“But I don’t want—”
Slapping the brim of my hat, again, he says, “No buts, Charlie. I got your back. Always. Understand?”
I stay quiet because I don’t want to argue with him, but I also don’t think he’s totally right, either.
“What is it?” Levi pushes, reading my mind. He always does that.
“H-how will you have my back when you go to middle school?”
With a shrug, a confident Levi leans back into the brown cushion and gives me his simple answer. “I see you every day, Charlie. Just because I won’t ride the bus home with you doesn’t mean we’re going to stop hanging out. Your dad still needs my mom to watch you. And even if he didn’t, I’m not going anywhere. We’re best friends.”
“Forever?” I whisper, staring into his green-brown eyes.
“Yeah, Charlie. You’re like my little sister, and if you have any problems while I’m at Granger Middle School, you just tell me, and I’ll get it taken care of. Promise.”
Smiling softly, and feeling hope for the first time since recess, I rest my head against his shoulder.
Life might be crappy sometimes, but at least I have Levi.
Chapter One
Charlie
The sound of knuckles tapping against the front door grabs my attention as I slip on my jacket and peck my dad on his wrinkled forehead.
“Bye, Dad! Levi and I are going to a movie! Be home later.”
“See ya, Charlie. Be safe!”
“Always!”
Twisting the door handle, I open it to see my best friend grinning back at me. Sporting a leather jacket and a dark T-shirt with a few days’ worth of scruff, Levi McCoy is…gorgeous. And completely oblivious that I’ve been in love with him since I was six.
“Hey, stranger,” I greet him, ignoring the way my heart pounds against my ribcage like a damn jackhammer.
Just like when we were little, Levi slaps the brim of my baseball hat down a few inches. “Hey, Charlie. You ready?”
“Yup.” I skip down the stairs toward his beat-up silver Camry and ask, “So how’s college going?”
With a shrug, he opens the passenger door. After I slide inside, he slams it closed before rounding the front and getting behind the steering wheel. “It’s good,” he answers. “I have a pretty cool roommate, so that helps. How’s your last year of high school?”
I groan. “
Don’t remind me. I am so done with school.”
“Have you applied to any colleges yet?”
Scrunching up my face, I reach for the radio, but he slaps my hand away.
“Nice try. Answer the question,” he pushes.
“I’m not going to college.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “Anything else. Like literally.”
“Even pole dancing?”