Chapter Sixteen

Following the shouting match between Adam and Connor, Candice tries to uncover the truth.

My hands are on Adam’s chest, pushing him back so harshly that he nearly stumbles back off the porch. “What the hell was that?!” I shout at him, the first time I’ve ever spoken to him in a tone that isn’t lovestruck, timid or calm.

                “Woah, Candice… Calm down, okay?” He places his hands up as he inches back towards me. “I’m sorry, that was just-”

                “You know what, I don’t want to hear it right now,” I turn to face the door, my arms crossed over my chest as I begin walking. “It’s late, I’m tired and I’m going to sleep.”  

                A firm hand on my shoulder stops me in my tracks. The faded red wooden planks beneath my feet creak from the abrupt halt, my signature eye roll kicking in as I turn back to face him. “Come on, Candice. Just let me talk to you.”

                “Oh, you want to talk to me? I just assumed you came here to get into a screaming match with my brother in the middle of the goddamn yard at one in the morning!”

                Adam looks over his shoulder, clearly noticing the same older gentleman walking his beagle that I see. He looks back to me before nodding to the screen door behind me. “Let’s go inside and talk.” I don’t move, not even an inch. “Please.”

                I give my shoulders a very lazy shrug before finally moving inside, not bothering to hold the door open for him. I can hear him catch it just before it slams, the sound of flesh smacking metal as his hand no doubt grabs the corner of the thin metal frame.

                Perching myself on the arm of the couch with one knee tucked up to my chest, I place my sole on the arm of the couch with my other leg dangling. “Okay. Talk.”

                He sighs as he takes a seat on the arm of the lounge chair across from me. We’re only a foot, maybe a foot and a half apart. Right now, that just doesn’t seem far enough. “I just wanted to see how your audition went today. I know you were nervous so I thought I’d stop by instead of calling. I guess he didn’t like that too much.”

                “He’s my older brother, Adam.” I shake my head, expressing disappointment as best I can without having to actually say the word. “He’s extreme, but he’s all I have.”

                “No, Candice. He’s all you had.” Adam sits forward on his brown chair of a perch, his hand extending out until it’s resting on top of mine.

                Don’t swoon, Candice. You’re angry, remember? “So, what, I have you now?”

                “If you still want me.”

                The corner of my lip quivers into a smirk. I try hard to fight it, to keep my displeased expression going strong, but it’s useless. My resolve breaks and I smirk. “I never once said I wanted you.”

                And now he has a smirk to match. “You didn’t have to.”

                “Okay, wise guy.”

                He chuckles as he pats my hand before taking his hand back and tucking it into his pocket. “So when are you going to tell me how that audition went?”

                “It was okay, I guess,” I say as unexcitedly as I can. Fifteen years and a few months of life have taught me a great many things. One of them being not to get my hopes up.

                Adam shakes his head. “I wasn’t asking Candice, I was asking Candy Corn.”

                Oh great, now he’s doing it too. I’m going to lock him and Shannon in a box and drop them into the ocean then fly far, far away. And I sure as hell have no desire to eat candy corn any time soon.

Ultimately, though, I surrender to this new game that the people close to me seem to be playing. The Candy Corn Game where we pretend I have this split personality where one’s a timid little child and the other is a badass superstar. “I kind of killed it.”

“And how can you be so sure?” His tone isn’t doubtful. It’s encouraging. This son of a b***h is baiting me to brag about myself.

Okay, I’ll bite. “A lot of smiling from the choir director, a lot of jealous looks from the senior girls.”

“That a girl,” he says as he gives me a nod of approval. “When do I get to hear what you sang?”

“Maybe after homecoming.”

“Giving a whole new definition to getting lucky at the dance, but I’ll take it,” it’s partially a joke, I’m sure, but he seems sincere. Did he just admit that he’d be just as happy hearing me sing as he would be getting in my pants? Or dress… or whatever the hell I end up wearing.

“Ah, screw it. Let’s go.” I hop down off my couch and start walking towards the door.

He just glances over his shoulder, a bewildered expression plastered on his face. “Where are we going?”

“I sing better in the car.”

His face lights up immediately as he leaps down off of his chair and actually beats me to the door. It’s now that I notice a loud clog-like sound when he walks. I look down to see cowboy boots on his feet. “What are you wearing?”

“Oh, I’m breaking in my boots for Homecoming.”

“Wait, we’re going in theme?”

“Yeah, I was thinking we could be Woody and Jessie. You know, from the Toy Story 2 preview.”

I chuckle nervously as I shake my head and put my finger up. I begin speaking as he pushes the door open. “I am not wearing cow print chaps.” The door closes without a response. “Adam Shepherd, I am not wearing cow print chaps!” I repeat again as I chase him out into the yard and towards his Jeep.