawnmower that he remembered that in the midst of his anger he had forgotten to get gas for it. He grumbled under his breath angrily. He was covered in sweat, mulch and dirt from head to toe and now had to head back out to get gas. Ugh! All he really wanted was a good hot shower and a nap, but there was no taking either right now when he still had to mow the yard. He could kick David for making him so upset that he forget the gas. Adam cleaned up as best he could and hopped in the green monster to head down to the gas station. He glanced at himself in the rearview mirror. Dirt was still smeared on his face. He wiped at it angrily and for whatever reason it stirred once again his anger at David. Some friend he thought and now here I am left to do all this work by myself when he knows everything that I have to do just to get to be home this weekend! Yeah some friend!

Adam didn't want to be angry with David, and he really didn't know if he was mad at David or himself in all honesty. He was just filled with should haves, could haves and would haves and had no real answer to any of them. David was old enough to make his own decisions. Why did he feel he had to protect him? Because he always had that's why. Whenever he got bullied on the playground when they were little Adam always came to his rescue. Whenever David let his mouth overload his butt, Adam was always there to come to the rescue. Adam was kicking himself because this was the one time that David could have really used his help to say no to the peer pressure of alcohol and he wasn't there. Yeah, that was it. He hadn't been there and should have been for his best friend, but he had let his own wants and desires put him in a position that consumed him with guilt and shame. Adam vowed to call David later and apologize and take responsibility for his part of their argument. He wasn't mad at David at all. He was angry with himself and what he had done to begin with. Taking his dad's F450 to the game.

Driving through town with the windows down in the green monster helped to blow off the anger that had tried to consume him. He had to give it to his dad, with this being such an old truck it sure was still in great condition. He had even made sure that it still ran great and the duel exhaust still gave that nice deep rumble when given gas. The radio was one of those AM/FM turn the knob types and you slid the button in to change the channels, but it still found the tunes. It wasn't equipped with fancy lights, digital moving parts or CD player, but it was in amazing condition. His dad didn't want to upgrade anything on it. It's a classic and you just don't ruin a good classic with fancy upgrades and features. That's why it's called a classic as he put it.

Adam drove along in silence listening to the antique radio playing the modern music, it wasn't until he heard Kutless' version of Take Me into the Holy of Holies flowing from the speakers that he cranked it up and sang along. The deep electric guitar slides took him to another place entirely. It just seemed to make the anger he felt toward David fall right off. About the time he pulled into the gas station the song was ending and an overwhelming peace washed over him. The anger was gone. He turned the truck off and smiled to himself, he liked it when the music spoke to him like that. Grabbing the keys, he headed inside to pay for the gas, grab a Vitamin water and some beef jerky and head back out to fill the tank and the gas can. He had opened the Vitamin water and was drinking it as he walked across the parking lot and caught a glimpse of a black Camaro pulling in. Lucian Black was the only one in Edensville, or the surrounding towns, that had a black on black Camaro with windows so darkly tinted that Adam was positive that they couldn't possibly be legal. So it came as no surprise who got out and made his way to the pump on the opposite side of the one that Adam was going to be using. Adam frowned, but made his way to the pump to draw his own gas. The two made eye contact.

"Hey." Adam didn't want to seem rude. He blamed his mother for good manners.

"Hey." Lucian returned the greeting.

Adam then heard giggling coming from the car. He didn't have to bend over and look inside to know who was in Lucian's car. He knew her laugh. It was Eve St. Clair and her friend Miriam Marah, as usual. The pump seemed to be taking its own sweet time to fill the tank of the green monster, so Adam busied himself with reading the pump as the numbers slowly clicked over. He fought desperately to not get caught stealing a glance over at Lucian. Too late. He couldn't help it. They were all nearly face to face with one another. How do you keep from making eye contact with someone you are facing, but not facing? You don't and it's a good thing you can't. Adam nearly freaked when he saw that Lucian was smoking a cigarette while pumping gas!

"Dude!" Adam yelled before he had time to think. "What are you doing?" He motioned toward the cigarette and then the pump.

Lucian cracked a wide grin and replied, "Living dangerously," before pulling a huge drawl off the butt and flicking it away from both vehicles and the pump.

Adam watched as it rolled into the gravel away from the tanks. "Thanks." Sarcasm dripped heavily from his voice.

Adam finished filling up the truck then started filling the can he had brought, but out of his peripheral view he kept a close watch on Eve in the passenger seat of the beautiful sports car.

"Hey man, aren't you Adam Grace?" Lucian's voice sounded so far away, too far away, Adam's mind had wandered so far with Eve so close by that he had forgotten where he was. "Dude? Uh...HELLO!!!"

"Huh? What?"

He motioned toward the gas can and the gasoline beginning to spill onto the pavement, "Now who's living dangerously?"

"Oh snap!" Adam released the handle on the pump and his eyes darted over to the cigarette that Lucian had flicked away.

"Hey man no worries, the cigarette is out." Lucian seemed to be at his side with a few paper towels before Adam could reach them and began to wipe down the side of the can. "Oh snap, huh? That's a little harsh for my ears man, careful you may assault my delicate nature....." Lucian laughed out loud.

Adam ignored him and replaced the nozzle on the pump where he was met face to face with Eve hanging out of the driver side window, her voice sounding a bit whiny. "Hey, what are you doing?" Her gaze met Adam's. He felt a lump rise in his throat. He couldn't answer her.

"Nothing, get back in the car, babe." Adam was thankful that Lucian answered her and that he didn't tell her he was being stupid for clearly watching her instead of the gas pump.

Adam grabbed a handful of sand the station provided for spills and tossed it on the wet surface then bent back down to finish cleaning off the can. "Thanks man." Adam indicated to what Lucian had helped him do.

"Hey no problem, what are friends for?" Lucian grinned and stuck out his hand in anticipation, Adam extended the greeting. "Say, I hear you and I have a mutual friend." Adam glanced over at Eve. "No, not her, my man David, he's pretty crazy. We had a good time last night, you should have come along." He kinda nudged him with his elbow.

"I...uh....I had some things to do." Adam stood and wiped at his gasoline covered hands.

"Yeah I heard. Sweet ride man and leaving before anyone knew who was in the truck..... complete brilliance! Now you have that whole vibe of mystery going for you." Adam's head jerked up in shock. "Hey, hey, hey take it easy. Yeah, he told me, but only after I drug it out of him. He knew that he could trust me......and I haven't told a single living soul, okay? So your secret is safe with me."

Adam turned his attention back to wiping his hands off and nodded. "Thanks, man."

"Hey no problem.....so I also heard that you are bachelor kickin' it this weekend."

Adam was caught so off guard that he didn't know what to say and evidently forgot how to breathe because he felt light headed from lack of oxygen. No one was suppose to know he was home alone, one of his father's many stipulations.

"Dude, relax, I said I wouldn't say anything to anyone, remember? David just kind of mentioned that your parents were gone to get Joshua. Joshua and I go a long way back, we're old friends. Him and a couple other friends of ours use to kick it every weekend on the indie band circuit. We lost touch about the time he left for West Point."

Adam was wary and showed it. He never remembered hearing about Lucian until he transferred in last year.

"Dude, come on it was huge news around here when he got that full ride." Adam nodded his head. He did seem to know a lot about Joshua, but of course everyone around here did. He was a huge icon that cast a larger than life shadow on everything he came in contact with and unfortunately Adam had to live in it.

"Yep it sure was." Adam raised his eyebrows up and down as he always did when someone brought up Joshua, but they didn't realize that it was his cue to get gone. Adam stole one more glance over at Eve and Miriam still waiting in the car. "Well I guess I'd better head out. Good to see you again." Adam grabbed the gas can and lugged it up into the back of the truck, but Lucian wasn't ready to let him go yet.

"Hey man...." Lucian's voice stopped him from getting into the truck. "I was thinking that maybe since your parents are gone you'd like to have some company this weekend? I mean....there is no sense in spending all that time alone when you have friends." His grin deepened as he motioned toward his car.

"Uh...well...yeah but I..." He didn't want to sound like a total Walk-on. He knew full well his dad's rule about not having anyone over, but a little voice in his head reasoned, if they just stayed out at the pool and didn't go in the house you could have everything cleaned up long before your mom and dad get home. "Uh....well I have quite a bit of work to do today so I don't......"

Lucian didn't let that deter him. "Awe man, c'mon, you know yourself that hanging out with us would be a lot more fun that mowing a yard!" He gestured toward the gas can and laughed.

Adam's resolve and resistance faltered a little when he glanced once again back at Eve. "Well I...uh...." Just one look at her caused Adam to realize that he was about to break one of his dad's major rules for getting to stay home alone just to spend a little face to face time with Eve St. Clair.....and yeah, it was totally gonna be worth it!"

Leaning out of the car on the driver's side, Eve called out again. "Lucian, what are we doing?"

Lucian put his arm around Adam's shoulders at he turned to face her. "Well, my buddy Adam here was just asking if we wanna come over for a pool party."

Eve frowned in confusion. "Yeah?.... But it's like November." She rolled her eyes.

Lucian scoffed. "Babe, the pool is heated."

"Oh...well...sure!" She giggled at herself before sliding back down to her seat.

"What do ya' say, Adam?" He motioned toward his car and Eve. "Babe....in the heated pool?" His voice was low, almost seductive as he paused for a brief moment before retiring his case with, "Let's put it this way, I get your gal there for a pool party and you let me get a peek at that sweet F450 of your dad's?" Adam met Lucian's dark eyes and held it there for a few moments. Then all at once his resistance abated, Lucian knew where Adam's greatest desire lay and it was sitting in the front seat of his car only mere feet away from them. He also knew that Adam couldn't resist the opportunity presented to him and suddenly all reason melted away with an echo of his dad's voice.....desire won.

"Yeah, why not, I mean if it's just the three of you then I don't see any problem with it." Adam reasoned.

Lucian grinned. "Cool." He grabbed the nozzle of his tank and put it back up on the pump before going to get into his car with the girls. "Lead the way.....we're following you!" Lucian called over to Adam from his driver seat.

"Oh, wait we can't go like right now. I don't have my bathing suit. We'll have to swing by my house to get it real quick," Eve cooed.

"Yeah, if I'm in this, I'll need to stop and get mine too." Miriam mimicked from the backseat.

Adam fidgeted with his keys. "Well, I do have some other errands to run in town and I have to mow my lawn first, so that works out. You can just come around 4:00 o'clock then?"

A dark scowl crossed Lucian's face. "Nah man, that won't work for the girls. The sun is up now and if we wait until the sun is nearly down then it will be too cold on our girls in the night air. Heated pool and outdoor gas heaters or not." Adam knew he was right, the pool was heated and they had heaters that blew warm air around the area, but it would still wouldn't be like the sun, and he did want to contain the party to the pool house area so he really needed daylight on his side.

"Hey, I've got an idea." Lucian interjected into Adam's train of thought. "Why don't you just give me the keys to your place? We'll meet you there, have the heaters going and the party started by the time you get home. I'll even help you with the lawn when you get there while the girls swim." Adam wavered in uncertainty. Give the keys to Lucian?

Eve leaned across Lucian's lap and looked up at him and spoke in what sounded like complete frustration. "Hey, are we doing this or not? I mean come on....we have gone to school together like all of our lives, it's not like you don't know me!" Looking into Eve's eyes Adam caved. He grabbed the keyring and slid the key to the green monster off and handed the rest of his dad's keys to Lucian, showing him which key to use for the back gate and which one went to the pool house.

Lucian flipped the keys over and over on his finger. Was there any situation he didn't have control in? "Alright then, so we will see you in about an hour." Lucian quipped as he started the engine of his Camaro with Edom Grace's keys in hand.

"Yeah okay then...I'll see you guys in about an hour." Adam waved as Lucian pulled out of the gas station's parking lot, leaving Adam to wonder if the vibrations in his body were from the car's massive engine or his nerves over getting to spend time with Eve. Either way he hurried and got in the truck, put his seatbelt on and headed to the hardware store to pick up his dad's order and do all of the other things still on his to do list before getting home to Eve.

# Chapter Four

House Party of the Year

GRACE FAMILY HARDWARE STORE

"So how goes the home alone status?" It was Naomi, his father's favorite and most trusted employee, asking him the question as he walked through the old wooden and glass doors of his father's hardware store. Adam smiled. "...and how's Joshua?" The smile quickly turned to a frown.

"How should I know..... other than perfect as always?" Adam replied flatly.

Naomi patted him on the arm as he stepped behind the counter where she was standing. "Awe honey, I know it's hard to live in a sibling's shadow, especially one like Joshua, but you are perfect in your own way and your dad is extremely proud of you." Her stab at empathy was warming to say the least. She changed the subject quickly. "Okay, okay so tell me, what have you got on your to do list for the weekend?" She made a funny face lightening the mood even more, both laughed because they knew his dad all too well.

".....well the usual of course, clean the pool then mow the lawn, mulch the landscaping and replant mom's rose bushes."

She nodded her head. "Not too bad....." She made a face like she was impressed. "Well, I've got....... restock the shelves and rearrange the nuts and bolts department by size." She tossed out triumphantly, but he didn't let her win.

"Alright, alright, I'll take your rearranging the nuts and bolts department by size and raise you washing out the back of the green monster after I picked up a load of mulch from Canaan Farms and distributed it around mom's jungle!" They both laughed at their inside joke. While his dad was a good man, he was very OCD, loved his lists and giving them to people. Adam and Naomi had made it their own little private game of poker over the past year. "Mind if I use the hose by the loading dock to wash out the truck?" Adam asked.

"Not if you'll hose down the dock when you're done?" She smiled from ear to ear knowing she had got him.

Adam shrugged and sighed, "Sure."

"And.....that's the game, folks! Naomi for the win!" Naomi backed up and put her hands up like she was shooting a basketball, then raised her hands like she had just made the winning shot for the NBA Championship! Part of the Poker Game of Lists they played was getting the other to do something on their list.

"Alright, alright....you got me this time...you win, I got it." He eyed her warily as he motioned toward the back of the store. I'll just be out back if you need to kick me some more while I'm down and make me do some more of your list!" He puckered his lip playfully as she waved him out of the back of the hardware store to the stock room. Adam jumped up in the back of the green monster and hosed it down as fast as he possibly could then hosed down the loading dock before heading back up front to tell Naomi that he was leaving.

"Oh, here he comes now!" Mr. Isaiah was leaning against the counter talking to Naomi. The old man stuck out his hand to shake Adam's offered one.

"Hey Mr. Isaiah, how are you sir?"

"Good, good so how's school going for you Joshua?" Adam frowned, the old man didn't notice, but Naomi did.

"No sir, I'm Adam, Joshua is my brother."

The old man nodded his head. "Yeah, I know your brother Adam, smart kid, but not as athletic as you." Naomi shook her head and mouthed sorry behind the old man's back. Adam just played along like he did any time this happened, which was too often for Adam.

"Good sir, school is going well." It wasn't a lie, his schooling was going well and he guessed that his brother's was too. Sometimes you just have to tell people what they want to hear, right? There had come a point in Adam's life where he just decided it was a no win situation when trying to talk to old people and make them hear that he was not his brother. It wasn't so bad really to be misidentified as his older brother. He was perfect afterall. A 4.0GPA honor student, SAT scores off the charts, a complete academic genius, star quarterback on the football team, senior class Salutatorian and West Point's first pick in scholarship offers. He could easily go on and on about Joshua, but everyone else did so he didn't have to. Yeah he got it, his brother was great, had it all and was it all to a lot of people while Adam lived right there in his ever present and looming shadow of greatness.

So for the next fifteen minutes Adam stood as he always did when people got him mixed up with his brother, and how they could was beyond him, listening to stories about his brother when they were little and on the baseball and basketball teams that Mr. Isaiah's Ye Olde Ice Cream Shoppe had sponsored.

"Oh you were a quick one and had an arm on you that rivaled the big leagues! Guess that's why you got yourself that scholarship to play football up there at West Point. I hope your little brother is lucky enough to get an academic one, bless his heart he just wasn't you when it came to playing ball, but he's a good enough kid." He laughed softly at his own joke and memory.

Adam looked at Naomi and pleaded with his eyes for her to help. She all but laughed out loud. She was finding it to be quite funny as always. He waited until the old man took a long breath in between sentences and jumped at the opportunity to escape.

"Mr. Isaiah, it was good to see you again, sir. Naomi, I've got to head on home, I'll catch you later." Unfortunately the old man didn't take the hint. He too bid the cashier good bye and started walking out the front of the hardware store along side of Adam. It took another 5 minutes to shake him. The older gentleman had positioned himself next to the green monster's driver side door, thus preventing Adam from entering the truck. Adam had no choice but to listen to the story of his brother breaking his foot sliding into home once again. Then after what felt like an eternity, Naomi finally took pity on him and came outside with the supplies that he had forgotten in the midst of trying to escape Mr. Isaiah. She looked at him directly and mouthed rather pointedly, but made little sound when she handed Adam the bags.

"I've got this, just go." Naomi then proceeded to loop her arm through Mr. Isaiah's and steer him to his own truck as he kept talking not changing the subject just the content to include her. She waved over her head at Adam as he backed out of the parking lot and mouthed a big you owe me one before sharing that infectious grin that she had. He would definitely have to remember to thank her later.

