Page 36 of Run Away Home: Tempered

“Peter, just walk in! You’re staring at me, anyway.”

“Okay, okay!”

He creeps in slowly with his hands in the pocket of his old beige cardigan. I think that piece is something he brought from Scotland. I sort of like it on him, actually.

“What do you want? What’s going on? You’re acting weirder than normal.”

He sits down on my bed. “Your birthday is coming up.”

“I know.” I sit up. “Good time to break up with your boyfriend, right? Your twenty-first birthday is supposed to be the best one, too.”

“Perfect timing, actually.” He’s serious.

I laugh. “You’re such an asshole.”

“Oh, am I?” He reaches eagerly into his pocket and pulls out his wallet. He grabs a folded-up sheet of paper and hands it to me.

“What is this?”

“I don’t know. I just thought maybe I would show you Long Island has much better alcohol to offer than that crap you get at convenience stores.”

I unfold the paper. It’s a voucher for a full day wine tour out east.

“Peter, I don’t know what to say. I mean—”

Hmm... I know this is another attempt to convince me to be his girlfriend, but it does sound like a good time. I’ve never done anything like this before. Tristian would never do anything like this, even if he could afford it. I look back down at the paper in my hand. Maybe it would be like the old times. The good times Peter and I used to have together, before Danny.

“It will be a lot of fun. A coach bus will take us to five different wineries. Please join me, Hayley. I want to show you how you should be treated. How you deserve to be—”

“When is it?”

“Tomorrow. We have reservations to get dinner afterward.”

“What about Danny?”

“He’s going to Matt’s for that lacrosse party, remember?”

Why not let someone take me out for once? Somewhere other than fast food.

“Okay. Thank you.”

“So...it’s a yes?”

“It’s a yes.” I hand him back the folded-up paper.

He smiles. I look into his eyes. They’re beautiful and kind. Wait... Did I just think that? About Peter? Crap! This is exactly what he wants.

“Get out of my room now.” I flop back down on the bed.

“Sure thing.” He sticks the paper back into his wallet.

Ugh! I wish he would stop with that goofy-ass smile!

Peter

IHAVE TO STOP SPENDINGmoney. I pick up the package left in front of our apartment and rip up the envelope. A small, square box is inside. I flip it open. It’s her birthstone. I move the box back and forth, watching the light reflect off of the gem in the center of the necklace. Jesus, Mary, and St. Joseph... Thank them all that it came today.

I close the box and stuff it into my front right pocket. I hope she likes it. I never see her wear any jewelry, but it might just be because she doesn’t have any... Not that she needs it. She’s beautiful without makeup or jewelry, anyway.

---