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She places a hand over my arm. “Do you want to go somewhere else? We can go outside and get some air.” A coy smile plays along her lips. “We can take a walk in the garden.”
Oakylnn leans into me, her chest brushing against mine. She teeters on her tiptoes, bringing our faces closer. Her breath fans over my lips. “I can show you a good time. I mean, you won’t be so bored if it’s just the two of us.”
“No,” I tell her, my voice harsher than intended.
I take a step back before her lips can touch mine. She frowns when I grab her hand, forcing her to release me. Her arm drops to her side. I clear my throat, keeping my words passive and kind when speaking again. “I’m fine, but thanks for offering.”
“Do you have a girlfriend that I don’t know of?” There’s almost an accusation in her tone and her lips purse unhappily.
Golden locks of hair and hazel eyes flash in front of my vision.
Oaklynn mentioned a girlfriend and all I can think of is the girl with sorrowful eyes, the one who frequently visits my daydreams and my heated ones at night.
I wish I had asked her for her real name.
I wish we had more time together.
I wish she had asked me to stay longer.
I’ve gone back to the park many times, waiting to catch a glimpse of her again. But she never came back. I lost her before I could find her.
And maybe we’ll never meet again…
Sometimes I stay awake at night, wondering where she is, what she’s doing…if she’s okay, if she’s happy or sad. If she’s sitting on another bench, lonely and tragically hopeless.
Somehow, our fake names were fitting. I am as captivated by Goldilocks, as much as Jay Gatsby was obsessed with Daisy Buchanan.
I know Daisy is not her real name, and in my head — I can’t keep calling her something that’s not real. So, I gave her a nickname. Something unique for only her.
Goldilocks.
“So, do you?” Oakylnn asks again, sharply. Her words pull me out of my thoughts.
“Why does that matter?”
She lifts her chin. “Because I want to know if I have a chance. And I don’t want to have my heart hanging up on a boy who’s taken.”
Fair point and I respect her transparency. So, I give her half the truth. “I’m not taken, but I’m also not worth your heart.”
“Is there someone you’re interested in?” She crosses her arms over her chest.
“Yes,” I confess quietly.
“Is she someone I know?”
I shake my head in response.
“Is she someone in our close circle?”
I shake my head again.
“Does she know you’re interested in her? Is she interested in you?”
I tug on my tie, trying to loosen it around my neck. This thing is restricting my air flow and I can’t fucking breathe. “No to both of your questions.”
Oaklynn is quiet for a second, looking thoughtful. Then she smiles, her pearly white teeth a stark contrast against her smooth mahogany skin. She’s pretty, I won’t deny that. Tall, curvy with hair that reminds me so much of Naomi’s. But she’s not Goldilocks.
She’s not the girl who bandaged my hands. She’s not the girl in my sketchbook.
