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ed anxiety. It was tough being a teen at times with practically perfect parents and a brother that was a star athlete.
That’s how I saw my life. Whether it was true or not was another matter. I set these expectations for myself. Goals and dreams that created this flurry of anxiety in the pit of my stomach. I was afraid of life afraid I wouldn’t reach them my self-imposed expectations. Afraid of everything.
Then I saw them. I wiped my eyes one more time. Cal stopped in front of me. He was concerned. “Have you been crying?”
“No.” I smiled at him, lying through my teeth.
He cupped my face and gazed at me for several seconds. Then he kissed me. So tenderly. So sweetly. I felt my knees give just a little. I felt myself melting into him and Aiden’s words were forgotten.
I groaned forgetting that Tyson was standing by the passenger door. “Get a room,” he grumbled. Unfortunately for my brother, he saw us together like this way too often.
I chuckled against Cal’s lips. When he pulled away, he was smiling. “I love you,” he whispered. I was shocked so was he I could see. “I do, Abby.” His thumb caressed my cheek.
Those three little words melted me. Broke me. Lifted me up. I felt my heart swell in my chest and slam against my ribs. I loved Cal too or thought I did. Who knew at my age what that emotion was, but it felt like love to me? “I love you too,” I responded.
He tugged me to him and held me tight.
“Can we go to Mac’s? You too can have your moment later.”
Too often we were a party of three. That needed to change. I think Dad must put Ty up to it to keep an eye on me and Cal.
I stepped back and shook my head. Cal just smiled at me. He was so easy going. We got into the Impala and headed out to the farm where Coach Mac lived.
The night was cool. I was cold so Cal wrapped me in his arms to warm me. Coach told me he thought Cal was playing better since we started dating. He was more focused. He slapped Cal’s shoulder and walked away.
Cal kissed my cheek. I looked across the fire and saw Aiden and Luke watching us. They were not happy that we were together. I looked over my shoulder at Cal and he kissed me again. He always seemed to be doing that.
I covered his arms wrapped around me with my own. “Are you bored yet?”
“No,” I insisted. “Not at all.”
“Don’t lie to me.” Cal chuckled.
“Cal what’s going on with you, Aiden and Luke? I hardly see you with them anymore.”
I glanced up at him. He looked across the fire then at me. “I know they said shit to you, Abby. I don’t like that. I wouldn’t do that to them if they found a girl they liked.”
“They feel I’ve taken you from them,” I said without thinking.
“Is that what they said?”
They had said worse, but I wasn’t admitting that to Cal. I wasn’t telling him about the intimidation or the vulgar shit they had said to me. Cal didn’t need to know that.
“Something like that,” I replied.
I watched his gaze travel across the fire. “You’ll tell me if they talk shit to you. Right Abby?”
“Of course,” I lied.
I couldn’t make things worse between them. They were lifelong friends and the rift between them was getting worse because of me.
“Don’t they have dates for tomorrow night?” I asked.
“Luke does,” Cal responded. He rocked us together. Our bodies tight against each other. “Aiden’s going with the other guys who don’t have dates.”
“Who is Luke taking?”
Cal chuckled. “Head cheerleader. She broke it off with him,” he nodded in Tyson’s direction who was talking to the previous quarterback right now. They had become friends.