Free from the hardware store at last, Adam realized that he hadn't eaten anything but beef jerky since his bowls of Cap'n Crunch with David, so he thought to stop by Shekinah's and grab a pizza for his guests before he headed home. Along the way to Shekinah's, the scenario played out in his head. He and Eve would hit it off perfectly, she'd fall head over heels for him and the two would date through college and have a spring wedding somewhere warm. Then someday look back and laugh that it was all because he had disobeyed his parents and had a pool party. He was reasoning out his actions he knew that, but he didn't care it had to start somewhere, right?

At least with them in the pool it would stir up all the things on the bottom, and he wouldn't have to get in and physically clean it himself. It was a win/win situation, a perfect plan to work smarter not harder. He would skim it and put the chemicals in after everyone left tonight, have the rose bushes planted and the yard mowed first thing in the morning before church and be all done long before his parents made it back home sometime in the afternoon. He'd definitely be pushing it in the morning, but if he got up early like he did today then he could get it done. Besides getting to spend time with Eve was more than worth the risk.

The orders at Shekinah's Pizza Shack were backed up a little over 45 minutes, but Adam waited. He was starving by this time and the smell coming from the kitchen was proving that point even more. He looked down at his watch again as he munched on the crunchy little breadsticks he grabbed from the jar on the counter. What was supposed to be an hour errand had turned into more like two. He'd call Lucian, or even Eve, if he had their numbers, but he didn't. He'd go and ask Rachel or Leah, but he didn't want anyone at Shekinah's or at school to find out that she was at his house. He wanted to savor that moment for a little while all on his own. Besides that, no one else was suppose to be at his house anyway, if someone slipped and told their parents it was sure to get back to his sooner or later. No, it was just best that he be a little late rather than his parents finding out. Although he didn't see where having three friends over to swim in the pool was a big deal. I mean they get wet, have a few laughs and they go home, right? No big deal he reasoned. After all it was just him and the three of them, and they'd be gone before anyone was the wiser. Perhaps this was going to be the ice breaker he needed to start talking to her more and so he could finally ask her out on a real date he anticipated thoughtfully. Yeah, this was just the playing field that he needed to turn things around in his favor. Yeah, tonight was going to be the night of his life, that led to the greatest year of his life as he and Eve began dating. And to think it all started with a little pool party!

After an hour and fifteen minute wait on his pizza, Adam grabbed it and slid the heated box onto the passenger's side of the bench seat. Excitement couldn't describe how he felt as he started the truck and pulled out of the parking lot of Shekinah's. Turning onto Main Street, he thought about calling David to come over. After all, he had spent the night before with Miriam, but then he thought against it, not knowing for sure how well it went because he really didn't say anything about it. Besides there would be four of them already and he didn't want David there feeling like a fifth wheel. He'd just call him later and tell him all about it

Adam took Main Street to the town square before looping over to Kedron Valley Drive, only two streets over from his house the excitement and anticipation almost more than he could handle. He was about to spend out of school time with the most beautiful girl in Edensville. He might even show her his dad's truck since he heard that she was asking about it last night. He was sure that she'd like that and it might even get him brownie points if he were lucky. He even laughed out loud when the thought hit him if she asks me nicely, I might even take it a little farther and take her for a ride in it! Yeah that'd have me on her mind more than once a day! The more Adam's mind raced, the heavier his foot pressed on the gas and the harder his foot pressed on the gas, the faster he went. He hadn't even noticed that he had exceeded the speed limit until the blue lights and the sound of a siren pulled in tight behind him. He looked in the rear view mirror and sighed heavily as he pulled over. Adam slammed his hand against the steering wheel hard before he leaned his head forward repeating the word stupid, stupid, stupid over and over again. The police officer walked up along the passenger side of the truck and knocked on the window.

"Adam?" He questioned. "You alright, son?" Just his luck, before he even raised his head to see the officer standing there he knew that is was his father's cousin, Darius Daniels, just by the deep timber of his voice.

"Yes, sir, I'm fine." He leaned over the pizza in the passenger seat to roll the hand cranked window down.

"You were going a little faster than we care to around here." Officer Daniels stated.

Adam was nodding his head in agreement. "Yes sir, I know I had something on my mind and wasn't paying attention."

"Yeah? Well, you need to not let your mind wander while driving and focus on your speed and direction. I never once pulled your brother over."

Adam rolled his eyes and mumbled under his breath. "Yeah, I know he's perfect."

It didn't go unnoticed by Officer Daniels. "What was that?"

Adam quickly changed his tune. "Oh, nothing, I was just saying I couldn't wait for Joshua to get home. Mom and dad flew up to New York to get him and follow him home. His old truck's not doing too well and dad thought it best for him not to make that drive alone." Adam was nervous and when he got nervous he rambled like a thirteen year old getting caught with a six pack.

"Oh, that's good...." He was writing in his little book. "Well I'm only going to issue you a warning in case anyone asks, okay?"

Adam blew out a sigh of relief. "Thanks Darius, I appreciate that."

"You're welcome son. Now get on home before your dinner there gets cold."

Adam's brow furrowed in a panic. "I'm sorry?"

Officer Daniels pointed at the pizza box on the seat and eyed Adam warily.

Adam felt foolish. "Oh yeah...right.... I had totally spaced that out. Sorry....yeah, I'm hungry. Guess that's where my mind was. Got it, I'll slow down! Thanks Darius. See you next week at GG's for Thanksgiving dinner!"

The officer beamed from ear to ear and patted his stomach. "Oh man, I wouldn't miss it for the world! I look forward to her homemade pies all year long!" After bidding him a final warning, the officer returned to his squad car. Adam released the tension he was holding in his shoulders along with the air he was holding in his lungs and started the truck.

Adam pulled slowly away from the corner making sure to use his blinker and mirrors. His house was only another two miles away, but with Daniels following him it mind as well been two thousand miles away! Officer Daniels followed him through the next two stop signs before he turned left and headed away from where Adam was going. Adam's relief was apparent had anyone seen him as he watched the squad car move in the opposite direction through the rearview mirror. However, his relief was short lived as he pulled onto his street and saw something straight out of his father's worse nightmare.

Parked cars were lined up and down both sides of the street. Some were parked on the street in front of his house, a few were parked on the lawn and one had even parked in his mother's rose bed. Teenagers were getting out of their cars and all making their way to one house in particular, Adam's. Neighbors up and down the street were starting to come out of their homes to investigate what was going on too. Adam saw it like a newsflash in his head: Adam Grace, junior at Edensville High, strangled by his father for having unauthorized pool party. Acid rose from the pit of his stomach to the back of his throat threatening to detonate through his mouth. He was in trouble, deep trouble. A sinking feeling of complete and total despair hung heavily over him like dark clouds swirling before a tornado.

He found the only open parking spot he could find, which happened to be on his front lawn next to a yellow Volkswagen Beetle that he was sure belonged to Abraham's girlfriend Sarah Walker. Putting the truck in park and turning off the engine, he could hear music blaring as he opened the door and stepped out. Even through his state of shock he managed to grab the gas can, the pizza and the couple of bags from his dad's store as he began following the rather loud music around the house to the gate of the fence that encompassed his back yard.

Caleb Veroce was coming around the corner of the house and nearly ran over him. "Dude, this party is off the chain! Come on, I'll open the gate for you." Caleb unlatched the hitch on the gate and swung it wide open to reveal what looked like most of the junior and senior classes of Edensville High in a scene straight out of every teen movie ever made! Scantily clad, inebriated teenagers were everywhere! The pool was so full that Adam was sure there was no room for anyone to do a cannonball, that thought was soon mistaken and remedied when Caleb took off and yelled Cannonball! and landed in the midst of a group of bikini topped girls. On the other side of the pool, in his mom's new lawn chairs, were girls and guys alike with red solo cups in hand lounging around laughing with playful banter. Then to his horror, being played out like a freeze frame in a movie, there were even more of Edensville High students coming and going from the inside of his house. You've heard it here first folks, Adam Grace is a dead man. His parents were absolutely going to kill him, no doubt. However, it took only a moment for self preservation to kick in and he shook himself. He had to find Lucian and get this madhouse to stop!

"Dude, have you seen Lucian?" He asked of Enoch Vaniche.

"Nope, not since he let Noah in with the kegs," Edensville's very own free spirited and self proclaimed hippie, expressed before closing the gate and disappearing around the side of the house, leaving a dumbfound Adam to marvel at the happenings going on in his home. He put the gas can down by his mother's gardening shed and made his way toward the open French doors leading into his mother's newly remodeled French Gourmet Kitchen.

"Chug, chug, chug, chug!" Came the chant from within, as Joseph Coatsman was being held upside down by his football buddies so he could do a keg stand. Noah Arkley holding a fifth of Jack Daniels led the chant.

Adam made his way over to him. "Dude! You brought alcohol to my house?!" He shouted over the chants and music.

"Hey, I just do what I am told man." He put one hand to his chest and the other one that held the fifth up in the air as if he were in surrender and totally innocent.

"Told you?" Adam was livid.

"Yeah..." The football kicker shrugged. "Lucian text me, told me to get a couple of kegs and get over here ASAP...." He shrugged again and took a sip of the whiskey. "..... and that's what I did. You know me man, you can always count on me to bring a good time!" He grinned really big, and his whiskered face softening like a big teddy bear. "Besides, I didn't know whose house it was until someone mentioned your brother in a picture in the living room! I forgot you and him are brothers....you're so....not alike." Noah shrugged his shoulders like it wasn't his fault and turned back to cheer on the next victim of the keg stand contest.

Disgusted and dismissed by Noah, Adam grabbed a girl that he had known since kindergarten by the arm. "Have you seen, Lucian?"

She looked him up and down as if he were a leper and jerked her arm away spilling her drink a little then huffing a "NO" at him. Adam watched as she went into the pool area to refill her red solo cup, but he had followed her only a few steps when he was stopped dead in his tracks by the sight of something more beautiful than his eyes had ever seen. Eve St. Clair was coming up out of the pool almost in slo-mo like in that classic teen movie that escaped Adam's mind at this moment, for obvious reasons. Adam's heart leaped in his chest! Her sunless summer tan had not yet given up. She was still bronzed and beautiful in her green two piece bikini. She walked the short distance over to where Miriam was seated. "Miriam, would you hand me my towel?" He heard her ask of an idle Miriam, who sat next to the pool in her own pink and blue two piece looking like she had stepped straight out of a magazine. Now with towel in hand Eve leaned over to pull her wet braid off of her shoulder and run her fingers the length of it to wring the water out.

Adam was at a loss for words. Eve St. Clair was now using his favorite towel on her body to dry off with at his pool party at his house. Totally focused on Eve, all else seemed to fade from around him making the scene surreal. That's why it took a moment for it to register when from out of nowhere an arm had snaked around his shoulders and began squeezing tightly. The voice near his ear startled him even more with such a low and seductive tone. "Beautiful isn't she?"

Adam exhaled, "Yeah... she is....." Suddenly jerking out of his stupor of lust, Adam shook himself of the image of Eve standing there. He whipped his head around toward the voice, only to be assaulted with a face full of sickly sweet smoke, exhaled from the joint that Lucian was smoking.

"Dude! What are you doing?" His voice was higher than he had wanted it to be and a lot louder. Those standing around them turned to look at him. Adam was embarrassed and tried to step out of Lucian's embrace so he could face him, but Lucian didn't release the hold he had on Adam's shoulders. He took the pizza box from Adam's hand and tossed it on top of all the other boxes piled up on his mother's mahogany table. Then he used the hold he had on him to guide him from the kitchen area to where the two could talk privately. Adam glanced back at all of the pizza boxes stacked on top of his mother's table. No wonder it was taking forever to get his pizza at Shekinah's!

Adam looked up toward the ceiling, as if someone up there could help him before giving himself a face palm. Dejectedly, he let Lucian guide him from the kitchen down the hall to the front of the house and to his dad's office. The door was closed, to Adam's relief. It didn't show signs that anyone had made it in there yet, however, upon entering it one cursory look proved him wrong. There on his father's leather couch was Delilah Kutter and Samson Lyons, the exchange student from Morocco, so tangled up with one another that it was difficult to see where one began and the other ended.

"Guys, could you give us a few?" Samson stood up from the leather sofa and held his hand out to Delilah.

"Sure man." The Moroccan flashed his famous beautiful smile. Lucian shook Samson's hand as they passed. Delilah gave a sly smile as she ran her finger over the front of Adam's shirt quite seductively and grinned up at him.

"Oh and close the door behind you......" Lucian instructed.

Lucian waited until the door was shut. "Is there a problem, bro?" He leaned casually against the front of Edom Grace's desk as he folded his arms waiting for Adam to reply. He looked like he practically owned the place and it unnerved Adam.

"Is there a problem......Bro?" There, his voice did it again. It was so high this time it sounded like Alvin from the Chipmunks. He tried swallowing the knot that had set up residence in his throat, but it wouldn't budge. Adam paused, drew in a deep breath through his nose and exhaled out his mouth using the technique his mother had taught him when he would get nervous about a test. Funny, the technique was working now, he felt better, at least for the moment.

"Okay," he began again, trying to stay calm. "So I thought we had an understanding. It was just going to be the four of us."

Lucian listened before he shook his head from side to side in the slightest of manners. "No," he explained, "You said that it would just be the four of us. I never said that it was only going to be the four of us. I don't party like that. It's all out or nothing at all Adam Grace. Sometimes you have to go for broke, man. How else are you gonna live, learn and have fun?" His tone was flippant and careless. Bottom line, he didn't care what the consequences were no matter how he worded it and it sure enough wasn't going to stop Adam from being dead where he stood when his father found out.

Adam squeezed his eyes shut, took in another deep breath and ran his hands through his hair in frustration before planting them on his hips. Then from out of nowhere, mild mannered Adam Grace gathered enough umph from somewhere deep inside and made his demand. "Alright look, you have 20 minutes to get all of these people out of my house or I'm going to call the police."

Lucian laughed out loud right in his face. "No you won't......" Adam sobered. ".....and do you know how I know you won't?" He eyed Adam warily for a moment. ".....a little hot blonde we both know all too well, Eve St. Clair."

Adam shook his head and looked at the floor, Lucian pressed on. "Ahhh....dude c'mon.....you are so hot after her I can practically feel the heat from here. I told you that I'd get her here and here she is. Now...." He paused, reached out and dusted something off of Adam's shoulder dramatically as he let Adam take it all in before adding. ".....go find her and play nice." He made a condescending gesture toward the door as if dismissing Adam from his presence. He had made his power move, said his piece and now crossed his arms over his chest in defiance to anything else Adam would try to say.

Adam's voice dropped in his frustration. He took one step forward and put his finger in Lucian's face. "I said...." A knock on the door cut him short.

Adam turned his attention toward the door. Lucian's didn't move. The door was pushed open slowly revealing a very quizzical Eve standing there in her wedge heeled sandals, green bikini top and a Hawaiian sarong that defied gravity as it just barely clung to her hips. Adam moved away from Lucian.

"Eve...." Adam's breath rushed out.

"Speak of the devil! Come on in, babe." Lucian was interested now as he motioned to her.

"Hey.....I've been looking for you! Hope I'm not intruding." She apologized with a beautiful smile.

Lucian pushed away from the desk and crossed to Eve with open arms. "Well I've been right here babe and you could never intrude. We were just hitting a little of this." He produced the joint he had been smoking when Adam first met up with him in the kitchen. Eve took it and put it to her lips taking a little drag. Adam's eyes widened. He had no idea she smoked pot. She then handed it to Adam, but he waved his hand and refused it. Eve shrugged nonchalantly and handed it back to Lucian as she exhaled.

"Mmmmm, that's good, you've been holding out on me!" Eve said accusingly with a twinkle in her eye.

"Nah, just waiting on you to come to me, babe...." Lucian breathed, took another drag held it in and exhaled after a moment then gestured toward Adam with the hand that held the joint as he draped the other around her shoulders. "Now....our boy over here is the one that's been holding out on you, babe." His eyes met Adam's in defiance. "Seems our boy scout here was the driver of that big ol' delicious candy apple red 450 truck from last night." He drew in another drag off the joint and watched as Eve's expression went from somber to being filled with huge excitement.

"No flippin' way! Where is it? Where is it?" She stepped out of Lucian's grasp and over in front of Adam before grabbing him by both arms. "I don't believe it!" She scoffed with a wary grin. "Really? That was really you? I mean not that I could tell 'cuz the windows being so dark and all, but I thought you had a red Honda scooter?"

She rattled on as Lucian stood to his full height and blew the smoke into the air behind her. "Yep, it's in the garage as we speak." Lucian exposed. Adam's gaze shot from Eve to Lucian. "Oh go ahead and tell her, Adam." Lucian encouraged. "What harm is it gonna do to let the babe know you were the driver of her dreams?"

Eve focused her attention on Adam. "So you're serious? Like for reals?!" All Adam could do was nod in compliance, to which Eve squealed in excitement. "Come on take me for a ride." Adam shook his head. "Uh....I really don't....." He began, but she wouldn't stop talking about the truck.

Lucian stepped towards them. "Babe, slow your roll, he just got home. Let the man unwind first. I'm sure that he will show it to you later and take you for a ride, if you're a good girl." Lucian opened the door and ushered the two back out into the party with Eve hanging onto Adam's arm this time.

Back in the kitchen, tantalizing red solo cups were scattered everywhere. One soon found its way into Adam's hand then someone made a toast to the host. Eve encouraged him to drink the red punch because it was rude not to drink when there was a toast made, especially if you were the host when they play the hosting game. She quickly gave him the rundown, the object of the game was to make as many toasts as possible without making the same one twice, and if you made the same one twice you had to drink a cup for everyone present and by the looks of this huge crowd he didn't want to do that. She told him she knew that he was new to this kind of thing, but if he were going to run in the Populars' crowd then he'd need to know this kind of thing.

