One More Chance (A Bedford Falls Novel Book 3) Read online

  Ashley tried to get him to open up to her, but he wouldn’t give in. She felt like he’d put her at a distance, although he still actively listened whenever she shared her thoughts and feelings. But now that he’d begun taking on more hours at the body shop to pay for the cheap motel he and Gabe lived in, she only saw him in school and wanted to make every moment count.

  And while he tried to wear a carefree smile to assure her that he didn’t endure the torment that lived inside him, he didn’t fool Ashley one bit. His charade deeply worried her, but she didn’t know how to ease his suffering.

  The principal stepped behind the velvet curtain, and Scott took his place, holding an acoustic guitar with one hand and clutching a small wooden stool in the other. He set the stool down, cradled his guitar, and took a seat.

  He placed the microphone stand in front of him, positioned it near his lips and said, “I’m dedicating this song to…someone who made me believe in love.”

  In the audience, Ashley felt her heartstrings clench, felt her breath quicken, felt her senses concentrate solely on Scott as he began plucking the guitar in a serene country/blues rendition of a song she’d never heard. At that moment, she felt dozens of eyes on her, but she focused on Scott:

  Never knew what it meant to trust someone

  With my heart, my soul, my fears

  But now I’ve got that special woman

  And I see my future within her happy tears

  Ashley tried not to let her emotions get the best of her. It made her heart swell with such emotion that she couldn’t help but almost whimper when his eyes searched the crowd for her, hoping to find enough strength to continue on with the song he’d written. But rather than wave a hand to draw his attention, she knew that if she just continued to look at him, Scott would inevitably lock his eyes on her; their love would always magnetically draw them together.

  Never knew what it meant to be whole

  Problem is, I’ll never be good enough for you

  She keeps telling me to trust her soul

  But I’m not that strong, and I feel like a fool

  In the audience, Ashley felt tears entering her eyes. Without even glancing at her parents, she could feel them staring at her. But fearing admonishment, she didn’t want to look their way. Her little sister, Kelsey, nudged her in the side, whispering that she’d marry Scott if Ashley broke up with him. Ashley tried to chuckle, but she couldn’t. Scott, rarely one to disclose his deepest feelings in conversation, used his art to express himself, and she wanted to hear every word, every guitar string, every melody.

  But we’re moving on to a different life

  And you’ll soon be leaving me behind

  Just wanna love you, one day make you my wife

  But I’m not good enough, baby, are you blind

  Ashley finally peeked at her parents. Her father looked askance at her with a stern expression that once again relayed his disapproval, as though she should have trusted his judgment long ago, rather than relying on someone who admitted that they shouldn’t be together. Her mother, however, looked down at the palms in her lap, puzzled. That confused expression intrigued Ashley. Her mom seemed to battle her suspicions, unsure if she’d made the right decision to neglect her daughter’s romantic relationship.

  Ashley now decided to ignore her parents. She looked at Scott once more, surprised to hear that he felt like he didn’t deserve her. Although touched that he’d placed her in such high regard, she wanted to calm his fears and explain that they spoke with one voice, one heart.

  I hope we’ll make it past someday

  Want to hold you, kiss you till the end of time

  But we’ll never make it past maybe

  We’re not strong enough, and baby this is a crime

  Far from touched by Scott’s performance, she felt that, no matter how strongly they felt about each other, he planned to break up with her. That he’d withdrawn into himself only reinforced that impression. She found herself on the edge of her seat, snatching up quick breaths, praying that Scott didn’t end things between them in front of the entire school. If spending the past few weeks with him taught Ashley anything, it was that she didn’t care what other people thought of her. This helped relieve some of the anxiety she felt when others looked her way.

  So she could care less if they knew her relationship status with Scott. But the notion that he might disappear from her life made nausea settle in her stomach. So she concentrated on his performance, fearing that she might miss some vital lyrics that might portend their future. And even though she sensed one student after another looking her way, wondering how she might react, she drew inward, concentrating on her boyfriend.

  On stage, Scott bolted up from the stool and got to his feet, standing before the microphone clenching his eyes tight with heartfelt emotion as he continued to pluck chords on his acoustic guitar.

  You’re the one I want, the one I can’t lose

  But you’re destined for more than me

  You’re too good, so I won’t make you choose

  This may end, but I’ll always love you, Ashley

  This time, rather than sensing that only her fellow students looked her way, Ashley watched the entire audience look at her. She had no idea if other students had informed their relatives and friends that Scott sang about her, but the whole crowd now gawked at her with intense stares. She might appear strong and indifferent to their undivided attention, but she found it too much to handle.

  Her cheeks flushed red. Her heart pounded. The only way to ignore their stares was to look at her boyfriend, to find out what he might sing next, to find out the direction their lives might take.

  Scott strummed the acoustic guitar one last time, letting the sound reverberate through the gymnasium. He scanned the audience until his gaze rested on Ashley. As his guitar chords stretched into silence, Scott released a half-smile on stage.

  He set the acoustic guitar on the ground with the utmost care. Then in one quick, violent motion, he kicked the stool in front of him – off the stage. A moment later, from the left side of the stage, a black electric guitar, surrounded by a long silver chain, flew through the air, hurtling toward him.

