Page 4 of His to Keep

It’s packed with teenagers when I go inside. I’m nervous and out of my depth as I look around. People from school are here, dressed in their Sunday best. Girls in pretty dresses and boys in stylish shirts. Everyone’s either with friends or in a couple, and I instantly feel out of place.

“Hey, Ava!” my name’s called over the bustle. I spot Adam’s signature curls in the crowd of students gathered in the booths. He’s sat with his friends and waving me over.

For a moment, I’m rooted to the spot, not knowing what to do. But my legs move on their own until I’m standing next to their table. Twisting my fingers, I almost lose my nerve when one of the other boys snorts. But Adam shoots him a glare before turning back to me, eyes softening. Almost like he’s happy to see me. “Would you like to sit with us?”

“Oh…I—”

Scooting over on the bench, he pats the space beside him with a smile. “Here.”

You can’t!

I should leave. Turn and walk away. Gran would kill me if she knew I was considering sitting next to him. But why can’t I? It’s not unusual. There’s another girl at the table with them. It doesn’t have to mean anything.

Before talking myself out of it, I slide in next to him. Still smiling, he pushes a tall vanilla milkshake in front of me, distracting me from the turmoil gripping my insides. “Here. You can have mine.”

“Thank you.” I smile weakly at him but then remember everybody is staring and let it drop.

“This is Ava,” Adam introduces me to his friends likeI’mthe new student, and he’s been here all along. I want to tell him they know who I am, and I’ve been going to school with them for years, but I don’t bother. They don’t even know I exist, which is evident when they all greet me. Well, all except the girl sitting on Adam’s other side. I’m not sure what her name is, maybe Vanessa. Gathering from the hostility, I’m figuring she doesn’t like me.

A talk about soccer continues and I relax. Vanessa joins in, and I notice her trying to get Adam’s attention the most. She must like him, and I don’t see why he wouldn’t like her back. She’s beautiful and confident, with golden skin and luscious brown hair.Everything I wish I were.

“Are you coming to the field to play?” one of the guys asks Adam after draining his milkshake.

“You guys go ahead. I’ll catch up with you later.” They leave the booth, and Vanessa lingers behind. When Adam doesn’t speak to her, she gets up and storms off in a huff.My gut twists, feeling bad for her, but now that it’s just Adam and me, I settle a little. “I was about to ask earlier if you wanted to go for a walk with me. Would you like to?”

“Are you sure you wouldn’t want to play soccer instead?” I ask, my face burning.

“No.” He grins, and I can’t help smiling back. Although I’m not meant to leave, I haven’t seen Annabelle, and I don’t want to risk anyone seeing me with Adam and telling Gran.

“Sorry if I got you into trouble earlier,” Adam says as we walk outside together.

“You didn’t.” I know he’s referring to how Gran snapped at me, but I don’t want to talk about it. “There’s a town meeting—my grandmother had to go.”

“Yeah, my folks went to that too.” He pauses. “Do you live with your grandmother?”

“Yes. It’s just us.” I gaze down at my hands.

Picking up that I don’t want to talk about Gran, he’s the one changing the subject this time. “So, what do you like to do for fun?”

“Fun?”

He breathes a laugh at my reply. “Yeah, you know what it is, right?”

My body flinches from his teasing, and I can’t honestly remember the last time I enjoyed anything. According to Gran, having fun leads to sinful things and is therefore forbidden.

“I like to read,” I tell him, hoping it isn’t too bad and realizing it sounds boring.

The library is the only other place Gran allows me to go on my own, only because the church monitors the shelves. The adult books are stored in a restricted section at the back of the library. On occasion, when everyone’s distracted, I’ve let curiosity get the better of me and snuck one of them to read. Let’s just say I knowwhythey’re hidden away.

“You’re definitely the reading type.” He smirks mischievously, and I roll my eyes, though the smile still remains on my lips.

Time becomes lost as he tells me about his first week in school. Soaking in every word he says, I try to imagine what it’d be like to be him for a day. Be someone people are drawn to and want to be friends with. When I realize the time, I tell him I should go home, and he walks me halfway.

“Thanks for hanging out with me today.” He places his hand on my shoulder and squeezes gently. An action that makes my stomach tumble. “It was nice.”

“It was,” I agree. “And you’re welcome.”

Dropping his hand, we part ways, and as I turn to watch him walk away, I notice something looming beneath the willow trees across the street—a black car. Once again, the vehicle drives off as soon as I’ve seen it, leaving me wondering who it is and if it’s the same car as before.

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