It’s something new for me to see him so happy, and I wonder if maybe he’ll start dating again. He’s been holding off for years, and I know it’s been for my benefit. But I secretly hope he’ll find a special someone so that he won’t be alone all the time. Dad’s always said he doesn’t mind it, that I’m all he needs, but I think he’d like a lady in his life.
“How’s school?” he asks, still beaming as he changes the subject.
“It’s going really well. I love my roommate! She’s introducing me to a lot of new people.”
“That’s great to hear, Ems. The furniture is working out?”
“Yeah.” I grin at him, knowing he wants reassurance that he’s done all he can to help out. “The bed is super comfy.”
“Perfection.” With a satisfied nod, Dad turns to focus on his dinner preparations with the same intensity of an artist at work. “And the boys?” he asks, lifting his brow as though suspicious.
My stomach nearly lurches into my throat. My first thought is, does he know about Reese, West, and Trent? But then a wave of relief comes over me when I realize that Dad’s talking about boys in general, and not those boys specifically.
“I’m not focusing on guys in college.” I shift uncomfortably on my feet. “Leslie says she’s not planning to date at all this year, and I’m gonna do the same. School comes first.”
“I approve.” He chuckles, brandishing his knife with a wicked smile.
During dinner, we talk about how his job is going—he’s back at the same company, but in a much higher position, and I can tell he loves it already. He always liked Clearwater, and I know he’s glad to be back. He has none of the awful associations with this place that I do; he knows I struggled in school for most of my junior year, but he doesn’t know why.
Seeing Dad so smiley and chatty drives home the fact that I can’t let my old bullies drive me away again. If the guys try to make me suffer, I’ll stand up to them with everything I’ve got. For my happiness and my dad’s, it’s worth it to fight.
Once dinner is done, Dad kisses me goodbye, and I head out on my bike, enjoying the pleasant ride back to campus in the soft evening air. I wonder whether Leslie finished that whole pizza like she said that she would. I’ve got a little studying to do, then we’ll probably watch a movie on her computer, because it’s bigger than mine.
As I’m locking up my bike in the lot near the dorms, a deep male voice speaks from behind me.
“Emma. Emma Holloway.”
My throat closes up, my body instantly going into defense mode, but it only takes me a second to realize it’s not one of my three nightmares. I hear their voices in both my dreams and my waking hours way more often than I wish I did, and I’d recognize them anywhere.
Trying to get my racing pulse to slow down, I turn and find Peter standing there. He’s still as handsome as he was when I met him on the first day of school, and he grins when he sees recognition flash across my face.
“Oh, hey, Peter. Peter…?”
“Peter Parker.”
I blink. “Is that seriously your name?”
“Nah, I’m just teasing you,” he says with a winning smile. “It’s Peter Nielsen.”
“Nice to see you again, Peter Nielsen.” I return his smile. He’s definitely flirting with me, and after living on edge for the past three weeks, it feels good. Shit. Am I already killing my resolution?
“Hey, what are you doing right now?” he asks.
“Uh, locking up my bike,” I tell him with a teasing lilt in my voice. It’s not the funniest joke, but he chuckles anyway.
“And after that?”
“I dunno. Going up to my room.”
“Wanna come to a party?”
“Like, now?” I ask, nerves suddenly fluttering in my stomach.
“Yeah. You don’t have to go. I’m on my way out and just figured I’d ask.”
“Um.” I bite my lip, thinking about it. An acronym comes to mind that Leslie likes to use all the time. YOLO. You only live once. God, that’s true. And for the past couple years, I’ve barely been living.
“Sure,” I say, feeling a warm blush come to my cheeks.