Page 111 of Released from the Sin Bin

The cliff ledge looks more like a brown ball or turd. The cat is plump and round in the middle, but it’s hunched over and small like a rat. That’s the worst of it, but the heart-shaped moon isn’t a heart at all. The bottom is pointed, but the top looks like a circle over a pair of tits.

I laugh as I set it down. “Is that a pair of tits?” I point to the two mounds that appear to be coming from behind the moon.

“I messed up.” She shoves me away from it, covering it back up before anyone else sees it while it dries.

“Come, I’ll buy you a taco for your effort.”

She claps and bounces happily to the bar to indulge in a beef filled dessert. One taco turns into a full meal and shared dessert.

“As bad of a painter as I am, that was kind of fun,” she admits when I pull up in front of her house. “Thank you.” She leans in and kisses my cheek.

“Are you going to take your painting?” I stop her from leaving.

“No,” she laughs. “You can have it.”

“How about you take mine, and I’ll take yours? We can hang it in our rooms.” I hold out my painting for her to take.

“Wait, sign it first.” She rummages in her bag for a pen for me to sign. “Aw, you put a heart.” She coos after I hand it over with my signature. “Ok, goodnight.”

“Willa, wait.” I stop her from leaving again. Fuck taking things slow. I was trying not to overwhelm her, but I need to tell her how I feel, because that heart means a lot more than what she thinks.

I run my hand through my hair, hesitating to say it.

I just have to spit it out.

“I–”

“Oh my god,” Willa squeals and jumps out of the car, running across her lawn to the Delta Nu house and right into the arms of her best friend, Luca.

Fuck.

Taking a second, I follow her out with the painting I made for her that she left behind.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” She punches Luca’s shoulder.

“I wanted to surprise you.” Luca rubs his arm before sticking his hand out to give me a fist bump. “What’s up, man?” He grunts, straightening back his shoulders to intimidate me.

Luca is nothing compared to the shit I deal with.

“Are you here for the alumni dinner?” I ask about the dinner we have tomorrow night. It’s for alumni hockey players, board members, coaches, and seniors.

“Yeah, Coach invited me as an alumnus, and I had a few days off.” He grins back over his shoulder as Kandi comes off the front porch to greet us.

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” I hand off the painting to Willa.

“Thanks, I’ll talk to you later,” she calls out, and I wave back at her.

Whatever I was going to say will have to wait. Luca and I never got along, and he’s the last person I want to hang around with.

He’s Willa’s best friend, and I’ll have to get over it. But I need to think of what I’m going to say to her and I want time just for the two of us.

Chapter 27

Willa

I’ve never been a nail biter, but the tip of my thumb keeps finding its way between my teeth as I wait outside the doors.

Luca and Kandi said they’d walk in with me, but they’re late.

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