AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hell no, I didn’t. Why would I invite them?”
I shrugged. I knew he said he’d been playing the good son all this time, just biding his time until he could break free of their expectations… but that pesky doubt was creeping up again.
My amnesia. His lie. It sort of forced us into the relationship we had now. Sure, he said this was endgame, but had he been ready? He talked a lot about his plan. Having everything in order. What if he wasn’t ready to challenge his parents? What if the idea of doing and actually going through with it were two wholly different things?
Why does it suddenly feel like he has to make a choice?
What if, in the end, he realizes I’m not worth it?
“Hey.” Ben put his hand on my knee. The material of Matt’s windbreaker swished under his palm. “Final girl.”
I blinked, finally breaking free of the heavy thoughts.
He stood but bent, pushing his face close to mine. “Eyes on me.”
His mismatched gaze was easy to find, easy to latch on to.
“Don’t worry about them. They aren’t important. You are.”
“You don’t have to choose, Ben. I would never ask you to.” Having parents that cared seemed like such a novelty, even if their version of caring seemed to come with strings.
His eyes burned into mine, the intensity of his stare so immense I had no hope of deciphering what it was trying to say. All I could do was let it consume me until my lungs burned and my head was dizzy.
Then, just like that, he leaned in, his lips against my temple aloe to the way he burned. My lashes drooped, lips parting on an unsteady exhale.
“I love you.”
I was about to echo the sentiment when Coach’s whistle filled the air.
“Kruger! Prism! What did I tell you?”
“You gonna watch me swim, final girl?”
“Of course,” I said, his flirty tone making me blush.
“Keep that sexy ass in this chair. Don’t make me come over here soaking wet and lay down the law.”
I rolled my eyes.
Coach blasted the whistle again.
“I’m coming!” Kruger yelled. “One of these days, I’m gonna shove that whistle—”
“Ben!”
Matt laughed and leaned down to kiss the top of my head. “See ya after the meet, sis.”
“Good luck,” I told him.
The two went to sit with the team, and the back of my head prickled uncomfortably, my throat constricting so much I had to swallow twice to get down a sip of the latte.
I ignored it until my fingers started to tremble and the urge to turn and look into the bleachers consumed my thoughts.
Tearing my unseeing eyes from the pool, I glanced around, the neck of Ben’s windbreaker brushing against my cheek. The bleachers were full, people holding signs, foam fingers, and streamers. Some were eating colorful otter pops, the icy treat something I usually enjoyed, but looking at them now, all I felt was cold.
Clutching the nearly empty latte Win gave me, I let my eyes peruse the stands, following that creepy trail that had been tapping on the back of my neck.
They didn’t necessarily stand out. Being well-dressed and soaked in a monied air was pretty much everyone around here. Except for me. The scholarship girl. It didn’t matter, though, because I found them easily.
