Page 37 of Bring me Back

Iwas under control. I wasn’t stupid. I wasn’t a child. I knew Hallie wasn’t for me and by Monday I knew I was done with my moronic ideas.

But then I parked in the staff parking lot and she was leaning against the wall, all legs and dreams. I got stiff just by looking at her. I knew there were no legs in the world I'd rather be in between.

Unrequited lust. What a stupid thing to feel.

I swung the car’s door open, striding toward her as she tilted her head up for my arrival.

“Vision board?”

Hallie lifted a shoulder, pocketing her phone. I wasn’t offended by her silence. It comes and goes,I noticed. Sometimes she seemed to be too much in her head, like her thoughts were so great she couldn’t express them in words. I glanced down at my watch; it was already after school hours. Usually, Hallie went straight to the theater if school wasn’t in session. Which made me think she was waiting for me.

“The bell already rang,” I observed.

“I know,” she agreed, her hands twisting in front of her body.

I watched the motion for a second and flashed her a look. “What’s going on?”

The next thing she said was really fast and rehearsed at the same time. “I have a favor to ask.”

I couldn’t stop my eyebrows from going up. I didn’t want to poke at her awkwardness, but I couldn’t keep my expressions neutral.

Her lips parted, and then she shut them at once in a thin line of determination. “Never mind,” she decided, turning toward the door.

I grabbed her arm before checking myself. The second I had my hands on her, I regretted it. The pads of my fingers felt extra rough in comparison with her smooth skin. She was warm and perfect, looking as startled as I felt when we touched. With an alarmed frown, she turned to me, almost in panic, and I let go of her arm, my voice soft. “Tell me what you need.”

Her eyes traced my face, from my eyes to my mouth, just a second, like she didn’t have the willpower to stop herself.

Good,relief flooded me. I wasn’t the only one suffering.

“Dad is busy with inventory this week and I needed to get the costumes from Ms. Handall…”

“Do you want me to drive you to the city?” I tried.

“I know it’s too much.” She shook her head quickly. “Forget about it. I can wait until Dad is free or get a bus…” she raked her hands through her hair, a few strands got loose from her ponytail. “I should get a car.”

“Oh yes, you should,” I agreed.

“Dad enjoys driving me around,” she told me. “It’s like our little time together.”

I nodded, understanding. It made sense for Preston to grow attached to that time when he said himself Hallie was so busy, it was hard to see her even though they lived together.

“Do you play car games or something?” I asked.

“Car games?” she wrinkled her nose. “All our trips are five minutes. It’s Bluehaven, nothing is far enough for a car game.”

“No, I mean, do you know any car games for our trip?” I asked as I turned on my heels and walked to my car.

“Our trip?” she asked behind me. “Where are you going?”

“To get the costumes,” I replied over the shoulder. “Chop, chop, Cricket, time is money,” I mocked. We both volunteered our afternoons, our time was anything but money.

As I unlocked my door, I heard her steps coming after me. “Are we going now?”

I glanced at my watch. “I can make it in two hours. Will Ms. Handall be available?”

When I looked in her direction, she was standing right in the middle of the lot, her anxious little expression in place. “We can go another day if you like,” I offered.

I didn’t tell her I wanted to go right away because I was afraid Preston would become available or someone else would volunteer. Helen and the damn bus became my enemies. No, no, I wanted to drive her and steal that little time with her in my truck. No rehearsal, no kids coming and going.

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