Page 81 of Spiral

“Jesus fucking Christ,” I groan, my breaths unsteady as she sits up, swiping a pink-tipped finger across the corner of her mouth.

“That’s how pretty I think you are, Anderson,” she purrs, snuggling herself into my heaving chest. “Just in case you were wondering.”

46 | Georgia

“BOXES OF LANTERNS unloaded?”

“Check.”

“Port-o-potties were delivered?”

“Check.”

“Eleanor at the ticket booth?”

“Check.”

Henry smiles at me, the tip of his nose bright pink in the brisk winter air.

“Looks like we’re all set then,” he remarks, a shiver rolling through his spine – even with a coat, beanie, and gloves on.

It’s a frosty Saturday evening, especially as the sun begins to set, but I’m still sweating through my clothes from anxiety. After weeks of planning, the Glow in the Garden event is finally here, and I can’t keep my mind from racing through every possible scenario in which something could go wrong. Henry has been nothing but patient, my friends have been nothing but helpful, but my heart is still pounding through my chest as we go over one last checklist of materials for the event.

“Baby, you look like you’re being hunted for sport. Take a deep breath for me, please,” Henry says, wrapping his arms around me in a warm embrace.

“What if nobody shows up?” I ask, a lump forming at the base of my throat.

“Georgia, El’s already sold like a thousand tickets. People wouldn’t spend that money if they didn’t plan to come. And that was just pre-sale!”

In the past few weeks, Eleanor and Danny have been working tirelessly to promote Glow in the Garden. Setting up a booth next to the statue of Ole Donny, sitting outside the dining hall with a money basket and a handful of tickets, promoting the event to every one of Danny’s mom’s gardening customers – you name it. The rest of us figured out all the boring details: setting up chairs, a ticket booth, bathroom facilities, etc. All of which were relatively simple with the help of Danny’s mom.

Note to self, Georgia: you owe Mrs. Mendez. Big time.

“Jesus fuck, it’s cold out here.”

Jonah’s cheeks burn a deep crimson as he approaches us, his arms folded tightly in a fruitless attempt to keep warm. I roll my eyes at his dramatics, but he doesn’t seem to notice.

“Everything go okay?” Henry questions, setting down the box of lanterns he’d been carrying onto the field beneath us.

“Yep,” Jonah responds, his eyes squinting from the wind. “Banner’s all set up, Cap.”

“Since when do you call me ‘Cap’?”

“Since you earned it, dude. I mean, look at everything you’ve put together.”

He gestures outward towards the TU Titans football team, bundled in their warmest clothes and spread across the garden. They’re all focused completely on the tasks Henry assigned to them – and had all volunteered to help without question. Every one of them has so much respect for Henry as a leader, a teammate, a friend. When he asked them to help, they didn’t even ask what it was for before agreeing.

I swear to God they’d follow him into battle if he requested it. I think I’m in lo… I really, really like him.

“I mean, all of this for a club you aren’t a part of… for a girl.”

“For the girl,” Henry corrects, wrapping his arms around me and placing a frosty kiss on the top of my head.

I snort instinctively. Partially from embarrassment, and partially because I can’t believe this is real life.

Henry Anderson thinks I’m the girl. What the actual f–

“Hey, lovebirds! Come check out the banner!”

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