Page 70 of Choosing You

He hesitates, then takes my face in both his hands and kisses me. It starts out as a gentle, sweet kiss and slowly moves into a deeper kiss that is so hot I find myself gripping the back of his shirt and pulling myself into him. Then, with his hands still cupped gently around my face, he ends with two soft, short kisses and pulls away. “Happy Birthday, Jade.”

He’s gone before I can critique the kiss. But it was great. It was beyond great. It was perfect. A perfect birthday kiss.

I’m sure Garret’s upstairs wondering what the hell just happened. But let him wonder. He left me wondering what the hell happened when he told me to get lost a few weeks ago.

I clear my gifts off the bed and go over to the desk to put my envelopes of money away. When I open the drawer I see my mom’s letter again. Part of me really wants to open it. But another part of me wants to burn it in the trash. Just having it suddenly appear like this makes me hate my mother even more. How dare she continue to haunt me from the grave. Isn’t her voice in my head enough? Does she have to keep stepping in and destroying everything? I wish that Frank had waited to give it to me. If it weren’t for that letter, this would have been my best birthday ever.

CHAPTERNINETEEN

Friday after class,I try out my new running pants and long sleeve t-shirt. The weather keeps changing from warm to cold and today it picked cold. I head outside and take the trail that leads into the woods. Yellow, orange, and red leaves cover the ground and the crunch of them under my feet almost sounds like popping fireworks. I alternate between steady running and sprints. The anger over my mother’s letter still nags at me, but the steady running clears my head while the sprints burn off the anger.

When I get back to the residence hall, I feel empowered again. I refuse to let that letter take control over my emotions. I’m still on a high from Garret’s kiss last night and that’s the only emotion I want to feel right now.

I saw Garret at lunch and he was back to treating me like a friend, like the kiss never happened. But it’s probably best if we keep the friends-only thing going. After what he did, part of me still isn’t sure if I can trust him. And I’m still worried what his dad will do if he finds out I’m hanging out with Garret again. What if he took my scholarship away? I’d have no way to pay for school.

“Jade, there you are.” Harper slings her pink-sweater-covered arm around me as I walk down the hall. “We’re going out tonight. You, me, and some other girls.”

“I don’t do the party scene. You know that, Harper.” I wipe the sweat off my forehead. “I just ran. You might want to keep your distance.”

She takes her arm away. “We’re not going to a party. We’re going to a nice restaurant for dinner.”

“Why would we do that?”

“For your birthday. There’s this great Italian place about 20 minutes from here. You like pasta, right?”

“Who told you it was my birthday? Garret?”

“Maybe,” she says, smiling. “But don’t get mad at him, Jade. You should’ve told me yourself.”

“My birthday is over. I’m done celebrating.” I open the door to my room and she follows me inside.

“You’re going to dinner unless you already have plans. So do you?”

“No, I don’t have any plans.” I sit on the bed and yank my running shoes off. “So who else is going?”

“Katy, Rachel, Stephanie, and Madison.” Harper’s pink sweater is so bright it’s blinding me. I wish she’d give the pink obsession a rest now and then.

“They all want to go out for my birthday? I don’t really know them that well.”

“What are you talking about? They eat with us all the time.”

“They eat with you. They’re not reallymyfriends.”

“They are, too. They like you. They think you’re funny. And they’d invite you out more if you acted a little nicer to them.”

“Nicer? I’m already nice to them.”

“Yeah, but maybe you could talk to them more. You kind of ignore them and only talk to me when they’re around. Anyway, we’re leaving here at 6:30. And wear a dress because it’s kind of a fancy place. I could do your hair if you want.”

Harper’s such a girly girl. She loves doing hair, makeup, nails—all that stuff. “Okay. If you have time, you can do my hair.”

“Really?” She comes over and hugs me quick, keeping her distance from my sweaty body. “I didn’t think you’d say yes. Come by my room in a hour and we’ll get started.”

She walks away, then turns back when she’s halfway out the door. “Hey, what’s up with you and Garret? Are you dating again?”

“No. We were never dating. We’re just friends.”

“He’s so damn hot, Jade. I seriously don’t know how you can just be friends with that guy. You sure you’re not dating?”

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