Adam watched as the red liquid swirled seductively around the edges of his plastic red solo cup. He hesitated drinking from it, raising the cup to his nose and sniffing first. Smelled like Hawaiian punch. That's not harmful, right? At least it wasn't beer or alcohol. I mean he didn't drink. He had made a promise and intended to keep it unlike his best friend. He really didn't want to be a hypocrite after getting into a fight with David over him drinking only a few hours ago, but drinking Hawaiian punch wasn't bad. Adam reasoned. There must be others at the party that didn't drink either, which was cool. He'd just stick with the punch and play it safe while he figured out how to stop this fiasco while still being part of the cool crowd and have everything cleaned up before his parents found out.

"You okay?" Eve questioned. "You need something a little stronger?"

Evidently he had been looking into his cup a little longer than he had realized. "Oh...no, no, no, no...this is fine." He raised his cup to his lips tentatively and sipped.

"Good." Eve asked.

"Mmmhmmm........yeah, Hawaiian punch, my favorite!" He smiled down at her.

"Okay, so now it's your turn to make a toast, but you have to make a toast to something other than the host or great party, that's the rules!" She motioned around the room at those in attendance.

He paused for a moment and thought before holding his cup up in the air. "To Edensville High's Cheerleaders!" The crowd went wild and toasted the cheerleaders. Adam and all present sipped their drinks. Then they turned their full attention to Eve, the head cheerleader. Her toast was to the football team. Who then took it and ran with the toasts amongst the team.

From that moment on Adam readily held his glass up as the toasts went around the room loudly. Time after time he joined with the others to throw the sweet nectar in his cup to the back of his throat with each toast. It didn't take long for his first cup to be empty, but it didn't stay that way for long. He was handed another drink, to which he tested it to see if it too were clear of alcohol and with every cup it was the same thing, Hawaiian Punch. Adam was relieved that at no point and time was he even handed a beer or anything with alcohol in it. He may be toasting with the Populars tonight, but he was doing it stone cold sober! He might be disobeying his parents in having a party, but that could be solved easily when he got them all out and cleaned up later. At least he wasn't drinking so he wasn't breaking his promise to God, nor did it make him a hypocrite after what he had said to David today either and he got to spend the evening with Eve. This was a win/win in his favor!

Noah Arkley handed him his third cup of punch and playfully hit Adam in the ribcage making him flinch. "Awe...made you flinch, man!" He then punched him three times in the ribs, not hard, but playfully.

Adam laughed as he fake hit Noah back. This punch stuff was actually great and no alcohol? Wow, why hadn't he heard of this at parties before? From that moment on, it seemed that every time he bottomed out another cup, one would replace it just as fast! Awesome! And at no point did Eve ever leave his side. It didn't take Adam long to become confidant enough to slip his arm around her shoulders. She accepted the weight of it readily as they walked together out to the pool area greeting and talking to people like the host couple. Adam was beginning to relax, and how could he not with Eve by his side? This being a Popular thing was a breeze. Why hadn't he made the transition from Walk-on to Popular before now, he thought to himself.

# Chapter Five

The Truth of the Consequences

The unrelenting sun beat straight down and into his bedroom window quite aggressively and most aggravatingly as it made its ascent across the sky. Adam rubbed his face, turned over and covered his head trying to get out of the heated assault, but it was no use. The sun was up and at it already this morning. MORNING?! Adam shot straight up on his bed, his head pounded as he tried to remember. Did he clean the pool last night? His head hurt. The rose bush, had he planted that? Oh crap, he had forgot he had to mow the lawn too! Oh God, he was in trouble! God? Oh no, he couldn't miss church too! He grabbed his aching head to try and make it stop. What time was it? He took a peek at his iPod docking station. 7:30. Okay he still had a little time. What happened? He raised his knees and leaned forward bracing his elbows on them as he rested his aching head in his hands for a moment.

WHAT HAPPENED?! Adam rubbed his face again, he got nothing. What in the world happened? Think! THINK!!! Why can't I remember anything? He questioned internally. WHAT HAPPENED?!!! His mind screamed, a little too loud for his own comfort too. His head felt like it was splitting down the middle. His vision was blurred and he was having a difficult time keeping both of his eyes open at the same time. Finally he digressed and just opened one. It sufficed and allowed him to swing his legs over the edge of the bed to stand, but that was a little more ambitious than what he was ready for. As he pushed off from the side of the bed, the floor and the swirling motion in his head had other ideas and launched him straight down back down onto the edge of the bed fast.

The floor became a rocking vortex beneath him. Adam put his head down into his hands and tried to make the world slow down for a moment. Wait....his bed? Why was he in his bed? Wait was he in his room? He jerked about trying to look at his surroundings, but his eyes were having a difficult time adjusting to the light let alone focus on anything else in the room, it was all a massive blur and..... Oh God how his head hurt, the light hurt his eyes and his temples throbbed like there was a heavy metal drummer playing a double set inside of his skull! Sucking in a deep breath, Adam rubbed his temples as if that was what it was going to take for him to open more than one eye to battle the light's optical assault. A quick cursory glance around the room allowed relief to wash over him. Yes, he was in his own room.

Adam let out a huge sigh before once again trying to get to his feet. This time he was a little more conditional in his measures though. He closed both eyes and held his arms straight out in front of him for balance and let his thighs maneuver his ascent slowly away from the edge of the mattress. Yeah, that seemed to work a little better than his first attempt. Slowly he peeled open both of his eyelids, but squinted from the harshness of the light that asserted its way through the window. His vision was still extremely foggy and the intensity of the sunlight pouring in caused him to want to close them. Adam sighed in frustration, rubbed his face once more, then tried again fighting it to the utmost this time. It was no better this time either, but he at least won in keeping one eye open as he focused on the floor first before trying to look around further.

His room was even messier than he had left it yesterday. The clothes that he had worn yesterday were scattered all over the place. One of his Converse tennis shoes was hanging on the back of the door, the other off the light over his bed. What in the world happened? Slowly he opened his other eye a little at a time. His gaze fell on the reflection in his dresser mirror staring back at him first, revealing a much disheveled look. His dark hair stood straight up and out in every direction possible. He ran a tentative hand through the tangled mess as to not agitate his pounding head. His hands then dropped to his chest and hard earned abs rubbing them hesitantly as he still tried to focus. It wasn't until his gaze followed his hand down his body in the reflection in the mirror that he realized he was in fact standing in all of his glory and completely naked! In a knee jerk reaction Adam sat back down on his bed grabbed the comforter and tried to cover himself, but a moan coming from the other side of the bed behind him pierced the quiet of the room.

"Mmmmm.....give 'em back!" The voice was muffled by a pillow. He looked up again into the mirror trying to make sense of what he had just heard. A female's voice was coming just from behind him on the bed. He was sure of it. Adam closed his eyes to the image before him, but for only a moment as curiosity won out. He wanted to know who the voice belonged to. He could make out a form, but not who it belonged to. Did it really matter who it was in bed with him, only that there was a someone in the bed with him and it was definitely a female someone?!

Frantic, Adam reached for his discarded pants and jumped in them as fast as he could so he could make a break for the bathroom and shut the door. Panic set in! What had he done? He leaned against the bathroom sink. He couldn't even look at himself in the mirror. The gold band with the ruby on it circled his left hand, it had belonged to his grandfather. It is a symbol of the promise you are making with God from this day forward to stay celibate until marriage. He heard his parents recite the words that the youth pastor had asked them to repeat after him. His head pounded. His parents had taken such pride in him knowing that he had made the choice to do it. Adam could see them now as they slipped the ring on his finger while they stood in front of the congregation. His father smiling proudly and his mother shedding tears. He had promised to not have sex until he was married. His head pounded, blood rushed through his ears like a tidal wave! What did he do?!

Leaning heavily upon the sink with both hands, his head hung heavily on his shoulders, he stared at the ring again. Should I take it off? Why can't I remember what had happened, and who I did it with? He squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't want to admit that he might have had sex out of wedlock. I made a promise! Tears stung his already burning eyes. His family was huge on promise keeping. He looked up at his reflection in the mirror. Although his pants were on now, his feet and chest were still bare, but he might as well have been standing in the middle of the lunchroom at school totally nude. He was so ashamed. He felt such guilt, and what about the girl laying in his bed in the next room? What kind of promise, if any, had she made? Adam! You are more responsible than this! You're smarter than this! He screamed at himself and lowered his head again. Think, think, think Adam. What happened last night? He pressed himself so hard internally to remember that the blood began rushing again through his ears making him feel as if he were going to be sick. Suddenly, his fear became a reality, and he was glad that he was already in the bathroom otherwise he might not have made it.

He couldn't be sure how long after getting sick that he stood there trying to force himself to remember, but it worked.... well, somewhat. Slowly bits and pieces began to resurface and give him images that he tried with all of his might to decipher. He had come home to a house full of Edensville High students...... tried to find Lucian......found Lucian.......talked with Lucian in his dad's office and.....and.....and......

"Ahhhhh!" He yelled in frustration, but froze when he heard the occupant of his bed stir. When she didn't make a move to get up he felt relief wash over him and tried once more to push past the block in his memory, but.....nothing. The rest was a complete and utter blur. Now he had a girl in his bed, a naked girl, his mind tossed in, if my own attire is anything to go on. What were his parents going to do when they found out? His mom, oh no, his mom was going to cry. She was so tenderhearted like that. She grieved so easily. His dad on the other hand, oh dear God in heaven how his dad was going to kill him! He had to find Lucian, get this mess straightened out and get the girl in his bed gone!

Adam splashed his face with cold water in hopes of getting the rest of the fog out of his head, then rinsed the vomit taste from his mouth with mouthwash before opening the door between the two rooms. First things first, he needed to find out who was in his bed. He took in a deep breath as the door opened revealing the lump under the comforter, the boldness that he had mustered faltered. He needed her to wake up and get out of there before anyone else found out. That was the plan, but now seeing her laying there, the plan was falling apart. Did he really need to wake her? I mean he could just let her sleep and when she woke up exchange pleasantries before she left, right? Or did he need to offer her breakfast first? Man, he was in unfamiliar territory here and what was the protocol on this kind of thing anyway?

Finally, with as much boldness as he could possibly muster, Adam headed over to the bed to see if he could catch a glimpse of who it was under his comforter so maybe to call her by name. She laid face down, her bare right arm slung over onto his side of the bed. What was he saying? His side of the bed? There were no sides, the whole bed was his! She lay with her face away from him. He eased closer. She was blonde by the looks of the back of her head that was now out from under the comforter, and she was nude down to her waist where, thankfully, the blanket covered her from hips on.

"Hello..." he whispered, but she didn't move. He inched closer. "Hello..." he whispered a little louder, but still no response. He put one knee on the mattress to lean over her. If he could see her face then perhaps he could just stand at the door and call her by name saving them both a great deal of embarrassment with her waking totally nude and him dressed now, well partially anyway. The weight of him on the mattress caused her to shift. He froze and waited for her to settle back down. Her hair completely covered her face.

"Hello?" He whispered again. Her shoulders and back were lean and lightly tanned. Adam leaned in a little closer and lifted the hair off of her cheek. Suddenly, all the blood in his body went cold, and he forgot to breath. The occupant of his bed was none other than Eve! Eve St. Clair lay totally nude in his bed! Adam jumped back so hard that he fell into the dresser rattling everything, from the mirror and cologne bottles, to his Star Wars action heroes.

Eve stirred on the bed and moaned. "Mmmmmm shhhhh be quiet.......I don't want to get up yet!" Grumbling rather harshly and kicking at the bed and its blanket. Adam jumped away from the dresser like he had backed into a fire and got burned. He froze where he stood and waited until she settled back down. Then, and only then, did he slide his feet sideways to the door and his escape. The wooden surface was cool against his bare back, affording him the escape he needed from the room and the situation for the moment. Adam opened the door and slipped through it as quickly and silently as possible. His exit now complete he stood on the other side of the closed portal and leaned against the it trying to regain his breathing with his eyes squeezed shut. He worked on controlling his breathing, but no amount of breathing exercises he did would help the fact that his life was forever changed. His innocence, and possibly that of Eve's was..... gone.

Adam heard a cough that it brought him out of his deliberation. The hallway was littered with cups, bottles and teenagers, drunkenly passed out teenagers. He was never going to get out of this one alive. His dad was sure to slaughter him when he found out. He let his head fall back against the door twice, hard. It must have sounded like someone knocking. He heard Eve stir inside.

"Yeah?" She called out, throwing him into a total panic. Adam did what he had to. He followed his already moving feet down the hallway and ran.

Lucian. He thought. He had to find Lucian. He would help straighten this all out. Adam had it all figured out. If he took responsibility for letting Lucian, Miriam and Eve in, and if Lucian would just tell his mom and dad that he had opened the house up to the other kids then maybe that just might keep his dad from annihilating him entirely! Yeah, he needed to find Lucian right now!

By the time he had made his way downstairs to find Lucian, Adam had witnessed many of his classmates lying around his parent's home on all kinds of different surfaces. Didn't anyone go home? Noah Arkley was on his mom's marble kitchen counter top clutching a near empty bottle of Jack Daniels close to his chest and drooling.

"Noah." Adam touched his shoulder and shook him slightly. No response. "Noah!" He shook him harder this time and nearly shouted in his face.

"Dude! Don't yell, I'm right here!" Noah called out, but had yet to even open his eyes. Adam had no time for this kind of thing. He sighed heavily and took in a deep breath to calm himself.

"Noah?" He grabbed the front of Noah's shirt speaking rather condescendingly and broken, but with an edge. "Have...you...seen...Lucian?"

Noah shook his head. "Nah man, I've been too busy checking out the backs of my eyelids." Noah smirked. "I got some really good news though!"

"Yeah and what's that?" Adam questioned curtly.

"There are no leaks!" Noah broke out into a huge drunken grin, still not opening his eyes to look at Adam. Adam let go of Noah's shirt and shoved him back down to the counter top before calling out openly to the house.

"Has anyone seen Lucian Black?" No one answered, but his question was loud enough that it stirred several inhabitants of the house and pool area. Like mice, they began waking and scurrying about. Ham, Shem and Japheth lay on the floor near the hearth still pretty messed up.

Adam called out to Japheth. "Dude, you seen Lucian?"

He shook his head. "Nah man." He stretched and yawned. "What time is it?"

Adam was agitated. "I don't know. Your brother is the one curled up to my mother's coo-coo clock. Ask him! I gotta find Lucian!" Adam spat out in disgust.

The other two football players stirred from their makeshift beds on the floor near Japheth. "What's going on?" Shem rubbed his face. Ham shrugged and rubbed his head before stretching with his own wide yawn.

"He's looking for Lucian." The other two guys shrugged.

Ham smiled at Japheth and pointed at Shem. "Dude, look he caught the coo-coo!"

Shem was holding the German clock's coo-coo bird in his hand. "Hey! What do ya' know?!" He held up the little bird like it was a prize to be won. Those around him began to clamp like he had won the grand prize in a carnival game. Shem grinned from ear to ear in pure delight.

In utter disgust, Adam left the three and their entourage to go out to the pool area. Lucian had to be around here somewhere. It looked like no one else had left last night, why would he have? The student body from Edensville High littered the pool area. Their red solo cups dotting the back yard like paint spatter. He refused to say passed out because that would mean he was admitting to the fact that there had been drinking going on in those red solo cups, and he wasn't prepared to face that yet. Adam found Abraham and Sarah side by side asleep on a couple of loungers holding hands.

"Hey, you guys seen Lucian?" Abraham had stirred when he heard Adam shouting from the kitchen. He was looking around and re-familiarizing himself with his surroundings.

"Not since last night. Why what's wrong, man?" He rubbed his face as if trying to erase the slumber from his countenance with a swipe of his hand.

Sarah shifted on her chaise. "What's going on?" She queried.

He squeezed her hand. "Adam's looking for Lucian."

She squeezed his back and winked. "Morning." She then turned to look up at Adam and smiled again. "Uh...he was headed into the garage the last time I saw him, but that was like 2:00 this morning. Boy, we had a great time last night. It was so good to see everyone and get a ride in that big ol' truck Adam! Great Party!"

Adam heart skipped a beat. He was sure of it because up until this moment the blood in his body had been pumped from his heart throughout his body, but it had to have stuttered because now every drop within him was pooled collectively in his feet. He hadn't even thought about his dad's truck. Suddenly, Adam's feet took off in the direction of the garage. His mind raced faster than his feet moved. He shoved through the wooden gate that led from the poolside to the driveway. He let the door slam with a loud bang. Good. He thought. Maybe by the time I get back everyone will be awake and get out! Adam was running so fast that he nearly ran into the garage door, but stopped himself short and took in a deep breath before putting his hand on the knob. He didn't want to fight Lucian. He had heard some pretty bad things about the guy, but if he had to he would do what it took. Adam turned the doorknob and pushed hard against the heavy wooden door, however, with his adrenaline still flowing he pushed with a little too much aggression. The door hit the wall behind it and bounced back in Adam's face just as he was stepping into the garage hitting his nose, hard. Blood seemed to spatter everywhere. Instinctively he reached for a rag off of his dad's work bench and used it to pinch the bridge of his nose to help stop the bleeding. Tilting his head back he waited a moment for it to clot and slow down.

