Page 78 of Finding Delaware

“Yeah.” She reaches up to touch the scar on my chin. “Yeah, you did. But you didn’t hit him.”

My jaw tightens as I look away. “I’ve hit him before. Used to do it just to blame the bullshit from my father on him.”

“You should talk to him. Really talk to him about it all. Everything, including the parts with your dad. I think he’d understand.”

Shaking my head, I flop back over onto my back. “It doesn’t excuse what I did.”

“No. But we can’t change the past. Only move on from it. And you can’t do that without bridging the gaps between you two.”

I’m silent momentarily, listening to Baby Bones scuffle around the room. “What if I’m scared?”

Her hair brushes my shoulder as she turns her head to look at me. “Of what? That he doesn’t feel the same way you do?”

“No. I honestly don’t expect him to. I’m just…scared of how he’ll make me feel when he rejects me. Which is really fucking hypocritical because of what I did to him in the eighth grade. And senior year.”

“You have to face the music, Tay,” she sighs again, and I nod.

“I know.”

We’re both quiet for a long moment, sorting through everything in our heads. After a while, she turns to me again with a pout.

“What?” I ask, grinning.

“So you’re telling me I wasn’t your first kiss?”

“Nope. Sorry.”

“It’s ok,” she hums, looking pleased. “I took your V card and popped your ass cherry, so I win.”

“Fucking Christ, Salem.”

Cackling, she sits up to lightly punch me in the gut. “Ok, enough with this sad shit. Let’s get down to business. I brought good news.”

“Hit me with it.”

“First, we need Christian.”

Heaving a heavy sigh, I get to my feet and offer her my hand. “I’ll get the coffee started. You can be the one to drag him out of bed. He’s hungover and moody as shit.”

Ten minutes and three mugs of coffee later, Christian and I are curled on the sofa with Baby Bones between us while Salem paces the length of the living room.

“So after that stunt at the monster truck rally,” she starts, “your TikTok accounts have started blowing up, which is really working for us. I also posted updates on Twitter.”

“It’s called X now,” Christian grumbles into his coffee, looking like hell with bags under his eyes.

“Well, whatever. Point is, you guys are making an impression. Which leads me to the good news.” She pauses, glancing between us excitedly.

When nothing more comes out of her mouth, I roll my eyes and throw a leg over Christian’s lap. “What’s the good news, Salem?”

“Why, thank you for asking, Taylor.” Her hands clap together as she smirks. “You both received messages on your IG accounts from a representative of the...wait for it...Nitro Fuel Games.”

Christian spits out his coffee as my lips part in surprise. “You fucking serious? What did they say?”

Nitro Fuel Games is one of the biggest action sports competitions of the year. The best athletes from around the country come to compete, doing their best tricks in freestyle motocross, bicycle motocross, skateboarding, and scooters.

“What do you think they said? You’ve both been invited to compete in their qualifier this April!”

“No way.” I jump to my feet, accidentally scaring my rabbit, as Christian sets his cup down hard on the coffee table.

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