Page 31 of Boys Like You

“Hi, I’m Savannah,” a young girl says, leaning over Maximus.

“JD,” I reply.

“JD just seems like a strange name for a girl. Is that short for anything?”

“Drop it, Sav,” Levi states.

“You might be my brother’s friend, but you’re not the boss of me. I was trying to be nice to Mercer’s girlfriend.”

“Sister?” It slips out.

“Oh, I’m not surprised Maximus didn’t tell you he had a sister.” She laughs at her own joke, and Maximus rolls his eyes.

“It’s nice to meet you, but I’m not Mercer’s girlfriend. We’re just friends.”

“You’re so lucky. I wish my friends looked like that and held my hand.” She sighs. I think someone has a crush.

“Hey, I’m your friend, but Maximus would kill me if I held your hand.” Mercer winks at her and her face lights up.

“Well, it was nice to meet you, JD, I have to go find my friends before they find me. The guys are not exactly the friendliest people.” She turns to Maximus and kisses his cheek. “Make sure you bring her over. Mum would die if you brought home a new friend, and a girl at that.” Maximus smiles at her.

Rocky brings back the hideous blue bowling shoes and Mercer and I slip them on.

I turn to Maximus. “So, you have a sister. She seems really nice.”

Levi laughs. “She is pretty cool; her friends, however, are really annoying.”

“Do you remember over summer when we were at Maximus’s house and they all turned up to swim?” Rory says, and the guys laugh.

“One of her friends kept trying to touch my abs, making eyes at me,” Rocky says, placing the food on the table. “I have to remember why we insisted Savannah go to school with us, though things have gotten better this year.”

“Let’s get this game started,” Mercer says, standing from beside me. I watch as he picks up his ball and walks to our lane. I really appreciate the view when he takes the bowl. It’s clear straight away he is good, he knocks all the pins down and yells out, “Strike!”

A few things become clear during the evening; I can’t bowl for shit, even with Mercer trying to teach me. His close proximity every time he tried just sent hormones flooding to certain parts of my body, and the need to clench my thighs together was off-putting.

I can also eat my body weight in pizza. By the end of the night, the button on my pants was stretched tight.

The guys all start chatting about a party as the bowling alley is closing. Savannah’s ears prick up, and the guys shut down the idea of her attending. She reminds them she is fifteen now, but Levi bursts her bubble, telling her that her mum is outside waiting for her. She flips him off and storms outside. Maximus follows. The guys tell him they will catch up with him tomorrow.

“I’m pretty beat, I’m going to pass on the party,” I say. Levi looks at me, knowing I want to talk.

“I’ll take JD home,” he says. The guys eye him, but I know it’s out of protection for me. Hopefully once Levi and I clear the air, they won’t need to feel that way anymore.

I agreed to take JD home and talk because the guys are getting attached and I want to make sure she understands it’s not that I don’t like her, it’s just that we have all worked so hard to overcome so much in our lives, and a set-back could be disastrous.

JD and I walk quietly to her room and shut the door. I watch as she walks over and switches on the lamp, removes her boots and tells me she needs to change. I take a seat on the couch, reading through the messages from the guys.

Rocky:Why did you want to take JD home?

Mercer:You better be nice

Rory:What are you up to?

Maximus:Please don’t scare her away

I sent them all back a generic message to chill out, JD just wanted to talk to me alone.

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