It was a couple of minutes or so before he could lower his gaze and look around the garage, and as soon as he did he wished he hadn't. To his complete and utter horror Adam found that it was empty except for his own red scooter. His dad's prized, personalized, F450 Series Heavy Duty, candy apple red Ford truck was gone, vanished, nowhere in sight! Adam was on the verge of giving over to a complete panic attack and going postal on the whole bunch when from the front of the house he heard a couple of car doors slam and then his mother's voice gasping in disbelief. The attack would have to wait.

"Oh my word..Edom?....Oh, oh dear, Lord, what in the world is going on?" Martha Grace gasped.

Adam couldn't make out just what his father had said, but he was sure that his grumble resembled something like, I'll kill him. Adam was positive of that. He felt faint. There was no holding back the panic now. Bile rose to the back of his throat mixing with the blood from his busted nose threatening to spew all over the garage floor. Not wanting to make yet another mess to clean up, he swallowed hard and made a run for the house. He slammed the garage door behind him as he made his way like a frightened rabbit to the laundry room. Adam shut the door solidly and securely behind him, and then in an attempt to completely shut out the world, he closed his eyes real tight, standing in the dark in total silence he clasped his hands together and pleaded. God, please....I don't know how to get out of this. Help! His clamped hands came in contact with his bare chest. That's when it hit him that when his parents found him, and they would find him, he was going to be half naked except for his jeans. He couldn't let them find him like this because when they found Eve it would be obvious that he and Eve had....well he didn't know what he and Eve had done, but his parents would know!

Adam was in full blown panic mode now and started going through the dirty clothes basket frantically trying to find something to put on and cover himself with it. He was too afraid to turn the light on to search the basket because they'd find him quicker. Again he heard his mother's voice as it was coming from inside the house now. Adam grabbed something and just slid it over his head. Satisfied that he was covered, at least for now, he leaned against the door and strained his ears to hear the voices of his parents as they came closer.

Step by step their voices came closer. This must be how a victim in a horror movie felt waiting on the mass murderer to find them!! Closer.....closer....and still......CLOSER! Adam's anxiety level was through the roof at this point, yet they still had a ways to go before reaching the kitchen. They were in the foyer now. He could hear his family responding to those just waking up from the night's events in the living room. He could tell where they were in relation to the sound of their voices echoing down the hall. No matter what they saw they kept making their way toward the back of the house and closer to his hiding spot. It wouldn't take them long to find him now they were so close. From his closeted spot, Adam could even hear his fellow party goers in the kitchen greeting the Graces with Good morning Mr. Grace, Hi Mrs. Grace or a Joshua, you're home! Joshua chimed in from time to time with a Hey man. Was he actually greeting people in the chaos that was consuming Adam right now?

They were now in the kitchen, Adam's mind raced on the verge of panic. "Run! Just run man! Take off out of the laundry room and run! They can't catch you! You can go straight through the back door and out the back gate, down the street and only stop once you have nothing left to carry you, but stubs! Do a Forrest Gump man! Run man, just run! You need to get out of here! Run!" His mind was screaming so loud that he barely heard the voice of his mother just on the other side of the door in the kitchen. Adam stifled his thoughts by placing his fist up to his mouth and biting it, as if that would help his mind to stop.

"Young man?" His mother's voice sounded troubled. "Noah? Young man?" She cleared her throat gently.

Adam's dad's voice was come out a little harsher than his wife's had. "Noah Arkley..... Boy, you need to get off that counter right now."

Edom Grace's voice sobered Noah up quicker than any pot of coffee could have done. Yes, sir came out of his mouth just as his feet came in contact with the tile floor, he tried to scurry out of the kitchen with the bottle tucked under his arm, but Mr. Grace stopped him.

"And leave the bottle, son. I don't believe you'll have any use of it now that it's near empty." His father's voice sounded steady, even and nonthreatening. Well to those guys maybe, but to his own son, who in his father's eyes held the party, it was going to be a wrath that the gates of Hades couldn't hold!

"You guys seen my brother?" Joshua asked of those lying around the living room.

No, Nah, Nope came from those that had been asleep in there.

Suddenly Ham, Japheth and Shem's brother blurted out. "I saw him run in there." Adam wanted to pound him, but knew that was futile because the guy was like a boulder!

"Adam?" His dad's voice came close to the other side of the laundry room door. "Adam." It wasn't a question this time. He was stating that he knew that Adam was indeed in the laundry room and hiding. Adam wanted to scream as he saw the faintest turn of the door knob in the dim light, and then before he knew it, the door was pulled open putting him face to face with not only his dad, but his mom and older brother.

"Hi?" Adam waved slightly, his father grimaced, his mother frowned and Joshua stood with what looked like pity in his eyes.

"Adam, what are you doing in there?" His father went into a full interrogation mode.

"I...I...uh....I was afraid." Adam's gaze dropped to the floor near their feet. He couldn't look them in the eye, and there they stood for quite a few moments.

He hadn't noticed when his mother had peeked from around his father's left shoulder, but she stood with a quizzical look on her face as she perused him from top to bottom. "Honey, what are you wearing?"

Adam's head jerked up to look at her. He could see his brother just behind her trying to stifle a grin as he looked away in complete humor now. Adam took one look down at himself and closed his eyes in humiliation. When Adam had searched for something to put on in his panic he grabbed one of his mother's blouses, and the thing hit him at his midriff and was buttoned up wrong. Martha Grace asked again, but this time more poignantly.

"Adam Michael.... are you wearing my blouse?" He looked down and saw his midriff exposed. The shame and embarrassment could not be described. It was Joshua that came to his rescue by changing the subject.

"Ummm......Mom, Dad don't you think we need to get all these guys up and headed home?"

Edom Grace shook the fog and disbelief out of his head. "Uh, yeah, Joshua, you're right. Martha........"

"Yes?" She tore her eyes from Adam.

"Get some coffee started...... and you probably need to make it pretty stout by the looks of young Noah over there." Noah stood rubbing his eyes as he leaned against the wall of the Grace's kitchen. "And you mind as well go ahead and start sum breakfast too. I'm sure these kids have got to be hungry after the night they've had." Martha Grace jumped into action as Edom Grace took returned his gaze to Adam and frowned.

"I....um....I......" Adam hung his head. He just couldn't meet his father's eyes. "Dad, I......" Adam began, but the words couldn't get past the lump that had formed in his throat.

"Yeah." His father's voice was heavy. It held something in it that Adam couldn't quite make out. He wouldn't swear to it, but he might describe it as hurt? Surely not, he must just be so furious that he can't speak. Edom Grace looked at his son for a moment longer and then spoke. "I'm gonna go and make sure that everyone is awake and get them started on the clean up." With that, his dad took one last look and left the kitchen. Adam came out of the laundry room with his head hung low. Joshua standing nearby put his arm around his younger brother in comfort.

"Thank you." Adam couldn't look his brother in the eyes either.

"Hey no problem bro, we all make mistakes. Let's get this place cleaned up and we'll deal with it all later, okay? But for now, I suggest that you go and put on something a little less formal for the affair." Adam gave him a playful punch in the arm, Joshua fiend hurt and that's when the sobering thought hit him of who was still in his room.

"Oh my word....." Adam's face was sheer terror as he gasped.

"What? What's wrong?" Joshua probed worriedly.

"Nothing, I've got it.... I'll be right back and whatever you do, please don't let mom or dad upstairs!" With that, he took the backstairs two at a time to the second floor where he stopped at the door to his room and knocked lightly before just opening it. He waited for her to answer, but when she didn't he pushed the portal open slightly and found her inside scrambling on the floor for something. She had already found her bikini and sarong and was dressed in it, little as it was. However, she still clutched the comforter from his bed to her chest and was dragging it around the floor with her.

Eve heard the door and turned a nervous glance in his direction. "Oh, uh....hi Adam...um...have you seen...my...uh...." She was trying to act normal, but her voice quivered and broke.

"Shoes?" He pointed toward the closet where her shoes look like they had been tossed.

She got to her feet and went to retrieve them. "I'm afraid I don't know where any of my other clothes are that I came here in." Her voice was frail and nervous.

"Maybe they're still out in the pool house," he offered. She nodded in agreement as her gaze darted around the room and fell on the bed where she had just gotten up from totally nude. That's when what was left of the calm, cool, collected Eve St. Clair lost it. Her body crumbled on the floor in a massive heap of comforter, shoes and brokenness sobbing.

"Oh, no no no no no......wait wait wait wait wait don't cry." Adam dropped to her side and wrapped his arms around her before he even knew what he was doing. She allowed him to enfold her into his arms and clung to him in her despair.

"Adam....." She sniffed between sobs. "Did we.... I mean....I don't know how I...."

He shook his head. "I don't know Eve, when I woke up I had a hard time remembering anything about last night," he admitted. He hadn't forgotten his still pounding head, but it had been pushed to the back burner for now.

"Did you...I mean......then you...were in bed with....." Her words drifted off.

He nodded his head. "Yeah.....but don't worry I didn't see anything this morning. You were covered when I woke up." She moved out of his embrace and wiped at her eyes.

"Here." He grabbed a clean folded t-shirt and gave it to her to wipe her nose with. He just sat there waiting, not knowing what to say. Eve finally broke the silence. "Well...I...uh... I guess, I should get home....." She went to stand up and reach for her shoes again, but lost what fragile composure she had gathered, if any, and just sat right back down next to her discarded footwear in total defeat shaking her head and crying.

"Hey....shhhh....." He reached out and stroked her blonde hair. It was just as soft as he always knew it would be, even in its tangled mess. She was sobbing and it broke his heart.  
"Shhh....it's going to be alright......" He paused verbally, but kept stroking her hair as he waited for her get the sobs out before he spoke again. When her cries had finally slowed down he found the most gentle voice he could muster and spoke.

"Tell ya' what....I have an idea that might help...." When she didn't ask what, he ventured farther. Why don't you borrow some sweats to wear home? When we find your other clothes I can bring them to you or meet you some place with them," he offered.

She nodded her weary head. "Yeah, I think that'd be a good idea. You don't mind?"

Adam jumped up and grabbed his favorite Edensville High black sweatshirt and sweatpants and handed them to her. Their hands touched, static electricity sparked between them causing them both to jump. "Ooops, sorry....guess that's just my electric personality trying to impress you." She giggled and he smiled. "Hey, um......I got another idea.....why don't you head into the bathroom and take a nice hot shower. You can use whatever you need....it always helps me to let the worries of the day wash down the drain." He paused and waited on her response. When she didn't move or say anything he added, "Hey, are you hungry? My mom is making breakfast for everyone downstairs."

She lowered her head. "Oh god...your mom is home?!" Her tears doubled. He wanted to drop to his knees and embrace her again, but thought he had pushed it enough already so he opted for sitting down across from her cross legged and letting her cry. She cried for a good ten minutes or so before lifting her head wiping her nose and stealing a glance back up at him. "Adam?" She questioned in a slight voice.

"Yeah?" He answered with his whole heart. If she had asked him for the world at this moment he would have given it to her.

She hesitated and then gave a little giggle. "Um....What are you wearing?" She pointed at his chest.

Clueless and totally focused on her, it took a moment for him to realize what she was asking him. "Oh this old thing?" He waved his hand at her. "Girl please, didn't you know I like to feel pretty too?" He didn't know where that had come from! He just said it to make her laugh he guessed, which worked.

"You're funny. I never knew that about you." She gave him a sideways look and grinned.

He grinned back. "Well there's a lot we never knew about one another....." Their eyes met.

".....'til now....." she added before looking away.

"Eve, I don't know what happened last night and I am so sorry for that. I should have been more responsible. I know that's not an excuse, but just know that I would never want to bring you any kind of pain or embarrassment....ever."

She nodded her head up and down several times in agreement before speaking. "I know that Adam. You are such a great guy, please don't beat yourself up, I should have been more responsible too. I just wish I could remember something......anything...... that happened last night."

Adam shook his head. "Yeah, me too." A knock on the door startled them both.

Joshua spoke from the other side of the door. "Hey bro?" Eve turned her head away.

Adam's eyes darted from her to the door and back. "Uh, yeah, can you give me a minute bro?" Adam asked.

"Sure man, mom's just asking how many people are up here so she knows how much food to make." Adam frowned and rubbed his forehead before answering. "Well, I...uh...." He watched Eve to see if it was okay that he say she was with him, she nodded without making eye contact. "I...I...uh...I guess if there's no one in the hallway or in any of the other rooms it would just be the two of us then."

He heard Joshua shift on the other side of the door before asking a hesitant question. "Uh, bro, would that be just you and I or do you have someone in there with you?" Joshua wanted clarity. Eve finally met Adam's questioning look, but the look in her eyes negated what her slight smile and nod were trying to say.

"Uh, that'd be two in here bro." He didn't explain any further. He didn't need to. Adam waited until his brother had moved on from the other side of his bedroom door and heard him opening and closing other doors down the hall checking for more overnight visitors before he got to his feet. He held his hands out in invitation for Eve to take them. Timidly she placed both of her shaking hands in his and allowed him to pull her up alongside of him. He didn't make a move to touch her. They just stood there for a moment with their heads bowed low over their joined hands. He wanted to take her into his arms again, but thought that would be too much for either of them at this point. He was just as vulnerable as she was, but he was trying to be strong for them both.

Adam broke the silence. "Tell ya' what, why don't you go on and take a shower, collect your thoughts, freshen up, do whatever you need to do, and I'll meet you downstairs when you are ready. There are fresh towels in the closet and anything else you might need already in there. Well except for makeup....I don't let just anyone use mine." Her head jerked up, he was teasing her again. She smiled genuinely this time. "Seriously, just go and take as much time as you need. I'll meet you downstairs when you're done. Okay?" She nodded looking up into his eyes then lowering her gaze to look down at their joined hands. Adam was hesitant to release her hands. No matter what had or hadn't happened, he was standing here with the love of his life and holding her hands. It was really nice to be able to hold them like this.

Suddenly, without even thinking, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead for a brief moment then returned to his full height, which stood a good six inches above her. He didn't know where that had come from either. Instinct maybe, love perhaps, but all he knew was that he wanted to make things right and for her not to hurt anymore. To his relief, she didn't run or release his hands, but slowly raised her gaze back up to meet his and smiled again. They stood just like this for a long moment. It felt good, it felt right for him, however, insecurity burst through his psyche because he couldn't tell what was going on behind those crystal blue eyes of hers.

Adam's flight mode from earlier was still in gear. The longer she went without saying something the more he thought about running away from this situation too. What if she rejected him? Was she going to scream at him? Shove him and tell him never to kiss her again? Worse yet, was she going to say that while she liked him a lot, and he was a great guy, she just didn't look at him in that way even after whatever happened last night? That would definitely be the worst that she could say. He was sure of it. For a guy to be put in the friend zone was utter death to the hopes and dreams of a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship. His mind was running so fast that he couldn't stand the silence any longer, and whether it was an attempt at keeping her from putting him totally and forever in the forbidden friend zone, he broke the silence.

"It's going to be okay Eve, I promise. I won't say anything about this, to anyone. Scouts honor." He held up his fingers giving the Boy Scout salute.

Her solemn gaze broke into a smile again. "You were a Boy Scout? I didn't know that."

He returned her light smile and shrugged. "Like I said, I guess there are a lot of things that we don't know about each other." She nodded again and returned her gaze back down to their hands still joined.

"Yeah, I was thinking about that....." Her thumb stroked the back of his hand.

Adam froze, here it goes, the death sentence to the forbidden wasteland of the friend zone.

"....maybe we should do something to remedy that." Innocently Eve looked up into his dark eyes, and then gave his hands a slight squeeze.

The pent up air rushed out of Adam's aching lungs. He smiled. "Yeah?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I think I'd like that."

His grin intensified. " _Yeah?_ "

She nodded and his grin deepened and showed his perfect smile. "Me too."

Eve released her soft hold on his hands and picked up the sweats that he let her borrow heading into the bathroom. Adam turned to open the door to his bedroom and give her some alone time to get ready.

Her voice called out from the bathroom doorway and stopped him. "Adam?"

He turned. "Yeah?"

Eve took in an unsteady breath. "I know what people think of me at school because I'm a big flirt, and I have a bit of a reputation as a party girl with a lot of friends and popularity, but I.....I just want you to know, all of that is just an....act......I've never.... I mean, I......."

Adam took a small step towards her. "Eve it's okay, you don't have to explain yourself to me."

She looked down at the sweats in her hands and shook her head. "Oh I know, but I just didn't want you to think that I do this kind of thing all the time......" Her words faded.

"Oh gosh no! I would never think that of you," he assured.

She choked back a sob and turned back toward the door. He stood there watching her as she fidgeted with her fingernails and the doorjamb for a moment. "Thank you....." She shrugged her shoulders a little.

"...for?" He questioned.

She shrugged. ".....for saying that.....I just know how people talk, and well, it's important to me that you know that I'm a.....was.... a virgin before....well um..... you know." Her smiled faded and she wasn't meeting his gaze anymore. His heart went out to her. He wanted to run to her and hold her. She looked so dejected. She stepped into the bathroom and closed the door between them.

Adam's head hung heavily on his shoulders as he opened his bedroom door and ran straight into Joshua coming out of their parent's bedroom. "Whoa! Hey....." Joshua called out.

"Hey....." Adam responded less than enthusiastically.

Joshua righted himself and stood there looking at his younger brother. "You okay, bro?"

