Page 9 of All In Good Time

She scoffed, nearly to the point of laughing. Not because it was funny, but because of how extremely absurd it was—so shocking she wasn’t quite sure how else to respond. “Yeah, no kidding.”

He paused. “Did you just laugh?”

She froze. “No. I mean, yes, but not because it’s funny. It’s just…” The unwelcome laugh slipped out again, and she covered her lips as it if would stop it. “It’s just one of those situations, where you aren’t sure how else to react, and you know you should be serious, but you can’t help laughing because you need to be serious, and then it makes things worse, and then I look like a total idiot and—oh, god—Isoundlike a total idiot, don’t I? I’m sorry, this is really fucked up. Please don’t think I think any of this is funny, because it isn’t. I just want you to be okay, because your dad is an asshole, and you don’t deserve what he did and—”

She was cut off by a chuckle, but it wasn’t her. Derek was smiling right at her, a small, amused huff coming from him. Now that she thought about it, she didn’t think she had ever heard him laugh before. At least not like this. A laugh that you couldn’t help, one that was completely inappropriate but just happened anyway. And he had a smile on his face—not a smirk, not a frown, not a sneer. A smile.

She blinked. “Areyoulaughing?”

“Obviously.”

Another inappropriate smile forced its way to her lips. “Why?”

“Because we shouldn’t.”

Her fingers covering her mouth no longer worked to keep her amusement in. “We really shouldn’t.” She giggled and moved to lean against the car next to him.

In a matter of seconds, she was caught in an unfortunate case of unstoppable giggles. Both of them were. For a few minutes, all they could hear were the two of them laughing at nothing.

She bent over, grabbing onto her stomach as the enjoyable pain ached in her gut. He leaned back, staring at the sky as he chuckled.

Becca was able to take a breath again once it slowed, and they both gained control of themselves. All that was left was heavy breathing. She wiped invisible tears from her eyes and glanced at Derek, who was looking at her.

He wasn’t smiling the way he’d laughed, but he didn’t look upset. He looked, if anything, at ease for a short moment.

Becca couldn’t deny that Derek Stokes was the most beautiful boy she had ever seen in her life—his dirty curls and dark blue eyes made him a topic of interest to most girls in this town. Even more so standing in front of her with bruises on his face and a peaceful smile lingering for a moment. She couldreallysee what was great about him when she saw him like this. It was a completely new Derek Stokes.

She cleared her throat and stepped away from the car. “What are you going to do?”

He shrugged. “Go home.”

“Is that okay?”

“It’d be worse if I didn’t.”

“Okay.” She looked down the road. She wasn’t sure what time it was, but she was lucky her mom wasn’t at home. She would have been worried, too, but she wouldn’t have reacted the way Derek’s dad did. “Well then, goodnight.” She gave him one last awkward smile and turned.

She got all of three steps before he called out, “Aren’t you going to ask for a ride?”

She sheepishly turned back to him. “I…I mean I wasn’t planning on it.”

He gestured to the car and walked to the driver’s side. “Just get in.”

She wasn’t going to say no. She hopped into the passenger side as he revved the engine to life. Neither of them said anything else the entire way. What had been said was all that needed to be. She didn’t want to push it by asking more questions, and he didn’t seem like the type to offer up unnecessary answers.

Every now and then she peeked toward him, but he was focused on the road and didn’t notice. When she pointed out her dark house, he pulled into the driveway.

She opened the door and stepped out, fully intending to offer him a quick goodbye before rushing inside. But something stopped her. “Can you wait a moment?”

He looked at her a second, then nodded.

She hurried into the house, fumbling with her keys until the door unlocked, and ran to the kitchen. In the notepad by the phone, she ripped out a small piece and jotted down a few quick things:

Call if you need anything. I can sit quietly and listen or laugh with you. Whatever you need.She quickly signed her phone number.

Was this a smart move? Honestly, she’d had no interest in Derek Stokes before now. She was worried he would take this wrong. She didn’t want to be a fling. She saw a boy hurting alone, and she knew how it felt to be alone. She wanted to give him a companion and nothing more. But only if he wanted it.

Even if he ripped this paper up, right in front of her, at least she’d tried.

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