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August 11 - August 17, 2024
“I am truly sorry for what I did to you. You didn’t deserve that. No one does, but especially you. You’re incredible.” I shove my hands in my pockets. “I regret it every second of every day.” Her chin tips in the smallest nod. “And, uh, thanks for going with me tonight. It sucked a lot less with you there.”
“We’re short a bowler tonight. Actually two, but Daisy already agreed to take one of those spots. Any chance you want to be our fourth?” I’m thrown and unable to form words. “I…” He smiles. “Trying to think of an excuse?” “What?” “You’re not a very good liar. You trail off and get this wide-eyed look.”
I fake gag. “You wish.” “Prove it then.” He walks backward. “Seven o’clock. Don’t be late.”
“Care to make things interesting?” Gavin asks as he takes the seat next to me. I arch a brow. “You play every week. Are you trying to hustle me? Because I already know that you can beat me.” “I am pretty amazing.” He flashes a wide smile. “No hustle. I’ll play left-handed to even the playing field.”
“Fine, but you have to throw left-handed and turn in a circle five times.” “O-kay.” He chuckles as he says the word. “And whistle while you throw.”
“Why wasn’t it a fair bet?” she asks once we’re sitting. “I’m ambidextrous.” “You were hustling me!” I grin.
run my hand along the leather of the steering wheel. “It was dumb.” “I’ll be the judge of that.” She shifts in the seat to better face me. “Tell me.” My pulse quickens. “I was wondering, do you think we could ever really be friends again?” She’s quiet and her gaze falls to her lap. “Told you it was dumb.”
“Kiss me.” My head snaps up. “What?” “Kiss me again.”
“No, Gavin. I don’t think you and I can ever be friends.”
What have you been up to? Besides missing me like crazy. Class, working on my dress. Nothing.
Sorry. I fell asleep. Long day. When do you play next? Saturday. We have the early game, so we should be back sometime that evening. Hang out when I get back?
“Are you sure you want to come over?” Gavin asks. “We could go to The Hideout or something.” I look out my window to see him staring back at me. For the past fifteen minutes, since he got home, we’ve been chatting on the phone and simultaneously catching glimpses of each other from our respective windows.
I’m still so stunned she’s here, standing by my side. She catches me gawking at her and an uneasy smile tugs at the corner of her lips. “You’re creeping me out, Leonard.”
If I keep staring at her like this, she’s going to yell at me for being creepy again, but I just can’t help it. She’s so fucking gorgeous, and she’s here with me. I don’t want to blink and miss a second of it.
“Don’t go. If you go home, you won’t come back.” “I am not wearing wet clothes all night.” I lean over to my dresser and snag a pair of shorts. “Problem solved.”
“I can’t believe you’re here. I must be dreaming.” I pinch his side. “Ouch. What was that for?” “Proving you aren’t dreaming.”
smell, I think you’re a liar. It smells like pool water. Come back over and I’ll prove it. It looks like you’re sleeping.
asshole, do you?” I think for a second. Do I? I shake my head. “No, I don’t.” “Good.” He disappears from sight but keeps talking. “Because I’m not screwing this up again.”
come over and move yours?” “I am not moving my bed, but if I were, I’m perfectly capable of pushing heavy things all on my own.”
My stomach clenches at a new one from my dad, but the unsettling feeling only lasts for a second because at the very top is one from the girl next door.
He reaches over and wipes his thumb under my left eye. “Do I look like a raccoon?” “A little, but you’re a very cute raccoon.
But the way he looks at me sparks a confidence inside me that makes me feel like the most beautiful person on the planet.
“Eh. I guess it was okay.” He doesn’t speak for several moments, and I can’t hold it in for one more second. The laughter bursts out of me, and Gavin mutters, “Oh, that’s it.” Both of his muscular arms come around my waist to hold me in place, and he tickles me until the only sounds coming out of me are gasps for air. “Kidding. I was kidding. I liked it.” “Liked?” His fingers dance along my ribs. “Loved.” My body floats with happiness. “I meant to say loved.”
“I still owe you a real date.” “Promises, promises,” I say with a taunt, and step into his body. Warmth seeps off him. “I’m sorry about your dad. If you want to talk about it or whatever, I’m here.”
“Don’t you know it’s rude to call without texting first with a heads-up?” I answer with a smile. A smile that’s been on my face pretty much nonstop for the past two days. I can hear the smile reciprocated in his voice. “My hands are full. Come answer your door.”
“I can’t answer that. It’s like choosing between my favorite copy of Persuasion.” “The one with the pink cover.” I look at him, unblinking. That is my favorite one, but how does he know that? “It’s always on top of the stack, and it’s the one you’ve tried to read over and over.”
He full-on grins. “A favor for a favor, huh?” I nod, pulse racing. He thinks for a second. “I’ll read to you later.”
