come. Pam misses you,” he encouraged.
I was glad somebody in that house missed me.
I missed her, too. Pam was like a mother to me and I hadn’t ever gone this long without seeing her, but Justin hadn’t ever spent so much time with a girlfriend before, either. I didn’t like hanging around Eve and Justin when they were together. I felt like I couldn’t be myself with him in front of her. That she might mistake our normal behaviors for flirting or see it as inappropriate.
I told Justin I already had plans, which instantly put a smile on Eve’s face. I did have plans. I just left out the details.
He and Eve were about to go when Ryan came up behind me and reached out to slap hands with Justin. Then he kissed the top of my head and rested an arm around my shoulders. “I’m really glad you were here today,” he whispered to me.
My eyes instantly fell to the ground. I had a horrible fee ling wash over me, like I had just been caught in a lie, although technically I hadn’t lied. I had just omitted the part that would get me in trouble. I knew Justin would be upset and I didn’t want to look him in the eye.
“See ya Reynolds,” he said sharply. “Ryan, later man.” I decided not to tell Ryan that Justin didn’t want me dating him.
I forced Justin’s anger out of my mind and put a smile on for Ryan. He slid his arms around my waist, smiling blissfully at me. It seemed to make everything okay.
“You are…” I was looking for the right words, gazing at him. “Amazing. I can’t believe I didn’t know you’re a pitcher.”
“Don’t you read the papers, Reynolds? I’m kind of a big deal,” he laughed.
“I think you’re right.” I nodded toward the group of men still standing with John.
“Did I tell you that I’m really glad you were here?”
“You did.” I smiled. That made the third time . “I’m glad I was here, too. You’ve seriously been holding out on me.”
“It was for your own good, Reynolds,” he scolded, and then smiled like a little kid who’d just broken a window, but was too cute for anyone to want to punish.
“I had an interesting talk with John before the game.”
“You did?” Ryan asked, a knowing edge to his tone.
“Yeah, and I think he likes me.”
“I know he likes you,” he moaned, “Now let’s get outta here.”
Ryan took me to eat and I stared at him the whole time. He was still in his uniform and looking at him made me euphoric. I couldn’t help it. Even watching him do the most mundane things was engrossing for me, especially when he was dressed like that.
When we got to my house, he got out of the car with me. “I want to talk to you about something. About prom, actually.” He sounded anxious, which didn’t seem too promising. “Please listen to everything I say before you react, okay?” Now I was petrified. “Okay.”
Ryan released these words entangled in an apprehensive breath, “I’m going with someone else.” He scrunched up his face awai ting my wrath, I imagined. I guess he figured I wouldn’t be able to keep my word. I was confused and disappointed, but remained silent, so he continued. “It was decided before you and me…I wish I could take you. I hope you know that I’d rather go with you. My mom arranged for me to go with one of the girls from Brighton.”
Brighton is a private school .
“When I agreed, I didn’t have any idea that you and I would be…” he trailed off, smiling at the thought of whatever we were. So did I.
“I don’t want you to be upset,” his tone pleading, his eyes an xious. It was too late for that. I didn’t want him going anywhere with another girl. “If you want, you could go with someone else, Justin, maybe?” he offered. Then I wondered if he’d been under a rock—socially speaking.
“Justin has a girlfriend, who is also his date.”
“I know. I guess I thought you might want to go with them.” I laughed out loud. “I’m not crashing her night.” I wouldn’t
I was glad somebody in that house missed me.
I missed her, too. Pam was like a mother to me and I hadn’t ever gone this long without seeing her, but Justin hadn’t ever spent so much time with a girlfriend before, either. I didn’t like hanging around Eve and Justin when they were together. I felt like I couldn’t be myself with him in front of her. That she might mistake our normal behaviors for flirting or see it as inappropriate.
I told Justin I already had plans, which instantly put a smile on Eve’s face. I did have plans. I just left out the details.
He and Eve were about to go when Ryan came up behind me and reached out to slap hands with Justin. Then he kissed the top of my head and rested an arm around my shoulders. “I’m really glad you were here today,” he whispered to me.
My eyes instantly fell to the ground. I had a horrible fee ling wash over me, like I had just been caught in a lie, although technically I hadn’t lied. I had just omitted the part that would get me in trouble. I knew Justin would be upset and I didn’t want to look him in the eye.
“See ya Reynolds,” he said sharply. “Ryan, later man.” I decided not to tell Ryan that Justin didn’t want me dating him.
I forced Justin’s anger out of my mind and put a smile on for Ryan. He slid his arms around my waist, smiling blissfully at me. It seemed to make everything okay.
“You are…” I was looking for the right words, gazing at him. “Amazing. I can’t believe I didn’t know you’re a pitcher.”
“Don’t you read the papers, Reynolds? I’m kind of a big deal,” he laughed.
“I think you’re right.” I nodded toward the group of men still standing with John.
“Did I tell you that I’m really glad you were here?”
“You did.” I smiled. That made the third time . “I’m glad I was here, too. You’ve seriously been holding out on me.”
“It was for your own good, Reynolds,” he scolded, and then smiled like a little kid who’d just broken a window, but was too cute for anyone to want to punish.
“I had an interesting talk with John before the game.”
“You did?” Ryan asked, a knowing edge to his tone.
“Yeah, and I think he likes me.”
“I know he likes you,” he moaned, “Now let’s get outta here.”
Ryan took me to eat and I stared at him the whole time. He was still in his uniform and looking at him made me euphoric. I couldn’t help it. Even watching him do the most mundane things was engrossing for me, especially when he was dressed like that.
When we got to my house, he got out of the car with me. “I want to talk to you about something. About prom, actually.” He sounded anxious, which didn’t seem too promising. “Please listen to everything I say before you react, okay?” Now I was petrified. “Okay.”
Ryan released these words entangled in an apprehensive breath, “I’m going with someone else.” He scrunched up his face awai ting my wrath, I imagined. I guess he figured I wouldn’t be able to keep my word. I was confused and disappointed, but remained silent, so he continued. “It was decided before you and me…I wish I could take you. I hope you know that I’d rather go with you. My mom arranged for me to go with one of the girls from Brighton.”
Brighton is a private school .
“When I agreed, I didn’t have any idea that you and I would be…” he trailed off, smiling at the thought of whatever we were. So did I.
“I don’t want you to be upset,” his tone pleading, his eyes an xious. It was too late for that. I didn’t want him going anywhere with another girl. “If you want, you could go with someone else, Justin, maybe?” he offered. Then I wondered if he’d been under a rock—socially speaking.
“Justin has a girlfriend, who is also his date.”
“I know. I guess I thought you might want to go with them.” I laughed out loud. “I’m not crashing her night.” I wouldn’t
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