walked from the room muttering, “Take your cell and make sure you call me if you do anything you shouldn’t. I will come and get you.”
I rolled my eyes and finished off the preparations. When had I ever done something I shouldn’t? Okay, I had done those things, but he hadn’t ever found out. I was responsible enough to get my own drunken ass home.
When I finished and went downstairs, Judith slipped me forty dollars and a smile as I left the house. She was growing on me fast. My dad grumbled. “What kind of boy doesn’t come and meet the parents? What is this world coming to? Did he ask you out by text? Have you even met him or is this an Internet thing?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. “Dad, it’s like a group date. We’re meeting. Stop. I’m meeting a friend one street over. God.”
I turned and ran down the street in a sexy beige miniskirt; light-blue , off-the-shoulder sweater; and my cutest almost-thigh-high riding boots. My hair had light curls bouncing along my back and my makeup was done to make it look like I didn’t have much on. Really it was caked, but boys were dumb about that. They saw perfection and were happy. They never saw the amount of work we put into perfection.
As I rounded the corner, nerves built in my stomach.
He was there, standing under the light of a lamppost. I shuddered when I saw him. He made my breath ragged from a whole block away.
As I got closer I smiled. He was so formally dressed all the time. Luckily, I had anticipated it and dressed nicer than the town deserved. But when I got closer, I noticed he was dressed in jeans, but they were still European cut, and although they were slim, they weren’t skinny. They suited his body. He had a European-cut body, trim but cut. I could only imagine what was under those clothes. I could bet it was good.
Boys in jeans with no shirt on were easily one of my favorite images.
I almost laughed at myself when I saw his shirt. He was in a light-blue sweater too, almost matching mine. Awesome, we would be those dorks that matched. He ran a hand through his unruly hair, looking around like he might run away.
I felt the same. My insides were clinging to each other. In fact, my whole body was clenched. I looked around, wondering if anyone would see and tell my dad or Judith. I had a single flash of regret, but the moment I was close enough to see his eyes, it was gone. He smiled and everything else faded away.
My brain screamed at me, not a warning but just begging me to think it through. When I got close enough that he would hear me, I spoke softly, “What are we doing?”
He shook his head. “Going for dinner?” He said it like it was a question, like he was unsure too.
“No, what are we doing? This is crazy. I don’t even know you.” I stopped walking. The ten paces between us felt like an ocean.
He didn’t miss a single beat. The moment I stopped, he started to walk towards me. “It’s impossible—I know we have never met, and yet, I feel like we have never been apart.”
He summed it up perfectly.
How odd.
I nodded. “I know.” My words were whispered.
When he got close enough to touch me, he titled my chin. I thought for sure he would kiss me, but he just stared at me.
He shook his head, like he was pulling himself from the trance we were caught in. Clutching my hand, he turned down the street. He didn’t walk fast, thankfully. My boots were super cute, but not made for walking.
His voice was the only sound on the uninhabited street, besides our footsteps. “This is a very bad idea, Liv. I think when two people feel the way I think we both do, they’re smarter to walk away. You know the inevitable attachment that will come in a situation like this one? It’s a life-ruining experience.”
I laughed; he was ridiculous, and yet not wrong. I could feel it too. I decided humor was the best solution. “Do you
I rolled my eyes and finished off the preparations. When had I ever done something I shouldn’t? Okay, I had done those things, but he hadn’t ever found out. I was responsible enough to get my own drunken ass home.
When I finished and went downstairs, Judith slipped me forty dollars and a smile as I left the house. She was growing on me fast. My dad grumbled. “What kind of boy doesn’t come and meet the parents? What is this world coming to? Did he ask you out by text? Have you even met him or is this an Internet thing?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. “Dad, it’s like a group date. We’re meeting. Stop. I’m meeting a friend one street over. God.”
I turned and ran down the street in a sexy beige miniskirt; light-blue , off-the-shoulder sweater; and my cutest almost-thigh-high riding boots. My hair had light curls bouncing along my back and my makeup was done to make it look like I didn’t have much on. Really it was caked, but boys were dumb about that. They saw perfection and were happy. They never saw the amount of work we put into perfection.
As I rounded the corner, nerves built in my stomach.
He was there, standing under the light of a lamppost. I shuddered when I saw him. He made my breath ragged from a whole block away.
As I got closer I smiled. He was so formally dressed all the time. Luckily, I had anticipated it and dressed nicer than the town deserved. But when I got closer, I noticed he was dressed in jeans, but they were still European cut, and although they were slim, they weren’t skinny. They suited his body. He had a European-cut body, trim but cut. I could only imagine what was under those clothes. I could bet it was good.
Boys in jeans with no shirt on were easily one of my favorite images.
I almost laughed at myself when I saw his shirt. He was in a light-blue sweater too, almost matching mine. Awesome, we would be those dorks that matched. He ran a hand through his unruly hair, looking around like he might run away.
I felt the same. My insides were clinging to each other. In fact, my whole body was clenched. I looked around, wondering if anyone would see and tell my dad or Judith. I had a single flash of regret, but the moment I was close enough to see his eyes, it was gone. He smiled and everything else faded away.
My brain screamed at me, not a warning but just begging me to think it through. When I got close enough that he would hear me, I spoke softly, “What are we doing?”
He shook his head. “Going for dinner?” He said it like it was a question, like he was unsure too.
“No, what are we doing? This is crazy. I don’t even know you.” I stopped walking. The ten paces between us felt like an ocean.
He didn’t miss a single beat. The moment I stopped, he started to walk towards me. “It’s impossible—I know we have never met, and yet, I feel like we have never been apart.”
He summed it up perfectly.
How odd.
I nodded. “I know.” My words were whispered.
When he got close enough to touch me, he titled my chin. I thought for sure he would kiss me, but he just stared at me.
He shook his head, like he was pulling himself from the trance we were caught in. Clutching my hand, he turned down the street. He didn’t walk fast, thankfully. My boots were super cute, but not made for walking.
His voice was the only sound on the uninhabited street, besides our footsteps. “This is a very bad idea, Liv. I think when two people feel the way I think we both do, they’re smarter to walk away. You know the inevitable attachment that will come in a situation like this one? It’s a life-ruining experience.”
I laughed; he was ridiculous, and yet not wrong. I could feel it too. I decided humor was the best solution. “Do you
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