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Peyton
“Areyou sure you don’t want to come?” Lily asked me for the tenth time this morning, and it was barely eight-thirty.
“I already told Cindy I’d pick up an extra shift at the diner.”
“But it’s game day…” She pouted. “It’s kind of a big deal.”
“I know. But Kaiden and your dad will have enough fans cheering them on. I doubt they’ll miss little old me.”
“I’ll miss you.”
“You’ll be fine.” I offered her a weak smile, quietly adding, “I need the money, Lil.”
It wasn’t a lie; I did need the money. But it wasn’t the only reason I didn’t want to go to the game with them. Maybe it made me a coward, hiding from Xander, but I wasn’t ready to see him again, not after Monday.
I’d managed to avoid him all week. It wasn’t hard. He barely came into the main school building, and during lunch, I busied myself with assignments in the library. But while avoiding him was as easy as breathing, fighting the urge to search him out wasn’t.
No matter how much it had hurt when he shunned me.
“You sure I can’t convince you to come?” Lily pouted.
I shook my head, hoping she would drop it before I did something stupid like admit the truth.
“Fine. But you’re wrong you know? We all want you there. You’re a part of this family now. You’re one of us.”
Lily staggered back as I threw my arms around her and buried my face in the crook of her neck. “You’re my best friend, babe. The best.”
Soft laughter tickled my hair. “I love you too,” Lily said thickly, pushing me back to arm’s length. “I should probably go finish getting ready. I promised Kaiden I’d go over there and give him a good luck… kiss.” Heat exploded in her cheeks.
“A good luck kiss, huh? And where exactly do you kiss?”
“Peyton!” she breathed.
“Go,” I said, saving her anymore embarrassment. She was so cute. But as I watched her go, the ache in my chest grew heavier. Lily was flourishing, flying high and free on the wings of love and acceptance. While I withered in the shadows.
I finished up my breakfast, watching the Ford family as they breezed in and out of the kitchen, a hive of activity. And when they finally left, I released a steady breath. Lily’s words still ringing loudly in my head.
You’re a part of this family now. You’re one of us.
I wanted to believe her, I did.
But when you’d spent your entire life not belonging, it was hard to accept anything else.
* * *
For a Saturday shift,Cindy’s Grill was quieter than usual. No surprise given the town’s beloved Raiders were over in Harrisburg playing in the semi-finals. It was all people talked about. So much so that when a man had asked Cindy to turn up the radio so they could hear the commentary, she’d indulged them.
“Table fifteen, order up,” Calvin, the grill cook, called through the hatch as he slid the plates over to me.
“Thanks, Cal.” Grabbing two napkins, I picked up the plates and made my way over to table fifteen. “Okay, I’ve got the burger with dirty fries and the ribs with fries.”
“Smells good,” the man said, grinning at his wife. I’d spied their rings when I took their order.
“If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to—”
The diner erupted in cheers as ‘touchdooooown’ rang out through the radio speaker.
“You go to Rixon High, right?” The woman eyed my name tag, and I nodded. “I’m surprised you’re not at the game.”
