Page 18 of Better Than the Movies
He hadn’t left me by myself, hadn’t done a keg stand, and hadn’t discussed breasts and/or butts with his friends in front of me. I mean, he’d passed on beer and was drinking water because he had to drive, for God’s sake. Whowasthis guy? The guy I’d assumed him to be would’ve beer-bongedwhiledriving.
Neighborhood friends were like that. You grew up with them, running over hot sidewalks and yelling to each other across fresh-cut lawns, but once you got older, you became acquaintances born of proximity with nothing but a surface level of basic knowledge. I knew he parked like an ass, played a ball sport—baseball maybe?—and was always laughing and loud when I saw him at school. I’m sure he knew even less about me.
“Wesley!” A pretty blond girl squealed and gave him a big hug. He looked at me over her shoulder as she very nearly jumped on him, and I rolled my eyes, which made him laugh. The blonde pulled back and said, “What took you so long? I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
“I had to pick up Liz.” He gestured toward me, but she didn’t even turn around. The girl was standing, like, an inch away from him as she said, “You look really hot tonight.”
Was that how the upper echelon of my gender landed boyfriends at my school? If so, I’d never have a shot at Michaelbecause I was a big fan of personal space. I actually felt a little sorry for Wes when he swallowed and took the tiniest step backward. He said, “Uh, thanks, Ash.”
“I probably shouldn’t tell you that.” She was kind of yelling over the noise, but Wes still looked uncomfortable, like they were alone in a dark room and the door was locked. “But what the hell, right?”
She didn’t move from deep within Wes’s space, so I tapped her on the shoulder. Hewasa childhood pal, I supposed, so it was probably my neighborly duty to save him at least once.
She turned around and smiled. “Hey.”
“Hey.” I smiled and touched her arm. “Listen.”
I leaned over and put my mouth closer to her ear, and I wanted to giggle when I saw Wes’s eyebrow go up like a question mark. I said to her, “Don’t tell anyone, but Wes and I are kind of… y’know…”
“Together?” Her eyes narrowed in confusion and then she smiled. Nodded slowly. “I had no ide—I’m so sorry!”
“Shh.” The girl was loud. “No worries at all, we’re just keeping it quiet.”
“I mean, I was going after him hard-core.” She gestured to herself with both of her pointer fingers and laughed. “I didnotmean to make a move on your man!”
I shook my head and wanted that time machine Helena had mentioned, as everything clicked into place. She—Ash—was Ashley Sparks. Oh my God. Not only was she loud, but she was super popular and a terrible gossip. Every person in this buildingwould think Wes and I weretogetherin probably about ten minutes. I shushed her and said, “Shh… no biggie. He isn’t my man yet, so—”
“He will be, girl.” She nudged me with her shoulder and grinned at Wes. “You go get it.”
“Oh my God.” I muttered, “Shh. Um, okay.”
She walked away and I squeezed my eyes shut, not wanting to look at him.
“Did you just tell her that—”
I opened my eyes. “Yep.”
He bent his knees so his face was level with mine, and his eyes were squinty when he said, “Why would you do that?”
I swallowed and looked down at my beer. “Well, I was trying to save you, um, from her amorous clutches.”
He started laughing. Hard. I raised my eyes to his face, and I couldn’t stop myself from joining, because he had one of those laughs. Happy and mischievous and full-on little boy; it was contagious. And really, itwasridiculous that I’d tried to save six and a half feet of Wes from the hot girl that clearly wanted to get with him. I had tears in my eyes by the time we got ourselves under control.
“Hey, y’all.” Michael came up beside Wes and said something about beer, but my heart started beating so fast that fainting became a distinct possibility and I didn’t hear anything he said. The noise of the party dimmed to a buzzing murmur as I squeezed my fingers around my red SOLO cup and drank him in. He was everything I remembered, but better. His smile was thesame powerful weapon that made me feel both queasy and like I might spontaneously combust, all at the same time.
Wes and Michael kept talking, but I heard none of their words as I raised my cup to my lips, wishing so badly that I had headphones with me. Because “How Would You Feel” by Ed Sheeran definitely should’ve been playing while my eyes strolled over his thick hair, his pretty eyes, and those perfect teeth that were bared as he smiled at Wes.
Note to self:Create the Soundtrack of Michael and Liz after you get home.
“How have you been, Liz?” He turned his attention to me, and my insides melted all together when he smiled. “You look exactly the same. I would’ve recognized you anywhere.”
My voice wouldn’t work for a second and my face was on fire, but then I managed to breathe the word, “Same.”
“So where do you work?”
“What?”
He gestured to my dress. “Your uniform…?”
