Page 2 of Shattered

Oh. My shoulders deflate a little.

Mase starts giving Jacob shit about the fact that he’s going to sneak a peek at the party on his way home when he wasn’t even invited while setting up our game, and then my phone vibrates in my hand. Like a magnet, my eyes are immediately drawn to it, eager to see what she replied.

Sunflower: Yes.

My body flushes hot, and I feel my dick thicken in my shorts when I read that word. Why it turns me on to know she’s a virgin, I have no idea. But here I am, rocking a semi, surrounded by my friends. I shift in my beanbag seat, adjusting my shorts discreetly, but the guys are too concerned with Jacob right now as he walks to the door to leave.

Just as I’m about to reply, a gust of air whooshes past my face as Mase jumps over me to reach Jacob, almost knocking my phone out of my hand. I go to curse him out, but stop when I see him slap a condom into Jacob’s hand.

Mase is such a shit-stirrer, but even I can’t help but join in on the chuckling as Jacob waves around the condom packet and claims that he will be needing it when he makes Jennifer his one day. A hint of a smirk plays on his lips as he stalks out the door with us chuckling after him.

With a lingering smile, I return my attention to my phone and see that she’s written again.

Sunflower: Does that turn you off?

How could she even think that?

Me: The opposite.

Now that she’s told me, I feel much better about giving her my answer.

Me: I am, too.

As soon as I hit send, it occurs to me that maybe she’d prefer someone more experienced so they could make it good for her. As if hearing my thoughts, another message comes through.

Sunflower: I love that you are as well. We could learn together . . .

I chomp down on my cheek, the heat returning to my body. That message implies she wants to meet me . . . have sex with me. We’ve shared many secrets and talked about an array of different things over the months, but it’s never ventured into anything sexual. Not until now.

Sunflower: Sorry. I’ve had a drink and I’m feeling a little bolder. Hope that doesn’t scare you off.

My text is immediate.

Me: I want to see you.

Sunflower: Not yet.

Me: Why not?

Sunflower: I'm not ready.

I puff my cheeks and blow out a breath. She’s not ready to meet me. Correction, she’s not ready for me to know who she is. She already knows who I am. We could see each other every day at school for all I know, but she won’t even hint at what she looks like.

I know things about her. Like, how sunflowers are her favorite flower, and that yellow is her favorite color. She’s had the same nightmare about zombies since she was little, and she takes dance classes but doesn’t love it. I know her fears and what makes her happy. I know she wants to work with kids someday. I know she’s sweet, kind, and understanding, and she has a sense of humor. And I know she tears up when she’s really angry.

But I don’t know what color her hair is. I don’t know what she looks like when she smiles. I don’t know the sound of her laugh or how her eyes might glitter while she does so.

Apparently, she loves my light brown hair and light-brown eyes. She thinks my glasses are cute and can’t get enough of my smile. She knows more about me than anyone, yet I have no clue who she is. I only know that I like her. A lot.

For the second time in minutes, a gust of air blows past my face, this time from Campbell throwing a pillow at Mase’s head. “You’re an asshole,” he tells him, referring to the condom, I assume.

Not offended in the least, Mase grins. “I was tryin’ to look out for my boy. We all know he doesn’t walk around prepared like some of us.”

Mase is hard to get any sort of read on. He makes it sound like he hooks up with all these girls, but sometimes his stories don’t add up, and there are never any girls from school who even hint at being with him.

Jumping to his feet, he tells us he actually has to meet up with someone now—our game all but forgotten—and I can’t help but wonder if he’s planning to crash the same party they were talking about earlier.

Once he’s gone, I push off the beanbag to sit next to Campbell on the couch. “Do you think we should go and join Jacob?” I ask, pushing up my glasses that slipped down my nose. “See what the party is like and give him some support?” And maybe I can see if Sunflower is there.

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