Adam shook his head and looked up into his brother's eyes for help. "I don't know. I mean how can I undo something that I never meant to do in the first place and don't know if I really did it to begin with?"

Joshua placed his hand on Adam's shoulder. "You can't."

The weight of Adam's head felt like a 20 pound bowling ball as it hung on his shoulders in defeat. "Yeah, I was afraid of that."

"But hey..." Joshua interjected, "On another note......and not trying to change the subject mind you, because as you know I am no fashionista, don't even claim to know a lot about the fashion world, but I believe you should really think about changing your shirt before heading back downstairs." Joshua motioned toward Adam still wearing their mom's blouse. Adam laughed out loud. What a mess this day was. He took a minute and stepped back into his room grabbing his favorite college t-shirt before stealing a glance toward the bathroom door where he heard the water turn on.

****************************

When Edom and Martha Grace came home unexpectedly most of the party goers from the night before had either made a break for it or were too embarrassed to stay and had opted out of the offered coffee and breakfast. However, the ones that did stay were eager to help his parents clean up the mess or cook the breakfast. Whatever the case may be, there was a strange quiet in the house, a kind of eeriness since there were at least a dozen teenagers still hanging around. Those that had stayed and cleaned were the ones that were truly sorry for the unabashed partying at the Grace's home and wanted to make amends in one way or another.

Adam was so embarrassed and ashamed that as he couldn't even look anyone in the eye, especially his parents. He fell in line with the others and took garbage out, righted furniture, picked up the broken pieces of his mom's knickknacks vowing to get superglue and fixing every last one of them good as new.

He was in the living room moving the couch back when Joshua called from the front door, Hey Adam! He stepped into the hallway "Yeah?" He called back.

"Will you toss me the keys to the green monster so I can get it off the lawn and put it back in the garage?" Adam panicked. The garage! He had to keep his dad from going into the garage until he could find out where Lucian was and his dad's truck.

"Uh...it's all good bro....I'll uh get the......." He tried deterring his brother from his task when suddenly he heard his named echoing from the back of the house.

"Aaaaaaadam?!" His dad must have taken a breath then yelled again. "Adam Michael Grace!" Too late, his dad had made it to the garage. Wasn't it always the case when parents were really upset that they used a kid's full name? Adam took off running toward the door that connected the three car garage with the house. Others in the house followed.

"Dad, I can explain!" He nearly wiped out the wall as he skidded through the door to the garage. Adam found his dad in the middle of the garage, anger as clear as day on his visage now.

Edom Grace closed his eyes in a clear attempt at calming his blood pressure before he spoke to his youngest son. "Adam..." He paused, "....where... is... my...truck?" His father's words were being dictated rather than formed into a question. His voice was calm, too calm and even too, well, even, completely void of depth and emotion at the moment. Joshua and Martha Grace had caught up to Adam only moments after he reached the garage. He could hear them behind him along with the others that had stayed to help clean up.

"Dddddad....dad....... just hear me out, I can explain." Adam stuttered a plea as he made his way down the steps into the garage.

"Yeah, I think you had better." His dad stated flatly.

Adam's mom had followed him down the steps and placed her hand on her son's back. Adam jumped slightly at her touch. He turned his gaze toward her for a moment before returning it to his dad. "Mom, Dad, look it's all Eve's fau....." Adam stopped. No he couldn't blame it on Eve it was his own stupidity and crush on her that caused him to make every stupid move and poor choice that he had made this weekend.

His gaze dropped to the garage floor. "No....It was entirely my fault...."

"You think?" His dad's voice held a bit of sarcasm laced in his anger. Adam stepped toward his father in the garage.

"I wanted to impress Eve with your truck. I just wanted something that would help me get her attention and impress her."

"Eve St. Clair?" His mother questioned.

"Yes, ma'am." He met her empathetic gaze and looked away, wishing that he could melt into the garage floor.

"Oh honey...." His mother's voice was gentle. "But I thought you two were already friends. Why did you feel the need to impress her?" She asked totally oblivious to Adam's true feelings.

Adam didn't know how to clue her in. The whole thing was embarrassing enough as it was. Thankfully Joshua came to his rescue again and stepped in to explain. "Mom....they already are friends, Adam wants to be more than just friends though."

She looked from Adam to Joshua then back to Adam who was nodding his head in agreement before turning his attention back to his father. "Dad, I knew it was wrong, but I just wanted to impress her so bad that I took your truck to the tailgate party Friday night. I got nervous, freaked out and we didn't stay. We left immediately after we got there. We didn't even get out."

His father's eyebrow shot up in question. "We?"

"Yes sir.....D........" He hated to rat out his best friend, but he had to come clean with everything. He was already caught. ".....David was with me." His gaze fell to the floor again. "We were gathering so much attention that I was afraid that you would find out that I drove it." He met his father's gaze. "So we left and came straight home Dad. I promise." His eyes pleaded with his father to believe him. He felt like such a terrible son. Adam squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to try and keep the tears that were burning and threatening to spill over the edges and escaping. "After we got back, David and I got into a fight, right after I parked it back in your spot and started wiping it down. He left angry, I ordered a pizza from Shekinah's and went to bed after you guys called at 10:30," he added. His guilt leading his gaze to the garage floor.

"So all that had happened before we talked to you on Friday night?" His father questioned.

"Yes sir."

He let out a heavy sigh. "Alright.....well...." He let out another sigh. "...that was Friday night and this is Sunday." He paused before asking. "So what you are saying is that you think because David is mad at you, he took my truck? Was the fight that bad?"

Adam's head shot up. "Oh, no....no sir. He would never do anything like that!" Adam stated emphatically, sticking up for the character of whom, he hoped, was still his best friend after all of this.

"Okay then....who has my truck?" His father leveled his gaze at his youngest child.

Adam shrugged. "I....I....don't know other than......" He hesitated. He didn't even want to hear the name come out of his mouth.

".....other than who, Adam? Do you have an idea as to who has my truck? If you do then it's best you tell me now." His father eyed him warily then pressed. "You know, don't you?"

Adam nodded. "Yes sir....." He didn't want to hear the name out loud let alone say it, but he had no choice. Finally he just blurted it out. "I think this guy Lucian might have it."

"Who?" His father asked rather strangely, having heard this kid's name for the first time.

Adam squeezed his eyes shut. "Lucian Black has dad's truck?! How?" Adam's eyes popped open boldly and met his father's upon hearing his brother's questions coming from somewhere behind him in the doorway. Adam turned toward his brother, and there just beyond where Joshua stood was Eve staring back at a very surprised Adam. She had heard everything.

# Chapter Six

Adam & Eve

After breakfast the girls that stayed, Sarah, Eve, Jael and Elizabeth all helped Mrs. Grace wash up dishes and clean the kitchen. They graciously thanked her for the great food and apologized once more before they prepared to leave.

"Hey Eve, do you have a ride?" Sarah asked as she and Abraham were walking out the back door.

Eve shook her head. "No, I came with Luc....." Her voice trailed off.

"Well, come on we'll drop you off if you want," she offered.

Eve glanced at Adam and nodded. "Um...sure okay, yeah that'd be great. Thanks." Just as she made a movement to stand up from the table Mrs. Grace's voice stopped her.

"Hey, Adam, why don't you take Eve home?" Adam's attention shifted from the kitchen table to his mother.

"I....uh...." Adam faltered.

"I don't think that is a very good idea. We still have some things to talk over, Martha." His dad's voice was stern, but Martha Grace had a plan.

"Well sure, Edom, but the girl does need a ride home, and these guys need to get on home themselves so that they can get ready for church. It's already 9:00 o'clock and Sunday School starts at 10:00." She lovingly tucked a stray hair behind Eve's ear, patted her on the back lightly and rubbed it affectionately before concluding her case by looking at Sarah and Abraham for confirmation. "Right?"

Sarah looked at her boyfriend of three and a half years. "Oh yeah Abraham, she's right. We don't have much time at all. We need to get home and get ready for Sunday School ourselves." Abraham smiled back at her after glancing at his watch. "Oh yeah, you are so right, sweetie. Sorry Eve no time, we gotta hit the road if we're gonna get there in time. We'll see you there...." He then turned to Adam. "Bye Adam and again, Mr. & Mrs. Grace thank you for breakfast, Joshua good to see you too man." With that they were out the door.

"Martha, Joshua can take Eve home," Edom Grace stated flatly.

Martha Grace turned toward her husband. "No dear, she is Adam's friend. He will be right back." She then turned to Adam and spoke directly. "Adam, grab the keys to your dad's green truck and take Eve home." He hesitated and looked to his dad for approval, he nodded.

"Adam, just make sure that you do come straight home. We have some things that we need to discuss young man."

Adam nodded nervously. "Yes sir." He then pulled the green monster's key from his pocket. "Eve?" She turned and gave his mom a huge hug.

"How about you help me with some of the baking over the holidays? We could turn it into a baking lesson." Martha Grace offered.

"Yes ma'am, that would be amazing! If my parents allow me to." The two hugged once more before Eve followed Adam toward the garage.

"Don't worry, after you speak with your parents, I'll have a talk with Hannah myself." Martha Grace was ever the peace maker.

"Thank you, Mrs. Grace. I'd really like that." Eve spoke graciously.

"Call me Martha, sweetie."

"How about Ms. Martha? My parents don't allow me to use an adult's first names without mister or miss first," she smiled.

Martha Grace smiled back at her. "That sounds lovely."

Adam was holding the passenger side door open for Eve when she reached the garage, but didn't make eye contact with her. He helped her in and waited for her to be settled before closing the door. By the time he reached the driver's side of the truck she was putting her bag that she had found in the pool house on the floor by her feet and buckling herself in. Adam followed suit with his buckle before starting the truck and backing out of the garage. The pair rode in silence to her home, which wasn't that far from his own being as Edensville was a very small town.

Adam pulled up in front of her house and turned the truck off, only then did he break the silence between them. "Are you going to be in trouble for being out all night?"

She shook her head causing her blonde ponytail to wiggle. "No, my parents think that I spent the night at Miriam's, but I'm gonna tell them the truth. I mean we do go to church together and your mom said that she would talk to mine about doing the baking lesson. So I guess the old saying better to confess than to get caught would be the right thing in this situation......" She looked down at her hands.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Adam opened his door to hop out of the truck. Instinctively Eve reached for the door handle on her side.

"Oh, no let me get that for you." He made his way around to her side of the truck to open the door for her in a wide all-encompassing motion.

"Your castle awaits, milady!" He made a grand sweeping gesture toward her front door as he bowed at the waist and held the other hand out for her to accept as she slid from the truck's bench seat. Eve smiled and grasped his out stretched hand readily as she slid off the seat to place both feet on the curb near him, very near him.

"Why thank you, kind sir." The intimacy of the moment brought back memories that both were trying to capture, but viciously eluded them.

Adam straightened, "You're quite welcome, milady." He used his knight ruse to guide her safely through the short span of grass to the sidewalk.

Eve took a step up the sidewalk that led to her front door, but stopped short. Returning to his side on tiptoe she placed her hand on his shoulder to help give herself a boost so that she could plant a soft and gentle kiss on the cheek. "No, Adam. Thank you."

He looked down into her upturned face. Never in all the time that he had known Eve St. Clair had she looked more beautiful than she did right now with no makeup to cover her lovely skin, her hair pulled back in a plain ponytail and wearing his sweats.

Satisfied with the gesture she gave she bounced off toward the house, but stopped short again. "Hey, what do you say if your dad leaves enough of you..." She raised her eyebrows up and down several times. "....how about I give you a fashion lesson?" She grinned slyly and pulled at his sweatshirt then pointing at his own making a reference to him wearing his mom's blouse earlier.

"Yeah?" He laughed before retorting, "Perhaps you're the one that needs a lesson in fashion because I happen to know from firsthand experience that I am an extremely fashion forward kind of guy....." He held out his hands as if he were innocent. She wrinkled her nose. "No?"

She shook her head. "Um....that would be a big no! But you get an A for effort!" With that she made her way to the front door opened it, looked back one last time at him before entering and closing it between them.

Adam couldn't wipe the smile off of his face as he closed the truck's door. The resounding creak and slam of metal against metal seemed louder than he ever remembered it being before. At that moment, Adam realized that he had had little time to think about how his head felt. It was still pounding, only now there were two heavy metal drummers playing in stereo in his head. Whatever kind of punch that had been, really gave a punch because he was still feeling it this morning.

That's when discernment hit him. There had to have been something else in that punch. True, he had never been drunk before in his life, but he had heard of friends that had drank so much that they couldn't remember because they had totally blacked out. Wait. He had just drank punch, right? His mind questioned as he climbed back into the truck, closed his door and leaned his head against the steering wheel. Had he really drank alcohol? What exactly was in Hunch Punch? Was alcohol one of the main ingredients? Oh God no. He squeezed his eyes shut. No wonder he couldn't remember what happened last night! He had heard stories of people actually dying after drinking punch and kool-aid mixed with 180% pure grain alcohol. How could he have been so naive? So blind. So stupid. He knew better than to just take a cup from someone at a party! He knew better, but there was more to it than that. There was more in that Hunch Punch than alcohol, was he slipped a roofie?

Lord, he knew better. He had even taught in his mentor's group not to let your drink out of your sight no matter what you were drinking and never accept a drink from someone you don't know. How could he have been so stupid? Because he was comfortable and in his own surroundings with people that he trusted, that's how! Adam hit the steering wheel with his head several times before starting up the green monster and pulling away from the front of Eve's home. Halfway home a sign caught his attention Jordan State Park. He quickly made the detour and pulled into the desolate parking lot, put the truck in park and turned the engine off. He knew his parents wanted him to come straight home, and he was, but he had to get his heart and mind straight first and make things right with his heavenly Father before facing his earthly one again.

Adam leaned his head forward against the large green steering wheel. "Lord, I've really messed things up this time and I'm not talking about just being disobedient to my parents or bad thoughts. I've made promises to You that I haven't kept. I've caused my family embarrassment, pain and loss. I've done only You know what with a girl that is not even my girlfriend, let alone my wife. How is it that You could love a screw up like me let alone forgive me?"

Suddenly a scripture came to mind, one that Adam had first learned in Sunday School sitting next to a very young Eve St. Clair many years ago.

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son. That whosever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

He and Eve had received gold stars that week, the only two in the class for memorizing it completely. Adam bowed his head trying to grasp that feeling again from that moment so long ago. He desired that feeling again of one so young and naive again, so innocent and pure. All he ever wanted was to be grown up so badly that he had rushed things. He knew the stupidity of that now. Then suddenly, right there behind the steering wheel of the green monster, a warm feeling came over him. No not particularly over him, but through him, out of him like a wave in the ocean pouring forth a warmth of love and forgiveness that only God can give. Adam recognized it and took in a deep breath, then sighing heavily, he released the pent up frustrations from the weekend letting that wave wash over him and through him taking with it the bad feelings of despair and heartache he was feeling. He wouldn't run this time. He couldn't. He had done wrong and knew it. He just needed to ask.......

"Lord, please.....forgive me." His words were plain, not long or drawn out in a hymn or prayer. Just simple. He knew that he had done wrong and recognized that he needed forgiveness for his actions against his parents, Eve and God. Actions that, as of now, he would accept as his own and take whatever punishment his parents decided that he deserved for them. Adam sat up and ran his hands over his face. He didn't know when he had begun crying, but the peace that had come over him was real, and he knew that he was indeed forgiven because he had asked God to do so. The consequences of what he had done, however, still had to be dealt with here on earth and now he needed to ask his parents forgiveness and accept their discipline.

Adam started the green monster and headed for home. He had been in trouble since he awoke this morning for things he was definitely not proud of. He had even endured the embarrassment of his peers, all Populars at that mind you, knowing more than he would ever care for them to know about his life and family. He definitely wasn't proud of his choices or the results from the events of the weekend, but in the briefest of moments Adam saw hope. A glimmer that something good just might come out of the chaos that ensued.

Then that hope became marred when a nauseating thought caused him to crash back down to earth, hard. There was the matter that Eve could be even have gotten pregnant from their little escapade last night. He wasn't an idiot. Girls could get pregnant the first time they had sex. Had they used a condom? He'd have to look around his bedroom when he cleaned it, but he was sure that if they did have sex then they hadn't. He didn't have any. He didn't buy them because of the vow he took to stay celibate. He didn't need them, and he doubted seriously that she had brought one with her being as there probably weren't any pockets in the bikini she was wearing.

Adam's heart sank as he ran a nervous hand through his dark hair, but he couldn't let that rob him of the peace he had just felt moments ago. Didn't the Bible talk about how the enemy roams the earth like a lion seeking to steal, kill and devour? Boy, he wasn't wasting time here was he? Adam vowed to not let him. He thought back to just a few moments ago, and to the feeling he just received back there in that empty parking lot. Yeah, he'd hold onto that moment for strength and face the consequences head on from this weekend. That was the responsible thing to do, not run.

Adam was sure Eve was one of the things that his dad wanted to discuss. His dad didn't miss a thing. He knew that Eve had come down from upstairs and was wearing his sweats home. Man up dude, he spoke aloud in the cab of his dad's truck, the choices were yours and yours alone to make. You could have said a flat out no at the gas station and definitely not given Lucian the keys to your house! He took in a deep breath and blew out a big sigh. Yeah, hind sight is pretty clear when you're looking in a rear view mirror and full of shoulda, coulda and wouldas.

