anyone doesn’t mean I haven’t done any thing.”
I wanted to ask what she meant. What all she’d done and what she hadn’t. But I didn’t think it was the right time—nor did I really care. “Because of what happened to you?”
The word “cancer” burned my tongue.
I couldn’t say it—I couldn’t even stand to think it.
She shrugged, and I realized she still stood in front of me with our food untouched. Before giving her time to explain, I moved over on the bed and propped up a few pillows for her. She watched me for a moment, unease stiffening her posture. She probably assumed I’d done it for different reasons, but once I handed her the plate from the side table, she relaxed and gave in.
“I was seventeen when I went to the doctor for the first time about the pain in my side. I hadn’t dated anyone prior to that. I wasn’t ever really interested in anyone. And anyone I did have interest in usually went after Drea. She was the fun one—I was always the quiet one. And then afterward…well, I lost my ovary, and then my hair. Being unattractive kinda makes it hard to pick up guys.”
“That can’t be true. I’m sure lots of guys looked at you twice—hell, probably more than that—you just never noticed. I don’t even want to know what would’ve happened if you weren’t trapped in a car with me. You more than likely wouldn’t have paid any attention to me no matter how hard I tried.”
She offered me a coy smile between bites of food.
“You shouldn’t be so dependent on your hair. I thought you were hot with the blond wig, but if I’m being honest—which I told you I would be—I’ve never seen anything sexier than when you walked out of the bathroom.”
“I was crying,” she admitted with a giggle. “I’m sure that wasn’t sexy.”
“It was humbling…you’re right. I happen to think your smile is sexy. And your laugh. And the way you look at me through your lashes when you get embarrassed—like you are right now.”
“You’re good for my ego, Creed…” She put her fork down and rested her plate on her thighs. “I don’t even know your last name. I just took off my wig for you, told you my secret, and then you gave me the best kiss I’ve ever had, yet I don’t know very much about you.”
“Wallace. Creed Matthew Wallace. I’m twenty-one, and I currently attend UNC Chapel Hill. I’m in my junior year, and I plan on going to Duke for law school after graduation—you can keep the rivalry comments to yourself,” I added with a smirk. “I’ve wanted to be a lawyer my entire life…defend the innocent. But that’s all you’re going to get about me. If you want more, you’ll have to stick around. Now, what about you, Layne Cooper? Tell me about yourself.”
She picked up her last piece of bacon and pushed it around in the leftover egg yolk on her plate, keeping her attention in front of her. “Since we’re giving out full names here…it’s Layne Madison Cooper. I’m in my first year at Durham Tech. I’m studying to be a graphic designer. I live with my parents, but I don’t want to be there too much longer. Going through cancer kinda changes things a little. I want to live life…and that’s hard to do when you have people constantly hovering.”
“Are they overprotective? Like, do you have a curfew?”
She toyed with her lip again, which seemed to be a nervous habit of hers. “No. Just as long as they know where I am, they don’t care how late I stay out.”
My heart pounded furiously in my chest, my nerves so fried my hands began to shake. “Do you have to go home at all?”
Her piercing blue eyes met mine, and it seemed as though she stopped breathing.
“You don’t have to stay if you don’t want to. I just thought it’d be nice to get to know you better.” What I really wanted to tell her was I didn’t want her to leave. I didn’t care if we didn’t say another word to one another, as long as I had her with
I wanted to ask what she meant. What all she’d done and what she hadn’t. But I didn’t think it was the right time—nor did I really care. “Because of what happened to you?”
The word “cancer” burned my tongue.
I couldn’t say it—I couldn’t even stand to think it.
She shrugged, and I realized she still stood in front of me with our food untouched. Before giving her time to explain, I moved over on the bed and propped up a few pillows for her. She watched me for a moment, unease stiffening her posture. She probably assumed I’d done it for different reasons, but once I handed her the plate from the side table, she relaxed and gave in.
“I was seventeen when I went to the doctor for the first time about the pain in my side. I hadn’t dated anyone prior to that. I wasn’t ever really interested in anyone. And anyone I did have interest in usually went after Drea. She was the fun one—I was always the quiet one. And then afterward…well, I lost my ovary, and then my hair. Being unattractive kinda makes it hard to pick up guys.”
“That can’t be true. I’m sure lots of guys looked at you twice—hell, probably more than that—you just never noticed. I don’t even want to know what would’ve happened if you weren’t trapped in a car with me. You more than likely wouldn’t have paid any attention to me no matter how hard I tried.”
She offered me a coy smile between bites of food.
“You shouldn’t be so dependent on your hair. I thought you were hot with the blond wig, but if I’m being honest—which I told you I would be—I’ve never seen anything sexier than when you walked out of the bathroom.”
“I was crying,” she admitted with a giggle. “I’m sure that wasn’t sexy.”
“It was humbling…you’re right. I happen to think your smile is sexy. And your laugh. And the way you look at me through your lashes when you get embarrassed—like you are right now.”
“You’re good for my ego, Creed…” She put her fork down and rested her plate on her thighs. “I don’t even know your last name. I just took off my wig for you, told you my secret, and then you gave me the best kiss I’ve ever had, yet I don’t know very much about you.”
“Wallace. Creed Matthew Wallace. I’m twenty-one, and I currently attend UNC Chapel Hill. I’m in my junior year, and I plan on going to Duke for law school after graduation—you can keep the rivalry comments to yourself,” I added with a smirk. “I’ve wanted to be a lawyer my entire life…defend the innocent. But that’s all you’re going to get about me. If you want more, you’ll have to stick around. Now, what about you, Layne Cooper? Tell me about yourself.”
She picked up her last piece of bacon and pushed it around in the leftover egg yolk on her plate, keeping her attention in front of her. “Since we’re giving out full names here…it’s Layne Madison Cooper. I’m in my first year at Durham Tech. I’m studying to be a graphic designer. I live with my parents, but I don’t want to be there too much longer. Going through cancer kinda changes things a little. I want to live life…and that’s hard to do when you have people constantly hovering.”
“Are they overprotective? Like, do you have a curfew?”
She toyed with her lip again, which seemed to be a nervous habit of hers. “No. Just as long as they know where I am, they don’t care how late I stay out.”
My heart pounded furiously in my chest, my nerves so fried my hands began to shake. “Do you have to go home at all?”
Her piercing blue eyes met mine, and it seemed as though she stopped breathing.
“You don’t have to stay if you don’t want to. I just thought it’d be nice to get to know you better.” What I really wanted to tell her was I didn’t want her to leave. I didn’t care if we didn’t say another word to one another, as long as I had her with
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