the machine and unstrap the vest.
“I have to get ready, Mom. You can meet Kyler when he comes to get me.”
Her eyes linger on me as she walks backwards out of the room. Yes, I know I’m eighteen. And this is what my mom wants. But I still think it’s hard for her to let me go. To know that I may get attached to a boy and that my time with her will be shared with someone else.
* * *
Kyler shows up a few minutes early, which gives him bonus points in my mom’s eyes. She’s always reminding me that it’s better to run early than be late.
He’s wearing dark, fitted jeans with a plain t-shirt showing beneath his open jacket. His curls are gelled into perfect springs and the freckles near his eyes squeeze together when he smiles. He reaches a hand toward Mom. “I’m Kyler.”
Mom takes his hand, all business-like, and shakes it hard. “You won’t be out too late, right?”
“ Mom ,” I whisper. Those are the same words she used right before telling my last date about her part-time karate job. Luckily, this time, Mom backs away with a wink.
“We’ll be back by nine,” Kyler says then he leads me out the door to a fancy car in our driveway.
I give a low whistle. “Is this yours?”
He chuckles. “My dad let me use it.”
I run my hand along the metallic silver. “That’s…nice of him.”
Kyler opens my door and goes around to his side. The second he starts the car, a grin stretches across his face. “Dad only lets me borrow it for dates.”
“Wait. This is a date?” I ask, half joking. But we did decide that it was a date as friends. At least, that’s what I thought.
There’s a playful look in Kyler’s eyes as he takes off down the road. “My dad thinks it is.”
“Let me guess. You haven’t had a chance to drive it in a while and I looked like a nice girl to ride with.”
Kyler takes one hand off the wheel and reaches across the console. His fingers trail along my arm until they reach my hand. Then he pauses. And I’m about to die from lack of breath. My pulse is pounding against my wrist and I’m almost positive that’s why his hand stopped. He can probably feel the erratic rhythm beneath my skin.
“Is there a consent form for hand holding?” he asks.
A laugh forms in me and I can’t hold it back. It fills my mouth and comes out as a violent cough. I lean away to divert the worst of it, but Kyler’s fingers slide between mine. He holds on and I squeeze back. The cough was more than just a slight tickle and I’m scrambling in my purse with my free hand to get a tissue. I grab the pack of travel Kleenex and also bring out a water bottle.
And now I have to let go of Kyler, just long enough to get things under control.
The second my hand leaves his, he asks, “You sure you’re okay?”
I nod and take a long swig of water.
“I can take you back home if you’re not feeling well enough yet.”
“No,” I say quickly. “It should be fine. The doc gave me medicine for this cold, but it’s just taking a while to go away.”
“Positive?”
I clean the germs with a squirt of disinfectant and reach for Kyler’s hand. Hopefully that’s a good enough answer for him. “Are you going to tell me where we’re going yet?”
His grip tightens. “No. But I did ask Giana for some ideas.”
My jaw falls. “You did? I thought she didn’t know about the date.”
Kyler shrugs. “She’s good at keeping secrets.”
Of course she is. And she acted so surprised…or maybe she was just excited. She knew all along. Another cough kills the conversation and I decide it must be all the talking. Usually when I’m sick, I stay at home with Mom. We watch movies, play games, or mind our own business. None of that takes much talking.
Besides, it gives me more time to think about Kyler’s hand in mine. I mean, he’s holding my hand ! That’s a huge deal. I’ve held a few other hands, but none of them belonged to boys as charming as Kyler. He hums a soft melody and my insides turn to
“I have to get ready, Mom. You can meet Kyler when he comes to get me.”
Her eyes linger on me as she walks backwards out of the room. Yes, I know I’m eighteen. And this is what my mom wants. But I still think it’s hard for her to let me go. To know that I may get attached to a boy and that my time with her will be shared with someone else.
* * *
Kyler shows up a few minutes early, which gives him bonus points in my mom’s eyes. She’s always reminding me that it’s better to run early than be late.
He’s wearing dark, fitted jeans with a plain t-shirt showing beneath his open jacket. His curls are gelled into perfect springs and the freckles near his eyes squeeze together when he smiles. He reaches a hand toward Mom. “I’m Kyler.”
Mom takes his hand, all business-like, and shakes it hard. “You won’t be out too late, right?”
“ Mom ,” I whisper. Those are the same words she used right before telling my last date about her part-time karate job. Luckily, this time, Mom backs away with a wink.
“We’ll be back by nine,” Kyler says then he leads me out the door to a fancy car in our driveway.
I give a low whistle. “Is this yours?”
He chuckles. “My dad let me use it.”
I run my hand along the metallic silver. “That’s…nice of him.”
Kyler opens my door and goes around to his side. The second he starts the car, a grin stretches across his face. “Dad only lets me borrow it for dates.”
“Wait. This is a date?” I ask, half joking. But we did decide that it was a date as friends. At least, that’s what I thought.
There’s a playful look in Kyler’s eyes as he takes off down the road. “My dad thinks it is.”
“Let me guess. You haven’t had a chance to drive it in a while and I looked like a nice girl to ride with.”
Kyler takes one hand off the wheel and reaches across the console. His fingers trail along my arm until they reach my hand. Then he pauses. And I’m about to die from lack of breath. My pulse is pounding against my wrist and I’m almost positive that’s why his hand stopped. He can probably feel the erratic rhythm beneath my skin.
“Is there a consent form for hand holding?” he asks.
A laugh forms in me and I can’t hold it back. It fills my mouth and comes out as a violent cough. I lean away to divert the worst of it, but Kyler’s fingers slide between mine. He holds on and I squeeze back. The cough was more than just a slight tickle and I’m scrambling in my purse with my free hand to get a tissue. I grab the pack of travel Kleenex and also bring out a water bottle.
And now I have to let go of Kyler, just long enough to get things under control.
The second my hand leaves his, he asks, “You sure you’re okay?”
I nod and take a long swig of water.
“I can take you back home if you’re not feeling well enough yet.”
“No,” I say quickly. “It should be fine. The doc gave me medicine for this cold, but it’s just taking a while to go away.”
“Positive?”
I clean the germs with a squirt of disinfectant and reach for Kyler’s hand. Hopefully that’s a good enough answer for him. “Are you going to tell me where we’re going yet?”
His grip tightens. “No. But I did ask Giana for some ideas.”
My jaw falls. “You did? I thought she didn’t know about the date.”
Kyler shrugs. “She’s good at keeping secrets.”
Of course she is. And she acted so surprised…or maybe she was just excited. She knew all along. Another cough kills the conversation and I decide it must be all the talking. Usually when I’m sick, I stay at home with Mom. We watch movies, play games, or mind our own business. None of that takes much talking.
Besides, it gives me more time to think about Kyler’s hand in mine. I mean, he’s holding my hand ! That’s a huge deal. I’ve held a few other hands, but none of them belonged to boys as charming as Kyler. He hums a soft melody and my insides turn to
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