  Scott turned at just the right moment and caught it with one hand. At that same moment, the curtain swept aside to reveal Gabe and a long-haired drummer behind him. Scott strapped the chains around his shoulders and set the guitar against his chest. No longer inhabiting the lovelorn expression he’d worn just moments before, he now looked determined, unwilling to listen to reason.

  Scott ushered in a power chord so loud and so gratuitous that he’d stolen the spotlight from Ashley and placed it upon himself. At that same time, his band mates kept up the driving rhythm behind him, Scott approached the microphone:

  But I don’t give a damn what others say or do

  Because you and me, we’re meant to be

  Won’t hide from you, won’t deny you

  What’s meant for you and me

  He launched into a vicious solo that would put his guitar heroes to shame. While doing so, he turned to the musicians behind him, informing them with a twirl of the hand the direction the song would take. Then he spun around and faced the crowd, still shredding on his guitar. He walked across the stage, owning it, flaunting his skills, staring into the crowd with a tiny smirk, knowing none of them would come close to reaching the level of skill he commanded on his Fender Stratocaster.

  Ashley sat wide-eyed, unable to believe the transformation that had overcome him. Scott willed his guitar to feats she’d never thought possible.

  After finishing his solo, Scott headed back to the microphone, grabbed it in his hand, and met Ashley’s eyes once more:

  Whatever it takes, no matter how many ways

  We’ll be side-by-side, we’ll make it together

  I won’t let you go, no matter how many days

  We’ll be together, oh yeah, we’ll be forever

  Scott revealed a crooked smile and hit another power cho
rd as the drummer clashed the cymbals to end the song. When the last string of Scott’s guitar echoed through the gymnasium, he glanced around the room…and was greeted by silence. That’s when he set his gaze on Ashley.

  She took a deep breath as his words chased away all of her self-doubt. She felt a vibrant smile appear. She jumped to her feet and clapped so hard that the vibrations swept up her shoulders. Unable to contain her pride in him, she added some whistles and whoops. Soon enough, other members of the audience got to their feet and began clapping.

  With so much noise all around her, Ashley scanned the gym and found all of her fellow students standing up, clapping and hollering their praise. Their parents, while still seated, clapped with much less enthusiasm, as though they respected Scott’s talents, but never wanted to hear his brand of rock ’n’ roll ever again.

  Ashley turned to her father, expecting at least a small measure of deference in his expression. But far from appearing courteous, he snarled with disapproval and…dread. Since he’d long been a fan of AC/DC, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, and other classic hard rock groups, she couldn’t comprehend what triggered his disinterest and disrespect. After all, Scott played the same loud music her father enjoyed. If anything, she’d hoped that Scott’s performance would have broken down her father’s long-held belief that her boyfriend would end up an alcoholic. And if he and Ashley were to remain together, she would support his dreams of making hit records and touring the world.

  Ashley glanced at her mother.

  With eyes bulging wide, her mother was so startled by Scott’s performance that she appeared to have difficulty processing what she’d just witnessed.

  The nausea in Ashley’s abdomen twisted and tightened. By the time the applause died down and Scott’s band left the stage, the school principal appeared beside the microphone and began thanking the students who had participated tonight as well as their parents and family members for coming.

  “That was such a great song,” said Kelsey.

  Ashley ignored her little sister, preferring to get an explanation why her parents hated Scott’s performance.

  “You’re going to marry him, aren’t you?” Kelsey asked. “Hey, Ash. You’re going to get married to Scott, right.” With no answer forthcoming, Kelsey kicked her shin.

  Ashley spun toward her with pain sizzling up her leg. “What the hell?”

  “Because if you don’t, can I? Marry Scott?”

  “Neither of you are going to marry that boy,” said their father, capturing Ashley’s attention.

  “How do you know?” asked Kelsey. “Did you ask Google? Google knows everything. Google knows the future.”

  Ashley spun toward her father. “Yeah, how do you know? We might run off together. By this time tomorrow, we could be in Vegas.”

  “Can I come?” asked Kelsey. “I want you two to get married. I want to go to Vegas.”

  Beside Kelsey, Alexander, who had just graduated from middle school a couple nights before, heard mention of Vegas and said, “Yeah, I’m coming too. I’m going to get some hookers.” He grinned. “They’ll turn me into a man.” He tugged on the lone, wiry strand of hair on his chin, looking mischievous. “Multiple times.”

  Their father laughed. “On a $10 allowance? Good luck with that.”

  Unwilling to let her father make decisions for her, Ashley said, “I could marry Scott if I wanted to.”

  Her mother leaned forward to enter the conversation. “You’ll do no such thing. You’re going to college first. After that, you can do whatever you want. But not before—”

  The overhead lights came to life. Now that others could see her clearly, Ashley found it difficult to maintain her rebellious streak. “At least tell me what you thought of his song.”

  Her dad clamped his mouth shut, and the way his jawline tightened made it obvious that he gnashed his teeth. Then he opened his mouth with distaste. “He has…talent.”

