And this new cheer was brilliant—total handicap accessible for me. Global warming! We were going to win back Washington High with the best routine they’d ever seen. I squeaked with excitement.
“You’re suddenly very smiley?” Joel said from across the table. I looked up at him, ignoring my father’s cough at the end of the table.
“That’s because I just formulated a plan.”
“Oh, God,” my father murmured before taking a sip of his iced tea.
I ignored my father and keyed into the curious expression on Joel’s face. “I know how to turn the school back to our side of the field,” I said.
“Really?” Joel was grinning from ear to ear and set down his fork. “I’ll admit, I’m both terrified and curious.”
My mother laughed. I stared at Joel, a mixture of attraction and hope blending in my stomach. He was a good person to stand with me on the sidelines. He was just good.
“Tessa,” my father said. “Please don’t hurt yourself. Well, again.” He motioned toward my crutches leaning behind me on the wall.
I rolled my eyes at him. “I’ll be careful.” He nodded, looking worried, and I appreciated that. In fact, I wasn’t even mad at him for being wary of Joel anymore. He was just trying to look out for me, and that was very parental of him.
I glanced around the table, everyone anxious to hear about my plan, and I thanked my lucky, twinkling stars that I had such a great support group.
Things were strawberry smooth—things were good.
My father and Joel didn’t say more than, “Can you pass the garlic bread?” at dinner, but they didn’t argue either. So I guess it was just a small step in the new formation. I was crutching Joel out to his car when he reached over and put his hand on mine. I stopped and turned to him. Maybe he forgot something?
“You really think a routine is going to solve everything?” His head was slightly tilted as if he were asking honestly, out of concern.
I smiled. “I do.” In the crisp night air with the fallen leaves all around us on the driveway, I felt like I was in the middle of a romance novel. Everything was in its place. It made sense.
He let go of my hand and walked to stand in front of me—close. My breath sort of held in my chest, nervousness turning in my belly. He moved even closer.
“Thank you for having me over tonight, Tessa.” Joel’s hazel eyes glanced at my lips as he quickly licked his.
I just nodded. I wasn’t sure I could speak. It had gotten really cold outside. I wrapped my arms over my chest.
He smiled at my nonresponse. “I’m going to kiss you,” he murmured. “In, like, three seconds, I’m going to lean down and finally kiss you.”
“Okay.” He was incredibly sweet. And the awkward way he was standing so close to me with his fingers seeming unsure how to reach out for me—those were the things I liked. The naturalness of him.
My eyelids fluttered as tingles raced through my body. He was so handsome. So gentle.
“One,” he breathed. “Two.”
I closed my eyes and accepted him. His new taste, feel. I tried to memorize it so that I could replace all of the other feelings I had.
I tried.
OVERNIGHT SHIPPING
Tess,
Here’s your phone. Strangest thing happened. I decided to get myself one of these nifty devices. So I programmed my new number in your phone book, just in case you needed to get a hold of me. Hope you don’t mind.
A
Chapter 17
I opened the overnight box after I read the attached message, my face numb. All I found was my phone, pink and perfect, completely unharmed. And for a second, I was disappointed, expecting some grand gesture. Flowers maybe.
Ugh. What was I saying? Chloe had accused him of being a saboteur, the reason my ankle was broken. Everyone at school hated us, and it was all because of him. But still … maybe some chocolates?
I shook my head, pushing the box into the middle of the kitchen table as I sat there feeling melancholy. Here I was, thinking about Aiden when I’d just kissed Joel last night! Everything was supposed to be perfect now.
There was a vibrating sound from the box, and I jumped. Leaning into the table I peeked over the cardboard lid to see my phone shaking. I reached in to grab it, and when I looked at the caller ID, I couldn’t stop myself from smiling.
It said I was receiving a call from “Mr. Awesome.” And since I was pretty sure I’d never programmed that number in, I had a feeling I knew who it was.
“Mr. Awesome? Really?”
Aiden laughed. “I guess the box arrived.”
“It did.”
“You going to change my name?” He sounded amused.
The warm and fuzzies suddenly turned cool and scratchy. “Aiden, I—”
“It’s okay,” he interrupted. “I saw your last text message from Joel. I know you guys were planning on going out to dinner. How’d it go?”
My face reddened with shame even though I knew it was acceptable for me to move on. Still, somehow Aiden knowing made me feel awful. “I don’t really think I should be talking about it with you.”
“You do what you need to, Tessa,” he said. “I won’t hold it against you.”
“I know it was you” tried to form on my lips, but I couldn’t bring myself to accuse him. I kept hearing my father’s voice, preaching about forgiveness. And in a way, I wasn’t sure I was ready to hear that Aiden had betrayed me.
“I was thinking,” he said, oblivious to my struggling emotions, “since our anniversary already passed—without a word from you, I might add—I was thinking that maybe I could take you out sometime. Not a date. Just … I don’t know, a those-were-fun-times lunch?” He sounded amused, but I closed my eyes.
“I don’t think so.”
“Aw!” He laughed. “Come on. I doubt your friend Joel would mind. Besides, he doesn’t really have a say in it. It’s not like—”
“He’s my boyfriend,” I said abruptly. “We’re going out now.”
There wasn’t a sound on the other line, just pained silence. Finally, I heard Aiden swallow loudly. “I see. Guess I’m the one that doesn’t have a say.”
Oh, heck. “I’m sorry. I have to go. Bye, Aiden.” I hung up before he could say anything else, feeling absolutely devastated. How did I just tell him that? It seemed like the meanest thing I’d ever done, and yet he’d been the one to betray me. What was wrong with me? What was happening to me?