Between the Lines - 4. Chapter 4

I climbed into the car and buckled my seatbelt as Ken glanced over at me.

“Hey, kiddo. How was school?” he asked, his tone light.

“It was… good,” I said, staring out the window. I wasn’t lying. It had been a good day.

The drive was quiet except for the hum of the engine and the occasional sound of Ken flipping through radio stations. My mind, though, was racing.

I replayed the day in my head: the jokes, the easy banter, and the way Cal had smiled at me when he said goodbye. It was probably nothing—just him being friendly—but still. It felt like more. Or maybe I was just imagining things.

And then there was Sam. That guy never stopped talking, but somehow it didn’t bother me. Jonah and Alex were funny too, in their own way. They all just clicked, like they’d been friends forever. It was kind of nice to feel like I was starting to fit in, even if I wasn’t entirely sure where I belonged yet.

“You’re quiet,” Ken said, breaking the silence.

“Just thinking,” I replied, not looking away from the window.

He didn’t push, which I appreciated. That was the thing about Ken—he tried, but he didn’t always know how to connect.

“About school? Or something else?” he asked, glancing over.

I hesitated. “A little of both.”

He nodded, not pushing, which I appreciated. That was one thing about Ken—he tried, but he didn’t always know how to connect. Maybe this was a chance to meet him halfway.

“So,” I said after a moment, “I was thinking… maybe I could get a car? I know we've talked about it before.”

Ken raised an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth twitching like he was trying not to laugh. “Oh, you were thinking that, huh?”

“Yeah,” I said, sitting up a little straighter. “It would make things easier for everyone, you know? No more waiting around after school for someone to pick me up. I could even run errands or help out more if I had my own wheels.”

Ken chuckled. “That’s a pretty good pitch. You sure you don’t want to go into sales?”

“I’m serious!” I said, though I couldn’t help but smile a little. “I mean, I’d chip in. I’ve got some savings from my summer job, and I could keep saving up.”

“That’s responsible of you,” Ken said, nodding. “But have you thought about the costs? Gas, insurance, maintenance—it’s more than just buying the car.”

“Yeah, I’ve thought about it,” I said, feeling a little defensive. “But I’d handle it. I could get a part-time job if I needed to.”

Ken glanced over at me again, this time with a look I couldn’t quite read. “You’re serious about this, huh?”

“Yeah,” I said, quieter this time. “I mean… it’d be nice, you know? To have a little freedom.”

Ken was silent for a moment, his eyes on the road. “I’ll tell you what,” he said finally. “Let’s talk to your mom about it. If we can figure out a way to make it work, I’m open to the idea.”

“Really?” I asked, surprised.

“Yeah, really,” he said with a small smile. “You’re growing up, Jeremy. If you’re ready for the responsibility, we’ll figure it out.”

“Thanks, Ken,” I said, meaning it.

“Don’t thank me yet,” he said with a laugh. “Let’s see what your mom says first.”

I leaned back in my seat, glancing out the window. Maybe I should’ve taken the first step all along. He’s not that difficult to talk to.

I thought about Cal again, about how he said I’d done good. He didn’t have to say that. And the way he’d told me not to ditch lunch tomorrow… It was like he actually wanted me around.

The flutter in my chest came back, stronger this time.

The next few weeks followed the same routine: school, home, sleep, repeat. The weekends weren’t much better. Since we’d just moved over the summer, there was still a ton of work to do around the house—and, of course, the endless yard work. Mowing the lawn, trimming the hedges, pulling weeds. At least it got me outside, where I could slap on my headphones, blast some music, and zone out while I worked.

Ken, Mom, and I talked about the car, and honestly, it was… promising. Mom said she wanted to wait until we’d fully settled in—finish unpacking everything, get into a normal routine, and see how things balanced out.

I was okay with that. This was the furthest we’d ever gotten in discussing the idea, and it felt like real progress. At least they were considering it. For the first time, it didn’t feel like a flat-out “we’ll see” or “not now.”

Almost three weeks later, I walked into my English class and froze. There was Cal, sitting at the back with that signature grin plastered across his face. What was he doing here? Not that I minded. I headed straight over to him.

“Hey, Cal. What are you doing here?” I asked, dropping my bag onto the desk beside him.

“I’m in this class now,” he said, leaning back in his chair like it was no big deal. “Figured you could use a familiar face, so I had a few classes switched around. Besides, this fits better with my schedule—I finally got into the language class I’ve been wanting to take.”

Extra credit. This guy was really out for extra credit.

“And now that we’re in the same class, I can help you out if you need it,” he added with a wink.

English had always been one of my favorite classes, but having Cal there made it even better. The buzzer rang, signaling the end of class, and as I packed up my stuff, I noticed Cal standing next to me.

“Hey, hang on,” he said. “Math’s up now, right? I’m still getting used to the new schedule. Where’s Mr. W’s class?”

That was surprising. His math class was usually later in the day. Just how many classes had he swapped around?

“Uh, yeah. It’s upstairs at the end of the hall,” I said.

