“I don’t. They’re just my friends.”
All he answers with is a hum.
“You know I wouldn’t ever talk to another guy, right?”
He watches me closely for a moment. “Yeah, I know that. At least IthinkI do.”
“Trust me, you have nothing to worry about. It’sonlyyou.”
“Promise?” he asks.
I kiss him deeper this time. “Promise,” I say against his mouth.
“Plus, no other guy wants me.” I laugh a little. “I’m still surprised you did. So trust me, nobody else is looking in my direction.”
He frowns. “That’s not true. Guys look at you all the time. I’ve told you this. You’re hot.”
I roll my eyes. “You’re biased.”
“I’mright.”
“I hear how kids talk at school. People tell me what everyone says about me…about us. They think you’re too good for me, that I’m still the weird girl, and everyone is just waiting for you to come to your senses and break up with me.”
He takes my face in his hands, forcing me to look at him. “Those people don’t know what they’re talking about. I love you, and I’m never breaking up with you.”
“You think we’ll actually stay together? Like, even after high school?”
“Of course. I don’t wanna be with anyone else.”
I feel like I’m always seeking this constant validation and needing reassurance from him. I don’t mean to come off as insecure, but it’s hard not to be when you’ve never felt this way for someone before…and anyone you’ve ever loved in your life has left you.
* * *
A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER
I wake up to the sound of my phone buzzing on my nightstand.
I squint at the screen, then answer, voice scratchy. “Hello?”
“Happy birthday, loser! I’m outside. Open the door.”
I sit up, blinking the sleep out of my eyes. “Wait—what?”
“Get up and let me in,” Simone says way too cheerfully.
I mumble, “Okay, okay, I’m coming.”
I roll out of bed, pulling on a shirt and heading downstairs to open the door. Simone hugs me the second she sees me, and then we both walk back up to my room together.
“Get dressed. We’re grabbing breakfast, and then you’re letting me buy you a hot, new birthday outfit.”
I smile before I can stop myself. “You don’t have to do all that.”
“You’re turning sixteen, Lyd. You never let me do anything for you on your birthday. You deserve to be spoiled a little.”
I reluctantly give in and go get dressed to leave.
On the drive over to the mall, Simone turns down the music. “So…there’s this house party tonight…maybe we can go have fun for your birthday?”
