Page 94 of Little Do You Know

The first ray of sunlight peeks over the mountain, and I understand why Thalia got us up at the crack of dawn. I hear the short clicks of her camera. “It’s like the sun knew we were coming,” she says, smiling and taking a seat on a rock.

“When did you find this place?”

She watches the horizon with a peaceful look on her face. My knees crack as I lower myself to sit next to Thalia, draping my arm over her shoulders. “Mimi and I found it hiking in eighth grade. She swore it was our secret place. It’s my favorite place to think and the best place to see the sunrise. I’ve never been with anyone else, so you better feel special.”

“Never?” I ask as she lifts her camera again to take more photographs of the valley. I should have told her sooner about Mimi. It wasn’t fair of me to keep it from her.

“Nope. I never had someone I cared enough about to share my favorite spot with,” Thalia says, lowering her camera to look up at me with emerald eyes. She has a splash of faint freckles over her nose that aren’t visible unless you’re up close.

I kiss her temple, holding her as the sky starts to brighten. “How often do you come here?”

Thalia leans into me, her body at ease. “Not as much as I’d like to. The last time I came here was after I hit you. By the way, I’m sorry about that. I shouldn’t have done it. I will warn you that the birds and trees listened to me rant about how mad I was at you. I’d be careful, Sebastian Walker. It’s a long way down, and who knows what angry birds will do after the things I told them,” she jokes, and I can’t help laughing.

“You’re something else. I’m glad you brought me here. I think I agree it was worth it.”

Thalia pulls out her phone, holding it out in front of us. “Smile, I don’t have any of us.” I smile without protesting as she snaps the first selfie, surprising Lia as I kiss her for the second one. Thalia caught me entirely by surprise when I noticed how she wasn’t just Owen’s little sister anymore. I never imagined that we’d be sitting like this someday or that Mimi and Lia’s mom were trying to get us together in the first place.

We sit there long after the sun rises, and Lia takes plenty of pictures while I sit in silence, watching Thalia do her thing. There’s nowhere I’d rather be than right next to her.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Thalia

“ARE WE THERE yet?” I ask, staring at Sebastian for any hint he might let slip. I’m not very good with surprises. I like knowing as much as I possibly can.

Bash smiles crookedly at me, causing my heart to skip a beat. “Just wait. You got to have your surprise, and now I get to have mine.”

His hand rests on my bare knee, tracing shapes into my skin while we drive around Greensboro. Sebastian is wearing a nice Henley, and he looks…hot. I’m doing my best to keep my mind from wandering, but I’m thinking about how nicely he would look without it.

We came back home a few days ago after visiting Mimi on Sunday. The guys won their game on Saturday, and we went out afterward for a drink with Eric, Chris, and their respective girlfriends. Owen and Blake were there, too, but I’m not sure about their relationship status.

Chris is skeptical, but he doesn’t say anything about it. Eric is happy because Bash has been in a better mood. He tried to suggest that I could sit with Natalie and Allie at games now to join their jersey gang, but I reminded him I have a pass to be on the sidelines. As much as I like both of them, being a part of that sounds unappealing as opposed to being right by the action.

Blake is happy because she doesn’t have to pretend anymore that she didn’t already know about us. Other than Chris, the reaction was pretty positive.

Sebastian is staying at his grandparents’ house this week despite my parents offering him the guest bedroom. The other spare bedroom was taken by our grandparents, who came for Thanksgiving. I know he’s just a few houses over, but I miss knowing Bash is only one room over.

“We already ate dinner, so I don’t know what else you could have planned. Please? Can you tell me?” I ask, trying to focus because his hand is becoming distracting. I haven’t been able to get enough of Sebastian lately. Is it possible to be addicted to a person?

“Nope. We’re almost there.”

I suppose I should just be excited we’re going on a date. Most of what I hear from Stacey about Jeremy is complaining because he never takes her anywhere. It’s nice that Sebastian is already putting effort into us. “Thanks for taking me on a date,” I say, resting my hand on his. Maybe if I stop his tracing, my brain will work properly again.

He gives me a questioning glance. “Lia, you were just complaining because I wouldn’t tell you where we’re going, and now you’re thanking me?”

“And you’re complaining that I’m being nice! I can’t win,” I protest, smiling as Bash laughs, his eyes sparkling with happiness. It’s a good look on him. It’s not fair how handsome he is. Couldn’t he be a little bit uglier?

“I’m not complaining, but we’re here,” he says, parking his car.

My head spins quickly, noting that we’re at the park where we took my junior and his senior year prom photos. I went with a cross-country runner named Adrian, whom I haven’t even thought about since that night. I secretly hoped Sebastian would ask me, but he asked some girl named Rachel to go instead. I was crushed.

“Wait,” he says, climbing out of the car and taking long strides to walk around it. Sebastian opens the door, dramatically bowing before offering me a hand.

“What are we doing here?” I ask, giggling at his antics.

“I thought we could walk around the park. We were here the first time I seriously considered telling Owen I didn’t care you’re his sister,” Sebastian says, offering me his arm.

I gladly accept it, looping my arm with his. “The last time we were here was prom, and we both had dates.”

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