“Oh, please do.” His brows lift. I sit on my bed and toss a pillow at him. He catches it and comes to sit in front of me. Setting the pillow down, he hands me the present. “You didn’t open it.” I take it in my lap. “I didn’t want to have an audience, in case it was something weird.” He barks a laugh. “Like what?” “I don’t know.” Heat hits my cheeks. “Open it.” I tear away the paper and my breath catches. When I look up, his lips curve up in the biggest smile. “Where did you find this?” I ask, running a hand over the cover. It’s an old version of Persuasion with a cover I’ve never seen before.
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“Is that a yes?” “It’s not a no.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re very beautiful and sometimes very frustrating?” “Only you.”
I click it three times, take one of his hands, and glide the pen across his skin. He watches me with a smirk, not trying to see what I’m writing until I stop. He brings his hand up and reads my words silently, then says, “I think you’re pretty awesome too.”
I go for his forearm next, writing, And super hot. “Right back at ya, baby.”
“I think it’s a fair question. She’s beautiful, smart, and talented. You can seriously tell me you wouldn’t want to be with her?” “I can seriously tell you that.” “Why?” “Because, dickhead, you’re in love with her and I’d never do that to a buddy.” He tosses me the ball a little harder than necessary. “And I’m pretty sure she’s in love with you too.” “You think?” “I do.” “She’s pretty fucking great.”
“Is everything okay?” she asks when I lean against the wall and wrap my arms around her waist. “Yeah.” I tug her closer and kiss her. “I have a question for you.” “All right.” “Fuck it. I’m just gonna ask because I don’t know how else to do this.” She looks terrified. I don’t blame her. “Do you want to be exclusive? Like, not date other people. I’m not, for the record. Dating other people that is.” Heat creeps up my neck. It takes a second for my words to hit before she smiles. Then it grows and she starts to laugh.
“I’m sorry. You just surprised me.” She keeps on giggling, burying her face in my chest. “It’s okay. I should go.” “Don’t you want my answer?” “Was laughter not an answer? Because it felt like an answer.”
“Really. I just wasn’t expecting you to ask like that. I’m not dating anyone else, and I have no plans to while we’re… whatever.” “Dating, exclusively, not whatever.” I nip at her bottom lip. “Come over later, girlfriend. No matter how late it is. I’ll be up.”
“I have to go. I’ll see you later.” “Boyfriend.” “What?” she asks, taking another step away. “I’ll see you later, boyfriend,” I say.
“Trust me.” And the scariest thing is, I do.
“You are going to be great. I might even watch my first college basketball game.” “You pierce my soul, Violet Johnson.”
“I really have to go. I’ll text you later.” “Good luck. I’ll be watching.” “Oh yeah?” “Did I not mention the celebration was at The Hideout? From the sound of it, half the university is going there to watch the game.” “You can take your glitter sign.” I grab my bag, and Violet walks out with me.
“Nah. Don’t worry about it.” “I want to worry about it if it’s important to you.”
When she gets close, I see the tears in her eyes. She sets a large, rolled-up piece of paper on the end of the bed and comes to my side. Her gaze roams over my bum knee and then snaps back up to me. “Hey.” The single word scrapes my throat. I turn my hand, palm up, on the bed, and she laces her fingers through mine.
“Fancy meeting you here,” Gavin says, and attempts a smile. “How are you?” “Been better.”
“Sometimes we have to show up for people even when they don’t want us to. He didn’t want me to come to the game, but here I am.”
“I like the artwork,” he says. “Violet brings a new one every day.” I glance at them again—the posters that hang on every wall say things like, Go Valley #31 and Gavin Leonard MVP. They’re cheesy and covered in glitter, but they bring the biggest smile to my face every time she hangs another one up.
“What if I can’t forgive you?” He looks up at the posters on my wall again before meeting my gaze. “I’d say I probably don’t blame you. I’m not sure I’d forgive me either.”
“I’ll be fine. Violet’s a good nurse.” She laughs and her gaze slides to me. “I have a feeling she’s going to be sick of you by the end of today.” “You wound me.” He holds both hands over his heart.
“Wait, did you just say you were in love with me?” He cocks his head to the side. “Past or present tense?” “Past and present tense.”
“Mhmm. Two truths and a lie.” “Okay.” I give him a tentative smile. “Number one, I have the hottest girlfriend alive.” “Two, I can’t imagine my life without you.” “And three?” I ask. “I have been in love with you since the night your sandal broke, and I carried you to your dorm.” My heart threatens to burst in my chest. “Which one is the lie?” “None of them.” He grins. “They’re all true.”
Being on the receiving end of all that enthusiasm has me ready to throw her over my shoulder and run upstairs. Metaphorically, of course. I’m not quite up to running stairs yet.