When Adam pulled back into his driveway a patrol car was sitting there. Adam's heart skipped a beat in anxiety. He'd have to confess it all about the truck so that they could put out an APB on it. He parked, took in a deep breath and slowly made his way into the house where he found his parents, Joshua and none other than Officer Darius Daniels seated at their kitchen table.

"Here he is. He'll be able to tell you more." Martha Grace motioned toward Adam to come and take her seat at the table. "I'll get some coffee. You still like yours with two sugars and creamer Darius?" She busied herself with getting her husband's cousin a cup and pouring the freshly brewed coffee into it.

"You know it, Martha." Officer Daniels remarked then turned his attention to Adam. "Was all of this the reason you were in such a hurry yesterday?"

Adam couldn't hold his gaze. He looked at his father's reaction, and then up at his mother's before returning it back to the awaiting officer. "Well, yes and no, but in my defense. It was only suppose to be three, plus me here. They were already here when you stopped me."

His dad shifted in his seat and questioned, "Stopped you?"

Adam met his father's gaze. "Yes, sir, I was thinking about Eve being here and got a little heavy on the gas and Darius stopped me." He dropped his head, would the humiliation ever end?

"Oh, don't worry he wasn't driving erratic or anything. He just looked to be in a hurry, and since Martha had called and told me that ya'll were gonna be out of town and asked if I minded keeping an eye on the place, I thought I'd just pull him over and ask him if anything was wrong. I really just stopped him to see if he was okay. That's all." Darius wasn't lying, but he was being kind because he knew what kind of trouble Adam was in already. He returned to the matter at hand. "So you think Lucian Black has the truck, huh? Are you positive in that?" The officer questioned Adam.

"Well, I was told by a friend that she saw him at 2:00 this morning headed toward the garage."

His dad interjected. ".....and he has the keys to the house, hardware store and all of our vehicles?"

Adam looked down at his hands. "Except for the gree...I mean the 150, I took that one off." Adam threw in for extra credit, but his father grimaced and growled. That's when Adam decided to speak and answer only when spoken to.

For the next hour Officer Daniels sat listening to the story of the weekend while taking notes and asking vital questions. Before he left he gave Martha a hug and shook both Edom and Joshua's hands.

Adam stood to walk the officer out, but he just patted him on the shoulder and spoke positively. "You are a good kid Adam. Don't let one mistake make you think you're not, alright?"

Adam looked him in the eye. "Yes sir, I promise." Darius patted his second cousin on the arm then spoke to Adam, Joshua and Edom.

"Oh....and you guys better be ready for that football game at GG's next week. We're gonna bring it this year!" He laughed at his own joke. It had been a Thanksgiving tradition in their family for as long as anyone could remember. Touch football outside in the yard at GG's while the ladies cooked, talked and caught up on the year. No one ever really kept score. It was a friendly game between the male cousins and their fathers. Bumps and bruises all forgotten the moment they bowed their heads and thanked God for family and the food prepared. They were a loving family, an encouraging family and a forgiving family. Adam hoped his father remembered that, when all was said and done. Joshua walked Darius out leaving Edom and Martha alone at the table with Adam. He waited quiet at first, but the silence was making him crazy.

"Thank you for letting me to take Eve home." He looked at his mother. She nodded, and the look in her eyes of empathy is what caused the levee that had been holding back the flood gate of emotions to break. Adam let his tears and emotions spew. His mother grabbed a box of tissues, placed them in front of him and touched his shoulder gently. Through the tears Adam sighed. ".....all I can say is Mom, Dad....I am so sorry." He bowed his head and waited for their reply. No one said a thing for the longest moment. Joshua even came back after seeing Darius out and sat down for a little bit before anyone spoke.

His dad was finally the one that broke the tension. "Adam, your brother and Darius was telling us about this Lucian Black before you got back. The first thing I'd like to say is that I am not happy that you are hanging out with such an extremely troubled kid. I mean, I knew the kid was bad news, he stole my truck, but I had no idea that he was in such deep trouble with the law. Secondly, just how involved are you with him? He has a reputation for being involved in gang activity, vandalism and even carjacking. Joshua says that he even runs a bar? How does an 18 year old run a bar?"

Adam looked up at his brother, who shrugged and filled in Adam's silent query. "I made a few calls. Lucian has a bunch of criminals that he hangs out with. They call themselves the Blackhearts, a few of them run a chop shop over in the warehouse district in Palestine."

Adam sighed. "So you found out where the truck is? Can you tell Darius where it is and they can go get it?"

Joshua shook his head. "No, the guy I talked to won't deal with me if I breathe the fact that we've talked to the police already. He did say that he knew where the chop shop was and that he'd take me there tonight." He paused and looked at their father. "....if I come alone." Joshua's jaw was set as if to say it has to be done and there is no talking me out of it. He could be stubborn like that sometimes.

"Oh no you are not!" His father was emphatic and his hand came down a little too hard on the kitchen table. Martha Grace went to her husband and placed her soft hand over his. Edom Grace paused as he looked at her hand over his own. Then his voice softened. "Joshua, this is some serious and dangerous business. We don't need to be involved in it any more than we already are. I'll call Darius and let him know you have a source and he can go with you. Hopefully, he can get to the contact, find out where the place is and get to the truck before they have time to do anything to it." Adam closed his eyes. He couldn't believe his family was really talking about this. "And as for you, young man....." Adam's eyes sprung open. "You are grounded until the first of the year with absolutely no social life until then. You can still use your scooter to get to school and to make deliveries, but nothing more. Is that understood?" Adam's head dropped then bobbed up and down several times in agreement taking the punishment that he had been waiting for. "And well....." Edom Grace looked up into his wife's eyes. She smiled as if a clue to go ahead with what he was going to say. "......well, we weren't going to tell you until Christmas, but in light of everything that has happened you need to know the extent of the consequences of your behavior. We were going to let you know......" He looked at Adam and sighed, "......that we were going to give you the green monster for an early Christmas present when we got back today, but since you have proved a little less than responsible this weekend we have decided to wait until your senior year before we give it to you." Adam was trying to hold back a grin as he nodded in agreement. On the inside though he was jumping and shouting with joy. He was going to have a vehicle! A real two door, enclosed cab, four tires vehicle of his own!

He shook his head in understanding and tried to suppress the grin. "Yes sir, I understand."

His father wasn't finished. "And...." He glanced back up at his wife who nodded her head in total agreement. "You are to work in the Hardware store with me, starting tomorrow afternoon, every day after school and every Saturday until graduation. Your mother and I guessed that you needed something to help keep you busy since you didn't have enough to do this weekend. And Sunday afternoons are going to be spent with your mother filling out at least one college application a week." Martha Grace squeezed her husband's hand pulling him back a little as his voice got louder.

Clearly ready to change the subject, Edom Grace took in a deep breath and questioned his youngest son farther. "Now...with all that being said and done, can you please explain to me exactly how it is that a boy with whom I only have vague recollections of, if any really, got a hold of the keys to my truck, my house and my business?" Adam had been dreading this, but he had to be truthful. He had to explain it from the beginning, even if he didn't understand it all himself.

He took in a gulp of air. "I...I....um...well.....I gave them to him." His dad drew in a deep breath. His face got red, he blinked several times and Adam braced for the explosion, but again, Martha Grace came to the rescue and squeezed his father's hand lovingly.

"Go on son, why did you.... give.... the keys to this... Lucian fellow?" Her voice was gentle.

Adam glanced at his dad and shook his head. "I really didn't have any intentions of doing it. I mean I wasn't thinking of nothing but getting to be with....." His voice trailed off a bit and he looked down. ".....Eve." No one spoke, but rather waited silently for him to gather himself and continue. "I..I...I was at the gas station filling up the green monster and the gas can for the lawn mower when Lucian pulled up at the next pump with Eve and Miriam Marah in his car."

"Oh I just love the Marahs, they're such a sweet family," Martha Grace interjected.

His father's gaze went from the table to his wife in disbelief then back to the table before urging his son to reveal more. "Go on Adam."

Now even more nervous, Adam's voice faltered. "Well...um.....he had heard that I was alone this weekend."

His father's gaze shot up to his youngest child's face. "And how did he know that?"

Adam shrugged. He didn't want to bring David's name into it and get him into trouble. It was entirely his own fault. From the moment he took the truck to the tailgate party down to giving Lucian the keys. "I tried to tell him that I didn't think it was a good idea, but he had found out about me driving your truck to the game Friday night, and I was afraid that he would tell on me for driving it....." Adam's words trailed off.

"Who was he going to tell son?" His father's voice was soft, yet stern and full of reason that Adam hadn't thought about until now. His father took in a deep breath and blew it out. "Okay, so I'm beginning to see how things were set up for this to happen, but that still doesn't explain to me how the keys were just given to him.....when I entrusted them to you."

Adam bowed his head, tears burned the rim of his eyes again, those words hit hard. "No sir, it doesn't." He was so ashamed. Tears began to trickle down his cheeks. "......it's just that when we were at the gas station... we kinda talked about them coming over." His dad prickled again and grumbled under his breath. Martha patted his hand softly for support.

Adam continued. "I originally had said for them to come over at 4:00 o'clock that way I would be finished with my chores by the time they got here and we could swim."

His dad met his gaze. "So....what I am hearing is that you had already chosen to intentionally disobey us?"

Adam shook his head. "No sir, it wasn't like that at all." Edom Grace was furious as his fist came down hard on the top of the table. Martha Grace jumped, as did Adam. "No? Sounds like that to me. You knew our stipulations."

"Dad." Joshua's gentle voice cut in. "I think...." He paused as their father turned his attention to him. "What Adam is trying to say is that Eve was with Lucian and he used that, and the fact that he knew Adam was driving your truck on Friday, to get to have a party here. It sounds like he just wanted to gain access to your truck, and he would have used any means possible to get it." Joshua looked over at Adam. "Is that right, bro?"

The younger brother nodded, Joshua was right on. "Yeah totally!" Adam's eyes lit up, his father grimaced. "Uh..I mean exactly." He looked back down thrilled that someone at least understood what his mind was trying to put together, but his mouth was having a difficult time delivering. That alone gave him new strength.

"Dad....." He turned toward his parents. "I am so sorry about all of it. I was so blinded by my own want and desire to be with Eve that I totally lost all reason and thoughts of the consequences. I just wanted to get her attention and spend some time with her......be with her....let her know who I really am. Woo her maybe and make her fall in love with me like you did with mom. It was foolish I know that.... now." He raised his eyebrows up as if to say duh. "...I shoved the voice of reason to the farthest corners of my mind not wanting anything, but what I wanted."

His father squeezed his mother's hand this time. "I don't want you to think that I don't understand that kind of desire son, but the Word says not to awaken my love before it is time. There are some heavy costs at awakening desire, passion and love before you are mature enough to handle it." He reached up and stroked his wife's cheek with the back of his hand, she nuzzled it gently and Adam felt himself blush at the display of affection passed between his parents. His dad's focus returned again to his son. ".....and the fact remains, Adam, that a criminal has the keys not only to our vehicles, but to our business and home as well. Bottom line is that we need to get those keys back. I know Darius is going to send a patrol around to check out the store and our home, but I don't think any of us will rest well knowing Lucian Black or one of his associates could be robbing us blind or standing over us in our sleep ready to pounce."

At that moment Joshua's phone vibrated with a text, it startled all four of them. "Is that your contact son?"

He slid his phone out of his pocket and checked the screen. "Yes, sir."

"Does he say where the truck is?" His dad pressed.

Joshua shook his head. "No sir, he just says for me to meet him and follow him there."

Edom Grace shook his head. "Absolutely not, I don't like the idea. Give me the phone number, and I'll call Darius and he and I can go and meet this....." He paused and waved his hand around a couple of times encouraging Joshua to fill in the guy's name.

"Judas." Joshua added.

His father grimaced. "Judas...... You don't need to go alone. It's too dangerous. We can go and keep you out of it."

Joshua stood up and shook his head. "Dad, I appreciate and respect your wishes, but let's face it, the police may go and get the truck back, but the keys would still be with Lucian. You and Darius are not going to get close enough to him to get the keys back and we need to get them back. None of us are going to feel secure until we do."

He was right. The problem wasn't the truck being stolen. Insurance would cover that. The problem was that Lucian had the keys to everything the Grace's owned and none of them were truly safe until they were recovered. Edom Grace solemnly nodded his head in agreement giving the go ahead for Joshua to go on with the plan. Joshua kissed his mom on the cheek and then patted his dad on the back, squeezed Adam's shoulder and made his way to the door. What little resolve Adam had broke again. He jumped up from the table and grabbed his older brother, his soon to be savior in all of this mess, and hugged him tight. It was Joshua that broke the embrace with a firm pat on the back. Adam wiped his eyes as he watched his brother grab his own keys and head out the back door out of the house.

"Joshua?" Adam called out.

"Yeah?" He turned back toward his brother.

"Hold on. I'm going with you." Adam started around the table, but Joshua stopped him.

"Adam, no, I have to go and do this alone. It'll be okay. I'll call you once I get the keys." Adam turned toward their dad for help, but he waved his hand for Adam to take his seat.

"Joshua?" Their father spoke directly to his oldest son.

"Yes sir?"

"Promise me that if there is any trouble, and that's trouble of any kind, that you will call us so we can call Darius and please, whatever you do, don't do anything foolish."

Joshua nodded in agreement. "I got this dad. I'm not afraid of Lucian Black or any of his Blackhearts." With that he exited the kitchen, leaving his parents and Adam staring at the back door.

It wasn't until after they heard the sound of Joshua's truck leaving that Adam spoke. "Mom, Dad, I just can't say it enough..... I am so sorry." He couldn't stop the tears that flowed from his eyes this time.

"Honey, it's going to be okay. Joshua will do what needs to be done so that we can all live securely again." His mother came around the table and slid her arms around his shoulders. Her touch was gentle, her voice understanding and her love unconditional. Adam dropped his head again in shame.

"Son, we don't wish to shame you. This will pass and all fade in time. Then we'll be able to look back at it and will have gained knowledge of what to do and what not to do." It was his father's tone and gentle smile that touched his heart. "Adam, just remember what your brother is doing and realize that he is doing this because of the love he has for you. We would rather he didn't do this, but he is right, there is no other way to get the keys back." He had never seen his father so calm over something so detrimental to his family before.

Tears rolled down the cheeks of Martha Grace as she cleared her throat. "Adam....um..." She wiped the tears with the back of her hand. "Adam, honey." She sat down. "We also have more to talk to you about." He knew it was coming. The fact that Eve was wearing his clothes when she came down from upstairs had not gotten past them. "Eve was wearing....I mean was Eve coming...um...did you and Eve.....were you and Eve......" His mother was having a difficult time getting out what she wanted to say, but his father didn't.

"Son, what your mother is so graciously trying to ask is did you and Eve had sex last night?"

Adam closed his eyes and hesitated before answering. "I don't know Dad."

His dad's eyes widened and he kind of laughed unbelieving. "What do you mean you don't know?" The words came out rushed. "Son, this is a serious matter, not only physically, but spiritually. You both took a vow of celibacy until you were married. I know because I was there to put the ring on your finger and watched as her parents did the same for her." His father's voice seemed to be getting quicker and higher as he spoke. His wife squeezed his hand again, and he paused letting her take over.

"I think what your father is trying to say is, why would you not know if you had sex? We've made sure that you were educated about it. We went through the course at church and talked about it here at home together answering any questions you or your brother might have had before you took the ring covenant. Remember?"

Adam placed his elbows up on the table and dropped his head into his upturned hands. "Yes ma'am, I remember." She reached over and touched his arm lovingly.

He let his head hang there in his hands and took a minute to collect himself. He finally lifted his head and ran his hands through his hair nervously before he let the words tumble out as they may. "When I say I don't know it's because I really don't know. I have no recollection of the act at all. When I got here last night and saw all of these people here. I freaked out, and Lucian took me to your office to talk."

His dad visibly grimaced, Adam hesitated then continued. "....then when Eve and I were walking out of your office together......." Anxiously Adam shuffled around a little in his seat reciting what he did remember. ".......as we were walking out of your office someone handed me a drink and from that moment on my memories begin to fade until I had none at all 'til I woke up and was completely nude lying next to Eve who was also nude and passed out."

"Oh my word....." His mother covered her mouth.

"What does Eve think?" His father asked.

He shrugged. "She pretty much said the same thing. Given the circumstances of how we woke up we just assumed that we did, neither of us knows for sure."

His dad frowned and sighed. "Okay, so what you are saying is that the two of you were so drunk that you don't remember?"

Adam shook his head. "Oh no sir, I didn't drink anything, but Hawaiian Punch." He was adamant about that.

"So you're saying that you only drank Hawaiian Punch, which let's face it was probably Hunch Punch." His father reasoned as Adam stared at him in disbelief that his dad would even know the term let alone use it. Edom Grace gave a soft laugh."Believe it or not, Adam, I was a teenager at one point in time in my life too, and I also know that the higher the alcohol level the less you'll be able to taste it especially in smaller portions doled out in a sweet drink. Then there is a strong possibility that you and Eve were given a roofie too." His father frowned.

He couldn't believe his dad was saying. Adam shook his head and shrugged again. "I guess that's a strong possibility. I mean because that's all I drank last night and our cups were never empty. I was even...." His voice trailed a bit, "....kinda proud of myself that I wasn't drinking anything but Hawaiian Punch."

"Did you pour the punch yourself?" His mother asked.

"No ma'am. It was always just.....there."

