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Her look is shy. “I asked Mr. Vargas where you were going.”
I want this girl thinking about me, asking about me. It’s selfish and self-centered, but it fills me with satisfaction. “I was surprised to see you in his office that day. It’s a little early for you to be thinking about college, isn’t it?”
“No.” She eyes me as if I’ve sprouted horns. “Weren’t you thinking about it and planning when you were a sophomore?”
“I was, but I needed to be. You just seem…I don’t know, maybe like you’re worrying about things you don’t need to be worried about.”
“You think I’ve got it easy. You’ve made that very clear, Simon.” When I go to speak, she cuts me off. “I’ve already been told I’m going to the local community college and that I’ll work for my father while I’m taking classes. If I really dig in, I’m sure I can convince him to let me continue on, get my degree in teaching or nursing or something else he deems appropriate for a girl.”
“What doyouwant?”
Her eyes are sorrowful. “I want to get away from here.” Cracking a half-hearted smile, she says, “Enough with the heavy. This is supposed to be a first date, right?”
Hell yes, it’s a date. For some reason, the thought fills me with joy and pride. “It’s myfirstfirst date,” I confess.
“Mine too.”
“So tell me something I don’t know about you, Charlotte. Something weird that no one else knows. First thing that comes to your mind.”
“I like circus peanuts.”
She’s laughing and I love the sound of it.
“What the hell is a circus peanut?”
“They’re those cheap candies they sell in dollar stores. They’re pinkish and chewy and they taste like—”
“Peanuts?” I offer.
“No, they taste nothing like peanuts! They taste like an orange creamsicle.”
I’m watching her, kind of dumbstruck because she’s so pretty, especially when she’s laughing. For some reason it feels crushing. I’m in my head, asking myself why that is, so I don’t even take a moment to think when she asks for something personal from me in return.
“My brother Mike is gay. He hasn’t told any of us yet, but we all know.”
Charlotte busts out in a fit of giggles. “Wow, my circus peanut confession seems totally lame in comparison to that. I’ll dig deeper next time.”
“Please do.” I’m laughing now too. “I don’t even know where that came from, but whatever, now you know.”
“Now I know,” she says, smiling as she gives my knee a squeeze.
“Good to know you’re not a homophobe like the majority of people in this town.”
“Maybe you’re making assumptions. You thought you had me figured out, didn’t you?”
“I always knew there was more to you, just didn’t want to admit it.”
She breathes in slow and deep, her chest rising in time. I turn away because I really don’t want to be that guy. But damn, it’s hard not to stare at her, take everything in, get my fill.
“We’re here,” she says, stating the obvious as I park the car. “You think you can take me?”
“I mean, I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion. I’m assuming you’ve been driving since you were fourteen or fifteen, so you’ll give me some competition.”
“Somecompetition, huh? Just so you know, the first time I got behind the wheel I was twelve.”
“Noted.” I grab her hand as we make our way to the booth. It feels natural to hold her hand.
“You sure we’re good?” I question Andrew when we get to the front of the line.
