I remember wanting him to kiss me. I really did think we'd grow up and get married. At that age I never really thought of the ins and outs of marriage. I just knew we would always be together.
“I thought we would grow up and get married,” I tell him. I shake my head. “It was a naïve thing for me to think, but I was young.”
“I didn't think I’d grow up to marry you, Zoey.” His words are like a knife to my heart. I shouldn't feel any which way about Reid not wanting to marry me. My eyes start to burn. “I knew I was going to marry you.”
I sit there in shock. He picks up a fry, dipping it into the ketchup and bringing it to my mouth. I take the bite.
“It doesn't work that way, Reid.” I finally get words out. “I want to go home.” I stand up. He nods his head before dropping some money on the table, and we both head out of the diner together. He keeps his hand on the small of my back as we walk toward his truck.
When we get to his truck, he doesn't open the door. Instead he crowds me from behind. I turn around to look up at him. My hands land on this chest. “I fucked up. I know that. I have to gain your trust back. I understand that. But know this. I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to make you fall in love with me.”8ReidI wonder how long it will take Zoey to realize I shared locations with her. When it alerted her phone after I turned it on, I went in and deleted it. It was an asshole thing to do. I know it. But this way I can protect her from other assholes. At least I’m an asshole with good intentions.
I texted her a few times yesterday, but she didn't respond. She could have blocked me, but I saw that she read the messages. One was a good morning and the other was me telling her I’d take her to school tomorrow. I’m taking the nonresponse as a yes. It’s why I’ve parked my truck right in the center of her driveway. Her mom leaves about ten minutes before Zoey does. I watch the garage door open and then hop down out of my truck.
She opens her car door to toss her bag in but stops when she sees me. “When you don’t respond I take that as a yes.” She is in jeans and a hoodie today. She’s got her hair piled high on the top of her head. It is hit or miss around here with weather. One day it could be all sun and the next there could be a blizzard.
“I can drive myself. Now move that truck.” She waves her hand toward my truck as she says it. She looks so determined that it’s adorable.
“I’m not moving. So you can either get in the truck or we can stand here all day.” She rolls her eyes at me as she shuts the door to her car. I walk over to the garage and hit the code to shut the door. She gawks at me.
“It’s been the same code since we were little. Your birthday.” Her face softens a little.
“Right.” She really doesn't need my help to get into the truck. She could do it on her own, but I wanted to touch her and this allowed me to. It isn't until I’m headed toward the school that she says anything again. “Everyone is going to be talking about us.”
“I don’t give a shit.” I shrug. She glares at me. The softness on her face is gone.
“That’s because you’re the freaking star of the school. Everyone loves you and follows your lead. Part of that lead for all these years has been pretending that I don’t exist. Middle school was hell because of that crap. You don’t know what it’s like to be treated like you have the plague.”
“The fuck?” is all I can get out. I have no clue as to what she’s talking about. “People have been mean to you?” My hands on the steering wheel tighten.
“What did you think everyone was going to do, Reid? They follow your lead. Some of your friends are disgusting, by the way. The way they talk about other girls and who they’ve slept with. Oh, and the small jabs they take at me for likely being a virgin.”
“Who said that fucking shit?” I am going to fuck them all up. I told them to stay the fuck away from her, not to be rude and disrespectful toward her. Taking small jabs at her isn't staying away.
“Your. Friends.” She punctuates each word. “You hang out with them. You know what they say about girls. Pigs.”