Page 54 of Fake Dates and Home Plates
“Fuck yeah, Getaway Girl.”
Even though I’m drenched in sweat and my chest is heaving, I wrap my arms around his neck and drag his lips to mine. Without words, I try to express how lucky I feel to be his, how fortunate I am that he’s mine. As if he can read my thoughts, he deepens the kiss, telling me just how much he feels the same.
When we break apart, I lean on him while I do my cool-down walk, waiting for all the runners to finish. My teammates join me one by one, along with all the friends and family here to support us. When my parents and Theo’s friends arrive at our group, I notice something I missed on the course. I was so focused on the giant Theo head posters, I didn’t see how they were all wearing pink and black. While Theo is the only one wearing my face on his shirt this time, he managed to get everyone coordinated in my favorite colors.
Sunny is wearing a pink sweater dress and black boots while her brother is wearing black jeans and a pink t-shirt. The guy I didn’t know, who introduces himself as Lukas, is wearing a pink hat with his black joggers and t-shirt.
Ezra’s outfit is my favorite, though: black jeans, a black V-neck shirt, and pink high-top sneakers along with a pink barbell that I catch when he sticks his tongue out to show it off.
Something tells me that’s not the only metal he’s rocking either.
My parents wrap me up in a hug sandwich, telling me how proud they are, tears in their eyes.
“You are incredible, Henley. I can’t believe the little girl who used to make me carry her halfway through my normal run justdidthat.” My dad’s voice is filled with awe as he points to the board.
Henley Harkin 18:53.7
Everyone around me bursts out into celebration, taking turns lifting me and giving me high-fives. Lily wraps me in a sweaty hug, holding each other a little tighter than normal.
I’m not expecting it when Ezra and Bash lift me up on their shoulders. I almost lose my balance before two hands settle on my hips from behind, lifting me off them and back to the ground.
The look on Theo’s face as he stares down his teammates is hot as fuck.
Hot as intake me on the nearest flat surface as long as my parents don’t see or hear ushot.
“Mine,” he says as he narrows his eyes playfully, but his tone leaves no room for confusion. He’s serious, throwing his arm over my shoulder and kissing the side of my head.
I like that—a lot.
All the commotion distracted me from the number on the board, but as Theo breaks his sweet kiss, it sinks in.
I just broke the national record.
“How’d you know? Did you bring a backup sign?” I ask Theo.
He shakes his head. “Absolutely not. I knew you were going to do it. Didn’t doubt that for a second.”
As we wait for awards, our group stands under our tent, slowly introducing ourselves. But when Bash holds his hand out to Lily, she slaps it down.
“Are you for real? You’re going to pretend like you don’t know me?” Her voice is filled with anger.
Oh no. Theo must come to the same realization as me, because we look at one another with wide eyes.
Bash’s eyebrows lower in confusion before raising up to meet his hairline. “Oh, fuck. I mean, you look different like this.” He gestures to her in her warm-up clothes.
“I’m not even surprised. Of course, the guy who stood me up after promising he’d make up for his lacklusterperformancein the bedroom wouldn’t even remember the girl he left hanging.”
I can’t help the loud laugh I let out. Lily told me all about that night, though she never mentioned the guy's name. She refers to him as Two-Pump Chump. Freshman year, they both drank a little too much but still decided to hook up, only the guy was too quick, getting off in less than a minute and passing out right after.
He promised they’d have dinner the next night, but he never showed.
Lily looks over with a slight smile on her face, noticing I’ve connected the dots.
“I swear, I didn’t mean—” Bash tries to explain but is cut off when she just walks away, headed for the stage they’ve set up near the officials' tent.
I’d feel bad for him, but the fact that he didn’t even make sure to get her off before blowing his load is a shitty thing to do. Standing her up after crosses into the next level of shitty behavior.
Sunny watches him with wide eyes, a mix of humor and shock on her face. Something tells me Bash has his own version of events their inner circle has heard all about.
