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“Thanks,” I say.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Willow
“How about some music?” Colt asks once we’re in his car. “Pick whatever station you want.”
“Okay, thanks.”
I pick a pop station. The music is cool, the upbeat kind you can dance to. Colt dances a little in his seat, but he makes sure to focus on his driving. I bop my head to the beat.
After we reach his house, he fetches some snacks and we head up to his room and sit at his desk. The house is very quiet, like no one lives here. I feel really bad that he’s so lonely.
“How are things with your dad?” I ask him.
He shrugs. “Not any better than yesterday. I didn’t see him this morning, but I’m not giving up. I hope we’ll get there one day.”
I give him an encouraging smile. “I know you will.”
“Thanks.”
I pull my laptop out of my backpack and we start brainstorming how to fix my app as we munch on store-bought cookies.
“The biggest mistake I made was not taking into consideration that the app could bring negative results,” I say. “Of course not everyone is dating their perfect match. We’re in high school. And I should have taken into account that couples could be matched with people other than their partners, and that it could cause problems.” I rub my forehead. “I should have offered the app only to people who were single.” I groan. “But even if that was the case, what if two people matched up and they were all wrong for each other? Or maybe they’re not ready for each other? And the worst part is that I made it seem like people were being matched with their soulmates. But it’s pretty rare for people to meet their soulmates in high school.” I thump my head on his desk. “What was I thinking? Building an app that could mess with people’s lives? Everyone knows things can get out of hand when it involves matters of the heart. I should have known better. Now I have nothing to show and all my work has been flushed down the toilet. I wasted months of my life, I pushed away my friends and family, especially my little sister. And what do I have to show for it?”
Colt wraps his arm around me and brings me to his chest.
“Sorry,” I mutter as I breathe in his scent. It brings a calmness over me that nothing ever has before.
“No. Like I said, vent all you want. I’m here.” He strokes the back of my head as he gazes into my eyes. I have no idea what he’s thinking, but I can get lost in his green ones.
But I pull away and awkwardly tuck some hair behind my ear. “Thanks for being here with me.”
He inclines his head. “Of course. Are you ready to brainstorm?”
Shaking my head, I sigh. “I think I need to pull out of the competition. It’s only two weeks away and I don’t have time to come up with a new idea, write the code, and test it. Besides, I already sent in the information for Your Perfect Match. I can’t just change it.” I bend forward, my hair spilling down my face. “It’s over. I’ll just try again next year.”
“Willow.” He places his hand on my cheek. It’s so warm, and it once again brings a calmness over me. It’s like he has magical powers. “Don’t give up. Your app isn’t a mess. You don’t need to come up with a new idea. We just need to fix it.” His eyebrows furrow. “What does your app do?”
“It matches people with people they are most compatible with.”
He nods. “The romance part is the problem, isn’t it? If you take the romance out of it, what are you left with?”
I think it over. “People being matched with each other.”
“Right. Based on what?”
“Interests, hobbies, beliefs, life goals…”
“Exactly. Maybe people can use the app to find friends, communities. They can search for people who have similar interests and beliefs as them.”
My eyes light up. “And maybe employers can find people looking for jobs. They could be matched with the perfect employee.”
He grins. “Willow, it’s not over yet. We can make it even more spectacular than it was. Please, let me help you. I want you and your app to shine.”
He’s smiling so brightly, like it means so much to him, that I’m filled with this feeling of elation.
I throw my arms around him. “Thanks so much for all of this. Colt, I didn’t realize how much I need you in my life.” My cheeks are on fire when I realize what I just admitted to him.
