Page 39 of Lucky Penny
Jesse lolls his head toward me, smirking.
“What?” I ask, and if I wasn’t so hot already, I’d probably be blushing.
“I’m making him buy us the largest blue slushies they have.” He squeezes my knee, and I laugh.
The jarring sound of car doors slamming shut startles me, and my eyes snap toward Danny, who’s standing across the park. He sways awkwardly, hands shoved in his hoodie pockets even though it’s 90 degrees out. He paces in front of the car, and I shake my head, glad Jesse isn’t over there with him, getting wrapped up in that shit.
“Who even are those guys?” A pit forms in my stomach. My brother was always a troublemaker, but he’s not a bad kid. He’s got manners and is kind to everyone at school. I hate that he’s being this dumb.
“Who knows… His hookup, I guess? He’s using all his money to buy weed.”
“He’s an idiot. I love my brother, but fuck, I don’t know what happened to all his brain cells.”
“I’m trying to get through to him, Pen, but he won’t listen to me.” The strain in Jesse’s voice makes me sad. Danny’s his best friend, and the distance growing between them lately couldn’t be more obvious. Jesse’s making plans; he’s leaving behind his deadbeat parents, but I’m not sure what’s going to happen to Danny. He needs an intervention, but he’s the most stubborn person I’ve ever met.
I peel my eyes away from my brother’s shady dealings and smile at Jesse.“You know what I’m thinking about right now?” I close my eyes and picture it. “We just landed in Aruba and got dropped off at our resort.”
Jesse plays along.“Alright, should we hit up the pool or ocean first?” He muses, and my smile grows.
“The pool, of course. Unlimited nachos and iced drinks with straws.”
He laughs. I love that sound. “They serve nachos poolside in Aruba?”
I shove his leg playfully. “I don’t know, but it’smydaydream! I get nachos. Extra jalapeños.”
It’s our favorite game. It started when he moved in last fall. When he was having a bad day, and we’d be walking home from school, we’d play “where would you want to be right now?” and we’d envision all the places in the world we want to go. We’d make up stories like we were rich and planning our vacation.
I always had a wanderlust soul, as Nan called it. Jesse told me he never thought he’d leave Wilmington, but now this game is our favorite pastime.
But it’s not just a game for me—I intend to make it all real one day.
“Fine, whatever you want, princess.”
As Danny approaches, I turn on the park bench, my heart pounding. Jesse and I have toget out our words when we can. Sure,we can text, but nothing beats the feeling I have when it’s only us, just our secret dreams alive between us.
“I’m not traveling the world alone. Remember our pact?”
“Hey.” He locks eyes with me. “Where you go, I go.” He winks just before Danny saunters into earshot. We’d probably need to be more careful if my brother weren't always high. He barely notices anything these days.
I wish Jesse could hold my hand and kiss me, and we could have a normal relationship like other people our age. I wish I could tell everyone I love him, but we can’t.
We only have to make it one more year and some change. At the end of next summer, I’ll be packing to leave and hopefully be a student at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and Jesse will go to trade school nearby, and we can be open about our status. It’s what I’ve worked so hard for, and if I stay on track, I’ll get a pretty good scholarship.
The mere thought of it makes me so happy I nearly jump off the bench.
“Let’s go!” I yell at my brother, whose face is still scrunched in paranoia, but Jesse wears a small smile on his perfect lips.
And only I know why.
17
Penny
NOW
“How’d last night go? You haven’t said anything about it.” Fia leans forward in the passenger seat, pulling down the mirror to swipe on mascara as I drum my fingers on the steering wheel.
I stare at the red light, willing it to turn green, because Fia’s question is burning a hole in me, and I need to move. There’s a Santa on the corner ringing a bell. I’m just glad it’s not Jesse.