"And you just drank it?" She exclaimed.

"Well, to me, it was just Hawaiian Punch." Adam shrugged. "I...I....was at home, comfortable, I guess and I didn't realize that it might have had something in it until this morning. When I woke up, I was in such a fog, my head pounded, the room was spinning, light hurt the hairs on my head.... and I was so uncoordinated that I couldn't even stand at first and just fell back down on the bed." He lowered his head to the table ashamed. "It had to have had alcohol in it......and possible more. I really don't know Dad." Tears burned the edges of his eyes again. He raised his head and looked up at the ceiling in an attempt at trying to keep them from falling. His attempt failed.

Martha Grace spoke. "Okay, so what we know about you and Eve is a maybe?" Adam nodded his head in confirmation, his mother sighed. "Okay then. We'll take that for now."

Through his blurred vision Adam looked down at the red ruby ring on his left hand that belonged to his grandfather, the one that he had worn so proudly since the Abstinence 'til Marriage Ceremony at church. "Should I take it off, Mom?"

She shook her head and glanced at her husband before giving her answer. "No son." Her voice was kind and gentle. "We have all fallen short of the glory of God at one time or another." She shrugged. "We're human, honey and if you and Eve fell into your fleshly desires and did have sex before marriage, then let that ring be a reminder to you of God's unending mercies that are new every morning and a reminder to not fall again." Her smile was genuine and came from her eyes. "Make a renewed covenant with God today, son and.... if.... it turns out that you didn't give into those desires just know that it is still the same covenant that you made in the first place."

His father reached across the table and touched his hand. "God is not a one trick pony Adam...He's not a one and done God. We have all failed Him in one way or another. We mess up and do things everyday that we shouldn't do. Like lie, judge, steal, kill, fornicate or covet. It's all sin to God. There are no levels of it to Him. Bottom line, sin is sin no matter the measure man puts on it, but we can be thankful that His mercies are new to us every morning, and we have another chance to start over and do this day better than the one before." His dad ministering such words of wisdom to him was comforting despite everything that had happened. "If I were you though, I'd spend some serious time in prayer asking God to reveal to you what the two of you did. I think you'd feel better if you knew for sure, but if you never know then at least you've spent some time with Him reconnecting and making that bond between you and Him stronger. Does that make sense?"

Adam agreed. "Yes sir and I will." Adam pushed back from the table and prepared to stand. "May I go to my room now?"

His parents looked at each other. "Yeah, this isn't totally over, but we are done for now."

Adam got to his feet. "Yes sir, I know." He pushed his chair back under the table and turned to go.

"Adam?"

Adam turned. "Yes sir?"

"I would also pray that if the two of you were intimate that God takes that desire out of you. Remember in the Song of Solomon where it says awaken not my love before it is time?"

"Yes sir, I remember that teaching from our What is Love class."

"Then you'll remember that your desire for it should stay in slumber too until it is time to be awakened and that your mate is the only one that should awaken it so your desire will be only for her and hers for you, right? That way you won't burn and yearn for it, distracting you from what God has called you to. Do you remember all of that too?"

"Yes sir, I remember all of that. I'll ask Him to remove any desire that I might have for Eve that is not from Him. It's not fair that my future wife or her future husband have to live up to a memory that they weren't a part of."

"Wow, you did listen in that class didn't you?" His mother interjected and smiled greatly.

"Yes, ma'am, I did."

Edom Grace squeezed his wife's hand lovingly. "And I'll pray that God does not bless what we did, if we did anything, with a child.......neither of us are ready for that!"

# Chapter Seven

To Forgive Thine Own Self is True

In his room finally alone, Adam released a heartfelt cry. He had messed up big time, but his parents didn't get crazy and kick him out of the house, beat him or ground him for life. After all was said and done he had admitted his mistakes taken his punishment and was ready to make amends. After cleaning his room, he spent the rest of the day finishing up the chores that he didn't get to the day before. He owed his parents that much at least. Every now and again he would catch his dad watching him from the French doors or feel his mother's eyes on him from her window over the sink in the kitchen. He didn't acknowledge them watching. He just kept doing what he was doing. He knew that what he had done was a disappointment to them both, but they loved him enough to forgive him and move on with life.

It wasn't until later when he was cleaning the pool that his mind wandered back to Eve and what she might be going through. School tomorrow was definitely going to be a lot different. He couldn't just go back to being the kid who sniffed crayons or Joshua Grace's little brother. People were at his house for a party. He no longer flew under the radar. He was out in the open now, a bulls eye on the Populars' dart board of making fun of people, especially since he had been busted by his parents in front of so many of them.

Adam's phone vibrated in his pocket. He shifted the pool net from his right hand to his left and grabbed it, unknown number he shrugged and hit the answer button.

"Hello?" Silence. He didn't hang up. He could tell someone was on the other line because he could hear breathing. "Hello?" He asked again louder this time.

"Adam?" The voice on the other end was more familiar now than it had ever been.

"Eve?"

She paused. "Yeah....."

"Hey how'd you get my number?" He paused to let her answer, but when she didn't he added, "Oh it doesn't matter...I mean.... hey I'm glad you called."

He heard her clear her throat. "Miriam got it for me, she called David. Hope that was okay?" He nodded his head like she could see him, and then realized she couldn't and planted his palm to his face dropping the net into the pool.

"Oooooh...umm...yeah..... that's cool." David! He had totally forgotten about David. Did he know about the party? Was he still mad at him? He needed to call him.

"Are you sure? You sound a little distracted."

"Oh no, I was just cleaning the pool, no big deal.....You need something in particular? I mean did....did you...." He sighed heavily and stopped trying to reach the pole to the net. "Are you okay?" He was rambling, silently he yelled to himself. Jerk! Shut up!

"No, I uh...I mean...uh....well...I was..." She stuttered and stammered so much he knew she was having a difficult time getting out whatever it was that she wanted to say.

"Eve, it's okay, we don't have to talk about it right now." She smiled.

"Oh no, it's not that, I was just calling to check on you. I could tell your dad was extremely upset this morning so I was just wondering if you were okay." Adam closed his eyes. All he had ever wanted was to hear sweet words like that from her. He grinned giving into that feeling.

"Uh, well needless to say, but I'll start with I'm grounded. Not for life just until the first of the year, and I won't get the green monster until senior year."

"The green monster?" She paused like she was trying to connect the dots as to what he was saying.

"Oh yeah...." He grinned to himself that she didn't know what the green monster was. "The green monster is what I took you home in this morning. My brother and I nicknamed it the green monster..." He added in the best and deepest monster voice that he could possibly muster. "....when we were little because it sounded like a dragon when our dad started it up...." He laughed nervously, she giggled softly at his story. The silence then grew between them. "Yeah well, anyway, turns out they were going to give it to me as an early Christmas present, but since I screwed up.....um, I uh...mean, since the chaos this weekend they are going to wait until next school year."

"Hey that's great!" He could feel her smile fade as she tried to explain her meaning. "I mean that you're getting a truck not that they aren't going to give it to you until...."

He chuckled a little. "I know what you meant to say and thank you, it's an old monster, but it's my monster!" That last part sounded more like a pirate than monster this time. Their conversation fell into an awkward silence, but Eve picked it back up quickly.

"So you're grounded, huh?"

"Yep no social life until the New Year, not that that changes much for me though...." He laughed nervously at his own joke, she didn't.

"Well darn that means I'll be out of a date for New Year's then....." She laughed, his laughter stopped.

"Adam? Hello?" Silence. "Are you still there? Adam?" Her voice was quiet, but probing.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think that maybe when you are ungrounded you would you like to hang out with me sometime?"

Adam was speechless. "Uh sure....uh yeah, I mean....I'd like that very much." He could hear her soft chuckle on the other end of the line.

"Good, I think that I'd really like that too....." She let her words sink in before adding, "...well now you have my number so text me or call anytime. It seems that I am grounded as well."

"Grounded?" He questioned.

"Yeah, it seems I've not been acting as the young lady my parents raised me to be." She altered her voice to sound more like her father's. Adam smiled, she had confessed to her parents.

"So, I guess, I'll see you tomorrow then?" She added to the silence.

"Tomorrow?" He sounded confused.

"Uh yeah. School? 11th grade? Junior year must go on. Tomorrow is Monday.

He laughed nervously. "Oh yeah, duh! I'll be there bright and early." He mentally kicked himself this time. Did he always have to be so aloof?

"Hey, um...I'll be around the flagpole at 7:00 o'clock in the morning leading prayer for FCA if you'd like to join us?"

He looked up in shock. "...but...um...I'm not an athlete."

She giggled this time sending shivers down his spine. "Oh Adam...." He liked the way she said his name. "....you don't have to be an athlete to join us for prayer around the flag pole. Just be someone who prays. I'll see you at 7:00?"

"Uh yeah....I'll be there!"

"Okay then, see you in the morning. Bye!" She hung up leaving Adam speechless and without a clue as to how to wipe the grin off his face.

********************************

As usual, Martha Grace had dinner on the table at 5:30 on the dot, but still no Joshua. He had been gone all afternoon now with no word from him. The three remaining family members ate in silence picking at their food waiting and listening for the slightest movement or noise coming from the outside, but nothing. None of them really ate. Adam fixed his brother a plate and sat it in the microwave for when he got home. The house was somberly silent as he helped his mom clean the kitchen after dinner. He had to do something to keep himself busy. His other choice was to sit in his room worrying about his older brother and where he could be.

His parents had gone to his dad's office. Adam was standing at the kitchen sink drying the last dish when he heard the back gate slam shut. He nearly dropped the plate in his hand when he looked out the window over the sink and saw his brother leaning against the heavy wooden post covered in blood. His clothes tattered and torn, his face badly bruised, bloody and swollen, clearly he had been beaten. He was stumbling as he tried to walk the distance from the wooden gate to the back of the house. Adam had already made it to the door and opened it before he called out to his parents.

"Mom, Dad! Help! It's Joshua!" Adam ran to his brother and slid Joshua's left arm around his neck and his own arm around his waist for support. Their parents met them at the back door. Joshua looked up at their father and fell into his arms. Edom Grace reached out catching his oldest son, the two slid to the tile floor together. Joshua's right eye was so swollen so bad that it had completely shut and his left eye was nearly as bad, but he was able to see through a small slit in it. His bottom lip had been busted and had bled so badly that it had sealed and now formed an ugly scab. His head was bleeding from wounds to his scalp leaving his hair matted and sticky. His torso showed signs of cuts and abrasions with great bruising already starting to turn his skin dark. He was a horrific mess from head to toe.

Edom Grace barked out an order to his wife. "Call 911!" Martha grabbed the house phone, but fumbled with it a few times before she was able to start dialing.

Joshua started shaking his head then used his father's shoulder for leverage to push himself up and spoke. "No, don't call the police......" He turned so that he could then look at his father in the face and spoke. "No Dad, don't call the police. It's finished. It's done." With that being said Joshua Grace held up a bloody and battered right hand holding the very keys that he had gone after. Chills ran over Adam's body and tears erupted. His brother had done it. He had gone through what looked like the very pits of hell and came out with what he had gone in for the safety, peace of mind and sanctity of his loved ones.

It was finished, and he had done what his father had needed him to do in order for them to have ownership back to their home, vehicles and business. He had gotten the keys back from Lucian Black and freed them all from living a life filled with fear.

********************************

With Adam's help, Joshua had taken a shower and now sat at the kitchen table barefooted and bare chested with just his pajama bottoms on so that his mother could inspect all of his wounds, and inspect she did. Martha Grace inspected her oldest child as if she had just had him and was checking to see if he had all ten of his fingers and all ten of his toes. Adam watched her. It was sweet since she felt that's all that she could do since Joshua refused to go to the police station or the hospital. However, it didn't stop her from clicking her tongue and begging to take him to the hospital when she'd find another bruise that was starting to turn.

"Oh Edom, can't we just take him to the hospital, what if he has...." She was on her knees before him and looked up into Joshua's eyes. "What if you have broken ribs?" She turned back to her husband. "What if he has broken ribs?"

"Martha...." Her husband of 20 plus years touched her shoulder. "He doesn't have broken ribs, bruised maybe, but not broken. Look at him, there are no broken bones, besides if they were broken the only thing the doctors would do is wrap them and send him home to rest. The boy doesn't want to go to the hospital, now let him speak. You're a nurse, nurse him."

"Eeeesh....." Joshua grimaced as his mother bandaged his wounds.

"Oh honey. I'm so sorry I don't want to hurt you." She touched his face gently, tears filling her blue eyes.

He covered her hand with his battered one. "I know mom, it's okay, go ahead." He looked back up to his father with his good eye.

"...but his back....it's all cut up and scraped....and his eye...look at his eye." She was relentless.

"Martha." Edom Grace touched her on the shoulder to still her. She touched his hand before turning back toward their son. "Go on son, tell us, what happened?"

Joshua looked down at his mother with a heart full of love and kissed her palm as she reached to touch his face. "It's okay Mom thank you, but really, I'm alright." He leaned forward and hugged her as tight as he could before turning back to talk to his father and answer his questions.

"Well I'm sorry to say, Dad, but I believe the truck is gone." His good eye was nearly swelled shut now.

Edom shook his gray head. "I told you it didn't matter about that truck. The insurance will take care of that. I'm more concerned about you."

Joshua held up his hand. "I know Dad, I just wanted to let you to know that I think they may have already started cutting it up or sold it. So call the insurance company, and we'll go down to the police station and let them know where the shop is. I mean if it's still there."

His dad shook his head in agreement. "I already called the insurance company and told them, but yes, we will go down to the police station first thing."

"Joshua, what did they do to you? Was it Lucian that actually did this?" Adam questioned. Joshua turned toward Adam. Watching him just move caused Adam a great deal of guilt.

"Well, that'd be a yes and no. He was responsible for what they did, but he never laid one hand on me." He sighed. "It was his boys, the Blackhearts. They wore ski masks so that I couldn't identify any one of them specifically, but Lucian...." he paused, "...he never touched me, never laid a hand on me, he watched. So we have nothing on him."

Tears spilled onto Adam's cheeks. "I am so sorry, Joshua." Adam hung his head for a moment then jerked it upright. "Hey, what about getting him for being an accessory to the crime. Can we get him for that?" Adam questioned.

"Come here bro....." He grabbed Adam by the back of the neck and pulled him into his shoulder, resting his own head on Adam's. "Just let it go, it's over, okay? We won, we have the keys back."

Adam mumbled into his brother's shoulder. "Yeah, but they could have......." His voice faltered and caught in his throat.

"Hey, don't you know that I would do anything for you?" Joshua grabbed his brother on either side of the face and pushed him up so that he could look him in the eyes. "You're my brother, my blood.... I love you more than life itself."

Adam squeezed his eyes tight. "...but....it's just that I've been so....." Adam's voice broke. He paused before reopening his eyes. "Joshua......How can I ever repay you for what you did?"

Joshua shrugged his broad shoulders. "We don't keep score like that....it's just what big brothers do man, it's just what big brothers do......." Adam embraced his brother again, harder this time causing Joshua to grimace. Adam jumped back immediately completely mortified that he had hurt him, but Joshua laughed. "It's okay, it's okay! I'm fine! Come here....." He grabbed Adam again hugging him tight despite the pain in his body.

The rest of the evening Joshua explained how he had been set up by the so called friend of a friend. The acquaintance, Judas Iscara, had taken him to where the chop shop's warehouse was, and Joshua had walked right into the trap that had been set. They were there ahead of him hiding, a couple of thugs blindsided him out of nowhere, knocking him to the ground before dragging him into the warehouse where Lucian was waiting, gloating and spinning Edom Grace's key ring on his forefinger. He knew what Joshua had come for, and he was extremely proud of himself in all of his endeavors to get them. However, it didn't take but a second for Joshua to seize the moment that he had been given when, in Lucian's self indulgent prideful gloat, the hold on him by the two Blackhearted goons, slackened. Suddenly, Joshua gained enough strength and lunged at Lucian giving him good right hook directly in the face causing blood to spew from his nose and took him to his knees. Unbeknownst to Lucian's crew though, Joshua had taken the opportunity to grab the keys that had fallen out of Lucian's hand to the ground.

In fact, Lucian had been so caught off guard by the punch that neither him nor his crew even noticed that Joshua had grabbed them and slid them into his own pocket. Lucian was so angry about the one punch that he didn't even think twice about the keys. He swiftly instructed the Blackhearts to take care of him. From there on they took turns beating him until he fell into unconsciousness. When he had awoke he found himself somewhere outside of town, alone. They had just dumped him in the woods without his shoes, jacket, truck or his phone.

Whatever their desired end result for him was Joshua didn't play into it. He wasn't dead if that had been what they wanted. He was stronger than that. He had walked barefooted through a thicket of briars, thorns and brambles to get back to town. He had walked a good five miles back home, but he held onto the fact that he knew the keys to his father's house, truck and business were in his pocket and he had taken them back from Lucian Black. Edom Grace wasn't a man that usually showed any kind of strong emotion, but tonight was different. He had his oldest son back home and safe. Edom Grace reached across the distance between himself and his two sons and grabbed them both in a bear hug.

"I love you boys, you know that right?"

"Yes sir," they answered in unison.

Martha Grace couldn't resist. She threw her arms around her boys and hugged them tightly just as blue lights flickered through the windows on the front side of the house followed by a knock on the door.

