Page 126 of You Were Never Not Mine

The lie drops from my lips easily and I don’t know why I say it. Am I trying to impress her? Why do I give a shit what she thinks about me?

“Fancy.” She has the audacity to roll her eyes and turns away, her back to me as she calls, “Merry Christmas, August.”

“Merry Christmas…” My voice drifts. “What’s your name again?”

She glances over her shoulder, a mischievous gleam in her eyes that makes my body react. Which is fucking out of hand because again, she’s only fourteen. I’m not interested in her. Not like that.

Not yet, anyway.

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” she singsongs as she walks away, her skirt swaying. It’s shorter than what’s considered proper dress code, showing off those long, slender legs and I have an unbidden thought.

Of this girl, only she’s older. Beautiful. Fucking stunning, truthfully. Flirtatious and with a smart mouth. I love it when someone doesn’t back down from me, which isn’t often. I imagine this girl will be feisty when she gets older. Not afraid to speak her mind. She’d give as good as she got.

Maybe, hopefully we’ll run into each other again someday. Years from now. And if we do?

She’d better watch out.

---