AllFreeNovel
Share Us
We eventually migrated from the swing set to the green jungle gym that was in the center of the playground. Reed grabbed ahold of the little pirate wheel screwed into the structure, pretending to steer the ship, while I made my way across the monkey bars, laughing despite the cramp in my upper arms. I’d grown up with his sister, but I’d never gotten a chance to play pretend with Reed like this. It felt like we were pretending in more ways than one.
Reed stood at the top of the tallest platform of the jungle gym, the one that led to the twisting tube slide, and squinted out toward the street. “It’s a quiet night on these waters, isn’t it?”
I snorted at his roleplay, but started up the stairs toward him. “Is it now?”
“Mmm.” Reed turned toward me, and from a few steps below, I looked up at him bathed in moonlight. “Maybe we should put the anchor down here?”
“Do we have an anchor?”
“All ships have anchors.”
“Ah.” I took another step toward him. “Then go put down the anchor.”
“That’s the shipmate’s duty,” he said, and then pointed at his chest. “Not thecaptain’s.”
My jaw dropped theatrically. “Who gave you the title of captain?”
Reed shook his head as I stepped onto the platform beside him. “We’ll be co-captains.”
I smiled, turning to peer out at the street. It was deadly quiet, and all the surrounding houses were dark with sleep. It had to be past eleven now, which wasn’tthatlate in the grand scheme of things, but it felt as if it were three in the morning. The feeling of adventure clung to the air, the sort of desire born from lack of sleep and lowered inhibitions. As I stood at Reed’s side on the playground, examining Walnut Street before us, the feeling closed around me like a jacket.
I glanced over at my co-captain and the first thing I noticed were his arms. “You have goosebumps.” Without thinking, I rubbed my hand up and down his skin. The intention was that the friction would warm him up, but my fingers were icer than his arm.
“Jeez, your fingers are freezing,” he all but gasped out, jerking away before snatching up my hand. “It’s not even that cold out.”
“I guess I have poor circulation.”
Reed folded my hand between his, letting the warmth of him once more swallow up my palm. Only it didn’t stop at my palm. His heat spread from my fingers to the rest of my body, as if traveling through my bloodstream. It was as if I was seeing him for the first time in that snapshot of a moment. With his golden-brown hair tucked behind his ear, his dark eyes on me, rosy lips caught in a half-smile that caused my pulse to hiccup in my chest.
“Reed,” I began, a quivering syllable. “I didn’t say it before, but thank you. For last Friday.”
He didn’t brush my words away, but he didn’t answer right away, either. He rubbed my fingers between his. For the second time tonight, we were holding hands. “I’m glad you weren’t alone. And I’m glad I could be there for you.”
“I’m glad it was you.”
With his free hand, Reed reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from my face, letting his fingertips trail a path of summer heat along my cheekbone, then to my jawline. The way he looked at me brought me back to that night in his kitchen, after the first four-second kiss. The brightness in his eyes struck me, like he was discovering something he hadn’t realized existed. Or maybe it was wishful thinking.
Careful, careful, my thoughts seemed to scream.Don’t play with fire!
It’s too late, my heart whispered, a consoling defeat.You’ve already been burned.
And for a split second, I went down forbidden territory. A dangerous game, but one I played for a moment. I’d say to hell with the risks and repercussions and speak from my heart. In that second, there was no worry about Rachel finding out and hating me, no Cindy drawing away his attention, and there were no houses for sale.
I wondered what I looked like in that moment. Red cheeks and bright eyes. A girl with her heart five sizes too big for her chest. A girl building plans in her head even though they were glass dreams that couldn’t come true.
Reed, these past few weeks I’ve been trying to fight it, but I think I’m starting to fall for you.
And as soon as I had the thought, it all shattered.
“Reed,” I said softly, and as I spoke, I could feel my heart thrashing in my chest, beating on the bars I’d put up to keep it protected. But they were iron, firm and fast, and wouldn’t dream of budging. “I think we should stop.”
“Stop what?”
“Being friends.” I stared at his arm, at the goosebumps lining them, as if that would make this any easier. “I can’t lie anymore, and every time that we meet like this, talk like this…I have to lie to my best friend. I can’t do it, Reed. There are already too many lies and secrets.”
Reed dipped his head to attempt to catch my eye. “Are you talking about the kiss? It was once. One time, weeks ago. I thought we forgot about it.”
Except there was no forgetting. There never would be.
