should have told you I had feelings for him,” I admit.
“Nah, I can imagine it would be weird for you to talk to me about my brother,” she says sincerely.
I nod my head and smile, “You know this is the first time I’ve ever had to keep a secret from you,” I giggle.
“Is that why you always keep Max at arms- length, because you like Gabe?”
“Kind of, I mean I just never had feelings for Max, he’s just a good friend, that’s all.”
“He’s going to be heartbroken, you know?” She laughs.
“He’ll be fine.”
My phone rings on my nightstand and I can’t help but be thankful for the interruption. Glancing at the screen, I pull it from the power cord and answer it. I mouth to Ava, ‘It’s my dad,’ and she leaves the room.
“Hey Jessie,” my dad says excitedly into the phone.
“Morning Dad.”
“You excited? Today’s your big day.”
“Yeah,” I say quietly.
“I’m really proud of you.”
“Thanks.”
“Say, the reason I’m calling is, I wanted to see if you wanted to grab dinner after graduation. I’m going to have to work again tonight, but wanted to spend some time with you before I head back to work.”
“Sure, that sounds good. Hey Dad, so now that I’m graduating, do you think I can start staying at our house? You said I could, but I wanted to ask again.” There is silence on the phone.
“Let’s talk about it at dinner. Pick a place, anywhere you want to go.”
“Can we do Thai?”
“Sounds perfect. I’ll see you at the school at three o’clock.” And the phone clicks. This is the extent of conversations with my dad.
Showering quickly and getting dressed I decide to head home, across the street to relax for a few hours before graduation. Closing the bedroom door behind me, I hear Gabe’s raised voice coming from the kitchen. I freeze momentarily when I hear the exchange between him, Mom and Dad, and even Luke. I tiptoe down the stairs and out the front door as quietly as possible.
I’m not home ten minutes when my phone pings, alerting me to a new text message. Fishing my phone out of my purse, I slide open the screen to see a new message from Gabe.
“Where did you go?”
I don’t know why this makes me happy, but it does and I smile as I tap out my reply.
“Home.”
“I’ll be right over.”
Those four words cause my pulse to quicken and my palms to sweat. I rush into the bathroom to throw some mascara on my eyelashes and swipe some lip gloss across my lips. I run my fingers through my long wavy hair, hoping to make it look more manageable. Just as I finish up, the doorbell rings and my stomach flips with anxiousness.
I pause momentarily before opening the door, taking a deep breath. Twisting the door knob, I open the door and Gabe immediately steps over the threshold and pulls me to his lips. His kiss is warm, and sweet.
“You taste like cherries,” he mumbles against my lips.
“It’s my lip gloss.”
“I like it.” He finally pulls his lips off mine but continues to hold me close to him.
“I like you .” I whisper and press my lips to his for one more kiss.
Pulling out of his embrace, I walk to the couch and sit down, and he follows me. Settling in next to me, he pulls my hand into his.
“So what are your plans tonight after graduation?” He asks.
“Dad is taking me to dinner before heading back to the station.” I say with a shrug.
“Luke mentioned their shorthanded, he’s headed into work after graduation too. So you’ll be at our house tonight then?”
“Not sure, I’m trying to convince my dad to let me stay here now.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m almost nineteen, I think I can stay at my own house.” I laugh.
“But I like you across the hall from me.”
“I like you across the hall from me too, but it’s time for me to grow up, stay on my own once in a while.” I run my thumb over the top of his hand.
“I suppose,” he smiles. “Is your dad going to be at graduation? I need to talk to
“Nah, I can imagine it would be weird for you to talk to me about my brother,” she says sincerely.
I nod my head and smile, “You know this is the first time I’ve ever had to keep a secret from you,” I giggle.
“Is that why you always keep Max at arms- length, because you like Gabe?”
“Kind of, I mean I just never had feelings for Max, he’s just a good friend, that’s all.”
“He’s going to be heartbroken, you know?” She laughs.
“He’ll be fine.”
My phone rings on my nightstand and I can’t help but be thankful for the interruption. Glancing at the screen, I pull it from the power cord and answer it. I mouth to Ava, ‘It’s my dad,’ and she leaves the room.
“Hey Jessie,” my dad says excitedly into the phone.
“Morning Dad.”
“You excited? Today’s your big day.”
“Yeah,” I say quietly.
“I’m really proud of you.”
“Thanks.”
“Say, the reason I’m calling is, I wanted to see if you wanted to grab dinner after graduation. I’m going to have to work again tonight, but wanted to spend some time with you before I head back to work.”
“Sure, that sounds good. Hey Dad, so now that I’m graduating, do you think I can start staying at our house? You said I could, but I wanted to ask again.” There is silence on the phone.
“Let’s talk about it at dinner. Pick a place, anywhere you want to go.”
“Can we do Thai?”
“Sounds perfect. I’ll see you at the school at three o’clock.” And the phone clicks. This is the extent of conversations with my dad.
Showering quickly and getting dressed I decide to head home, across the street to relax for a few hours before graduation. Closing the bedroom door behind me, I hear Gabe’s raised voice coming from the kitchen. I freeze momentarily when I hear the exchange between him, Mom and Dad, and even Luke. I tiptoe down the stairs and out the front door as quietly as possible.
I’m not home ten minutes when my phone pings, alerting me to a new text message. Fishing my phone out of my purse, I slide open the screen to see a new message from Gabe.
“Where did you go?”
I don’t know why this makes me happy, but it does and I smile as I tap out my reply.
“Home.”
“I’ll be right over.”
Those four words cause my pulse to quicken and my palms to sweat. I rush into the bathroom to throw some mascara on my eyelashes and swipe some lip gloss across my lips. I run my fingers through my long wavy hair, hoping to make it look more manageable. Just as I finish up, the doorbell rings and my stomach flips with anxiousness.
I pause momentarily before opening the door, taking a deep breath. Twisting the door knob, I open the door and Gabe immediately steps over the threshold and pulls me to his lips. His kiss is warm, and sweet.
“You taste like cherries,” he mumbles against my lips.
“It’s my lip gloss.”
“I like it.” He finally pulls his lips off mine but continues to hold me close to him.
“I like you .” I whisper and press my lips to his for one more kiss.
Pulling out of his embrace, I walk to the couch and sit down, and he follows me. Settling in next to me, he pulls my hand into his.
“So what are your plans tonight after graduation?” He asks.
“Dad is taking me to dinner before heading back to the station.” I say with a shrug.
“Luke mentioned their shorthanded, he’s headed into work after graduation too. So you’ll be at our house tonight then?”
“Not sure, I’m trying to convince my dad to let me stay here now.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m almost nineteen, I think I can stay at my own house.” I laugh.
“But I like you across the hall from me.”
“I like you across the hall from me too, but it’s time for me to grow up, stay on my own once in a while.” I run my thumb over the top of his hand.
“I suppose,” he smiles. “Is your dad going to be at graduation? I need to talk to
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