Officer Darius Daniels of the Edensville police once again stood on the front porch when Edom Grace opened it. "Hey Edom, just wanted to let you know that we got a report of someone that looked to be barefoot and badly bleeding in the area. Everything, okay?" Darius asked of Adam and Joshua's dad.

"Yeah. It's all good here Darius."

"You're sure?"

"Positive Darius, we're just wrapping up some loose ends here. We'll see you in the morning."

## EPILOGUE

The morning after Joshua retrieved his father's keys, three of the four Graces went downtown to fill out a report at the police station while Adam went to school. Darius encouraged them to press formal charges against Lucian Black, but to his dismay his extended family declined to do so.

Joshua's bruises began to heal nicely over the next week. Even the swelling in his eyes had all gone leaving a nice greenish/yellow tint around them by Thanksgiving Day. Although sore, he still participated in the family's game of touch football. Their mom decided to watch from the sidelines and cheered her boys on.

Adam was extremely thankful for his brother's speedy recovery. The two spent some real brotherly time together during that week playing video games and just talking, something they hadn't really ever done before. It changed how Adam felt about his brother. Adam came to realize that his brother wasn't trying to be perfect. He was just secure in who he was, and in being secure he was just being himself. On Tuesday night he had even given Adam some brotherly advice.

"Bro, just be yourself. It's just too difficult to try and be someone else's measure of you."

Simple as that, his brother's advice was.....be yourself. No wonder people were just drawn to Joshua and enjoyed being around him. His no nonsense and casual demeanor made you feel comfortable. He didn't try to change anyone. He accepted people for just being themselves. He believed in God and had a relationship with him through His son Jesus, but Joshua didn't try to shove his beliefs or version of beliefs on anyone. He just lived how he believed and treated people with kindness, fairness and respect on their level and where they were. Something Adam had always taken for granted and acted out against because of his own insecurities and jealousy.

Adam realized that he had been so blinded by his own feelings that he was actually angry with himself for trying to be what he thought other people expected him to be. Another Joshua, but he couldn't be, he was Adam. He was a good person and tried to always do the right thing, but when he wasn't other people's version of what he thought they wanted him to be he felt deep rejection, which led to bitterness then resentment. It was a vicious and ugly cycle.

Adam had let his feelings rule him for so long that it had hindered his relationship with his parents and his brother. It wouldn't be easy to set aside the bitterness, insecurity and jealousy that he had lived with for so long, but he'd be able to if he worked on it daily and chose not to accept those things in his life. He would have to learn that saying NO didn't make him a loser and going along with the crowd isn't always the best thing to do.

Today marked just one week since it all began with Adam taking his father's truck. He chose to spend the entire day with Joshua again, it wasn't a difficult decision. The two ordered a pizza from Shekinah's Pizza Shack while their parents were out black Friday shopping, something they had done every year. However, this year Adam had a choice in his attitude in the matter. He chose to set old attitudes aside and get to know more about the one that had laid down his life for him without any regard for his own....his brother, his mentor, his friend....his Savior in the end, Joshua Grace.

THE END......for now

Dear Reader

Want to know more about Edensville High? Lucian and his Blackhearts? Eve St. Clair and her version of what happened at Adam's party and why she can't remember? In book #2 in the Edensville High Series Eve takes you inside the world of the Populars where you'll learn more about Edensville's _Populars_ through the eyes their very own golden girl, Eve St. Clair.

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# From Us to You

Looking for your inner _....ME_

Growing up I (Jackie) did a lot of firsts and by firsts I'm referring to setting trends or stepping out of the box that was considered society's norm. By doing those things I heard a lot of, well I'll just call it, noise from a lot of people that didn't understand me. I can look back now and see there was a lot that spoke out of their own insecurities, afraid to be the one that swam up stream or stood out in the crowd for fear of being laughed at or being made fun of if they did. Whatever the case I'll probably never know the whys or the particulars of why they did what they did. However, I can look back now and know that, even though painful then, it has all worked together for the good and made me stronger.

I was one of the first in school to have the cartilage in my upper ear pierced. I wound up with four piercings in one ear and three in the other. I got laughed at majorly for that one and teased just how many holes do you have in your head, but I didn't take them out. I liked them, it was....Me. I wore a ring on my middle finger between the first and second knuckle because the design looked better there and I got a lot of noise about it being too small for my finger, but I liked it there, it was....Me. I listened to oldies music from the 50s/60s/70s in high school. Who knew back then it was because I have an eclectic ear. I liked it, it was....Me. When my peers were wearing jazz shoes with their jeans, I wore black and white oxfords like the girls from the 1950s did. I liked them, they were....Me. I loved to read and write and spent many Friday nights at home because I wanted to either write or finish a book. I loved to read/write because well, it was.....Me. I guess you could say that I found the Me in me a lot earlier than my peers in school did and in doing so I got noise and not always the good kind.

I know, I know all of the things I mentioned previously are old people stuff and don't take it as I don't know that times are different now, social media alone is probably the best worst nightmare we have and it certainly isn't a person's best friend at times. Thank goodness we didn't have it back then and even though we didn't just know that on some level somewhere whether young person or old, we have all dealt with peer pressure and bullying at some point and time in our lives. It's an evil that knows no time restraint. So believe it or not, YOU are not alone. Even though you might encounter opposition along the way. It doesn't have to be difficult. Being on the front lines of life and in all honesty let's face it, stepping out and doing things first or different from societies norm or other people's version of the norm, is being on the front lines of life. Being on the front lines of life is like walking down an unclear, unchartered path and that is a pretty adventurous and cool place to be. When you're plowing new territory with new or different ideas outside the box, don't give up just because it's not something someone else might not like. Be yourself and surround yourself with people that encourage you, support you and believe in you as a person and don't judge you. You're unique and that's an awesome thing!

Now to those that might have been the distributor of the abuse, remember you don't have to stay in that incessant pool of negativity and peer pressure. Mistakes can be used as learning tools to better yourself. So do yourself a favor......GET UP & GET OUT OF IT! Staying in it won't do you any good. It's a vast, dark hole of yuck that wants to consume you......and don't let guilt eat at you either. Just know that it's never too late to ask forgiveness, change your ways and walk a different path. You have a chance to be different. Remember, You do have a choice in how you treat people and it's all up to you.

However, when you have evaluated your behavior, asked forgiveness and changed your walk don't dwell on the things that you've done. I'm gonna repeat that. DO NOT DWELL on your past failures or for that matter the negativity that other people may say about your past! Take the good from the situation you've evaluated, learn from the it, whether it's what to do or not to do and let the noise of the rest of it fade into the background as you grow, becoming the Me you really wanna be. It may take a little bit to gain the trust of others back and all you can do is try so don't worry over it, let it go and let God handle the way they receive the new you.

Bottom line to those that have bullied or have given peer pressure and to those that have been the victims of bullying and peer pressure....

Choose to surround yourself with mentors, people and friends that are positive and encouraging. Talk to mentors about your feelings, don't keep them bottled up. Ask your school or church about starting a mentorship program for bullying and most definitely let someone know if you are being bullied or the victim of peer pressure. It's not an option to take yourself out of the equation with suicide, that's only hurting the ones that love you. We all need help at some point in our lives, it's not a weakness to ask for it or to talk about it.

We hope you learn to develop healthy and positive relationships that will help you to find your inner Me because whether you realize it or not, your inner Me is pretty awesome and so very uniquely You!

And remember, High School does NOT last forever!

Jackie & Mike

# About the Authors

_J &M Irwin_ is the pseudonym for husband and wife writing team Jackie and Mike Irwin who work in awesome storytelling tandem using their past as a backdrop of knowledge and wisdom. Although he grew up in Colorado, it was his passion for the South and hers for Colorado that God used to bring the two together. Mike was way out in California when the two met online. It wasn't long before he moved to Tennessee just to be near her. The rest of the love story is still being written as they share their love of God, family, photography, movies, books, day trips and their first granddaughter whom they call Lovey.

This couple definitely has a heart for the youth of today and feels the need to stand in the gap for them in a way that's quite unusual and rare. They want to help today's young adults understand, relate and get to know characters from the Bible that _they_ can relate to on a more personal level, and maybe even recognize themselves in some of their traits and learn from them. Jackie believes that taking _one step at a time_ is a lot easier than trying to run a marathon, and therefore learning _one character at a time_ is easier than trying to learn the entire Bible all at once! That's where the idea for the Edensville High Series came in. By taking the people from the old testament and putting them in high school together showing their character flaws, their mistakes, their errors and certain particulars of their personalities, they hope to help others see that those in the Bible were human not perfect, but with a relationship with God they made it work _one step at a time._

The couple believes in God the Father, His son Jesus' death, burial and resurrection and the empowerment of Holy Spirit daily. They believe in making God the number one priority in their lives, then each other and family. _Because when you line up with the Word of God, all other things fall into place._ When asked, " _What is the best part of being a writer?"_ Both agreed, _"I get to work with my best friend!"_

# Acknowledgements

-Thank you God, first and foremost, for giving Jackie the concept so many years ago. We CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens us.....and we thank you for that.

-Mom (Bj Cryer)-our biggest LITTLE fan! Thank you for all of your love, support and words of encouragement. To Jericho, Sugar and Levi our "office staff"....thanks for never judging how much work we got done in a day.

-Brendan and Dodger, thank you for ALL of your help, encouragement and support. We could not have done this without your dedication and utmost belief in what God has given us to share with the hurting, lost and those in need.

-Tanner and Courtney, thank you so much for giving us the greatest of blessings...our Lovey and encouragement and support!

-To those that gave their time to bring the characters to life by posing in countless photo shoots for the covers, Thank you. You have helped to make the characters more relatable by giving them a face!

-For the readers, supporters, encouragers, prayer warriors and believers, thank you for taking the time to read, pray and listen to the stories that God gives us. You have no idea just what it means to us!

BOOK #2

# THE EDENSVILLE HIGH SERIES

by J&M Irwin

Eve

High School doesn't last forever, but the choices that we make can.

# Chapter One

Jealousy is Not a Good Color On You

State Cheerleading Championship

April, Sophomore Year

"........oh my, are you serious?" The first judge was in disbelief.

"Uh yeah, completely....." The youngest of the three exacerbated.

"....we counted it three times!" The other holding the microphone gushed.

The state judges discussed the vote right there in front of the entire cheerleading ensemble all the while holding a hot microphone. The one holding the mic finally turned her attention back to the gymnasium filled with anticipated and hopeful cheerleading squads from various counties.

"Well ladies and gentlemen, cheerleaders, captains, supporters, friends and families......it seems we have new State Champions by mere fractions of a point, but winners none the less.......and that new squad is none other than Edensville High School!"

Cheers erupted from all over the sports center stage and arena. The Edensville team jumped up and down, hugging each other and celebrating like never before. They had worked so hard to just get to be among the 75 schools that had qualified for the State Cheerleading Finals this year, and out of the 75 teams competing Edensville High had just won! Miriam and Eve were among the few that were trying to lift the 6 foot tall trophy to show their excitement, but it proved more than they could lift so they lowered it back down. Coach Deborah Jordan made her way to the stage to join in their enthusiasm and celebration and started the chant that they were famous for:

You don't know our name?-What?! -Er'body knows our name-Yeah?!

'Cuz the Eagles don't come to play-NO! -Now er'body knows our name!-Yeah?!

As the weekend had progressed throughout the competition, supporters and fans alike had began chanting the cheer showing their support for the Edensville team. The girls kicked, jumped, somersaulted, tumbled and shouted with backhand springs all over the stage! Eve and Miriam
found each other again through the chaos of excitement, music and confetti falling from the ceiling and hugged just as Sarah Walker, the head cheerleader, grabbed Eve and turned her around.

"Ahhhhh!!! I can't believe it! We did it!" Sarah gave her a playful shake and yelled over the noise.

"Me either!" Eve was in total awe of the moment. "I mean we actually did it!" Eve exclaimed.

Sarah shook her head. "No girl, you did it, do you hear me? This was because of your persistence and drive. We could not have done this without YOU!"

Suddenly the moment was broken as the two were lifted high upon the shoulders of a couple of the other cheerleaders and paraded around the stage in celebration, but for Miriam Marah the excitement had just turned to bitterness when she overheard the exchange between Sarah and Eve. For the rest of the squad may think little Miss Golden Haired Sunshine might have been the one to pull this off but it wasn't her doing. It was Miriam's. She had been the one to choreograph, teach and execute the dance that had won them the competition. She rolled her eyes as Eve waved to everyone like she was on a friggin' beauty pageant float.

The rest of the day turned into a blur as they took photos with the trophy and did interviews for the newspapers and television. It was like nothing any of them had ever experienced before, and Eve was right there in the midst of it all. Front and center like she was little Miss Popular. Miriam was nauseous, but for Eve St. Clair it was a great day to be an Edensville High Cheerleader.

***********************

Back in the hotel as Eve and Miriam were getting ready for the celebratory meal at the expense of the State Cheerleading League, Eve ventured thinking aloud.

"You know we vote for the new cheer captain tonight, right?" She stopped putting on the lip gloss that she had borrowed from Miriam to look at her.

"Yeah, I know. So?" Miriam gave her a sarcastic look.

"So? Awe come on, M. Who do you think is gonna get it?"

"I don't know, you know I'm only on this squad to keep up my dancing skills. I really don't give a flying....."

"Meeting in the coach's room in five, ladies!" Sarah Walker stuck her head in the door and called out. Both girls jumped and exited their shared room to follow Sarah down the hallway to the coach's room where she and a few other girls were already waiting.

"Come on in, we'll wait until everyone is here. Press on in around the room 'til there's no more room if you have too." Within five minutes the room was completely full. "Alright, everybody in or are there stragglers? No? Okay good. Well ladies, what you all did this weekend was ah-mazing, and I am so proud of you!"

The room erupted with applause for their hard work. "Alright, alright.....settle down......" Coach Jordan smiled with great pleasure as her team celebrated their win. She didn't fuss when they didn't settle right away. They had earned this win, so she let it go for once. When the room eventually settled, which took a few minutes, she continued.

"....okay, so now that we are finished with this year's school year and our exiting seniors are leaving us...." Several girls hugged Sarah and a few more of their graduating seniors. "....we want you girls to know that while we are going to miss you so very much as you all move on to college, vocations and families. So once again here we are at the fork in the road that is the departing and beginning of another road to travel. Where we must say a very sad goodbye to those leaving us, but decide with great joy who is going to be our leaders for the next year!"

The applause was a little less than enthusiastic as the first one. "So without further adieus, I'll open the floor for nominees in our election for our new cheerleading captain, and when we get back to school on Monday we will take a vote!" The team's excitement increased as with a show of united claps they began to chant one name.

"St. Clair! St. Clair! St. Clair!" Eve blushed and shook her head.

"No, I can't. I'm only a junior! No really!" She tried to dissuade them with the aid of Coach Jordan. "Coach, you have to tell them I can't be Cheer Captain, I'm not a senior!" She called out over their chants of her last name, but the cheerleading coach shook her head and shrugged.

"I'm afraid there's nothing that says you must be a senior to be the Captain of the Edensville Cheerleading team, Eve. It seems the qualifications of those that have been picked in the past showed signs of maturity and great leadership ability, just so happens they were seniors, until now. Just to let you know, there is nothing written in the bylaws that you have to be a graduating senior, only that you have served on the team for two years and your grades are exceptional."

With that being said she made a mocking frown. "So I guess that means your team has nominated you!" She held up her hands as if it were out of her hands and in the team's now.

Eve smiled and waved her hands in the air. "Okay! Okay! I accept the nomination!"

One of the other girls called out. "No, we want you as our Captain, there is no other nominee, we've already decided hands down that YOU are next year's Cheerleading Captain!"

The girls went wild with excitement. Eve blushed and covered her face. It embarrassed her that the team had obviously been talking about her behind her back, in a good way though. Coach Jordan held her hands up.

"Alright, alright I need a little less cheer for a moment." That was her way of telling the girls that she needed them to be quiet, and out of respect they did. "So what you are telling me is that you all have already made your decision and you want Eve St. Clair as your new Cheerleading Captain for the upcoming school year? What about other nominees?" Some of the girls shook their heads in agreement, all but one. Miriam Marah.

Coach Jordan waited for a response. "So there are no other nominees this year?"

Sarah Walker spoke up. "No, Coach, I took a vote this afternoon in my room after the competition and it would seem that everyone agrees that Eve St. Clair should be the one that takes my place."

That explained why Miriam didn't vote. She was Eve's roommate, so they didn't invite her or Eve would have known about the vote. They must have just assumed that she would be for the vote. Wrong.

"Okay, okay, well...Eve St. Clair.... I guess your team has spoken and since you have no one else to run against you...." She paused and waited for someone to speak up, and when no one did she continued. "Well I guess it's unanimous then ......Eve St. Clair, do you accept the position that your fellow team mates have bestowed upon you?"

Eve looked at the faces of her squad and was overwhelmed. "Yes! I accept! I accept!"

The Edensville High cheerleading squad broke loose in cheer, chanting her name over and over again. "St. Clair! St. Clair! St. Clair!"

Miriam stood just far enough behind the rest of the team and against the wall that no one noticed that she wasn't quite as enthusiastic as the rest of her teammates about Eve's nomination and election. They were too busy congratulating Eve and too brainless to remember that Miriam was the one that had choreographed the routine and taught them the dance portion, and it had been the dance that had given them that fraction of a point advantage over the other squad that they beat out for the win.

'Ugh.....why were some people such sheep?'

END OF SAMPLE.
