Page 46 of One Last Time
And there sheblows.
“Shedid!”
“Holy shit! How? How does this happen to Heather and then yo—ur friend? Did I miss the hooking up with celebrity course in high school? Does Heather know? Oh, God, was it amazing? It looks like it would be amazing. Those freaking lips,man.”
I pull her to the table and fill her in on the whole thing. Clearly, she knows it’s me, and I’m almost giddy while I tell her the events leading to the amazing kiss. Her head falls to her fist as I tell her about the dance on the beach. She laughs when I explain the night at Heather’s and then my random singing in thecar.
My body feels as if I’m floating when I go into details about the kiss itself. Seriously, normal men don’t kiss like that, and if they do, I’ve been missingout.
“You know what I hear through this whole thing?” Danielleasks.
“What?”
“My friend isback.”
I run my hands through my hair. “I don’t know what youmean. . .”
Or at least I don’t want to admit what I think she’ssaying.
Danielle leans forward and touches my leg. “You’ve been a shell of the girl I’ve known my whole life. I don’t think I knew it until now. When was the last time you were silly? When was the last time you sang in the car? Drank and danced? Were allowed to choose something you wanted and actually gotit?”
I close my eyes with my head dropping down. “I don’t want to think aboutthis.”
“I know you don’t. I just want you to hear yourself. You may not see it, but I do. In the last ten minutes, you came to life. My best friend was finallyhere.”
Tears begin to pool. “I neverleft.”
“Scott took youaway.”
“No—” I start todeny.
“Listen to me, you were the happy one out of the four of us. Nicole is crazy. Heather is dependable. I’m the cynic. You were the one who smiled. Captain of the cheerleaders, homecoming committee, and...I forget all the other crap you did. It doesn’t matter. It was you that kept us grounded, but he put you in a box, Kris. He made you smaller until you fit into what he wanted, and I’m so sorry I let thathappen.”
I look at Danni, the one who never cries but who currently has tears in her eyes. “Danni,” I saysoftly.
“No.” She wipes her face. “I didn’t say anything. I thought you were happy. You weren’t, though. Nicole would push to say something, and I’d shut herdown.”
“You couldn’t have swayed me.” I try to assure her. “I loved him. I wasn’t ready toleave.”
She nods. I hate that she’s trying to take even an ounce of the blame for this. The reality is that until I was ready to be done, I would’ve stayed. They only would’ve made me angry by trying to get me to see what was happening, and my first reaction would have been to defend him. I really had believed it was my fault, that I wasn’t goodenough.
“I could’ve tried.” Danielle looks away withshame.
“I love you forthat.”
“I love you for itall.”
I pull her into my arms and rub her back. “Who knew your black heart could shed tears?” Ijoke.
This at least gets a laugh out of her. “I’ll deny this everhappened.”
“There’s mygirl.”
“You’re going to be happy again, Kris. I know it. Don’t let Scott rob you of anything you want in life. If you like Noah, go for it. If you want to sow your wild oats, do it. No matter what, I’ve always got yourback.”
I’m beyond blessed to have the relationships I have. “It’s too soon for me todate.”
“Says who?” Shescoffs.