“Cool. Let’s go,” he replied, motioning for me to lead the way.

As we walked to math, we kept chatting about English—something about a project the teacher had just assigned. Once we got to class and settled in, Cal pulled out his binder, and I couldn’t help but glance at his schedule taped to the inside cover.

My jaw almost dropped. His schedule was nearly identical to mine. Sure, he had a couple of extras, like the language class he’d mentioned and an advanced math course I’d never touch in a million years. Just teach me the basics—I’m not planning on becoming a rocket scientist.

I leaned back in my chair, a strange thought creeping into my mind. Why would he switch so many classes just to match mine?

The next few weeks became a routine. Every afternoon, I’d meet up with the boys. It felt weird, but good, to call them that. They were fun to be around—always joking, always making life a little lighter.

Like clockwork, when Cindy came out, Jonah made his usual beeline for her. But this time, something changed. He held her hand and gave her a quick kiss. Did he finally ask her out? If Sam had noticed, he would’ve been all over it, but Sam and Alex were busy debating something as Alex rounded the corner with his skateboard.

“Boys… where’s Jonah? Oh, never mind, I see him,” Cal said, smirking as he pointed toward Jonah and Cindy.

Sam and Alex glanced over but quickly went back to their conversation.

“Hey, Jer. Did you think anymore about learning to skate? I’m free this weekend—maybe I could come over?” Cal asked casually.

Truthfully, I hadn’t thought about it at all.

“Yeah, sure—it’d be cool to learn,” I said before I could stop myself. What did I just say? That’s not what I meant to say! Now I was locked in. Great. I’d probably make a fool of myself, maybe break an arm, but there was no backing out now.

“Awesome!” Cal said, pulling out his phone. “What’s your number?”

“Huh?” I blinked, trying to catch up.

“Your phone number,” he said, laughing. “I’ll text you on Saturday, and you can send me your address.”

“Oh, right! Brain fart,” I replied, fumbling with my phone.

He rattled off his number, and I quickly texted him so he’d have mine.

“Perfect. I’ll see you Saturday, then. I’ll text you, okay?” Cal said with a grin.

“Sure thing,” I said.

As Cal rode off with the rest of the boys, I noticed Jonah lagging behind with Cindy. Good for him. He deserved that.

Ken was already waiting for me in the usual spot. As much as I liked hanging around school now, I wasn’t about to keep him waiting forever.

The ride home was quiet, as it usually was.

“Hey, Ken?” I said after a few minutes.

“Yeah, what’s up, Jeremy?” he replied, glancing at me briefly before turning his attention back to the road.

“So… one of my friends is coming over this weekend. Is that okay?”

“Why would you ask? Of course it’s okay,” Ken said. “Do you guys need food? I could pick up snacks or maybe do a BBQ.”

“No, it’s fine. I don’t think he’ll stay long,” I said quickly.

“Well, if you change your mind, let me know. Actually, it’s supposed to be a scorcher this weekend. Maybe a BBQ’s not a bad idea,” Ken mused. “I’ll talk to your mom—might as well make a day of it.”

Oh, great. What had I gotten myself into now?

“Uh, sure. Cool,” I muttered. Like most of our rides, the conversation fizzled out, and we both went quiet until we got home.

By the time Saturday rolled around, I wasn’t sure if I was more excited or nervous. Mom and Ken had run with the BBQ idea, turning it into a whole thing. I hoped Cal wouldn’t mind—but I also hoped he’d leave before everything got into full swing.

At 10:15 a.m., I was finishing some yard work when Cal rolled up on his skateboard. He was wearing shorts and had his shirt tucked into the waistband. His skin glistened in the late-morning sun, already shiny with sweat. And God, what a body.

“Hey, Jer! Chores?” he called out, kicking up his board and walking up the driveway.

“Yup. Every weekend—it never ends,” I said, leaning on the rake in my hand.

“Cool. You know, we’re not that far apart. I’m, like, four streets over. Took me longer on the board, but it’s probably only a ten-minute drive,” he said.

“Really? Maybe we could go to school together sometime. I could ask Jen to pick you up,” I said, instantly regretting how awkward it sounded.

“That’d be cool,” Cal replied easily. “I usually take the bus, but I like skating home—it’s long, but it’s good exercise.”

“Perfect. I’ll ask her,” I said, trying to sound casual.

For the next few hours, Cal showed me how to balance properly on one of his boards. I wasn’t going to be pulling off tricks anytime soon, but I started to feel a little more comfortable. Before I knew it, it was almost 1:00 p.m.

Ken came out and spotted us. “You must be Cal,” he said, walking over. “Jeremy said you’d be coming over this weekend. Hope you’re staying for the BBQ.”

“I’m Jeremy’s—uh, stepdad. Glad he’s making friends,” Ken added before heading back inside.

Cal grinned. “BBQ? You should’ve told me—I’d have brought something.”

“Last-minute thing. Sorry, man,” I said, trying to brush it off.

It wasn’t a last-minute thing. I’d known about it and felt awkward for not mentioning it earlier.

