Free Take Heart by Lauren Smith Page A

did it go last night?” she asks, eager for information.
    “Oh, my God, Rave, I had so much fun. He’s so different from what I was expecting. He’s sweet and charming and funny, but he’s also got just the right amount of bad boy in him, too,” I gush.
    “Tell me all about it,” she demands.
    “Well, first he took me out to dinner and then we went mini-golfing.”
    “Mini-golfing? she asks, incredulous.
    “Those were my exact words, too. But it was actually a lot of fun, believe it or not.”
    “You know what, now that I think about it, I take that back. I can’t say I’m surprised. That has Chase written all over it. But anyways, continue.” She waves her hand, prompting me.
    “To sum it up, we ended up back at his place, but we kept things PG with kissing and a movie.”
    “No hookup?” she checks.
    I shake my head vigorously. “No hookup.”
    “Good kisser?”
    “ Amazing .”
    I proceed to tell her all of the fine details of last night, when all of a sudden, my phone starts playing the theme song from Halloween.
    “Shit, that’s my mom.”
    “Are you going to answer it?”
    “No, I’ll let it go to voicemail and call her back later.”
    “You know you can’t ignore her forever, Mia.”
    “I know, I know,” I say, exasperated.
    “I’m serious. Get it over with. Rip the bandage off. Maybe if you tell her you’re okay, and let her know you need some space, she’ll leave you alone.”
    “Believe me, I wish it were that easy.”
    Raven forces a small smile and drops it. We continue to sip our coffee in awkward silence. The only sound in the apartment is the ticking coming from the clock on the wall.
    I really do wish it were that simple. I wish my mom and I could work things out, but the bottom line is, you can’t save someone who doesn’t want to be saved. 
    Apparently, despite my best efforts, you can’t outrun your past, either. No matter how far you go, and how fast you run, your problems will eventually catch up with you. The only way that I’m going to truly move past all this and get on with my life, is to face the music and call my mother back. It’s certainly better than putting it off and having an uneasy feeling growing in the pit of my stomach all day.
    Raven clears her throat uncomfortably. “I’ve got to go get ready for class.”
    I turn my head and give her a tight smile.
    “What are your plans for tonight?”
    “I have to work,” she says apologetically.
    “No worries. I have stuff I should get done today, anyways. I need to start looking for a job and run a few errands.”
    “I can see if the restaurant is hiring. I’m sure if there’s a spot open, my parents would hire you in a heartbeat,” she offers.
    “I appreciate that, but you’ve done enough for me already. I think I’m just going to apply to a few steakhouses around the area. If I have trouble finding something on my own, then maybe I’ll get back to you on that offer.”
    “Okay, let me know if you change your mind,” she says, standing up. She walks around the center island, rinses out her coffee mug, and puts it in the dishwasher.
    “Hey, Rave?”
    She looks up.
    “Yeah?”
    “Thanks again for the talk. As much as I don’t want to admit it, I know you’re right.”
    Her eyes soften. “You’re welcome.”
    She starts walking out of the kitchen but quickly turns around. “Oh, before I forget, ACL going on at Zilker Park this weekend if you’re interested. Eric and I got tickets for everyone ahead of time, but one of our friends backed out last minute, so there’s an extra ticket up for grabs if you want it. I also may happen to know something about Chase having a ticket of his own,” she alludes.
    My heart jumps at the idea. Austin City Limits is an extremely popular music festival that goes on for a couple weekends in the fall. It’s a big deal, and it’s the first time I’ve ever been able to go. Knowing Chase will be there, too, is like the icing on one very delectable cake.