Page 55 of Crazy for this Girl

The kind of mode that lies to her parents about heading with Cal and his mom to Warped Tour and explaining that we’re going to a waterpark.

I’m not going to be home for dinner.

I’m not going to answer my cell when she calls.

And I’m definitely not going to be home in time for curfew.

We’re at least two hours away from the cabin, and I’m going to be grounded for probably the rest of summer for pulling a stunt like this.

However, it’s so worth it to be at Warped Tour that I can’t bring myself to regret anything.

Cal grabs my hand to lead me over to the Mexican stand but doesn’t let go of it when he’s ordering us beef tacos, taquitos, and nachos. While he speaks, I feel the soft and mindless graze of his thumb over my skin, and it sets it on fire.

My breathing hitches and nervous goosebumps trail my arms as he continues to give our order to keep tomatoes off mine.

This is just crazy.

We live with a country settled in between us. I don’t even know what college I’m going to yet or what I want to be when I grow up. I’ve never been that kid who wanted to be a teacher or a marine biologist.

I just wanted to be happy.

And that included being and going anywhere with Cal.

I’ve researched California colleges at the library, not that he knows that. I looked into community colleges and housing costs. I’d have to work two or three jobs to afford it all, but I’d do it.

But now that Cal’s talking about coming to North Carolina, Mom won’t freak out about me leaving and I won’t have to have a long-distance relationship with Dad and Jonah, which is something that I wasn’t too keen on. But I can’t stop the rationality that nags me about this being crazy. How many high school friends stay friends?

“You nervous about your mom?” Cal asks, peering over his shoulder at me. He’s wearing a white baseball cap, keeping the sun out of his eyes while he gave me his sunglasses to do the same.

I shake my head, then nod, then shake it again. “I dunno. It’s been a weird summer.”

“Yeah, I know.” He steps in front of me, hunter greens latching onto my blues from behind black lenses that he can’t see. His dark brown hair is sticking out from his hat, brushing over his forehead as a small breeze takes away some of the August heat. “I’m sorry—”

“It’s not about all that, it’s...this is our last summer going back to high school. After that…we’ll be going to college. We’ll get older and older, moving into a career or traveling.”

“To Switzerland.” He gives me a reassuring grin. “You’re afraid we’ll fall apart.”

I swallow the forming lump in my throat, but it doesn’t take away the tightness in my stomach. The nausea that sweeps in along with it and compels that if I eat another thing, I’m going to throw up.

Cal grabs my other hand with his. “I’m never going to let you go, Laynee. You’re my best friend.”

I can’t help but hate that he says it. You’re my best friend. We’re always just going to be just best friends.

“Friends break up all the time.”

He shakes his head. “Not us. Not with you.”

My eyes begin to burn with tears, but thankfully, with the sunglasses, I’m safe. “How do we keep that from happening? What if your parents sell the cabin, or mine? We live states apart. We both have different lives.”

“I told you, I’m coming to North Carolina.” He frowns then, brows furrowing firmly together. “Are you breaking up with me?”

“What?” I scoff through a broken exhale. “No, that’s not what I’m saying at all. I’m just… I don’t want anything to change.”

“Well, it’ll change a little bit. I’ll become more handsome, and you—“ His eyes scan every inch of my face that he can see. “You’re gonna be a knockout.”

And that’s it.

What best friends do, hype you up. Even if they’re lying.

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