explained.
“Really?” The astonishment was apparent in my voice and I wondered if this would at least get me there.
“Yeah.”
I couldn’t respond at first. In fact, I’m sure I looked like an idiot with my mouth hanging open and a vacant expression on my face. This was the second time in two days that Grant surprised me. Yesterday—the reference to my body and today—asking me out? Was he serious? I couldn’t begin to compare to Chloe Burkenkamp, the girl he dated until her family relocated to Okinawa. This summer was his summer to bust loose at the beach and he and Ryan had done exactly that, but I never saw this coming.
“Um…who’s all going?”
Mr. Bowman came through the door and went to the front of the class.
“A bunch of us. It’ll be fun. Katie loves me. She won’t care.” He was right—my mom did love him.
Hmm. I laughed under my breath as Mr. Bowman began explaining the assignment for today. I figured mental math in my own head. What was the probability of me—Runt—being asked out by two guys? No, scratch that, two hot guys. Fractions, probability, even a linear equation wouldn’t help me figure the odds.
Mid-way through the hour, Estelle passed a note to Zach making sure I saw. My teeth clenched as jealousy shot through me. Zach watched Mr. Bowman from his desk as he opened it, read and responded. Her hair flitted over his desk as she glanced at me through her long lashes when she grabbed the paper back. My throat tightened and I finished my work, hoping tears didn’t come. Crying is for babies Emma- I heard Ryan chant in my head.
When the bell rang, I exploded out of my chair and flew down the hall hoping to make an unnoticed exit. Someone knew what had transpired this summer in my absence and I was hell bent on finding out.
“Em!” I heard Zach shout from behind me. I acted like I didn’t. “Em!” he shouted again much closer. I think he was running. I had to turn around. I didn’t have a choice.
“What?” My voice cracked. Damn it.
“What’s wrong? I thought I’d walk you to gym?” He seemed disappointed.
I flipped my hair behind my ears—a nervous habit I’d had for years. A few strands fell back, and as if it were no big deal, he slid them back into place. It was a huge deal to me. I caught a whiff of his hand and my stomach quivered. It was going to be more difficult than I thought to ever be angry at him.
“Oh. Well. I didn’t know. You were late yesterday and…Well, Estelle.” My babble stopped there. My mouth failed again and blood invaded my cheeks.
His features softened. “I would like to walk you. ” He gestured down the hall, his chocolate brown eyes sparkled.
It hurt to look at him. I wanted this so much. I nodded. He moved next to me and the funny feeling in my body was there again—an overwhelming desire to bury my nose in his T-shirt and sniff so I would keep the smell in my memory forever.
“I brought something for you.”
“What?”
“Repayment for yesterday. I’ll have it for you after gym.”
“OK. Well, thanks for walking me.”
“Wait for me next time,” he ordered then headed down the hall.
When P.E. was over, I purposely kept my stride slow as I met him outside the door. He stood with broad shoulders against the wall, talking to Connor and Brett, two of Ryan’s best buddies. I hesitated then went out. Zach winked at me as both boys turned and saw me.
“Hey, Runt.” Brett said with a shocked tone, his smile fading as he turned back to Zach.
“Hi, Brett.” I cringed at my nickname then watched as Brett’s eyes darted from me to Zach then to Connor.
“Hey, Runt? Does Ryan know about this?” Connor asked, and jetted his thumb toward Zach.
I pursed my lips together and narrowed my eyes glaring at them. “This is none of Ryan’s business or yours.”
Both boys stared at each other then rotated back to Zach.
“Dude,” Connor said.
Zach
“Really?” The astonishment was apparent in my voice and I wondered if this would at least get me there.
“Yeah.”
I couldn’t respond at first. In fact, I’m sure I looked like an idiot with my mouth hanging open and a vacant expression on my face. This was the second time in two days that Grant surprised me. Yesterday—the reference to my body and today—asking me out? Was he serious? I couldn’t begin to compare to Chloe Burkenkamp, the girl he dated until her family relocated to Okinawa. This summer was his summer to bust loose at the beach and he and Ryan had done exactly that, but I never saw this coming.
“Um…who’s all going?”
Mr. Bowman came through the door and went to the front of the class.
“A bunch of us. It’ll be fun. Katie loves me. She won’t care.” He was right—my mom did love him.
Hmm. I laughed under my breath as Mr. Bowman began explaining the assignment for today. I figured mental math in my own head. What was the probability of me—Runt—being asked out by two guys? No, scratch that, two hot guys. Fractions, probability, even a linear equation wouldn’t help me figure the odds.
Mid-way through the hour, Estelle passed a note to Zach making sure I saw. My teeth clenched as jealousy shot through me. Zach watched Mr. Bowman from his desk as he opened it, read and responded. Her hair flitted over his desk as she glanced at me through her long lashes when she grabbed the paper back. My throat tightened and I finished my work, hoping tears didn’t come. Crying is for babies Emma- I heard Ryan chant in my head.
When the bell rang, I exploded out of my chair and flew down the hall hoping to make an unnoticed exit. Someone knew what had transpired this summer in my absence and I was hell bent on finding out.
“Em!” I heard Zach shout from behind me. I acted like I didn’t. “Em!” he shouted again much closer. I think he was running. I had to turn around. I didn’t have a choice.
“What?” My voice cracked. Damn it.
“What’s wrong? I thought I’d walk you to gym?” He seemed disappointed.
I flipped my hair behind my ears—a nervous habit I’d had for years. A few strands fell back, and as if it were no big deal, he slid them back into place. It was a huge deal to me. I caught a whiff of his hand and my stomach quivered. It was going to be more difficult than I thought to ever be angry at him.
“Oh. Well. I didn’t know. You were late yesterday and…Well, Estelle.” My babble stopped there. My mouth failed again and blood invaded my cheeks.
His features softened. “I would like to walk you. ” He gestured down the hall, his chocolate brown eyes sparkled.
It hurt to look at him. I wanted this so much. I nodded. He moved next to me and the funny feeling in my body was there again—an overwhelming desire to bury my nose in his T-shirt and sniff so I would keep the smell in my memory forever.
“I brought something for you.”
“What?”
“Repayment for yesterday. I’ll have it for you after gym.”
“OK. Well, thanks for walking me.”
“Wait for me next time,” he ordered then headed down the hall.
When P.E. was over, I purposely kept my stride slow as I met him outside the door. He stood with broad shoulders against the wall, talking to Connor and Brett, two of Ryan’s best buddies. I hesitated then went out. Zach winked at me as both boys turned and saw me.
“Hey, Runt.” Brett said with a shocked tone, his smile fading as he turned back to Zach.
“Hi, Brett.” I cringed at my nickname then watched as Brett’s eyes darted from me to Zach then to Connor.
“Hey, Runt? Does Ryan know about this?” Connor asked, and jetted his thumb toward Zach.
I pursed my lips together and narrowed my eyes glaring at them. “This is none of Ryan’s business or yours.”
Both boys stared at each other then rotated back to Zach.
“Dude,” Connor said.
Zach
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