looking for was Kennedy’s approval. His approval was what I needed. If he had said he hadn’t thought it was a good idea, then I’d turn Calvin down without hesitation. I would never jeopardize my friendship with Kennedy for a boy that was nothing but temporary.
If he said yes, though, I’d be unprepared. If he said I told you so, and yes, you should go on a date with Calvin, then I wouldn’t know what to say as a response to that.
I was afraid of the outcomes. I needed Kennedy’s ideas. His ideas would give me reassurance, I believed.
When I heard a bicycle hit the dirt, my eyes darted to the opening doorway of our home, and I waited for him to come inside.
But he hadn’t come inside.
I stood up, grabbed the lantern by the handle, and I walked, because I couldn’t wait any longer. This was torture for me.
“Kennedy?”
Creeping up close to the doorway, I heard a shuffling noise. I popped my head out to look around outside at that moment. “Kennedy?” I called for him again.
“Willow,” he said my name, out of breath. I couldn’t see him. “Will, you’re already here?” he asked faintly.
I walked out through the doorway to find him standing there. His clothes were different from earlier, he had changed them.
I don’t like the clothes he’s wearing , was the first thought that came to my mind. He had always referred to these clothes as his unhappy clothes. Black shirt, black-creamed pants, and black Reebok sneakers.
He’d hardly ever wear them. I hadn’t remembered the last time he did.
Before I questioned his attire, I blurted the words out of my mouth, “Calvin Steelton asked me out on a date, and I told him maybe.”
I wished I asked him about his clothes first, but I couldn’t stop myself. I had it already planned in my head.
He took a small step backward, his expression confused. “Wait, what? When?” he asked softly.
“Second lunch,” I sighed. “He just sat at my table, and he was really sweet, and I just didn’t know how to say no, or if I wanted to say no,” I paused, mentally kicking myself in the gut.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. I sounded desperate, and idiotic.
“Slow down, Will,” he said in a low tone. He took two steps forward, closer to me. “Come here,” he muttered, his arms spread apart.
He knew when I needed a hug from him.
I dropped the lantern, and wrapped my arms tightly around his waist when he walked over to me. His arms were slung over my shoulders as I pressed my cheek to his chest.
I took a deep breath.
“I meant to tell you last period,” I explained in a whisper.
“It’s okay that you didn’t,” he assured me. He pulled my hair out of the band, letting the thick mess fall around my face. He smoothed his hands over the back of my head. “Do you know him?” he asked casually, even though he knew the answer to the question. He was making this easier for me.
“Not really,” I answered honestly.
He sighed, and then exhaled sharply through his nose. “Do you want to know him?” he asked simply.
I hesitated, but then looked up until he looked down to catch my gaze. “I kind of do,” I said, looking into his eyes.
He blinked first, but then he smiled a small, tight smile.
I could tell he forced it, and I hated that he forced it.
“Then maybe you should tell him yes,” he whispered.
I was confused. First he wore his unhappy clothes, then he forced a smile , and now he was telling me I should tell Calvin yes?
I hadn’t thought this was an idea of Kennedy’s. I thought he was settling for an OK, as if I was giving him an ultimatum.
“Kennedy, I can tell you didn’t want to say that, so you didn’t mean it,” I said. My tone of voice had confusion laced with it, and I was still dealing with desperation for direction.
He was just agreeing, like he had to. He wasn’t giving the Kennedy advice that I needed.
“I don’t like the idea of sharing you is all, but I can’t be selfish. You’re my best friend, and
If he said yes, though, I’d be unprepared. If he said I told you so, and yes, you should go on a date with Calvin, then I wouldn’t know what to say as a response to that.
I was afraid of the outcomes. I needed Kennedy’s ideas. His ideas would give me reassurance, I believed.
When I heard a bicycle hit the dirt, my eyes darted to the opening doorway of our home, and I waited for him to come inside.
But he hadn’t come inside.
I stood up, grabbed the lantern by the handle, and I walked, because I couldn’t wait any longer. This was torture for me.
“Kennedy?”
Creeping up close to the doorway, I heard a shuffling noise. I popped my head out to look around outside at that moment. “Kennedy?” I called for him again.
“Willow,” he said my name, out of breath. I couldn’t see him. “Will, you’re already here?” he asked faintly.
I walked out through the doorway to find him standing there. His clothes were different from earlier, he had changed them.
I don’t like the clothes he’s wearing , was the first thought that came to my mind. He had always referred to these clothes as his unhappy clothes. Black shirt, black-creamed pants, and black Reebok sneakers.
He’d hardly ever wear them. I hadn’t remembered the last time he did.
Before I questioned his attire, I blurted the words out of my mouth, “Calvin Steelton asked me out on a date, and I told him maybe.”
I wished I asked him about his clothes first, but I couldn’t stop myself. I had it already planned in my head.
He took a small step backward, his expression confused. “Wait, what? When?” he asked softly.
“Second lunch,” I sighed. “He just sat at my table, and he was really sweet, and I just didn’t know how to say no, or if I wanted to say no,” I paused, mentally kicking myself in the gut.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. I sounded desperate, and idiotic.
“Slow down, Will,” he said in a low tone. He took two steps forward, closer to me. “Come here,” he muttered, his arms spread apart.
He knew when I needed a hug from him.
I dropped the lantern, and wrapped my arms tightly around his waist when he walked over to me. His arms were slung over my shoulders as I pressed my cheek to his chest.
I took a deep breath.
“I meant to tell you last period,” I explained in a whisper.
“It’s okay that you didn’t,” he assured me. He pulled my hair out of the band, letting the thick mess fall around my face. He smoothed his hands over the back of my head. “Do you know him?” he asked casually, even though he knew the answer to the question. He was making this easier for me.
“Not really,” I answered honestly.
He sighed, and then exhaled sharply through his nose. “Do you want to know him?” he asked simply.
I hesitated, but then looked up until he looked down to catch my gaze. “I kind of do,” I said, looking into his eyes.
He blinked first, but then he smiled a small, tight smile.
I could tell he forced it, and I hated that he forced it.
“Then maybe you should tell him yes,” he whispered.
I was confused. First he wore his unhappy clothes, then he forced a smile , and now he was telling me I should tell Calvin yes?
I hadn’t thought this was an idea of Kennedy’s. I thought he was settling for an OK, as if I was giving him an ultimatum.
“Kennedy, I can tell you didn’t want to say that, so you didn’t mean it,” I said. My tone of voice had confusion laced with it, and I was still dealing with desperation for direction.
He was just agreeing, like he had to. He wasn’t giving the Kennedy advice that I needed.
“I don’t like the idea of sharing you is all, but I can’t be selfish. You’re my best friend, and
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