Page 5 of Bending Under Pressure

“Yeah, I do. You probably will, too. Do you know what classes you have?”

“Um,” she thinks about it for a second. “If you hadn’t asked, I probably could’ve told you.”

“That happens to me sometimes, too. How long have you played tennis?”

“Since I was seven. You’re on the football team, right?”

“Yeah, do you like football? That might help you gain some of the points you lost for being a Hokie fan.”

She laughs and nods. “I do. My friends and I went to all the home football games.” She sounds sad at the mention of her friends.

“Here you go. Enjoy,” Mrs. Elsie says, placing a banana split in front of each of us.

“Thanks,” we both say.

We’re quiet as we take those delicious first bites. Before I can ask her how she likes it, I hear my name.

“Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?” I ask as they take a seat next to Haley.

“It’s our date night; you know that. We always end it by coming to Elsie’s for a banana split,” Dad says.

“Why aren’t you at the party with Cam?” Mom asks.

Mom raised us to be honest about our whereabouts, always reminding us that if we were to get hurt somehow, she’d need to know where we were and she wouldn’t if we’d lied. We’re usually honest about it too. “It was boring. Hales, you remember my mom, Octavia, and this is my dad, John.” Haley shoots me a look before smiling at my parents.

“Nice to see you again.”

“You too, Haley. We’ll let you get back to your own ice creams. Make sure you have this girl home at a decent hour, Keelan,” Mom instructs.

“I will,” I reply anyway.

They head to a booth and Elsie automatically takes them one banana split, which they’ll share as usual. Haley turns on the bar stool, her knees brushing my thigh. I turn as well, so one of my knees is between hers. Unfortunately, she doesn’t seem to be as aware of this as I am.

“Why do you keep calling me Hales?”

Her question throws me off for a moment. “You don’t like it?”

She shrugs, thinking about it as she eats another bite. “No one’s ever called me that before and I’m a fan of Haley, you know, my name.”

I take a bite of my split, nearly done. “So, you don’t like Hales?”

A slow smiles lifts her lips, lips I very much want to get to know. I’m almost certain she has no clue how much she’s turning me on. First her giggle, and now her smile. “I’ll allow you to say it.” She’s giving me the privilege of using a nickname. “Let me guess, you’re a fan of the Cavaliers?” she asks, jarring me from my thoughts.

“Of course, I’m a fan of the University of Virginia,” I answer as if it’s obvious.

“Hmm, maybe I should be the one thinking about canceling.”

I chuckle, allowing myself the pleasure of putting my hand on her knee, giving it a little squeeze. “Too late. You’re already here.” I grin. God, her skin is amazing. With much reluctance, I remove my hand before I start moving it up and down her leg. My parents are here, and I think it

’s a little soon for me to start groping the new girl.

She rewards me with a smile. “Thanks, Keelan.”

“For what?”

“Bringing me here,” she pauses, “and buying my ice cream.” There’s a mischievous glint in her eyes, as if she was going to pay for her own ice cream and she’s forcing me to do it. “Can I ask you a question? Well, two questions actually.”

“Sure.”

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