Tight

We had just gotten done with a water fight, one we hadn’t originally been involved in since it was for the younger kids. But when she’d thrown that first water balloon at me it had been on.

Her hair was soaking, her shirt drenched, and I was no better. But we were both smiling genuinely, her mid-laugh as the picture was taken. It still made my pulse quicken.

I stared at that picture as if it were a lifeline. The only reason I even kept it out was because it was the only one I had of her.

Damn, I was so far gone that I was standing in my living room fantasizing about claiming Kennedy all off of looking at her picture.

There was something wrong with me. Or maybe, just maybe, there was something very right.

Either way, I was looking forward to manning the fuck up where she was concerned.

Chapter Nine

Kennedy

Saturday morning

I was breathing hard, my heart racing, my throat dry as I sucked in air. Music blared in my headphones, the ground moving quickly underneath my feet.

I’d been running for the past half hour, just thinking, letting my mind wander. And all I kept coming back to was the party, thinking about Roman and his invitation for me to go to his place tonight. Although it was probably not as personal as I wanted it to be, a part of me couldn’t help but feel the intimacy in his question, in the way he looked at me.

And then that small touch of his hand on mine, the feel of his thumb moving along my wrist.

My heart started racing, which had nothing to do with me running, with the adrenaline pumping through my body, and everything to do with all those touches.

Sweat covered my forehead and slid down the length of my spine. I was exhausted, but I kept pushing myself. I didn’t want to go home just yet, but I guess it didn’t matter where I was at because all I thought about was what I should and shouldn’t do.

My music cut off as an incoming call came in. I slowed to a walk, breathing heavily, and dug in my side pocket to pull out my cell. I saw it was Isaac, and I thought about ignoring it until I could catch my breath. But I needed to talk to someone.

I stopped and braced a hand on my thigh as I caught my breath. I hit the accept button, the sound of static loud in my ear instantly.

“Isaac, can you roll up your window before you call me? I can’t hear you.” I said those words through the wheezing, and straightened to start heading back home.

But I walked this time, giving my body a break from the rigorous activity I put it through.

A second later the static was gone. “Sorry about that,” Isaac chuckled. “What are you doing? Running?”

“I was, but I’m heading back home now.” I could faintly hear Isaac’s car radio in the background. I knew what I wanted to ask Isaac, but I also had a feeling what he would say.

Although Isaac was far more popular than I was, he was more of a homebody, just like me. If I asked him to go to the party, he’d probably say no, and I really didn’t want to go by myself. I could admit to being terrified.

The intimidation of going to a gathering like that was a little bit too much for my introverted self. But I also really wanted to go to see Roman, and a little bit of support beside me would go a long way.

But even before he called, even though I hadn’t made up my mind … I think deep down I knew what I would do even if it did scare the shit out of me.

I was going to that party. I was going to tell Roman how I felt and let the chips fall where they may.

I mean, what’s the worst that could happen?

He turns you down.

Your heart is broken.

Humiliation.

And you’ve forever lost the person you’re in love with.

But life isn’t fully lived if you don’t take risks, right? At least I think I read that in a book somewhere.

“Listen,” I said and cleared my throat, feeling really nervous because I knew Isaac would wonder why I would want to go to one of these parties. “I was wondering if you have plans tonight?”

“Plans? Aside from hitting up the coffee shop to work on some school work, you know me well enough to know that I don’t do anything.” He chuckled as if he just told a joke, but the truth was that was our lives in a nutshell. “Why, what’s up? You got big plans?”

“Well, I actually got invited somewhere and was hoping you could be my plus one.” I grimaced at saying that. It sounded like I was inviting him to a wedding.