  Ashley couldn’t hide her smile. But doing so rubbed it in her dad’s face, giving him no opportunity to save face, so she bit her lip to dash that expression.

  Her father got up from his chair. “Time to go. Everybody grab your coats.”

  “Mom?” Ashley asked. “What did you think?”

  Unlike her father, who needed time to answer, her mother felt the need to reveal her opinions immediately. “He has a flair for performing.”

  Once again, Ashley’s smile faltered. Her mother knew exactly how to crush her spirit. And judging by the way she met Ashley’s stare with a look of pity, her mom once more made it known that she disapproved of her daughter’s romantic relationship.

  Scoffing, Ashley just stood there in disbelief. “I can’t believe you two.”

  “We came against our better judgment,” her father said in a stern tone. “So be careful what you say.”

  “Oh, I’m not going to say anything,” Ashley said, somehow finding enough strength to grin while yet another part of her heart lost respect for her parents. “Nothing at all.” Then she turned and walked away, leaving her family behind.

  * * *

  A week later, after her graduation ceremony, Ashley met her parents and siblings outside of the gymnasium to take some family pictures in the bright sunlight. Dozens of other students and their families did likewise. But she couldn’t locate Scott anywhere.

  Since the talent show, she’d spent each day at lunch chatting with him, and he seemed in better spirits. Maybe the end of school, which would give him a chance to work more hours, lifted his morale. Similarly, he’d have more time to spend working to reach his goals. Ashley was just excited that he once more smiled with sincerity every once in a while.

  Last week, however, when she suggested that he follow her to LA in the fall, and be closer to various record labels, Scott looked resistant to the idea. She pointed out that they could find an apartment, thereby cutting down on expenses. But even when he mentioned that he planned to support Gabe until he graduated, she said his little brother could come along. At that, Scott grew quiet and changed the subject. She hadn’t broached the topic since then, hoping the idea would percolate in his mind and grow more intriguing with time.

  Ashley just wanted one kiss with Scott while in their caps and gowns: the perfect start to a new chapter in their lives. She would have preferred a photograph, but who would she ask to handle that duty? Her parents?

  So she’d settle for a special moment in a secluded section behind the school, the same spot they’d often retreated to during lunch while their classmates remained inside the cafeteria.

  “Alexander,” her father said, breaking the yearning expression on his son’s face as he stared at a cute thirteen-year-old blond girl. “Get over here. Picture time.”

  Ashley went over to her painfully shy brother (at least, when it came to the opposite sex), slung an arm around his shoulder, and said, “Just go over there and say ‘hi.’ That’s all.”

  He lowered his head and shook it. “I tried that last week.” He met her gaze. “You know what came out? I said, ‘howdy.’ Can you believe it? Who says that?” He shut his eyes in humiliation. “She told all her friends, and they kept saying things like, “Hey look, it’s Woody.’ You know, the character from Toy Story? Then they picked up on the other meaning behind that name, you know, when it comes to sex…”

  “Oh,” Ashley said, empathizing so much with him that her own cheeks burned bright. “What a bunch of jerks.”

  Kelsey arrived and a bright smile came over her face. “Hey, where’s Scott?” She looked around, puzzled. “Are you going to Las Vegas now? To get married? You’ll come back, right? To visit me?”

  Ashley smiled, touched by her sister’s devotion. “Well, first I’m going to LA. Then maybe if…”

  “No one’s getting married,” her father said with a hard edge in his voice, “and that’s final. Now everybody get over here and take some family pictures.”

  Ashley stifled a smile. Her father had a knack for turning what should be a joyous event into a loa
thsome task. As the family took a round of photos, Ashley scanned the area for Scott, but she still didn’t see him anywhere.

  Her mother noticed Ashley’s dispirited expression and linked her arm into her daughter’s. Her mom noticed all of the mingling among the recent grads and their families and friends. “We planned to take you to Baker’s Square as a celebration, but is there anyone you’d like to speak with before we leave?”

  Ashley didn’t want to explain that all of her so-called friends had fallen by the wayside since she began dating Scott. At the time, she forgave them by smiling and acting polite without pretense. She had no interest in trying to reform friendships based on insincerity, but she thought it best to remain non-judgmental.

  “No,” she said to her mom. “We can go now.”

  She scanned the area for Scott one last time. And once again, she came away with a sinking feeling in her stomach.

  “Ash,” said Kelsey, coming up beside her as their family headed toward their ugly blue station wagon that all too-often smelled like Alexander’s sweaty socks at the conclusion of one of his baseball games. “If you aren’t going to marry Scott, is it okay if I do? He’s soooo cool!”

  Ashley smiled. She had to admit that her sister could be really adorable...sometimes.

  The family piled into their old Ford, and within moments, her father pulled out of the parking lot, leaving behind students she’d spent the last four years with, most likely never to see again. The idea once more put further emphasis on the finality of this day. She couldn’t wait to get home and call Scott in secret. The sound of his voice always soothed her. The idea of imagining what facial expressions he might have based on what he said always intensified her desire to see him.

  “Hey, Ash,” Kelsey said, giving her shoulder a back-handed slap. “Look at that boy. He’s doing a handstand.”