Page 58 of Always You

“Are you and Charlotte making it official yet?”

“We’refriends,” I splutter, even though the word “friend” starts to leave an acid taste in my mouth. For someone who doesn’t want to lie to the girl who means the most to him, it sure feels like I’m lying every time I say it.

Jason gives me a dull stare. “You really gonna sit there and tell me you don’t want to tap that?”

Before my brain registers my movement, my palm connects with the back of his head. “Don’t fucking talk about her like that!”

“Geez.” Jason chuckles, rubbing his scalp. “I didn’t mean it like that, asshole. There’s no disrespect. I’m not my brother.”

“You better not.”

“All I meant was...” he continues, “did you make a move yet?”

“No.” I fix my gaze back on the screen. “And I’m not gonna.”

“Why not?” He says it with a level of ridicule, as if it’s as weird as a summer storm in December.

My lashes lower a bit as I roll my lips together.Because making a move could end in disaster. I need her more than I need to have more of her. It makes perfect sense in my head, but I know it sounds stupid when I speak it out loud.

“For what it’s worth, I think she feels the same.”

I jerk my head, colliding with Jason’s blue eyes that hold somewhat of a dare.

I hope she feels the same. Ithinkshe feels the same. And trust me, there have been numerous moments in the past month when I wanted to sayfuck itand finally give in to that desperate urge to seal my lips with hers.

But we graduate in two months.

“School is almost over.”

“And….” Jason drawls.

“And I’m leaving,” I rebuke with a tone that saysduh.

“I mean? You could stay?”

Stay?I could stay? It hasn’t even crossed my mind, but as soon as it sparks a little hope in my chest, I fling it away.

“As much as I’d do anything for that girl, I can’t stay.” Staying would be selfish, because I know I can never give her the future she wants.She deserves.“As soon as we graduate, I’m taking my truck and I’m out of here to find whatever fight I can find until I get the AFA’s attention. Staying in Braeden isn’t an option.”

“Why not?” Jason argues.

I don’t miss the little squint of his eyes that tells me I’m being stupid. But he doesn’t get it. He doesn’t get that a girl like Charlotte deserves to have it all. My all will never come close to that.

“Because I’ll never be good enough for her.”

20

It’s awfully hot for an April day, and I welcome the summer with a sweet tea, enjoying the warmth on my skin. The spring sun creeps onto the wood of the porch, a melody of birds serenading me from my swinging bench.

With a book in my lap and my body settled deeply into the cushions, I read the next sentence, when the rumble of Hunter’s truck comes closer. I’d recognize that sound anywhere, and every time it tingles a giddy feeling alive. Twenty seconds later, he parks in my driveway like he owns the place, and part of me feels like he does.

The last six months, he’s been entwined in my life so deeply that I can barely remember what life looked like without him. He’s been helping me take care of my mom, driving us to the hospital, hanging out with me when I don’t want to leave her alone, helping me study or doing my best to take my mind off everything whenever he gets the chance.

Going for burgers and ice cream with him is my favorite thing to do, even though it rivals simply sitting on this porch with him and looking up at the stars.

He’s my rock, and I don’t know if I’d be able to graduate this year if he wasn’t.

I assess how he gets out of his truck, wearing gray sweats that ride low on his hips, and a white t-shirt that hugs his muscled arms.

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