AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“A little basketball.” I smirked. “I was more into causing trouble, though. Got kicked off the team. Didn’t even finish high school.”
“No?” She sounded surprised.
“Got my GED, though. Had to. Walker required it.”
“That’s—er—thatwasyour leader, right?”
“Yeah. To work at his club we all needed our diplomas. Made it more legit.” I shrugged, so needing to change the subject. “If you could play a sport, which one would it be?”
“Tennis.”
“Why?”
“It’s sophisticated.”
“You like sophisticated? What the hell are you doing with a punk like me? Slumming it?”
“Hey.”
“Kidding. Why tennis?”
“Mom—” Lizzie coughed, and from the sound of it, it was a nervous cough. “Played. College and at the club.”
“Pegged you for a country club girl. Where are your parents now?”
“Um…” She let out a breath and I heard ice clinking against her glass. As if she was maybe stirring her soda with her straw. “They died.”
“Oh shit.” Talk about a kick to the balls. “I feel like an ass, now. LizBelle, I’m sorry. I—”
“It’s okay.” She audibly gulped. “You didn’t know.”
“Is that why you stayed inside? Your parents dying?”
“Yeah.”
I wanted to know so badly, but I wasn’t sure if I should keep talking about this. “Can I ask how?”
Okay, guess I’m asking.
“That might take some more cheesecake and a brown paper bag.”
Okay, I so wasn’t following that combination.
“Hyperventilating—you need a brown paper bag to help with that.” She let out a nervous laugh. “Jokes aren’t my strong suit.”
“Not true. You got me on the carnation thing earlier.”
She laughed. Again I heard ice clinking and strained to hear even more. She was breathing heavily and moving something. The glass, maybe.
“Okay. Date number two discussion, then. I’ll bring the bag.”
“Thanks.”
“Parents aren’t the easiest to talk about, are they?” I asked, hoping she didn’t hear the disappointment in my voice. I really wanted to know more about her. It was like she knew every shitty thing about me. If only she’d trust me.
“Unless they’re alive and well.”
“True that. I never really knew my dad. He’s in prison. Won’t be getting out.”
