Some Kind of Normal

A guy leaned against one of the big old oak trees, hands shoved into the front pockets of his jeans, a bag at his feet. His head was down so he didn’t see me, because his hair covered most of his face while his one foot tapped the ground furiously.

Trevor.

I must have said his name out loud, because he raised his head. Or maybe I hadn’t said anything at all and it was coincidence.

But as I stared across the street at him, I couldn’t deny the little bit of happiness I felt. Chest tight, I waved again and then lifted the hair off the back of my neck.

I felt like I was back in sixth grade, staring across the closet at this boy who was larger than life. A boy whose gravity pull was so strong, it was enough to suck me in.

He lifted his chin as if to say hey and gave a small wave.

I could have done one of two things at this point. I could have given him the sort of salute he deserved. You know, the big old bird salute. Or I could let his gravity work its magic and pull me in.

Two guesses as to which one won.

“Everly,” he said, a hint of gruff in his voice.

I’d crossed the street and stood a few inches away, wary of his pull and not entirely sure I’d made the right choice.

“You’re really late,” I retorted.

For a moment his eyes dropped, and I felt like a shit.

“Sorry, I just…” His voice trailed off as he stared across the street at the library. “I’ve been out here for almost half an hour. My dad dropped me off on his way back from lunch, but I just…”

A few awkward moments passed as I watched him, and it was then I knew.

“Mrs. Henney can be a little overwhelming. I get it.”

His eyes shot back to mine, and for the first time since we started this whole thing, I felt as if I was seeing the real Trevor Lewis. Sure, he looked like he had his shit together, but he was scared and kind of messed up, and I was pretty sure he didn’t want to talk about what had happened with Mrs. Henney. We both know as soon as she saw him, she’d be all over that.

“Do you want to study at my house?”

I did not say that. What the hell?

His eyes softened, and the way he tilted his head to look down at me had my heart leaping all over the place like a fistful of jumping beans.

“Are you sure?”

No. My dad was home, and being around him was about the last place I wanted to be. Pretending that all was shiny and happy in my world wasn’t exactly easy, at least not lately. But pretending in front of a crowd? That would be plain awful.

A slow crooked smile was making its way across Trevor’s face, and there went those jumping beans again.

Trevor Lewis might be damaged, but he was also dangerous, and I knew him well enough to know that his smile wasn’t exclusive. The power of that smile was legendary. I had to remember that even though a direct result of the power of said smile was a stomach full of butterflies, we were only study buddies. Nothing more.

Today, he was relieved that he didn’t have to face his demons. There would be no Mrs. Henney. No one staring or asking inappropriate questions.

I totally got that, and I knew his beautiful smile wasn’t one hundred percent for me.

As we slowly headed down the street to my home, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to be the girl on the receiving end of that smile and to know it was all for her.

Chapter Nine

Trevor

Everly’s family was a lot different than I expected. For one, her mom doesn’t look anything like the woman I remembered from when I was younger. Not surprising. When I was twelve, I wasn’t checking out my classmates’ mothers because I was more interested in frogging and football than girls.

But I wasn’t twelve anymore, and right now it was a fact that Terry Jenkins was hot. I’m not talking “she looks good for an older lady” kind of hot. I’m talking she looked like she could have starred in one of those CW shows that my sister watches. As a mom, of course, but an insanely hot mom.