Page 95 of Beautiful Defiance

31

LEIGH

Maddox convinced me to play hooky from school tomorrow and Friday. I didn’t want to miss my shift at Queenie’s on Friday, but after hearing how scratchy and shaky my voice is, Miles tells me to take Friday off, that it’s only four hours.

After getting off the phone with Miles, I trudge over to Seven’s place. Maddox will be here in half an hour. In front of his door, I knock. It takes a few minutes before he opens the door. I can see why. Behind him is Ginger. They must have been studying. Probably in his bedroom.

“Seven, can I speak with you?” I keep my head down, not wanting him to see my puffy face. I am such an ugly crier.

“Yeah, sure. I’ll be right back, Ginger.”

Wow, he was never that nice with me. If it were me in Ginger’s place, he would say something like, “Don’t you bolt, Leigh. I’ll catch you every time.”

I sigh. I miss him.

“What’s up?”

He sticks his hands in his pockets. He is wearing dark blue jeans. Bare feet. We’re out on his front porch. The porch is a dark wood. There’s a white porch swing. Pots of flowers in the corners. So romantic. I could sit on the swing and be happy staring off at the countryside day or night. Night would be awesome. The crickets and frogs would make their cute mating calls.

“Leigh?”

“I . . . Um, Maddox called me.”

“And?”

“He didn’t find anything. I’m sorry.” It’s easy to lie. I’m saving Seven from the devastation I went through when Maddox told me something that destroyed my belief in what my parents had. I can’t destroy whatever chance Seven thinks his parents have of reconciling.

“You should talk to your dad, Seven. Tell him how you’re feeling. Or don’t and let them work through their problems.”

“You don’t think my dad was set up like your mom was?”

“Seven—” Tears burn the back of my eyes.

I should go; I don’t want Seven to see how hard I’ve fallen for him or how much he hurt me when I told him I’m his only to have him throw my loyalty in my face when he got what he wanted. But I have to say my piece.

“Seven, I’m not in the right place to give you advice,” I admit. “What your parents are going through, it could be as simple and complex as one person still in love with the other and the other wants out.”

Without looking at him, I reach inside my pocket and pull out what I never had a right to let someone else take from him.

“Here’s your lucky coin.” I stretch out my hand. “You’ll need it Friday.”

“How—”

“Red is my friend. He understands how important this coin is to you. He’s doing it for me and not you.”

He takes the coin from me.

I turn and, over my shoulder, say words that end whatever it was we had.

“See you around, Seven.”

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