AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I just couldn’t stand the idea of seeing you with another girl. My heart couldn’t take it.”
He pulls his arms around me. “That’s never gonna happen. I’m a one-woman man.”
I giggle and lift onto my tippy-toes. “Good. You’re a keeper,” I whisper and peck his lips.
Mockingoohsandahhscome from the onlookers, who are soon shooed away by teachers trying to clear the halls.
I don’t budge an inch. I stay wrapped in Parker’s arms, happily listening to the thrum of his heartbeat.
“So you and Lewis never kissed?”
I look up at him. “I leaned in to kiss him and could only think about you. If I couldn’t have you, I didn’t want to be with anyone.”
“He’s so annoying,” Parker complains. “I totally thought you two were together. You looked so close this morning.”
I groan. “Lewis promised to never use me, and on the first day of school, he broke it. I guess he proved he’s not the guy for me.”
Parker smiles, caressing the side of my face. “I want to be the only guy for you.”
“You and Yvie...”
He frowns. “I was so sure you wanted Lewis. For the entire camping trip, I was preparing for when Lewis finally woke up and saw how amazing you are.” He exhales slowly. “Camping was the worst. I just wanted to be with you, but kept forcing myself closer to Yvie. I hated it. Then I cracked when we were playing truth or dare.”
“What do you mean you cracked?”
“When you asked me about my biggest regret,” he replies. “I regretted that I never asked you out sooner. That I didn’t notice you before we hatched this scheme. I regretted that we weren’t a real couple from the start.”
My hands plaster over the space above my heart. “You really felt like that?”
“Yes, but you didn’t believe me.”
“I didn’t believe I could compete with Yvette.”
“Anytime I tried to tell you how I really felt, you cut me off. I hate that you didn’t feel good enough.”
I fidget in my stance, letting myself really hear him this time.
“All I want is for you to be happy, even if you’re with a different guy.” He looks off to the side, shaking his head. “Man, I wiped out on the water skis because of how hard I was crushing on you. At the same time, I was watching Yvie and knew I had to pretend I still had a crush on her.”
My mouth hangs open. “Your crush had ended?”
“How could I still like her after all the time I’d spent with you?”
An airy sigh drifts out of me. “Oh, Parker.”
“After the trip, I felt like I had led Yvie on, so I went to her house on Saturday. I told her I couldn’t be with her, and that I was in love with you.”
I blink hard. “You told her that on Saturday?”
He nods.
“And you didn’t see your friends on Sunday?”
“I was too miserable to hear Lewis gloat about being with you.”
“We’re such idiots. We could’ve been together this whole time.”
Parker grins. “At least we’re both sure now.”