“No worries,” Cal said, though his tone felt a little off. He pulled out his phone. “Let me call my mom and dad real quick.”

He sounds disappointed. The thought made my stomach twist. I gave him some space, retreating to the porch while he made his call.

When he came back, he dropped down beside me, close enough that I could feel the warmth radiating off him. It was driving me crazy—in the best and worst ways.

“Mom said it’s fine, but I’ll need to stick around until 5:00. I forgot my keys, and she and my dad are going out.”

“Your dad?” I asked, confused. “I thought you lived with your mom and stepdad.”

“I do,” Cal said. “But I call him Dad. He’s been raising me for years. Took me a while to accept him, though—I know I didn’t make it easy. But now? He’s awesome. I’m lucky to have two dads.”

For a second, I didn’t know what to say. “Your step dad seems… pretty chill,” I said finally.

“Yeah, he is,” Cal said “But so is yours. Looks like he cares a lot about you.”

For the first time, I thought, Maybe there’s more to Ken than I’ve been willing to admit. But my case was different. My dad didn’t leave—he died. And Ken? Ken was trying to replace him. Or was he?

Cal and I spent another hour practicing outside. I fell a few times—thankfully onto the grass—but I knew the safety net wouldn’t always be there. Still, we kept at it until Ken called out that lunch was ready.

We headed to the backyard, and the smell of steak, burgers, and chicken hit me like a wave. The table was set with potato salad, sodas, and even a few beers.

Mom was the first to come outside, balancing plates and cutlery. “You must be Cal. I’m Cathy, Jeremy’s mom. Jen will be out in a minute. She worked a late shift at the hospital last night, so she’s just waking up,” she said with a smile.

“You’re Cathy? I thought you were Jen,” Cal said smoothly.

What a suck-up. I wanted to roll my eyes but resisted. Mom laughed, and I couldn’t figure out what Cal was talking about—Mom and Jen looked nothing alike.

“I’m sure you say that to all the girls,” Mom replied with a laugh.

Okay, I’m going to throw up now. Thankfully, Mom went back inside after setting the plates down.

“Hey, sorry about that,” I said to Cal. “She can be weird sometimes.”

“Nah, she’s nice,” Cal replied with a shrug. “You’ve got a good family, Jer. I’m big into family—you’ve gotta love them no matter what. They’re the ones who’ve always got your back.”

Cal wasn’t much older than me, but the way he talked sometimes made him sound like he’d lived through decades of experience.

A few minutes later, Jen finally came out. “You must be Cal,” she said, yawning.

“Let me guess—you’re his younger sister?” Cal said with a smirk.

“Flattery will get you nowhere,” Jen replied, laughing.

“Worth a shot,” Cal said, shrugging.

Once everyone was outside, Ken started serving. Cal and I opted for burgers. I grabbed a beer, then hesitated before offering one to Cal.

“Beer?” I asked.

“Huh? Oh, no, thanks. I don’t drink,” Cal said. “My dad—both of them—don’t want me to. My OG dad was an alcoholic. That’s one of the reasons my parents divorced. He’s been clean for over ten years now, but they still worry, and I don’t want to give them a reason to.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mom glance at Ken. I wondered what they were thinking.

Good lord. Goody-two-shoes, I thought, but honestly, it was kind of admirable. I decided to skip the beer too and grabbed sodas for both of us.

We ate and talked. Jen shared some wild hospital stories—she always had something crazy to say—and Cal laughed at all the right moments. Eventually, Jen had to leave for her shift, and Mom went inside to grab dessert.

As we finished eating fruit, the doorbell rang.

“That must be my dad,” Cal said, standing up.

I followed him to the front, curious to meet his family.

“Dad! Hey. Where’s Mom? She didn’t come with?” Cal asked as he approached the car.

“No, she’s off getting her nails done or something,” his dad replied with a laugh. “You know your mom. And you must be Jeremy,” he said, turning to me.

“Yeah. Sorry, Jer—this is my dad, Roger. Dad, this is Jeremy—the new kid I was telling you about,” Cal said, throwing an arm around my shoulder.

The touch sent a shiver up my spine, but I tried to play it cool.

“Great to meet you, Jeremy!” Roger said warmly. “You’ll have to come over sometime. It’d be nice for the rest of the family to meet you. Cal’s brothers are usually at school, but we’ll figure something out.”

“Thanks, Mr.—uh, Roger. I’d like that,” I replied.

“Perfect. I’ll leave it to you two to sort out. Cal, ready to go? Or should I swing back in a few hours?” Roger asked.

“No, I’m ready. Hey, Jer—keep the board, okay? Keep practicing. Maybe in a few weeks, you’ll be able to ride with us.”

“Cool—yeah, that’d be fun. What do I owe you for it, though?”

“Nothing. When I want it back, I’ll let you know,” Cal said with a grin.

“Thanks, man. See you Monday?” I asked.

“See you Monday. Have a good weekend—and tell your mom and Ken thanks for lunch. It was awesome.”

I waved as he jumped into the car with Roger. As they drove off, I stood there for a moment, replaying the day in my head. It had been… really good.