anyone but yourself.”
“Is that right?” I say as I begin to tickle her. “You think you got me all figured out, don’t ya?”
She’s laughing hysterically, pushing me away “Stop, I’m teasing you.”
I let go of her, as I sit back, shaking my head at her.
“What?” she asks, smiling as she watches me.
“Nothin’, you’re funny ,” I say quietly, looking into her big, brown eyes, absorbing every inch of her.
“I was just kidding.”
“I know. You love giving me a hard time.”
“You’re the one who said I have shitty taste in guys and that I fall in love with every guy I meet.”
“Truce?”
“Truce,” she agrees. “You better get some sleep. You have an important game tomorrow,” she says as she sits up in the chair, removing her legs from my lap. “Besides, I expect you to hit a home run.”
I laugh. “You expect me to hit a home run? Well, if I do, it will be especially for you, but… ”
“How did I know there would be a but?” She smiles.
“If I hit a home run just for you, you better do something for me in return.”
“Really ? Like what?” she asks, slyly playing along.
“Hmmmm ...” I think for a second. “I know, you have to make me dinner. Here. Just the two of us. Me and you. No one else.”
“I can do that.”
“Now, what if I hit two home runs?”
“If you hit two? Let’s not get ahead of yourself ,” she teases.
“If I hit two, then it’s my choice, you have to do whatever I ask.”
“In the same game?”
“Yep.”
“Deal ,” she agrees.
Just as we shake on it, I get a frantic phone call from Luke, te lling me to stay put and he’ll be home soon. The phone call leaves us on edge wondering what he has gotten himself into.
** *
(Luke)
I’m crushed as I witness JJ kissing some guy. What makes it worse is how happy and comfortable she seems with someone besides me. I back away from the glass as if it’s fire, jump on my bike, drive around the corner and pull over. I pull out my cell. I can barely breathe.
“Yo, dude, where are you?” I ask Mikey.
“We’re home, where are you?” he asks.
“Stay there , I’ll be home in about twenty minutes.” I race through the streets and jump on the highway, taking the quickest route home, my heart beats a million times a minute.
I burst through the door. Mikey and De sit nervously on the couc h, watching the door as I enter.
“Where were you ? What happened?” De drills me as she jumps from the couch. “We’ve been worried sick.”
For some reason, seeing their terrified faces ma kes me laugh.
“What are you two , my parents? What did ya think? I killed someone again?” I know it’s nothing to joke about, but the look on their faces makes me feel the need to crack a joke.
“Not funny . You scared the hell out of us with your cryptic phone call. It’s after eleven,” Mikey reprimands me like a little kid.
“Sorry, didn’t know I had a curfew… Dad.” Mikey shakes his head, he seems genuinely worried. I realize they are probably still worried about me after all I have been through. “I know. I know. Sorry,” I apologize.
“What happened?” De asks.
“I went to the gallery. I wanted to see her… ” I pause, letting the initial shock wear off their faces.
“ By the time I got there, it looked like everyone was gone. I thought I’d catch her at the end of the night. It’s an important night for her. I wanted her to know that I wanted to be there, too.” I hate when they look at me like I’m nuts, but I continue anyway. “I took a peek in the window before going in. I saw her sitting on a stool. She looked amazing. Just as I’m about to open the door, this old guy comes out of nowhere with his slicked back hair and fancy suit, feeding her wine. Then, they toast their glasses and he starts kissing her. What the hell is that about? Who’s the old guy gettin’ her drunk and takin’ advantage?” I demand as I pace back and forth.
“Luke, relax.” Mikey laugh
“Is that right?” I say as I begin to tickle her. “You think you got me all figured out, don’t ya?”
She’s laughing hysterically, pushing me away “Stop, I’m teasing you.”
I let go of her, as I sit back, shaking my head at her.
“What?” she asks, smiling as she watches me.
“Nothin’, you’re funny ,” I say quietly, looking into her big, brown eyes, absorbing every inch of her.
“I was just kidding.”
“I know. You love giving me a hard time.”
“You’re the one who said I have shitty taste in guys and that I fall in love with every guy I meet.”
“Truce?”
“Truce,” she agrees. “You better get some sleep. You have an important game tomorrow,” she says as she sits up in the chair, removing her legs from my lap. “Besides, I expect you to hit a home run.”
I laugh. “You expect me to hit a home run? Well, if I do, it will be especially for you, but… ”
“How did I know there would be a but?” She smiles.
“If I hit a home run just for you, you better do something for me in return.”
“Really ? Like what?” she asks, slyly playing along.
“Hmmmm ...” I think for a second. “I know, you have to make me dinner. Here. Just the two of us. Me and you. No one else.”
“I can do that.”
“Now, what if I hit two home runs?”
“If you hit two? Let’s not get ahead of yourself ,” she teases.
“If I hit two, then it’s my choice, you have to do whatever I ask.”
“In the same game?”
“Yep.”
“Deal ,” she agrees.
Just as we shake on it, I get a frantic phone call from Luke, te lling me to stay put and he’ll be home soon. The phone call leaves us on edge wondering what he has gotten himself into.
** *
(Luke)
I’m crushed as I witness JJ kissing some guy. What makes it worse is how happy and comfortable she seems with someone besides me. I back away from the glass as if it’s fire, jump on my bike, drive around the corner and pull over. I pull out my cell. I can barely breathe.
“Yo, dude, where are you?” I ask Mikey.
“We’re home, where are you?” he asks.
“Stay there , I’ll be home in about twenty minutes.” I race through the streets and jump on the highway, taking the quickest route home, my heart beats a million times a minute.
I burst through the door. Mikey and De sit nervously on the couc h, watching the door as I enter.
“Where were you ? What happened?” De drills me as she jumps from the couch. “We’ve been worried sick.”
For some reason, seeing their terrified faces ma kes me laugh.
“What are you two , my parents? What did ya think? I killed someone again?” I know it’s nothing to joke about, but the look on their faces makes me feel the need to crack a joke.
“Not funny . You scared the hell out of us with your cryptic phone call. It’s after eleven,” Mikey reprimands me like a little kid.
“Sorry, didn’t know I had a curfew… Dad.” Mikey shakes his head, he seems genuinely worried. I realize they are probably still worried about me after all I have been through. “I know. I know. Sorry,” I apologize.
“What happened?” De asks.
“I went to the gallery. I wanted to see her… ” I pause, letting the initial shock wear off their faces.
“ By the time I got there, it looked like everyone was gone. I thought I’d catch her at the end of the night. It’s an important night for her. I wanted her to know that I wanted to be there, too.” I hate when they look at me like I’m nuts, but I continue anyway. “I took a peek in the window before going in. I saw her sitting on a stool. She looked amazing. Just as I’m about to open the door, this old guy comes out of nowhere with his slicked back hair and fancy suit, feeding her wine. Then, they toast their glasses and he starts kissing her. What the hell is that about? Who’s the old guy gettin’ her drunk and takin’ advantage?” I demand as I pace back and forth.
“Luke, relax.” Mikey laugh
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