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“Nowshe’shot.” Knox whacks me in the chest as he nods to a girl about our age who just entered the diner. She’s got her arm wrapped around a guy, maybe college-aged. “That’s someone you should go after, Colt.”
“Dude, she has a boyfriend.”
Vince shrugs. “Doesn’t matter. If you want her, go get her. I mean, with your looks and charm, she’ll be eating out of your palm in no time.”
Mario chuckles as he and the others high-five. “Looks like it’s a first date, anyway. And she doesn’t look so excited.”
I glance from one to the other. “Did you guys forget I have a girlfriend? Can we talk about something else, please?”
The conversation shifts to hot girls, sports, movies, and TV. I let my gaze wander around the diner. Many couples are on dates, at various stages of their relationships. I remember how Vanessa and I would sit at a table near the window because she liked looking outside. Though, she really liked everyone looking ather. At us. The king and queen of Edenbury High. I felt like I was on top of the world, that I was finally living the life I had dreamed about in middle school.
Hopefully, things will go back to the way they were. Vanessa will get back together with me, and I’ll continue living that dream.
But why does a small part of me want more? Something deeper?
When we’re done eating, we wish each other goodbye and head for the exit. Knox stops at the table with that girl and college guy. He bends closer to her, smiling wide, and starts flirting with her. It takes less than a minute before she’s leaving the diner and getting into his car. Her date scowls after them.
Owen claps me on the back. “Could have been your car she got into.”
I give him a look. “Dude, I told you I have a girlfriend.”
He faces me, eyes filling with confusion. “Colt, you know you can tell me stuff, yeah? What’s really going on? You and that nerd? That’s not like you.”
If he knew how much itshouldbe like me…
A large part of me wants to tell him. He’s my best friend. But no. I’m not going to jeopardize Willow’s app or my shot at getting back together with Vanessa.
I place my hand on his arm. “You don’t have to worry about me, Owen. My brain hasn’t stopped working.”
“But what do you see in her?”
A lot.
“I’m heading home,” I tell him as I turn to go.
He rests his hand on my back. He doesn’t say anything, but I know it’s his way of telling me he cares. I fist bump him before getting into my car and zooming off.
The house is, of course, empty. I’m not even sure if Dad came home last night or just slept in his office.
I drop down at my desk and get started on my homework. As I’m doing math, my phone dings with a text. I figure it’s Owen or my other friends bugging me about my new “girlfriend,” so I ignore it. But a strange feeling enters me and I grab my phone to check it out.
Hey, honey. How are you? How’s your week going?
I stare down at the words, a million thoughts rushing into my mind. I don’t know why I thought she’d quit trying to contact me.
My fingers hover over my phone, my heart telling me to answer back—just say one word. Start a conversation. But if I do that, I’m pretty much giving her permission to be in my life again. And I don’t want that.
I mean, I shouldn’t want that. She left me when I needed her most. I’m not just going to let her back in with open arms.
I focus on my homework. But I’m interrupted by my ringtone.
I grit my teeth. Is she calling me now? She’s never done so before, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the next step would be to call me.
I’m about to chuck my phone across the room when I notice the person calling me is Willow.
I didn’t realize it’s a video call. After I answer it, her face comes on the screen. It looks like she’s in her room. She’s wearing her cozy tech pajamas and her hair is pulled into a ponytail, accentuating her beautiful brown eyes.
She waves. “Hi. Sorry to call out of the blue, but you did give me your number.”
