Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
“I felt it too.”
He nuzzled closer. “I guess some things just are. I don’t care why. I’m just glad it is.”
I smiled in the dark, my chest feeling full. “I hope it’s always like this…like today. We’ll live together and shower together and eat together, then go to bed together every night.”
“It will be,” Gage replied.
Logically, I knew we were being idealistic, dumb, immature kids, that life didn’t work that way. It wouldn’t always be perfect, but he said it and I believed him.
We held each other all night.
I woke up early, my throat dry, so I gently untangled Gage from around me, pulled on my pajamas, and sneaked out quietly. As I did, I saw Mouse leaving Romeo’s room.
Our gazes caught, and I felt my eyes widen. But she looked sad.
“Just a little fun,” she whispered, pushing her pink-dyed hair behind her ears. “You know me. I like to have fun.”
“It can be more than that. Romeo is crazy about you.”
She shrugged. “We can’t all be you and Gage.” Without another word, she went back to her room.
I got my drink and went back to bed, wanting to stay there as long as I could. When we got back home, we’d be hiding again and not sleeping in the same bed.
We all got up a couple of hours later, had breakfast, and got on the road.
When we pulled up in front of my house, Dad was standing on the porch, in his police uniform, cigarette hanging from his mouth.
Gage tensed beside me. “I’m gonna go in with you.”
“No, it’s fine. He knew we were all going. We’re friends.”
He didn’t like it, but he agreed. I got out of the Jeep and grabbed my bag from the back. When I walked around to the side of the car again, Mouse was there. She leaned in and pressed her lips to mine before whispering, “Use me if you need to.” Then kissed me again and climbed back into the Jeep.
“What happened to your girl?” Dad asked.
“She couldn’t go. Canceled last-minute.”
“Her too?” He nodded toward the retreating vehicle.
“I’ve always kind of liked her,” I lied.
“You and half the town, if she’s anything like her mama. Wrap it up with her.” Then he patted me on the shoulder as if he was proud, and walked toward his cruiser.
CHAPTER NINE
Gage
I loved baseball season.
Outside of Joey, it was the thing that made me feel the best about myself. It came to me naturally, unlike reading or learning. Still, I worked hard to be as good at it as I was. I practiced, conditioned, fought to be the best I could be. But no matter how much the coach or Jojo tried to talk me into going for baseball scholarships for college, I didn’t. I could barely keep my grades good enough to play high school ball, and that was with Joey helping me—and yeah, sometimes doing work for me even when I didn’t want him to. How in the hell could I ever expect to be able to handle college?
Nope. I figured we’d go to LA, where Jojo, Romeo, and Mouse would all go to school and I’d find some job or trade to pay my way.
That wasn’t something I had to worry about yet, though. It was February, the beginning of baseball season of my senior year, and that made me stand a little taller, be a little cockier.
“You gonna cheer for me at the game?” I teased Jojo, who rolled his eyes at me. They were this really pretty bright green on the outside, fading into a light, whiskey brown on the inside. His nose was a little pointy, but not too much, and he kept his dark-brown hair shorter than mine.
“No, and fuck off.” He was studying; he was always studying. But my first game of the season was the next day, and I wanted to have some fun.
“Aw, come on. What kind of boyfriend are you?” I joked.
“The kind that’s not a cheerleader?” he countered. “You need a girlfriend for that.”
“First, no I don’t. Hendersonville might not have male cheerleaders, but there are plenty in the world. Second, baseball doesn’t have cheerleaders. Third, I don’t want a girl. I want you.” It was something he struggled with sometimes, thinking I would rather be with a girl or that eventually I would want a girl, but I didn’t. I only wanted him. No one could make me feel the way he did, and their gender didn’t matter. “What’s wrong?” I nudged him in the side. We were lying on my bed, his books sprawled out in front of him.
“Nothing. I’m being weird. Just…you’re always so busy during baseball season.”
“Poor Jojo. Is someone jealous?” I pushed him until he rolled onto his back, then lay on top of him, our groins lining up. “Don’t worry. You’re still my favorite guy.” I held myself above him, my palms flat on the bed.