Page 47 of The Perfect Game

I know, but I brought you something. Can I just talk to you for a minute?

Another long pause before she sent,You get one minute.

My stomach dropped, knowing she must be angrier than I thought. I stepped out of the car with the flowers and the small bag of treats and walked up to the front door.

The door cracked, and Serena slid out, pulling on a zip-up jacket. Her hair was in a high ponytail, and her eyes looked a little puffy, but the roof of the porch blocked the moonlight, making it difficult to see clearly.

“I know I’m really late, and I’m sorry for missing your birthday tonight. The camp went longer, and then they announced there was a scrimmage game after. Did you, uh, did you have a good day?” I needed her to say something, to help me figure out how I could make it up to her.

“It was all right. The party was kind of fun.” She paused, glancing down at her bare feet for a moment and then back up to me. “I just wish you’d been there.”

Nodding, I said, “I know. Me too. I was trying to get here as soon as I could. I got you a couple of things and want to take you to dinner tomorrow. Are you free around six?” I stretched the flowers out to her in one hand and the treats in the other, smiling as wide as I could with the tension around us.

Serena shook her head, her lips pressed together like she was about to cry. “I can’t, Ben. I don’t think I can do this right now.”

“C-can’t do what?” My stutter was coming back at the worst time ever.

“Us,” she said, pointing a finger and waving it between the two of us. “We have a lot going on, you with baseball and me with volleyball just starting up. Maybe it’s better if we just say we had a good run and leave it at that.”

I took a step back as if her words had physically hit me. Was this just how she was? I know I hadn’t been the best boyfriend, but I wasn’t ready to end things.

“I don’t want to be done, Serena.” My voice broke on her name, and I turned my head for a moment, looking out at the lawn while I tried to get it under control. “I think we’re really good together.”

“Go home, Ben. I’ll see you at school.” She crossed her arms and turned back to the door, slipping inside without a backward glance.

My limbs were paralyzed, and I stared at the door for longer than I can remember. School didn’t start for another two weeks. When I could finally move, I left the flowers and bag on the front porch and walked out to my truck.

It had finally happened. I’d ruined our relationship by worrying so much about the things I thought I could control that I’d pushed Serena away. I’d let my need to prove my dad wrong drive the doubt she had about people not supporting her even deeper than when I’d first met her.

For the first time, instead of wishing I had more time to practice my pitches, I wished for a way to go back and fix the things I’d messed up. Because moving on from Serena Gates didn’t seem possible right now.

Thirty-One

Serena

“Are you ever going to smile again?” Penny asked, punching me lightly in the shoulder. The four of us were at Lou’s diner, and she’d sat down next to us on her break.

It had been ten days since my surprise birthday party and breakup with Ben, and I wasn’t sure I’d ever be okay again. I hadn’t seen him since, but with school starting next week, I knew I was bound to.

I’d been surprised when he’d shown up so late, and I wanted to talk to him about it, to tell him how much I’d wanted him to be there at the party. But when he tried to hand me the gifts he’d brought, it was like he was trying to buy back my affection, just like my parents. I was done with people who wouldn’t even put in the effort to be with me.

I gave Penny a fake smile and picked up a fry, slathering it in ketchup before sticking it in my mouth.

“That doesn’t count, girl,” Brynn said, chucking a balled-up straw wrapper in my direction.

“I’m fine, you guys. Or I will be. Eventually.”

“Would you be happier if Ben were here?” Kate asked, her eyes pleading for some answer to solve the problem.

I leaned my head back on the top of the booth and sighed. I’d told them all about what had happened after the party, and as much as I said I wanted to move on, they seemed to be having a harder time of letting go of Ben than I was.

Or so I told myself.

There were several times where something small would trigger a memory of Ben, and I pushed them out of my mind as fast as they came. It was easier than really feeling the betrayal.

“I don’t think so, Kate. You guys are the only ones who actually listen and care about me. Who support me in my life. I just—I don’t want to end up with someone who thinks he can just bring me gifts to make up for not spending time with me, you know? And don’t say that it was one night, Brynn, because it started before that night. I want him to do well in baseball. I want him to succeed and get a scholarship because I still care about him. But I don’t want to go through the rollercoaster of emotions every time we’re supposed to do something and he has to get something perfect before we can hang out.”

Penny wrapped her arm around my shoulder and gave me a side hug. “I can understand that.”

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