exactly what
you were supposed to say,” she brooded. “I would have gotten you a
present.” How, she didn’t know. It would have been worth cleaning
the school lunch room again.
“ Spending time with you is
all the present I need.” He put his arm around her and pulled her
close.
His words blew her away. Today was his
special day and he came all this way to celebrate with her. “Well
you need a birthday present. Eighteen is a big deal. When I turn
eighteen, the world is going to know.”
“ My life is filled with
over the top, I wanted something meaningful.”
Libby gazed into his gorgeous eyes then
reached and brought his face down to her. She kissed him sweetly on
the mouth. It felt like her birthday today, not his. She reached
behind her neck and unhooked her necklace.
“ I know this isn’t much,
but it’s one of my favorite things. If it isn’t too dorky or weird,
I’d like you to have it.” She held the pendant out for him to see.
It was one of her most prized possessions.
He touched the onyx carving, strung on a
leather string, his eyes connected with hers. “Are you sure?”
“ Yes,” she stated. “It’s an
ancient symbol. It represents trust.”
“ It’s awesome. Very rock
and roll.” He rubbed his thumb over the smooth stone.
“ You think?” Libby nibbled
at her lip. She wanted him to love it as much as she
did.
“ Yeah.” He touched the tip
of her nose with his. “Where’d you get it?”
“ My mom gave it to me after
a trip she and my dad took.” She liked how the leather cord lay
against Peter’s skin.
Peter sighed, his tone serious. “Oh Libby,
are you sure?” His eyes searched hers. “It’s too important.”
“ If you don’t want it,
that’s okay, but if you do, I’d love for you to have it. I don’t
think it’s very girlie, I think it was actually meant for a guy,
but Mom and I thought it was cool.”
“ Yes, I want it.” He closed
his hand over hers. “And it isn’t girlie at all. I wondered why you
always wore it.”
Libby squeezed his hand, glad to share this
connection. It solidified everything in her heart and proved
Peter’s goodness. Her mom would have liked him a lot.
“ Help me.” Peter leaned
close.
She placed the thin leather cord around his
neck and attached the clasp, then stood back. Satisfied, she
nodded. “I like it.” Her neck felt bare without it, but on Peter
the pendant looked perfect, as if created for him alone.
Peter touched the carving against his skin.
“Me too.” He leaned down and kissed her, sending little thrills
through her body.
They left the river behind and meandered
down Main Street, his arm slung over her shoulder, and her head
rested against him.
“ The town is so quiet.
Where is everybody on a Friday night?”
“ At the football game. The
town practically shuts down for Friday night football.”
“ Would you rather go to the
game?”
“ Gosh no, and hang around
those idiots? No way. Plus, you don’t have to worry about getting
recognized. Everyone under the age of forty is at the
game.”
“ What makes them
idiots?”
“ They’ve just always
treated me horrible. I wasn’t born and raised here, so that made me
an immediate outsider. And my aunt is a total whack job, so that
doesn’t help. They know about my family.” She stopped talking for a
minute. Peter looked down at her, his face sincere. “They don’t
know the details, just that Mom died and Dad left me
here.”
Talking about her family hurt. She missed
them so much. Her throat tightened.
“ Hey, you’re not alone any
more. Okay?” He stopped, his eyes focused on hers.
“ Okay.” They began walking
again. Peter put his around her and held her close.
“ Anyway, the people in this
town are so small-minded, especially at school. Anyone different is
an outcast. I’m so over it.” She slid her arm around his waist and
hooked her thumb in the edge of his back pocket. It felt nice to
belong again.
# # #
After the
you were supposed to say,” she brooded. “I would have gotten you a
present.” How, she didn’t know. It would have been worth cleaning
the school lunch room again.
“ Spending time with you is
all the present I need.” He put his arm around her and pulled her
close.
His words blew her away. Today was his
special day and he came all this way to celebrate with her. “Well
you need a birthday present. Eighteen is a big deal. When I turn
eighteen, the world is going to know.”
“ My life is filled with
over the top, I wanted something meaningful.”
Libby gazed into his gorgeous eyes then
reached and brought his face down to her. She kissed him sweetly on
the mouth. It felt like her birthday today, not his. She reached
behind her neck and unhooked her necklace.
“ I know this isn’t much,
but it’s one of my favorite things. If it isn’t too dorky or weird,
I’d like you to have it.” She held the pendant out for him to see.
It was one of her most prized possessions.
He touched the onyx carving, strung on a
leather string, his eyes connected with hers. “Are you sure?”
“ Yes,” she stated. “It’s an
ancient symbol. It represents trust.”
“ It’s awesome. Very rock
and roll.” He rubbed his thumb over the smooth stone.
“ You think?” Libby nibbled
at her lip. She wanted him to love it as much as she
did.
“ Yeah.” He touched the tip
of her nose with his. “Where’d you get it?”
“ My mom gave it to me after
a trip she and my dad took.” She liked how the leather cord lay
against Peter’s skin.
Peter sighed, his tone serious. “Oh Libby,
are you sure?” His eyes searched hers. “It’s too important.”
“ If you don’t want it,
that’s okay, but if you do, I’d love for you to have it. I don’t
think it’s very girlie, I think it was actually meant for a guy,
but Mom and I thought it was cool.”
“ Yes, I want it.” He closed
his hand over hers. “And it isn’t girlie at all. I wondered why you
always wore it.”
Libby squeezed his hand, glad to share this
connection. It solidified everything in her heart and proved
Peter’s goodness. Her mom would have liked him a lot.
“ Help me.” Peter leaned
close.
She placed the thin leather cord around his
neck and attached the clasp, then stood back. Satisfied, she
nodded. “I like it.” Her neck felt bare without it, but on Peter
the pendant looked perfect, as if created for him alone.
Peter touched the carving against his skin.
“Me too.” He leaned down and kissed her, sending little thrills
through her body.
They left the river behind and meandered
down Main Street, his arm slung over her shoulder, and her head
rested against him.
“ The town is so quiet.
Where is everybody on a Friday night?”
“ At the football game. The
town practically shuts down for Friday night football.”
“ Would you rather go to the
game?”
“ Gosh no, and hang around
those idiots? No way. Plus, you don’t have to worry about getting
recognized. Everyone under the age of forty is at the
game.”
“ What makes them
idiots?”
“ They’ve just always
treated me horrible. I wasn’t born and raised here, so that made me
an immediate outsider. And my aunt is a total whack job, so that
doesn’t help. They know about my family.” She stopped talking for a
minute. Peter looked down at her, his face sincere. “They don’t
know the details, just that Mom died and Dad left me
here.”
Talking about her family hurt. She missed
them so much. Her throat tightened.
“ Hey, you’re not alone any
more. Okay?” He stopped, his eyes focused on hers.
“ Okay.” They began walking
again. Peter put his around her and held her close.
“ Anyway, the people in this
town are so small-minded, especially at school. Anyone different is
an outcast. I’m so over it.” She slid her arm around his waist and
hooked her thumb in the edge of his back pocket. It felt nice to
belong again.
# # #
After the
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