Page 22 of Bending Under Pressure

I swivel to face Cameron. “She steered.” I shrug.

“It took a year for you to let me drive the car and within two weeks, you let her.”

“Are you going to cry to Mom now?”

He glares at me, and I laugh. Cam glances at his phone and calls out toward the girls, “Jess, let’s go!” To me, he says, “How am I supposed to make out with her before I take her home if she has to have girly gossip with Haley?” He shakes his head.

“You need it too. All you’ve done today is complain.”

He glares, but doesn’t get the chance to say anything before Jess and Haley appear. He grabs her hand and starts walking off.

“Well, bye,” Jess laughs.

The crowd is starting to thin, so I take Haley’s hand and pull her to me with a lazy grin. “Ready to go?”

“Yep.”

I walk her around to open the door for her and then we are on our way. As usual, I kill the lights as I pull far enough into her driveway that I’m not in the road. “Did you have fun?”

“Yes, thanks for inviting me, Keelan.” Her hand moves to the door. “It was a long day, but that was a good way to end it.” She isn’t going to leave without kissing me again, is she?

“Hales,” I say as she pulls on the handle. She faces me again and I lean over, surprising us both when I rest my forehead against hers. I’m addicted to her already. It’s insane. Her eyes are curious and her shallow breath teases my lips. Quickly, I press one kiss to her lips before pulling away. “I’ll see you at school.”

She nods before getting out of my car. She flashes a grin over her shoulder and then she takes off running. The grin makes my heart beat erratically. That girl is going to drive me crazy.

“Do you think it’s too late to cancel?” I ask.

Mom gives me a reassuring smile. “It’ll be fine.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“Yes, it’s too late.”

“We can hang out in another booth if you want,” Cameron offers.

I shake my head. “No, that’s okay. Thanks though.”

Dad squeezes my shoulder as he places his bowl in the sink. “It’ll be fine,” he echoes Mom’s words.

Today, after football practice, I’m meeting Natalie at Elsie’s. To say I’m nervous about meeting my birth mom is a massive understatement. My cereal has gotten all soft and gross where I’ve been pushing my spoon around. Sighing, I stand, empty the contents, and grab my book bag. Cam does the same. I’m almost to the door when Mom calls my name.

She hands me a package of PopTarts. “We’ll be here when it’s over.”

“Thanks, Mom.” I kiss her cheek. “Love you.”

“Love you too, Keelan.”

My classes pass in a blur. I poke at the food on my Styrofoam plate at lunch. What will she be like? Will I look like her? Will I like her? What if she wants to try to be my mom now? What is she hoping to accomplish by meeting me?

A hand rests on my knee, and I hear, “Keelan?” I look over at Haley. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. Just thinking.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“I’m meeting with my birth mom today.”

Her eyes widen as she removes her hand from my knee. “Oh, that has to be nerve-racking. Where are you meeting her?”

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