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"I literally cannot deny you when I'm talking to you face-to-face, Alec. I can't do it."
"I hope you can't. That's why I'm here."
I let out a resigned sigh. "Okay, I can do this. I can share one lunch with you and we can catch up and everything will be okay."
He smiled. "I promise it will be okay, Grace. It'll be all-the-way-okay. You won't regret it."
Alec pulled the hat off of his head and reached out and put it on mine. I laughed at him for doing it, but I didn't take it off. I reached up and adjusted the beanie. He wrinkled his nose at me. He had always been irresistibly playful.
"One lunch and that's it," I said.
"Fine," he said. "Thank you. I'm keeping your number saved, and I want you to do the same with mine, so I can text you later about plans."
He started to walk off.
"You forgot your hat," I said, taking it off.
"No, no, I gave that to you. It looks good on you. Just give it back to me Friday." He smiled as he turned and walked away.
I put the beanie back on my head. It wasn't cold out, but it was cool enough for a hat, and I felt like leaving it on. It smelled like Alec. I felt happy and confident as a result of his attention. I knew I should be skeptical and guarded, but in that moment, I was as giddy as my ninth-grade self. I walked back to the schoolyard wearing Alec's hat and feeling all was right with the world.
