When Reason Breaks by Cindy L. Rodriguez

nervousness and then lowered her hand to breathe deeply and calm herself.
    She had briefly questioned herself:
After everything that happened, what are you doing here?
But she laughed because the answer was obvious. She wanted to be here. And she wasn’t doing this because Abby or Sarah pushed her into it, or because her dad pulled her away from it. This was her choice. She took one last deep breath, walked outside, and dived in.
    She had returned every chance she’d gotten since then. Keeping him a secret made everything sweeter somehow, but now Abby and Sarah were back and school had started. Things would be more complicated.
    Emily set aside her concerns as she climbed the stairs and walked into Kevin’s room. From the doorway she watched himsleep for a while and then crawled onto the bed beside him. She rested her head on his shoulder and draped her arm across his chest. She closed her eyes, exhaled, and let herself sink into the mattress.
    He felt her and curled his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him.
    â€œHey,” he said and kissed the top of her head.
    She lifted herself to kiss him on the lips.
    â€œI love your lip gloss,” he said and then gently pulled on her bottom lip.
    He leaned back and they lay quietly for a while, holding each other.
    â€œI was thinking about the first time I was here,” Emily said. “Why did you invite me that day?”
    â€œBecause I wanted to.”
    â€œWas I the only girl not away on vacation? I mean, if Sarah was in town, would you have texted her instead?”
    â€œBelieve it or not, I don’t ask out every girl who crosses my path,” Kevin said. “I asked you. I didn’t think you’d say yes, but I asked anyway.”
    â€œWhy did you think I’d say no?”
    â€œBecause you’re usually glued to Sarah and Abby, and I had already tainted your spotless reputation. After all the publicity, I figured you’d tell me to go to hell.”
    Kevin laughed. Emily turned and propped herself on her elbow. He swiveled, too, so that they lay side by side.
    â€œBut here you are.” He reached out and held her free hand. “So, tell me, why did you say yes?”
    â€œBecause I wanted to.” She smiled. “If it was anyone else, I would have said no.”
    Kevin smiled wide and squeezed her hand.
    â€œBeing with you
here
is easy,” she said. “At parties, I feel like everyone’s watching and commenting …” She shook her head and stayed quiet for a while. “You know what I like best?”
    â€œI know,” he said and raised his eyebrows. “I can tell.”
    Emily pulled her hand free and hit him on the shoulder.
    â€œI like to watch you sleep,” she said. “And I like when you hold me and whisper things like, ‘Are you okay?’ or ‘Are you comfortable?’ ”
    â€œYeah?”
    â€œYeah.”
    Kevin held Emily closer and then rolled on top of her. She shifted so that her legs were on either side of him. As they kissed, Emily slid her hands under his T-shirt and rubbed his skin. Kevin moved back and pulled his shirt off. He grabbed Emily’s hands and gently tugged her so they were both kneeling on the bed. She rested her hands on his hips while he buried his in her hair at the base of her neck.
    â€œSo, what do you want to do now?” he asked and smiled.
    â€œLet’s go swimming,” Emily said and moved off the bed.
    â€œWhat?”
    Emily laughed as she reached for her backpack. “You’re closing the pool soon, so we should take advantage of it.”
    Kevin, still kneeling on the bed, stared at her in disbelief.
    She walked to him, kissed him on the cheek, and whispered, “We don’t only have to swim.”
    Kevin laughed and Emily left to change in the bathroom.
    Emily beat Kevin to the pool and lounged on a chair while she waited for him. As he came toward her, he said, “You’re not