go alone. That’s just wrong,” he reasoned.
“Dom, it’s fine. I just don’t want to make a big deal.”
He poked me in the side.
I turned my head to glare at him.
He was grinning. “All right, but you’re gonna wear a nice dress, right?”
“Duh. Of course.” What was the point of a dance without the dress?
“What color?” he asked
“It’s purple, why?” Since when was he interested in what color I wore?
“I want to bring you flowers. You know, that match. You have to have flowers, or it’s not really a high school dance.”
Just when I think he’s going to irritate me or make me uncomfortable, he always does something sweet. I was relieved he wasn’t going to force the issue of the dance. It would be so much more fun if I didn’t have to think about who I was with. The lack of pressure earned him a big smile.
“Okay, Dom. Thanks.”
He grinned back, looking like a little kid at Christmas. His dimples were showing.
He proceeded to tell me his story about the police interview last night, making me laugh when he imitated his dad. His dad was Italian and very demonstrative. He was always gesturing and flailing his arms. Even when he drove. We always joked that if we tied his dad’s hands behind his back he wouldn’t be able to talk. He had apparently made the detective crazy asking questions and being worried they were accusing Dom of something. The poor detective just wanted to ask some questions, and he could hardly get a word in edgewise. Dominic finally had to step in to calm his dad down to tell his version.
By the time he had finished, the table had filled up with our friends. Dominic went to long lengths to redirect the conversation away from last night, and we spent the rest of lunch talking about other things, like Holden’s latest speeding ticket and Veronica’s dad’s newest, crazy girlfriend. It was a relief to have everything back to normal. The last two weeks had been intense, and I really just needed a break from all the drama.
When I looked back at Gage’s table, he was laughing and talking to one of the girls. She was a cute blonde. One of the JV cheerleaders. My stomach did a flip, but I made myself to look away. I needed to stop being ridiculous. I had no claim on him. He was my friend. I needed to be happy that he was starting over and making new friends. My friends were going to be a hard sell after the beach party, and he needed to find his own group so he wasn’t alone and unhappy here.
I got up from the table when the bell rang to make my way to class. I looked to Gage’s table, as he walked away with the cheerleader. It’s what I deserved. I didn’t know what I wanted, and someone was going to get hurt. My parents were being a pain in the neck, and all the drama was getting to be a bit much. Maybe I just needed to let him find his way. Sticking with my group of friends would be easier. Wasn’t easier what I wanted? Then why was my stomach clenching and my hands shaking?
Chapter 12
I was nervous getting to golf practice. It was our first real practice, and I wanted it to go smoothly. Preferably with no drama. I felt like someone had put my life in hyperdrive.
Dominic attempted to carry my clubs for me but gave up when I threatened to beat him with one of my drivers. He just laughed at me. He was used to my bouts of temper and didn’t take them personally.
We made our way to the driving range since it was safer than waiting for the coach and his caddy in the parking lot. When Coach got there, he broke us up into groups and told us to play at least nine holes. He would be tooling around on his cart, checking our progress. We got on the harder course today. I wasn’t with any of the other seniors, and I couldn’t have been happier. I could just relax and play my game. I felt pretty good, until I realized the foursome ahead of us included Dom, Holden, Liam, and Gage.
We caught up to them a couple of times, and it seemed to be going fine on the first
“Dom, it’s fine. I just don’t want to make a big deal.”
He poked me in the side.
I turned my head to glare at him.
He was grinning. “All right, but you’re gonna wear a nice dress, right?”
“Duh. Of course.” What was the point of a dance without the dress?
“What color?” he asked
“It’s purple, why?” Since when was he interested in what color I wore?
“I want to bring you flowers. You know, that match. You have to have flowers, or it’s not really a high school dance.”
Just when I think he’s going to irritate me or make me uncomfortable, he always does something sweet. I was relieved he wasn’t going to force the issue of the dance. It would be so much more fun if I didn’t have to think about who I was with. The lack of pressure earned him a big smile.
“Okay, Dom. Thanks.”
He grinned back, looking like a little kid at Christmas. His dimples were showing.
He proceeded to tell me his story about the police interview last night, making me laugh when he imitated his dad. His dad was Italian and very demonstrative. He was always gesturing and flailing his arms. Even when he drove. We always joked that if we tied his dad’s hands behind his back he wouldn’t be able to talk. He had apparently made the detective crazy asking questions and being worried they were accusing Dom of something. The poor detective just wanted to ask some questions, and he could hardly get a word in edgewise. Dominic finally had to step in to calm his dad down to tell his version.
By the time he had finished, the table had filled up with our friends. Dominic went to long lengths to redirect the conversation away from last night, and we spent the rest of lunch talking about other things, like Holden’s latest speeding ticket and Veronica’s dad’s newest, crazy girlfriend. It was a relief to have everything back to normal. The last two weeks had been intense, and I really just needed a break from all the drama.
When I looked back at Gage’s table, he was laughing and talking to one of the girls. She was a cute blonde. One of the JV cheerleaders. My stomach did a flip, but I made myself to look away. I needed to stop being ridiculous. I had no claim on him. He was my friend. I needed to be happy that he was starting over and making new friends. My friends were going to be a hard sell after the beach party, and he needed to find his own group so he wasn’t alone and unhappy here.
I got up from the table when the bell rang to make my way to class. I looked to Gage’s table, as he walked away with the cheerleader. It’s what I deserved. I didn’t know what I wanted, and someone was going to get hurt. My parents were being a pain in the neck, and all the drama was getting to be a bit much. Maybe I just needed to let him find his way. Sticking with my group of friends would be easier. Wasn’t easier what I wanted? Then why was my stomach clenching and my hands shaking?
Chapter 12
I was nervous getting to golf practice. It was our first real practice, and I wanted it to go smoothly. Preferably with no drama. I felt like someone had put my life in hyperdrive.
Dominic attempted to carry my clubs for me but gave up when I threatened to beat him with one of my drivers. He just laughed at me. He was used to my bouts of temper and didn’t take them personally.
We made our way to the driving range since it was safer than waiting for the coach and his caddy in the parking lot. When Coach got there, he broke us up into groups and told us to play at least nine holes. He would be tooling around on his cart, checking our progress. We got on the harder course today. I wasn’t with any of the other seniors, and I couldn’t have been happier. I could just relax and play my game. I felt pretty good, until I realized the foursome ahead of us included Dom, Holden, Liam, and Gage.
We caught up to them a couple of times, and it seemed to be going fine on the first
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