Page 108 of Sporty Girls Don't Fall For Loners

Dropping down on my bed, I fold my hands underneath my head and stare at the ceiling. The memories of the past wash over me, but I feel okay. Of course I’m still worried about the future and I miss my parents a lot, but a weight has been lifted off me. I never thought I’d ever feel this way. And it’s all because of the kind people living here, especially the beautiful girl with eyes that shine like the sun.

I sit up and open the drawer of my nightstand. After taking out all the photos from a small box, I look through them. It still pangs my heart to see my parents’ happy faces. They didn’t know that only a few years later, one would be taken from this world and the other would be trapped in a coma.

“I’m doing okay now,” I tell them, specifically Dad. I wonder if he’s here with me or is with Mom. Does he float from area to area? It’s one of those things I’ll never know, but I’d like to think that he’s always with me, no matter where I am.

I think about Zoey and how much she cares, even though she doesn’t know about my past. It’s so obvious from the look on her face that she’s bursting with curiosity. I really appreciate that she’s not asking questions, but at the same time, I don’t want to hold it in anymore. They say talking about your feelings is good for you. And considering Zoey and I have grown quite close…

With the photos in hand, I get to my feet and make my way two doors down to Zoey’s room. Her door is slightly open, but I knock because I don’t want to invade her privacy.

“Come in,” she calls.

I push the door open and just stand there. I don’t know why I’m feeling a little uneasy right now. She’s Zoey. But as much as I want to open my heart to her, it won’t be easy.

Her eyebrows furrow. “Hey. Everything okay?”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “I—” I clear my throat. “I want to tell you something.”

“Okay. Sure. You can tell me anything.” She has a look on her face that I can’t read. Whatever it is, she looks a little shy yet excited at the same time. I think she likes talking to me as much as I like talking to her. But does that mean she wants our friendship to be so much more?

“You can come in,” she gestures around. “My room is your room. Well, for now at least. I don’t think my aunt and uncle would want you to be here. You know, for more than a few hours or whatever.” She shuts her eyes again like she’s internally berating herself.

I smile at how adorable she is. If I make her nervous…does it mean what I think it means? I don’t want her to be nervous, though. I want her to be completely comfortable with me.

I enter her room and lower myself next to her. She peers at the box in my hand. “What’s that?”

I take a breath and slowly release it. “We were talking about my past and I decided it’s time I tell you about it.”

“Kade, you don’t have to.”

“I want to. I want to…” I rub the back of my head. “Share it with you. You’ve been so kind and accepting of me. You’re the first friend I’ve had in a really, really long time. You make me see the world in a better light.”

Her cheeks redden. “Do you really mean that? I mean, there’s nothing special about me.”

I stare into her eyes. “Of course you’re special. You make me strive to want to do good in the world.” I frown. “Other than that time at the movie theater when I wanted to punch those jerks. But they deserved it.”

“Yeah, they did. But please don’t get into fights because of me. I don’t want you getting expelled from school or arrested.”

I nod. “I’ll try. I don’t want to end up in jail, which is what most people predict will happen to me anyway. I want to have a good life.”

She places her hand on mine that’s resting between us on the bed. “And you will. All you need to do is have the will and drive. That’s what my uncle always tells me. When he was our age, he felt like he didn’t have a future either. The only thing that kept him going was taking care of my dad.”

“I know. He told me. He’s such an inspiration to me. He was going through a hard time, but he didn’t let life push him down. He made something of himself. Built a good life for himself and your dad and Ally and their kids.”

She smiles. “He inspires me, too. I don’t tell that to him often, but I hope he knows he’s changed many lives. Especially kids who need help.”

I nod, swallowing the rock in my throat as my gaze drops to the box in my hands. “There is something very important to me in here,” I tell her. “And I want to share it with you.”

She searches my eyes. “I’m here for you.”

“Thanks.” I once again inhale deeply and release it. This will be hard because I’ll be reliving that day and the years following it.

I open the box and reach inside to extract all the pictures. Zoey takes in the photos, a look of understanding in her eyes. “Are those your parents?”

Nodding because I can’t talk, I hold a photo between us. It’s Mom and Dad when they were in college. Their arms are wrapped around each other as they stand on campus, bright smiles on their faces.

“They were childhood friends,” I tell her. “Dad had a crush on her and chased her around until she admitted she had feelings for him, too. They were middle school sweethearts and high school sweethearts. They never left each other’s side. Being apart was like losing a vital body organ.”

She takes a few moments to examine the photo. “They look so happy.”

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