The sky was pitch dark now. The game of hide-and-seek had been over with for at least half an hour. At first, everyone had gone back inside. It had been ten thirty at the time and Diana insisted it was way too late for Jessie, Avie, and Mack to be up. She herself went to bed and hinted around that she wanted her oldest three boys and her guests to do the same. None of us did.
Zac insisted to Lynnie that she had to play him in another video game. She agreed solemnly, her face in a pout; smiling only when Tay leaned over and whispered to her, "Let him win once or twice to make him feel better."
Taylor watched the video game as Lynn and Zac battled. Evie found the novel she had brought in her bag, curled up on the couch, and began reading it. Isaac had sighed.
"Wanna go outside?"
And that was why we were in the back yard at eleven o'clock at night.
"There's the Big Dipper," Ike said, pointing up into the sky.
My eyes followed the curve of his arm and finger up into the stars. I smiled. "Yeah," I agreed. Then, pointing upward myself, I told him, "The Little Dipper's right there."
After a moment's hesitation, Isaac reached his hand toward mine and took it in his; lacing his cool fingers between mine. A warm sensation rushed up my arm. Slowly, our arms came down and rested between us. I looked over at him and smiled. He smiled back.
"I hope your parents have some kind of trouble selling that house of yours," Isaac said quietly.
I gave him a critical look. "That's nice," I said sarcastically.
"Not like that," he said quickly. "I mean . . . I don't know what I mean." He sighed. Squeezing my fingers lightly, he said, "I don't want you to go."
I returned pressure in his fingers. "I don't wanna go either," I agreed. Staring up into the sky, I added, "I wish I could stay here."
"Me too," he agreed quietly.
I turned my head toward him and smiled. He was still looking up into the sky, and I could see his profile clearly. He was definitely handsome. And nice. He was probably the sweetest guy I'd ever met. Even more amazing, he seemed to care about me - a girl he'd met only a couple days prior.
. . . And I really liked him.
Not the him that was Isaac Hanson, guitarist and vocalist to the pop band Hanson, but the him that was Clarke Isaac, guy who's father picked up a family of complete strangers off the side of the road and took them into his home; guy who'd given up his room to three girls; guy who cared about my nightmares. It occurred to me then that that part was the only part of him I knew. I knew of him for what he was, but I knew him for who he was.
I squeezed his hand.
Isaac looked over at me. "What?" he asked.
I shook my head. "Just thinking," I told him.
Oh, genius, I thought sarcastically. "Just thinking." Yeah, brilliant. What's my next line? "Uh, duh"? I rolled my eyes at myself. I wanted so badly to tell him what I'd just realized, but I couldn't find the words.
We just laid there, staring up at the sky. The warmth of Isaac's body next to mine was soothing. His hand had warmed up, no longer cool against my own. He began stroking my thumb with his.
"Jaye," he said quietly.
"Hm?"
For a moment, he didn't reply. At length, he asked, "What do you think's going to happen?"
I looked over at him. He was looking back at me intently with his brown eyes. "What do you mean?" I asked, confused.
"When you leave," he clarified. "What do you think's going to happen?"
I shifted beside him. Finally, I said, "I don't know." Truly, I didn't. There was no way to answer the question. I smiled. "I'm not psychic, Ike. I don't know."
He gave a small smile as well. "Neither do I," he agreed. There was a silence. "Will you keep in touch?" he asked after the pause.
I smiled and squeezed his hand. "If you want me to."
"If I want you to? I wouldn't've asked if I didn't want you to," he said obviously.
I reached over and touched the side of his face with my free hand. "Of course I will, Clarke Isaac. I'll keep in touch."
Isaac smiled and leaned over. This time when he kissed me, he deepened it past my lips. I kissed him back, sliding my free hand to the back of his neck. In turn, he rested his hand on my waist.
Just then, the back door creaked. Isaac and I quickly pulled apart from each other and looked toward it.
Taylor stood by the house. "We're all going to bed. Just figured we'd tell you guys," he said quietly.
"Okay," Ike called back. "We'll be inside in a minute."
Tay nodded. "All right," he said, starting for the door. "Don't stay out too long."
Isaac grinned. "Okay, Mom."
"I'll give you mom," Tay muttered, walking into the house.
As soon as he was safely in the house, I giggled. Isaac looked at me, eyebrows drawn together. I just continued to laugh.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
I shook my head. "Nothing. Just, earlier today, your mom almost walked in on us kissing, and now Tay." I sighed. "It's just funny is all."
He smiled. "I'm glad you think so," he told me. He looked toward the house. "We should go in," he said at length.
I nodded in agreement and the two of us stood up. Hand in hand, we started for the house. When we got to the back door, Isaac stopped. I looked up at him. "Aren't we going in?" I asked him.
He shrugged. "What about a goodnight kiss?" he asked.
I giggled. "We're going into the same house," I told him, grinning.
"But look at everybody in there," he pointed out.
I nodded. "I see what you mean." There was a silence. "So?"
"So what?" Ike asked, confused.
I smiled and stepped toward him. "So, are you gonna kiss me or what?" I asked him.
He grinned. "I suppose," he said, jokingly reluctant. He put his hand on the back of my neck and tilted my head up. The two of us leaned in toward each other and our parted lips touched again. It was like the last kiss, only longer this time.
At length, we parted. I took in a breath. "Well, time to go in, I guess," I whispered.
"Yeah," he said. Slowly, he opened the door and let me inside. We held hands until we came to where the living room and hallway parted.
I opened the bedroom door and tip-toed my way inside. Lynnie's small figure was dark and curled up on the bottom bunk. I smiled. She was probably already asleep. I took another step and quickly drew my foot back. My breath hissed. Legos.
"Don't worry, I'm not asleep yet," Lynnie said softly from her bunk.
"Me either," Evie whispered.
I smiled and sat down on the trundle bed, making sure not to sit on Eve's feet.
"So?" Lynn asked, sitting up.
Chapter Eighteen
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