The boy who Sneaks in My Bedroom Window
Chapter 58: Overcoming Fear and Embracing New Experiences

Chapter 58: Overcoming Fear and Embracing New Experiences

Usually I liked to watch Liam play, but that was only to perv on him in his uniform. The ramp they had set up was absolutely huge. I felt a little sick when I looked at it. It was so high, at least fifteen foot high on each side. "Um Johnny, are you sure about this?" I asked, as we walked up to the signing in booth. Johnny handed over our competitor passes and we were given yellow wrist bands and waved in.

"Amber, I’ll be fine, don’t worry." He laughed as he dragged me over to the skater area where people were hanging around waiting to go on and practice.

"Shit, Johnny, it’s so high! What if you get hurt?" I asked, swallowing the lump in my throat.

"Hey, cut that out right now. You told me in the car to have some confidence, I expect you to do that same," he said grinning at me. Jeez, I had confidence, but that would hurt if he fell from there! We sat there watching the other skaters have their turns. The tricks that they were doing blew my mind, somersaults, handstands, everything that you could think of.

The whole time I just felt worse and worse. I wasn’t even sure if I could watch him do it. After about an hour, Johnny was called up to go and get ready, and my heart started trying to break out of my chest.

"Oh God. Please be careful," I begged.

"I’ll try. But if I die, you can have my car," he replied, winking at me.

"Only if I can re-spray it pink," I joked, trying not to show him I was terrified. He laughed and walked off quickly to the area to warm up for a few minutes.

When it was finally his turn, I couldn’t breathe. I watched him climb the stairs to the top of the platform and position at the end with the board tipped up waiting to go. He smiled down at me and I tried to smile back - I’m pretty sure my expression looked more like a grimace though. The whistle blew, and he tipped off. I squeezed my eyes shut, listening to the people clap and cheer, but I didn’t want to see. I knew that the minute I opened my eyes, he’d fall and break his neck.

After an hour, well, it felt like an hour anyway, it was probably only about a minute, people were clapping like crazy so I chanced opening my eyes. Johnny was walking down the stairs, no broken bones, no blood. I jumped up and clapped along with everyone else, deciding to pretend I’d watched. Next time I’d have to tell him I couldn’t come. I just wasted his spare ticket by not even watching it.

He jogged over and hugged me tight. "That was awesome!" I chirped enthusiastically.

He laughed and shook his head. "Yeah? Did it look good through your eyelids?" he asked, laughing harder.

I looked at him apologetically. "I’m so sorry! I couldn’t watch it, Johnny. I felt so sick. I was so scared, I just couldn’t," I said apologetically.

He shook his head. "Don’t apologise, it’s fine. I landed it though," he boasted, grinning wildly.

I nodded. "I know, I heard people cheering," I said a little sheepishly. I felt incredibly guilty. He’d brought me here to watch and give him support and I couldn’t even do that. I guess I was a useless stepsister.

We sat back down and he gave me a play by play of everything that I’d missed while we waited for the scores and stuff to be counted. Johnny was one of the last to go on, so we didn’t have to wait too long before the results were announced.

When the guy walked on the stage I gripped his hand nervously, praying he had been scored well.

"OK, so we had some excellent tricks today. The judges were very impressed, so congratulations," the guy stated on the little platform.

"Right so, in reverse order. Coming in third place with a score of forty-four points out of fifty, is.... Johnny Brice," he called.

I squealed and jumped on him excitedly as he laughed. "Oh God, Johnny, that’s awesome! I’m so proud of you," I enthused, almost crying.

He grinned. "Thanks, Amber. I’d better go get my trophy." He nodded at the stage. I stood there cheering and clapping like an idiot while he went up and got his little silver trophy. He ran back and hugged me spinning me in a circle.

"Johnny, that’s so good. Let me see it." I practically snatched it out of his hands and looked at the little silver trophy with a little man on a skateboard.

"I’m really pleased with forty-four points. That’s my best score." He grinned, proudly.

"Hey, shall we go get something to eat to celebrate? My treat," I suggested, happily.

"Sure. I just need to get changed first though; I can’t really go out like this." He looked down at his ripped t-shirt, skater shorts and dirty sneakers, pulling a face.

Why the hell would he need to change? "Johnny, I don’t care what you wear," I said honestly, as we started walking back to his car.

He laughed. "Amber, I look a mess. These are my competition clothes. I always wear the same thing; they’re like my lucky clothes. They’re all ripped and dirty.

Besides, I’m all sweaty and stuff," he countered, shrugging. We climbed into his car. "I’ll just nip home and change, and then we can go," he said as he pulled out of the parking lot.

Oh shit! He wants me to go to his house? I started to feel sick. I couldn’t go, I didn’t want to see my father, I couldn’t. I closed my eyes, willing myself not to freak out. Liam wasn’t here so I didn’t want to have a full blown panic attack.

"I can’t," I whispered.

He glanced at me, confused. "You can’t go to dinner?" he asked, looking at me like I was crazy, probably because it was my idea in the first place.