Page 82 of Bending Under Pressure

“Won’t hurt to try.”

“Quit your smooching and let’s go,” Mrs. Elsie’s voice breaks through the yummy tension that just began. She leads us to a table and takes our order.

“How was practice?” I ask.

Keelan exhales long and heavy. “I think Coach wants to kill us. He usually gives us Thursdays off, but not this week since we have a big game tomorrow.”

Right. Junior varsity is home, which explains why Elsie’s is so crowded. It’s the place to go before, after, and even during the game.

“Are you nervous?”

“No more than usual. Coach just seems to be adding a lot more pressure on us this year. Hey, are you still coming this weekend? To the sleepover?” He rolls his eyes at calling his get together with Keira a sleepover.

“I forgot to ask my mom, but I’m sure she’ll let me.” As long as I explain everything well. And it’s my mission to do just that. A weekend of fun with Keelan and friends is exactly what I need. Let’s just hope Mom will be on board.

Temperatures have plummeted by the time we get to my house, so I go inside to grab a pillow and a comforter for the hammock.

“She needs to head home around eleven,” Mom tells me after I explain what I’m doing.

“Yes, ma’am,” I reply.

Haley is sitting in the hammock, her head tilted back as if she’s star gazing, even though the branches of the trees are blocking her view. When the screen door slams shut, she looks at me with a smile. God, she’s gorgeous. Haley stands and helps me get the hammock ready. The pillow goes on, then the sheet, and I hold onto the comforter while she slips off her shoes and climbs on. I cover her with the entire comforter, toe off my shoes, and then climb in next to her, getting my share of the comforter.

She rolls onto her side, sneaks an arm over my waist as she rests her head on my shoulder. “Thanks, Keelan.”

“For what?”

“For coming when I didn’t even realize I needed you.”

I kiss the top of her head in response. ‘You’re welcome’ would sound weird, and I’m not sure what to say. Jess texted me, telling me how the matches went and that Haley was still on the courts. From experience, I knew that wasn’t necessarily a good thing. Hales hits the courts when she’s trying to escape from something. It’s her way of pounding out her emotions.

The text came in right as I was getting out of the shower. I was dying for some food and then my bed, but once I saw it, I couldn’t resist goin

g to see her. My energy was completely gone. Knowing I would see her brought some of it back. However, now that we’re lying down, the exhaustion starts taking over. My eyelids keep drooping as the warmth of the comforter and Haley’s body heat cocoons me.

Faintly, I wonder if she’s disappointed that I’m not kissing her, giving her that rush I promised. I’m disappointed, but I’m also drained. If she lifts her head, then I’d kiss her. But as long as she’s just relaxing against me, then that’s all we’re going to do. Plus, it’s not like I need my parents catching us making out. There’ll be time for that tomorrow after the race.

Ah, this feels nice, practically perfect.

“Keelan. Keelan, wake up,” I hear someone whisper. “Keelan Moore, get your butt up.” The whisper is more stern.

Mom.

My eyes flash open to see my mom hovering over me. “We weren’t doing anything,” I blurt out.

She laughs softly. “I know. I was eavesdropping on and off from the kitchen. It’s eleven o’clock. She needs to go home and you both need to go to bed.” Her eyes flick to Haley, who is sleeping as well.

I nod and Mom returns to the house. “Hales,” I whisper, shaking her shoulder. She snuggles closer to me. “Wake up. Time to go home.”

“No,” she grumbles and I laugh.

“Yes.”

She sighs loudly as if she’s annoyed. “Fine, I don’t want to get you in trouble.”

We put on our shoes and I walk her to her car. My lips quirk into a smile. There’s a faint imprint on her cheek from where my shirt was wrinkled underneath it. Her ponytail is loose with flyaway strands framing her face, and to top it off, she’s still in her tennis uniform.

“What’s the grin for, Keelan?” she asks. Her eyes narrow in suspicion.

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