Page 34 of Don’t Let Me Go
“Surprise!”
I’ve barely started walking up the driveway before Micaela bounces over to me and pulls me into a hug. Out of instinct I hug
her back, but I’m so shocked I barely understand what’s happening.
“What are you doing here?” I finally manage to ask her.
Micaela steps back and flashes a triumphant grin. “Well, you told me you didn’t have any plans this weekend, so I thought
I’d drive down and surprise you. And before you say anything, yes, I know the big day isn’t until tomorrow. But who wants
to celebrate their birthday on a Sunday?”
My birthday? I totally forgot. I’ve been so distracted with Riley and that dream that it completely slipped my mind.
“Oh. Um. Thanks,” I answer. “You shouldn’t have.”
“Of course I should have. You can’t celebrate the big one-eight all by yourself.”
The door of my Jeep slams behind me, and Micaela and I turn to see Riley lingering at the end of the driveway. He stares awkwardly
at his shoes, too nervous to approach or interrupt.
“Who’s that?” Micaela asks.
That might be the most loaded question I’ve ever been asked. “That’s Riley.”
“Hi, Riley!” Micaela waves, and Riley slowly trudges up the driveway.
“Hi.”
“I’m Micaela.”
“Nice to meet you,” he mumbles.
I try to catch Riley’s eye to let him know that I’m as surprised as him, but he won’t meet my gaze.
“So Jackson finally made a friend, huh?” Micaela teases. “I was getting worried. He made it seem like he was all alone down
here.”
Riley’s face falls. I can tell he’s hurt, and I don’t blame him. He probably thinks I was deliberately keeping our friendship
a secret. Which, in all honestly, yeah, I suppose I was. I did crop him out of that photo I sent Micaela. And in the few times
that she and I have texted since then, I haven’t bothered to correct her assumption about my lack of friends.
I thought I was doing it to spare her feelings. But looking back, I think I knew from the very beginning that there was something
between Riley and me. Something I wasn’t ready to admit to anyone. Not to Micaela. And definitely not to myself.
“Riley and I were just making plans to go to a concert this afternoon,” I announce, putting my arm around his shoulder. He
flinches at my touch, but that makes me more determined to show him that I’m not embarrassed by our friendship. Even if I
still don’t understand the exact nature of it.
“Oh. Fun!” Micaela exclaims. “What concert?”
“Um...”
“The Glorious Peccadilloes,” Riley answers, pulling away from me. “But I can just go with my friends. You and Jackson should
spend the day together.”
I feel my heart stop. I don’t want to spend the day with Micaela.
I know that’s fucking selfish, considering she drove all this way to make sure I wouldn’t spend my birthday alone.
But I’m not alone. I have Riley. And we’ve only just started talking again.
I don’t want to lose any more time with him.
Not when I’m finally starting to figure out my feelings for him.
“Oh my gosh, for real? I love the Glorious Peccadilloes!” Micaela gushes. “Are there still tickets available?”
“It’s a free outdoor concert,” Riley answers.
“Perfect! We can all go together! I’ll drive.”
I’m not sure what to say. I can’t tell Micaela not to come, not without sounding like the world’s biggest jerk. But inviting
her along feels like a huge slap in the face to Riley. I turn to him to see what he thinks of Micaela’s plan, but he refuses
to look at anything other than the ground.
In a last-ditch effort, I look over at Aunt Rachel for help. She’s been silently watching this entire exchange from the shade
of the garage, but all she can do is shake her head and shrug helplessly.
“Great,” I tell Micaela, the word catching in my throat like barbed wire. “That’ll be fun.”